City Council

Oak Harbor City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 This was both a physical meeting location and a virtual meeting. Meeting was viewable via YouTube at www.youtube.com/cityofoakharbor, on Facebook, and following the meeting on Cable Channel 10/HD 1090 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Wright called the workshop meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. ROLL CALL City Council Present: Staff Present/Videoconference Mayor Ronnie Wright City Administrator Sabrina Combs Mayor Pro Tem Tara Hizon Deputy City Administrator David Goldman Councilmember Jim Woessner Development Services Director David Kuhl Councilmember Bryan Stucky Parks and Recreation Director Brian Smith Councilmember Eric Marshall City Engineer Alex Warner Councilmember Christopher Wiegenstein Police Chief Tony Slowik Councilmember Barbara Armes Fire Chief Travis Anderson Councilmember James P. Marrow Principal Planner Rajesh Cac Kamak Senior Planner Ray Lindenburg Associate Planner Nolan Grunska Central Services Manager Sandra Place Parks and Recreation Supervisor Brandon Cable Executive Services Coordinator Macalle Finkle Communications Officer Magi Aguilar City Clerk Julie Nester Also in attendance: City Attorney Hillary Evans of Kenyon Disend, PLLC Others in attendance included Planning Commissioner Joshua Engelbrecht MAYOR Mayor Wright welcomed all in attendance. He observed public comments are not normally taken at workshop meetings, although the Council may allow or request public participation on action items. There were two action items on the agenda today. Mayor Wright noted City Administrator Combs, Deputy City Administrator Goldman, and Grants Ad- ministrator Horn and he had a productive trip to Washington, D.C. where they presented the City’s legislative priorities to our elected officials and were joined at the Pentagon by representatives of the Whidbey Task Force. Mayor Wright, City Administrator Combs, Deputy City Administrator Goldman and Grants Administrator Horn also attended the National League of Cities Conference. Mayor Wright observed that City Administrator Combs had provided further details in her monthly report. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 1 of 17 CITY COUNCIL Mayor Wright observed today’s agenda was very full, but he wanted to take a few minutes to invite Councilmembers to provide any updates on the City’s boards, commissions or committees on which they serve as a Council liaison. Councilmember Stucky reported last month on the island County Tourism Board. Councilmembers Woessner, Marrow, Wiegenstein, Armes and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided up- dates from their respective boards, commissions, and committees. CITY ADMINISTRATOR a. Monthly Departmental Reports City Administrator Combs noted the monthly departmental reports were provided in the meeting packet. She provided details on: • Washington, D.C. Update – more details on meetings with legislators will be included in the next department report. • National League of Cities Conference • Association of Washington Cities programs and lobbying highlights • Pentagon – productive group discussions • MARAD – grant funding opportunities City Administrator Combs thanked the executive office team and Grants Administrator Horn for cre- ating the City’s information packet that clearly explained the Council’s goals, challenges, and what the City and community want to accomplish. Councilmember Marrow and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their respective comments, praising the information packet, which was also provided to the Council and available online. POLICE DEPARTMENT a. ACTION ITEM: Resolution No. 25-11: Police Vehicle Purchase Police Chief Slowik and Central Services Manager Place reviewed the item for the Council. The equipment rental fund 502 budget includes funds to replace the 2002 Nissan Maxima and 2008 Subaru Outback, which are assigned fleet vehicles to the Oak Harbor Police Department (OHPD). The 2002 Nissan Maxima was acquired through a drug seizure. The vehicle had been used for undercover police work and had exceeded its service life. The Maxima is unsafe to drive on the roadway and has been placed out of service. The 2008 Subaru Outback was an undercover detec- tive vehicle for 14+ years and is no longer useful in this capacity. In 2024, the vehicle was assigned to the Mental Health Co-Responder as part of the interlocal agreement with Island County. The department has a need to replace these vehicles with command staff vehicles. The two new vehicles will be used by command staff to travel between OHPD, crime scenes, community events, and other agency needs. Since 2022, the City has placed orders for hybrid police vehicles under the state contract, but the manufacturer canceled all orders. Ford Motor Company makes the only hybrid police vehicle on the Washington State vehicle purchasing contract, and due to supply chain issues, Ford completed the allocation of hybrid police vehicles in 2025. The City purchased four gas police vehicles under Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 2 of 17 state contract in September 2024, and each vehicle cost $55,784.00 before sales tax. Hybrid Po- lice Vehicles of similar size and use are unavailable on the WA State vehicle contract. On February 25, 2025, McCord’s Vancouver Toyota, the vendor for these vehicles, provided a quote for two (2) Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid vehicles. OHPD staff have met and determined that these replacements would suit the City’s needs. These vehicles are in stock at McCord’s’ Vancou- ver Toyota and have been reserved pending City Council approval. The dealership indicated that this deal is only available for a short period of time and will be sold to the first purchaser. Two Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid vehicles are available to purchase for $52,653 and $52,948 each before sales tax and shipping, which is a total of $12k savings from the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). The proposed vehicle replacement is summarized in the following table: Number Description Funds Needed Funds Available P-16 2002 Nissan Maxima $57,712.87 $58,000.00 P-22 2008 Subaru Outback $57,391.62 $58,000.00 Totals $115,104.49 $116,000.00 The funds have been set aside and are available in the Equipment Rental Replacement Fund. Staff proposes using the special market condition competitive bidding exemption of RCW 39.04.280 through Resolution 25-11. Effective June 1, 2018, all local government subdivisions of the state, to the extent determined prac- ticable by the rules adopted by the Washington Department of Commerce (DOC), pursuant to RCW 43.325.080, are required to satisfy 100% of their fuel usage for operating publicly owned vessels, vehicles, and construction equipment from electricity or biofuel. Staff determined this was not prac- ticable at this time since there were no electric trucks on the in-stock ready-for-delivery list. Mayor Wright confirmed no public comments had been received on this action item and invited any comments from the public in attendance. Hearing none, he called on the Council for their questions and comments. Councilmembers Marrow provided his respective questions and comments. Motion: Councilmember Stucky moved to approve Resolution 25-11, finding that special market conditions exist, and approving the purchase of two police vehicles for the Oak Harbor Police De- partment, waiving the competitive bidding requirement due to a special market condition, pursuant to RCW 39.04.280. Councilmember Marrow seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES a. ACTION ITEM: Hillside Plat and Planned Residential Development Extension Development Services Director Kuhl presented the item to the Council. He explained the Develop- ment Agreement and Subdivision for the Hillside Planned Residential Development (PRD), with the Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 3 of 17 developer, Pacific North Group, PPL-18-01, PLN-18-30, PLN-18-29, TRC-18-21, LND18-21 in Oak Harbor will expire on March 31, 2025. The developer for the project was contacted regarding the expiration through a letter mailed on Feb- ruary 11, 2025. The letter stated that the City is prepared to let the Agreement and Subdivision expire. However, an extension of one-year may be offered by the City Council under Oak Harbor Municipal Code (OHMC) Section 21.40.020, which says the City Council may grant a time extension for completion of the requirements for the preliminary plat for a maximum of one (1) year. Said ex- tension shall be conditioned upon: (a) Upon showing that the applicant has attempted in good faith to submit the final plat within the five (5) year period. Director Kuhl explained the Development Agreement commenced on the date of the Hearing Exam- iner approval, which was March 31, 2020, and continues in force for a period of five (5) years unless it is “extended or terminated as provided in OMHC Section 21.40.020 (4) as it now reads or as it may hereinafter be amended.” This section of code was amended later to provide for a two-year exten- sion after the initial five-year period to obtain a final plat. The developer requested and was granted a segmented approach in the Development Agreement. Segment 1 consists of 10 lots Segment 2 consists of 20 lots Segment 3 consists of 20 lots Segment 4 consists of 20 lots Per the terms of the subdivision: • Zoning Ordinance Section 21.040.020 allows five years to file a final plat. • Final Plat - requires all improvements to be installed or bonded • Conditions of Extension - if the applicant has attempted in good faith to submit the final plat within the five-year period. The developer was given notice of the requirement to submit the following three items before today to receive consideration of an extension: 1. A construction schedule 2. An engineer’s cost estimate of the project: and 3. Bonds to complete the development that is contemplated in phase 1 of the project. This could include site improvements including grading, road and frontage improvements, storm system, sewer system, water system, site access, site retaining walls. To date, the developer has not provided any of the three items above to consider as part of the extension request. Further, there has been no letter sent to the City to request an extension. There are four options relating to this project: • Process a 30-day extension of the development agreement and subdivision while waiting for documentation to be provided by the project developer as required by the City. The developer could then be given an additional extension if the council decides it is in the public interest. • Process an extension of the development agreement and subdivision for one year. • Process an extension of the development agreement and subdivision for two years. • Allow the development agreement and subdivision to expire. Future steps would include processing a new preliminary plat PRD and processing a new Develop- ment Agreement. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 4 of 17 Director Kuhl reviewed motions the Council could consider: • Move to extend the Development Agreement and Subdivision/PRD for the Hillside Planned Residential Development for 30 days with the conditions that: 1) a letter submitted to the City outlining the reasons for the request 2) a construction schedule be submitted to the City to the satisfaction of the City Engineer and Building Official 3) an engineer's cost estimate be submitted to the satisfaction of the City Engineer and 4) bonds to complete the development that is contemplated in Phase 1 of the project. This could include site improvements including grading, road and frontage improvements, storm system, sewer system, water system, site access, site retaining walls. or • Move to extend the Development Agreement and Subdivision/PRD for the Hillside Planned Residential Development for one year; or • Move to extend the Development Agreement and Subdivision/PRD for the Hillside Planned Residential Development for two years; or • Make no motion and allow the Development Agreement and Subdivision/PRD for the Hillside Planned Residential Development to expire. Mayor Wright confirmed no public comments had been received on this action item and invited any comments from the public in attendance. 1. Ed Wilkins of Oak Harbor noted the project was an excellent idea, located close to services, but voiced concern about whether it had missed the market and the absorption rate for suc- cess, and whether the project could move forward fast enough to meet demand. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon requested to hear from the developer who was present. Scott Thompson, President of Pacific North Group, addressed the Council. He noted a Hearing Ex- aminer date of November 2021 as the date of the preliminary plat approval for the start of his Devel- opment Agreement, and believed he had until November 2026. Mr. Thompson also noted the project had experienced delays due to the seasonal nature of construction, combustion permit requirements, and the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as a rapid escalation of construction costs and a lack of labor force, and changes to water flow requirements from the Department of Ecology causing a need to shutter and preserve projects until conditions improve. Mr. Thompson explained he was preparing to reopen the site on May 15, 2025. In response to questions from the Council, Development Services Director Kuhl explained the De- velopment Agreement and Subdivision approved in 2020 set the five-year period. the Hearing Ex- aminer subsequently approved the preliminary plat and PRD in 2021. The Hearing Examiner set the restriction of no work on the site between November and May. The PRD can be extended for up to two years. Any amendment of the Development Agreement would be a separate process. City Attorney Evans explained the City is bound by the language in the Development Agreement that says the project shall proceed for a period of five years. Councilmembers Marrow, Marshall, Stucky, Woessner, and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their respective questions and comments. Mayor Wright noted no one was trying to shut down the project, but rather to bring this to the Council for transparency and action, and to do what was best for both the City and the developer. Hearing no other discussion, he called for a motion. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 5 of 17 Motion: Councilmember Marrow moved to recommend approving an extension of two years relating to a development agreement and subdivision/PRD between the City of Oak Harbor and Pacific North Group, Inc. for the Hillside Planned Residential Development with the conditions that a construction schedule, engineer’s estimate and bonds be submitted to the City within thirty (30) days. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon seconded the motion and offered a friendly amendment to change the time for submittal to sixty (60) days. The friendly amendment was seconded by Councilmember Marrow. Mayor Wright called for a vote on the friendly amendment, which was approved unanimously. Mayor Wright then called for a vote on the motion as amended, which passed by a vote of five (5) to two (2), with Councilmembers Armes, Marrow, Marshall, and Woessner, and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon in favor, and Councilmembers Stucky and Wiegenstein opposed. BREAK - Mayor Wright called for a short break from 2:31 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. At 2:45 p.m. Mayor Wright called the workshop back to order, and continued to Development Ser- vices item b. b. 2025 Comprehensive Plan Major Update Principal Planner Kamak acknowledged Planning Commission Chair Joshua Englebrecht who was in attendance. Principal Planner Kamak explained this update was being provided as a follow-up to the discussion at the February 25th workshop, during which he and consultant Clay White of Kimley Horn, the firm assisting the City in the development of the Comprehensive Plan, presented information and options for Council consideration regarding the Land Capacity Analysis (LCA). Principal Planner Kamak noted he would review those options and based on the discussion of the option preferred by the Council; staff would work to finalize a copy of the draft Comprehensive Plan to share with the County. He provided information and outlined a discussion of the following: Options for LCA: • February workshop update • Compare LCA memo Option 2 and 3 • Discuss Capacity and targets • Discuss options for Land Use (LU) changes Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Urban Growth Area (UGA) Expansion • Draft for proposed target • Concept Map Next Steps: Principal Planner Kamak reviewed form-based code and possible code changes for building heights, density, and inclusionary zoning with the goal of increasing capacity and targeting development reg- ulations and large area home density rezoning to meet target numbers, while satisfying County-wide Planning Policies (CPP). The City’s current EIS was adopted in 1995 with a twenty-year outlook. It planned for a predicted population of 28,580. Oak Harbor’s population at the end of 2024 was 24,900. Principal Planner Kanak explained the City should consider updating the EIS since various options in the LCA could be vetted through the EIS process, and an EIS decision can affect sched- uling and a timeline for completion of the Comprehensive Plan. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 6 of 17 Principal Planner Kamak reviewed the UGA metrics and potential land trades or expansions and density. He provided a map to illustrate these areas. Next steps will involve the following: • Prepare revisions to LCA memo • The next mediation meeting with Island County is April 10, 2025 • Staff will prepare a draft letter and map for the April 15, 2025 Council meeting • Advance EIS process • City comprehensive plan to move forward o A second Oak Harbor Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee meeting (Spring) o Community input – survey/open houses (Spring/Summer) o An updated EIS o Creation of a Draft Plan Councilmembers Woessner, Marrow, and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their respective questions and comments. c. Western Washington University Student Intern Parking Study Associate Planner Grunska provided an overview of the study. Development Services partnered with Western Washington University’s Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy (UEPP) department to procure an opportunity for a student intern to gain experience with the City. The department elected to anchor the internship experience around a tangible project to facilitate learning and pro- vide a deliverable for both the City and the UEPP. A rudimentary field study of parking to support a brief policy paper was selected due to the relevance of a parking policy to ongoing projects such as the 2025 Comprehensive Plan update and compliance with state legislation such as Washington State House Bills (HB) 1110 and HB 1337. The department understands the City’s current policy to be inconsistent with the current best practices and trends, and suspects that policy performance could be substantially improved upon review The internship was performed from July to September 2024, during which time the intern shadowed various members of the department to learn about the professional planning environment, and then, under supervision, conducted a survey of parking conditions in a commercial focus area and com- posed a report including a summary of the data, a literature review regarding best practices as well as trends in the planning profession regarding parking, and a set of policy recommendations based on the findings. Overall, the department viewed the internship to have been a success, providing value to both the City and the University. The study parameters were as follows: • Intern study assessed areas zoned C-3 and C-5 along State Route 20, Pioneer Way, and Midway Boulevard. • An on-site count of parked cars, non-vehicle occupied parking spaces, and total quantity of provided parking stalls formed the basis of the study. • 11 AM-4PM on Thursday, August 8, 2024 and Saturday, August 10, 2024 were chosen to be representative of ‘peak’ commercial activity and parking usage conditions accounting for sea- son, time of day, and day of the week. Study results: • When determining effective parking capacity, a 10-15% reduction is typically applied to the total supply to account for real-world circulation behavior. Meaning ‘right-sized’ parking areas should see 85-90% peak-hour usage. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 7 of 17  • No site achieved greater usage than 61.7% capacity at any time surveyed, and excluding Site C, no site exceeded 47.2% usage. • Study-wide, the average utilization was 30.1% • 3,965 18x9 stalls equate to 642,330 square feet. (14.75 acres), 407,880 square feet. (9.36 acres) of which is unoccupied at peak hours, based on the August 8, 2025 count. This ex- cluded drive aisles and other auxiliary space required to serve parking area. Associate Planner Grunska provided an overview of parking costs, zoning, accommodation, envi- ronmental impacts and demand. Recommendations from the study included: • Eliminate minimum parking requirements. • Create provisions for ‘cooperative parking’. • Consider adjusting maximum parking limits. • Continue supporting improvements to transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure to improve mode share. The City will consider these results in the context of future projects. Form-based code will propose tying parking regulations to zones rather than uses. Senate Bill 5184 may significantly limit legal required parking minimums. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon and Councilmembers Marshall and Marrow provided their respective ques- tions and comments. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA The following two items were postponed in the interest of time: d. Planning Commission Annual Report to the City Council e. Development Services Department Annual Report Both will be presented at a later date. FINANCE a. Local Business & Occupation Tax Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director Goldman reviewed the item. During previous Council meetings and workshops, Deputy Director Goldman presented multiple agenda items related to the potential adoption of a local Business and Occupation Tax (B&O) to fund community-identified pro- jects that were discussed by City Council. Prior dates of Council discussion: • May 21, 2024, a proposed ordinance was presented to City Council for B&O Tax implemen- tation, which was not adopted. • December 18, 2024, Deputy City Administrator Goldman led two public B&O Tax Talks where he presented the details of a potential local B&O Tax and answered questions from the com- munity. • During the discussion about the potential for the creation of a Port District at the January 21, 2025 Council meeting, the implementation of a local B&O tax was discussed. • During the discussion regarding the implementation of a local B&O Tax at the February 25, 2025 Council Workshop, the Council provided feedback to staff. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 8 of 17 Staff updated the model with the latest available data, which included exemptions to the best of our knowledge. Actual results will vary. Other City Research: • Cities that responded to our inquiries regarding collection methods included: Auburn, Belle- vue, Tukwila, Port Townsend, and Everett. • Four cities collect electronically while one city handles manually. • Cost varies from $25,000 to $90,000 (not including staff time/hours) per year. • Revenue generated varies from about $900,000 to $51.5 million. Design Characteristics: The May 21, 2024 version that was presented to City Council included a business tax threshold of $5 million, an effective date of July 1, 2024 and a first collection due date of January 1, 2025 with quarterly collections thereafter. This meant that the taxes in effect for the last half of 2024 would be due on January 1, 2025; therefore, six months of taxes would be paid on that date. Should the Council indicate that they are supportive of the implementation of a Local B&O Tax, staff would recommend that it take effect on the first of the second month following the adoption of an ordinance with the first taxes due to be paid on the first of the year following implementation. Then either due quarterly or annually thereafter. Following this example, if the Local B&O Tax were adopted in April 2025, then the tax would take effect June 1, 2025, with the payment for June through December 2025 taxes due on January 1, 2026. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 9 of 17 As stated during the February 25, 2025 Council Workshop, City Council may restrict (and un-restrict) funds for particular use(s) by a motion. As this would be the first implementation of a Local B&O Tax for Oak Harbor, staff suggests selecting either option 1 or 2 as they involve the least number of businesses and would limit the administrative burden on staff while staff become familiar with the intricacies of this revenue stream. Community Identified Projects: Marina Dredging = $11.8 million Marina Seawall = $7.5 million Marina = redevelopment and optimization = $25 million+ Others: Community recreation center, police station replacement, city hall rejuvenation / replace- ment. Design Characteristics for Discussion: Which option to pursue. Effective Date that the tax takes effect. First collection date. Whether to collect quarterly or annually. Revenue usage restrictions. Next Steps: Based on City Council feedback, staff plan to bring back a Local B&O Tax Ordinance at an April City Council Meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon and Councilmembers Marrow, Armes, Woessner, Stucky and Marshall pro- vided their respective questions and comments. Mayor Wright thanked City Administrator Goldman for his presentation. He reiterated that funds from such a proposed tax would not only provide funding for needs at the Marina. Staff will come back to the Council at a future date for further consideration. PARKS AND RECREATION a. Building Donation by Girl Scouts of Western Washington Parks and Recreation Director Smith introduced Nicole Franko, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western Washington (GSWW) who was present virtually. Director Smith explained GSWW, headquartered in Seattle, are the governing body for all the Western Washington Girl Scout councils and troops. Local troops can only operate with the permission of GSWW. Some metrics on their local opera- tions include: Number of total GSWW youth members: 14,923 Number of total troops on Whidbey Island: 13 Number of Girl Scout youth members on Whidbey Island: 117 Number of Girl Scout adult members on Whidbey Island: 126 Number of total troops within the City of Oak Harbor: 7 Number of Girl Scout youth members within the City of Oak Harbor: 65 Number of Girl Scout adult members within the City of Oak Harbor: 58 Background: On April 3, 1956, the City of Oak Harbor dedicated property within Neil Park for the construction of a Troop House for Girl Scout activities in Oak Harbor located at 759 SE 4th Ave. The City provided Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 10 of 17 hookups for water and sewer lines, and the occupants paid regular monthly charges. On October 16, 2019, a lease agreement was entered between the City of Oak Harbor and GSWW. The agree- ment states the land belongs to the City of Oak Harbor and the building is owned by GSWW. This lease agreement replaced the dedication passed by the City Council in 1956. The term of the current lease agreement was five years, expiring in 2024. The lease stipulated that, if not renewed, either the City could require GSWW to remove the building or the City could buy the building at market value. On April 25, 2024, the Chief Operations Officer for the GSWW contacted the City regarding the lease to explore options to relinquish ownership of the property after seeing a decline in their membership and budget constraints. Very few scout troops or councils operate their own buildings and, instead, the GSWW owns several camps around the state while most troops meet in leaders' homes or at a local church, school, or other similar community space. GSWW is proposing a donation agreement transferring the building to the City with a use license agreement for the local troops to continue to utilize the building until they can make other arrange- ments for a meeting space. The terms of the use agreement are suggested for an optional five years. The City may also utilize the Girl Scout building to support the growing need for programming space and storage of recreation supplies and equipment. Currently, the Parks and Recreation Department does not have any other available storage space and limited indoor programming space, especially during daytime hours. City staff performed an assessment of the facility. The assessment took into consideration the fol- lowing components based on a 5-to-10-year life span: • Roofing • Structural Integrity • Building Envelope • Electrical • Plumbing • Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling (HVAC) • Fire Safety • Elevators & Escalators (if applicable) • Site & Landscaping • Energy Efficiency GSWW's facility costs last year were $3,980 for utilities and $3,459 for facility maintenance, which did not include staff labor costs. Potential facility rejuvenation costs would include: Roof replacement $30,600- $35,700. Carpet replacement $4,800 - $6,000. To comply with applicable laws regarding the gifting of City funds, GSWW will pay an annual rate of one dollar ($1.00) with the recognition that the value of the building asset received by the City exceeds the rental fee to be established. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon and Councilmembers Woessner and Marshall provided their respective ques- tions and comments. Staff will bring an agreement back for Council consideration at a future meeting. b. City of Oak Harbor Arts Plan Parks and Recreation Director Smith introduced Arts Commission Chair, J.R. Russell who provided Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 11 of 17 the Arts Plan presentation. The intention is for the Arts Plan, and its associated resources, to serve as a guide for City leadership and be integrated into the Comprehensive Plan. A year ago, the City began work on the development of the City's first Arts Plan with the assistance of consultants from the urban planning and design firm Framework. A representative of Framework was in attendance virtually. The Arts Plan was presented at the February Arts Commission meeting. Chair Russell explained the intent of the Arts Plan is to create a shared vision for the arts in Oak Harbor and set out a process to guide the City in most effectively supporting the arts in ways that provide public benefit and further City goals. He provided an overview of the Arts Plan project, which was developed in consultation with the Oak Harbor Arts Commission, City staff, and the broader community. The Plan considers the current offerings of arts in Oak Harbor and explores new oppor- tunities for arts and culture, and includes themes that came from community input, criteria for project selection, partnership and funding opportunities, and a toolkit of best practices for arts administra- tion. The project also includes an arts website with an interactive map identifying public art in Oak Harbor with information about the artists. One point of interest was that Oak Harbor accounts for 28.1% of the population of Whidbey Island but captures just 27.1% of arts and entertainment sales. Chair Russell reviewed elements of the Arts Plan and opportunities for arts-related actions. He noted the Arts Commission would also present elements and information to the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce in May. Chair Russell thanked all who contributed to the Arts Plan. Parks and Recreation Director Smith reported that the Arts Commission had voted to accept and approve the Plan at their last meeting. Councilmembers Woessner, Armes, Stucky, Marshall, and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their re- spective questions and comments. c. Pacific Northwest ChalkFest Whidbey Island 2025 Parks and Recreation Director Smith introduced Cynthia Mason, who proposed this new event. Ms. Mason explained the event would be held July 25th – 27th in Windjammer Park, bringing artists from all over the world and of all ages and skill levels to create temporary artwork using chalk on pave- ment. It will also feature a chalk garden for children and children at heart to create personal master- pieces and enjoy live art demonstrations and experience the power of art in public spaces. The event objectives are to promote creativity, increase cultural engagement, and highlight the economic ben- efits of supporting public art in local communities. It is anticipated that this event in its first year would draw anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 event attendees each day. The proposed event budget: Festival Costs: $5,000 (permits, supplies, vendors) Artists: $40,000 (artists fee, travel, accommodations, materials) Marketing & Promotion: $5,000 (print, digital, social media ads, local media) Event Production & Management: $25,000 (securing talent, hotel rooms, airport transportation, staff, insurance, and event logistics, event infrastructure: tents, signage, chalk, supplies etc.) Total Budget: $75,000 Event funding: LTAC: Grant awarded $17.000 Arts Fund: Budgeted $35,000 Funding Request: An additional $23,000 from the Art Fund, current balance of $202,287.01 The additional funding will also allow the City to provide Promotion, Music Entertainment, Food Trucks, Porta-lets, a Kid Zone to do chalk art and other supplemental ChalkFest Activities. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 12 of 17 Director Smith noted staff would bring this item to a future Council meeting for consideration. Councilmembers Marrow, Marshall, Stucky, Woessner, and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their respective questions and comments FIRE DEPARTMENT a. Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Fire Chief Anderson presented information and options for the creation of an updated Comprehen- sive Emergency Management Plan. Per Oak Harbor Municipal Code (OHMC) 1.10, “Director of Emergency Management” shall mean the Chief of the Oak Harbor Fire Department. In the absence of a Director, the duties of the Admin- istrator shall be assumed by the Chief of Police and then the Public Works Director. The Compre- hensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), prepared by the Director of Emergency Manage- ment and promulgated by the Mayor, is the official emergency management plan of the City of Oak Harbor. The last version of the City of Oak Harbor's CEMP was adopted in 2019 and expired in 2024. The State of Washington extended all CEMPs for one (1) additional year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The new expiration date is December 31, 2025. CEMP Components: • Basic Plan - provides an overview of preparedness and response strategies, including ex- pected hazards, department roles & responsibilities, and how the plan is kept current. • Appendices - Operations Plan, COG, Public Info, Emergency Fiscal Procedures (EFPs), Proclamation of Local Emergency • Emergency Support Functions (ESF) Annexes- Transportation, Communications, Public Works, Firefighting, Emergency Management, Mass Care, Logistics, Public Health, Search and Rescue, Hazardous Materials, Energy, Public Safety and Security, Long-Term Recov- ery, External Affairs, Evacuation, Damage Assessment, and Animal Care. These community lifelines are the most fundamental services in the community that, when stabilized, enable all other aspects of society to function. The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) allows the City to complete its own plan, or to partner with other agencies or entities. Options: 1. Review, revise, and update our current plan. 2. Utilize the County’s plan and fall under it. 3. Adopt the County's plan with an Oak Harbor Annex in it where we outline specific issues, plans, and processes unique or critical to Oak Harbor, such as debris management, water treatment, dam- age assessment, etc. 4. Not submit a plan at all. Chief Anderson reviewed issues with the current plan: 1. Oak Harbor and Island County Department of Emergency Management share the Emer- gency Operations Center (EOC) at the fire station. This is a great collaboration of resources if done correctly, but a disaster if done incorrectly. 2. The County CEMP stipulates their Emergency Service Director as the EOC manager and lead. 3. Oak Harbor CEMP stipulates their Emergency Service Director (Fire Chief) as the EOC man- ager and lead. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 13 of 17 What happens when a multi-jurisdictional incident strikes the Island? We have two conflicting plans. Options to Address the Emergency Operations Center: Discontinue joint EOC Change our CEMP to state that the County will take the lead Create a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that states • If an incident is primarily impacting Oak Harbor, then we would take the lead with support from the County. • If an incident primarily involved the County, then we would be the support agency. • If an incident was multi-jurisdictional then the MOU would pre-identify a mixed policy group between the County and the City. Chief Anderson provided an overview of EOC operations and potential funding sources for develop- ing a new plan. He reviewed his background and certifications and noted upcoming classes he will be leading for Intermediate and Advanced Incident Command Systems, EOC Incident Command System, and a NIMS Overview for Senior Officials (elected and appointed persons). Mayor Pro Tem Hizon and Councilmembers Wiegenstein, Stucky, Marshall, and Marrow provided their respective questions and comments. The consensus of the Council favored Options 1 and/or 3 and voiced support of a MOU concept with clear boundaries of who, between the City and the County, is the primary responders in which areas. b. Emergency Services Presentation – State of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire in Oak Harbor Fire Chief Travis Anderson provided a presentation outlining emergency services and his goals for building the best Oak Harbor Fire Department. Goals: Develop Strong Leaders Eight-week officer development school (this Fall) Eight Functions of Command & Tactics (almost complete) Enhance Tactical Excellence Highly skilled firefighters trained in modern strategies (company standards) Advance Pre-Hospital Care Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) (BLS): 120-150 training hours Paramedic (ALS): 1200-1800 training hours Secure ALS Licensing Approved by Island County EMS Council Needs to go to North Region and State Value and Timing: Fire Departments Require Strategic Investment Full-time fire stations operating 24/7/365 Maximize value Timing Considerations Six new firefighters needed for the new station No large hiring groups expected for five-to-ten years Cost to Hire three Fire Fighter/Paramedics vs three Fire Fighter/Emergency Medical Technicians $36,000 additional cost (compared to Anacortes & Tumwater) 0.75% personnel budget increase for ALS service expansion Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 14 of 17 Chief Anderson addressed why these considerations were important, and primarily Oak Harbor’s island location. Quoting from a recent publication, Chief Anderson observed Whidbey Health cannot rely on departments in neighboring cities. If someone has a heart attack, the state mandates EMS take them to a cardiac center. This means traveling to Mount Vernon or Everett and takes an ambu- lance out of service on Whidbey. Last week the Oak Harbor Fire Department received the following calls: • Tuesday, March 18: Seven EMS patients from six different 911 calls, all active within a 47- minute window in Oak Harbor. I-COM reported that we were out of ambulances. • Thursday, March 20: While driving to a meeting, Chief Anderson heard Whidbey over the radio informing R81 that they were responding from a far distance and to advise if their as- sistance was not needed. • Friday, March 21: While speaking with crews, they were dispatched for a medical call be- cause the closest available ambulance was coming from Coupeville. According to the Washington State Department of Health Emergency Cardiac and Stroke System Assessment, Island County is the lowest in relative change in average wait time and not improving in this regard. Chief Anderson observed there is a need for Oak Harbor to be proactive versus reactive. • The I-COM Director presented last week how the number of 911 calls are dramatically climb- ing each year. • The growth plan for Oak Harbor is requiring 5,500 more units. • Demand on EMS from homelessness and mental health is increasing. • Whidbey Ambulance has mentioned hiring challenges and many times they run short a par- amedic downgrading a unit. Chief Anderson posed the question of what happens when Whidbey units are tied up and it is a serious call, noting it is not a matter of if, but when. He outlined the benefits of Oak Harbor Fire Department having Advanced Life Support (ALS) services: • Enhances Redundancy & Resiliency: ensures continuous ALS service when Whidbey expe- riences delays, personnel shortages, or long transports. • Improves stewardship of taxpayer money and could save Whidbey Health hundreds of thou- sands of dollars. • Industry Standards Five states require two paramedics. Most do not due to funding and staffing limitations. NFPA 1710 standard requires two paramedics. Concerns about skill degradation stem from systems assigning four to five paramedics per call. Anacortes fire, 20 of their 33 firefighters are paramedics • Strengthening EMT skills Existing firefighter/EMTs will improve through in-house expertise and mentorship Chief Anderson explained why most Cities use Fire Departments for Emergency Medical Services: There is an economy of scale savings when using firefighters in a cross-trained/multi-role EMS func- tion. • Because of the 207(k) exemption of the Fair Labor Standard Act, firefighters can work up to a 212 hours in a 28-day work period (53 hours per week) before being paid overtime. Non- firefighters must be paid overtime for any hours worked over 40 hours. Other economies of scale savings are realized when EMS first response and EMS ambulance transport are combined into one organization through the elimination of duplicate functions such as administration, training, and support functions Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 15 of 17  • Another advantage of a fire-based EMS model is that a firefighter is trained in multiple disci- plines. Thus, a single person performs multiple functions as opposed to hiring one person to perform a single function. Firefighters, besides being trained to handle fires and medical emergencies, can also mitigate hazardous material events, perform technical and compli- cated rescues, and perform fire prevention and education services. • Fire service EMS is the most efficient and effective model for the rapid delivery of all emer- gency medical services. When time is critical and effective pre-hospital care is necessary, the fire service is well positioned strategically, geographically, administratively, financially, and operationally. Chief Anderson reviewed enhancing EMS collaboration and system resilience as follows: • Joint Training & True Partnership o Lean on Whidbey Health to help us train and orient new paramedics o Strengthens both agencies by improving skills and sharing system load during high-de- mand periods. • Addressing System Overload o Flexible Staffing: Oak Harbor can reallocate personnel from an engine to an ambulance as needed using call back staff, admin staff, or on duty staff. o Back-up ambulance Funding could come from the replacement budget for R81. o Whidbey Health could station a reserve ambulance at Station 81. • Long-term Contract for Stability o Establish a formal agreement defining training collaboration, resource sharing, and backup ambulance integration. o Dual Branding of our units to demonstrate partnership. Chief Anderson offered an alternative approach to explore a Fire-based EMS Model: • Alternative Approach: Transition to Fire-Based EMS o Limited progress on a partnership with Whidbey Health. o Fire-based EMS provides greater control. • Reimbursement Model o Estimated six transports per day → 2,190 annually. o Medicaid Reimbursement Calculation:35% Medicaid rate (766.5 transports). o Comparable department cost report: $3,200 per transport, 50% Federal Medical Assis- tance Percentage (FMAP) rate → $1,600 per transport. o 766.5 Medicaid transports x $1,600 = $1,226,400. • Non-Medicaid Reimbursement Calculation: o 1,423.5 non-Medicaid transports x $710 = $1,010,330. o Total Estimated Revenue Recovery: $2,236,730 (supports 15 personnel). • Strategic Staffing & Regional Comparison o OHFD staffing would increase to 42 personnel. o Anacortes Fire Department provides EMS for Anacortes, Fidalgo, and Guemes Islands under contract with Skagit County, funded partially by the Medic One Levy.  Coverage: 85 square miles, population 22,550.  Staffing: 33 personnel.  Staffs three ambulances (two are crossed staff with fire engines) • Whidbey EMS Levy generates approximately $1.6 million from Oak Harbor. Mayor Wright noted the importance of this topic, and it being among the considerations in making what he deemed one of his best decisions in hiring Chief Anderson to lead the Oak Harbor Fire Department and benefit the safety of Oak Harbor residents. Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 16 of 17 Councilmembers Marrow, Stucky, Wiegenstein, Armes, Marshall and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon pro- vided their respective questions and comments. All were in support of moving in this direction and thanked Chief Anderson for his expertise and thorough presentation. ADJOURN There being no further business, Mayor Wright adjourned the workshop at 6:55 p.m. Certified by Julie Nester, City Clerk Workshop Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Page 17 of 17