City Council

Oak Harbor City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 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 Public Works Director Steve Schuller Councilmember Eric Marshall Engineering Technician Jon Pollock Councilmember Christopher Wiegenstein Police Chief Tony Slowik Councilmember Barbara Armes Fire Chief Travis Anderson Councilmember James P. Marrow Deputy Fire Chief Mike Buxton Principal Planner Rajesh Cac Kamak Senior Planner Dennis LeFevre Finance Manager Chas Webster Accounting Assistant Jennifer Matthews Executive Services Coordinator Macalle Finkle Communications Officer Magi Aguilar City Clerk Julie Nester Also in attendance: City Attorneys Hillary Evans and Robert Zeinemann of Kenyon Disend, PLLC 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 no action items on the agenda today. Mayor Wright noted the Executive Administration staff had asked him to report that he recently earned his Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities. The cer- tificate program recognizes city and town elected officials for completing training in five core areas: • Roles, responsibilities, and legal requirements • Public sector resource management • Community planning and development • Effective local leadership • Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 1 of 8 Mayor Wright stated the City of Oak Harbor is committed to these areas and is proud to be a member of the Association. City Clerk Julie Nester presented Mayor Wright with his Certificate. CITY COUNCIL Mayor Wright invited Councilmembers to provide any updates on the City’s boards, commissions or committees on which they serve as a Council liaison. Councilmember Marrow requested to be added an alternate ex-officio for the Planning Commission. Councilmember Marshall reported on progress made at Freedom Park on both the disc golf course and walking trails. Mayor Wright thanked the Parks and Recreation Department and the Center for Creative Land Re- cycling (CCLR) for their presentation at the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce meeting, and noted the presentation would be included in upcoming Parks and Recreation Department open houses. Mayor Wright also thanked Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Carrie Stucky for her attendance and assistance at the presentation. CITY ADMINISTRATOR a. Monthly Departmental Reports City Administrator Combs introduced Fire Chief Anderson who provided an additional report to the Council regarding the status of Ladder Truck 81 and responding to inaccurate information that had been posted by residents on social media. Chief Anderson explained Ladder Truck 81 is thirty-three (33) years old and eight (8) years past its service life. The life expectancy of a truck of this kind is twenty-five (25) years, with the last ten (10) years being in reserve status. Per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) the unit should be replaced. Fortunately, the Oak Harbor Fire Department has a new truck coming and always has two apparatus ready to go. Chief Anderson noted Ladder Truck 81 was currently out of service for various reasons and provided background information regarding it. Ladder Truck 81 failed its annual inspection in 2018. In 2019, the City Council voted to spend $157,111.07 to refurbish it and add an estimated five to seven (5-7) years to its service life. In December of 2024 the inspection indicated the following concerns: • The swivel in the center of the turntable is leaking water. • The ladder raise, extension, and rotation doesn’t meet time standards to operate. • The front tires need to be replaced due to age. • Pressure relief for the waterway is operating at too low of pressure. • Emergency lighting has stopped working. The wiring is old and brittle and tends to rack if moved. Seagraves, the manufacturer of the truck, stated the swivel is obsolete and a new one is not availa- ble. Hydromotion, the manufacturer of the swivel, stated they might be able to repair it, however they would have to tear it apart to inspect if first and there is no certainty that parts are available. They are located in Pennsylvania. Estimated costs for repair start at $10,000, but with many unknown cost factors it is anticipated to cost a great deal more. The truck is no longer compliant with current safety standards. Due to its present condition, a rescue-ground ladder can be deployed much faster. Lad- der Truck 81 is currently not staffed and would require a call back of personnel. Additionally, the truck does not have a pump and relies on another engine to flow water. Chief Anderson did not recommend spending additional funds to attempt to repair Ladder Truck 81. He noted the new Quint is scheduled to arrive in October of this year. The two reserve units will both Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 2 of 8 be seventeen (17) years of age. Chief Anderson explained that OHFD is moving to ordering a new unit every eight (8) years and budgeting accordingly for replacements. Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director Goldman noted reserve replacements were built into the approved levy lid lift. Mayor Wright voiced his approval for removing Ladder Truck 81 from commissioned service. He called on the Council for their questions and comments. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon and Councilmembers Stucky, Marrow, and Marshall provided their respec- tive questions and comments. City Administrator Combs provided details on: • Upcoming Events – The next Wright Blend is Friday, April 25, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. at the El Cazador restaurant. Come join the conversation and “Let’s taco ‘bout it!” • The next meeting of the Mayor’s Pathways to Stability Task Force will be a public forum on May 13, 2025. Location is to be determined. • The City’s Spring All-Staff meeting will be on April 30, 2025 at Fire Station 81. City offices will be closed from 12:45-3:15 to allow staff to attend. • A huge shout out to Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director Goldman for his lead- ership and continual advocacy of the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) flexibility bill, which was passed by the legislature. Highlights of the bill include: o Removing redundant bureaucratic red tape. o Aligns allowable uses of REET 1 and REET 2 revenues. o Allows the use of the greater of $100,000 or 35% of available funds for maintenance of, operation of, and service support for existing capital projects (that meet the REET defi- nitions of capital project). o Permits up to the greater of $100,000 or 25% of available funds for facilities for those experiencing homelessness and affordable housing projects. o Allows the use of funds (with no limit) for facilities for those experiencing homelessness and affordable housing projects that are supported through an interlocal housing collab- oration. • Advisory Board applications have been reviewed for eligibility and will be forwarded to the staff liaisons and ex-officios in order to schedule candidate interviews for: o Arts Commission o Civil Service Commission o Historic Preservation Commission o LEOFF (Law Enforcement Officer/Firefighter) Disability Board – Citizen o Marina Advisory Commission o Planning Commission o Police Community Advisory Board • Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan: o Fire Chief Anderson, in partnership with Island County Emergency Management, is conducting a series of Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) trainings county- wide o Elected Officials and City Leadership are required to attend one of the two planned G0402 National Incident Management System (NIMS) Overview for Senior Officials sessions, which will be offered on June 17, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. or on August 19, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Executive Services Coordinator Finkle will be sending calendar invitations this week. Please RSVP for one of the sessions. Councilmember Stucky provided his respective comments, noting the usual staff report had not been included in the packet. City Clerk Nester noted an email had been sent to the Mayor and Council when the meeting packet was published on Thursday, April 17, 2025, to explain that a problem had Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 3 of 8 been encountered with the report file and that Executive Services Coordinator would be updating the packet online the following day. This was completed and the packet was re-uploaded to the City’s website on Friday, April 18, 2025, via the City Calendar on the City website home page, which in- cludes the agenda bookmarks preferred by the Council for ease of use. The Executive Services Coordinator subsequently re-uploaded the packet to the Council meetings page as well. FINANCE a. Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation (WAIF) Annual Report Finance Manager Chas Webster was joined by Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation (WAIF) Executive Director Cinnamon Hudgins to review the report. A three-year contract with WAIF for animal licensing services was approved by the City Council on May 21, 2024. WAIF began providing these services for the City on August 1, 2024. Per the contract, WAIF is to provide an annual statis- tical report of services. GENERAL LICENSING DATA 2024 Aug-Dec 2025 Jan-Mar Total Number of Licensed Animals Total active pet licenses within the jurisdiction 80 255 Licenses Issued by Type (Cat / Dog) 7/73 60/195 New vs. Renewed Licenses Number of first-time registrations vs. renewals 80/- 234/21 Licensing Compliance Rate (Based 6,498 pet-owning COH households) Percentage of estimated pet owners who have licensed 1.23% 3.92% their pets Executive Director Hudgins noted that fewer cats are licensed but this statistic is improving. The national average for all pet licensing is 13% with less in rural areas. WAIF is opening a third location to better serve pet owners. DEMOGRAPHICS & TRENDS 2024 Aug-Dec 2025 Jan-Mar Licenses by Zip Code or Neighborhood Geographic distribution of pet registrations Map Shown Map Shown Breed Popularity Doodles, Labs, Doodles, Terriers, Most commonly licensed breeds Retrievers, Chihuahuas, German Huskys Shepherds Age Distribution of Licensed Pets Breakdown of young, adult, and senior pets 7 / 51 / 22 20 / 157 / 78 Pet Licensing Trends Over Time Year-over-year changes in licensing numbers Chart Shown Chart Shown The report also highlighted licensing and revenue trends. Executive Director Hudgins noted WAIF does not issue any licenses without proof of rabies vaccination. Number of animal licenses: 2024 – 448 licenses for the entire year, representing an increase of 15% over 390 licenses in 2023. 2025 – 255 licenses between January and March, At the current pace, licensing numbers are trend- ing to a potential 127% increase over 2024. Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 4 of 8 Revenue Trends from Licensing Fees 2024 – Increase of 31% compared to 2023 2025 – Current pace trending to a potential 39% increase over 2024 Revenue from Late Fees and Fines 2024 – Increase of 6% over 2023 2025 – 24/7 online and at two (2) locations available over the weekend are helping to improve li- censing requirements and lower the number of fines and penalties being charged. Public and Safety Compliance Number of Unlicensed Per Citations Issued – 2024 – Eight (8) citations by the City. 2025 – WAIF does not issue citations and receives no information on citations by the City. Rabies Vaccination Compliance – 100% in both Aug. – Dec. 2024 and Jan. – Mar. 2025 Microchip Registrations are not tracked at this time. Animal Welfare and Services Lost and Found Pets Reported – 2024 Jan.-Dec. – Lost pets – 107. Reclaimed pets – 70. 2025 Jan.-Mar. – Lost pets – 11. Reclaimed pets – 7 Spayed/Neutered vs. Intact Pets Ratio of fixed vs. unfixed pets among license holders: 2024 Aug.-Dec. – 4:1 2025 Jan.-Mar. – 227:28 Pet-owning Population Estimates • WAIF used the Association Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) formula to calculate the estimated number of pet households and the total number of pets in the City of Oak Harbor (COH). • According to Washington State’s Office of Financial Management, the total number of households in the COH, as of April 1 2024, was 10,184. • 3,911 households have dogs, compared to the 5,710 estimated number of dogs in the COH • 2,587 households have cats, compared to the 4,065 estimated number of cats in the COH Councilmembers Woessner and Stucky provided their respective questions and comments. Chief Slowik responded to questions about citations. He explained these are often due to a dog bite investigation. The Oak Harbor Police Department (OHPD) looks at the animal’s licensing in those situations as well and may provide a compliance window. The Animal Control Officer manages a listing of all potentially dangerous and dangerous dogs. That information includes licensing, insur- ance, and additional restrictions. Chief Slowik reported there are approximately twenty (20) such dogs at residences inside the city limits. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT a. Proposed Code Amendment Regarding Clearing and Grading Senior Planner Dennis LeFevre reviewed the proposed amendment, which was presented initially to the Council in January. The proposed amendment would consolidate the land clearing and grading permit process into one review. Currently the Development Services staff reviews land clearing per- mit requests while the Public Works Engineering Division reviews the grading element. This amend- ment would shift the land clearing review responsibilities to the Engineering Division, and would also move the land clearing regulations, currently under Oak Harbor Municipal Code (OHMC) 19.47 to a new Chapter under Title 20 – Environment. Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 5 of 8 Senior Planner LeFevre explained this was a logical move with the relationship of land clearing and grading to other aspects of the environment such as geologically hazardous areas, flood damage prevention, stormwater, vegetation preservation, water quality, erosion and slope stability. A review of clearing and grading code locations for other communities was done with the majority (Anacortes, Bellingham and Port Angeles) also using their Environment Titles. Other Title locations included Building and Construction; Zoning; and Land Development Standards. A rough draft of the proposed code (Chapter 20.15) was provided in the meeting packet. Develop- ment Services staff will continue to work with Engineering staff to refine the grading regulations. It is important to note that the 2019 Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington is heavily utilized for grading requirements. The proposed code is consistent with other state laws, such as the Forest Practices Act and Shoreline Management Act. Subsequent steps include completion of the SEPA checklist (non-project), 60-day notification to the Washington State Department of Commerce of our notice of intent to adopt development regulations and the preparation of this code amendment in ordinance format. Staff anticipate having the ordi- nance for legal review in April and May, followed by a public hearing with the Planning Commission in June and a public hearing with the City Council in July of this year. Councilmembers Woessner and Marrow provided their respective questions and comments. b. 2025 Comprehensive Plan Major Update Development Services Director Kuhl and Principal Planner Kamak reviewed the status of work on 2025 Comprehensive Planning. Principal Planner Kamak provided the Council with copies of a draft letter to Island County to transmit the City of Oak Harbor’s approach to addressing the revised targets within the City and incorporating input from the City Council at the March 25, 2025, City Council workshop. Principal Planner Kamak also provided a map indicating preferential areas for Urban Growth Area (UGA) expansion. The map was also revised to accommodate input from the March workshop. He noted the goal was to try to convey to the Island County Board of Commissioners that the City wants to move ahead with increasing density and height restrictions and with addressing the revised dis- tribution the County had requested. The letter also addresses the expansion of the Urban Growth Area (UGA). He provided information on how the proposed expansion was determined in response to the County’s density requirements and Council recommendations.. Councilmembers Stucky and Woessner provided their respective questions and comments. With the Council consensus regarding the letter and map, Principal Planner Kamak noted staff would send it to the County today. POLICE DEPARTMENT a. Police Staffing Update Police Chief Slowik provided the update and background information to the Council. At the February 2024 City Council workshop, he presented a proactive policing study to the Council. The presenta- tion included recommended changes to Oak Harbor Police Department (OHPD) staffing, including creating the mid-level management classification of two (2) Lieutenant positions from the current allocation of police full-time employees (FTEs) and hiring five (5) new police officers and one records position. Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 6 of 8 The City's financial policies and finance best practices indicate that the implementation of significant new recurring costs requires the creation of new recurring funding sources. The creation of five (5) new police officers and one records position meets this definition. Following the direction of the City Council, staff applied for and was successfully awarded funding from the Department of Justice 2024 COPS Hiring Grant Program for the five (5) new police officers. The City plans to use a portion of the recent increase in the City's utility tax (Ordinance 2003, July 9, 2024) plus funds from the Opioid Settlements to fund these officers after the expiration of grant funds. The records position will be funded by a portion of the recent increase in the City's utility tax. At the August 2024 City Council Workshop, Chief Slowik presented a police staff presentation to the council. The presentation included reprogramming the unfilled Captain position to a training sergeant position. Also presented were the future classification changes of Command Staff Positions: Captain to Deputy Chief and two (2) police Full Time Equivalents (FTS’s) to Lieutenants. Following the feedback received at this workshop, the City Council approved the 2025-26 biennial budget, which included the five (5) new police officers and one records position. Chief Slowik displayed current and proposed Police Department organizational charts. He explained the Drug Detective listed on the chart is one of the five (5) police officers referenced and would be partially funded by opioid settlement funds. Chief Slowik explained Command Staff realignment within the OHPD is necessary to maintain an effective span of control, improve operational oversight, and position the department for sustained success in response to increasingly complex public safety needs. Reclassification of Captain to Deputy Police Chief - Reclassifying OHPD’s second-in-command from Captain to Deputy Police Chief. This change better reflects the executive-level responsibilities of the position, including comprehensive oversight of daily operations, leadership of strategic initiatives, and assuming command in the Chief’s absence. To support this reclassification, a pay scale adjust- ment would be made from the non-represented range “R” to range “S”. This adjustment aligns the position with comparable roles in other agencies and ensures internal equity and retention of high- level leadership. Creation of Two Lieutenant Positions - The creation of two (2) non-represented Lieutenant positions within the Command Staff. These positions will oversee the Operations and Special Services Divi- sions and provide essential mid-level management between line supervisors and executive leader- ship. • The Lieutenant classification will be placed in pay scale “Q,” as determined by assessing compa- rable agencies and collective bargaining benchmarks. This placement ensures appropriate compen- sation and mitigates wage compression between supervisors and subordinates. • Testing for the Lieutenant positions will occur July 29–31, 2025 and is open to internal and external candidates to ensure a robust and competitive selection process. Chief Slowik reported that the Oak Harbor Civil Service Commission reviewed and approved these position changes related to civil service rules on February 20, 2025. Additionally, the Oak Harbor Police Association was consulted and agreed with the requested changes. To support the lieutenant positions, OHPD will require the purchase of two new command-level police vehicles, which are not currently part of the existing fleet. A future council agenda request will be made for this purchase, and funding will be made using the current police budget. This Command Staff realignment ensures OHPD maintains effective leadership, accountability, and operational readiness. OHPD respectfully asks for the Council’s support in these changes to en- hance the department’s capacity to serve the community with excellence. Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 7 of 8 The estimated costs associated with this realignment in 2025—including the salary increases and the acquisition of two (2) vehicles—will be absorbed within the existing Police Department budget. Deputy Police Chief Classification • 2025 Police Budget Impact: $0.00, due to employees' pay equal to or greater than step S8. • 2026 Police Budget Impact: $4,198.00 estimated additional. Lieutenant Classification The total 2025 Budget Impact on staff is $0.00 due to the two (2) FTE positions remaining unfilled for the first eight months of 2025. Estimated vehicle purchase of $106,141 for two (2) new Ford F150 Police Responders The total 2026 Police Budget Impact is estimated to be between $72,888 - $102,888, depending on hired candidates' experience and qualifications. The mid-biennial budget process includes an end-of-year budget amendment/adjustment. Included in that amendment/adjustment will be a request to move projected unspent 2025 funds into the 2026 budget sufficient to cover these impacts, which will ensure continuity in funding for the ongoing costs associated with these positions and assets into the next budget year. Councilmember Marrow provided his respective comments, voicing approval of the upscaling of per- sonnel and for Chief Slowik’s professional leadership. ADJOURN There being no further business, Mayor Wright adjourned the workshop at 2:10 p.m. Certified by Julie Nester, City Clerk Workshop Meeting Minutes April 22, 2025 Page 8 of 8