Island County Commissioners – Work Session

The Island County Commissioners meet in Work Session routinely on the first three Wednesdays of each month (unless otherwise scheduled). Work sessions are public meetings which provide an opportunity in an informal workshop format for the Board to review in detail ongoing issues with individual departments and elected officials. This time also is used for the Commissioners to meet with other agencies, committees and groups to discuss specific topics of mutual interest. Items are typically first reviewed at Work Session before being scheduled on the agenda for the Commissioners’ regular business meetings held on Tuesdays. The agenda for this work session can be found at this link.

The work session schedule includes (all times estimated):

• 9:00 AM: Commissioner’s Office: a three-year update from the North Sound Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization; discussion of the request for appointment of Vicky McFarlane to the Coupeville Ferry Advisory Committee; and discussion of a new position in county government for a Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Grant Writer.
• 10:00 AM: Public Works: a discussion on the City of Langley’s unpaid invoice for 2020 road resurfacing projects; a discussion on public input received to date for the 2023-2028 Public Works Improvement Program; and a discussion on the draft of the 2023-2028 Transportation Improvement Plan.
• 10:45 AM: Community Development/Long Range Planning: an update on properties with unresolved violations of the National Flood Insurance Program floodplain management requirements; an update on the first drafts of agreements between the county and the fire districts regarding fire inspection services; and an update on the most recent draft of an agreement between the county and Coupeville on historic preservation and protection in the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve.
• 11:30 AM: Budget Manager: a presentation by the city of Langley on their request for an extension of their grant under the Rural County Economic Development Grant program for a variety of local infrastructure projects.
• 12:00 PM: Noon break
• 1:00 PM: Human Resources: a request for board approval of a new Jail Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Counselor.
• 1:10 PM: Sheriff’s Office: a request by Sheriff Rick Felici for the commissioners to approve the adoption of fees to be charged for the time associated with redacting body-worn video footage.
• 1:25 PM: Human Services: requests for the commissioners to approve four contracts or agreements for various behavioral health services.
• 1:55 PM: Health Department/Department of Natural Resources: discussion of the draft climate plan which calls for the conversion of Island County’s vehicle fleet to electric vehicles; the hiring of a sustainability manager, the hiring or retention of a grant writer, and the creation of a climate action committee to create further recommendations. The draft plan includes recommendations for actions in the area of Grid Decarbonization; Zero Emissions Transportation (including Electrification); Vehicle Miles Traveled Reductions; Residential and Commercial Building Efficiency; Residential and Commercial Building Electrification; increasing the amount of Solar Photovoltaic installations; changes to land use to support forests; and other measures to support climate resilience and adaptation. The discussion may also include a draft resolution declaring a climate emergency put forward by United Student Leaders.