ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Sep. 20, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Sep. 20, 2024.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 39^th week of 2024.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and video recording for the Tuesday September 11^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • We heard public comment from one individual regarding funding for the IRTPO.
  • On the Consent Agenda, we passed Resolution C-44-24, Waiver of Competitive Solicitation for Architectural and Engineering Services for the Island County Stabilization Center with BCRA, Inc.
  • An addition was made to the agenda: a Letter of Commitment to the National telecommunications and information administration for digital equity competitive grant application with Sno-Isle libraries and Snohomish County. Mark 00:07:32 in the video.
  • We passed Resolution C-45-24, Initiating a Public Works Project designated as Rhododendron Road to Patmore Road Trail (Phase 3). During the discussion, we discussed trails along OLF. Mark 00:16:11 in the video recording.
  • We held a public hearing on a franchise renewal for the Glenwood Beach Water Association; there were no public comments and this franchise was approved. Mark 00:33:14 in the recording.
• The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 24^th.  Here is the agenda and links to documents. This should be a short meeting; there are no items on the regular agenda.
• Upcoming BOCC Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • October 15: Sewer system franchise transfer (Camano), Louis Saekow/Yaowapa Trongtham & The David L. Wood Living Trust
  • October 22: Finalize the 2025 Work Plan and Docket to comply with the Growth Management Act (GMA) for the Comprehensive Plan update process.
  • October 22 (pending Board approval of date): Comcast Franchise
  • December 2 (pending Board approval of date): Finalize Budget
• The Board of Health met on Tuesday, September 17^th. The entire meeting was a discussion on the Community Health Assessment (CHA). The agenda for the meeting is here and the Executive Summary presentation of the CHA that we walked through begins on page 7 of that agenda; the recording of the meeting is here. The Community Health Assessment itself is expected to be disseminated to the public next week.
  • The BOH welcomed our newest member, Capt. Mark Lund of NAS Whidbey.
  • We learned that our WIC program received a Breast Feeding Award last week from Governor Inslee.
  • Dr. Howard Leibrand, our Health Officer, also reminded us that COVID has emerged again (you may be all too aware of that among your own family and friends). He said that if you received your last booster shot more than 4 months ago, you should go get a booster shot now. I intend to do so myself next week.
• Work Session. The agenda for the Wednesday, September 18^th work session is here; the recording is here.
  • Because we had a number of in-person guests at Wednesday’s meeting and we tried to work around their availability, the timing for conversations on Wednesday was a little fluid and we didn’t stick very closely to the times shown on the posted agenda. I’ll let you know below when you can find the conversations of interest to you.
  • Our State lobbyist from Gordon Thomas Honeywell met with the Board to discuss our legislative priorities for next year. Mark 0:02:06 in the recording; priorities and presentation from GTH begins on page 4 of the above agenda.
  • The Board approved the recommendations of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) to be moved to the Consent Agenda; the discussion begins at mark 0:43:25; the recommendations can be found beginning on page 12 of the agenda.
  • Public Works came to the table at mark 1:00:35 in the recording, page 90 in the agenda; the discussion was on an extension to a long-time cooperative agreement to allow NASWI residents to utilize Island County household hazardous waste services, for an annual fee. Sent to the consent agenda.
  • We had two early conversations with Public Health, beginning on page 52 of the agenda; the first, at mark 1:08:57, was on the latest draft of the Conservation Futures program update and application; we sent it back with a few change suggestions. The second was a new contract for our wastewater proviso, which starts on page 82, recording beginning at mark 1:35:05.
  • Mayor Horstman of Langley and the City of Langley Directors of Public Works and Planning came to the Board to ask for an extension of their Rural County Economic Development (RCED) grants award. The Board was happy to approve their request. Mark 1:38:57 in the recording; documents begin on page 31.
  • We had a really informative conversation with our Washington DC lobbyists, Merchant McIntyre, beginning at mark 1:48:25 in the recording; their presentation begins on page 43.
  • Our last discussion of the day was around the Health Officer Order of Abatement to Safeway in Oak Harbor. You can hear this robust conversation beginning at mark 2:55:59; the order from the Health Officer can be found on page 89 of the agenda.
  • There will be no work session next week because it is a 4^th week. And on Wednesday, October 2^nd Commissioner Johnson and I will be out of town at a Board of Health conference. So the next work session of the Board of Island County Commissioners will be held on Wednesday, October 9^th.
• Since next week is a 4^th week, the Council of Governments (COG), and the Island Regional Transportation Planning Commission (IRTPO)  will meet on Wednesday, beginning at 9 am. Both groups will use the same Zoom link Meeting ID: 974 7384 4138 Passcode: 756258.
• Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Update: This is a link to the Planning Commission page. You can find details on their meetings and minutes, including Zoom info, here. The Planning Commission meets at 6 pm on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of each month; the agendas are published at least a week in advance. The next Planning Commission meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 2^nd.
• Budget Workshops. A Budget meeting will be held next Tuesday, September 24. You can find the most current version of the schedule of upcoming budget meetings here.
• I am available in Coupeville and Freeland on Mondays to meet with citizens interested in discussing County issues: at Cedar & Salt in Coupeville, 1:30 – 2:30, and at the Wi Fire Community Space in Freeland, 3 – 4.

Melanie

This Sunday the 22^nd is the Autumnal Equinox.

“And all at once, summer collapsed into the fall.”

~Oscar Wilde