Board of Island County Commissioners

ISLAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - MINUTES OF MEETING

SPECIAL SESSIONS - JUNE 13 & 14, 2000

The Board of Island County Commissioners met in Special Session on June 13, 2000, between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., in the Island County Courthouse Annex, Hearing Room, Coupeville, Wa.

The purpose of the special session was for representatives from Washington State Association of Counties [WSAC] and Washington State Association of County Officials [WACO] to meet with Island County Commissioners, Elected Officials, and appointed Department Heads.

Participants:

WSAC and WACO Representatives

Bill Vogler, Executive Director, WSAC

Fred Saeger, Executive Director, WACO

Island County Representatives

Phil Bakke, Planning Director

Robert Bishop, Coroner

Marilee Black, County Clerk

Mike Hawley, Sheriff

Dave Jamieson, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

Jane Koetje, Public Defense Administrator

Mike Merringer, Juvenile Court Services

Tim McDonald, Health Services Director

Wm. L. McDowell, Chairman, Board of County Commissioners

Don Meehan, WSU Extension Agent

Paul Messner, Facilities Director

Margaret Rosenkranz, Budget Director

Maxine Sauter, Treasurer

Mike Shelton, Member, Board of County Commissioners

William F. Thorn, Member, Board of County Commissioners

Dick Toft, Human Resources Director

Hand-Outs:

§ WSAC/WACO Legislative Wrap-Up – 200 Regular Session and Extraordinary Session

§ State Budget MVET Replacement passed by the Legislature April 27, 2000

§ Substitute House Bill 2392, Chapter 241, Laws of 2000, Joint Task Force on Local Governments, Effective Date: 6/8/00

Mr. Saeger and Mr. Vogler are visiting courthouses around the State, Island County being the 35^th county visited. The purpose of the visit was to explain results of the recent legislative session; comment on distribution of the replacement revenues lost as a result of I-695; discuss efforts necessary in the next legislative session to continue the funding; and discuss some long-term plans regarding future funding for counties.

They discussed MVET percent replacement, which for Island County is 53.38% or $464,797 for Fiscal Year 2001 funding and explained how the 53.38% figure was arrived at for on-going funding.

A joint meeting is planned of all local government officials February 14 in Olympia and expect some 500 to 600 elected officials and 100 members of the legislature, a one-time meeting in one place to lobby on behalf of important City and County issues, including the issue of not dividing cities and counties. Neither cities nor counties have the tax base they should and there are cities that are seriously impacted by the sales tax equalization formula. The redistribution of money from other parts of the state has to be addressed.

Commissioner Thorn pointed out the importance to identify and quantify what unfunded mandates currently exceed.

Commissioner McDowell brought up requirements of the State Department of Ecology under Shoreline Management: (1) inventory whole shoreline; (2) come up with ultimate build out. Mr. Saeger and Mr. Vogler confirmed their position this falls under unfunded mandates. Added to that are impacts associated with ESA [Endangered Species Act]. The National Marine Fisheries Service appears unwilling to accept the level of protection in the State Shoreline guidelines so there will have to be a higher level of protection and what that cost will be for cities and counties is not yet known.

Commissioner Shelton reviewed Phase I building project for the County, the Law and Justice facility. He noted too that with regard to Rural Counties funding, Island County has a commitment from its Legislators to introduce a bill to include Island County in that funding.

Mr. Vogler and Mr. Saeger met after the meeting with individual county officials in their respective offices.

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

ISLAND COUNTY, WASHINGTON

______________________________

Wm. L. McDowell, Chairman

_______________________________

William F. Thorn, Member

_____________________________

Mike Shelton, Member

ATTEST: _______________________

Margaret Rosenkranz, Clerk of the Board

ISLAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - MINUTES OF MEETING

SPECIAL SESSION - JUNE 14, 2000

The Board of Island County Commissioners met in Special Session on June 14, 2000, beginning at Noon, at the Oak Harbor City Hall, Oak Harbor, Wa., with Wm. L. McDowell, Chairman, William F. Thorn, Member and Mike Shelton, Member, present. Others present included: Patricia Cohen, Mayor, City of Oak Harbor; Nancy Conard, Mayor, Town of Coupeville.

The special session was called for the purpose of conducting a joint meeting with Elected Officials from the county, cities, town and port districts, to continue discussions on forming a council of governments in Island County; adopt a regular meeting schedule; and receive a legislative update.

Legislative Update: Commissioner McDowell reported on the impacts of I-695 to the County

and noted MVET percent replacement for Island County is 53.38% leaving the County 47%

short. Although the County is thankful the Legislature provided what it did, the County still

needs to be made whole. Efforts are necessary in the next legislative session to continue the

funding, and long term plans needed regarding future funding.

Formation of Council of Governments Organization and Regular Meeting Schedule.

To allow flexibility to discuss topics and issues that may come up, a regular meeting schedule needs to be established. A special session can always be called by the Chairman, but the agenda limited to only those to topics called out in a Notice to the Press provided 24 hours in advance of the session. Although there was no firm decision, the group is leaning toward meetings on a fixed schedule [i.e. they day the RTPO meets] .

In concurrence with the City of Oak Harbor’s 4-year plan to try to increase business activity, once formed the Council of Governments may be a good umbrella for the EDC. There needs to be further discussion next meeting about the pros and cons of this issue revolving around funding.

Presentation To Be Scheduled. County Commissioners agreed at the next meeting to ask that Jackie Henderson, Island County Human Services Director, make a presentation to this group concerning programs under her purview inasmuch as the programs affect the cities as well as the county.

Meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m. Next meeting date and time yet to be determined.