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Cmd42622 spec mtg Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes April 26, 2022 Page 1 EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING - INTERVIEWS APPROVED MINUTES April 26, 2022 ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Mike Nelson, Mayor Vivian Olson, Council President Kristiana Johnson, Councilmember Will Chen, Councilmember Neil Tibbott, Councilmember Diane Buckshnis, Councilmember Susan Paine, Councilmember Laura Johnson, Councilmember (arrived at 6:12 p.m.) STAFF PRESENT Scott Passey, City Clerk Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator 1. CALL TO ORDER The Edmonds City Council meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. by Mayor Nelson in the Council Chambers, 250 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, and virtually. The meeting was opened with the flag salute. 2. INTERVIEWS FOR APPOINTMENT TO A CITY BOARD OR COMMISSION 1. INTERVIEW CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO BOARD/COMMISSION Councilmembers interviewed Mary Beth Tragus-Campbell, a candidate for appointment to the Planning Board alternate (responses in italics). Council President Olson welcomed Ms. Tragus-Campbell, and invited her to describe her interest in serving on the Planning Board. I live and work in Edmonds. I am a Texas transplant and moved to the Pacific Northwest a couple years ago. I have worked in a variety of industries, but my main focus has been parks. I spent over 10 years working for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. While with the parks, I served as a wildland firefighters working in the urban wildland interface, planned and implemented resource management programs, partnered with city governments for integration into their programs and master plans, developed trails, taught outdoor skills programs and did a lot of design work and research. One of my largest projects was in the Dallas area; I was a site ranger responsible for the redevelopment of a large Texas state park, 7,000 acres, 350 camp sites, and over $3 million in annual revenue that had catastrophic flooding so the project included redoing roads, utilities, playgrounds, swim beaches, meeting hall, and picnic areas. I worked with a broad scope of people that a Planning Board has the opportunity to interact with including architects, park planners, DOT teams and most important to me, the community, to ensure we had their buy-in and a clear understanding of how the community wanted the rebuild to occur. Where I excel and one of the things that drew me to the Planning Board is seeing where small changes can make a large impact, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. I’m excited to be involved in the research and recommendations for code changes. My experience with the parks will help ensure that we balance our economic and ecological needs. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes April 26, 2022 Page 2 Council President Olson asked about her housing background, recalling it sounded like she grew up in family with a builder or developer. Construction and housing has been in my family’s history since the 1950s. The family owned a lumber mill and yard in Pennsylvania and my dad built houses for living. I had the opportunity to assist him and help build the house my parents currently live in as well as doing home inspections. While construction and working with codes and development have never been in my job title, is something I gravitate toward. I am currently an executive assistant for a chemical distributor but was the lead for redeveloping a building in Westgate for their new company headquarters and am in the process of doing design work for a warehouse in the Everett area. Councilmember Buckshnis commented on her wonderful background, noting she was in the middle of WRIA 8 grant funding and she would be a perfect candidate to work for any parks and recreation system. With regard to ecology and her desire to learn more, she asked her opinion about issues regarding streams and parks in Edmonds. One of the things I see that is a concern for me is invasive species proliferation such as excessive amounts of invasive hollies and sacred bamboo which is lovely ornamental but has high water consumption. Trying to ensure projects when possible use native species adapted to the environment, species with deeper root systems to avoid erosion issues, is important. I was listening to a Planning Board meeting where the parks director was talking about getting rid of concrete in areas to allow water sources to be replenished through natural processes. A lot of times it doesn’t take money to do things in an ecologically sound way, it just takes a little extra time and thought. Because I have had the chance do those redevelopments, I’ve learned each of us works from our own space. Making sure that we have a clear understanding of the need and with any change, why are we doing it, what is the desire for it and how to put the best solutions in place requires always considering those ecological aspects. Councilmember Buckshnis offered to connect her with the Lake Ballinger Forum, commenting there were a lot of problems with invasives in the lake. Councilmember Tibbott asked, with her parks background, what she saw as the biggest opportunity for parks in Edmonds, either green space, recreation, or community activities, what she saw as the low hanging fruit in the parks system. The low hanging fruit, one should always start with trying to more effectively utilize the resources we have. I did not realize until six months after we bought our house that there is marsh trail/boardwalk in excellent condition that has interpretive signs or that there are different neighborhood parks. I live fairly close to the Interurban Trail and would like to see directional signage on Highway 99 showing how to connect to the Interurban Trail system. There are green spaces behind some schools that can be accessed but only if you know where they are. That was a challenge we had with the park system in Texas. I worked at three different sites over my career at TPWT, all within about 25-30 miles of urban areas, either Houston or Dallas. Park staff assumed everyone knew about the resources and programs that can be used with no cost via scholarships, but when we went out in the community to learn why different groups weren’t visiting the parks, we found out those assumptions were incorrect. It is important to increase the lands that are held publicly because once they are developed, you can never get them back in that same condition. It is very important to make sure we have those programs, but in terms of low handing fruit, starting with what you have and making sure it can be fully utilized. That is typically fairly inexpensive and can help reignite people’s interest and passion regarding what’s in their backyard. Councilmember Paine asked about her work style when she has worked on boards before and working with a group of like-minded citizens. When I first join any working group, I like to ask questions to learn about the projects, what is most important to people and see what’s going on and what’s already in progress. If there is something in its final stages, I do not need to make changes so that I have my own stamp on it. I want to provide support when I’m coming in at the back end and then as new things rotate through, I will have gained a greater understanding of how the group likes to work and where my function can be most effective. I have a tendency to be in the public forum, I dig into things I work on, I get very excited and passionate about parks and green spaces so I have a tendency to be one of the people Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes April 26, 2022 Page 3 who is tasked with going to public meetings and being the representative and explaining what is going on and then trying to build consensus. Not everyone is going to agree with my opinions or the goals of the committee or board, but having clear communication and brining in the sources and experts who have the information, it is always possible to at least understand one another. Councilmember Paine pointed out the Planning Board will be making a presentation to the council tonight. Councilmember Chen thanked her for applying and volunteering her expertise with the City. He asked her thoughts about Highway 99, especially the project on the center median and the Highway 99 project in general. The Highway 99 project is definitely in my backyard. I’m delighted to see we’re trying to break up the extra wide concrete there. It will be a good opportunity to provide some greenery and have that portion of Highway 99 more closely mirror my impressions of the western and northern sections of Edmonds with green spaces and places where it feels more forested versus a strip mall type of suburb. It will help to demonstrate the City’s delineation and personality. I am a little concerned with change in the flow of traffic by not allowing as much movement across the median. It will improve pedestrian safety, but it will take some adjustment once construction starts. Long term, it will result in a reduction of litter; generally if people see a clean green space, there is less inclination to throw things out window and there is more pride in an area. It will get mixed reactions, but I’m delighted to see it moving forward. Councilmember K. Johnson congratulated her on her interest in the Planning Board and looked forward to meeting her in person. She noted the Planning Board is also the City’s Park Board. Councilmember L. Johnson welcomed her and thanked her for applying. Council President Olson advised the confirmations are on consent agenda; once that is approved, her appointment to the alternate position on the Planning Board is approved. 2. INTERVIEW CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO BOARD/COMMISSION Councilmembers interviewed Richard Marin for appointment to Cemetery Board Position #4 (responses in italics). Council President Olson welcomed Mr. Marin, and invited him to describe his interest in serving on the Cemetery Board. I’ve been involved with the Donor Closet for the last 14 years and that has kept me pretty busy. I have missed being involved with the City. I have enjoyed being involved with several projects at the cemetery and the City’s parks over the years and would love to get back into the City again. Councilmember K. Johnson commented the last time they had seen each other was at the Memorial Day Cemetery event pre COVID. She recalled having the pleasure of working with him on the Transportation Commission, and relayed her belief that he will love the Cemetery Board. The Cemetery Board works pretty autonomously, does not have any council representation, so the council can rely on him to bring messages to the council. Councilmember L. Johnson asked what encouraged him to apply for this position. I was wishing for something for a long time and this looks like an easy one to get back into the City. Now that my wife is planted in the cemetery and my name is on a headstone, I believe it will be a nice place to start. I have also thoroughly enjoyed my involvement in the Memorial Day ceremony as veteran. Councilmember Chen expressed appreciation for his past service and applauded his interest in helping the City again. Council President Olson advised the confirmations are on consent agenda; once that is approved, his appointment to the Cemetery Board is approved. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes April 26, 2022 Page 4 3. EXECUTIVE SESSION: PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION, RCW 42.30.110(1)(I) At 6:25 p.m., Mayor Nelson announced that the City Council would meet in executive session regarding pending or potential litigation per RCW 42.40.110(1)(i). He stated that the executive session was scheduled to last approximately 30 minutes and would be held in the Jury Meeting Room, located in the Public Safety Complex. Elected officials present at the executive session were Mayor Nelson, and Councilmembers K. Johnson, Tibbott, Buckshnis, Paine, Olson, L. Johnson, and Chen. Others present were City Attorney Jeff Taraday. At 6:55 p.m. Mayor Nelson announced the executive session would be extended for 10 minutes. At 7:05 p.m. Mayor Nelson announced the executive session would be extended for 10 minutes. The executive session concluded at 7:15 p.m. Mayor Nelson reconvened the special City Council meeting at 7:15 p.m. 4. ADJOURN With no further business, the Council meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.