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2024-12-17 Council Special Minutes AEDMONDS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING APPROVED MINUTES December 17, 2024 ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Mike Rosen, Mayor Vivian Olson, Council President Chris Eck, Councilmember Will Chen, Councilmember Neil Tibbott, Councilmember Michelle Dotsch, Councilmember Susan Paine, Councilmember Jenna Nand, Councilmember 1. CALL TO ORDER STAFF PRESENT Michelle Bennett, Police Chief Jeff Taraday, City Attorney Scott Passey, City Clerk Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator The Edmonds City Council special meeting was called to order at 5:29 pm by Mayor Rosen in the Council Chambers, 250 5"' Avenue North, Edmonds, and virtually. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IN CONTENT AND ORDER. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS There were no audience comments. 4. COUNCIL BUSINESS WA TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT Police Chief Bennett explained this is the agreement the City enters into annually with the Washington State Traffic Commission to be participants with the Target Zero Task Force and receive grant funds to pay overtime for officers who participate in emphasize patrols. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission reimburses the City for officers' overtime participating in those programs. COUNCILMEMBER PAINE MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON, TO ACCEPT THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE WASHINGTON TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION AND EDMONDS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR EMPHASIZE PATROLS. Council President Olson commented the City enters into this contract with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission every year; this contract looks the same as other years' contracts. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes December 17, 2024 Page 1 MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 2. 2025 ARLINGTON AIRPORT CONTRACT Police Chief Bennett explained this is the renewal of a contract for the Edmonds Police Department to use the Arlington Airport for emergency vehicle operations course. COUNCILMEMBER PAINE MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER NAND, TO ACCEPT THE ARLINGTON AIRPORT CONTRACT FOR THE EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATIONS COURSE. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN Police Chief Bennett explained it took staff some time to find the prior Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and determine whether it had been promulgated. That plan scored in the mid 50's on a 0-100 scale. After the City's emergency manager position was eliminated last year, some very talented consultants were hired to update the CEMP. The consultants interviewed stakeholders, City directors, and did a very thorough analysis in developing the proposed plan. The plan was submitted to the state and approved with a score of 95%. Once the CEMP was approved, she and Mayor Rosen met with Kim Mask, Washington State Emergency Management Division, and some suggestions were made for further updates, none of which need to be made prior to the plan being approved by council. Ms. Mask clarified when the state reviews plan, they use an all-inclusive checklist which includes meeting the legal requirements which is where Edmonds scored 95%. She agreed the consultants did a great job. COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER PAINE, TO APPROVE THE COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN. Council President Olson said she was impressed with the CEMP and had been eagerly awaiting it. COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, TO AMEND PAGE 16 REGARDING CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT AND SUCCESSION OF AUTHORITY, TO REPLACE ITEM 3 WITH "COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEM" AND ADD ITEM 4 THAT READS, "MOST SENIOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, IN ORDER OF CONTINUOUS SENIORITY PROVIDED THAT THERE WERE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVING THE SAME CONTINUOUS SENIORITY ON THE COUNCIL, THE HOLDER OF THE LOWEST NUMBERED POSITION ON THE COUNCIL SHALL BE DEEMED THE MORE SENIOR OF THE TWO." Council President Olson commented this was taken directly from the City code. Councilmember Nand asked whether any part of the plan references the ability to suspend the sale of alcohol during a declared emergency. Ms. Mask answered she did not believe that was contained in Edmonds' plan or in the criteria for the state's review of the plan. Councilmember Paine expressed support for the proposed change and for the updated CEMP, commenting it was miles better than the previous one. AMENDMENT CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes December 17, 2024 Page 2 Councilmember Eck asked if this was Chief Bennett's last council meeting. Chief Bennett answered she will be here in January. 4. ORDINANCE SUSPENDING BOARDS COMMITTEES & COMMISSIONS FOR THE 2025-2026 BIENNIUM Council President Olson relayed this is an ordinance related to resolving a discrepancy between the code and a budget amendment approved by council. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON AND SECONDED, TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE PAUSING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR THE 2025-26 BIENNIUM. Council President Olson acknowledged this has caused a lot of consternation in the community. The council is making a lot of really difficult choices this year, not the least of which is loss of staff, furloughs, the loss of treasured programs, as well as the loss of boards and commissions meeting routinely in accordance with code. This ordinance pauses the routine business of those boards and commissions, but does not terminate them; boards and commissions can be consulted with or assigned specific projects. Some commissions are more oriented to that such as the arts commission which does Write on the Sound and other activities. She apologized to everyone who is unhappy, relaying the council is also unhappy. She recalled Mayor Rosen promising in this budget process that everyone would be unhappy, noting he has been 100% correct. The ordinance in the packet reflects the budget amendment that was approved by council; and implements that amendment in the code. She recalled the city attorney was asked to prepare this ordinance so she considered this the second touch unless any councilmember preferred to approve it on a future consent agenda. Councilmember Nand commented the council received communications from some board, commission and committee members protesting the upcoming suspension. She expressed her sympathy to them and encourage members who have enjoyed the activities pursued on their board, commission or committee to continue meeting and possibly find a supporting organization outside the municipal envelope while the City struggles with its budget crisis. Edmonds runs on the passion of its volunteers and she was very dismayed it had come to this. The council is responsible for the budget and will do their best to fix the problems that led to this situation. Councilmember Paine recalled after this amendment was passed at the adjourned meeting, she received a lot of questions from the Climate Protection Committee, many of which she noted would be best answered by City Attorney Jeff Taraday. One of the questions was whether the City still keep the emails in place to help support the Public Records Act. The ordinance states the city council or mayor can bring back boards or commissions for a special task and she asked if that would comply with the Open Public Meetings Act. Mr. Taraday answered he had not had an opportunity to think about this question. He assumed without knowing that the email addresses would not be deleted because this is a temporary measure. It will be important for all board and commission members to understand they cannot meet by email. While they will still have access to their email addresses, the same rules about serial meetings and not meeting by email apply during this suspension. It was his understanding board and commission members will still have access to email. Mayor Rosen agreed that was the intent. Councilmember Eck expressed support for the motion, assuring no one was excited or happy about it. She has also heard from board and commission members, particularly those who want to keep meeting due to their dedication to their work. She encouraged leveraging that energy and those ideas by allowing them to meet within the framework. The level of response reflects the level of commitment the boards and commissions have toward the City and the work they have been doing. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes December 17, 2024 Page 3 5. EXECUTIVE SESSION: PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION, RCW 42.30.110(1)(I) At 5:45 pm, the Council convened in executive session to discuss pending or potential litigation per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) for a period of one hour. 6. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION The meeting reconvened at 6:45 pm. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, the special council meeting was adjourned at 6:45 pm. SX--V74I-" SCOTT PASSEY; CLERK Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes December 17, 2024 Page 4