All commissioners present, quorum met. Chair and others discussed Open Public Meetings (OPMA) rule: best not to meet outside of public meetings; no serial meetings with a few of group; no repeating what somebody said to somebody in effort to avoid a serial meeting.

Agenda: Step 1 of Work Plan adopted last week. Chair asked for amendment to agenda for a Concept Disclosure discussion. Commentators want opportunity to have more information about how the Commission will balance the work plan.

Michelle invited Margaret Tweet, to comment. She referenced Charter Amendment 17 on the ballot in 2024. She would like the Commission to revisit it.

Prior Minutes were approved.

Executive Committee Report: Chair made an announcement that CVTV will attend meeting Feb 25. Prior to the meeting, CVTV will get comments from Chair and C Gasque prior to the meeting.

Old Business Items: Work Plan, Work Plan Subcommittee, discussion of public comments.

Work Plan overview process is to deliberate/adopt amendments, develop a timeline, scheduling, and public outreach. Today’s agenda is to review the proposal intake form, identify sponsor & co-sponsors for possible amendments.

Each commissioner asked to state their areas of interest in the review:

Patrick Adigweme-strengthen requirements public disclosure, publication further transparency of Annual Report County Manager’s Office, reporting structure of Office of Oversight and Ethics currently administered by the County Manager’s Office, review/revise direct democracy mechanisms, initiate referendum, Increase/strengthen public engagement. Rank choice voting

Morgan Holmgren-clarify redistricting committee (some good/some confusion)-purpose, structure, decision making or not, clerk discussion about all elected Executive offices, Prosecuting Attorney only elected. Professional hiring practices are appointed or elected, size of County Council (CC)--should it be set based on the population size as County grows

Eric LaBrant-threshold for referendum, County executive elected or not, timing and handling review of County Executive, public safety/sheriff funding, relationship between Charter Review and County as a whole (funding who reports to who), Board of Health should have appointments rather than be the Council, public health in discussion public safety as paramount duty

Ben Christly-clerk, redistricting, population based Council, clean up language in Charter, transparency, servants of constituents bring population into the room rather than make charter an image of Charter Review Commission (CRC)

Brad Benton-transparency budgeting process, more accessible to people, balance budget, public safety-define paramount duty of County, CC staffing adequacy

Liz Cline-initiative better chance to get on to ballot, protect all elected from being transitioned to appointees under county mangers, County Councilors have direct reports from existing County staff, CC have unmonitored meeting time with constituents without County staff or leadership present, no County fund support for foreign or management expenses as in Tri_met coming into Clark County

Cathy Garber-initiative and referendum, reduce %, unincorporated how determined, election staff use random statistical sampling as do at State, clarify non-partisan elections-direct to General if only 2 candidates, how often elect Charter Review but leave length of term, CC compensation (full time wage, enlarge candidate pool, public advocate/ombudsman liaison citizens to Council. Complaints heard, ALS interpreter services and other accommodations. Voter integrity with C Silliman

Brandon Erickson, Chair-I think, “speaking for myself”? Balanced budget amendment, ethics commission (number increase to 5 judge/jury) public safety, lower sign threshold for referendum, CC added resources staff or compensation, introduce local term limits. Whatcom County housing and land costs/changes development laws & codes, accountability County Manger-way position structured, clarify how members of CC expect to vote external board and recall, number of votes before taxes increased

Duncan Hoss, Vice Char-balanced budget, public safety, have elected official stay elected and maybe County Manager

Peter Silliman-public safety and charter County’s paramount duty, limit annual levy increase to 1% without vote of people, employees at legislative branch report to CC not Manager, performance audits by legislative branch or CC, add investigated authority to legislative branch like ombudsman, budget process more transparency, more into on web site, cost analysis land use regulation, voter registration integrity, council appointments to Boards, Council compensation, non partisan elections

Janet Landesberg-process to remove a CC (like Councilor Belkot) from an appointment, redistricting committee process, appointing clerk of court vote by people and County manager appointed by CC, should deputy county manager appointments or elections. Combine population based council districts merged with redistricting

Dorothy Gasque-ethics more robust, public engagement, 2021 proposal Inspector General/not under County Manager, public engagement, full time wage CC, setting population numbers per Councilor

John Jay-County Counsel interference initiative or charter amendments process by support or opposition, cost analysis land use, checks/balances CC and executive-staff, pay, fire-wall, Council policy making or ex. Vancouver, supermajority needed to raise property, sales taxes, public safety as paramount duty, increase threshold county levies 60% required pass by voters, Parks etc.

Ann Donnelly-reaffirm voter rights to hold officials accountable at ballot box, public safety affirm paramount duty ample provision of public safety, reasonable/verifiable funding sheriffs office, clarify when Council member on 3^rd party committee

Kim Hamlick-check/balance, audit performance, public outreach/web page, read the budget, transparency, angry voices not heard/can’t find things. Policy/procedures that CC just did. May already be done

Chair suggested that the Commission formally invite elected officials rather than the process for the public so the officials can have a dialogue with the Commission. Chair suggested that some topics can be referred to committees and the committee can look into issues.

LeBrant- CC cannot restrict a future CC action, but Charter Review Committee can so could tweak what the CC comes up with and make an amendment from the CRC.

Meeting Adjourned at 7 pm.

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