HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023/10/03 - Special (2) �,�, cat;Yrp Board of Mason County Commissioners
Commissioners'Retreat
Public Works
., � 100 W Public Works Dr, Shelton, WA 98584
;hs!` October 3, 2023
9:00 a.m.
1. Call to Order—The Chairperson called the special meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.
2. Roll Call—Present:Present: Commissioner District 1 —Randy Neatherlin;Commissioner District 2—Kevin
Shutty;Commissioner District 3—Sharon Trask.
3. Public Comment
4. 2023 Goal Updates and 2024 Goals
a. Community Development—Kell Rowen
In 2023 Community Development began providing monthly reports on permits and turnaround times. Cmmr.
Neatherlin would like building permit reports to be separate to better provide measurable changes.
The American Rescue Plan Act(ARPA)funded scanning project is expected to continue through December of
2026.
Staff are currently working on the Capital Facilities Plan which was sent to the Planning Advisory Commission
for review in September. SCJ Alliance,consultant,is under contract to help with the 2025-2045 Comprehensive
Plan Periodic Update. Specifically,the capital facilities element and the six-year Capital Improvement Program.
The Comprehensive Plan Update is a two-year process and is due to the State in June 2025.
Short-term rental regulations are being researched and notifications to all waterfront property owners will be sent
out. Cmmr.Neatherlin requested this process begin.
Title 14 amendments per the 2021 building code update have been completed. This update will be in effect March
15,2024. There are concerns about prepared manufactured homes not meeting the 2021 code.
Michael MacSems,Senior Planner,will be retiring at the end of 2023. Luke Viscusi will fill that position for
2024.
Randy Collins,Fire Marshal,is assisting in mapping out the role of Fire Marshal and what a 1 Full-Time
Employee(FTE)position would look like.
The fire investigation contract with the Fire Chiefs will expire at the end of 2023. The contract is being updated
to a two-year contract.
Title 8 State Environmental Policy Acts(SEPA)rules and Title 15 Development Code will be updated in 2024.
Overall Community Development organization relies heavily on lead positions;more management positions
would be beneficial to assist with regular evaluations.
For SmartGov,there might be tech staff that could assist with the layout of permits as well as assist Julie Cheney,
Planner,in getting that developed. The goal is to have all permit types available online by 2025. Kell will have
an update in a couple months. There has been considerable improvement since 2021. Staff have gotten to a point
where SmartGov is working. Including IT could help. Mark added that staff had to develop expertise internally
and that job descriptions should include application maintenance. SmartGov is used by a number of different
departments. Staff are feeling more comfortable internally from having to manage the application. IT,Public
Health,and Public Works should be included in future discussions. Cmmr. Shutty shared that a lot of time and
effort has been put into trying to make SmartGov work internally,and staff needs to ensure it is truly meeting the
County's needs.Julie needs to fulfill her role as a Planner,not as a troubleshooter for SmartGov. SmartGov's
customer service has been non-existent. Cmmr.Neatherlin suggested evaluating other options to save money and
resources in the long run,staff should consider the"bottlenecks"and think of other solutions. Staff should follow
the intake process all the way through. Video conferencing could be an option to help save time. Cmmr.Trask
would like to look at SMART goals to speed up the process for the County,constituents, and builders. Diane
added that adequate IT staff are needed to support both the software and the departments.
Cmmr. Shutty would like Community Development and Public Health to work together to work on affordable
workforce housing and utilizing the multi-family tax exemption. Kell believes the tax exemption expired in 2019
and was not extended.
b. Public Health—Dave Windom
Women,Infants,and Children(WIC)is being brought back to south Mason County. Supplies are purchased,job
descriptions are complete,and hiring is underway. The clinic is located at the Shelton YMCA,Mason Health will
be providing the clinic rooms and equipment,Public Health will provide staffing,and the Department of Health
(DOH)will provide IT support. The clinic will be open two days a week,possibly three,with one day being
evening hours.
Evergreen Estates,in conjunction with Public Works and the City of Shelton,is slowly progressing and continues
to evolve as development evolves. The end goal is to get hooked up to water and sewer. There are high levels of
nitrate in the water due to the septic systems failing for years. This is part of the Water Resource Inventory Area
(WRIA) 14 plan. Cmmr.Trask shared there might be grants available through the Public Works Board or the
Department of Ecology.
There was a drought plan produced for emergency response between 2012 and 2015 that was never adopted and is
out of date. Funding and staff time have been set aside to finish the drought plan which will also aid Community
Development in the Capital Facilities Plan.
Mott McDonald is continuing to inventory public water systems to incorporate into the Capital Facilities section
of the Comprehensive Plan to fulfill the Memorandum of Agreement with the Squaxin Island Tribe. This will be
a usable tool for Public Health to see how many water system connections are available.
Ian Tracy,Environmental Health Manager,is working on implementing a drinking water section into the County
Code.
Forward progress has been made in all sections of Public Health's strategic plan.
An Epidemiologist has been hired and is working on key performance indicators(KPI)for community health.
Permitium,vital records software,has been implemented allowing individuals to request birth certificates and
death certificates at zero cost to the County. Certificates can be requested in person or online and picked up or
mailed.
2024 goals include hiring a permanent Community Health Specialist to manage Housing and Homelessness and
Behavioral Health contracts. The position will specialize in coordinated entry, which is influenced by Cascade
Pacific Action Alliance overseen by CHOICE Regional Health Network. There are funds through Foundational
Public Health Services(FPHS)to increase communications and to bolster Environmental Health leadership. An
Assistant Environmental Health Manager position will be created. Multiple teams within Public Health will be
established. Permitting services for all permit types and sewage contractor licenses will be made fully available
online. County Code 6.64 for Group B water system regulations will be revised along with associated policies.
New food program inspection software will be fully implemented,and food reports will be published online.
Increase the number of solid waste facilities inspected using funding through the DOH Consolidated Contract
(CONCON)and FPHS. Clean Water District Advisory Committee bylaws will be drafted and approved by the
Board of Health(BOH).
Cmmr.Shutty asked about opioid settlement funds and if there is precedent around coordinated entry. There has
been a territorial challenge amongst providers regarding coordinated entry. Is there contract language through the
Department of Commerce that stipulates if funding has to be granted or are there other options? Expectations
need to be better set and the focus needs to be on the coordination part of coordinated entry. Dave needs to meet
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with the City of Shelton to decide how to spend those funds and figure out what and where the gaps are. Options
for coordinated entry include a Mental Health or a Human Services Department or through Community Action
Council. It would be helpful to have one centralized location. Currently the County contracts the work out.
FPHS funds are available to pay rent if there is a location that the Human Services division of Public Health can
move to. Cmmr.Trask shared concerns regarding services being paid for in a timely manner and there are other
issues that need addressed. There are clauses in the contract to protect both the County and the client. Mark
shared concerns around issues with current providers and ensuring that residents within Mason County continue to
receive services. Alternatives are being explored to provide specific program administration to provide a seamless
program for constituents that rely on monthly support. Dave will reach out to Thurston County around hurdles or
barriers they deal with when switching providers. Cmmr.Neatherlin added that this is a liability and wants to
protect County dollars. If expectations are not being met,providers need to be aware that funds are not
guaranteed. Regarding Human Services,Cmmr.Neatherlin may know of a location opportunity and asked Mark
to reach out to him to discuss further. The Community Health Specialist position should be in-house and needs to
be active in connecting services. Lastly,code enforcement should coincide with law enforcement. Kitsap County
is able to bring their Sheriffs Deputies along for environmental health code enforcement. Cmmr. Shutty shared,
there is a chance of overlapping behavioral health or substance abuse issues when individuals are living in certain
conditions. The mental health co-responder program in the Sheriff s Office is able to assist with mental health
related calls. Opportunities need to be found to create the capacity to go after long-standing issues.
c. Public Works—Utilities&Waste Management—Richard Dickinson
52,000 tons of trash is expected to come through the landfills this year. The average is 4,400 tons per month.
Some trash may be from Thurston or Kitsap counties. The biggest accomplishment was adding more open days.
Eells Hill Transfer Station is open 7 days a week,Belfair Drop Box is open 6 days a week,and all locations are
open on the weekend. The two new yard goats have been helpful. There have been rat problems in some of the
vehicles. The floor at the Eells Hill Transfer Station was patched up. Compaction rates are better,there is still
room to improve. The backup compactor prevents downtime. Staff replaced the stairs at both Hoodsport and
Union and further security measures were implemented at Eells Hill. There are now two coded doors as well as
cameras. The Treasurer's Office helped with cash handling procedures;this will be done annually as a refresher.
The State Auditor did a site visit and went through the cash handling procedures. The Solid Waste Advisory
Committee(SWAC)membership is robust. A six-month extension for long haul services with Republic Services
was done at no cost increase. Negotiations are being continued with Mason County Garbage. Utilities&Waste is
working closely with Public Health and the Department of Ecology(DOE)to satisfy closure requirements. The
final report from testing should be available early 2024 to submit to Environmental Health and DOE. Efficiencies
will continue to be worked on. For example,reading load rates in real time and not having to read the scales in
person. This would prevent bottlenecks and save staff time. Work on contamination reduction and an outreach
plan for solid waste recycling with SWAC will be continued. All outer operator stations need replaced,three are
in disrepair with no bathrooms. New skid steer attachments would help maintain landfill sites and staff could
coordinate with ER&R and Roads. There has been thought given around evaluating customer flow patterns—
commercial,residential,and time of day to reduce long lines. Ideas include creating a road before you get to the
scales if only recycling is needed and having a commercial-only line through the back gate. This would need to
go through SWAC,and a separate scale would be needed. Future improvements and household hazardous waste
needs are being evaluated. One suggestion was to contract out to go out into the community to pick up household
hazardous waste. A drop-off facility in the community would need to be monitored. Funding sources for capital
work through grants or low-interest loans is being researched. The existing asphalt tipping floor needs removed
and replaced with concrete. Cmmr.Neatherlin added that Kitsap went from a$21 minimum fee to$48. The Port
of Allyn had a drop off that was not monitored,and items were dropped off that shouldn't be. Cmmr.Trask asked
Richard to draw up his"dream"facility. Cmmr. Shutty asked if the long-haul contract is on track to be completed
in November and if trailers are still an issue. Loretta answered yes and a contract is locked in on the extension,
Brady Trucking is now hauling the trailers. Richard shared trailers are no longer an issue.
North Bay is utilizing SmartGov. The collection of overdue accounts at the Lakeland Pump Station is improving.
The automatic transfer switch was installed,pumps were replaced,and panels rebuilt putting the station in great
shape. Overflow storage effluent ponds were emptied this summer and cleaned and inspected for the annual
inspections. Staff were retrained in troubleshooting and repairing grinder pumps. County Code Chapter 13—
Utilities is about 90%rewritten. Rates are still being worked on. The Request for Proposals(RFP)was published
for a General Sewer Plan. This was last done in 1998. 2024 goals include zero permit violations,developing a
new General Sewer/Facility Plan in concert with the overall plan,collection system repairs to reduce inflow and
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infiltration(I&I),maintain staffing levels, cross training,complete required maintenance projects that have been
deferred such as spray field maintenance,prepare reporting documents to maintain permits,and implement a new
rate and rate structure. Loretta added that Richard has been coordinating with the Department of Transportation
(DOT)on the Victor project and removal and replacement of the pressure sewer line on the State Highway.
Rustlewood Water and Sewer has 145 connections and one meter left to put in. 2023 accomplishments include
utilizing SmartGov,maintaining direct communication with the Rustlewood Homeowners Association(HOA),
performing source water testing,assisting a sanitary survey which showed a rusty access hatch that will need
replaced,purchasing new reservoir inspection equipment,and rewriting most of County Code Chapter 13—
Utilities. 2024 goals include improving level of efficiencies,providing operator flexibility and cross-training,
implementing new rate structure,prepare all reporting documents,and getting zero violations. In 2018 the outfall
was found to be damaged and the foundation has separated,this should be fixed. Loretta highlighted the goal of
getting zero violations,a huge partner in achieving that is labs turning reports around in a timely manner. Richard
added that there are a lot of nutrient requirement tests. It is easy to overwhehn the labs,results are sent out three
months later which makes submitting reports on time difficult. Cmmr.Trask asked if this could be done in house.
Loretta and Dave discussed the previous lab,which was expensive,could not keep up on certifications,and did
not have the volume.
Beards Cove 2023 accomplishments include completing installation of water service meters for all connections
and having a meeting with the public. Loretta added that a goal for next year is getting preliminary engineering
for grant revenues for AC replacement. Division 8 is the only location not surveyed. Replacing the pipes would
require redoing the entire road. Mark shared that on Friday,October 6 at 1:00 p.m.,Public Works will be meeting
with the Representatives and Senator to go over utilities. Legislative support is being requested. Richard shared
there are complaints regarding low water pressure and that grant money will be looked into.
The extension project in Belfair is on track and will be completed in 2024. The Request for Qualifications(RFQ)
for design for the commercial industrial property on the west side of State Route 3 (SR-3)will be advertised this
year and be completed in early 2024. Richard shared that 20-30 Capital Facilities Charges(CFCs)were expected,
but only 8 were received. Mark added that the developer is finishing a house every thirty days and houses are
selling immediately. Cmmr. Shutty asked Mark if there has been discussion around what the asks might be from
the legislation. There is still a local agreement with the City of Bremerton and the Port of Bremerton to evaluate
regional options. The Port recently sent a letter to the City discussing the need for capacity. A conversation is
needed around what the Port and the City want to do and if it aligns with County interests. Mark answered that
priorities have been discussed to give a perspective of where the County is and what the challenges are,especially
with the smaller utilities and what is essential for operating. Cmmr. Shutty shared concerns and disappointment
around the general rate discussion. It was clear that this should be done before going into budget discussions.
Cmmr.Neatherlin wants to be at the maximum allowance that was discussed which will bring one utility down
and others up in an understandable amount. More work is needed on the secondary charge aspect. Beard's Cove
was great,Rustlewood needs to be kept as low as possible within that same parameter. Choice usage needs to be
discussed further and cost should encourage conservation. Minimum charges are needed to cover the actual cost
of the facility and if there is excess usage,that should come at a higher rate. Grant funds and state capital monies
should be considered. When talking to legislation,a utility ask should be discussed. The process of redundancy is
good—having those extra pumps and supplies is important. The Rustlewood outfall could be a legislation ask too.
Options should be put before the community. Cmmr.Trask shared concerns with rates,this is a priority and work
needs done. The County has responsibilities to its constituents. Mark added that Public Works has hired a
Finance Manager who will be starting on Monday,October 16. Cmmr. Shutty shared there might be a benefit to
having a consolidated utility ask,it is a short session that will be filled with a lot of requests. Loretta asked if the
Commissioners wanted to consider private partnerships. Cmmr. Shutty shared solid waste and the transfer station
could be privatized,utilities would need another public provider. There would still be a need for public interest
and public control. There needs to be a reduction in litter,barriers need to be reduced. Cmmr.Neatherlin added
that something may sound good in the beginning but could be changed later.
d. Public Works—Roads—Mike Collins
Big accomplishments for 2023 include the Harstine Island Bridge polymer overlay;Mason Lake Road Surface
Transportation Program(STP);three gravel roads were converted—Sunnyside,Kelley Hall,and Sunnyslope;
North Island Drive culvert contract was awarded;Trails Road alternate route right-of-way purchase negotiations
are in process;County guardrail bridge retrofit construction will begin next year;staff completed five different
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Federal projects from start to finish;Northshore Road Little Shoefly culvert replacement;asphalt pre-level was
done on Lakeland Drive,Homestead Drive, Shadowood Drive,and Sunrise Drive;shoulder work was done on
Grapeview Road,Lynch Road,Shelton-Matlock Road,Johns Prairie Road,McReavy Road,Sand Hill Road,and
Brockdale Road;Rock Creek Bridge superstructure replacement;Trails Road hot mix asphalt(HMA)patching
and drainage work;and Sunnyside Road large culvert installation. Loretta added that the Road Crew has received
a lot of compliments on their quality of work. Mike and the team have been incredibly successful at securing
grants and just received an award for a$1.4 million Safety Improvement grant. Mark is glad staff are utilized and
are maximized on the work they do. Cmmr.Neatherlin requested that the money set aside for specific projects get
done and that the Rasor Road connection be a priority. The Rasor Road connection would be an economic benefit
for the community,could allow growth and development in the Allyn Urban Growth Area(UGA),allow for more
residential housing creating more tax base and connections to the sewer,and allow for quicker emergency aid and
response. Another consideration would be a connector to allow alternate access to Shelton. An achievable goal
would be to put it through the Road Improvement District(RID)process and decide what that process would look
like. Cmmr. Shutty asked what the$150,000 for the Rasor Road connection will fund and if there is a possibility
of using Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA)funding for emergency access. Departments need to
work with each other to get projects moving forward. Funding can be leveraged to go after additional funding as
well. Mike answered the funds are for the purchase of right-of-way. John included that FEMA funding may be
available in 2024. Loretta shared there is$4.5 million in outside funding available. North Shore is going to need
a big rescoping,there is more traffic. FEMA resiliency may be a potential fit. Cmmr.Trask commented on the
importance of departments working together as a team. Cmmr.Neatherlin requested staff create a structured RID
to know how much money that would be and to discover potential other funding.
e. Human Resources—Mary Ransier
Eight Collective Bargaining Agreements(CBAs)are ratified,one is still outstanding. The partnership with the
Union has really benefitted from these contracts being done in a timely manner and before they expire. NEOGOV
was implemented for recruiting and hiring. The quality of candidates has improved. HR has been attending
recruiting events and will be at Oysterfest. The internship pilot program was done this summer. Online presence
has increased. New employee orientation will be expanded to allow for easier transition into the workplace. The
hope is to fully utilize Munis. A date for the 31 quarter Employee Townhall is needed from Cmmr.Neatherlin.
Mark will do the 41 quarter townhall. Spending time with employees in the County has been a priority—road
crew,transfer station,jail,detention,Clerk's Office,and Elections. Personnel policy updates have been done.
Goals in 2024 include looking at total compensation packages around teleworking and Flexible Spending Account
(FSA),working with hiring managers on what tools are available to them,utilizing NEOGOV for statistical
updates and key performance indicators(KPIs),continue community recruitment efforts,continue the internship
program,use Recompete resources to target underrepresented and/or distressed communities to help with skill
building,ensure employees receive performance evaluations,streamline HR processes,conduct another employee
engagement survey,and make sure policies are updated and adopted. The wording of job position descriptions is
being updated to create equivalency.
In NEOGOV,the only downside is hiring managers have to move quickly through the process. Depending on the
Department,the Department Head(DH),HR,or a combination will move the process forward. The number of
applicants in the queue before interviews begin also fluctuates depending on the job position. Each position has
minimum qualifications;however,there is flexibility in substituting education for experience or vice versa. For
new hires,there is a six-month probation which is an extension of the hiring process. If there are concerns,DHs
reach out immediately. Cmmr.Shutty added avoiding letting things slide that can be problematic during the
probation period.
f. Support Services
Budget Office—Jennifer Beierle
Just under$13 million has been received in ARPA funding,about$6.5 million remains. ARPA funding needs to
be expended by June 2024. The Chart of Accounts(COA)revision implementation date is January 1013. Codes
will go from 32-digit to 20-digit. Once the COA revision is done,Position Control,the transparency module,and
the grant module can begin. A draft revised Purchasing Policy has gone through the Audit Committee and the
51October 3 , 2023 Board Retreat Minutes
State Auditor's Office. Motor Pool Policy and Procedures have been started and need revisited and implemented.
Executime needs purchased and implemented to help get rid of paper timesheets. Public Works,Public Health,
and other departments will need transitioned to Munis modules. The Skokomish Flood Zone line needs deleted
and created in the Road Fund. Trial Court Improvement Fund line needs deleted and created in Current Expense,
possibly under District Court. Records need archived and digitized. Another top priority is adopting the Budget
by the first Monday in December,December 4. A long-term goal includes consolidating the Financial Policy and
all related policies into one.
Central Services—Diane Zoren
Filling open positions using NEOGOV due to turnover has been a top priority. NEOGOV has been helpful for the
applicant pool and scheduling process. Preparation has begun for both Anne(Parks)and Diane's retirements.
Policies,procedures,and forms are being updated. McKenzie is learning processes to become Office Manager.
Records are being digitized and sent to State Archives. A policy index was created on the Intranet with Us help.
Mark added,for staff support to the County Administrator,the goal is managing paperwork and electronic files,
scheduling,and other administrative-type duties. This provides greater efficiency and is cost-effective. Diane
added that the Administrative Assistant position's job description includes administrative support. McKenzie and
Diane have been discussing how to relieve some of Diane's duties to allow Diane to understand the organization
and paperwork side for the County Administrator. Cmmr. Shutty shared the County Administrator position is
expected to be higher level,handling policy development and implementation,and would support a bona fide
support position. Mark added there is a large list of things to look at going into 2024 for when Diane retires.
Additional ARPA funds may be needed to finish Building 10,District Court. The project was thought to cost
about$1 million but is closer to$2.2 million. Facility growth and expansion needs to be considered. Emergency
Management and Parks and Trails can be discussed during Budget.
Information Technology—Todd(TJ)Cannon
An executive session needs scheduled with the Commissioners,legal,and Risk Management for a cybersecurity
desktop exercise. John Taylor added that the cybersecurity group is a good example of how departments partner
together for a low cost. With that group being formalized,assistance is available from the Department of Interior.
The Department of Homeland Security has assistance packages that allows the County to declare a disaster if it is
hacked into. Cmmr.Neatherlin added that Risk Management needs to be included insurance-wise.
Cmmr.Shutty asked how the County could utilize and benefit from the development of Artificial Intelligence(Al)
and other technology. Cmmr.Neatherlin shared that Departments need to go through IT first. Diane added that
an AI Policy needs established.
Diane shared the fiber upgrade project is ready to start. TJ added there should be activity in the next two weeks.
5. Adjournment—The meeting adjourned at 12:07 p.m.
61October 3 , 2023 Board Retreat Minutes
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ATTEST: MASON COUNTY,WASHINGTON
McKenzie SrMh,CVrk of the Board Sharon Trask,Chair
Ra y Neather ,Vice-Chair
U �'
Kevin Shutty,Commissioner
71October 3 , 2023 Board Retreat Minutes