Minutes - FINAL

Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council

Regular Meeting Minutes –December 21, 2005 at May Valley Alliance Church

Submitted by Dellanie Fragnoli.

Attending:

D1: Rick Spence

X

D2: Eileen Lane

 

D3: Bob Davis

 

D4: OPEN

 

D5: Tom Carpenter

 

D6: Dellanie Fragnoli

 

D7: Marshall Brenden

X

D8: Dick Fackenthall

X

D9: Sharon Schimke

 

D10: Grant Smith

 

D11: John Vukov

X

AL: Dave Dahlin

 

AL: Edie Jorgensen

X

AL: Richard Maki

X

AAL:  Bette Filley

X

 

Call to Order:

The meeting was called to order by Rick S. at 7:35 p.m.

Vacant Council Seats

Rick S. announced that the District 4 position was open.

Motion to approve the minutes of the November Regular meeting as submitted was made by John V. and 2nd by Bette F.

Y=Yes  , N=Nay, A=Abstention

D1: Rick Spence

Y

D2: Eileen Lane

 

D3: Bob Davis

 

D4: OPEN

 

D5: Tom Carpenter

 

D6: Dellanie Fragnoli

 

D7: Marshall Brenden

Y

D8: Dick Fackenthall

Y

D9: Sharon Schimke

 

D10:  Grant Smith

 

D11:  John Vukov

Y

AL: Dave Dahlin

 

AL: Edie Jorgensen

Y

AL:  Richard Maki

Y

AAL: Bette Filley

Y

 

 

 

Motion to approve minutes of the December Special meeting as submitted was made by John V. and 2nd by Richard M.

Y=Yes, N=Nay, A= Abstention

D1: Rick Spence

Y

D2: Eileen Lane

 

D3: Bob Davis

 

D4: OPEN

 

D5: Tom Carpenter

 

D6: Dellanie Fragnoli

 

D7: Marshall Brenden

Y

D8: Dick Fackenthall

Y

D9: Sharon Schimke

 

D10: Grant Smith

 

D11: John Vukov

Y

AL: Dave Dahlin

 

AL: Edie Jorgensen

Y

AL: Richard Maki

Y

AAL:  Bette Filley

Y

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

Edie J. reported that the election expenses totaled $4,495 and the D&O insurance cost $3,295.  Dick F. still has two small bills for election-related expenses.  When all is paid, we will have very little money left in the budget.  There was some discussion about the County providing more money.  Rick S. suggested an additional $500, but Edie J. felt that would not be sufficient given the ballot costs, postage, and increased population.  Rick S. was told by Marissa that we might be able to pay someone to take the minutes for the UAC meetings.  Rick will check into that further.

 

Committee Reports

 

Edie J. said that we need to set up a new Election Committee.  Rick said it should be done soon to avoid the rush we had this year.  John V. agreed, but said we won’t be electing as many next year.  Edie pointed out that we still have the at-large positions and half the council (all even-numbered districts) and ballots need to be sent to everyone registered in the UAC area.  Rick suggested a meeting prior to the establishment of the committee in which old committee members who will not be able to participate in the committee’s work could meet and hand off information to the UAC as a whole to try to get as smooth a transition as possible.  Rick will set something up or perhaps just fit it into the regular agenda.

 

Main Topic – Rural Economic Strategies/Growth Management

_

Rick said that we need to review the county material and give feedback on Tom C.’s presentation and have a finished UAC opinion for him to take to the January 18 meeting with the County Comp Planners (Paul Reintenbach).

 

John V. feels that both the County and Tom have left out some things especially cottage industry definition.  Marshall B. feels that by leaving it out, the County will be able to drop the category all together in the future.

 

Edie J. said the County is still in the 1850’s with their definitions of what rural industry is and has no provision for the modern businesses conducted from rural homes.

 

Bette F. said the County is really thinking of “table top” industry.  Cottage industry is one where something goes on requiring 7 or 8 people, maybe some shops and offices while “table top” is something you can do on the same table you eat on such as write a book, spin yarn, etc.

 

Rick said that logging is allowed so people need hoists, shops, tools, and machines to keep them running.  Neighbors bring in broken stuff, the logger has a few men and when they have time, they fix it.  Maybe they have a lathe or a forge.  Now the County restricts all of these activities to one hired person only.  Can’t make a living, good equipment stands idle, have to haul a big piece of equipment a long way to get it fixed now.

 

Edie said the Planning Department has a poor notion of what rural cottage industry is, they get mired down in implementing rules from the IBC without ever considering the effect.  This is made worse by the policy of having urban planners with no rural experience doing rural planning.

 

Rick said that further rural economic data is not available which leads to guessing.  DDES is not paying attention to the people they are passing laws to regulate.

 

Rick called a special meeting for January 4 at 7:00 pm to finalize the presentation for his January 18 meeting.

 

 

 

 

Other Business

Edie brought up the need to abide by WA open meeting laws.  If the FCUAC has established a working group, the members of that group may communicate with one another for the purposes that the group was established without violating open meeting laws.  However, when FCUAC members are e-mailing the entire FCUAC membership for various reasons and getting responses, that could violate open meeting laws.  Anytime more than 2 members of the FCUAC discuss issues, it is a violation.  The solution is to communicate through our web site, bring the topic up at the meetings, limit e-mail to specific persons as in sub-committee work and disclose our considered opinion at a meeting.

Rick wants to further promote the UAC.  He hopes to get an editorial article in some of the local papers.  There may be other means such as inviting reporters to community dinners, meetings, etc.

Rick says a thank-you letter to Councilman Irons should come from the UAC right away.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.

 

 

 

Submitted by:

 

 

                                               

Dellanie Fragnoli, Secretary based upon notes taken by Dick F.

 

Dated: January 4, 2006