DRAFT minutes, VMICC Board, meeting 6/6/05
Courthouse Square

Meeting of the VMICC Board called to order 7:15 pm at Courthouse Square courtroom by VMICC President Jim English. Board members present: Marilyn Omey, Joan Sells, Jack Barbash, Joelene Lamb, May Gerstle. Also present: county liaison Bong Santo Domingo, Jean Bosch, Robin Hess, Mark Meyer, Steve Ellison, Armen Yousoufian, Dan Schueler, Jay Becker and others.

Minutes of the April 4 and May 2  board meetings were read, some minor corrections made by consensus, and approved unanimously by motions of Sells and Gerstle in that order.

Lamb reported no VMICC money spent since the last meeting.

English reported that a joint meeting of heads of all Unincorporated Area Councils like VMICC was also attended by all county department heads, a good sign. He said he did not criticize any county operations. He talked of good things that have happened with county involvement recently such as consolidating certain county and private properties in the center of the island.

English reported he personally discussed the issue of biting Rottweilers on the Burton Peninsula with a county official and reported that the Rottweilers are gone now.

There was no public comment when English asked.

English read a letter from Terry Mark, deputy director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services declaring that “King County has maintained that an Unincorporated Area Council like the VMICC “is an independent entity” and not part of the county.

 The board as a group interviewed four candidates for two empty board seats, Jean Bosch, Steve Ellison, Robin Hess, and Mark Meyer. Each candidate answered several written questions, including their view of what the community council does. Earlier each submitted a letter of application. The board then went into another room, came out, and English announced Bosch and Hess were selected . English thanked all for applying. Discussion followed. Meyer agreed to chair a youth affairs committee after Gerstle and Barbash shared some history of the previous such committee. Meyer said he was interested in a fresh effort to identify and clarify values and visions cherished by islanders, an action VMICC, Vashon Chamber of Commerce, and others have taken periodically.

Schueler announced the final version of the Vashon Watershed (protection) Plan would be on the VMICC web page soon.

Steve Graham’s motion to “move forward with an effort to place a public utility district (formation) initiative” vote on the November, 2006, ballot was discussed. English declared consensus of the board to bring it before June 2005 general VMICC meeting this month.

May Gerstle moved and it was seconded that the Disaster Preparedness Committee be authorized up to $200 to print cards promoting the new web-site www.VashonBePrepared.org.  The motion was approved.

Omey moved and Lamb seconded further study of Yousoufian’s motion to require a USA flag salute monthly general meetings. Referral to committee allows more discussion of the proposed action than the time-constrained general meeting and the issue is not time sensitive, she said. Gerstle noted the VMICC town hall forum voted in March 2001 to skip a flag salute and asked how long does a decision last? One month, Hess answered. He’s experienced in parliamentary procedure. English told Hess to appoint a sub committee of Hess’s Governance and By-Laws standing committee to report back in June after Hess said the five-member committee work plan is full through October.

Yousoufian asked if he could move to overturn that referral. English said yes, by a motion supported by a two-thirds majority of members present at a general VMICC meeting.

Minutes submitted by Jay Becker, Community Consulting