Minutes of the August 18, 1998 General Meeting of the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM, Craig Beles presiding. 2. The Treasurer reported balances of $87.99 checking, $1931.66 savings. 3. The Safety Committee reported: a) They are seeking an overview of disaster planning on the island by all agencies. b) A 4-way stop by the Senior Center has been suggested and is being investigated, before being sent to the Transportation Committee. 4. The Transportation Committee reported: a) Further evaluation is ongoing re. the North End traffic changes. Increased police presence has been requested. b) The Committee is looking at the impact of large trucks on the center of town, and alternatives. c) The Committee discussed the ferry system's North End stairs plan, priority loading proposals, and the 20 year plan. 5. The Land Use Committee reported: a) The Comprehensive Plan Amendments process is moving ahead, with most Community Plan policies now apparently safe. b) There has been a Determination of Significance on the proposed expansion of the Lonestar gravel pit operation. c) WashPIRG is pressing for improved regulations and enforcement on water quality as part of a campaign to respond to the endangered species listing of salmon. 6. The Forest Practices Committee reported that the State Forest Practices Board visited the island last Tuesday concerning proposed island-specific regulations. 7. The Social Services Committee will be holding a meeting September 15, 6:00 PM, at the Land Trust building with 40+ representatives of on- island social services. 8. The Lonestar Gravel Pit ad-hoc Committee reported: a) There has been a Determination of Significance. b) The next step is selection of an EIS Consultant, followed by a process to define the scope of the EIS, then the EIS itself, and review of the EIS. 9. The Signage Committee reported dates for public input meetings: a) September 15, 7:30-9:00 PM b) October 1, 7:30-9:00 PM c) October 24, 10:00 AM - Noon 10. The Motion to evaluate providing child care at Community Council meetings was brought up for debate. a) Cliff Goodman reported his findings: i) The YMCA can only care for children aged 6 or older. ii) The Youth & Family Services job line can provide trained students for about $30 per meeting. iii) The School District can get insurance coverage. iv) The estimated costs total $80 per meeting. b) The Motion was amended to limit funding to a maximum of $100 per meeting, to limit the funding to calendar 1998, and to provide for requesting donations to help defray the cost of care. c) The Motion was put to a vote and passed: i) Aye 38, Nay 6, Abstain 2, Inappropriate 0. 11. The Motion by Beth Bitter et al to reaffirm the community's support for tolerance and diversity, and to endorse efforts to promote the same, was brought forward for debate. a) Some audience members questioned how serious the problem of racism is on the Island. Others reported experiencing it themselves or witnessing it. b) Probably most people on the Island are not racists, and they probably know few if any open racists, but for the island's relatively few visible minorities, the actions of even a few racists can be very noticeable. c) In response to a specific line in the minutes of a prior meeting, it was noted that the summaries of discussions are a precis only, and do not pretend to be a verbatim transcript of any person's comments. (I don't do shorthand, and can only type so fast -- The Clerk.) d) It was proposed that the Motion be amended to add that "The VMICC will work to encourage diversity among its members and its elected officials." i) The Amendment was approved: Aye 38, Nay 0, Abstain 3, Inappropriate 1. e) The Motion was brought to a vote and passed: i) Aye 46, Nay 0, Abstain 1, Inappropriate 0. 12. The Motion to endorse the WashPIRG clean water campaign was brought forward for debate. a) The listing of salmon runs as endangered highlights the need to enforce existing clean water laws and improve the regulations issued under those laws, e.g. permitted discharges of pollutants. b) If the state and county do not act quickly, federally mandated regulations could prove far more intrusive and costly. c) The Motion was brought to a vote and passed: i) Aye 46, Nay 0, Abstain 1, Inappropriate 0. 13. The Motion made last month to remove off-island military equipment from the Strawberry Festival Parade was evaluated by the Community Council Board at its last meeting. The Board decided that, because the Community Council plays no role in organizing the Parade, the Motion should be referred to the Chamber of Commerce, which does control the Parade. This had yet to be formally done, but the Chamber of Commerce president said the Chamber had no interest in removing the VFW or its equipment from the parade, noting that veteran status is not a legitimate basis for discrimination. If this is the formal position of the Chamber of Commerce, the Motion will be on the floor next month. 14. The King County Dept. of Health gave a presentation on upcoming changes regarding septic systems. The code has not been revised since 1987, and the Legislature has mandated that by 2000, all health departments must ensure routine maintenance of all on-site systems. Copies of the documents should be on file at the Library. 15. Jake Jacobovitch made, and Alice Larson seconded, a proposed Emergency Motion decrying the Washington State Ferry System's proposed new priority loading rules, and the absence of any meaningful public participation in the drafting of this proposal, in apparent violation of the Public Participation Element of the Growth Management Act. a) There was nearly unanimous agreement among the members present that the proposal is ill-advised, and would hurt rather than help the people of Vashon and Maury Islands. b) It was noted that no representative of the Washington State Ferry System had presented a draft of the proposal on the island before it was published, or sought any input from the Community Council or its Transportation Committee, and that input from the Ferry Advisory Committee had been extremely limited. c) The request for emergency consideration was approved unanimously by the Board and by the members present. d) The Motion was put to a vote and passed: i) Aye 36, Nay 0, Abstain 0, Inappropriate 0. 16. Fred Hansen made, and Tony McLaughlin seconded, a Motion to support the new Vietnam War memorial at Ober Park. 17. Adjourned.