HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-27 City Council Minutes Approved `C)1 Oetri`::
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City Council Minutes— February 27, 2012
At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Dean Maxwell called the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council study session of
February 27, 2012 to order. Eric Johnson, Ryan Walters, Erica Pickett, Brad Adams, Bill Turner, Cynthia
Richardson and Brian Geer were present.
Samish Indian Nation Request for Legislation Support
Mayor Maxell briefly summarized the City's Memorandum of Understanding with the Samish Indian
Nation which includes a provision for payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for properties owned by the
Samish within the city. The mayor introduced Thomas Wooten, chairman of the Samish Indian Nation. Mr.
Wooten presented a brief history of the Samish tribe and the successor Samish Indian Nation and then
explained the mandatory fee to trust legislation the tribe is pursuing to place 107 acres of its owned land
in Skagit and surrounding counties into trust for the tribe. He described the various parcels of land owned
by the Samish including the tribal administration complex, the Samish longhouse, the Thomas Creek
property, the Mud Bay oyster beds and the Campbell Lake property adjacent to the 78 acres already held
in trust by the tribe. Mr. Wooten outlined the current uses of each property and the plans the tribe has for
them and stated that gaming would be prohibited on trust lands. Mayor Maxwell commented on the
productive cooperative relationship between the city and the Samish Indian Nation.
Trail Tales Shoreline Interpretive Program
Mayor Maxwell introduced Betty Carteret from Friends of Skagit Beaches (FOSB). Ms. Carteret presented
a description of the new Trail Tales Shoreline Interpretive Program, a volunteer education and outreach
program to teach the public about Fidalgo Bay and the Anacortes shoreline and generate interest in the
clean up projects sponsored by the Department of Ecology. Ms. Carteret explained that the project is
funded by a Washington State Department of Ecology Public Participation Grant awarded to FOSB and
involves partnerships with the Anacortes Museum, Anacortes Parks and Recreation Department, WSU
Skagit County Beach Watchers, WWU Shannon Point Marine Center and the Port of Anacortes. Ms.
Carteret described aspects of the project including a series of interpretive signs, trained docents to
provide guided hikes, self-guided trail maps, a website linked to the Tommy Thompson Trail via QR codes
as well as other events. Bret Lunsford from the Anacortes Museum described the research and writing
the Museum will provide for the project and the signs the project will provide in return. Mayor Maxwell and
the Council thanked Mrs. Carteret for her countless hours of volunteer service in the community.
Proposed Update: Anacortes Municipal Code Chapter 2.40 Civil Service System
Human Resources Director Emily Schuh presented proposed changes to AMC Chapter 2.40 regarding
the Civil Service System. She advised that the Council Personnel Committee reviewed the proposal
earlier in the day and had suggested some further modifications. Ms. Schuh provided a brief history of the
Civil Service Commission, the rules governing it and the reason the revisions are being considered.
Mayor Maxwell commented that adding two alternates to the three member Commission would be nice
but said he had grave concerns that enlarging the Commission to five regular members would make it
even more difficult to find qualified Commissioners. Ms. Schuh advised that based on Personnel
Committee feedback she would develop an ordinance to adopt revisions to AMC Chapter 2.40 and bring
it to City Council for consideration at a regular meeting in the future.
There being no further business, at approximately 8:00 p.m. the regularly scheduled Anacortes City
Council study session of February 27, 2012 adjourned.
Anacortes City Council Study Session Minutes February 27, 2012 1