26-24 Require Annual Report Publication by the County Manager
26-28 Role of Council Member on Boards & Commission & Method of Appointment & Replacement
26-32 Whistleblower Protection for County Employees

Change order of 2^nd readings for this meeting:

1. 26-31 Ethics Review Commission to Consist of Five Members

2. 26-09 Prohibiting County Government from Interfering with Initiatives and Charter Amendments

3. 26-13 Legislative Branch Employees

4. 26-14 Performance Audits

Changes to agenda approved by CRC.

Open Public Comment:

1. Chuck Green (2021 CRC co-chair): limit the # PAs on ballot; avoid micromanaging or constraining CC budge); opposed to PA on land supply & cost analysis (said not consistent with intent of the charter); against prohibiting tolls and light rails: (said toll roads are purview of WA legislature and established by WA state transportation commission; Ctran controls public transportation).

2. Brad Branham: supports collegiality between CRC commissioners; against PA 26-08 (Requiring CCC supermajority vote to raise taxes)

3. Margaret Tweet: supports: 26-09 (Prohibiting County Government from Interfering with Initiatives and Charter Amendments); 26-14 (Performance Audits); 26-39 (No Tolls); 26-38 (No Light Rail).

Approval of March 25^th and March 31^st , 2026, Minutes: approved

Executive Committee Reports:

Garber: nothing
Hoss:
Finance Office: Mitchell Kelly for analysis of PAs
Draft for Scribner proposal in process
Erickson:
CVTV to interview some CRC members for program
Finance Office, Mitchell Kelly, will provide template of financial analysis for all amendments

Comments by Glen Yung: postponed

Committee Reports

Public Outreach—Comm. Holmgren
Working on changes to website and how amendments are listed (2026 ﬁrstt, then 2027)
Public feedback form: will be on website
Newsletter? : provide public with updates on the amendment process
Polling CRC members for dates and locations of town halls
Proposed Amendments Study Committees—committee chairs offer updates on status of PAs that passed 2nd readings and are now in study committees (study committees have two weeks from passing 2nd readings to submitting their PA study )

Comments by Support Staff

Katie Jolma, DPA:
Clarification on handling PAs that receive a unanimous vote on 2^nd reading. Offers different/more cautious advice (than Kevin____, DPA, last week) about OPMA rules regarding unanimous votes. Cautions against voting against a PA just to avoid the OPMA requirement for unanimous (15) votes.
Engaging Prosecuting Attorney’s office for feedback on legality of PAs: Legal is last stop in the review process. DPA only approves as to “form” (legality of PA), and makes no final determination of how a PA should be. Does not weigh in on policy, just legal issues. No resolution makes it onto the ballot without DPA signature on the form, attesting to legality.
Kathleen Otto, County Manager: working on obtaining Webex “Teams” licenses for CRC on Webex
Michelle Pfenning: will send info on how PAs should be look before submission to Prosecuting Atty’s office

Old Business--none

New Business

a. Drafting Committee: Task: work to put together final verbiage of each PA

Responsibilities: members on drafting committee work on all amendments. No policy evolution during drafting; just draft language for resolution. Drafting committee would work in partnership with scribner services. (Scribner cannot significantly change language, focus on formatting amendment to resolution form.)
Volunteers: Comm. Landesberg, Donnelly, Gasque, Silliman, Garber, and Adigweme
Motion to approve drafting committee: Approved

b. Second Reading of Proposed Charter Amendments:

26-31 Ethics Review to Consist of 5 Members-sponsor Comm. Hamlick

Intent: 5 members would decrease risk of not having a quorum at commission’
meetings, generates richer debate, improves decision quality and public trust
Discussion:
CRC members respond favorably to this amendment.
Adigweme: Why was it set up as 3 members initially? A: County decided.
Cline: why not just use Gasque’s amendment? (26-15 Ethics) Answer: Gasque’s amendment does not include increasing size of the Ethics commission. (FYI: The 2 amendments may be joined by the sponsors)
Votes: yes: 11; no: 0 ; abstain: 4 (Garber, Gasque, Holmgren, Hoss) Advances
Committee: Chair Comm Hamlick; cosponsors: Comm Cline, Landesberg

26-09 Prohibiting County Government from Interfering with Initiatives and Charter Amendments—sponsor: Comm Jay

Intent: Preserve and protect the direct initiative and charter amendment powers of voters in CC by restricting governmental interference in that process. Council could not impede, alter, or block the measure, or use public funds, staff or resources to advocate for/against it or legally challenge it. Individual Council members can express personal opinions but only as private citizens and without using county resources.
Discussion: Jay admitted that this hasn’t been an issue in CC, so it’s not a current problem. County can still propose their own amendments but cannot vote on the amendment as a body. Garber: asserted that state law already deals with some of this and/or this conﬂicts with state law.
Votes: Yes: 6 No: 7 Abstain: Erickson, Hamlick, Does not advance

26-13 Legislative Branch Employees—sponsor: Comm Silliman

Intent: Clariﬁes that the County Council, or Legislative branch, is responsible for the employment and supervision of the personnel required to function and perform the duties of the Legislative branch. Council would have their own staff that reports directly to the Council. County Manager (the Executive Branch) would be left out of the loop. No additional costs.
Discussion:
Adigweme and Christly : asked about Human Resources duties: personnel management, scheduling, etc. Who will staff report to, with 5 councilors, all of whom work part time? Silliman replied that an office manager is in county council office already.
Garber: Referred to CCC Chair Marshall’s comment to CRC (3/31/26) who said this wasn’t an issue and that it works fine as is already. Council staff doesn’t think it’s a problem either. Silliman: staff wouldn't’t have to choose between doing what the County Manager has on the agenda and what a Councilor thinks is important/needs to be addressed.
Benton: Called this “one of the most important amendments this year.”
Landesberg: Per her previous experience in government, she said she is in favor of this amendment.
Votes: yes: 12 no: 3 (Adigweme, LaBrandt, Christly) abstain: 0 Advances
Committee: Chair Silliman; cosponsor: Comm. Cline, Holmgren, Benton, Jay

26-14 Performance Audits—sponsor Comm Silliman

Intent: The legislative branch would have the responsibility and ability to perform Performance Audits of County financial management and record keeping, as well as program or department efficiency and effectiveness. Provide transparency to the CC Council and the public about the performance of county programs, departments, financial management or process. Does not replace audits conducted by WA state or the CC Auditor.
Discussion:
Garber: Could the independent committee access things like confidential records, for ex., elections databases? Who determines whether the audit is needed and how is it determined? Silliman: CCC would have to follow all existing guidelines for audits; they could initiate an audit but the audit would be done by an outside contractor.
Landesberg said that there is already an auditor’s office. Could CC Council simply request an audit or information from Auditor’s office? Silliman: this would give the Council power to demand an audit.
Christly asked, why not just make this an ordinance instead of embedding in the charter? Silliman: ordinance would specify the details of this amendment—how to contract for services, etc.-- if PA made it into the charter.
Holmgren: Q: anything in charter that prevents CCC from getting an outside audit. Silliman: Council has no independent authority to secure an audit; they have to request it through the County Manager
LaBrandt: Requested clarity about departments; could Council audit any department they choose, such as Sheriff's Office? Silliman: Yes; Council decides how to budget so they should have the power to audit departments that receive those funds.
Benton: (He was an auditor) Supports not just financial audits, but process audits.
Jay: Believes this should have been in the original charter.
Votes: yes: 10 no : 5 (Adigweme, LaBrandt, Garber, Landesberg, Holmgren) Advances
Committee: Chair Silliman, Comm. Cline, Benton, Jay, Gasque

Next week: Second readings of 26-37, -38, -33, -35, -39, -40, -24.

Good of the Order:

Garber: F-1 report due by April 15th.
Adigweme: Absent May 20, 2026.

Adjourn

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