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08/29/2017 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 10:30 A.M. AUGUST 29, 2017 <br /> <br />Board members present: Chairman Paul Jewell; Vice-Chairman Laura <br />Osiadacz; and Commissioner Obie O’Brien. <br /> <br />Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Representative Matt <br />Manweller, Val Barschaw, Clerk; Gene Dana, Sheriff; Lisa Young, <br />Human Resource Director; Jerry Pettit, Auditor; Neil Caulkins, <br />Deputy Prosecutor; and approximately 12 members of the public. <br /> <br />SPECIAL MEETING FREEDOM FOUNDATION COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />At 10:30 a.m. Chairman Jewell opened a Special Meeting to consider <br />adopting a Policy and/or Resolution that all Collective Bargaining <br />Meetings will be Open to the Public. <br /> <br />Representative Matt Manweller, provided information from the State’s <br />prospective and the process they go through during negotiations and <br />the issues relating to transparency & propriety. <br /> <br />Lisa Young, Human Resource Director, provided a history of the <br />request previously received from the Freedom Foundation. <br /> <br />Mathew Hayward, Freedom Foundation representative, spoke about <br />transparency with local government and how he hoped the County would <br />open their negotiations to the public. He said it would have no <br />impact to Executive Sessions where strategies could still be <br />discussed. He felt tax payers want to know they are being negotiated <br />for and there would be less conflict if done in open meetings. He <br />said it’s not a new idea as its being done all over the Country in <br />different areas. <br /> <br />Stephanie Olsen, Litigation Council for Freedom Foundation, provided <br />information on Lincoln County’s Resolution. <br /> <br />Rob Coffman, Lincoln County Commissioner, provided information on <br />their experience since adopting a Resolution for having negotiations <br />open to the public. He noted the public was not allowed to <br />participate in the meetings, but it’s an opportunity for them to <br />observe the process. <br /> <br />Tom Cash, Representative from AFSCME, opposed the proposal and <br />addressed statements made by the Freedom Foundation. He reviewed the <br />process that they’ve experienced in the past and how it’s been very <br />transparent for as long as he’s been involved. He felt open