Laserfiche WebLink
11/07/2017 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. NOVEMBER 7, 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; Lisa Young, HR Director; <br />Chris Horner, Deputy Prosecutor; Neil Caulkins, Deputy Prosecutor; <br />Jerry Pettit, Auditor; and approximately 25 members of the public. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TRANSPARENCY COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />At 2:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN JEWELL opened a Public Hearing to consider <br />allowing for Collective Bargaining Transparency. <br /> <br />LISA YOUNG, HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR provided a Staff Report and <br />explained how the Board of County Commissioners previously received <br />a request from the Freedom Foundation to hold collective bargaining <br />contract negotiations in an open public meeting format. She <br />indicated the Open Public Meetings Act permits collective bargaining <br />negotiations to be exempted from requirements of the Open Public <br />Meetings Act (OPMA). The Board met with key stakeholders on several <br />occasions and at the last meeting they directed Staff to prepare <br />documents necessary to consider an amendment to County Code for <br />their consideration. <br /> <br />THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: SEAN JEFFRIES, PRESIDENT OF IUOE LOCAL <br />302 felt the proposal was a bad public policy and questioned if it <br />was even legal. He said they believed it serves as a lack of trust <br />and disrespect on both sides of management and labor. PETER <br />STARZINSKI, NW ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT provided reasons why they <br />opposed the Freedom Foundation and submitted an article into the <br />record. GEORGE VERHEAL said he was a retired operating engineer who <br />negotiated with public agencies in the past. He spoke against the <br />proposal and felt there was plenty of oversight with how the system <br />is currently working. MATTHEW HAYWARD, FREEDOM FOUNDATION indicated <br />they had previously submitted information into the record. He said <br />they conducted an Elway Poll and 79% of Eastern Washington voters <br />are interested in moving forward with the proposal and encouraged <br />the Board to approve the proposed Ordinance. LINDA HAWK explained <br />how she had belonged to both public and private unions. She provided <br />reasons why she believed the Board should not approve the proposed <br />Ordinance. STEVE BRUCKMAN, BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE OF TEAMSTERS <br />LOCAL 760 felt there is nothing that indicates there’s a problem and <br />strongly urged the Board to oppose the Ordinance. BILLY WALLACE <br />spoke in opposition of the proposal and said the County knows what