Government transparency and law enforcement-related issues dominated the July 26 meeting of the Eatonville Town Council, which saw several measures passed as such — and more.
The council passed a second reading of Ordinance 2021-7 repealing Section 2.64 of the Eatonville Municipal Code, Inspection of Public Records, which has not been updated since its adoption in 1994. The repeal made way for a revised public records policy in the form of Resolution 2021-W, approved later in the meeting.
The new public records policy would put the town in line with Chapter 42.56 of the Revised Code of Washington, the Public Records Act, requiring public agencies to make identifiable, nonexempt public records available for inspection and copying upon request. The act also requires public agencies to publish rules of procedures to inform the public how to access public records.
“It’s pretty much the status quo,” explained town clerk Miranda Doll.
She went on to note, “This policy is mirrored toward the attorney general’s model rules…”
The council also passed Resolution 2021-AA, authorizing the mayor on behalf of Eatonville to execute an interagency data sharing agreement with the office of the Washington State Auditor. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5432, passed by the Legislature earlier this year, requires data sharing agreements for all state and local governments sharing data.
The council passed several ordinances related to law enforcement, including:
• Resolution 2021-X, authorizing the use of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds in the amount of $11,927.76 for the purchases of a new fingerprint scanner.
• Resolution 2021-Y, formalizing a law enforcement training agreement between the town’s police department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, including Eatonville police officers attending certain Pierce County Sheriff’s Department training sessions.
• Resolution 2021-Z, authorizing the mayor to execute a contract with SecureMax for the purchase, software service and hosting of four bodycams for five years for the Eatonville Police Department.
In other business, the council passed Resolution 2021-BB, authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement on behalf of the town with Redmond, Washington-based FCS Group for excise tax consulting services, not to exceed the estimate amount of $8,140.
The council set the agenda for the next Planning Commission virtual Zoom meeting on Eatonville Municipal Code Chapter 18.08, Accessory Dwelling Unit Review.
The meeting ended on a note of uncertainty in the form of a 2-2 vote — Councilmember Emily McFadden was not in attendance due to illness — on Resolution 2021-CC, authorizing the mayor to execute on the town’s behalf a consulting agreement with Seattle-based KPG, P.S. regarding a transportation analysis of Adams Avenue South, not to exceed the estimate amount of $7,979.
The council wanted to table the measure until a future meeting, but having already voted the measure down in a tie vote precluded that. As discussed among the mayor and council members, it may be possible for the ordinance to come before the council again in a slightly different format.
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