Council Schedule Highlights Week of July 6th, 2020

Due to Governor Inslee’s Emergency Proclamations 20–05 and 20–28, in-person attendance by members of the public at meetings of the Pierce County Council is NOT permitted at this time. Public participation must be done remotely. Remote attendance and participation is available as Council meetings are live broadcasted on Comcast 22; Click 22/522 HD and Rainier Connect 20/513 and can be streamed live on www.piercecountytv.org Remote public participation in Citizen’s Forum and public testimony on ordinances and resolutions on the Council Meeting Agenda is provided using Zoom by calling 253.215.8782. Note: Webinar IDs are listed below for each scheduled meeting.

Monday, July 6th, 2020

1:30 pm Committee of the Whole

CARES Act Weekly Report
Presenter: Gary Robinson, Director of Finance

In addition to the regular, weekly review of funding approvals, the Executive has reached the 60% cap established by Council before a further appropriation is required. We’ll have some discussions about how to proceed.

I’m proposing that we return to regular order and make the appropriations ourselves with a supplemental budget.

2020–2021 Pierce County Budget Review
Presenter: Paul Bocchi, Senior Legislative Analyst

We continue to monitor the health of our regular budget with a deteriorating revenue forecast. Without action by Congress to support revenue replacement, we will need to make deep, painful cuts to vital services.

Tuesday, July 7th, 2020

9:30 am Human Services Committee

Derek Young, Chair
Connie Ladenburg, Vice-Chair
Marty Campbell
Dave Morell
Douglas G. Richardson

Review of Co-Responder/Alternative Services — Behavioral Health
Presenter: Steve O’Ban, Senior Counsel for Behavioral Health

Locally and around the country, we hear calls for reforms around law and justice. We need to look at our response to people who are in crisis or whose underlying behavioral health disorder is the source of their unlawful behavior.

This where I think there’s widespread agreement. Our Sheriff frequently says we are asking our law enforcement to do too much. They’re responding to calls where you need a social worker or behavioral health specialist and often don’t have a place to take them. As a result, they often end up in jail or emergency room; neither is well equipped to respond to the situation.

This discussion will be about alternative strategies that we’re experimenting with and look at ways to bring them to scale countywide. I also want to start looking at what we’re not doing right now.