03-23-2022 Senior Advisory Minutes - APPROVEDCITY OF
Federal Way
Centered on Opportunity
SENIOR ADVISORY COMMISSION
SUMMARY
Wednesday March 23rd, 2022 at 2:00pm
Hylebos Conference Room & Zoom
Commissioners Present: Chair Debbie Harvey, Vice Chair Lana Bostic, Catherine North, Kenneth
Pratt, Frank Fields, Sue Ellebrecht, Cheryl Volheim (remote)
Absent: Kevin King (excused), Tammy Dziak (excused)
Staff Present: Deputy Mayor Susan Honda, Amy Glandon
Citizens Present: Susan & Kathy of St. Francis Emergency Care Management, Colleen
Chinen (remote)
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. Chair Debbie Harvey moved for Agenda Item #E
to be moved to the top of the meeting, seconded by Vice Chair Lana Bostic. Motion passed
unanimously.
2. AGENDA ITEM #E — SAFETY REPORT BY POLICE CHIEF ANDY HWANG
Police Chief Andy Hwang gave a safety update regarding the increase in crime year -over -year
since 2019. He stated that Washington State showed the biggest increase with a 46% rise
in 2020 in violent crime. He noted that the numbers for 2021 would be worse, although
those numbers (if reported) would be unavailable until May. He noted that the leading
causes of the judicial breakdown is due to court leniency, too many crimes to
hold/prosecute the accused, and reform laws from 2021 that decriminalized most drugs,
the removal of the terry -stop, removal of use of force, and removal of the ability to detain
during a mental crisis. He noted that the terry -stop and use of non-violent force was given
back to the police during the legislative session. He noted that over the previous year, the
Federal Way Police Department has installed body -cams throughout the force, which will
hopefully lead to more accountability for both police and offenders. When asked about
the safest days/times for seniors to go out into the community, Police Chief Hwang noted
that having awareness of surroundings, doing errands during the day when there are
many people around, and using sound judgment still remain the most effective ways to
avoid violent crime. He noted that random acts of violence, although do happen, are very
rare in occurrence. There were various questions asked by the present commissioners,
which Police Chief Hwang responded to reiterating his previous statements of awareness
still leads with safety, and avoiding a "risky" lifestyle, and that the odds of getting into a
traffic accident are far greater than being a victim of violent crime. Police Chief Hwang
noted that Federal Way, although it seems is leading in violent crime, is actually on -par
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and comparable to other cities within King County of a similar size including Renton, Kent,
and Auburn. The primary source of violent crime is Domestic Violence.
Commissioner Cheryl Volheim briefly left the meeting at 2:45pm and rejoined at 2:46pm.
The Senior Advisory Commission thanked Police Chief Hwang for his time, and Commissioner
Sue Ellebrecht thanked the Federal Way Police for their bravery and putting their lives on
the line. The Senior Advisory Commission also gave their condolences to Police Chief
Hwang for the passing of Deputy Dom Calata with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office,
which Police Chief Hwang thanked them for.
3. CITIZEN COMMENTS
None.
4. COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS COMMISSION BUSINESS
• Chair Debbie Harvey had no comment.
• Commissioner Catherine North made note that the Senior Center is missing the
pamphlets and requested a spreadsheet of all the locations within the pamphlet to
make sure that they all had copies. At the next meeting Commissioner North requests
that the commission signs up to distribute them. Vice Chair Lana Bostic mentioned
that she will continue to keep the library and the senior center stocked.
Commissioner Frank Fields requested that the Senior Advisory Commission returns to
monthly meetings beginning in April. He mentioned that rent is rising throughout the
city and that senior housing is no longer allowing leases of 6-months or 1-year, and
that these rising rents are a hardship on the senior community with rising costs of
standard living expenses such as gas and groceries as well. He requested that City
Attorney Ryan Call or Community Services Manager Sarah Bridgeford come to a
commission meeting to discuss what options there are available to seniors to curb
these expenses including mandates for leases or community funds to assist seniors in
need. Deputy Mayor Susan Honda said that she would speak to Sarah, as the FEDRAC
Committee met and spoke about ways to assist seniors through the use of ARPA
funds. Commissioner Fields also noted that he watches the City Council meetings
online, and voiced that the roundabouts that were approved are expensive and a
better use of funding would be additional parking that is open to the public at
Celebration Park. Commissioner Fields requested that EJ Walsh from Public Works
come to speak with the commission regarding parking.
S. COMMISSION BUSINESS
A. WELCOME NEW COMMISSIONER TAMMY DZIAK
Commissioner Tammy Dziak was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, although
she was welcomed by Chair Debbie Harvey to the Senior Advisory Commission. Deputy
Mayor Honda noted that as there was a vacancy to the voting commissioners with the
departure of Former Commissioner Margaret Lippert, she requested that an alternate
member be moved to a voting position at the City Council Meeting on April 5th, 2022.
B. APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 17, 2021 & NOVEMBER 19, 2021 MEETING MINUTES
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Commissioner Catherine North moved approval of meeting minutes from November
17th and November 19th, 2021 meetings; second by Commissioner Kenneth Pratt.
Motion passed unanimously.
C. SENIOR HEALTH & INFORMATION FAIR
Commissioner Catherine North stated that she had spoken with Rocky Kirwin at the
Auburn Senior Center regarding the fair that they host annually. She stated that she
also spoke with Brian Hoffman at the PAEC regarding using the facility, and he stated
that with a letter from the mayor, the rental fee would be waived, although there
would still be a cost for the labor for set-up, staffing, and tear -down of the event.
Commissioner North recommended that different jobs should be assigned to the
various commissioners so that the workload is evenly distributed. Upon recapping of
the vision of the health and information fair (now called the Health & Resource Fair),
the vision would be to have multiple resources for seniors, multiple speakers with
different topics including giveaways. She recommended that the commission search
online to see what other cities are doing to see if the Federal Way fair could be
modeled after one of those. She stated interest in having multiple food trucks available
in the parking lot which would support small businesses. A date was decided on for
May 11th, 2023 at the PAEC. Commissioner North stated that agencies that participate
would have a nominal fee to be a part of the event, income which would offset the
rental fees and the remainder (if any) to go towards additional printing of the
pamphlet. Commissioner North stated that she would speak with Rocky to see if he
would be available to attend the next Commission Meeting to discuss his planning
methods for the Auburn Fair.
D. STATUS OF SENIOR ADVISORY COMMISSION
Chair Debbie Harvey requested that a petty cash/cash reserve be set up for immediate
spur of the moment needs by seniors. Deputy Mayor Susan Honda said that she would
look into who a single point of contact for immediate senior assistance would be and
would get back to the Commission on it. Vice Chair Lana Bostic talked about having the
Senior Advisory Commission go to the City Council Meetings and speaking during Public
Comment. Deputy Mayor Honda mentioned that it was brought to the agenda -setting
team to have each of the commissions come and report to City Council what their
commissions are doing and a status update. She mentioned that Senior Advisory
Commission would be the first commission to start this out, and the Senior Advisory
Commission collectively decided that they would prefer an opportunity to speak at the
City Council Meeting on May 3rd, 2022 if it is available on that agenda.
6. STAFF REPORT
• Deputy Mayor Susan Honda reminded the Commission to collect their thoughts on
what they would like to present to the Council and bring to the next meeting to
discuss.
Amy Glandon mentioned the Comprehensive Plan Open House at the PAEC on March
24th, 2022 (open to the public), and the Diaper Drive-Thru on March 26th, 2022 at the
Twin Lakes Fred Meyer from 10:00am-2:00pm.
7. NEXT MEETING — Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 at 2:00pm in the Hylebos Room. A Zoom
Option will also be available.
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S. ADJOURN - The meeting adjourned at 4:02pm.
Attest:
Amy Glando cutive Assistant to Council
Approved by Senior Advisory Commission:
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