Council debates, advances amendments to 'welcoming city' resolution after equity-board outreach

A Fort Townsend council meeting advanced amendments to Resolution 26003, an update to the city’s 2019 ‘welcoming city’ policy that councilors and equity-board members said reflects feedback from listening sessions with immigrant community members.

Rachel Maddie, identified in the meeting as the executive for the Equity Access and Rights Board, introduced the item and said much of the new language came from community listening sessions conducted in Spanish and through immigrant-led groups. “This is lived experience feedback that we support,” Maddie said.

Juliet Cochran, an equity-board member, told the council the board used existing community groups and a work group to collect input because organizers did not feel it would be safe to hold an open public forum. “We did it through existing groups that are made up of immigrants,” Cochran said.

Council members’ questions focused on what the resolution would obligate staff to do. One council member asked whether the line that would have the city “work with local housing providers to promote inclusive eligibility practices” requires staff to provide transportation, translation or other services. City staff said the phrase means staff would coordinate with providers but that any expanded services would be phased and budgeted; the city currently allocates about $1,000 per year for translation services and staff said a separate language-access policy would outline any broader rollout.

The council also discussed a provision that calls for reviewing zoning, permitting and development policies to remove barriers to locally owned, affordable and culturally inclusive retail and grocery access. Staff clarified that the resolution is not a substitute for a comprehensive-plan amendment and that the equity board would help identify where review is appropriate.

During public comment Judith Alexander urged support for the stronger language, saying Port Townsend’s immigrant residents contribute significantly to the community and that the resolution should promise more than symbolic welcome language. “We need welcoming policies, helping with different support services,” Alexander said.

A council member who raised the motion said he supported the resolution despite potential “unwanted attention” because he wanted to send a message of support to immigrant residents. The motion to advance the amended resolution was made and seconded; the record shows the motion was on the floor and subject to amendment and further discussion during the meeting packet. The transcript does not record a final roll-call vote adopting the ordinance during the segment provided.

What happens next: councilors and staff indicated they would work with the equity board on editing language and developing any related staff procedures, such as a phased language-access policy and a work plan item to review zoning barriers, before returning to council for additional action.