President Mark Lowry convened the meeting at 6:05 pm.
Flag salute performed.
No credentials this evening.
Financial statements—Michele Stelovich, Sec-Treasurer gave the reports for October and November. Motion made to move & second and statements were approved by the body.
Correspondence will be folded in to new business.
Standing reports
Skagit Work Group—2pro- labor people are ahead in Mt. Vernon (Richard Brocksmith & Iris Carrias), but there are still 1500 votes to count. Port candidates that we supported won (John Petrich, Ken Godwin, Katherine Pittis). Karl deJong won his election to City Council in Sedro Woolley and thanked everyone who helped him, especially the Laborers, IAFF, and IUPAT.
Blue Green Waterfront Coalition update—Michele reported on the Port candidate forum on October 11 with very good attendance (65+ people), as well as a green infrastructure event last night with two speakers talking about 1) using food to generate energy or 2) using supercritical CO2 to generate energy with the goal of creating jobs on the waterfront. There were a number of elected officials from City & County Councils & the Port and a robust discussion among attendees. BGWC hopes to have another event like this.
Port of Bellingham meeting update—Port is talking about opening up the master plan to include a hotel and an assisted living facility from Texas and student housing. Plan that is being proposed is completely different than the one already approved. Michael Shepard would like to have a discussion with us about what is going on at the Port. He thought we should make sure we are at the City’s hearing on changes to the master plan. We might be able to have Shepard and Briscoe at next month’s meeting.
New Business
Per capita fees—Mark sent a letter to affiliates a few months ago asking for an increase in per capita fees because NWWCLC did not receive its solidarity grant from the AFL-CIO. This year we received $15,000 from the solidarity grant. Mark suggested raising per capita fees from $0.40 to $0.50 starting in 2018. It was moved by Karl DeJong and seconded by Robert Glorioso to raise per caps to $0.60. The motion passed unanimously.
LD 45 campaign—Manka Dhingra won her race and there is hope that the capital budget will now be passed.
WCC lost $160,000 in permit fees because the capital budgets was not approved so they will have to reapply for the permits.
Election recap—Candidates endorsed by labor did well.
Holiday outreach to affiliates for donations to food banks—Karl moved and it was seconded that we send a letter to all affiliates asking for a donation of $100-200 or what they can afford to send to NWWCLC and the checks will be given to food banks in Skagit, Whatcom & San Juan Counties. Motion was approved by the body. ATU will work with WTA to hold a warm clothes drive. December meeting will start at 6:30 pm to accommodate the Scrooge party of Jobs with Justice.
WSLC legislative reception—Occurs in Olympia in early February, 2018, lobby training the day after & Labor’s statewide agenda is rolled out. NWWCLC can have representation (we can have 2). Michele moved to send two people to the legislative council and lobbying conference. Steve Garey and Karl DeJong were elected as delegates.
Old business
Naturipe boycott resolution was passed at the October meeting. WSLC will receive this resolution in January.
KSVR donation—letter send to affiliates asking them for a donation. NWWCLC made a commitment but has not paid yet. Michele will write a check.
Good of the order—
1.IAFF has new reader-board sign in color near the freeway. If there are pro-labor messages, please send them to IAFF.
2.In 2021 is the 125th anniversary of this labor council.
3.Terms of officers and one trustee end at the end of the year and nominations occur in December with election in January for disputed positions.
4.Karl deJong thanked delegates again for their support in his election.
Reports of locals
Mark Lowry—AJ Walcott was nominated to be the next president of ATU; he could not attend the meeting because his mom is in the hospital.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.