Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing the King County historic preservation and heritage financial advisory task force.
Body
PREAMBLE:
In 2005, the Washington state Legislature enacted legislation to establish a permanent surcharge on the recording of county documents. RCW 36.22.170 requires that the revenue generated by the surcharge be spent on historic preservation at the discretion of the county commissioners. The legislation presents a rare and crucial opportunity to reexamine the funding and governance structure for historic preservation and heritage programs in King County. To ensure that this important funding source is appropriately and thoughtfully distributed amongst historic preservation and heritage programs administered or funded by King County, as well as to reexamine other funding and governance issues related to historic preservation and heritage programs, the council finds that the establishment of an historic preservation and heritage financial advisory committee is necessary. It is the council intent that the committee shall also make ongoing annual recommendations to the council and executive on the allocation of available revenue from the recorder's fee surcharge.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. The King County historic preservation and heritage financial advisory committee is hereby established.
SECTION 2. The purpose of the committee is to study the funding structure for historic preservation and heritage programs in King County, including the historic preservation program, landmarks commission, the cultural development authority of King County, and local heritage organizations receiving county funding, identify national and international best and promising practices in historic preservation governance, staffing and financing models and make recommendations to the executive and the council for sustainable long-term governance, staffing and financing for historic preservation and heritage programs in King County. The scope of the committee responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, development of a proposal for the ongoing allocation of the recording fee surcharge for historic preservation under the authority of RCW 36.22.170, possible creation of a foundation for historic preservation and heritage fundraising purposes, and possible establishment of a real estate development entity to save endangered buildings, as well as annual recommendations on the allocation of funding generated by the recorder's fee surcharge.
SECTION 3. A. The committee shall consist of eight voting members. Four members shall be appointed by the executive and four shall be appointed by the council. The council shall confirm all appointees.
B. Members shall have demonstrated interest and expertise in historic preservation and heritage.
C. Members shall have some combination of the following qualifications:
1. Interest and expertise in historic preservation and heritage programs;
2. A working knowledge of government operations and financing;
3. A demonstrated history of working collaboratively to find solutions to complex problems; and
4. A willingness to commit the time necessary to attend meetings of the committee and council and to actively support committee progress.
SECTION 4. The committee shall prepare plans to submit to the executive and council on the items listed in this subsection, and in the time frames outlined as follows:
A. A recommendation on the allocation of the recording fee surcharge for historic preservation under the authority of RCW 36.22.170 shall be submitted to the council and executive by July 1 annually. Eleven copies of the recommendation shall be filed with the clerk of the council, for distribution to all councilmembers;
B. A recommendation on the creation of a foundation for historic preservation and heritage fundraising purposes shall be submitted within eighteen months of the appointment of committee membership. Eleven copies of the recommendation shall be filed with the clerk of the council, for distribution to all councilmembers; and
C. A recommendation on the creation of a real estate development entity to save endangered buildings shall be submitted within eighteen months of the appointment of committee membership. Eleven copies of the recommendation shall be filed with the clerk of the council, for distribution to all councilmembers.
SECTION 5. The county shall reimburse committee members for mileage at the standard county reimbursement rate for travel within the county to and from scheduled committee meetings. The county shall provide parking space free of charge in the county garage to committee members while members attending meetings at which committee business is conducted.
SECTION 6. The executive shall submit the executive's initial appointments to the council within ninety days of the effective date of this ordinance.
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