[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6643786,"mediaKeyId","2531815-f56f29acc5a1642276a0666baeb56d8b","parentId",2531815,"title","Skagit County approves farmland conservation easements, rental-assistance agreement and lease extension; consent agenda passes","audioSeconds",328,"startMs",1907000,"endMs",2235000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531815-f56f29acc5a1642276a0666baeb56d8b&start=1907&end=2235","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531815-f56f29acc5a1642276a0666baeb56d8b/thumbnail_1907000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6643786/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-County-approves-farmland-conservation-easements-rental-assistance-agreement-and-lease-extension-consent-agenda-passes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643786-7c0d11669c3deae90184c7493280e572/orig.mp4?Expires=1776142035&Signature=CPg1~Ke8AkGJx5m3MPqikwJ4uis2dYpU0l3SLNCgp2qDBJTgIswam7hFIlKcYGbOEuUiTbKPc86K4lyfMaG4A25n79SPs4FsFn8ZZLd563XB9iD0l1bLY~GVFXHtKKy9jDHIn85m5Jlvti4fyWkLCB0Ns-~q9UVG3fYGfvAhQq3VEodeAeDFCyQOfLLheO7Hirz9GM-yP6KM8nM-ZlntS5MGgO0G4cO~oip4Hu67Omjvs6Or0Hyeu3Wgc6OBdb94R7JPPLwgeDxIcdHAAPvx30fEzzep-qg7q80HiTvlXZ8TK4Hxzut83D6NuQ6vtSHSrTq02m~jW3TGnJHproJKgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Skagit County","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","Skagit County commissioners approved several consent and miscellaneous items on March 10, including two farmland legacy conservation easements, a tenant-based rental assistance contract administration agreement and a lease amendment for property in the Cascades Railroad Corridor.

The board approved two Farm and Legacy Program grant deeds of conservation easement. Sarah Stoner, agricultural lands coordinator with Skagit County Public Works, described the first easement as protecting 40 acres owned by Jerry and Jenny Nelson in Bow; the county will remove one development right and compensate the landowners $95,000. Stoner said the Nelson property is prime farmland as classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and that the Nelson operation has previously protected approximately 1,500 acres through the county program.

The second easement, for William and Marion Ruzin, would protect 39 acres on Best Road south of Highway 20, remove one residential development right and provide $95,000 in compensation. Stoner said the Ruzin property was also mapped as prime farmland by the NRCS and that both proposed easements conserve open farmland and soil resources identified in the easement documents.

Commissioner Browning praised the longtime farming families and thanked staff for advancing the easements. The motion to approve both farmland easements carried 3-0.

The board also ratified a personal services agreement with Community Action of Skagit County to administer a tenant-based rental assistance program for individuals with behavioral health disorders. The agreement provides compensation not to exceed $30,000, is ratified to Jan. 1, 2025, and runs through Dec. 30, 2025, as stated in the agenda materials. Commissioner Wiesen stated he serves on the Community Action board and recused himself from consideration of miscellaneous items 1, 2 and 3 (the rental assistance agreement and two related HOME program items); the motion to approve those items passed 2-0 with the recusal noted.

Commissioners also approved Amendment No. 2 to lease agreement 003989 with Birdsview LLC, successor to Genicke Family Trust, to lease land within the Cascades Railroad Corridor. The amendment extends the lease term from April 30, 2025, to April 30, 2027. The original lease commenced April 1, 1998; the agenda materials state lease payments shall not exceed $6,000 per year and all other prior terms remain in effect. The motion to approve the lease amendment carried with two affirmative votes and one recusal.

On the broader consent agenda, the board approved items 1 through 35 and 37 through 48 as presented, with items 36 (the Marches Point/Whitmarsh Landfill remediation bid award) and 47 (a personal services agreement with Costco Health Solutions) pulled for separate consideration. The consent motion passed unanimously on the recorded voice vote.

Why this matters: The farmland easements preserve prime agricultural soils and remove development rights on private land in Skagit County. The rental assistance agreement directs a modest, county-ratified allocation to local nonprofit administration of tenant-based support for people with behavioral health needs. The lease amendment continues an existing corridor lease arrangement.

Next steps: Staff will finalize recorded easement documents and implement the lease amendment per contract terms; the county will proceed with Community Action to administer the tenant-based rental assistance program during the 2025 period.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Skagit County - Record of the Proceedings - Monday Session - Mar 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 10 meeting the Skagit County Board of Commissioners approved two farmland legacy conservation easements, a tenant-based rental assistance administration agreement, and a lease amendment for land in the Cascades Railroad Corridor; Commissioner Wiesen recused from federal-program items because of a board affiliation.","taxTitle","Skagit County, Washington","taxId",5125,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6643791,"Skagit County pauses award of Marches Point landfill remediation contract after bidders raise responsiveness concerns",917,641000,1558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531815-f56f29acc5a1642276a0666baeb56d8b&start=641&end=1558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531815-f56f29acc5a1642276a0666baeb56d8b/thumbnail_641000.jpg","/articles/6643791/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-County-pauses-award-of-Marches-Point-landfill-remediation-contract-after-bidders-raise-responsiveness-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643791-b34c5033907a577fab7938360d4266cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1776142035&Signature=ckZuistT9sW6w-gltT6u5xYsUSaLPE~fj6JzJsLvActBxRgb1ClqX-N3vKsYMd-7dwvIKKYo5vt8w7X5MNsgVtpQS~dl93cUwAEfRyCHELQbWq7B8hq~zbMtwEH2HKYIYXQaz1X74a6uFOsic-3ygEAqIPyK3FI0lGZzn5dI~jYKXzcse9Pu2U4V2iG8bjfwCnZm3hOiuxUPuiM~d5tfPHfn7QY6MwEsL3pZSPSlp1mk-U9jDuqiPyB-8SZukjrLk6dlYmdBZd-ACy2ZG7Od-U4FrxUTmpZ3Cz4Kd2Bk84lfClCDnHb5WsQSXV5EJ8mjZUFsREDLCCAO2cdPM4LKWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Skagit County commissioners pulled the agenda item awarding the Marches Point/Whitmarsh Landfill remediation contract after contractors questioned the county's determination that several bids were nonresponsive.

Commissioner Lisa Janicki opened the discussion by noting the county had received written comments from bidders; Cameron Bell, who identified himself as representing one of the bidders, told the board his company believed it had been the “low responsive and responsible bidder” and that supplemental qualification materials were submitted within the contract timeline. Bell said his firm and colleagues — Jason Strule (estimator), Brett Barillo (company owner) and Chris Tully (general superintendent) — were present to explain why they believed the county's nonresponsive finding was incorrect.

Steve Falkquist, Deputy Prosecutor for Skagit County, told the board the county was awarding the bid but had not yet executed a construction contract and explained the county's view of the bid protest timeline: “It’s premature for them to even be submitting protests at this time because it’s really not until we execute the contract that we need to provide notice,” Falkquist said. He described the award step as distinct from contract execution and said the county would provide the required two days’ notice to other bidders before placing the construction contract on a future agenda.

County procurement staff (referred to in the meeting as Margo) told commissioners that supplemental materials were received but that they arrived after the bid opening, which staff said rendered the bids nonresponsive under the bid specifications. The contract language read aloud during the meeting requires the apparent low bidder to submit by 12 p.m. on the second business day following the bid submission deadline a written statement and supporting documentation demonstrating compliance with any supplemental criteria.

Several bidders raised concerns about how the county evaluated apparent low bids. Cameron Bell said the bidder ultimately identified as the low responsive bid — Strider Construction — submitted a bid “just over $10,000,000,” which he said was “about $2,000,000 higher than what we bid the project for,” and expressed concern that the county might not be protecting the county’s financial interests by awarding to a higher-priced contractor if the lower bidder were wrongly deemed nonresponsive.

Commissioners said the dispute raised new information and unanswered questions. Commissioner Wiesen suggested pulling the item so staff and legal could review the submission timing and documentation. By consensus the board removed item 36 from the consent agenda and held it for further review; the item will return to a future agenda only after staff completes the procurement review and any required notifications.

The board also noted that the county would follow the procurement and contract-notice requirements before placing any construction contract on a future agenda. The consent agenda item for the Costco Health Solutions personal services agreement (item 47) had already been pulled earlier in the meeting and remained off the consent list.

Why this matters: The award covers remediation work at a county landfill site and involves multi‑million-dollar bids and a construction schedule county staff said they prefer to keep. Competing accounts about whether supplemental qualification material was submitted on time have delayed the award; commissioners moved to pause final action while procurement and legal staff clarify the record.

Next steps: County procurement and the prosecuting attorney's office will review the submission timing and documentation; commissioners did not set a specific deadline during the meeting but said staff would return with clarification before any contract is executed.","Skagit County commissioners removed the Marches Point/Whitmarsh Landfill remediation bid award from the consent agenda after competing bidders and county staff raised conflicting accounts about whether supplemental qualification materials were submitted on time; the item was tabled for further review.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Skagit County approves farmland conservation easements, rental-assistance agreement and lease extension; consent agenda passes

Skagit County pauses award of Marches Point landfill remediation contract after bidders raise responsiveness concerns