[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6201698,"mediaKeyId","3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad","parentId",3789491,"title","Council committee flags public-safety staffing needs, public defense cost pressure; directs staff to scope levy plan","audioSeconds",309,"startMs",1536000,"endMs",1845000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad&start=1536&end=1845","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad/thumbnail_1536000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6201698/Mount-Vernon-City/Skagit-County/Washington/Council-committee-flags-public-safety-staffing-needs-public-defense-cost-pressure-directs-staff-to-scope-levy-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201698-f54cd290c5c0e3144663d24ba44ba699/orig.mp4?Expires=1771033638&Signature=Koi~k~2QxixipkhTQ9ISqdOuRj-I~Fkh3~D5A0xwtuR6C6bg0MfUq91pUPvvIyZ4eQn3flFy9rlzw4~-Ue3Er5wfByOXyw3VIoosEH53i5OnICh~Y8PgG2xxtLfNQpPA0WHYl4ICibRV8rRrm1XrlblwYmFtZaGkYiyE8rirXgIrKEIAccQvR-Wna5QHVu-E~BDgMYTS-f4Cbb0oglBuyM4zpRZoeH0nePE1oLBarQ15RjzUgla2BCrX0dpBxMM7vcpUKNMcwHC-zqpqs-9Db7Ya1dW6ps3BMZUYVEKg3mB3kQEJcaNnqs691RJYx9cXzfoIumtMJ6YuzW3xXedFWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mount Vernon City, WA","date","2025-06-12T15:35:48Z","article","Council members reported committee discussions on public safety staffing, grants and revenue options during the June 11 meeting and directed staff to begin developing a six-year levy plan to fund parks and public safety if placed on a future ballot.

Council member Mary Hudson, reporting from the Public Works and Library committee and the Public Safety committee, said the Mount Vernon Fire Department received an approximately $15,000 grant under House Bill 1168 to purchase tools, a portable pump kit and a fire-danger sign for Fire Station 3. Chief Harris also discussed a SAFER grant application and two hiring options: a smaller option to add six positions (three firefighters and three firefighter-paramedics) and a larger option to add nine positions (six firefighters and three firefighter-paramedics). Hudson said the larger option better meets IAFF staffing guidelines and makes receiving the SAFER grant more likely.

Hudson also summarized police staffing discussions led by Chief Chrisman and Lieutenant Moore. She said the police plan proposed hiring three additional officers over three years and that staffing impacts would affect traffic patrol, special operations and other services.

Steve Sexton presented proposed public-defense caseload standards and their budgetary impact; Hudson said the city currently pays about $562,000 a year for public defense services but that proposed changes (as discussed earlier in the committee presentations and under Supreme Court consideration) could raise the city’s costs to an estimated $2,700,000 annually by 2028 under one scenario. She noted the Supreme Court adopted part of the proposal and that the timeline is longer but signaled significant fiscal pressure ahead.

Finance Director Doug Velasquez reviewed 2026 funding options and historical budget data. Hudson said the council agreed to allow staff to begin developing a six-year levy plan to potentially put a property tax levy lift on the fall ballot; the levy would fund parks and public safety and requires documentation to the county to be listed on the ballot. Council also discussed a potential business and occupation (B&O) tax and a recently authorized local sales tax option for criminal-justice support that the state authorized this session; Hudson said preliminary estimates place criminal-justice sales-tax revenue at about $1.2 million annually if the city qualifies and implements it under the statute.

Hudson reported council discussion of uses for $522,000 of general-fund savings created by the mayor’s reallocation of ARPA funds originally intended for the Stokely Tower repainting. Staff presented four options; staff recommended renovating the old library and converting the current Public Works building into rental property (option 3b). Hudson said the council directed staff to move forward with option 3b.

Council did not adopt specific revenue measures at the June 11 meeting; the direction was to begin developing the levy plan and continue evaluating revenue options and grant applications. Committee members said they will return to council with specific proposals and the required public-notice and ballot-timing materials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mount Vernon City Council Meeting - June 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council heard committee reports on public safety that described grant awards, proposed hiring scenarios for fire and police, potential public defense cost increases, and directed staff to develop a six-year levy plan to place on a fall ballot.","taxTitle","Mount Vernon City, Skagit County, Washington","taxId",5126,"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},6201703,"Mount Vernon council authorizes $143,625 in contract amendments for Library Commons project",164,4991000,5155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad&start=4991&end=5155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad/thumbnail_4991000.jpg","/articles/6201703/Mount-Vernon-City/Skagit-County/Washington/Mount-Vernon-council-authorizes-143625-in-contract-amendments-for-Library-Commons-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201703-df888d084c8f038fd672985b6cf0ef8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771033638&Signature=m02fqYILZ99mBmuUKmYlBjUrfTSmfP7qmdOZTLbLX44lR0P31dHkhfTsiRdNHX-Q7Ne9dCoT7QeVmzLkrxBvuN4zMGwddenlIsBykouh0AIm28a06L9hrJmxrDYYqWSjOZCcgTwPkPdB1tQeizeQqB6Fe8Cqv-oLHWS6Imo9VHVcrPV7NIAtn0xyuyYwKxqnm5BBotLGFTPwMkSCbb6V6~nVRopMeZI~ju5T0wsdWYlugYFBrQo~L6A2RUwXheDqXl29mWo5KTJVzmtmYaAdR5Spb8Fyfg0m7ZnX37P2Y2QYDLJRbaOe0FgpmKRZrLBReSHcCzS2Ny6-jeSNiyiZIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mount Vernon City Council on June 11 approved two contract amendments totaling $143,624.85 for the Mount Vernon Library Commons project to address ongoing punch-list, inspection and project-management needs.

The council authorized the mayor to execute an amendment with HKP Architects for $50,128.75 to provide additional coordination among contractors, subcontractors and city staff and to extend the agreement through December 2026. “City staff recommends city council authorize the mayor to execute a contract amendment with HKP Architects for additional services…in the amount of $50,128.75,” Public Works Director Chris Phillips told the council.

Council then approved an amendment with OAC Services for $93,496.10 to continue project-management services that coordinate between the contractor Leidig Construction, HKP and city staff as punch-list and warranty items are completed. Phillips said OAC Services has been under contract since March 1, 2022, and the amendment will extend services through the second quarter of 2026 and be capped at the amount stated.

Both motions passed by voice vote after committee-level discussion earlier in the evening. For the HKP amendment, a council member moved and a second was recorded; the council adopted the amendment by voice vote. For the OAC Services amendment, the council likewise moved, seconded and approved the agreement amendment by voice vote.

The amendments respond to unresolved punch-list and inspection items and to coordination needs as final completion activities continue. City staff described the changes as additional services not included in the original contract scopes that are aimed at reaching final resolution on outstanding items.

The council did not alter project scope or appropriate new capital funds at this meeting; both amendments were presented as contract changes inside the project’s existing management process.","Council approved contract amendments totaling $143,624.85 to extend services for the Mount Vernon Library Commons project: $50,128.75 to HKP Architects for additional coordination and $93,496.10 to OAC Services for project management, extending agreements through December 2026.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6201709,"WSDOT outlines $7 million repaint, traffic controls for SR 536 bridge; says active-transportation fixes not funded",4034,137000,4171000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad&start=137&end=4171","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789491-e521bb218ccb5b7ac3c4baf44f1214ad/thumbnail_137000.jpg","/articles/6201709/Mount-Vernon-City/Skagit-County/Washington/WSDOT-outlines-7-million-repaint-traffic-controls-for-SR-536-bridge-says-active-transportation-fixes-not-funded","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201709-edf9cd7b6f5cd3e90e4ae107233f5edf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771033638&Signature=LBztyTgm~EqTExiPx25UAD~I8zMeJOKJsHJUhN-0aMoyZtpgR9aeddbdIAxwr3IMhclj977cfjQjzdeTeRdNZZ1pWcbYPm310EfqFkWrVxEIDZ3mMGJoeWAqwOnEBHBVgDiRrZ-4W1yj~JoQHTspqxUBXYaHrwCtkZKMhBQb2Xt55kU36sOEr0vAqhv314UQGbPUe1pUeUnrl-oeya2GptUEwHh0k4wDYQ-JwNRwPfhpQEuqzG6gTMJ2rklizmsFSFPrKQ1wXHoU4T-TgWh4pP-vg6VDEG0aCzwb4ddzxlpfm27gZhkb5Akcx312CZdFU0QtQJkFrpaOEvk2XUyTiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mount Vernon City Council members and residents heard a Washington State Department of Transportation update on state highway preservation on June 11 that centered on a proposed $7,000,000 repainting project for the State Route 536 (Skagit River) bridge and the limits on adding pedestrian and bicycle improvements during the work.

WSDOT assistant regional administrator Chris DiMaggio told the council the bridge painter project is intended to protect the bridge’s structural integrity, remove old (including lead) paint under containment, and extend the life of a 1953 structure that carries about 18,000 vehicles a day. He said the work will likely take about 12 months and that the containment needed for safe debris removal limits traffic width during construction.

The update mattered to residents and business groups because containment and lane-width restrictions affect traffic flow in downtown Mount Vernon and could disrupt school and business access. “This $7,000,000 project is aimed at expanding the life of the vital bridge,” DiMaggio said. He added that removal of lead paint requires a secondary enclosed structure to collect debris, and that containment “limits the width and thus the traffic that we can put on the bridge.”

Several residents and stakeholders urged the city and WSDOT to pursue pedestrian safety improvements during repainting. Adair (full name not provided), who identified herself as a member of the Mount Vernon Planning Commission during public comment, outlined design options she thinks are feasible within the existing bridge footprint and urged the council to push WSDOT to adopt a “sensible baseline plan” now rather than wait for an independent pedestrian span. “We can’t afford to sit on this,” she said, describing frequent near-miss pedestrian behavior on the narrow sidewalk and offering to help with design work.

Ellen Gamsen, executive director of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association, told the council she was “unable to articulate any clearer” than Adair the case for using the repainting opportunity to improve pedestrian safety and warned the council the project will have “a significant impact on the downtown business district” during construction. She asked for frequent communication and mitigation planning for businesses.

DiMaggio said WSDOT and city staff studied multiple options for active-transportation improvements but found none “feasible” within the current project funding and structural, navigational and historic constraints. He told the council the legislature required WSDOT to consider active-transportation options but provided no additional money for structural analysis or construction of attachments. “We looked at so many options and so many different things that had potential. ... None were deemed feasible,” he said, noting concerns about the bridge’s ability to open as a navigable structure, inspection needs, weight distribution and historic-preservation review.

Because WSDOT’s traffic modeling showed severe downtown backups for a full-time two-way restriction during the work, DiMaggio said the agency now proposes primarily one-way traffic through the project with two one-hour periods (morning and evening school-period windows) allowing two-way flow for Washington Elementary school drop-off and pick-up on school days. He said the westbound-only/10-mile detour plan initially modeled would be worse for downtown traffic, and the revised plan attempts to balance operations with school needs.

Council members pressed WSDOT for short-term fixes on nearby State Route 538 (College Way), which DiMaggio said is programmed for preservation and scheduled for construction in 2029; he said maintenance crews will monitor and address acute pavement failures in the interim when resources allow. DiMaggio described statewide preservation funding needs — roughly $1.5 billion per year is estimated; the current legislative allocation is about $450 million per year — and emphasized competition statewide for limited preservation dollars.

DiMaggio also briefed the council on the FISH program and other regional projects, telling the council WSDOT has corrected about 176 fish-passage barriers (roughly 55% of identified barriers) and is prioritizing design work on additional projects until further funding is available.

Council members repeatedly urged WSDOT to pursue a scoped engineering study to test attachments or removable extensions that might enable a safer pedestrian route on the existing bridge. DiMaggio and Public Works Director Chris Phillips agreed to collaborate on a scope and to return with further information about what a feasibility study would require, although DiMaggio cautioned the agency currently lacks budget authority to design or construct active-transportation enhancements.

The council did not take a formal vote on the bridge or on funding; WSDOT’s immediate action will be to advertise the repainting contract (DiMaggio reported advertisement is planned for September) and continue coordination with city staff on traffic-control and communication plans.

For downtown businesses and residents, the next steps are coordination meetings between WSDOT and city staff on mitigation and communication and a more detailed scope for any independent feasibility analysis of pedestrian attachments that the council has requested.","Washington State Department of Transportation told Mount Vernon council and residents the planned $7 million painting of the State Route 536 swing bridge will take about a year, require containment for lead paint removal and lane-width restrictions that limit active-transportation upgrades unless additional funding is found.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council committee flags public-safety staffing needs, public defense cost pressure; directs staff to scope levy plan

Mount Vernon council authorizes $143,625 in contract amendments for Library Commons project

WSDOT outlines $7 million repaint, traffic controls for SR 536 bridge; says active-transportation fixes not funded