Pat, Advisory Board member, told the Conservation Futures Advisory Board that the fund balance at the start of 2025 stood at $1,395,000 and the county expected about $365,000 in 2025 tax collections, bringing a combined total of about $1,760,000 available for allocations.
The board discussed recommendations to reserve up to $1,500,000 to support two farms and three properties, with priority funding assigned first to Cameron Estates, then to Heifer Farm (north then south). Pat summarized past results, saying, “we allocate up to 700,000 for these 3 farms, but only about a quarter million was spent,” and noted that earlier commitments produced roughly a 4-to-1 leverage ratio from other funders.
Staff member Enrique said the board’s recommendation had already been accepted earlier by the Board of County Commissioners as a commitment of funds projected for 2025. Enrique and other members described multiple potential match sources: the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Floodplains by Design program.
Enrique told the board the Heifer Farm application was the top-ranked project in Washington state in the NRCS review. He also said the county had applied to WWRP as two separate applications (one for Cameron and one for Heifer in its entirety) and that some federal grant applications required additional separate submissions.
Board members and staff emphasized that not all reserved money is expected to be spent. Pat said staffers’ estimates and positive grant rankings make it likely the full $1.5 million reservation will not be needed; “My crystal ball is suggesting that the most we’re probably going to need is maybe about half of that,” Enrique said, estimating the projects may use up to about $750,000 but adding that final needs will depend on pending grant awards and landowner negotiations.
Board members noted additional transactional costs (appraisals and reviews) that are often covered by partner grants; Enrique said a review appraisal can cost roughly $15,000 per property and that Floodplains by Design can help pay appraisal and transactional costs and some easement value on the Cameron property.
No formal new funding motion was recorded in this meeting beyond scheduling and procedural items; board members were updated on balances, outside grant prospects, and the priority ranking of projects. Staff said they will update the board as landowner negotiations and federal notifications progress.