Snohomish County Council approves grants, contracts and sets public hearings for multiple ordinances

The Snohomish County Council on March 26 unanimously approved a series of routine and programmatic actions, authorized several contracts and set public hearings on multiple ordinances covering invasive-plant control, flood-district dissolution, salmon conservation planning and emergency medical services arrangements.

The actions included a resolution recognizing April 2025 as National Arab American Heritage Month; approval of a consulting contract with Gartner Incorporated related to an enterprise software procurement; expansion of a homeowner weatherization grant program tied to a Washington State Department of Commerce award; authorization of a $250,000 professional-services contract to study a transfer-of-development-rights (TDR) bank; and budgeted local contributions for park and paving work. Council also set hearings for four proposed ordinances with dates in April 2025.

Council members took the actions largely without extended debate. Bridal Henry, council staff, summarized the Gartner engagement and said the county’s original engagement produced $880,532 in documented savings; "According to the terms of this agreement, the consulting fee, which is 25% of the savings, is $220,133," Henry told the council. Deb Evison Bell, staff for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), briefed the council on multiple items including a newly awarded State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) weatherization grant of $1,156,796 that DCNR’s Office of Energy and Sustainability would administer if the council revises the department’s 2025 grant work plan.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 25-007 (recognizing April 2025 as National…