Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homeless Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Snohomish County gives monthly update on New Start Centers; construction and permitting remain on timeline
Summary
County staff reported progress on renovations and operator contracting for two New Start Center buildings in Everett and Edmonds, outlined remaining permitting risks and budgets, and said site operators will take over after certificates of occupancy.
Caramine Hester, director of the Snohomish County Office of Recovery and Resilience, updated the Snohomish County Council on April 2 on progress renovating two New Start Center buildings in Everett and Edmonds and on plans for operating and maintaining the sites.
Hester said the county treats the initiative as three separate funded pieces: capital construction (renovation and purchase), a site-operator program that will run day-to-day services, and facilities maintenance. "These buildings are funded with Snohomish County's part of ARPA, the Home ARP funding, and some general fund," Hester said, and noted the county will continue monthly briefings focused on the New Start Centers.
Hester and Lance Meinhold, Facilities and Fleet Project Manager, said the Everett project has $20.8 million appropriated and Edmonds $17.7 million; of that, Everett shows $19.3 million under contract/estimated/spent with an $830,000 construction contingency, and Edmonds shows $15.7 million under contract/estimated/spent with a $670,000 contingency. Hester said the Everett contingency is set at 20 percent because renovation projects have more unknowns than new construction. She also said nearly all acquisition costs have been charged to ARPA through Q4 2024.
Meinhold described permitting as the main timing risk. "The permitting side of things, we have absolutely no control over as does any developer," he said, adding that jurisdictions can issue repeated review comments and that timing therefore varies. County staff estimated subsequent reviews at two to eight weeks; Meinhold noted recent reviews ran four weeks in Everett and eight weeks in Edmonds.
On construction timing, staff said contractors' contracts specify 180 days for Everett and 150 days for Edmonds from the notice to proceed; change orders tied to remedial work may add days. Hester said general contractors and subcontractors currently have access for review work, which has produced several change orders tied to moisture remediation and electrical work. She told council that any change orders over $150,000 will be brought to the council for approval.
On operations, Hester said the Salvation Army was approved previously as the site operator for Everett and the YWCA was recently approved for Edmonds. The county and operators are meeting biweekly to complete a statement of work, a licensing agreement (which may be combined with the statement of work), and a management plan; human services and facilities are coordinating with the prosecuting attorney’s office and the City of Everett on reviews.
Hester and Meinhold said the county is aiming to finish construction before cold weather to move people indoors. Council Member Lowe asked if an opening by year-end was realistic; staff replied that the schedule depends on permitting but said opening by the end of the year remains the target if permitting and construction move as expected.
Council members asked for continued updates on change orders and for clearer labeling of which change orders have been approved by council versus those handled administratively. Hester said staff have been sending weekly status emails to council staff and will continue to notify council when larger change orders arrive.
The presentation concluded with staff agreeing to return with future monthly updates on budget, permitting and contract milestones.
