Committee refers multiple appointments, grant transfers and interlocal agreements to GLS on Jan. 22

The Snohomish County Council’s Community Safety and Justice Committee on Jan. 14 voted to refer a slate of appointments, budget transfers and an interlocal agreement to the General Legislative Session (GLS) on Jan. 22 for consideration.

The committee forwarded confirmation of six appointments and reappointments to various county boards and commissions, including Wendy Messerini to the Snohomish County Human Rights Commission; Julie Smith’s reappointment to the Snohomish County Board of Health; Olivia Gould to the Snohomish County Children’s Commission; Trey Tinglestad to the performance audit committee as the council district 1 member; and the appointment of Chester Curtis and reappointment of Harold Howard to the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Fund executive board. The committee asked that items 1 through 6 be placed on the GLS consent agenda on Jan. 22.

The committee also asked that several budget and intergovernmental items be placed on the Jan. 22 consent calendar: a $448,000 budget transfer in fund 130 to reflect a new rapid DNA system grant award to the sheriff’s office (motion 25-001); a $360,000 intra-budget transfer within the 2024 district court budget moving funds from program 240 (probation) to program 330 (district court) to match actual expenditures (motion 25-020); authorization for the county executive to accept $451,616.13 in state indigent defense improvement funds for 2025 to support hiring additional public defense attorneys (motion 24-519); and approval of the annual interlocal agreement for the Snohomish County Regional Drug Task Force, with total contributions from jurisdictions of $214,552 to fund a commander and an analyst in the sheriff’s office (motion 24-529).

Council staff asked that the committee place six outside-attorney contracts that provide indigent defense conflict counsel on upcoming GLS agendas: four contracts (items 12, 15, 16 and 17) were requested for expedited handling and moved to GLS on Jan. 15; two others (items 13 and 14) were moved to GLS on Jan. 22. Staff described the six contracts as calendar-year agreements for 2025–2026 with a “not to exceed” total amount of $700,000 per contract (stated as $350,000 annually) and said they are substantially similar to prior-year agreements.

The committee chair and members did not debate or change the items on the floor; most items were presented by county staff and then referred to GLS for final action. The committee recorded no formal votes on the motions themselves at the Jan. 14 meeting; the actions were referrals to future GLS dates as listed above.

Looking ahead, the committee’s referrals set multiple items on the Jan. 15 and Jan. 22 GLS calendars, where final council action and any recorded votes will take place.