Snohomish County Council approves 20 indigent defense contracts, OKs interlocal agreements and sets Mukilteo annexation hearing

Snohomish County Council members on Jan. 29 unanimously approved a slate of administrative and budget actions, including 20 separate contracts to provide legal defense in conflict cases, authorization for interlocal agreements tied to County–City Partnership projects, and a collective bargaining agreement covering human‑services supervisors.

The council approved 20 contracts to provide indigent defense services in cases where a conflict has been declared with the county’s primary contractor, the Public Defender Association. Nicole Corley, counsel for the record and council staff, said each contract is for $350,000 annually for calendar years 2025 and 2026 and that the “total not to exceed amount approved under these 20 contracts is $14,000,000.” The contracts were listed in motions 25‑027 through 25‑046 and were approved as a block without discussion; the vote was unanimous.

The council also approved motion 25‑058, authorizing the county executive to execute 19 interlocal agreements (ILAs) with project recipients identified in the adopted budget and capital improvement program for the County–City Partnership (the transcript referred to these as REIT 2 funds). Council staff said projects to be funded are…