Planning committee forwards park interlocal, airport grants and several contracts to GLS

The Snohomish County Planning and Community Development Committee on Feb. 18 forwarded a slate of administrative items to the county’s General Legislative Session (GLS), scheduling a public hearing for an interlocal agreement that transfers certain park operations to the city of Lake Stevens and advancing contracts and grant actions affecting Paine Field and county services.

Ryan Henry, Snohomish County council staff, told the committee that the City of Lake Stevens and the county executed an interlocal agreement in February 2020 for the city to accept ownership, management and fiscal responsibility for Wyatt Park. "The city is requested to discontinue accepting the county parking and boat launch permit due to increased cost for operating this," Henry said, and "the city would take over this function starting 01/01/2026." He asked the committee to move ordinance 25-011 to GLS on Feb. 26 to set a time and date for a public hearing; the committee agreed to do so.

The committee also moved an amendment to the Puget Sound Energy Low Income Weatherization Grant (motion 25569) to GLS. Henry said amendment 12 adds $115,000 in carry funds, bringing the combined grant funding for the program to $5,569,197.67. The program pays for weatherization services for eligible low-income households in gas-heated dwellings to improve energy efficiency and health and safety.

Several contract amendments affecting airport operations were advanced on the consent track. The committee forwarded a proposed amendment to the county’s agreement with Kaplan, Kirsch & Rockwell — a law firm that advises on federal aviation and airport law — that would add $75,000 in compensation for a total not-to-exceed amount of $150,000 and formally extends the agreement to Dec. 31, 2027, per a Dec. 19, 2024, email between the airport and the firm.

An amendment to the Washington Alarm monitoring contract used at Paine Field was also moved to GLS. Henry said the contract, first approved in 2022, needs an additional $100,000 through the remainder of the extended contract (to Jan. 31, 2027), bringing the not-to-exceed total to $160,000 to continue monitoring and maintenance services for airport alarms and related equipment.

The committee accepted a donation proposal from Everett Community College to transfer a retired Boeing 727 aircraft to Paine Field for firefighter training (motion 25081). Henry said the college will donate the aircraft under a deed-of-gift/assignment agreement and will provide training on operation and procedures. He estimated relocation of the aircraft to the airport training site would cost "approximately $5,000," to be paid from airport enterprise funds. A committee member asked whether there would be a disposal fee for the existing training prop; staff said the old prop will be recycled and that they were not aware of a disposal fee.

On airport capital work, the committee moved a resolution to accept an FAA Airport Improvement Program grant for Paine Field (motion 25101). Henry said the project — reconstructing the eastern half of Taxiway Echo with concrete and rehabilitating Taxiway Lima via mill and overlay — is 95% funded by an $8,500,000 grant; the airport fund would provide a 5% local match, not to exceed an anticipated $447,369. Henry noted that, if approved, the county executive must sign the grant and complete attorney certification no later than Feb. 24 for the grant to remain valid.

Finally, Planning and Development Services requested a 2025 on-call consultant services contract with Hale McGillan & Associates for engineering and development standards work, with a budget not to exceed $270,864; the committee moved the item to GLS on the consent agenda.

All items were moved to GLS for consideration on the dates announced by staff (most for Feb. 26; the FAA grant was moved for consideration on Feb. 19) and were placed on the consent calendar. The committee adjourned at the conclusion of the meeting.