Parks, Land Bank and Environmental Stewardship outline shared priorities; officials flag funding and stewardship pressures

Directors from three county departments — Parks & Fair Director Brandon Andrews, Environmental Stewardship Director Kendra Smith, and Conservation Land Bank Director Lincoln Borman — briefed the County Council May 12 on services, funding and where their work overlaps around public access, habitat restoration and land acquisition.

Brandon Andrews said Parks & Fair maintains four campgrounds and 16 day‑use parks and that county campgrounds account for roughly "10,000 nights of camping" annually. Andrews also described the county fair as a year‑round center of activity: the fair draws about 16,000 visitors over four days and the fairgrounds hosted roughly 303 events last year.

Kendra Smith said the Department of Environmental Stewardship, formed in 2021, combines marine and water resources, climate and sustainability, and cultural resources work. "We were formed in 2021," Smith said, describing the department as the county’s "scientists in the marine and water resources realm." She summarized enterprise and grant funds administered by the department: roughly $2.5 million in the solid‑waste enterprise and about $4.0 million in the clean‑water utility fund (amounts vary by capital delivery). Smith said the department disburses roughly $1.5 million in grant funds annually to partners, including an average of $1.2 million for salmon recovery and $230,000 for voluntary agricultural stewardship.

Lincoln Borman described the Conservation Land Bank’s work on acquisitions, easements and stewardship. "The land bank owns about 4 and a half percent" of county land, Borman said, and the program manages 39 preserves and 49 conservation easements across seven islands. Borman said the county’s real‑estate excise tax (REET) is the land bank’s primary funding source and that stewardship spending has increased as the land bank’s holdings have grown.

Speakers highlighted frequent coordination: parks and the land bank maintain trails and oversee public access on preserved lands; environmental stewardship and parks coordinate composting and visitor‑education at the fair; the noxious‑weed program provides on‑the‑ground weed control assistance across departments; and all three departments work with tribal liaisons, nonprofits and state agencies on projects.

Council members asked about next‑year implementation of a cultural access program referenced by parks staff, and several members raised concern about funding pressure for partners such as the conservation district. Park and stewardship leaders said partnerships and volunteer programs are essential to deliver stewardship work with limited staff.

Next steps: departments will continue collaboration on composting and solid‑waste projects, refine timelines for the cultural access program, and report back on funding and stewardship priorities during the budget cycle.