The Budget and Fiscal Management Committee on July 23 gave a unanimous due-pass recommendation to proposed ordinance 2025-0124, authorizing a new lease in Enumclaw for King County’s Medic 1 program. Olivia Bridal, council central staff, briefed the committee and said "the lease agreement is backdated to be in in January 2024 with a lease payment of $1,500 per month."

Why it matters: The facility houses two medic units, two bedrooms, an office, garage space and storage that support primary and backup emergency medical response in southeast King County. Executive staff and Medic 1 officials told the committee the site is the best location identified for current operational needs and that lease costs will be paid from the Medic 1 EMS levy; no separate appropriation was transmitted with the ordinance because lease costs are revenue-backed.

Staff overview and financials: The prior lease had been in holdover status since its scheduled 2013 expiration; the packet (page 43) shows the 2023 monthly lease payment was approximately $580. The new lease would set monthly rent at $1,500, with annual adjustments tied to the consumer price index capped at 3%. A lump-sum reconciliation for 2024 (to reconcile the difference between the prior rental rate and the new rate) is estimated at about $11,000; the 2025 reconciliation amount will depend on the effective commencement date. Table 2 in the staff report estimates 2025 operating costs for the site at about $8,000 for the year. Olivia Bridal told the committee that "all costs associated with this agreement are fully revenue backed by the Medic 1 EMS levy."

Operational rationale: Chief Colson (Medic 1) told the committee, "This is the only place we can be. This is, in all of the analysis that we've done on locations, this is the best location for the Southeast King County, in the primary response as well as in the backup capacity." Committee members asked about the relationship with Mountain View Fire & Rescue, which historically subsidized the space. Chief Colson said the county typically pays below-market rents and that the current arrangement remains a shared facility with Medic 1 the primary occupant.

Legal/technical edits and vote: Council legal counsel recommended a technical amendment to replace the attached lease with a clarified version developed in collaboration with Facilities Management Division, Mountain View Fire & Rescue and counsel. Vice Chair Barone moved Amendment 1 (technical lease edits); the committee approved the amendment and then approved the ordinance as amended by roll call vote, 7 ayes, 0 noes. The roll call recorded votes by Council Member Balducci (Aye); Council Member Barone (Aye); Council Member Mosqueda (Aye); Council Member Perry (Aye); Council Member Quinn (Aye); Council Member Zahilay (Aye); and Chair Dombowski (Aye).

Discussion vs. action: The committee's discussion centered on location suitability, cost reconciliation for holdover rent, and assurance that lease costs are covered by the Medic 1 EMS levy. The formal action was adoption of a due-pass recommendation to advance the ordinance to the full council consent agenda.