Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure And Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clallam County approves Opportunity Fund and Ecology agreement to finish sewer and infrastructure projects
Summary
The Clallam County Board of County Commissioners approved a series of contract amendments and Opportunity Fund agreements May 20 that the county said will support sewer project closeouts, job-creating port development and water and housing infrastructure in Sequim and Port Angeles.
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — The Clallam County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved several contract amendments and Opportunity Fund agreements Tuesday intended to wrap up a Department of Ecology sewer project and fund infrastructure and housing projects across the county.
The approvals include an amendment to the Department of Ecology agreement for the Calumet Bay sewer system project and Opportunity Fund agreements with the Port of Port Angeles for the Marine Trades Center Phase 2, with the Peninsula Housing Authority for the Eklund at Gales affordable housing project, with the City of Sequim for the Reservoir Road water main and booster station expansion, and with Clallam County Public Works for the Calumet Bay sewer Snob Hill pump station replacement project.
County officials said the department-of-ecology amendment reconciles final category transfers and produces a final funding package that will move forward for debt service for the sewer project. The county described the Opportunity Fund as a state sales-tax credit program that returns a small portion of state sales tax (the state’s 6.5% sales tax portion and a county credit of about 0.09%) to counties for infrastructure that supports job creation or retention and, more recently, housing that supports workforce needs.
Todd (county staff member) explained that the Opportunity Fund awards approved Tuesday aim to address barriers to development — for example, making sure “we have the pipes in the ground” so housing or business development can occur. He said the Port of Port Angeles project is primarily a job-creation investment and characterized the Marine Trades Center Phase 2 as a “great example of job creation projects.”
Commissioner French added background on the program’s legislative intent, saying the fund was created so medium and small counties could retain and attract businesses and invest in infrastructure that supports economic development and workforce housing. French emphasized legal constraints in Washington state against gifting public funds and noted public-works rules and bidding and prevailing-wage requirements influence how the county structures agreements.
All motions to approve the Department of Ecology amendment and the Opportunity Fund agreements carried with unanimous “aye” votes.
County staff said recipients of Opportunity Fund awards are subject to the same public-works requirements that apply to other public projects, including prevailing wage and competitive bidding where applicable. The board did not adopt additional conditions during Tuesday’s vote; staff offered to meet with members of the public after the meeting to explain the Opportunity Fund process and how projects were vetted.
The board moved on to other agenda items after approving the package of agreements.
