Kittitas County approves $1.1 million for design of south-side sanitary lift station

Kittitas County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a resolution authorizing use of distressed county sales-and-use-tax (0.09) funds to support design of a sanitary sewer lift station for the City of Kittitas.

The design funding — a $1,100,000 project, according to Public Works staff — is intended to expand sanitary sewer service to the city’s south industrial area near the Shell station and unlock developable parcels that currently rely on septic systems.

Josh Frederickson, Public Works, told commissioners the County of Governments previously reviewed and supported the work and that the contract to disburse reimbursements was signed by the city. "So today, again, this is a $1,100,000 project for the design of the sanitary sewer for, Kittitas for their south southern area of their town," Frederickson said. The funding would pay for design work and allow the city to seek reimbursement once work is underway.

Commissioners discussed progress; Frederickson said the city had already begun preliminary plans and consultant work but would not be eligible for reimbursement until the contract was signed. The board’s motion to adopt Resolution 2025-117 passed with aye votes recorded and the resolution signed into the record.

The county presentation said the grant-funded design is intended to expand sanitary sewer capacity so commercial development is not restricted by septic systems. The agenda packet and staff remarks focused on design-phase reimbursement; no construction authorization or construction funding was approved at the meeting.

The county will administer the reimbursement under the terms described in the interlocal agreement with the City of Kittitas and will return to the board if further approvals are required for construction-phase funding.