Council asked to approve $143,000 DOE formula grant for Public Safety Building energy upgrades

City staff asked the Parks and Environmental Sustainability Committee to place acceptance of Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) formula funds — approximately $143,000 — on the June 3 council business meeting consent agenda to pay for energy-efficiency upgrades at the Public Safety Building.

The request matters because, according to staff, Redmond’s application process for DOE formula funds differs from typical competitive grants: "when we submitted our project application, we are, effectively also, executing our grant agreement," staff member Jenny Liebeck said. That process meant the city is already bound to the federal grant relationship even though, Liebeck said, "no funds have been expended to date." The city is seeking council approval to align with the city’s financial policy.

Council members pressed staff on the timing and council oversight. "The decision's already made, and this is just a formality," Council member Fields said, adding that the council’s role is to provide oversight. Liebeck replied that council has the authority to deny the request and that, "if council would like us to terminate the agreement with the DOE, we absolutely can do that." Council member Stewart asked whether these funds were separate from Climate Commitment Act dollars the council had previously accepted for the same project; staff confirmed the DOE formula funds are an additional, separate pot of money supporting the same upgrades.

No formal vote occurred at the committee meeting; staff requested that the acceptance be added to the June 3 consent calendar for council action. Liebeck asked that the item be scheduled for the June 3 council business meeting as a consent item.

Background: staff said Redmond was allocated the DOE formula funds about two years earlier, and a consultant-supported project for energy-efficiency upgrades at the Public Safety Building is the intended use. According to staff, the DOE formula-funding mechanism differs from typical grant processes because the application effectively commits the jurisdiction to the grant agreement before local council approval is secured. Staff said that no grant funds have been spent yet and that council retains authority to refuse or terminate the agreement.

Next steps: The item was not voted on at the PES meeting; staff will place the acceptance on the June 3 consent agenda as requested, and the council will formally consider acceptance at that meeting.