Darcy Ronning, the city’s utility planner, asked the council to approve a loan closeout and de-obligation amendment for City Project No. 2101 (Ninth Street Stormwater Retrofit Project) with the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Ronning said the contractor completed the work within budget and without change orders, leaving certain grant and loan funds unused. She said Ecology’s paperwork asked the city to de-obligate unused funding. Ronning cited a series of figures in the paperwork and meeting remarks: the amendment documents referenced a de-obligation amount ($100,068.42 in the presentation), a loan reduction of $53,379.12 for a specific canyon-drain component, and a larger grant reduction of approximately $541,689.30. Ronning summarized that roughly $595,000 in funds would be returned to Ecology’s stormwater financial assistance program for reallocation to other projects.

Council Member Euer moved and Council Member Hornby seconded the motion to approve the loan closeout and de-obligation amendment and authorize the City Administrator to sign. Council approved the motion.

Ronning said the returned funds will be available for future projects through Ecology’s program and explained that Ecology’s task-based accounting shows how funds are applied to construction management, administration, environmental compliance and other tasks.