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Pullman council weighs hiring a lobbyist; members cite potential grant wins and partnerships
Summary
Councilmembers discussed the costs and benefits of retaining state and federal lobbying services, possible partnerships with the Port and County, and whether the city can afford the investment now or should pursue shared arrangements.
Councilmembers discussed whether Pullman should hire a professional lobbyist for state and federal advocacy and whether to pursue a cost‑sharing arrangement with the Port and Whitman County. Interim city administrator Jeff Albrecht opened the item as a discussion, noting prior conversations and the potential for shared contracting.
Why it matters: A retained lobbyist could identify and pursue grant opportunities, advocate Pullman priorities in Olympia and Washington, D.C., and provide grant‑mapping services — activities councilmembers said could bring material funding for infrastructure and operations but that require an up‑front budget commitment.
What council members said
Councilmember D'Elair said she was “enthusiastic for having a city lobbyist” and recommended an emphasis on state advocacy, where decisions have immediate local impacts. Councilmember Fujairah noted firms quoted between $3,000 and $5,000 (one figure cited during council discussion was $4,000) for combined state and federal services and suggested the consultant should have ties to Eastern Washington. Councilmember Weller favored a collaborative model with the port and county but cautioned about allocation of time and priorities across partners.
Staff and council noted tradeoffs
Jeff Albrecht and other councilmembers cautioned that a lobbyist is an investment that may take time to yield returns; Albrecht noted past discussions and that the item was not included in the current budget. Several members asked staff to explore shared contracting options with neighboring public entities to reduce costs and ensure the firm understands Pullman priorities.
Next steps
Council did not take formal action. Members asked staff to explore options including shared contracting with the Port and county, to obtain representative cost proposals and to clarify scope (state versus federal focus, grant support, advocacy time). Councilmembers emphasized the need for clear goals for any contract before committing funds.
