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Board approves three-year operating IGA between Clean Water Services and City of Beaverton
Summary
The Washington County Board, sitting as Clean Water Services board of directors, unanimously approved a three-year operating intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Beaverton to clarify roles on sanitary sewer and stormwater management, permit oversight, annexation coordination and asset transfer procedures.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners, meeting as the Clean Water Services (CWS) board of directors, voted unanimously on Sept. 23 to approve a three-year operating intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Beaverton. Clean Water Services staff and a city representative told the board the update clarifies responsibilities, increases flexibility for Beaverton to assume certain local program tasks, and preserves the district’s oversight role as holder of the NPDES watershed-based permit.
Jamie Hughes, regulatory affairs at Clean Water Services, outlined the IGA’s principal elements: CWS remains responsible for permit compliance, regional conveyance master planning and water resource recovery facilities; Beaverton will continue local program operations and may, if it chooses, develop its own stormwater management plan and capacity-management, operation and maintenance (CMOM) plan so long as those approaches meet permit requirements. Hughes said the IGA includes language to facilitate annexation and procedures for transferring assets and funds when properties move into the city.
The IGA term is three years to allow time for staff from both jurisdictions to resolve two remaining items: (1) an administrative-fee approach for billing services and (2) the process and financing methodology for transferring assets upon annexation. Hughes said the agreement includes dispute-resolution steps, training obligations for shared responsibilities and the ability to amend the IGA during its term.
Dan Weinheimer, assistant city manager for Beaverton, thanked staff on both sides for a collaborative update and said city staff look forward to implementation. Brad Anderson of CWS’s legal team confirmed that annexation remains a city action: the IGA will facilitate coordination but Beaverton would initiate annexations within its urban growth boundary and city council action governs that process.
Commissioners asked about whether Clean Water Services might identify properties for annexation; staff said the IGA establishes coordination meetings to review GIS boundaries and assets, but the actual annexation decision would take place at the Beaverton city council level. Commissioner comments acknowledged the time spent in negotiation and the goal of clearer roles.
A motion to approve the operating IGA passed unanimously, 4-0. Board members and staff agreed to pause briefly for acknowledgments and a photo after the vote. The IGA’s key operational commitments are to retain CWS’s permit-holding oversight, provide training and technical support to the city, and allow Beaverton to assume additional local responsibilities if its programs meet district and permit standards. Staff said they will continue to work on the two unresolved finance and asset-transfer items during the three-year term.
The board also confirmed that, if the IGA is terminated before its term expires, language in the agreement requires continued coordination so that essential services and permit compliance continue uninterrupted.
