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Commissioners direct county manager to develop community workforce agreement for courthouse project
Summary
Commissioners asked the county manager to draft a project-specific community workforce agreement (CWA) for the upcoming courthouse renovation to prioritize local hiring, apprenticeships and training; staff will return with a work-session item.
Commissioners on Aug. 20 directed the County Manager's Office to develop a project-specific community workforce agreement for the planned courthouse renovation.
Commissioner Carolina Mejia, who led the item, said the draft borrows language from existing agreements used by King County and Tacoma Public Schools and aims to ensure taxpayer-funded construction supports local hiring, union labor and apprenticeship opportunities. Mejia asked staff and legal to review the draft and return with a formal work-session agenda item.
Vice Chair Wayne Fournier and other commissioners said they see the agreement as an opportunity to keep construction jobs local and to expand workforce training. Mejia said earlier versions had been considered during a prior courthouse effort and that the board had previously declined to adopt such an agreement; this draft narrows scope to the courthouse project to minimize unintended consequences.
Mejia acknowledged union feedback and said additional language (including "helmets to hard hats" apprenticeship provisions and parking considerations) would be provided to staff for review. The board indicated consensus by signaling a thumbs-up to authorize the county manager to proceed; staff will prepare materials for a future work session and, if appropriate, a business meeting AIS (agenda item summary).
The board's direction is a policy-development step rather than a final contract or ordinance; any enforceable CWA would return for formal board action.
