Council authorizes state solid-waste grant to fund homeless-encampment response, lithium-ion battery storage at transfer station

The Spokane Valley City Council voted to authorize city staff to apply for a 2025'27 Local Solid Waste Financial Assistance (LSWFA) grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to support two primary projects: a homeless encampment response pilot and the purchase of fire-rated lithium-ion battery storage cabinets for the Sunshine University Road transfer station.

Sarah Farr, the city's accounting and finance program manager, and Robert Blagen, public works director, presented the proposal. Staff said the city's per-capita, reimbursement-based LSWFA allocation is approximately $158,000 for the biennium; the grant requires a 25% local match. Farr told the council the total two-year budget is about $211,000 and that the match would come from the city's restricted solid-waste fund (Fund 106), which held a beginning 2025 balance of about $1.4 million.

The proposed pilot for homeless-encampment response would cost an estimated $40,000'$60,000 in year one and would fund coordinated cleanup and related activities across city departments, including public works, code enforcement, and parks. Staff said the project would use the city's homeless-app tracking to capture eligible, reimbursable expenses historically charged to the general fund.

The second major component is a lithium-ion battery fire-safety storage cabinet or cabinets to provide a compartmentalized, fire-rated temporary storage area at the transfer station. Robert Blagen said the unit price for a base-model cabinet is about $10,000; the Department of Ecology and regional fire officials recommend physical containment and separation of lithium batteries to protect workers and first responders. Staff noted cabinets are not reusable if exposed to fire and that replacements could be required.

Council members and public commenters questioned frequency and shipping logistics for battery shipments, the cost-effectiveness compared to more frequent shipping, and public convenience for drop-off locations. City staff and transfer-station operator representatives said shipments currently occur roughly two medium-sized boxes per week and that staff were working on outreach plans to increase public awareness and use of the facility. Councilmember Patton and others expressed support for the phased approach and for reassessing program performance in spring 2026.

The motion the council approved authorized city managers to submit required documents and carry out programs identified in the grant, including the encampment response and lithium-ion battery project.

Budget and timeline: The grant is reimbursement-based with a required 25% match from the city's solid-waste fund (Fund 106). Staff estimated returning in spring 2026 to report on year-one outcomes and to identify further grant-eligible activities for the second year of the biennium.

Public-safety note: Multiple speakers and staff emphasized that compartmentalized fire-rated storage is considered a best practice for protecting transfer-station staff and firefighters; questions remain about long-term lifecycle costs and whether more frequent shipment scheduling could reduce replacement risk.