Washington County pauses resolution on equity attestations after ACRE objections; chair withdraws sponsorship

Katherine Harrington, chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, withdrew her sponsorship of item G3 and paused action on the resolution during a June 17 work session as commissioners and staff sought more time to consult with community members and legal advisers.

The resolution under consideration would have changed the county's position on its existing equity resolution in order to satisfy federal grant attestations tied to recent executive-branch guidance and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant language. Commissioners and staff said those attestations are linked to contracts the county must sign by late June to receive federal operating funds; staff warned the timing creates a cash-flow risk for programs that rely on federal reimbursements.

Why it matters: County staff and commissioners said failing to complete the attestations or to sign federal contracts could interrupt funding for operating programs that rely on federal grants, affecting service delivery. Staff and multiple commissioners urged a short delay to allow ACRE (the county's Access, Community, and related stakeholders) and other community organizations more opportunity to review proposed language and to work with county legal counsel on revisions.

What happened at the work session

Commissioners said ACRE met the night before and returned two formal recommendations: (1) a recommendation to delay consideration of the county resolution and (2) a recommendation that ACRE not support the resolution as written. According to commissioners reporting from that meeting, those recommendations were unanimous among ACRE members present, with Commissioner Jason Snyder and Chair Harrington recorded as abstaining from the ACRE votes.

Commissioner discussion at the work session split on timing and approach. Several commissioners emphasized the urgency of preserving federal funding and said staff analysis shows contracts and renewals in July and August make this month's decisions consequential to cash flow and program continuity. Other commissioners, referencing public testimony at ACRE and written input from local community-based organizations, urged a brief delay to remove or reword a specific paragraph in the draft resolution that some said could be read as imposing county oversight over outside organizations.

Harrington told the board she would not move forward as sponsor. "I will not be sponsoring item G3," she said. The board then paused the work-session debate on G3 and moved on to other scheduled business.

Staff concerns and legal context

County staff summarized the timing pressure: several existing federal operating grants require attestations or contract signatures before the end of June, and staff stated there is a reimbursement lag between signing federal contracts and receiving funds. Staff warned that, without adequate internal cash flow or reserve transfers, the county could face service interruptions or layoffs if reimbursements are delayed.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly referenced federal executive orders and HUD guidance issued earlier in June 2025 as factors shaping grant language that county departments must accept to receive funds. Commissioners asked county council and staff to analyze conflicts between federal guidance, state law, and local policy and to prepare options that would allow the county to accept funds while protecting community relationships and complying with law.

Next steps and board directions

Rather than take a formal vote, the chair withdrew sponsorship and asked staff to continue engagement with ACRE and community stakeholders over the coming week. Commissioners suggested specific next steps: have county legal counsel and staff assess whether removing or rephrasing the contested paragraph would address community concerns; return to the business meeting the following week with a recommended path that balances legal risk and program continuity; and continue work on cash-flow and reserve options should federal reimbursements be delayed.

The board also heard staff caution that not signing required contracts remains an option, but that choice would carry financial risks to county programs and employees. No formal motion to rescind or adopt the resolution was made during the work session.

Quotes and attribution

"I will not be sponsoring item G3," Chair Katherine Harrington said when she removed her sponsorship and paused consideration of the resolution.

Courtney (county staff) and other staff members reported that ACRE members had taken public testimony and asked for more time and collaboration; staff reiterated that contract and cash-flow timing is a significant factor in the board's decision.

Context and background

Commissioners referenced a June 5, 2025 HUD guidance letter and recent preliminary injunctions affecting related federal actions as the source of new language appearing in federal grant contracts. They said county staff's analysis indicates contracts signed late in June could have a material effect on special fund cash flow in July and August, traditionally high months for contract renewals and invoicing.

Board members endorsed continuing community engagement while staff and county counsel review legal and fiscal options. Chair Harrington said she would not sponsor the resolution in its current form and the board recessed this portion of the work session to continue other agenda business.

What to watch for

The board expected to revisit the issue at the next business meeting (one week) with revised language or a staff recommendation. Staff was asked to prepare legal analysis, a proposed redline removing the cited paragraph if lawful and advisable, and a cash-flow assessment showing how long the county could sustain services without federal reimbursements.

Ending

The board paused G3 and moved on to scheduled budget items for the day; commissioners and staff said they would continue dialogue with ACRE and community partners before taking any formal vote on the resolution.