Thurston County approves slate of grants, code changes and contracts including $1.39M clean-energy grant and $5.24M for housing

Thurston County commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of ordinances, contracts and funding awards that county staff said will support county facility resilience, affordable housing and ongoing regulatory updates.

The board approved a Washington State Department of Commerce clean-energy grant for a solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system at the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services building, adopted amendments to the county code to add a special disposition process for surplus public property to support affordable housing, passed the second biennial budget amendment for 2024–25 and approved a set of contract awards and staffing incentives across multiple departments.

Items adopted during the meeting included:

- A grant contract (Contract No. 25-922-11A-033) with the Washington State Department of Commerce Clean Energy Communities Grant Program for $1,389,068.50 to construct and install a solar PV and battery energy storage system at the Public Health and Social Services building. The county reported no required local match for the grant.

- An ordinance amending Thurston County Code (TCC) 2.104 to create a special disposition process for surplus county property when the transfer would provide a public benefit, including support for affordable housing; the ordinance adds a 30‑day notification period for nearby property owners and references the statutory framework in RCW 39.33.015.

- Resolution adopting Amendment 2 to the 2024–2025 biennial budget to add approximately $5,031,102 of increased appropriations to all other funds; the amendment was published as required and was adopted after discussion. One commissioner announced an abstention during the vote.

- An ordinance revising the Thurston County Citizens Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials to align with state law and recent redistricting so each of the five commissioner districts will have a representative on the salary commission.

- Two personnel and recruitment actions in Human Resources: an extension of a pilot recruitment incentives program for lateral hires in the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (patrol and corrections), and continuation of related administrative practices to support hiring.

- Two contracts with the Washington State Office of Public Defense: (1) a Blake-program funding agreement to reimburse counties for representation tied to Washington State v. Blake, and (2) a contract to fund a full-time attorney position for representation of indigent clients who are involuntarily committed.

- Affordable housing capital funding awards totaling an estimated $5,236,242 to eight projects, which county staff said are expected to support construction or rehabilitation totaling an estimated 186 new units and 66 rehabilitated units.

- A public-works contract award to Eurofins Environmental Testing Northwest LLC for analytical laboratory testing services related to the closed Hawks Prairie landfill, with a not-to-exceed ceiling of $500,000 and a board-authorized contingency of up to 10 percent.

- Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025 HUD annual action plan (Home Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grant program) and a consolidated-plan amendment to reflect Lacey’s change in entitlement status; the county reported expected program allocations of $767,836 (HOME) and $919,511 (CDBG) for program year 2025.

- An ordinance amending TCC chapter 8.30 to align county lot-discharge and industrial pretreatment regulations with Department of Ecology standards for dental dischargers and grease interceptors as approved by the LOTT board of directors.

Votes: For most items the board recorded unanimous approval where noted in the meeting minutes; the budget amendment passed with one commissioner announcing an abstention. Several items had brief discussion before approval; the board moved other items by single motions with recorded second and a roll call of “aye.”

Why it matters: The package of actions advances the county’s climate mitigation and facility-resilience goals, directs processes to prioritize affordable housing use of surplus real property, supplies direct capital funding to local housing projects, and funds legal and public-safety staffing and services the county and its partners said address ongoing community needs.

The board took public testimony on several items earlier in the meeting and held two noticed public hearings — one on HUD funding and consolidated-plan amendment and a second on the proposed LOTT regulatory update. Both hearings were opened, public comment accepted, and then closed prior to adoption of the related actions.

Votes at a glance (selected items — motion language summarized):

- Commerce clean-energy grant (solar + storage) — motion to approve contract No. 25-922-11A-033 for $1,389,068.50 (authorized county manager to execute contract and amendments up to 10%). Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance amending TCC 2.104 (disposition of public property for affordable housing, referencing RCW 39.33.015) — motion to approve. Outcome: adopted.

- Resolution adopting 2024–25 biennial budget Amendment 2 (increases to non-general funds totalling ~$5,031,102) — motion to adopt. Outcome: adopted; one commissioner abstained from the vote.

- Ordinance amending salary commission code to reflect five commissioner districts and appointment requirements — motion to approve. Outcome: adopted.

- Resolution(s) extending lateral hiring incentives for the Sheriff’s Office (patrol and corrections) — motion to approve extension and related terms. Outcome: approved unanimously.

- State Office of Public Defense (Blake program) funding agreement to reimburse counties — motion to approve. Outcome: approved.

- Contract with State Office of Public Defense for representation of indigent clients who are involuntarily committed — motion to approve. Outcome: approved.

- Affordable housing capital funding awards (eight projects; combined estimate $5,236,242) — motion to approve awards and authorize issuance of award letters. Outcome: approved.

- Public works analytical laboratory testing contract (Hawks Prairie landfill) awarded to Eurofins Environmental Testing Northwest LLC — motion to award up to $500,000 with up to 10% contingency ($550,000 total). Outcome: approved.

- HUD FY2025 annual action plan and consolidated-plan amendment (HOME $767,836; CDBG $919,511) — motion to adopt and authorize submission. Outcome: adopted.

- Ordinance amending TCC 8.30 to align LOTT discharge and pretreatment regulations with Ecology standards — motion to adopt. Outcome: adopted.

What’s next: Several items involve implementation steps noted in the meeting: grant administration and procurement for the solar-plus-storage project; issuance of award letters and project monitoring for housing grants; continued bargaining and data collection on the recruitment incentives program with union partners and an October review; and the annual HUD submission to HUD with the adopted certifications.