At the Jan. 7 Olympia City Council meeting, Council Member Madron reported on recent actions by LOTT (the regional sewer and wastewater utility board), including a renewed accord with the Squaxin Island Tribe, a multiyear watershed funding commitment and a surplus-land sale intended for affordable housing.

Madron said the board renewed “an accord with the Squaxin Island Tribe” and incorporated an updated land acknowledgment; LOTT’s service area language also referenced additional watersheds including Henderson Inlet. Madron reported LOTT committed $525,000 toward watershed restoration work over the next six years. She also said the board approved the sale of surplus land to the city of Lacey at a discounted price, with an agreement that the parcel be developed as affordable housing.

Why it matters: LOTT’s funding and land decisions affect regional water-quality and housing efforts that overlap Olympia’s service area. The $525,000 commitment is earmarked for watershed restoration projects over a multi-year timeframe; the discounted land sale includes a condition that the property be used for affordable housing development.

Details and context
- Accord: LOTT renewed a formal accord with the Squaxin Island Tribe that incorporated language from its recently updated land acknowledgement.
- Funding: $525,000 committed over six years for watershed restoration and long-term management projects, including work in the Henderson Inlet area.
- Land sale: LOTT sold surplus property to the city of Lacey at approximately the price LOTT paid two decades ago (Madron said the sale price was reduced from current market value), with a stipulation for affordable housing development.
- Strategic planning: Madron said LOTT completed a strategic planning process that sets priorities for the next six years.

Madron noted the board’s expanded language and specific, longer-term commitments reflect growing regional collaboration on water quality and affordable-housing support. Council members asked clarifying questions about where LOTT’s efforts would focus and how the funding and sale would interface with city-level planning and affordable-housing partners.

What was said
Council Member Madron told colleagues that LOTT “borrowed a lot from our most recently updated accord, including the land acknowledgment that was approved by the tribe,” and described the funding and sale decisions as part of the board’s strategic plan for the coming years.

Next steps
Madron said LOTT’s pilot programs — including reduced connection fees for affordable-housing projects and septic-to-sewer conversions — will continue to be part of the utility’s work in coordination with member cities. Council members discussed tracking how LOTT’s commitments intersect with Olympia’s affordable-housing and water-quality initiatives.