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Council approves multiple grants, capital purchases and turf ordinance; several items sent back for more details
Summary
On a packed agenda the council approved donations and grants (including an NRPA $20,000 grant and an EOEEA $687,500 grant), approved capital appropriations for vehicles and safety equipment, authorized borrowing for a fire engine and stadium turf, amended and passed school equipment funding, and enrolled an ordinance restricting default use of artificial turf (10-1 votes on several items); some vehicle purchases were postponed pending take-home policy clarifications.
The Everett City Council approved a string of grants, donations and capital measures at its regular meeting. Among the actions the council approved: acceptance of donations to veteran services and youth programs, acceptance of a $20,000 National Recreation and Parks Association grant to support year-round job training for the youth development enrichment department, and favorable action on an Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs grant of $687,500 to support resident-focused cooling solutions in environmental-justice neighborhoods. "Favorable action" motions on those grants passed on roll calls recorded on the meeting minutes.
The council approved a capital appropriation of $918,100 to fund a package of vehicle and equipment needs (police patrol and admin vehicles, parking control vehicle, public safety radio upgrades, body armor, taser upgrades, a $50,000 council-on-aging van, turnout gear and engineering vehicles), then divided and postponed some sub-items (notably items 8 and 10) pending additional administration information about whether newly purchased vehicles are "take-home" vehicles. Separately, councilors divided a borrowing request and approved $965,000 for a fire engine replacement and $1.4 million for stadium turf (both passed 11-0). On school capital funds the council amended a mistakenly listed amount and approved repurposing previously bonded funds to provide $771,900 for equipment controls at Everett High School (vote 10-1).
Councilor Katie Rogers—'s ordinance requiring environmentally sustainable organic grass as the default for playing fields (with provisions for exceptions) passed on a 10-1 vote and will be enrolled as amended. Several items (zoning EDID, some donor reports, and other matters) were referred back to sponsors or committees for additional detail before enactment.
The approved items will be implemented through the departments identified in the committee reports and as noted in the meeting's motions; several appropriations expect administrative follow-up on vehicle policies, construction sequencing and cost breakdowns.
