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Arlington council approves contracts, interlocal agreement, handbook updates and collective bargaining authorization
Summary
The Arlington City Council approved a batch of routine items: authorization of a collective bargaining agreement, professional services contracts with Pacific Northwest Support Services and Bridge Coordination Services ($82,550), an interlocal drug task-force ILA, a $175 permit-fee waiver for a Hispanic Heritage event, and employee handbook policy updates; all motions passed by voice vote.
The Arlington City Council approved multiple routine but consequential items during its meeting, including authorization for a collective bargaining agreement, renewal and new professional services contracts, an interlocal agreement to participate in a regional drug task force, a permit-fee waiver for a city event, and updates to the employee handbook.
After an executive session during which the council discussed collective bargaining under the cited state statute, councilmembers voted to authorize a collective bargaining agreement and empowered the mayor to sign the agreement. The executive-session authority cited in the meeting was RCW 42.30.140(4).
Staff (Paul) presented a new professional services agreement with Pacific Northwest Support Services to continue a position previously referred to as Support 46 for 2025–2026; staff said the cost was anticipated and included in the existing budget. Council moved to approve the agreement and to authorize the mayor to sign pending legal review.
The council also approved renewing a contract with Bridge Coordination Services to provide domestic violence coordination. Staff said the 2025 contract amount is $82,550, noting the city budgeted $78,000 for 2025 and had spent $69,000 to date. Paul described the service as taking workload off officers and said the modest increase reflected inflation.
Council approved an interlocal agreement with the Snohomish County Regional Drug Task Force for participation in 2025. Paul said the city had budgeted $5,000 for 2024 and stated the actual agreement amount is $5,686, an increase of $686; the council approved the ILA and authorized the mayor to sign pending legal review.
Council approved waiving a $175 permit fee for an event canopy used for a city Hispanic Heritage event that occurred in October 2024. Human-resources staff (Sean) introduced the first package of employee handbook updates — the first such update since 2017 — and the council accepted a list of policy modifications that staff said had already been accounted for in the budget.
Council members also took a few minutes for remarks, including councilmember Jan’s report on strong early usage of a new on-demand shuttle service (referred to in remarks as a “zip shuttle” or Zipcar service) and outreach to hospitals and senior centers. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.
Votes at a glance: all motions noted above were moved, seconded and passed by voice vote with no opposed voices recorded in the transcript.
Next steps: mayor authorized to sign agreements pending legal review where noted.
