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Mount Vernon council approves North Star interlocal, fireworks ban, ladder-truck financing and other year-end measures
Summary
The City of Mount Vernon approved an interlocal North Star agreement, a resolution to reserve opioid settlement funds, made its fireworks ban permanent through ordinance 39-28, authorized short-term and long-term financing for a ladder truck, and adopted other budget and licensing updates during its Dec. 17 meeting.
Mount Vernon — The City Council on Dec. 17 approved a package of interlocal agreements, ordinances and budget actions aimed at regional coordination, public-safety controls and capital finance.
Council unanimously adopted a North Star interlocal agreement formalizing regional collaboration with Anacortes, Burlington, Cedar Woolley and Skagit County on homelessness, mental-health and opioid response. City Attorney Kevin Rogerson told the council the interlocal does not create a separate legal entity or permit the group to spend city funds; it simply formalizes ongoing mayor-to-mayor collaboration.
The council approved a companion resolution directing staff to withhold about 80% of incoming opioid settlement funds to preserve the option of regionally coordinated uses with North Star partners. Rogerson characterized the funds as settlement proceeds restricted to mitigating local opioid impacts and said the measure is an internal budgeting direction, not a contract.
On public-safety rules, council adopted ordinance 39-28 to make permanent the city’s temporary ban on the sale and discharge of fireworks; under state law the ordinance takes effect one year after adoption. The ordinance also adds civil liability for property owners who knowingly permit discharges. Council discussion noted past public confusion about which consumer fireworks had been allowed and emphasized the city’s continuing organized public display.
On capital financing, the council approved two measures to address an unbudgeted ladder truck that arrived earlier than expected. First, ordinance 39-29 authorizes a two-month interfund loan from the equipment rental fund to the Fire Capital Projects Fund in the amount of $975,621 to bridge cashflow until state-local financing is released. Finance Director Doug Velasquez said the loan will be repaid by Feb. 27, 2026, and that the equipment rental fund will retain sufficient balances during the interim. Second, council authorized ordinance 39-31 to enter a local agency financing contract with the State of Washington’s equipment program for financing not to exceed $975,621.30 with a final maturity up to 10 years; staff said proceeds are expected in February 2026.
Council also adopted a reimbursement resolution (1089) to allow the city to use financing proceeds to reimburse the prior vendor payment. Separately, the council approved a year-end 2025 budget amendment to reconcile prior decisions and adopted ordinance 39-32 to update the city’s business-license threshold for out-of-city businesses from $2,000 to $4,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026, with periodic CPI adjustments.
All items were approved by voice vote as recorded in the meeting; no roll-call tallies were provided in the transcript. Where recorded, motions were made and seconded on the floor (for example, the North Star interlocal was moved by Mary and seconded by Melissa). The council also voted to cancel its Dec. 24, 2025 meeting because staff had completed agenda items in advance.
What’s next: The financing documents for the state local program must be completed and returned by Jan. 9, 2026, to secure the ladder-truck funding expected in February 2026. The fireworks ordinance will take effect pursuant to state timing rules one year after adoption.
