Federal lobbyist reports $1.092M potential for Woodcrest, RAISE extension for Bothell Way; council discusses grant conditions
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Summary
During a Jan. 20 study session, Bothell's contract lobbyist said congressional appropriations could include $1,092,000 for the Woodcrest utility project and that language appears to provide a three-year extension to a FY22 RAISE grant for Bothell Way; council members asked about executive-branch conditions on federal grants and CDBG eligibility.
At a Jan. 20 study session, contract federal lobbyist Jake Johnson told Bothell City Council he had seen indicators that pending congressional appropriations could include $1,092,000 for the Woodcrest utility improvement project and that the transportation appropriations language appears to provide a three-year extension of obligation and construction deadlines for the FY22 RAISE grant that funds the Bothell Way project.
"If you believe the news, looks like we have an agreement in congress as of today on most of the outstanding appropriations packages... we should see an agreement that actually funds $1,092,000 for the Woodcrest project in the appropriations bill," Johnson said. He also said he expected language to extend RAISE deadlines by three years, more than the city had requested.
Council members pressed Johnson and staff about the risk that federal agencies or the executive branch could condition grants on new administrative requirements (for example, limitations tied to DEI or immigration cooperation). Johnson said that action by the executive branch to encumber grants has prompted legal challenges and that some discretionary programs lack statutory protection. "This has created a little bit of a constitutional crisis in terms of where who has the authority of how does federal money get expended precisely," he said, noting courts are currently resolving some disputes.
Johnson outlined strategies: seek statutory guardrails where possible (as with the BUILD program), keep applying for discretionary funds rather than forgoing opportunities, and work with delegation staff and national associations to push for set-asides or protections that help mid-sized cities compete. He also said Bothell will become eligible to receive CDBG funds after surpassing a 50,000 population threshold and that staff are awaiting the first allocation and will bring implementation options to council.
The study session was intended to solicit council direction on a draft 2026 federal legislative agenda and to inform Johnsons advocacy priorities; no formal votes were taken in the study session portion of the meeting.