Council hears first read on county interlocal that would end county meals program after June 30
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Summary
Sedro‑Woolley councilmembers heard a first reading of a Skagit County amendment that would terminate the county’s current senior services interlocal on June 30; the county told the council it will continue nutrition services through June and has issued an RFP for meals beyond that date.
Sedro‑Woolley — The City Council held a first reading of a Skagit County interlocal amendment that would terminate the city’s existing senior services agreement effective June 30 and change how meal and senior‑center staffing is funded.
Charlie, the city’s administrative staff member, explained the amendment was sent late in the year and that the county says it must terminate the current agreement because of a budget shortfall. "The county has indicated multiple times that they have money in the budget to continue senior services through the rest of this year, but they need to terminate this agreement the way it's currently written," Charlie said, adding the amendment would reduce the city's 2026 contribution to roughly $11,623 for the half year.
Sarah Hinman, who represented Skagit County at the meeting, said the county plans to operate the nutrition (meals) program and Meals on Wheels through June 30 but expects the county to stop operating the meals portion after that date and has issued a request for proposals for the meals work. "The meals program will no longer be operated by the county after June 30," she said, adding the county has been supplementing the contract with significant county general funds and is restructuring because those funds are no longer available.
Local residents raised concerns during public comment. Carl DeYoung, who lives on Fidalgo Street, said the interlocal’s 30‑day termination clause creates a risk of abrupt change and urged the council to adopt a clear decision calendar and a plain‑language continuity plan for seniors. "Seniors and families need a plain language explanation of what changes to expect on July 1," DeYoung said and offered a volunteer and service‑club partnership framework to support continuity.
Councilmembers pressed staff for more detail about staffing at the local senior center; the county said the center currently has one full‑time coordinator plus on‑call support and relies heavily on volunteers. City staff said a fuller packet with budget and RFP responses will be provided at the next meeting for council consideration.
Because this was a first reading, no formal council decision was made; staff said more information and options will be presented at the next work session and in a future council packet.
