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Snohomish County Council approves New Start Center contracts with added council oversight and reporting
Summary
The Snohomish County Council approved substitute language for two New Start Center contracts that requires council approval of extensions and added reporting on referral and eligibility standards; council debated whether prior convictions should ever be the sole basis for exclusion before voting 5-0 to adopt the compromise.
The Snohomish County Council on Wednesday approved substitute terms for contracts to operate two New Start Centers, adding a requirement that any contract extensions come before the council and that county staff provide an evaluation and public presentation on referral and eligibility minimums and vacancy rates before the end of the initial term.
Heidi Bizzizzo, a county staffer, told the council the second proposed substitute — which the body adopted — builds on an initial proposal to require council review of extensions and adds a reporting requirement intended to give the council information about who is being served and whether eligibility criteria are creating barriers. The substitute was approved by voice vote, recorded as 5-0.
Councilmember Peterson pushed for broader eligibility changes in a separate substitute (substitute 3) that would have prevented providers from using a prior conviction for drug manufacturing, distribution or a crime of violence as the sole reason to deem a client ineligible. Peterson said the change was aimed at easing reentry for people who have served time and are in recovery, offering the council a scenario of a young woman who had been trafficked and later convicted but had completed recovery steps.
"She's done everything to get her life back together," Peterson said, arguing a single prior conviction should not automatically bar someone from these housing opportunities.
County Human Services Director Mary Jane Broglovich said providers were consulted during drafting and that some distinctions in the eligibility criteria reflected providers' operational concerns about mixing certain populations in the same facility. "It's about what is the appropriate housing for giving people different situations," Broglovich said, describing providers' experience-based refinements.
Lacey Harper of the executive's office said the county had attempted to reach providers about the proposed Peterson amendment but had not received timely feedback and warned that adopting late changes could require re‑negotiation and legal review, potentially delaying openings.
Vice Chair Lowe and other councilmembers said they supported the compromise (substitute 2) that adds oversight and reporting but were not comfortable with substitute 3's immediate changes. Vice Chair Lowe said she supported the reporting and the requirement that extensions come before council, but not the language in substitute 3.
Council action included approval of motion 25-582 (the Salvation Army Everett New Start Center operating and licensing contract) and motion 25-583 (the YWCA Edmonds New Start Center); related authorization motions allowing the executive to execute ARP-funded agreements (including motion 26-005) were also approved with the substitute in place. Councilmembers recorded the votes as 5-0.
The council directed staff to return information on vacancy rates and referral/eligibility outcomes before the end of the initial term so members can reassess whether further changes — including the narrower eligibility language proposed in substitute 3 — are warranted.
