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Lynnwood staff propose dropping PE license requirement for public works director
Summary
City staff recommended amending Lynnwood Municipal Code 2.44 so the public works director would not be required to hold a Washington State professional engineer (PE) license, saying the city already has licensed engineers on staff and peer cities rarely require a PE for the director role. Council placed the ordinance on the schedule for next week's business meeting.
City staff on Oct. 7 asked the Lynnwood City Council to remove a requirement in Lynnwood Municipal Code 2.44 that the public works director hold a Washington state professional engineer (PE) license.
An unidentified staff speaker said the change would allow the director to delegate the city‑engineer responsibilities to another staff member who holds a PE and noted that many comparable cities no longer require the director to be a licensed engineer. The staff presentation said Lynnwood currently has multiple PE‑licensed staff in the public works department and that the existing practice of delegating engineering duties has worked since the 1980s.
Councilors pressed staff on whether dropping the PE requirement would affect pay, minimum years of experience or the separate city engineer position. Staff replied the job description still requires 10 years of experience and that the proposal does not change compensation or eliminate a city engineer role; the city engineer and other supervisors with PEs would continue to perform technical engineering duties.
The staff recommendation frames the change as a modernization and equity measure that would broaden candidate pools while keeping technical responsibilities with licensed engineers. The ordinance is scheduled for consideration at the council's next regular business meeting, where councilors will have the opportunity to adopt, modify or reject the amendment.
If approved, the change would allow greater flexibility in hiring for the public works director role while preserving technical oversight through delegated, PE‑qualified staff. Council did not take a final vote at the Oct. 7 work session.
