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Mill Creek council accepts $500,000 state climate planning grant and amends budget
Summary
City council approved an ordinance to accept a $500,000 Department of Commerce climate planning grant and amended the biennium budget to add the reimbursable funds; staff said the grant will pay for preparing greenhouse-gas‑reduction and resilience subelements of the comprehensive plan. (Vote 6-0)
The Mill Creek City Council voted 6-0 on March 10 to accept a Department of Commerce climate planning grant worth up to $500,000 and to amend the 2025–26 biennium budget to add the reimbursable funds.
Community Development and Planning Director Jeff Ryan told the council the grant will fund creation of two subelements for the comprehensive plan: one for greenhouse‑gas reduction and one for resilience. “What this grant is is a reimbursement grant for up to $500,000,” Ryan said, adding that the city must enter a grant agreement with the Department of Commerce and later select a consultant to do technical analysis, outreach and draft the comp‑plan amendment.
Council members asked about commitments and potential penalties. Council member Cavalieri asked, “What does this exactly commit the city to doing if we accept the grant money?” Ryan said the city would contract with a consultant to produce a greenhouse‑gas inventory, review relevant policy changes, recommend draft language and prepare the required subelement chapters for adoption by 2027. Ryan said the grant is reimbursable with no local match required; work not invoiced by the 2027 timeframe would require the city to reapply for remaining funds under future competitive rounds.
Ryan said staff discovered the award in February and that the city advertised an RFQ in March; upon council direction the city manager will negotiate and execute the grant agreement, select a consultant in April and aim to finalize drafts in mid‑2027 so the comp‑plan amendment can be considered in the 2027 docket. The ordinance that the council adopted authorizes the city manager to finalize the agreement with Commerce and increases general‑fund revenues and expenditures by $500,000.
The motion to adopt the ordinance passed unanimously. The council did not specify an ordinance number during the meeting.
Next steps: staff will negotiate the grant agreement with the Department of Commerce and return with consultant selection and contract documents for council review.
