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Richland council unanimously authorizes congressional‑directed spending submittals for police, water and transportation projects
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Summary
After a presentation from Director of Development Services Mike Ristello, the Richland City Council unanimously approved three resolutions authorizing fiscal‑year 2027 congressional‑directed spending (CDS) submittals to Rep. Dan Newhouse and Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, naming candidate projects including a police real‑time information center and wastewater digester.
Mike Ristello, Richland’s director of development services, briefed the council on congressional‑directed spending — known as CDS or earmarks — and the city’s candidate requests before the council voted.
Ristello said CDS requests must name projects and a location and explained that eligible accounts change year to year across nine appropriations bills. He described projects the city has proposed and the reasoning for putting each in particular federal appropriations accounts. “Depending on the given year and then what house you’re in, some accounts are remarkable in the House, other ones are just in the Senate,” he said.
Ristello listed candidate project amounts the city submitted or discussed: a police real‑time information center (~$1.5 million), an anaerobic digester for the wastewater treatment plant (~$2.5 million), improvements at State Route 240 and Aaron Drive (~$3 million), SCADA and water treatment plant upgrades (~$2 million), and other infrastructure and study items. He said jurisdictions often submit projects to multiple members — for example, to a House member and to the state’s senators — to increase chances of funding.
Council members thanked Ristello for the overview and asked about regional coordination and project maturity. Councilmember Jones asked whether nuclear‑related projects had been considered; Ristello said the city is advancing planning work that will make those projects more competitive in future cycles. Councilmember Samuel asked about teaming with neighboring cities on shared projects; Ristello said the city has discussed collaboration where feasible, citing State Route 240 at Aaron Drive as an example of a project with regional relevance.
Because some congressional appropriations committees request local support on short timelines, Ristello explained the council was being asked to authorize resolutions of support that could be provided quickly if requested. The council then voted by unanimous consent to adopt three separate resolutions authorizing FY2027 CDS submittals: Resolution 202659 (Representative Dan Newhouse), Resolution 202660 (Senator Maria Cantwell), and Resolution 202661 (Senator Patty Murray).
The approvals do not guarantee federal funding; Ristello stressed the process is competitive and subject to committee review, appropriations negotiations and final House and Senate actions. The council’s action simply authorizes staff to submit the city’s requests and to provide local resolutions of support if appropriations committees ask for them.
The council adopted all three resolutions by unanimous voice or consent. The next procedural steps are committee review, appropriations committee consideration and full House/Senate votes.
