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Committee forwards South Sound Green interlocal agreement for council approval
Summary
Staff recommended placing a five‑year interlocal agreement with Olympia, Lacey and Thurston County to continue the South Sound Green environmental education program on the May 19 consent calendar; Tumwater’s share is about $8,400 in year one of a $46,352 five‑year total.
Staff recommended the Public Works Committee place an interlocal agreement with the cities of Olympia and Lacey and Thurston County on the May 19 council consent calendar to continue Tumwater’s participation in the South Sound Green environmental education program.
Grant (city coordinator) told the committee that South Sound Green, managed regionally by the Thurston Conservation District and coordinated through REAP, supports watershed and water‑quality education in local middle and high schools and integrates with the city’s stormwater public‑education obligations. “This program is the start and the foundation for really getting that water quality education into the minds of students,” Grant said.
Staff provided 2025 participation figures for Tumwater: 53 teachers, about 1,300 students across seven schools. Grant described related programs (stream team, Green Congress) and CTE summer offerings that feed career pathways in water resource management and ecology.
The proposed five‑year interlocal agreement carries a total cost of $46,352; Tumwater’s year‑one baseline share is about $8,400 with a 5% year‑over‑year increase built into the draft. Staff recommended placing the ILA on the May 19 consent calendar with authorization for the mayor to sign; the committee voted to forward the item for council consideration.
Next steps: the ILA will be placed on the May 19 council consent calendar for council approval and mayoral authorization; staff will provide the committee with the annual report and outreach materials.
