Commissioners consider Salish Sea School subaward and two farmland conservation easements on consent agenda

During the June 1 afternoon session, commissioners reconvened and addressed miscellaneous consent items that included a grant subaward with the Salish Sea School to monitor marine life in and around Fidalgo Bay and two proposed conservation easements to protect farmland in eastern Skagit County.

Commissioner Burns flagged item 8, describing the arrangement as a "subaward agreement" in which the county receives grant funding and contracts with the Salish Sea School to conduct baseline monitoring for marine life and provide data useful in manmade or natural disasters. Burns described it as "an interesting way to do it" and noted the monitoring goal is to maintain an inventory of species and impacts in the Bay. Chair/staff responded that the county has engaged in similar monitoring work for some time and mentioned an annual one‑day public event that involves children in net monitoring and outreach at tribal headquarters and on the peninsula.

Separately, staff presented conservation easements: a grant deed between Eileen and Randy Goode and Skagit County to protect roughly 69 acres (removing one development right) along State Route 20 to support active farmland, and a second easement between Catherine K. Hill and Skagit County to protect roughly 40 acres with total compensation to the landowner of $95,000. Staff noted local farming history associated with the properties and identified community participants in agricultural advisory roles.

The items were presented on the consent agenda; the transcript shows discussion and explanation but does not record a consent‑agenda vote or final chairman action for these specific items in the provided excerpt. If formal approval occurred, it was not captured in the recorded segments.