On March 4, 2026, the Regional Wastewater Quality Committee (RWQC) held a briefing on the Regional Wastewater Services Plan (RWSP) update focused on infiltration and inflow (I&I) policy options and received an early presentation on the Wastewater Treatment Division's proposed 2027 sewer rate (division-recommended 12.75% increase). Committee members asked for a more comprehensive cost–benefit analysis and signaled they will submit comments by the end of March.

Discussion Points

•Committee asked staff to expand the cost‑benefit work to include treatment and O&M costs and to provide historical data showing which jurisdictions contributed most to past I&I.
•Committee instructed staff to provide more detailed financial trade‑offs and to draft a leadership‑caucus letter to the executive before the executive transmits its recommendation.
•Staff committed to accept comments through the end of March and to pursue consultant selection by about June.
•Staff emphasized regulatory projects (consent decrees/permitting) and schedule risk as primary drivers of multi‑year rate increases.
•Staff presented three RWSP policy options for I&I: maintain current practice, incentivize reduction in high‑I&I areas, or implement flow limits with penalties.
•WTD presented a division‑recommended 12.75% rate for 2027 and two alternative scenarios (2% lower illustrative scenario and a theoretical regulatory‑deadline‑extension scenario).

Decisions

•No formal decisions or votes on policy; meeting provided feedback and asked for additional analysis.
•No formal vote on rates; committee will consider a letter to the executive at April 1 meeting.

Directions

•Committee leadership to draft and circulate a letter to the county executive before the executive transmittal.
•Staff to include treatment and O&M costs in phase 2 cost‑benefit analysis.
•Staff to provide additional financial modeling and trade‑off details in phase 2 and ahead of the April 1 meeting.
•Staff to search archives for historical contributions and prior analyses and provide a 1‑on‑1 problem statement as requested by members.

Mar

King County Flood Control District Executive Committee on 2026-03-04 1:30 PM

At its March 4, 2026 executive committee meeting, the King County Flood Control District received briefings on the 2026 work plan and post‑December 2025 flood damage, approved routine invoices, and recommended a contract amendment for accounting services to the Board of Supervisors.

Discussion Points

•Extent and duration of December 2025 flood activation; inspection counts and findings; categorization of damage into urgent repairs/new CIP/CIP/decommission/monitoring; need for cross‑basin prioritization and coordination with Army Corps; potential technology investments for flood warnings.
•Invoice line items and compliance with existing contracts; scope and ceiling of third amendment to accounting contract; clean audits provided by Francis and Company.

Decisions

•Invoices approved by the committee; committee recommended the third amendment to Francis and Company to the Board (5–0).

Directions

•Staff to conduct cross‑basin prioritization and present options to the committee and Board; enter post‑flood inspection findings into the River Facilities Inventory (RFI).
•Staff to forward Motion FCD 26‑03 to the Board of Supervisors for consideration; invoices executed as routine business.

Mar

Law and Justice Committee 2026-03-04

The King County Council Law and Justice Committee held a March 4, 2026 meeting where members heard a first briefing on an ordinance to clarify local public defense standards in response to recent state rule changes, and approved an ordinance limiting use of county-owned property for civil immigration enforcement (5-0), to be placed on the March 17 consent agenda.

Discussion Points

•Committee considered entering executive session for legal questions but declined.
•DPD opposed the ordinance as drafted, saying it is close to meeting WSBA phase 2 but warned of costs for additional attorneys and support staff.
•Sponsor emphasized clarifying ambiguous code language and leaving staffing ratios to budget/collective bargaining.
•Sponsor said the measure formalizes protections and incorporated community and executive feedback.
•Staff described ordinance aligning county code with recent executive order and identifying high-risk properties for signage and security.
•Staff presented draft ordinance to adopt Supreme Court standards where present and WSBA standards for missing elements; fiscal analysis pending.

Decisions

•Committee approved ordinance 2026-0027 as amended and placed it on the March 17 council consent agenda.

Directions

•Executive to develop signage templates, classify and secure high-risk properties, and prepare implementation procedures within 30 days of enactment.
•Staff to return with fiscal analysis and more detailed impacts at the next hearing.

Mar

Metropolitan King County Council on 2026-03-03 1:30 PM

King County Council met March 3, 2026. The council adopted an emergency one-year moratorium (Ordinance 2026-0048) on new or expanded detention facilities in unincorporated King County and authorized the chair to sign letters to state budget committees and an additional letter urging state funding for public defense and preserving a sales-tax source for Metro.

Discussion Points

•Legal counsel confirmed the council could take a verbal motion to authorize a third letter and the chair could finalize the language.
•Members stressed urgency because state budget negotiations could affect Metro and other county services; members requested the chair coordinate letters with the executive and neighboring counties.
•Sponsor said moratorium is temporary pause to study impacts and close regulatory gaps; staff clarified exemptions and scope; councilmembers raised legal and emergency-use concerns.

Decisions

•Adopt emergency moratorium ordinance 2026-0048 (7–2).
•Adopt motion 2026-0049 (8–0, one excused) and approve a separate verbal motion authorizing a third letter on public defense and sales-tax funding (voice vote).

Directions

•Chair to work with the executive to finalize and send letters to state committee chairs as authorized.
•Executive to conduct study and deliver recommendations within nine months; public hearing to be held within 60 days.

Mar

Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee_ 20260303

The King County Council Health, Housing and Human Services Committee on March 3, 2026 adopted a striking amendment and recommended a due-pass to the full council on a motion to deprioritize prosecution of certain entheogen-related personal use, and heard a briefing on federal HUD Continuum of Care funding risks that could put millions and thousands of households at risk. Committee members also reviewed the 2026 work plan and scheduled briefings on behavioral health capacity and mid-implementation plan reviews.

Discussion Points

•Central staff framed the amendment to narrow definitions and limit legal effect; council members expressed support and emphasized alignment with state age guidance and guardrails.
•Council members requested a May briefing on behavioral health workforce and a June/July look at the mid implementation plan.
•HUD proposed NOFO would impose caps and new priorities that could displace permanent supportive housing; multiple jurisdictions obtained a preliminary injunction halting those changes pending litigation; HUD appealed the injunction.
•KCRHA and DESC estimated potential dollar and household impacts and urged contingency planning.
•Work plan contains 14 provisos and several annual reports; timing for briefings on crisis care centers and mid implementation plan is important for sequencing.

Decisions

•Adopted Striking Amendment S1; recommended due pass to full council on motion 2026-0017.
•No formal vote; briefing and direction to staff for follow-up budget identification and further briefings.
•No formal vote; committee scheduled briefings and asked staff to share calendars.

Directions

•County staff to identify supplemental budget options in April for contingency; continue legal and congressional advocacy; host workshops to prepare providers for changed application priorities.
•Staff to circulate calendar matrix and prepare targeted briefings (behavioral health capacity, Crisis Care Centers annual report, mid implementation plan).
•Transmit amended motion to full council; place on March 17 consent agenda; continue engagement with sheriff and prosecuting attorney offices.

King County

Meetings

Regional Water Quality Committee on 2026-03-04 3:00 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

King County Flood Control District Executive Committee on 2026-03-04 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Law and Justice Committee 2026-03-04

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Metropolitan King County Council on 2026-03-03 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee_ 20260303

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

ing County Transportation District on 2026-02-25 5:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Budget and Fiscal Management Committee 2026-02-25

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Metropolitan King County Council on 2026-02-24 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Committee of the Whole 2026-02-24

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Board of Health on 2026-02-19 1:00 PM

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Decisions

Directions

Local Services and Land Use Committee 2026-02-18

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Regional Transit Committee 2026-02-18

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Metropolitan King County Council on 2026-02-17 1:30 PM

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Decisions

Directions

Regional Policy Committee_20260211

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Directions

Government Accountability and Oversight Committee 2026-02-10

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Metropolitan King County Council on 2026-02-10 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

King County Flood Control District on 2026-02-10 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

King County Flood Control District Executive Committee on 2026-02-04 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Law and Justice Committee 2026-02-04

Discussion Points

Decisions

Directions

Metropolitan King County Council on 2026-02-03 1:30 PM

Discussion Points

Decisions