General Legislative Session - public_hearing

Good morning, everyone. Snohomish County Council is called to order for our public hearings. Today is Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 at 1030 a.m. We're meeting in the Jackson boardroom and also remotely. I'll read the script for providing public testimony and then our clerks will take role. Public testimony will be open for each agenda item. We will take testimony beginning in person and then remotely on Zoom. Click on the hand icon to raise your hand. And if you're calling in by phone, press star nine to raise hand and star six to unmute. each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Please start your testimony with your name and city of residence. Next is roll call.

Chair Dunn. Here. Vice Chair Low.

Present.

Councilmember Neering.

Here.

Councilmember Mead.

Here.

Councilmember Peterson.

Here.

Chair, we have five members present. Thank you. We have two action items today. First is ordinance 26-040. Council considers ordinance 26-040 relating to animal control amending chapter 9.01 and 9.16 of Snohomish County Code.

Good morning, council members. For the record, Jim Martin, council staff. The passage of Senate Bill 5974 introduced new statewide requirements governing special commissions from law enforcement agencies, specifically mandating that commissioned individuals be directly supervised by the agency issuing the commission. This ordinance amends County Code chapters 9.01 and 9.16 to align with state law by removing the requirement that all animal control officers be specially commissioned deputies and by clarifying the authorities and duties of animal control officers. Requested action is to move to council for consideration.

Thank you. Any questions from council members? Okay, seeing none, we will open up public testimony on this item. Did anyone wish to speak to this item?

Okay, no one in person. Are there any hands raised? There are no hands raised.

Okay, so we'll close testimony and turn to council.

I move approval of ordinance 26-040. Second.

Been properly moved and seconded to approve Ordinance 26-040. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, we will have a roll call vote.

Vice Chair Lowe? Yes. Council Member Neering? Yes. Council Member Mead?

Yes.

Council Member Peterson? Aye. And Chair Dunn?

Yes. So Ordinance 26-040 passes 5-0. Next, we'll hear Ordinance 26-045. Council considers Ordinance 26-045.

related to the 2025-2026 budget, making a supplemental appropriation in General Fund 002 to provide expenditure authority for governmental fund lease costs.

Post Ordinance 26-045 would approve a supplemental budget appropriation in General Fund 002 in the amount of $849,120.31. This would provide expenditure authority for governmental fund lease costs associated with leases for prosecuting an attorney in the Sheriff's Office at Dawson Place. The accounting interest for these costs is a requirement of GASB 87, which modified the reporting requirements for recognizing these activities. The requested action is to move to council for consideration.

Questions from council? Is this going to be included in the 2027-28 budget?

It should be, yes. Again, it's an accounting entry. We're basically paying ourselves is what we're doing.

Any other questions? Okay, if not, we will open up public testimony on this item. If anyone wished to provide public testimony, whereas no one in person anymore, but signify by raising your hand. So has anyone raised their hand online? There are no hands raised. Okay, thank you. So we will close testimony and turn to counsel.

I move approval of Ordinance 26-045. Second.

It's been properly moved and seconded to approve Ordinance 26-045. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, we will have a roll call vote.

Vice-chair Lowe?

Yes.

Councilmember Neering? Yes. Councilmember Mead?

Yeah.

Councilmember Peterson?

Aye.

Chair Dunn? Yes. So ordinance 26-045 passes 5-0. That concludes our agenda and council's adjourned for the day.