Auburn City Council Regular Meeting - October 19, 2026

The Auburn City Council met at 7:00 PM on October 19, 2026, in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting featured a detailed presentation on the launch of the new Auburn Municipal Court, public testimony covering transit, e-bike regulations, construction accountability, ballot initiatives, and surveillance technology, and a debate over a council resolution opposing two statewide ballot measures. A procedural motion to postpone that resolution to the next meeting passed 4-3. Several routine ordinances and resolutions were adopted.

Consent Calendar

• The council unanimously approved the consent agenda (7-0). Items included the approval of minutes from previous meetings, setting public hearing dates for NFC Northwest, LLC and Shaw Business U.S., Inc. franchise agreements, and the approval of payroll and claims vouchers totaling over $5.6 million for claims and $2.8 million for payroll.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Neller (Auburn resident) spoke about the need for better transit connections to the Tacoma Amtrak station, specifically asking if the planned rapid ride bus to Kent and Renton would include a stop at the Tacoma Sounder and Amtrak station.
• Reina Harrington (Auburn) urged the council to repeal Ordinance 7029, which regulates e-bikes based on capability. She argued it restricts transportation options for low-income residents, endangers cyclists by forcing them into traffic, and is inconsistent with how the law treats automobiles.
• Storm Smith (Auburn, age 18) proposed three reforms for road construction management: a 90-day conflict review before major closures, QR-code-based tracking of construction concerns, and a project closeout scoreboard to compare final results against original plans and budgets.
• Sarah Edwards (Bonney Lake, Green River College faculty) urged support for a resolution opposing Initiative 638, arguing it targets a tiny minority of trans students while sending a harmful, exclusionary message to the broader LGBTQ+ community in Washington state.
• Ava Hanh (Auburn) criticized the city's investment in ALPR surveillance technology, citing a recent federal court ruling against warrantless ALPR searches. She argued this represents an unmanaged legal and financial risk, given bipartisan opposition and the potential for city-funded settlement payouts.
• Rocky Salvador (Auburn resident) strongly opposed the city's use of surveillance technology, stating the council had ignored resident concerns and that the systems violate Fourth Amendment protections. He called for the immediate cancellation of surveillance contracts.
• Corr Ash (Auburn resident) opposed ALPRs, noting their high cost and low impact on crime rates. She highlighted a proposed increase in the city's Axon contract from $427,500 to $772,500 and suggested the funds would be better directed toward human services.
• Virginia Haugen (Auburn resident) expressed concerns about the financial burdens of the new municipal court and transit costs, sharing an anecdote about a traffic ticket and questioning the city's ability to manage the transition of cases from King County.

Discussion Items

• Municipal Court Presentation: Judge Matthew Leyba and Court Administrator Melissa Patrick updated the council on the transition to the Auburn Municipal Court, launching January 1, 2027. They introduced the new court seal, vision statement, and eight core values. Regarding the Community Court, they explained a reclassification of a probation officer position to begin preparations without requiring new funding in the 2027-2028 budget. For the case transfer from King County District Court, staff presented plans for a potential influx of over 130,000 cases, prioritizing public safety and speedy trials. The city has filed an action in King County Superior Court regarding the transfer, with a hearing on November 13, 2026.
• Resolution Opposing Statewide Initiatives I-001 and I-638: Councilmember Baldwin introduced a resolution opposing Initiative 26-001 (parental rights) and Initiative 26-638 (transgender athletes in sports). A motion to postpone indefinitely by Councilmember Stirgus was debated but failed (3-4). Deputy Mayor Taylor then successfully moved to postpone the resolution to the November 2, 2026 meeting, which passed 4-3. The debate centered on the council's role in state ballot measures and the factual accuracy of the resolution.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution Postponed: The proposed resolution opposing Initiatives I-001 and I-638 was postponed to the November 2, 2026 City Council meeting by a vote of 4-3.
• Ordinance 7027 (Development Agreements): Adopted unanimously (7-0).
• Resolution 5928 (2027 Fee Schedule): Adopted (6-1). Councilmember Baldwin dissented, citing a lack of formal fee waiver tracking.
• Resolution 5930 (VRFA Fee Schedule): Adopted unanimously (7-0).
• Resolution 5931 (Taco Maestro Lease Termination): Adopted unanimously (7-0).
• Resolution 5932 (2027 State Legislative Agenda): Adopted unanimously (7-0).
• Resolution 5934 (Forfeited Property Surplus): Adopted unanimously (7-0).