OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Edmonds City Council Regular Meeting Summary – April 7, 2026

City Council & Boards — Tuesday, April 7, 2026
BodyEdmonds, Washington
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateTuesday, April 7, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:07:56

Transcript — Verbatim
1:31

Thank you.

1:32

For the land acknowledgement, Councilmember Nan, please.

1:36

Thank you.

1:36

We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Snohomish people and their successors, the Chilep tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and taken care of these lands.

1:47

We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water.

1:57

Thank you.

1:58

Our next item of business is approval of the agenda.

2:06

It's been moved and seconded.

2:08

Councilmember Chen.

2:09

I'd like to pull it 8.4.

2:15

Can we do this first and then come back to that?

2:18

All right.

2:19

Please I forgot roll call.

2:20

If you wouldn't mind keep going though.

2:22

All right, yeah.

2:23

So we'll we'll do this first.

2:25

Uh we'll pull item eight point four.

2:29

The Zekop's service contact in place on nine point one for discussion.

2:35

Thank you.

2:36

Uh Council President Dodge.

2:38

I move to add another executive session prior to council business.

2:43

It's been moved and seconded.

2:44

All in favor of the motion to add the executive session uh prior to council business, please raise your hands and say aye.

2:52

Aye.

2:52

Thank you.

2:53

Anybody opposed, please raise your hands and say nay.

2:56

Thank you.

2:56

The motion is approved unanimously.

2:58

So now going back to approval of the agenda as amended.

3:04

Thanks.

3:10

Anyone opposed, please raise your hands and say nay.

3:13

Seeing none, that motion is approved unanimously.

3:15

Now going back Luke, could we get a roll call, please?

3:21

Councilmember Eck.

3:24

Councilmember Chen.

3:26

Councilmember Council President Barnett.

3:28

I'm sorry, Councilmember Barnett.

3:30

Here.

3:31

Council President Dodge.

3:33

Councilmember Olson.

3:35

Councilmember Payne.

3:36

Councilmember Nand.

3:37

Mayor.

3:38

Rosen.

3:39

All elected officials are present with the exception of Councilmember Eck.

3:43

Thank you, Councilmember.

3:44

Councilmember Payne.

3:45

Thank you.

3:46

I'd like to make a motion to excuse Councilmember Eck for this um this evening.

3:51

Moved and seconded to excuse Councilmember Eck.

3:54

All in favor, please raise your hands and say aye.

3:56

Aye.

3:57

Anybody opposed, please raise your hands and say nay.

4:00

The motion carries unanimously.

4:02

Thank you.

4:03

Our next item of business is presentations.

4:06

The first is a proclamation of local news days.

5:00

You know, we have, I think most of us in this room or not in this room have seen what can happen globally when there is not a free press, and it's not a pretty site when it is not free and independent.

5:11

And I believe that at a local level an independent press is equally as critical.

5:18

You all provide the heart, what I consider the heartbeat of a city.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Pending Litigation███████████████████19%
Procedural█████████████████17%
Economic Development███████████████15%
Judicial System██████████████14%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████9%
Environmental Protection██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Personnel Matters████4%
Budget Equity Analysis████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Edmonds City Council Regular Meeting – April 7, 2026

The Edmonds City Council met in regular session at 6:00 PM on April 7, 2026, in Council Chambers at 250 5th Ave N, Edmonds, WA, with Zoom participation. Councilmember Eck was excused by unanimous motion; all other councilmembers and Mayor Rosen were present. The council amended the agenda to move consent item 8.4 (Jacobs Engineering PSA) to council business and to add an executive session before council business. All votes taken during the April 7 portion of the meeting were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the agenda as amended (including adding an executive session before council business and moving item 8.4 to council business).
  • Approved the consent agenda excluding pulled item 8.4: minutes of the 03-24-2026 regular meeting and the 03-31-2026 and 04-01-2026 special meetings; claim checks and wire payments (check runs 03-25-26 and 04-01-26); and payroll/benefit checks, direct deposits, and wire payments for 03-16-2026 to 03-31-2026.

Received for Filing

  • Claim for Damages (Bryan York) was received for filing.
  • Planning Board Quarterly Report for Q1 2026 was received for filing.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • John Martin of Mountlake Terrace opposed the use of youth activity account money and Edmonds parks/kids funds to build a professional baseball stadium in Everett. He referenced Mayor Rosen's prior 'Hell no' response and urged the Edmonds City Council to act. No other public comments were made in chambers or remotely.

Presentations

  • Mayor Mike Rosen proclaimed Thursday, April 9, 2026, as Local News Day in Edmonds, emphasizing the importance of free and independent local journalism. A media representative thanked the council, describing the proclamation as a first in the United States.
  • Mayor's Finance Update: the city's audit is still ongoing; auditors have requested additional information and have experienced personal issues. A firmer completion date will be shared when available.

Executive Session

  • Council held an executive session to discuss pending or potential litigation under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i), expected to last 24 minutes. Council reconvened in open session at 6:24 PM; no final action was taken.

Discussion Items

  • Jacobs Engineering Professional Services Agreement (added as 9.1): Council authorized the mayor to enter into the PSA with Jacobs Engineering. Staff explained that Jacobs will provide gasification/pyrolysis expertise and training when Eco Remedy and Amoresco return to operate the WWTP gasification system on April 15, and will update O&M manuals and SOPs. Motion carried unanimously.
  • Reclassification of HR Assistant (First Reading): HR recommended reclassifying the HR assistant to HR analyst because the 0.65 HR analyst position was unfunded in 2025 and duties were redistributed. Council voted unanimously to place the reclassification on the April 14, 2026 consent agenda.
  • Phase 14 Sewer Replacement and Rehabilitation PSA (First Reading): City Engineer Mike Delilah presented the PSA with Kimley-Horn, selected from four SOQs. The project will advance Phase 14 and Phase 15 sewer work to 30% design, covering 27 sites (18 trenchless, 9 replacement/repair), at a total cost of $419,900 including a $40,000 management reserve from the 423 sewer utility fund. Council voted unanimously to move the item to a future consent agenda.
  • WWTP Positions (First Reading): Council approved defunding two vacant WWTP operator positions and adding two supervisor positions (operations, regulatory, and asset management) to create a three-supervisor structure. Staff cited coverage/redundancy, training opportunities, and promotional growth. The estimated fully burdened top-step cost delta was about $34,000; staff said they would provide the figure. Council voted unanimously to place the item and job descriptions on the April 14, 2026 consent agenda.
  • April 2026 Budget Amendment (Second Reading): Finance Director presented the first 2026 budget amendment, driven by an Edmonds Marsh project, IT expenditures, a park impact fee study, and REET fund adjustments. Council voted unanimously to add the omitted TBD sales tax revenue for Streets Fund 11 ($660,000) and bring the amended ordinance back on the April 14, 2026 consent agenda.
  • Opioid Settlement Participation - Six Remnant Defendants (One Reading): City Attorney staff presented the Attorney General's March 2026 settlement with six remnant opioid defendants; the opt-in deadline is May 4, 2026, and the fund is $97 million plus. Council voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to sign and file Exhibit G, the combined subdivision participation and release form. Discussion noted a one-time payment and an estimated city allocation of roughly $700,000 before administrative costs.

Key Outcomes

  • Excused Councilmember Eck by unanimous vote.
  • Approved the amended agenda and consent calendar unanimously.
  • Proclaimed April 9, 2026 as Local News Day.
  • Authorized the Jacobs Engineering PSA unanimously.
  • Directed the HR reclassification, WWTP supervisor reclassification, Phase 14 sewer PSA, and amended April budget amendment to the April 14, 2026 consent agenda (or a future consent agenda for the sewer PSA) unanimously.
  • Approved the opioid settlement participation form unanimously.
  • Held an executive session on litigation; no action taken.

Note: The provided raw transcript contains a separate segment beginning 'Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the March twenty fourth edition...' with Port of Edmonds and Municipal Court presentations, a motion concerning the city's Lupa/Red Elf matter, and council comments. That segment appears to be from the March 24, 2026 meeting and is not included in this April 7, 2026 summary.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. For the land acknowledgement, Councilmember Nan, please. Thank you. We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Snohomish people and their successors, the Chilep tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water. Thank you. Our next item of business is approval of the agenda. It's been moved and seconded. Councilmember Chen. I'd like to pull it 8.4. Can we do this first and then come back to that? All right. Please I forgot roll call. If you wouldn't mind keep going though. All right, yeah. So we'll we'll do this first. Uh we'll pull item eight point four. The Zekop's service contact in place on nine point one for discussion. Thank you. Uh Council President Dodge. I move to add another executive session prior to council business. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor of the motion to add the executive session uh prior to council business, please raise your hands and say aye. Aye. Thank you. Anybody opposed, please raise your hands and say nay. Thank you. The motion is approved unanimously. So now going back to approval of the agenda as amended. Thanks. Anyone opposed, please raise your hands and say nay. Seeing none, that motion is approved unanimously. Now going back Luke, could we get a roll call, please? Councilmember Eck. Councilmember Chen. Councilmember Council President Barnett. I'm sorry, Councilmember Barnett. Here. Council President Dodge. Councilmember Olson. Councilmember Payne. Councilmember Nand. Mayor. Rosen. All elected officials are present with the exception of Councilmember Eck. Thank you, Councilmember. Councilmember Payne. Thank you. I'd like to make a motion to excuse Councilmember Eck for this um this evening. Moved and seconded to excuse Councilmember Eck.

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