Sedro-Woolley City Council Meeting for October 28, 2026

The Sedro-Woolley City Council’s October 28, 2026 meeting included several procurement- and budget-related items. Council confirmed Josh Nlander as information technology director, following a recruitment with more than 40 completed applications; the confirmation also authorized a tentatively agreed employment agreement. The council approved the 2026–2028 labor contract with International Association of Firefighters Local 1983 and authorized the mayor to execute it, with retroactive pay dating to the start of 2026. It also passed Resolution 117-26 approving a development agreement with the R.J. Group for Gateway Village, including deferral of certain fees to a later deadline in connection with infrastructure improvements. In the second reading of the 2027–2028 budget, staff described a balanced proposal without tax increases or reserve withdrawals; budget constraints include eliminating an associate planner position and removing funding for a permitting-system upgrade. A network revamp remains budgeted, with staff considering a cybersecurity grant to supplement it.

Skagit Transit presented research on a possible Route 300 microtransit pilot, but no service or contracting decision was made. The agency reported 11 vendor responses to RFI 26-022, ranging from technology solutions to turnkey service, and said that an RFP could follow if its board directs a contracted model. Vendor pricing and a completed ADA transition plan are still needed for cost comparisons; a grant-funded pilot could launch no earlier than May 2027, with staff discussing a potential 6–12-month test period. The council and public raised questions about accessibility, costs, service coverage, and effects on current riders. No procurement award or pilot approval occurred.