City of Kent Committee of the Whole and Council Meeting - November 3, 2026

The City of Kent Committee of the Whole and City Council met on November 3, 2026. The council approved the 2027 state legislative agenda, including a $5 million request for solar panels and battery storage at the new Administrative Services Building, along with priorities on local revenue, aerospace jobs, public-defense funding, and municipal liability. The council also adopted the 2027 property-tax levy ordinance and the 2027–28 biennial budget, totaling $944.2 million, including $291.1 million for the General Fund. The property-tax rate was estimated at $1.07 per $1,000 of assessed value, subject to finalization.

Procurement actions included approval of an updated professional services agreement with Alliant Insurance Services to broker the city’s insurance policies, increasing the annual rate from $60,000 to $75,000, with future increases capped at the lesser of 3% or CPI. The council authorized a consultant services agreement with SOMA Incorporated for final design, permitting, and bid support for the Earthworks Canyon sediment-pond culvert replacement project; no contract amount was stated. It also awarded the firing-range acoustical upgrade bid to Oak Hills Construction for $476,928 including sales tax, funded through the Capital Resources Fund; four bids were received, against an engineer’s estimate of $449,745 excluding tax. Staff also reported potential grant awards of $750,000 and $2 million for flood-related projects. Parking-code changes required by state law and critical-area buffer amendments were presented as information items, not approved at this meeting.