City Council Special Meeting of September 1, 2026

The City Council of Lake Stevens held a special meeting on September 1, 2026, focusing primarily on financial and infrastructure matters. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval to hire a temporary financial analyst to support the finance department amid vacancies, funded within the existing budget with a salary cap of $33,000 for 2026. The council also received an extensive briefing on the stormwater utility rate study presented by consultants from FCS, outlining the need to evaluate and potentially adjust stormwater fees to cover increasing operational and capital costs. The study aims to propose new rates by late 2026 for implementation in 2027, with considerations of balancing enterprise fund requirements and overall city budget impacts. Additionally, the council discussed capital improvement projects related to stormwater infrastructure, including recent and upcoming projects funded partially through stormwater fees and loans. The Parks and Recreation Department reported on revenue generation from facility rentals and upcoming capital projects, including playground replacement and pier resurfacing, with plans for future procurement activities such as signage code updates and community center solicitations. Motions passed included authorization to fill the temporary finance analyst position using existing budget funds.