111-23 - Resolution - Adopting the 2024 Legislative AgendaDocuSign Envelope ID: A5707FCC-3CEF-4ECE-9C2C-1BOCA906369B
RESOLUTION NO. 111-23
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, ADOPTING
THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
WHEREAS, since 2011, the City has hired Gordon Thomas Honeywell Government Affairs
to provide benefit to the citizens by having expertise and guidance of a lobbying firm that would
assist the Mayor and staff in accomplishing the goals and objectives of the City to State legislators;
and
WHEREAS, each year, the firm continues to advocate for important legislative priorities
of the City; and
WHEREAS, on September 26, 2023, Josh Weiss and Annika Vaughn, with Gordon
Thomas Honeywell -Governmental Affairs, the City's Lobbyists, provided a presentation on the
2023 Legislative Session; and
WHEREAS, on November 21, 2023, at the City Council Work Study meeting a draft was
presented with some suggested items for the 2024 legislative item, therefore attached, labeled
as Exhibit A, lists the legislative items; now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES
AS FOLLOWS:
THAT: The City of Port Orchard hereby adopts the 2024 Legislative Agenda, attached as
Exhibit A.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Port Orchard, SIGNED by the Mayor and attested
by the City Clerk in authentication of such passage this 28th day of November 2023.
ATTEST:
Brandy Wallace, MMC, City Clerk
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Robert Putaansuu, Mayor
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DocuSign Envelope ID: A5707FCC-3CEF-4ECE-9C2C-1BOCA906369B
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CITY OF PORT ORCHARD
216 Prospect Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366
(36o) 876-4407 • Fax: (36o) 895-9029
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www.portorchardwa.gov
2024 Legislative Priorities
Port Orchard Community Event Center
The City received $1.2 million in the 2021 Capital budget to begin work on the Port Orchard Community Event
Center. This master -planned project will feature an indoor events space, space for the Kitsap Library, new
headquarters for Kitsap Bank, opportunities for residential/mixed use development, and a flexible community
plaza allowing for outdoor concerts, events, and other community gatherings centered around a revitalized
waterfront, in addition to parking and pedestrian improvements. With this state investment, competitive grant
funding, private and local match, the City has made significant headway on the project, which is well into the
design phase. The City anticipates completing design, planning, and pre -construction by the end of 2024 and will
seek state investment for construction in the 2025 Legislative Session.
Bay Street Sea Level Rise — Resilience Funding
The City is working to mitigate the impacts of sea -level rise in downtown Port Orchard. With existing
infrastructure, sea -level rise could prevent access to existing businesses, the waterfront, and inhibit pedestrian and
automobile mobility through one of the City's main thoroughfares. The City has received federal funding for
design and partial construction to raise Bay Street, utilities, and adjacent businesses, which runs East-West along
the City waterfront, to ensure public access is maintained. The City is likely to seek state funding for the remainder
of construction costs for this project in the 2025 Legislative Session, when design is complete.
Vehicular Pursuits
The City supports revision of the state vehicular pursuits statute to ensure cities can address rising public safety
concerns in their jurisdictions, including clarifying that officers are able to pursue wrong -way drivers, and adding
vehicular theft to the list of crimes for which an officer may pursue.
Police Training Academy and BLEA
The City appreciates recent state investment towards addressing shortages of public safety personnel in local
jurisdictions. The City asks the Legislature to continue funding additional regional Law Enforcement Training
Academies, such as what was funded in Vancouver, Skagit County, and Pasco in the 2023 Legislative Session,
and asks for continued investment in additional Basic Law Enforcement Academy Classes to reduce the shortage
of law enforcement officers statewide.
Funding for Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Blake Implementation
Cities are beginning to experience increased public safety costs associated with implementing Senate Bill 5536,
responding to the State v. Blake decision, enacted in the 2023 Legislative Session and effective August 2023. The
City of Port Orchard joins other cities in requesting the State adequately fund increased costs passed down to
cities, including costs of ramping up substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, funding for therapeutic and other
alternative courts, and costs associated with additional simple possession caseload in municipal courts.
DocuSign Envelope ID: A5707FCC-3CEF-4ECE-9C2C-1BOCA906369B
2024 Legislative Priorities
City of Port Orchard
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Foster Pilot Program
The City of Port Orchard was chosen by the state for a water resource mitigation pilot project to address municipal
water supply challenges after the Foster decision. The City has invested over $1 million in City funds for this
pilot project, which to -date has not resulted in Ecology -approved water supply. The Foster Legislative Task Force
published recommendations to the Legislature prior to the 2023 Legislative Session, but the Legislature did not
advance any policy related to municipal water rights. The Legislature must adopt solutions providing
municipalities a path to sustainable water permitting and usage, as required to accommodate growth under the
Growth Management Act, and if necessary, provide a pathway for approval of the City's mitigated water supply
project.
Sedgwick Roundabouts at SR-16/SR-160 Intersections
Though the Legislature made significant investments in the Move Ahead Washington package, much of this
funding did not address ongoing transportation needs for local governments, including maintenance and
preservation, fish passage, and projects improving highway safety and congestion relief. Sedgwick Road (State
Route 160) and State Route 16, traverse the City and serve as both regional and local thoroughfares. To mitigate
congestion along these state routes, the City proposes two compact roundabouts at the SR-16 and SR-160
interchanges. Prior to current inflation rates, the project was estimated to cost $6 million. The City has funded
temporary improvements to these intersections to provide short-term relief; however, the City requires additional
investment to complete long-term improvements. Port Orchard asks the State to look for opportunities to fund
this important project.
The City of Port Orchard supports the Association of Washington Cities' legislative agenda.