LYNNWOOD—The council began hearing 2025-26 biennium budget presentations and approved a 7.6 percent increase to permit fees and the mayor’s request to remove the professional engineering licensure requirement for the Public Works Director position, at its Monday, October 14, city council meeting.
The department presentations commenced on Monday with Executive, Legal, City Council, and Finance. PRCA, Municipal Court, and Police will present on October 16 with DBS, Human Resources, Information Technology presenting to the council on October 28. Public Works and Capital budget will wrap up presentations on November 4.
The Lynnwood Times will be combining Monday’s and Wednesday’s budget presentations into a single article to be published Thursday, October 17.
Development and Business Services (BDS) Fee Schedule Amendments
Council President George Hurst made the motion to approve the fee schedule that was seconded by Council Vice President Julieta Altamirano-Crosby and passed unanimously 7-0.
“What we found when we did the analysis, is that cities have allowed themselves to slip further and further behind on cost recovery. So, when you got into other communities that are our neighbors, they actually run at a significant deficit of revenue to fees. We wanted to move out of that position,” David Kleitsch, DBS Director told councilmembers.
The Development and Business Services department requested the city council to adopt a 7.6 percent increase in the 2025 fees related to permitting, construction, and land use activities administered by the department. DBS is also the council to approve the adoption to annually adjust the fees by 4% plus the inflation percentage based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for years 2026 through 2028.
The council adopted Ordinance No. 3451 on December 4, 2023 that increased DBS fees for 2024 between 12 to 45 percent.
The new 2025 fee schedule will take effect by Monday, October 21, 2024.
Supporting Documentation: Development and Business Services Fee Schedule Amendments
Removing Engineering Licensure Requirement Public Works Director
The Mayor is requesting the city council to remove the professional engineering licensure for its Public Works Director position. If passed, a Public Works Director without a professional engineering license will need to delegate licensed engineering duties to a department employee holding a professional engineering license.
“If you make your job look easy and not understand the technical difficulties in doing the job, the job just ends up looking easy and you can be under appreciated and under rewarded for the actual technical effort the has to go into the role,” Councilman Decker said, who voted against the motion. “My preference has always been to have a team lead who also has a technical expertise to be able to understand and appreciate the specific skills and experience and knowledge of the various team members. I think maintaining that particular license would grant that authority and understanding for that particular individual.”
A professional engineering license assigns full liability of all approved engineering designs for the city. According to the state of Washington, a professional engineer must have eight years or more of experience in engineering, successfully passing a written or oral examination, or both, and is accredited within the state.
The Public Works Department develops, manages and operates all physical infrastructure within the city limits of Lynnwood to facilitate the City’s health, safety, and welfare while enhancing the quality of life, according to the City’s website. Public works is responsible for all construction management, transportation, storm water maintenance, environmental projects, and water and sewer maintenance with the city.
The city currently has 12 licensed professional engineers within Public Works, and the mayor stated that her recommendation was cleared by current Public Works Director Bill Franz.
Councilman Hurst shared with the Lynnwood Times that the cities of Edmonds, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrance and Mukilteo do not have the PE as a requirement for the Public Works directorship.
Council Vice President Altamirano-Crosby made the motion to remove the PE requirement that was seconded by Council President Hurst. The motion passed 6-1 with Councilman Decker dissenting.
Supporting Documentation: LMC 2.44.020 Revision
Author: Mario Lotmore
