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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />WORK SESSION DATE: September 26, 2016 <br />TOPIC: RCO Ringer Loop Grant <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff Investigate Re -tasking Grant Funds <br />LEAD STAFF: Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to investigate re -tasking Washington State Recreation Conservation <br />Office (RCO) grants funds (Ringer Loop) supporting acquisition of preferred <br />property and associated senior water rights located in the Teanaway. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Earlier this year, Public Works received $988,452.00 RCO grant supporting <br />implementation actions contained in the Lower Yakima River Reach Study. <br />Acquisition of the Papineau property (Ringer Loop) and others in the vicinity are <br />suggested actions for expensing grant funds. Acquisition of conservation <br />easements of high priority properties identified in the plan are also funded in the <br />grant. <br />For several years, the County and others have been working to secure a high <br />priority (Integrated Plan Habitat Subcommittee) Teanaway property and <br />associated senior water rights. The purchase option on the property is <br />anticipated to extinguish in the absence of action on the part of the County. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Public Works is in process finalizing acquisition of the Papineau property and is <br />midway towards acquisition of the Sparks property. The value of the two <br />acquisitions is anticipated to be in the $500,000 range. Providing expectations <br />on value are confirmed, approximately $450,000 could be available supporting <br />acquisition of the desired Teanaway property. <br />Preliminary discussions with Integrated Plan Habitat Subcommittee members <br />suggests that support exists re -tasking remaining portions of the RCO grant <br />(after Papineau and Sparks) is supported. The process of re -tasking RCO <br />remaining funds ($450,000 after payment of outstanding invoices to Rowland and <br />Associates) is unknown to staff at this time. Staff proposes contacting our grant <br />officer discussing the action and defining the process. <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />