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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: February 9, 2026 <br />TOPIC: Kittitas County Conference of Governments Public Facilities Fund 2026 <br />Project Award <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff to prepare enabling documents <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Josh Fredrickson <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct Staff to prepare enabling documents including contracts and award for funding <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Kittitas County receives Distressed County Sales and Use Tax (0.09 funds) <br />• Funds are utilized to support economic development activities and construction of <br />public facilities <br />• The Conference of Government (COG) makes recommendations for funding <br />projects <br />• Funding for two projects is currently proposed <br />BACKGROUND: <br />As part of SB 5740 in 1997 the State included the Rural Counties Public Facilities Sales <br />Tax (RCW 82.14.370), known as the 0.09% rural sales tax. These funds are for the <br />purpose of supporting economic growth and financing Public Facilities including but not <br />limited to, bridges, roads, domestic and industrial water facilities, sanitary sewer <br />facilities. Kittitas County's Public Facilities Fund (108) provides the mechanism for <br />investing distressed county sales and use tax in Kittitas County. These funds are utilized <br />to support economic development activities and construction of public facilities. <br />Kittitas County Conference of Governments (COG) recommends award of Funds which <br />are managed in Fund 108 by Public Works. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />At their December 17, 2025 and January 21, 2026 regularly scheduled meetings COG <br />met to receive reports and request for funding of two specific program projects. This <br />included ongoing support for the work of the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce and <br />for the newly created Executive Director of COG. A motion to approve funding the two <br />projects was submitted and approved. These funding requests meet eligibility criteria and <br />are being brought forward to the Board of County Commissioners for recommendation. <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2026 <br />