Cosmopolis council adopts 2021 building code, approves EMS interlocal agreements and extends police contract

Cosmopolis City Council voted Dec. 18 to adopt the 2021 International Building Code, approved interlocal emergency medical services agreements with Grays Harbor County and Aberdeen, and extended the police departments collective bargaining agreement for one year.

Bill Siedor, the citys building official, urged adoption of ordinance 13-92 as a routine update tied to state action, saying, "here it is 2024. We're just adopting it 2021, which is required." The ordinance updates the city's building code from an earlier edition to the 2021 International Building Code and includes the councils option on whether to adopt certain appendices; the measure passed on a voice vote.

On emergency medical services, a county emergency-management presenter identified in the meeting as Hannah described the proposed Grays Harbor County EMS interlocal agreement and explained how the citys share is calculated. Hannah said the city contribution is computed from assessed values in the levy book and from approved budget figures so the agreement uses concrete, already-collected numbers rather than projected estimates. She added the interlocal includes a 180-day termination clause to allow a city to opt out for the following year if it chooses.

Council then approved entering into the Grays Harbor County EMS interlocal agreement and separately approved the Aberdeen Emergency Medical Services interlocal agreement for 2025. Council members asked whether the agreements would change citizens utility bills; staff said the EMS service charge on utility bills will remain the same for 2025 and that the October amendment reduced the citys prior share to reflect local budgeting decisions.

On labor and benefits, council voted to adopt a one-year extension of the police departments existing labor contract, keeping terms and rates at 2023 levels while keeping the door open to explore an alternative insurance option. A public-safety official explained the short extension "leaves the door open" to consider an alternate group plan the union can provide and said switching could "save upwards of $40,000" annually, but stressed no insurance change would occur automatically and that any switch would follow further review and employee engagement.

All votes in the meeting were taken by voice and recorded as affirmative; council noted that formal roll-call tallies were not taken for the voice votes recorded in the transcript.

A short public-comment period followed, with Michelle Bodrich thanking volunteer firefighters and council members for their work on a recent tree-lighting event. The council closed with routine remarks and an announcement that Santa would appear in Cosmopolis on Saturday with a livestream starting around 2:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned at about 7:50 p.m.