Council authorizes application for $400,000 RCO grant to light youth athletic fields

Enumclaw’s City Council voted April 27 to authorize a grant application to the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) seeking $400,000 to light youth athletic fields.

Parks Director Aliyah Hibbs briefed the council that relamping and lighting costs increased since initial estimates and that the proposed RCO award of $400,000 would be leveraged with existing impact fees and an additional local match. Hibbs said the grant requires a 50% match; staff reported the city already has $202,000 in impact fees and would budget an additional $198,000 in the 2027 budget, noting the total project budget estimate is $800,000 including a 15% contingency.

Council member Krejzer moved to approve Resolution 1874 and Council member Smith seconded; the council approved the resolution by voice vote.

Why it matters: The lighting project would increase usable hours for youth athletics on the named fields and depend on matching local funds in the 2027 budget if the grant is awarded.

Quote: “This grant application proposes an award of $400,000, and we will leverage ... impact fees and a match,” Parks Director Aliyah Hibbs said. “We already have 202,000 in impact fees ... the additional budgeted funds in 2027 would be 198,000.”

Procedural note: The transcript shows approval by voice vote; the meeting record did not include a roll-call tally of individual votes.