Council authorizes application for $400,000 youth athletic facilities grant for field lighting

The Enumclaw City Council on April 27 approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to apply for a youth athletic facilities grant to fund lighting of youth athletic fields.

City clerk Katie McKee read Resolution 18‑74 by title. Parks Director Aliyah Hibbs told council that relamping and adding lighting for Boise Creek and two additional fields became more expensive than budgeted due to general cost increases since 2024. Hibbs said the grant application requests $400,000; the project would leverage about $202,000 in impact fees as the match and budget the remaining $198,000 in the 2027 budget, producing an estimated total project budget of roughly $800,000 including a 15% contingency.

"We applied for grant funding and the award amount proposed is $400,000," Hibbs said, and staff recommended moving forward with the application while confirming the 50% match requirement.

Council approved the resolution by voice vote; the community services committee had recommended approval pending confirmation of the match. The resolution authorizes staff to submit the RCO grant application and pursue the match plan outlined in the staff presentation.

Why it matters: new and improved field lighting would expand evening youth athletic opportunities but requires substantial local matching funds; council will need to account for the remaining budget during the 2027 budget process.