Pierce County Council funds historical preservation grant program

Taking up an issue left unresolved from its Oct. 22 meeting, the Pierce County Council voted to approve an amended version of a proposal to fund the Pierce County Historical Preservation grant program. The council approved Proposal No. R2019-135, disbursing $148,012 for 16 grant proposals recommended by the Pierce County Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission.

The amendment to the proposal – also approved by the council – fully funds the Shanaman Sports Museum in Tacoma in the amount of $5,000.

“I would hope to – if not over this next year – at least over the next few years, to maybe have a larger conversation about what we’re going to do with historic properties,” councilmember Marty Campbell said.

The program is funded by the county’s one dollar portion of the five dollars per instrument surcharge levied by the Auditor’s Office for each document recorded under provisions of the Revised Code of Washington 36.22.170(1)(a). The goal of the program is to distribute small, yet meaningful, grants to help promote historic preservation throughout the county.

The council also approved Proposal No. R2019-148, authorizing a two-year agreement for Hearing Examiner services with McCarthy & Causseaux, Inc. The current contract expires at the end of this year.

Two ordinances – one dealing with the county’s personnel code and the other with the official county seal – were also passed by the council.

Proposal No. 2019-73 amends Pierce County Code Chapter 3.72, essentially  creating a “seasonal leave” category for seasonal workers to eliminate the need to terminate and rehire seasonal workers.

Proposal No. 2019-74 amends Chapter 1.08 of the Pierce County Code updating the image of the county seal and adding a section regarding its use for official purposes only or as otherwise deemed appropriate by the council.