Gift of Public Funds - Democracy not a Dicatorship

FACT: There is no Community and Economic Relief Fund in the adopted 2020 City of Edmonds Budget.

FACT: There are no agreements for services between the City of Edmonds and the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, Edmonds Senior Center and the Edmonds Food Bank.

FACT: City never solicited services for the poor and infirmed.

State Law

RCW 35A.33.120:

Transfers between individual appropriations within any one fund may be made during the current fiscal year by order of the city's chief administrative officer subject to such regulations, if any, as may be imposed by the city council. Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 43.09.210 or of any statute to the contrary, transfers, as herein authorized, may be made within the same fund regardless of the various offices, departments or divisions of the city which may be affected.

RCW 42.24.080 - Municipal corporations and political subdivisions--Claims against for contractual purposes--Auditing and payment--Forms--Authentication and certification.

All claims presented against any county, city, district or other municipal corporation or political subdivision by persons furnishing materials, rendering services or performing labor, or for any other contractual purpose, shall be audited, before payment, by an auditing officer elected or appointed pursuant to statute or, in the absence of statute, an appropriate charter provision, ordinance or resolution of the municipal corporation or political subdivision. Such claims shall be prepared for audit and payment on a form and in the manner prescribed by the state auditor. The form shall provide for the authentication and certification by such auditing officer that the materials have been furnished, the services rendered or the labor performed as described, and that the claim is a just, due and unpaid obligation against the municipal corporation or political subdivision; and no claim shall be paid without such authentication and certification . . . .

Washington Constitution

Article VIII, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Washington states:

No county, city, town or other municipal corporation shall hereafter give any money, or property, or loan its money, or credit to or in aid of any individual, association, company, or corporation, except for the necessary support of the poor and infirmed.



The Council must ignore controlling constitutional, statutory, and common law authority to hold the Community and Economic Relief Fund was properly created. It would be unconscionable for City Council to ignore the plain meaning of the words in our State Constitution and State laws.

What is a gift? Giving something or money with no strings attached.  First off Mayor Nelson lacks authority to create a fund without the benefit of an adopted city ordinance. There is no Community and Economic Relief Fund in the Edmonds 2020 Budget. The Mayor lacks authority to decide who gets to receive public funds. Prior to any transfer of public taxpayer funds for services requires bargained for services and documentation of those services to be provided.

The City Attorney alluded to agreements in his memo to the Council. I have requested those agreements with no result from the City Clerk. There are no agreements in the Agenda packet. Where are the agreements? The purpose of this requirement is to prevent fraud and misuse of the public funds.

Edmonds municipal government is a democracy not a dictatorship. If the Council truly believes there is a public need to support the poor and infirmed please start this process over: Create an ordinance, solicited bids, evaluated the organizations and plans to use those funds, require a written agreements and documentation of the expenditures.


Please City Council take charge of this situation, failure to do otherwise would be abdication your legislative authority and responsibility.