La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

The Town of La Conner is in line for state funds to help with long-planned upgrades to its nearly half-century old wastewater treatment plant.

Town Administrator Scott Thomas told council members at their hybrid meeting Aug. 23 that La Conner’s application for a Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction grant was successful.

The question is just how much money will arrive here from Olympia.

“Unfortunately,” he said, “we don’t know what we’ll receive in terms of the amount.”

Thomas said the state legislature in its 2021-23 biennial budget set aside $9 million for a grant program to help towns and cities prepare and plan for treatment facility improvements and modifications necessary to maximize nutrient removal from existing treatment processes. Grant awards are variable depending on populations served, treatment plant age and community economic status.

The funds will help La Conner comply with the Washington Department of Ecology’s Puget Sound Nutrient General Permit requirements.

“The first step of this project is to retain an engineering consultant to prepare an engineering report,” Thomas said. “The report is required under Washington law and will provide the Town with a 20-year plan for upgrading the Town’s wastewater treatment plant and collection.

The Town’s $30,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to study the industrial area south of downtown for revitalization was also approved, Thomas reported.

The state Department of Commerce did not select La Conner for an Energy Retrofits for Public Buildings award that would have funded installation of solar panels at the fire station, however.

Councilmember Mary Wohleb said she will reach out to a DOC contact in early September to ascertain why La Conner didn’t receive the solar grant.

The Town was making a presentation Aug. 25 for its Recreation Conservation Office grant application to construct its new park on Maple Avenue, Thomas said.

“We remain hopeful that we will be successful in this application,” Thomas said, “although there will be budget implications if we are successful.”

The $539,325 proposal requires a 50% match.