Port Angeles City Council

Port Angeles City Council concluded a weeks-long leadership transition by formally electing Kate Dexter as Mayor and Navara Carr as Deputy Mayor for the 2026-2028 term, ending the uncertainty that began with a tied mayoral vote at their January 6 meeting when one member was absent. With all seven members present, Dexter secured four first-choice votes to three for Carr, while Carr won the deputy mayor position with four votes to three for Drew Schwab. The evening's substantive work focused heavily on housing development initiatives, with Council approving procedures to accept donated permit-ready building plans that could significantly reduce construction costs for local builders. The resolution establishes formal criteria for donated engineered plan sets that would be made freely available through the City's online library, with automatic eligibility for permit fee waivers. Staff emphasized this builds on an already successful program that has produced multiple completed housing units using pre-approved designs. Council also accepted a major $1.988 million federal housing grant for predevelopment work at 935 West 10th Street, continuing the City's ambitious multifamily housing pilot project. The Commerce Department grant will fund design, engineering, and developer selection for what staff envisions as a demonstration project for higher-density housing in commercially zoned areas. Some council members raised concerns about the grant's promissory note requirements, though staff indicated they would continue negotiating those terms. Other significant actions included accepting a $120,000 stormwater capacity grant from the Department of Ecology, approving professional services agreements for employee benefits administration, and continuing merchant services with NCR. The meeting also featured an extensive presentation from Senior Center Manager Carmen Geyer highlighting the facility's impressive community impact, including 9,804 volunteer hours and service to over