(The Center Square) – The King County Council voted to extend an emergency proclamation amid severe flooding this month as the Office of Emergency Management says it is still in the process of assessing damages.
The emergency proclamation – first issued by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay on Dec. 8 – enables quick contracting for urgent needs like specialized equipment and personnel. It includes a waiver provision, which suspends normal competitive bidding rules for government contracts during a declared emergency.
The emergency proclamation lasts for 21 calendar days as required by state law, unless extended by motion. That 21-calendar-day requirement is set to expire Monday, but Zahilay wrote in a letter to Council Chair Sarah Perry that the risk of another significant weather system and the vital nature of some recovery activities requires the extension…