HomeMy WebLinkAboutJan 2026 Emergency ProclamationFLOOD Emergency Proclamation 20260115 Page 1 of 2
City of Renton
Proclamation of Emergency
WHEREAS, the City of Renton, State of Washington, empowers the Mayor to proclaim
the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency in the City, when the City is affected
or likely to be affected by a major emergency or natural disaster; and
WHEREAS, Governor Bob Ferguson proclaimed a state of emergency for many counties
in Washington State, including King County, due to a severe storm event which began impacting
Washington State on December 2, 2025, producing high winds, and extreme rainfall resulting in
localized flooding, saturated soils, landslides, stream bank and slope erosion, fallen trees and
tree limbs, and flying debris; and
WHEREAS, County Executive Girmay Zahilay issued an emergency proclamation due to
this same incident and resultant conditions in King County; and
WHEREAS, the City of Renton has experienced significant impacts from this storm; staff
from multiple departments were required to transition to emergency operations; and the
potential exists for significant impacts to health, safety, life, and property in the city; and
WHEREAS, the City of Renton Utility Systems Director and Incident Commander for this
incident, Ronald Straka, requested that Mayor Armondo Pavone proclaim the existence of a
local emergency therein; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor finds that conditions of peril to the health and safety of persons
and property have arisen within the City, caused by and heavy rainfall resulting in flooding and
saturated soils, fallen tree limbs, damaged trees and other woody debris, and that the perils are
anticipated to continue for an unknown number of days; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor proclaimed the existence of an emergency on December 18, 2025;
and
WHEREAS, the City is continuing to evaluate and discover damages on or about public
property and facilities that may require the ability to expedite contracts so that they may be
repaired without delay and risk of additional damage; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor has determined that this additional work requires that the original
emergency proclamation issued on December 18, 2025 be amended and extended;
NOW THEREFORE, I, Armondo Pavone, Mayor of the City of Renton, proclaim that an
emergency exists in the City of Renton and proclaim as follows:
1. The above recitals are found to be true and correct in all respect.
FLOOD Emergency Proclamation 20260115 Page 2 of 2
2. The proclamations of emergency by the Governor and the County Executive are
confirmed and adopted by the City of Renton.
3. It is hereby proclaimed that during the existence of said local emergency, the powers,
functions, and duties necessary to stabilize and control said incident are hereby
delegated to Ronald Straka, Utility Systems Director and Incident Commander.
4. Each City of Renton Department is authorized to exercise powers vested under this
declaration/proclamation in light of the exigencies of an extreme emergency situation,
including but not limited to seeking aid, implementing staffing needs, accommodations
and operations, providing any appropriate and available emergency assistance to the
victims of such disaster, and doing what is necessary in order to protect human lives.
5. Each City of Renton Department Administrator or their designees are authorized
pursuant to: the provisions of RCW 39.04.280; Renton Policy and Procedure 800-12,
paragraph 4.9; and Renton Policy and Procedure 250-02, paragraph 5.3, to waive
competitive bidding requirements and award all necessary contracts on behalf of the
City of Renton to address the emergency situation and those needs that may arise as a
result of it. Within two weeks of awarding any contract pursuant to this emergency,
each relevant City Department shall provide a written finding of the existence of the
emergency and notice of any contract thereby awarded to the City Council and
memorialize the same with the City Clerk, who shall publish all necessary information in
accordance with city policy.
6. This local emergency shall be deemed to continue until 12:00 AM February 16, 2026.
Dated January 15, 2026
______________________
Armondo Pavone, Mayor
City of Renton
Attest:
____________
Jason Seth, City Clerk
DATE: January 22, 2026
TO: Ruth Pérez, Council President
Members of Renton City Council
CC: Armondo Pavone, Mayor
Ed VanValey, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Maryjane Van Cleave, Parks & Recreation Administrator
STAFF CONTACT: John Rupp, P.E., Parks & Trails Director
SUBJECT: Emergency Proclamation – Stoneway Property Retaining
Wall Repair
What Occurred
Following record Cedar River flows on December 11, 2025, Parks & Recreation staff lead by
John Rupp, P.E., Parks & Trails Director, conducted routine post-flood inspections of City
riverfront assets. During these inspections, a section of the retaining wall at the recently
acquired Stoneway Property failed and collapsed outward into the river, with adjacent wall
blocks dislocated and at risk of further failure.
The Stoneway Property is a former contaminated site subject to environmental covenants
administered by the Washington State Department of Ecology, including requirements to
maintain the integrity of the soil cap. The wall failure created a risk of progressive collapse
and potential exposure or release of contaminated materials.
Why an Emergency Proclamation Was Requested
Based on site conditions, consultant assessment, and regulatory obligations associated
with the property, immediate stabilization and repair were required to reduce
environmental and liability risk. An emergency proclamation was coordinated with the
Mayor’s Office to allow expedited contracting and mobilization.
The emergency proclamation did not waive environmental permitting, regulatory review,
financial controls, or interdepartmental oversight. It allowed work to proceed within time
constraints driven by site stability and environmental risk. Delaying action to follow
standard procurement timelines would have increased the likelihood of additional failure
and expanded exposure.
Council President & Members of Council
Page 2 of 4
January 22, 2026
Figure 1. Initial state of wall collapse.
Figure 2. Nearly complete wall repair.
Council President & Members of Council
Page 3 of 4
January 22, 2026
Key Dates
12/29: Wall failure identified during post-flood inspections
12/30: Engineering assessment confirmed risk of additional failure
12/30: Emergency proclamation coordinated with Mayor’s Office
12/30–12/31: Coordination initiated with Ecology, WDFW, and USACE
12/31: Engineering, environmental consultants, and contractor engaged
01/02: Hydraulic Project Approval application submitted (WDFW)
01/05: Hydraulic Project Approval issued
01/07: USACE confirmed no Corps permit required
01/08: Construction contract executed; repairs initiated
01/21: Structural repairs completed
Contracted Partners:
The below noted partners and respective contract amounts reflect anticipated totals
accounting for all change orders based on unforeseen conditions discovered once
excavations began. Final invoices have not yet been received.
Partner Approximate Final Contract Amount
Environmental Consulting:
Landau Associates $50,000
Geotechnical Engineering:
GeoEngineers $30,000
Construction:
Johansen Construction Company $500,000
How the Work Was Coordinated
The response was coordinated across departments to ensure compliance and oversight.
Finance supported financial setup and cost tracking; Community and Economic
Development provided onsite construction observation and quantity verification; and Parks
& Recreation served as the lead department coordinating consultants, contractors, and
regulatory agencies.
What Is Next
Final erosion control measures will be completed, after which the site will return to routine
monitoring consistent with existing environmental covenants.
Legislative Process
This memorandum is provided for background and transparency regarding actions taken
during an emergency and does not replace or supersede the City’s legislative approval
processes. To the extent that formal Council action is required to ratify contracts or
authorizations executed under the emergency proclamation, staff will follow the normal
agenda bill process to ensure those actions are properly recorded.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Maryjane Van Cleave, Parks & Recreation Administrator
John Rupp, P.E., Parks & Trails Director