Executive/Council Action Form (ECAF2025-3499)
ITEM TITLE:
Title
Motion 25-511, authorizing the Snohomish County Executive to sign a contract amendment with Kaplan Kirsch LLP for legal services regarding federal aviation law and regulation
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DEPARTMENT: Airport
ORIGINATOR: Emily Phillipe
EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATION: Approved by Mike Fong 11/3/25
PURPOSE: To continue legal services regarding federal aviation and airport law and regulations.
BACKGROUND:
* Kaplan Kirsch LLP provides skilled, creative legal representation and an understanding of the public sector that comes from direct experience in cities and counties nationwide.
* Kaplan Kirsch has provided sound and insightful advice to the County regarding federal aviation and airport law and regulation since December 2008.
* Peter Kirsch is a nationally recognized attorney in the field of airports, the environment and federal aviation law and has provided counsel on a wide variety of public agencies across the country.
* Continuing advice from Peter Kirsch is critical to informed County decision-making regarding service at Paine Field and other federal aviation and airport law and regulation matters.
* The current 2021 contract was for an amount not to exceed $150,000 (by previous motions 21-332, 25-060, whereby Council approved and authorized the Executive to sign amendments 1 and 2 to the legal professional services agreements with Kaplan Kirsch) and has been extended to December 31, 2027 with one additional three-year extension term remaining.
* Amendment 3 provides additional compensation of $300,000.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
EXPEND: FUND, AGY, ORG, ACTY, OBJ, AU
2021
2022
To 2027
410-521680-4101 Professional Services
$25,000
$75,000
$450,000
TOTAL
$25,000
$75,000
$450,000
REVENUE: FUND, AGY, ORG, REV, SOURCE
2021
2022
To 2027
410-321680-0800 Fund Balance
$25,000
$75,000
$450,000
TOTAL
$25,000
$75,000
$450,000
DEPARTMENT FISCAL IMPACT NOTES:
The Airport Enterprise Fund has sufficie...
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