A $30,000 grant from Washington state means the city of Snoqualmie won’t have to spend as much money to equip the planned new downtown city hall.

The city got a visit from Regional Archivist Michael Saunders of the Washington Secretary of State’s Office, who presented an oversize check made out to $30,000 during its May 27 council meeting.

The grant pays for shelves, supplies and temporary help in maintaining the city’s essential records.

City clerk Jodi Warren said the grant is the highest dollar amount that the secretary of state gives out for such efforts. The city was lucky to receive it, she added.

The city had already budgeted the funding for the project. Now, Warren said, money allocated for the records project can be freed up to help pay for city hall.

City Finance Officer Harry Oestreich included those funds in a presentation to council members, looking at ways to fund the new building. Oestreich’s numbers, which included millions in capital improvement funds, impact fees, and real estate taxes, concluded with money from the city’s archiving project.

After presenting the grant, Saunders wished the city good luck in its future endeavors.