City Council

TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 1 CONVENE: 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Debbie Sullivan and Councilmembers Peter Agabi, Michael Althauser, Joan Cathey, Leatta Dahlhoff, Angela Jefferson, and Charlie Schneider. Excused: Councilmember Eileen Swarthout Staff: City Administrator John Doan, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Fire Chief Brian Hurley, and City Clerk Melody Valiant. PROCLAMATION Councilmember Agabi read a proclamation declaring the month of May as TUMWATER BIKE “Tumwater Bike Month.” The proclamation recognizes National Bike MONTH MAY 2023: Month and Clean Air Month and encourages Tumwater residents to put forth their best effort to reduce single-occupant motor vehicle trips to reduce air pollution, energy consumption, and traffic congestion. Mayor Sullivan introduced Duncan Green with Intercity Transit. Mr. Green reported the region’s local celebration of National Bike Month is the Thurston County Bicycle Community Challenge (BCC). He thanked Mayor Sullivan and the Council for proclaiming May as Bicycle Month in the City of Tumwater. The BCC celebrates its 36th year as the longest running challenge in the region. The BCC encourages people to use a bicycle for some of their transportation needs instead of driving. This year’s theme is “Whoooooooo is Going to Ride Today?” featuring a Great horned owl. The kick-off event was held on Earth Day as the “Earth Day Market Ride” with over 130 people participating. To date, over 2,000 miles have been logged during the first two days of the event. The BCC is supported by over 400 local and regional sponsors. Community members are invited to join the BCC by registering at bcc.intercitytransit.com. TIMBERLAND Cheryl Heywood, Executive Director, Timberland Regional Library (TRL), REGIONAL reported the organization services 550,000 people in Pacific, Lewis, Mason, LIBRARY – STATE Grays Harbor, and Thurston Counties. OF ADDRESS: Over the last year, TRL experienced a 12% increase in new library open hours at 29 libraries. The Tumwater Library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. TRL introduced an early literacy activity for ages birth to six years with their caregivers. An accompanying book is available in English and Spanish and is at no charge to the participants. Approximately 9,603 people attended 652 programs across the 29 libraries with over 11,109 books distributed. In the fall, TRL returned to in-person story times and late last year, TRL introduced iPads for in-library use to access TRL content. TRL also introduced new star gazing kits, new kitchen tools, new plankton kits, and early math backpacks for ages 3 through 8. In addition to fishing kits and Check-Out Washington kits. TRL expanded TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 2 access hours in several libraries offering patrons 14 years or older the ability to request a keycard to access specific libraries from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily including holidays. The McCleary Library was refreshed in partnership with the City of McCleary. TRL issued 5,423 new library cards during Library Sign-Up Month in September 2022 and opened its 29th library at Hawks Prairie TRL, a demonstration library with a three-year lease located at 8205 Martin Way in Lacey. TRL opened the library on Sundays at the West Olympia TRL. TRL welcomed 53,408 new patrons last year and 12,001 new Overdrive patrons. Overdrive is an online platform to access e-books and over 4,000 e-magazines. Staff responded to 3,443 to emails and spoke with 7,042 patrons last year. In 2023, the West Olympia TRL at Capital Mall doubled in size from 1,200 square feet to 2,500 square feet with a grand reopening scheduled on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library continues to be the top ninth in terms of circulation. TRL is sponsoring a library card contest from June 1, 2023 through July 15, 2023 focusing on age groups from birth to 5 years, 6 to 11, and 12 to 18. One winner will be announced in each age group. TRL installed two electric charging stations at the Salkum Timberland Library located off Highway 12. By the end of 2023, TRL will host a new website linking to the library catalog. All libraries serve as connection sites to the Work Source system across the five county- region. TRL is partnering with the Child Care Action Council, Lewis County United Way and Grays County United Way for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library focusing on children from birth to five years to receive monthly free books until the age of five. TRL is part of the Thurston County Broadband Action Team to prepare a digital equity plan across the region. TRL is working in partnership with Capital STEM Alliance to present Moving Forward Together: Mental Health and Resilience in the Capital Region from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, May 25, 2023 about rural communities' mental and social-emotional health, and opportunities for STEM education and family-wage careers. Councilmember Cathey inquired about any impacts to the library system caused by some entities across the nation taking actions to ban books. Ms. Heywood said TRL has been impacted because of the necessity of providing more training to staff, Board of Trustees, and to review internal protocols. TRL has not experienced any challenges in 2023. In 2022, TRL received four challenges and in 2021, TRL received two challenges. The challenges were submitted on a library comment resource form. A review committee reviewed the comments and responded with a letter. PROCLAMATION Councilmember Jefferson read a proclamation declaring “Emergency EMERGENCY Services Week May 21-27, 2023” in the City of Tumwater. The SERVICES WEEK proclamation encourages all people to join in the observance to recognize MAY 21-27, 2023: those who give so much of themselves and consistently rise to the challenge for the safety and health of others. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 3 Fire Chief Hurley thanked Mayor Sullivan and the Council for the recognition. In 1974, the first career staff members of Tumwater Fire Department were paramedics as part of the Medic One system. The Tumwater Fire Department has had a long partnership with Thurston County Medic One. Last year, the fire department responded to over 6,000 calls or 17 calls each day. The majority of the calls are for emergency medical calls. The department employs 50 certified EMTs and paramedics with 11 on duty each day serving the Tumwater community. Other participants include dispatchers, law enforcement, and hospital staff. Mayor Sullivan presented the proclamation to Fire Chief Hurley. PUBLIC COMMENT: Dave Nicandri, 505 4th Avenue SW, Tumwater, shared that he grew up in upstate New York in the Niagara District, one of the great hydroelectric power regions in the country. The region experienced a major re- electrification project in the 1950s in western New York. Many of the homes were completely remodeled with all electric appliances. In 1954, when he was six years old, he lived through an epic hurricane – Hurricane Hazel in late October. Although no one in town had lights for three or four days, his family had a gas stove and was able to cook food for the family, as well as cook food for others during the aftermath of the storm. The lesson of that redundancy was never lost to him. Moving forward to several years ago, he was examining City documents and discovered the City of Tumwater had adopted a policy that would have prohibited new natural gas connections at some point in the future. Although today, his house is fully electric, the lesson he learned as a six-year old is still a lesson that is very vital today. Pushing everything to the electric grid prematurely and mandating everything to the electric grid is a dangerous path. One of the great lessons of risk management is redundant systems. The push underway everywhere to eliminate natural gas as a redundant energy system is a very dangerous path. In light of the 9th Circuit Appeal Court’s recent decision outlawing the City of Berkley’s prohibition on new gas utility connections, he is curious as to what the City of Tumwater‘s current posture is and the City’s engagement with the State Building Council regarding its total electric mandates and prohibitions of new gas hookups. He does not anticipate an answer at this time but would like a response from the City in terms of the City’s current state of deportment relative to the issue. CONSENT a. Approval of Minutes: City Council Special, April 11, 2023 CALENDAR: b. Approval of Minutes: City Council, April 18, 2023 c. Payment of Vouchers d. Ordinance No. O2023-009 Regarding Transportation Network Companies e. Resolution No. R2023-007 Delegation of Signature Authority for Grant Documents Related to Somerset Hill Fish Passage Barrier Removal Design TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 4 f. Stormwater Capacity Grant Agreement with the Department of Ecology Amendment No. 1 g. Common Interest/Joint Defense Agreement with Olympia h. Thurston Community Media (TCMedia) Operating Agreement Amendment No. 2 i. Reappointment of Bill Kallappa II to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners and David Bills, Brian Reynolds, and Satpal Sohal to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee j. Heritage Tree Nomination (Alyssa Jones Wood MOTION: Councilmember Dahlhoff moved, seconded by Councilmember Agabi, to approve the consent calendar as published. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Sullivan reviewed the items approved on the consent calendar. COUNCIL CONSIDERATIONS: ORDINANCE NO. City Administrator Doan reported the proposal was initiated by staff and O2023-008, reviewed by the General Government Committee with a recommendation for AMENDING TITLE 2 approval by the Council. The proposed ordinance establishes a process for OF THE the removal of a member from a board, commission, or advisory group of the TUMWATER City for failure to perform. Currently, only the Planning Commission has MUNICIPAL CODE, the ability to remove a member. To create consistency across all boards, ADDING CHAPTER commissions, and other advisory bodies in the City, the proposed ordinance 2.54, GENERAL was developed to clarify that members are subject to applicable state and GUIDELINES FOR local laws, rules and regulations, and ethic provisions. ADVISORY BOARDS AND Staff recommends the Council approve Ordinance No. O2023-008. COMMISSIONS: Additionally, the City is experiencing a number of vacancies on boards and commissions. City Administrator Doan invited members of the public to consider serving their community by applying for an opening by visiting the City’s website. Councilmember Althauser said the proposal is due diligence and not intended to address any specific issue. MOTION: Councilmember Althauser moved, seconded by Councilmember Dahlhoff, to adopt Ordinance No. O2023-008, Amending Title 2 of the Tumwater Municipal Code, adding Chapter 2.54, General Guidelines for Advisory Boards and Commissions. The motion carried unanimously. COMMITTEE REPORTS: TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 5 PUBLIC HEALTH The May 9, 2023 meeting has been cancelled. The next meeting is AND SAFETY scheduled on June 13, 2023 at 8 a.m. to discuss 2022 police data and to COMMITTEE: receive a briefing on police use of force. Leatta Dahlhoff GENERAL The next meeting is May 10, 2023 at 8 a.m. to review a letter of commitment GOVERNMENT for the Franz Anderson project for the Regional House Council and the COMMITTEE: City’s commitment for the project, a discussion on Tree and Vegetation Michael Althauser Preservation regulations, and a review on the status of the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan Phase 3. PUBLIC WORKS The May 4, 2023 meeting has been cancelled. The next scheduled meeting COMMITTEE is on May 18, 2023. The agenda includes briefings on an offsite lease Eileen Swarthout agreement with South Puget Sound Community College and the Six-Year Transportation Program. MAYOR/CITY There were no reports. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT: COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS: Angela Jefferson: On April 11, 2023, Councilmember Jefferson attended the Thurston County Board of Health meeting representing Tumwater HOPES and accepted the proclamation for prescription drug take back. The proclamation helps to build awareness for safe disposal of medications. At the April 12, 2023 Tumwater HOPES Coalition meeting, members discussed the cost of upcoming training opportunities, prioritization of issues, and the annual briefing to the community. Councilmember Jefferson attended the Mayors meeting with seniors at the Old Town Center with Councilmember Schneider. She was invited to attend the senior annual chili and BBQ rib cook-off. At the April 18, 2023 meeting of Olympia and Beyond, members discussed two community listening sessions. The intent is meeting with stakeholders to learn how the organization can serve needs better. The first session on April 27, 2023 was in Tenino with the second held on May 2, 2023 at the office of Thurston Economic Development Council (EDC). Olympia and Beyond has scheduled its annual meeting on June 1, 2023 at the Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia. The EMS Council on April 19, 2023 discussed solutions to resolve the budget issue. A ballot measure scheduled for the August ballot will not move forward at this time until all officials can meet to discuss the deficit. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 6 At the last Council meeting, Councilmember Dahlhoff commented on the challenges many seniors are facing with increasing rental rates as well as food instability. The discussion included options for a food pantry and ways to promote access to food by seniors by decreasing the stigma associated with the need for food. Following a meeting with representatives from Thurston County Food Bank, Councilmember Jefferson learned about the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for seniors’ ages 60 years and above. The program provides 40 pounds of food each month. Volunteers from the food bank can also transport the food to seniors. Participants must show proof of age and address. Income requirements include annual income of $18,000 or less or monthly income of $1,580. The contact number at the Food Bank is 360-352-8597 to reach either Dean or Rebecca. She asked about the possibility of inserting a flyer about the program within the City’s monthly utility bills and well as including the information on the City’s website. Joan Cathey: Councilmember reported she attended two Regional Housing Council meetings. Charlie Schneider: There was no report. Peter Agabi: At the April 26, 2023 EDC meeting, members discussed the Capital Mall Triangle Development project. The project will entail a major rearrangement of the mall. Staff from the City of Olympia presented information on the project. At the Joint Animal Services Commission meeting, members discussed a recent incident involving a resident from the City of Olympia who contacted the shelter to have approximately 150 cats removed from a residence. Most of the cats were untamed and the house was contaminated with feces. The shelter is facing a crisis with so many animals. Shelter staff members are seeking homes for the cats and have contacted communities as far as Grays Harbor and Seattle to locate resources to help house the cats. The shelter building requires major upgrades. The building was not built as an animal shelter. The City of Lacey has commissioned a capital improvement process for the shelter. The intent is considering options for raising funds for a new facility. The City of Lacey is performs maintenance on the facility. A new shelter building will cost millions of dollars. Leatta Dahlhoff: Councilmember Dahlhoff attended the Thurston County Opioid Response Task Force meeting and the Prevention Work Group. In support of efforts by Tumwater HOPES, several ideas include sponsoring table events at the Thurston County Fair and other community events featuring the Opioid Response Task Force. Councilmember Dahlhoff participated in a tour with Mayor Sullivan of the TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING May 2, 2023 Page 7 LOTT Clean Water Alliance Wastewater Plant. Councilmember Dahlhoff and Manager Ramirez recently toured the Lacey MakerSpace. The site offers a variety of services, such as etching on various materials and 3D printing. They discussed the possibility of jurisdictions joining as members providing access to services and equipment to local jurisdictions. She encouraged the Council to visit Lacey MakerSpace as the facility serves the entire region. Councilmember Dahlhoff met with the new President of the EDC Board of Directors. Michael Althauser: At the last Regional Housing Council meeting, members received two informational briefings. The first was a report from the Lived Experience Steering Committee. The committee is tasked with considering a holistic view of the entire system for accessing housing for those in need through the lens of people seeking housing. The Council received input from several members of the committee who offered feedback, insight, and advice on crafting policies or response to a crisis and the importance of those policies to be intentional and informed by lived experience advice. The second briefing was an update on the Franz Anderson project of permanent supportive housing units comprised of 35 studio units and 35 one-bedroom units. The RFP process was recently completed for redevelopment of the building. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2024 with completion by early 2026. The next meeting is on May 10, 2023. The Capitol Lake Deschutes Estuary committee has not held a meeting. However, the Department of Enterprise Services is working with the State Legislature on funding for the preferred alternative. The Legislature funded $7 million in the operating budget during this session to take the first steps for implementing the preferred alternative. The funds will support efforts on progress for the next phase of design and permitting, advance the Memorandum of Understanding for governance and funding for a restored estuary to an Interlocal Agreement for governing long-term management of the restored estuary, and initiating applications for grants. RECESS TO Mayor Sullivan recessed the meeting to an executive session at 7:57 p.m. EXECUTIVE until 8:20 p.m. to discuss potential litigation pursuant to RCW SESSION: 42.30.110(1)(i). RECONVENE & Mayor Sullivan reconvened and adjourned the meeting at 8:19 p.m. ADJOURNMENT: Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net