City Council

TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING JANUARY 2, 2024 Page 1 CONVENE: 7:01 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Debbie Sullivan and Councilmembers Peter Agabi, Michael Althauser Joan Cathey, Leatta Dahlhoff, Angela Jefferson, Eileen Swarthout, and Kelly Von Holtz. Staff: City Administrator Lisa Parks, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Fire Chief Brian Hurley, Transportation and Engineering Director Brandon Hicks, Water Resources and Sustainability Director Dan Smith, and City Clerk Melody Valiant. SWEARING-IN Mayor Sullivan administered the oath of office to Leatta Dahlhoff, CEREMONY FOR Angela Jefferson, Joan Cathey, and Kelly Von Holtz. 2024 ELECTED OFFICIALS: Mayor Sullivan presented and seated the 2024 Tumwater City Council. PUBLIC COMMENT: Pamela Hansen, PO 14521, Tumwater, congratulated newly elected Councilmembers. She cited an arrest in Alaska in connection to a violent drug cartel looking for customers and three cartels working in Washington State. She asked how many members have viewed an X- ray of a person shot with nail from a construction nail gun into the back of the head while working on a construction site. She viewed the x-ray years ago. The crime may still be unsolved; however the Thurston County Sheriff in a recent episode of a King 5 news series of Unsolved Northwest stated that he has begun assigning cold cases. The Thurston County Sheriff recently received tax funding through a public vote. Police Chief Weiks needs to inquire about the status of the construction nail gun crime and the department’s FTE needs. In terms of land use in the City, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) property should be specifically designated for the future location and growth of the Tumwater Police and Fire Departments with meeting rooms to coordinate law enforcement groups and officials from both the Seattle and Anchorage FBI offices. The WSDOT property is close to I-5 and it would not be simple for criminals to create what is known in Alaska as drug alleys to surveil and manipulate employees, meeting participants, and families. The WSDOT property is well-placed for both the Tumwater Police and Fire Departments to help coordinate the prevention of a very predictable and uncontrolled growth of crime from surrounding counties. It is important to consider that the future may be negatively impacted by incoming people that may have the intention to surveil, manipulate, and commit both petty and heinous crimes in the community. Municipal staff from two cities worked on the Regional Fire Authority (RFA) proposal; however, the WSDOT property should not be used for that type of future use. The “No’ RFA group TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING JANUARY 2, 2024 Page 2 needs to be included in the effort. The group met once after the vote. Though she and the group have never worked on a project together, it is clear that they care more than most about fiscally conservative and accurate efforts. Lastly, the pipe bomb discovered by WSDOT in December is not a good sign. Those perpetrator skills range from internet instructions to demolition expertise. She encouraged inviting the Anchorage and Seattle FBI to Tumwater as they need to be both honored and appreciated in a building built on the WSDOT property. CONSENT a. Approval of Minutes: City Council, December 5, 2023 CALENDAR: b. Approval of Minutes: City Council Joint Planning Commission, December 12, 2023 c. Payment of Vouchers d. Construction Project with Tapani, Inc., for the Kindred Park Project, Acceptance of Work e. Barclift Park and Tumwater Hill Park Restroom Improvements, Acceptance of Work MOTION: Councilmember Dahlhoff moved, seconded by Councilmember Swarthout, to approve the consent calendar as published. The motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL CONSIDERATIONS: ELECTION OF City Administrator Parks reported the request is to select a Mayor Pro MAYOR PRO TEM: Tem. The Mayor Pro Tem serves in the absence or temporary disability of the Mayor. The Mayor Pro Tem acts as the presiding officer at all meetings in the absence of the Mayor and may stand in for the Mayor at events or functions in an official capacity on behalf of the City. The Mayor Pro Tem is elected to a two-year term at the first regular Council meeting in January following a municipal election year. The Mayor shall conduct the election for the Mayor Pro Tem, who is elected by a majority of the Council. The Mayor Pro Tem shall be limited to two consecutive terms unless the limitation is waived by a unanimous vote of the Council. Mayor Sullivan invited nominations for Mayor Pro Tem. NOMINATIONS: Councilmember Althauser nominated Councilmember Dahlhoff to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. Mayor Sullivan invited other nominations. With no other nominations, Mayor Sullivan closed nominations. Councilmember Swarthout seconded the nomination. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING JANUARY 2, 2024 Page 3 Councilmember Althauser extended his appreciation to Mayor Sullivan as the outgoing Mayor Pro Tem for her mentorship and leadership in working with the City and with him. Mayor Sullivan provided him with some valuable opportunities to speak on behalf of the City at community events and in assuming different roles that afforded him with professional development opportunities. Councilmember Dahlhoff will serve the Council well in the role of Mayor Pro Tem and will be a great representative of the Council’s values and vision for today and in the future. VOTE OF The Council voted unanimously to elect Councilmember Dahlhoff AFFIRMATION: to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. Councilmember Dahlhoff thanked the Council for the opportunity. The Council has engaged in multiple conversations on rotational leadership. She expressed appreciation to Councilmembers Althauser and Cathey for their service as a former Mayor Pro Tem. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLIC HEALTH & The next meeting is scheduled on January 9, 2024. Agenda items SAFETY: include a Thurston County District Court update and a Fire Leatta Dahlhoff Department staffing adjustment request. GENERAL The next meeting is scheduled on January 10, 2024 at 8 a.m. The GOVERNMENT: committee will continue its review of the Comprehensive Plan Michael Althauser Periodic Update process. PUBLIC WORKS: The next meeting scheduled on Thursday, January 4, 2024 includes Eileen Swarthout consideration of a small works contract with JA Morris Construction for tenant improvements for City of Tumwater office space at South Puget Sound Community College and a discussion on a Water Service - Cost of Service Rate Study. BUDGET AND There was no report. FINANCE: Debbie Sullivan MAYOR/CITY City Administrator Parks referred to previous communications to the ADMINISTRATOR’S Council on the status of technology upgrades. Council laptop REPORT: computers and City-issued cellular phones have been received and are ready for issuance to each Councilmember. City staff contact information was included in the email communication previously sent to the Council. The City is deploying some software on the cell phones to enable City TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING JANUARY 2, 2024 Page 4 monitoring and management to satisfy public records requests. Staff continues work on some technology issues and the Council may need to work with staff on some particular issues. Staff has scheduled a photo of the Council at the February 6, 2024 meeting at 6:30 p.m. Based on a report from Water Resources and Sustainability Director Dan Smith, new technology enabled the City to identify and prevent sewer backups and sewer overflows. A recent situation was successfully mitigated using the new technology. Mayor Sullivan referred to the draft of Council committee assignments. She asked the Council to consider serving as alternate members for some committees as opposed to an arbitrary assignment. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS: Joan Cathey: Councilmember Cathey reported that most of her assigned committees meet in the first two weeks of each month. She shared that the winter break and her re-election provided an opportunity for her to reflect on the accomplishments by the Council over the last several years, as well as how well Councilmembers have managed their responsibilities. She is glad and proud to represent the City and serve on the Council. Eileen Swarthout: Councilmember Swarthout said she is appreciative of staff and how well they run the City. She is appreciative of the work and looks forward to helping the Council render important decisions and is honored to serve on the Council. Michael Althauser: Councilmember Althauser said his committee meetings were cancelled during the holiday season. He expressed appreciation to his colleagues on the Council and offered well wishes to everyone in the new year. Leatta Dahlhoff: Councilmember Dahlhoff conveyed similar sentiments adding that she believes 2024 will be a good year. Peter Agabi: Councilmember Agabi reported on a meeting with an individual to discuss plans for a project in the area of the brewery properties. He also had a meeting with Economic Development Manager Ramirez and discussed similar issues. The project will be important and benefit the City. Angela Jefferson: Tumwater HOPES recently hired its Coalition Leader. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING JANUARY 2, 2024 Page 5 Councilmember Jefferson said she looks forward to engaging with her and jumpstarting the work for the important organization. Kelly Von Holtz: Councilmember Von Holtz conveyed her gratitude as it is a privilege to assume Council Position 7 through the support of Tumwater voters. She is looking forward to working with the Council. EXECUTIVE Mayor Sullivan recessed the meeting at 7:30 p.m. to an executive SESSION: session to discuss Collective Bargaining pursuant to RCW 42.30.140(4)(b) for approximately 20 minutes. No action will follow the executive session. RECONVENE AND Mayor Sullivan reconvened the meeting at 7:52 p.m. With there ADJOURNMENT: being no further business, Mayor Sullivan adjourned the meeting at 7:53 p.m. Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net