City Council

MEETING MINUTES TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL August 19, 2025 CONVENE: 7:00 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Debbie Sullivan and Councilmembers Peter Agabi, Michael Althauser, Joan Cathey, Angela Jefferson, Eileen Swarthout, and Kelly Von Holtz. Excused: Councilmember Leatta Dahlhoff Staff: City Administrator Lisa Parks, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Acting Deputy Chief Carlos Quiles Jr., Community Development Director Brad Medrud, Transportation & Engineering Director Brandon Hicks, Parks & Recreation Director Chuck Denney, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Water Resources & Sustainability Director Dan Smith, Communication Manager Jason Wettstein, and Deputy City Clerk Tracie Core. Others: Kara Krnacik, DHM Research SPECIAL ITEMS: PROCLAMATION: Councilmember Agabi read a proclamation declaring August 31, INTERNATIONAL 2025, as International Overdose Awareness Day. The OVERDOSE proclamation seeks to create a better understanding of AWARENESS DAY, overdoses, reduce the stigma of drug related deaths and create AUGUST 31, 2025 change that reduces the harms associated with drug use. Mayor Sullivan presented a copy of the proclamation to Katari Wimsett with the Thurston County Public Department PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment was given by resident Holthaus. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL – AUGUST 19, 2025 1 CONSENT a. Approval of Minutes: City Council Strategic Planning Retreat CALENDAR: Minutes, June 7, 2025 b. Approval of Minutes: City Council Strategic Planning Retreat Minutes, June 28, 2025 c. Approval of Minutes: City Council Work Session, July 8, 2025 d. Approval of Minutes: City Council, July 15, 2025 e. Approval of Minutes: City Council Work Session, July 22, 2025 f. Payment of Vouchers g. Department of Enterprise Services (DES) Contract Usage Agreement MOTION: Councilmember Von Holtz, moved, seconded by Councilmember Althauser, to approve the Consent Calendar as published. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING: RESOLUTION NO. Director Medrud gave a presentation on the 93rd Avenue SW & R2025-011, 93rd Case Road SW Annexation to seek adoption of R2025-011. AVENUE SW & CASE ROAD SW The proposed annexation area consists of two parcels located ANNEXATION northwest of the intersection of 93rd Avenue SW and Case Road SW that is 10.74 acres in size. Mayor Sullivan opened the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. and closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m. There was no public testimony. MOTION: Councilmember Agabi, moved, seconded by Councilmember Althauser, to adopt Resolution No. R2025-011. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. COUNCIL CONSIDERATIONS: COMMUNITY SERVEY Kara Krnacik from DHM Research presented results from RESULTS research done to assess community satisfaction with City services and to gather feedback on emerging priorities to inform the City’s strategic plan. DHM’s research established a baseline of city satisfaction and priorities to measure changes over time. 273 residents participated in the online survey that the city distributed and promoted using various outreach methods including email distribution lists, social media posts, external newsletters, physical handouts, word of mouth and more. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL – AUGUST 19, 2025 2  The following areas were covered in the survey: • General mood • Government performance and resident priorities • Public Safety • Homelessness • Community growth and environmental perceptions REAL ESTATE Director Smith presented a real estate contract with LOTT for CONTRACT WITH purchase of the Deschutes Valley Properties. The following areas LOTT FOR PURCHASE were covered in the presentation: OF DESCHUTES VALLEY PROPERTIES • How did we get here? • What did we learn? • What’s in the contract? • Where do we go from here? The total cost for this project is $3,433,158.66 with $2,952,156.45 coming from the general fund and $480,642.21 coming from Stormwater. MOTION: Councilmember Swarthout, moved, seconded by Councilmember Cathey, to approve the real estate contract with LOTT Clean Water Alliance for the purchase of Deschutes Valley properties. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLIC HEALTH & Councilmember Agabi reported that the next Public Health & SAFETY: Safety Committee meeting is on September 9, 2025, and on that Peter Agabi agenda there is an item for the School Resource Officer contract. GENERAL Councilmember Althauser reported that the General GOVERNMENT: Government Committee has not met and will not meet again until Michael Althauser September 10, 2025. PUBLIC WORKS: Councilmember Swarthout reported that the Public Works Eileen Swarthout Committee has not met, but will be meeting this Thursday to receive a briefing on the 2025 Comprehensive Transportation TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL – AUGUST 19, 2025 3  Plan and about getting authority to solicit bids for the 2nd Avenue and Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement Project. BUDGET & FINANCE: Mayor Sullivan reported that the Budget and Finance Committee Debbie Sullivan will be meeting this Friday. They will be going over the Monthly Financial Update and the Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement. MAYOR/CITY Administrator Parks gave an update on the Crisis Response ADMINISTRATOR’s Program which is set to launch in October 2025. The 2025 REPORT: Pavement Maintenance Program is continuing with some changes including delaying the repaving of the roundabouts on Littlerock until it can be done as a full project because of the costly traffic control. Administrator Parks also gave a shout out to our transportation crew, contractors and communications staff for working collaboratively to keep the public informed of all road projects. Administrator Parks reminded everyone that next week school starts and to be mindful while driving in Tumwater. Mayor Sullivan reported that Council has been on their annual summer recess for the past three weeks. During the recess she attended a ribbon cutting for a business in the industrial area, attended a few meetings and several events including the Thurston County Fair, National Night Out and a memorial for Fire Captain Lyall Smith COUNCILMEMBER Councilmembers Jefferson, Von Holtz, Agabi and Swarthout REPORTS: reported on meetings and events attended. Councilmembers Cathey and Althauser had no meetings to report on. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, Mayor Sullivan adjourned the meeting at 8:49 p.m. Prepared by Tracie Core, Deputy City Clerk TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL – AUGUST 19, 2025 4