City Council

MEETING MINUTES TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL September 16, 2025 CONVENE: 7:00 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, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Adams, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Fire Chief Brian Hurley, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Denney, Police Chief Jay Mason, Water Resources and Sustainability Director Dan Smith, Communication Manager Jason Wettstein, Alyssa Jones Wood Sustainability Manager and City Clerk Melody Valiant. Others: Joe Avalos, Executive Director – Olympic Health & Recovery Services and Morgan Shook, Director - ECO Northwest SPECIAL ITEMS: PROCLAMATION: Councilmember Von Holtz read a proclamation declaring WEEK WITHOUT September 29-October 5, 2025, a week without driving. A week DRIVING, without driving was established in 2021 by Washington State by SEPTEMBER 29- the Disability Mobility Initiative of Disability Rights Washington so OCTOBER 5, 2025 those who have the option to drive can learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges that non-drivers face. Resident Patti Clark spoke of how disabilities have affected her husband and friends. Mayor Sullivan presented the proclamation to Cody Cohan, the Public Information Officer for People First WA Thurston County chapter. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL- SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 1 GREEN TEAM 2024 Manager Jones Wood presented the Green Team 2024 Annual ANNUAL REPORT: report which is now an interactive dashboard with pie charts divided by section rather than one big report. The dashboard will be available on the city website soon. Council voiced their support for the new format and all the work we are doing towards sustainability. PUBLIC COMMENT: Public Comment was given by residents Crawford, Fitz-Hugh, Hays, McClusky, Prusous, and Reynolds. CONSENT a. Approval of Minutes: City Council Work Session, August 26, CALENDAR: 2025 b. Approval of Minutes: City Council, September 2, 2025 c. Approval of Minutes: Council Work Session, September 9, 2025 d. Payment of Vouchers e. Service Provider Agreement with HDR Engineering for the Old Hwy 99 & 79th Ave Roundabout Design Amendment No. 2 f. Service Provider Agreement with Robert W. Droll Landscape Architect for the Trails End Park Master Plan Design Amendment No. 2 g. Purchase of Deschutes Valley Properties with LOTT - Authorization to Sign h. Interlocal Agreement with the Tumwater School District for the School Resource Officer program i. Reappointment of Dana Day, Jody Keys, Lalani Shelton, Tom Sparks, and Linnea Madison to the Barnes Lake Management District Steering Committee MOTION: Councilmember Agabi, moved, seconded by Councilmember Dahlhoff, to approve the Consent Calendar as published. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. COUNCIL CONSIDERATIONS: SERVICE PROVIDER Chief Hurley gave a presentation on the Service Provider AGREEMENT WITH Agreement with Olympic Health and Recovery Services for our OLYMPIC HEALTH Tumwater mobile outreach team and crisis response services. AND RECOVERY Legislation passed in 2023 that established community-based SERVICES FOR CRISIS crisis teams as part of fire service agencies for more accessible RESPONSE and effective emergency services. Chief Hurley introduced Joe Avalos, Executive Director of Olympic Health and Recovery TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL- SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 2  Services. Director Avalos talked about how it would work and the unique partnership as there are only two other communities state-wide they have a similar agreement with. MOTION: Councilmember Agabi, moved, seconded by Councilmember Von Holtz, to approve the Service Provider Agreement with Olympic Health and Recovery Services for Crisis Response. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. ORDINANCE Director Niemeyer gave a presentation on adopting Ordinance O2025-013, B&O TAX O2025-013, Business and Occupation (B&O) model ordinance MODEL ORDINANCE update. The update which was adopted by the state legislature UPDATE earlier this year increases the threshold allowing a company outside of the city to get a “no-fee” endorsement. The threshold will automatically update every four years and will be tied with inflation. The new model ordinance goes into effect on January 1, 2026, adopting the Ordinance will keep us in compliance. MOTION: Councilmember Dahlhoff, moved, seconded by Councilmember Swarthout, to adopt Ordinance O2025-013, B&O Tax Model Ordinance update. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. QUARTERLY Director Niemeyer presented a quarterly budget update. He FINANCIAL UPDATE highlighted that August was a huge sales tax month but mentioned that sales tax can be volatile in nature overall. He updated the Council on the following: • Sales Tax • Public Safety Sales Tax • B&O Tax • Building Permits • General Fund Revenues & Expenditures • Water and Sewer Revenues & Expenditures • Economy in general • Upcoming Audits • Tariffs & Unemployment Council asked questions about the increases or decreases in specific funds and how our fellow cities are doing in comparison and expressed concern at the rising cost of food and basics. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL- SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 3 10 YEAR FINANCIAL Administrator Parks introduced Morgan Shook with ECO PLAN – REVIEW Northwest who will share a baseline financial assessment for the BASELINE City and how the City can utilize the tool to determine financial ASESSEMENT stability when planning the next biennial budget. Consultant Shook said the tool is intended to be a companion to the strategic planning process and will help align the City’s values and priorities with how the City spends its dollars. It will also allow us to build a model to explore different scenarios in budgeting. He shared an overview of their analysis of the City’s funds, expenses and revenues so far in 2025 and how to build a budget framework to make more informed budgeting decisions in the future. Council asked questions about the process and how ECO Northwest accurately forecasts growth. Administrator Parks said they utilize the current budget and future goals along with population growth estimates from the Comprehensive Plan. Administrator Parks said these tools will assist Council when starting to plan for the next biennial budget in April 2026. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLIC HEALTH & The committee met on September 9, 2025, and it included the SAFETY: School Resource Officer contract that was on the consent Peter Agabi calendar and a Tumwater Safe Program briefing. GENERAL The committee met on September 10, 2025, and discussed the GOVERNMENT: 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update. Michael Althauser PUBLIC WORKS: The next meeting is scheduled for September 19, 2025, and they Eileen Swarthout will be discussing the following items: • O2025-009 Final Docket for 2025 Comprehensive Plan Amendments • SPA with SCJ Alliance for Design Services for Deschutes Valley Trail • SPA with TCF Architecture for Public Works Facility (O&M) – Building A Design Amendment No. 1 BUDGET & FINANCE: The next meeting is scheduled for September 26, 2025, and they Debbie Sullivan will be discussing the following items: • Monthly Financial Update • SaaS Cloud Contract Amendment with Tyler Technologies TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL- SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 4 MAYOR/CITY Administrator Parks shared a new interactive development map ADMINISTRATOR’s that is on the City website that tells you what type of construction REPORT: is going on throughout the city for both private and city developments. Administrator Parks also let everyone know that the new Parks and Recreation fall brochure is out, a staff employee recognition event will be held on September 17th and the next strategic planning retreat will be held on September 20th. Mayor Sullivan had no meetings to report, but reminded everyone about the City event Falls Fest being held at the Tumwater Falls Brewery Park on September 27, 2025. COUNCILMEMBER Councilmembers Agabi, Cathey, Dahlhoff, Jefferson, Swarthout REPORTS: and Von Holtz gave reports. Councilmember Althauser had nothing to report. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, Mayor Sullivan adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m. Prepared by Melody Valiant, City Clerk TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL- SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 5