City Council

MEETING MINUTES TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL December 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: Assistant City Administrator Kelly Adams, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Fire Chief Brian Hurley, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Information Technology Director Lance Inman, Transportation & Engineering Director Brandon Hicks, Communications Director Jason Wettstein, Parks & Recreation Director Chuck Denney, Water Resources & Sustainability Director Dan Smith, Deputy Police Chief Carlos Quiles, Jr., Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Crimmins, Economic Development Coordinator Gene Angel, Deputy Community Development Director Sharon Lumbantobing, Associate Planner Dana Bowers, Associate Planner Erika Smith-Erickson and Deputy City Clerk Tracie Core. Others: Alaffia Vice President of Operations Andrew Read. SPECIAL ITEMS: ALAFFIA UPDATE: Coordinator Angel introduced Vice President of Operations Andrew Read with Alaffia. Vice President Andrew Read shared who Alaffia is, their mission and their current and future plans. Alaffia, a former longtime Tumwater business known for importing shea nuts from West Africa and creating hair and body care products is coming back to Tumwater and will create economic opportunities for women and communities in West TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL– DECEMBER 16, 2025 1  Africa, jobs in Tumwater and provide meaningful connection for US consumers and producers. ECONOMIC Coordinator Angel shared a presentation regarding the 2025 4th DEVELOPMENT Quarter Economic Development update. He covered total QUARTERLY UPDATE: Tumwater employment, wages, and industry employment. This was the first of what will now be a regular quarterly update for the City Council on Economic Development in Tumwater PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment was given by residents Lowe and Renolds. CONSENT a. Approval of Minutes: City Council Work Session, November CALENDAR: 25, 2025 b. Approval of Minutes: City Council, December 2, 2025 c. Payment of Vouchers d. Resolution No. R2025-021, Surplus Property e. Service Provider Agreement with MTN2COAST for On-Call Services Amendment No. 1 f. Purchasing Contract with Axon Enterprises for Body Worn and Vehicle Cameras MOTION: Councilmember Swarthout, moved, seconded by Councilmember Agabi, to approve the Consent Calendar as published. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. COUNCIL CONSIDERATIONS: RESOLUTION NO. Director Niemeyer presented Resolution No. R2025-018, 2026 R2025-018, 2026 FEE Fee Scheduled. He outlined the changes to the City Fee Schedule SCHEDULE: for 2026, sharing about utility funds, and why utility bills go up each year. MOTION: Councilmember Althauser, moved, seconded by Councilmember Jefferson, to approve Resolution No. R2025- 018, 2026 Fee Schedule. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. ORDINANCE NO. Planner Bowers presented Ordinance No. O2025-010, 2025 O2025-010, 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. Planner Bowers shared COMPREHENSIVE how this update occurs every ten years with the last update PLAN PERIODIC occurring in 2016. UPDATE: TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL– DECEMBER 16, 2025 2  The Comprehensive Plan update includes: • All required and approval standards; • Aligns with State growth management laws and County- wide planning policies; • Internally consistent across all elements, and • Compatible with neighboring jurisdictions plans. MOTION: Councilmember Althauser, moved, seconded by Councilmember Dahlhoff, to approve Ordinance No. O2025- 010, 2025 Comprehensive Periodic Plan Update. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. ORDINANCE NO. Planner Smith-Erickson shared a presentation on Ordinance No. O2025-011, 2025 O2025-011, 2025 Development Code Periodic Update. She DEVELOPMENT CODE discussed the following specific housing related amendments: PERIODIC UPDATE: • Middle housing; • Accessory dwelling units; • Co-housing; • Parking for housing; • Religious organization housing; and • Design review for housing. Planner Smith-Erickson stated that Ordinance No. O2025-011 meets the relevant and approval criteria found in the Tumwater Municipal Code 18.60-025(B). MOTION: Councilmember Althauser, moved, seconded by Councilmember Von Holtz, to approve Ordinance No. O2025- 011, 2025 Development Code Update. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. TIMBERLAND Attorney Kirkpatrick presented the Timberland library agreement LIBRARY AGREEMENT Amendment 1. The City and the Timberland library entered into AMENDMENT 1: an agreement in 2015 with an initial 10-year term and that term expired in November. Attorney Kirpatrick is seeking approval for a seven-month extension while negotiations are taking place for an additional five-year extension of the agreement. Staff is recommending that Council adopts Resolution No. R2025-018, 2026 Fee Schedule. TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL– DECEMBER 16, 2025 3 MOTION: Councilmember Althauser, moved, seconded by Councilmember Swarthout, to approve the Timberland Library Agreement Amendment 1. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLIC HEALTH & The committee met on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, and SAFETY: discussed the following items: Peter Agabi • Station T2 remodel Briefing; and • Axon Enterprises Body Worn and Vehicle Cameras. GENERAL The committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December GOVERNMENT: 10, 2025, was cancelled. The next committee meeting will be Michael Althauser January 14, 2026, and they will be discussing the following item: • Service Provider Agreement with ICF for the Habitat Conservation Plan Phase 3 Amendment PUBLIC WORKS: The committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, Eileen Swarthout 2025, has been cancelled. The next committee meeting will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026, and they will be discussing the following items: • Project Review Reimbursable Agreement with WSDOT for the Trosper Road Interchange Project Amendment No. 2; and • Service Provider Agreement with HDR Engineering for the Tumwater Boulevard Northbound I-5 On/Off Ramp Intersection Amendment No. 1. BUDGET & FINANCE: The committee meeting scheduled for December 26, 2025, has Debbie Sullivan been cancelled and the next scheduled committee meeting will be held on Friday, January 23, 2026, and they will be discussing the following item: • Monthly Financial Update. MAYOR/CITY Mayor Sullivan reported that Administrator Parks is on vacation ADMINISTRATOR’s this week. REPORT: Mayor Sullivan shared some closing remarks including her upbringing and what led her to becoming the first women Mayor for the City of Tumwater in 2022. Mayor Sullivan is very proud and TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL– DECEMBER 16, 2025 4  grateful and thanked everyone. This was Mayor Sullivan’s last City Council meeting before she retires at the end of this year. COUNCILMEMBER Councilmembers Agabi, Althauser, Dahlhoff and Jefferson gave REPORTS: reports. Councilmembers Cathey, Swarthout and Von Holtz had nothing to report. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, Mayor Sullivan adjourned the meeting at 9:03 p.m. Prepared by Tracie Core, Deputy City Clerk TUMWATER CITY COUNCIL– DECEMBER 16, 2025 5