Sum guid mer e enc Fun losed
Community Connection
Issue 67
City of Sumner Newsletter
Summer 2011
Tully’s, Pomegranate and Sumner Build New Gathering Space Milenko Matanovic, the executive director of the Pomegranate Center says that unintentional meetings happen in intentionally designed spaces. Sumner enjoys many such spaces in its parks and even Main Street, and this summer, one more will be added. Tully’s Coffee®, a brand division of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., and Pomegranate Center are joining forces to help spark a movement to create gathering places in communities, where people can meet, linger, chat, and celebrate. They are starting this summer with four projects in the Seattle area, including one in Green Mountain’s own “home” of Sumner. Sumner’s project will be the alley between Main Street and the north parking lots. Except for a few planters and benches, the only thing that the alley is currently full of is potential. Pomegranate’s model leverages their professional resources in design and arts to spark the individual communities and encourage further participation from local artists, designers, professionals and individuals. A steering committee represents different areas within the community including the City, the Sumner Pierce
County Library, the Sumner School District, the Parks Board, the Sumner Arts Commission, the Puyallup/ Sumner Chamber of Commerce, the Sumner Downtown Association, and the local churches. The steering committee is just a start to reach the full community. On June 18, come to an open house at Hansen Place at 823 Main Street in order to provide input and help shape the design of the project. The day will go as follows: 1 – 2:30 Community Input, 2:30 – 3 Site Visits, 3 – 6 Design Workshop, 6 – 7 Open House. Then, on August 5 and 6, you can help create artistic pieces in preparation for August 7 and 8 when the whole thing comes together for installation. The Pomegranate Center equates these installation days to an old-fashioned barn-raising, complete with fun entertainment as well as hard work. Sumnerites are not strangers to working together to make something happen. It is, however, a new challenge to make it all happen within one summer. But, with a lot of participation from everyone, Sumner is looking at an exciting summer full of creativity, making new friends, building a new space and lots of fun.
Sumner’s alley is full of potential, but not much else. This space will get an artistic makeover.
Pomegranate Center
Past projects of Pomegranate Center show emphasis on gathering spaces, art and working together. Pomegranate Center
Pomegranate Center
Join Us on June 18 at Hansen Place 823 Main Street 1 – 2:30 Community Input 2:30 – 3 Site Visits 3 – 6 Design Workshop 6 – 7 Open House
Downtown Merchant Sidewalk Sale and Community Garage Sale, 9 am - 6 pm Come for a whole day of fun downtown!
New Special Event Fees Could Balance Budget and Fun Since 1993, Sumner Municipal Code has allowed the city to charge fees to support special events. However, there was no fee schedule adopted, so events remained free of charge. In June, the City Council is considering adopting the fee schedule. Why the long delay? Sumner enjoys its parades and events. They bring residents together and invite non-residents to discover the town. Why consider charging now? There are two reasons: first, the tight City budget can no longer absorb the expenses. It is estimated that an event like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade costs the City $562 while an event like the Sumner Arts Festival costs the City $2,991. These numbers affect the General Fund’s ability to offer other services to residents. Second, the fees help protect the City, its residents and businesses from a flood of regional events. Nearly every other city in the region already charges for events, and a few organizations with their own tight budgets have already realized they could hold their event in Sumner “for free.” Such an influx would quickly turn all the benefits of events into a detriment to everyone in Sumner. The new schedule seeks balance: a way to have events pay about 25% of their impact to the City while keeping the City’s support at about 75% of the cost.
Proposed New Fee Schedule Application fee: $200 (base charge to all special events) From the base rate, fees depend on how much the event costs the City: Type 1 event $200 Estimated City costs less than $1500, likely most events such as the Santa Parade and Autumn Evening Type 2 event $400 Estimated City costs $1501-$2500, likely larger events with long street closures Type 3 event $1000 Estimated City costs over $2500, likely the Daffodil Festival Parade and Sumner Arts Festival Banner Fee: $150 each if not paying any other event fees, $0 if already paying above event fees If passed, fees would go into effect 30 days after the decision.
Special event application forms are available online at http://www.ci.sumner.wa.us/Government/Forms.htm.
The Daffodil Parade costs the City an estimated $5,735 each year.
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Summer 2011
Sumner Community Connection
Mayor Column Having Amazon come to town made Sumner the center of attention for our region and nation. (I’ve now been quoted in a newspaper in Mississippi!) Sometimes people ask why new jobs in Sumner are so important. Here’s
why: behind every one of those jobs is a family being supported. Maybe the job employs a father and pays the rent. Maybe the job employs a young mother, cutting her commute time in half every day. Maybe the job employs a young
person just out of school or someone older who can’t afford to retire yet. In addition to jobs, these companies also bring their own enthusiasm for our community. Tully’s arrived in 2009 and now is sponsoring the Sumner Gathering Place project this summer (see page 1). As I look forward to this project, I’m reminded of a line from the end of The Music Man. (Incidentally, does everyone else see similarities between River City and Sumner? I promise not to try my Mayor Shinn impression.) Anyway, at the end, everyone realizes they’ve been hoodwinked and demands to see the band they were promised. Marian the librarian asks
them to remember what the town was like before Harold Hill arrived. She says, “And after he came-suddenly there were things to do and things to be proud of and people to go out of your way for.” With this gathering space project, sure we’ll get a much nicer alley. But we’ll also get the chance to set a vision and work toward it, side-by-side, building something beautiful. We’ll get to meet new people and celebrate a wonderful accomplishment. Without any hoodwinking, we’ll get our own “things to be proud of” in how everyone will come together. I look forward to seeing you for a very colorful, exciting and River-City-worthy summer.
Sumner serves up fun gatherings. Last year, Mayor Enslow joined Public Works Director Bill Pugh and Police Chief John Galle on the City shift in the Sumner Downtown Association’s burger booth during the Sumner Arts Festival. The City is preparing for another summer of fun with the Gathering Place project (page 1) and other events (insert).
Council Column Every Memorial Day weekend, I reflect on my time as a very young boy growing up in Enumclaw during World War II. I recall watching the Military Convoys passing in front of our home on Roosevelt Avenue. The Convoys were from Fort Lewis, heading for the Yakima Firing Range, which is still used today for military training purposes. They would travel via Highway 410, which in those days a portion was also called the Sumner/Buckley Highway. The trucks were also pulling the various cannons used
during WWII behind them. Then, I recall going to downtown Enumclaw with my mother on VJ Day and joining the thousands of people raucously celebrating the end of WWII. The celebration lasted for hours, if not days or weeks. During WWII, I recall the use of Tax Tokens when I would go to the grocery store and purchase candy (see picture). From the
internet, I learned that “[s]ales tax tokens were made in great quantities starting in 1935 in order to give change for sales taxes. Sales tax resulted in the final price of items having fractions of a cent. For example, purchase of a $1.25 item, taxed at 3%, would cost $1.2875 or $1.28 and 3/4c. What to do? … The solution was to provide tokens denominated in fractions of a cent, or ‘mills’ (1 mill=1/1000 of a
City of Sumner
Summertime can mean fun for your cats and dogs, but it can also pose some of its own unique hazards. Here are some ways to make sure your pets enjoy the summer too: •
MAYOR Dave Enslow 299-5790 Steve Allsop Curt Brown Cindi Hochstatter Randy Hynek Ed Hannus Leroy Goff Jon Swanson
299-5793 299-5796 299-5795 299-5792 299-5791 299-5797 299-5794
CITY OFFICES
CITY STAFF
Diane Supler 299-5502 City Administrator
Terri Berry City Clerk
299-5500
John Galle Police Chief
299-5644
Carmen Palmer 299-5503 Communications Director
Administration 299-5500 Cemetery 299-5510 Finance/utilities 863-8300 Golf course 863-8198 Inspection line 299-5530 Recreation 891-6500 Permit Center 299-5530 Police (non-emergency) 863-6384 Senior Center 863-2910
Bill Pugh 299-5701 Public Works Director
MUNICIPAL COURT Timothy A. Jenkins 863-7635 Judge, Court Offices Cathy Pashon, 299-5621 Court Administrator
Steve Zamberlin 299-5591 Human Resources Manager
Councilmember Ed Hannus ehannus@ci.sumner.wa.us
Welcome Summer’s Dog Days
1104 Maple Street, Sumner, WA 98390 253-863-8300 253-863-2850 FAX
CITY COUNCIL
dollar, or 1/10 of a cent). So in the above example, the customer would pay $1.29 and receive 2.5 mills in tax tokens as change.…As you can imagine, people did not like having to carry a second set of coins, and to further complicate matters, different states issued different tax tokens. The use of tax tokens declined and was finally discontinued in 1961, and people basically decided not to worry about fractions of a cent.”
Paul Rogerson 299-5521 Community Development Dir.
Brett Vinson City Attorney
299-5610
Beth Anne Wroe 299-5541 Financial Operations Director
EAST PIERCE FIRE & RESCUE Main Number 863-1800 Jerry Thorson, Fire Chief
• • •
Avoid overheating. When the temperatures climb, remember they’re wearing a fur coat. Help your pet stay cool and NEVER leave pets in a parked car “for a few minutes.” Prepare for fireworks. Fido is not as big a fan of things that go boom as you are. Help your pet make it through the 4th of July. Watch the paws. Pavement on a hot day can be dangerous to tender paws. Check the license. A current license is cheap ($10 for cats, $14 for dogs with spay/neuter). Plus, it is more important than ever in summer when doors get left open, visitors are coming in and out, and pets are more likely to chase birds and squirrels.
Sumner license forms available at www.metroanimalservices.org
Summer 2011
Sumner Community Connection
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Summer Brings Seals, Chips and Stripes to Sumner Streets
The streets in yellow will get chip & fog sealed this summer. Watch all children, pets and white carpets!
ASK DR. SUMNER: Does the City make money from traffic tickets?
The streets in red get new stripes this summer, causing minimal impact except minor delays to vehicles.
Tree-mendous Success!
No. This urban myth is older than Barney Fife, but it is not true. Here’s why: most revenue from a ticket goes to the State. This means that any ticket, whether reduced or not, costs the City more to write than it gets, factoring in the officer’s time, the cost of operating a court, etc. Why even write tickets, then? Unfortunately, for many drivers, it is the only
thing that keeps them obeying traffic laws. These are the same laws that protect all the other drivers and pedestrians. Parking enforcement also helps keep parking available for residents as well as visitors to Sumner’s businesses. Next time you see an officer pulling someone over (not you, of course), remember that there are no quotas, and there are no monetary goals. The only goal is to keep all Sumner drivers obeying the law, even if it costs the City a ticket or two.
79.42 % of a ticket goes to the State of Washington Kathleen Ochs
The Jackson family joined the City of Sumner, the Key Club and the Forestry Commission in planting trees on April 30 for Arbor Day. As you plant your own perennials and annuals, you may be wondering how you can keep them healthy without skyrocketing your water bill. Find out some water-saving tips from plant selection to drip irrigation in Sumner’s piece on Rainier Country. Watch online at www.ci.sumner.wa.us.
(For example $89.75 of a $113 ticket)
20.58% goes to Sumner ($23.25 of a $113 ticket)
If the judge reduces your ticket, the City still has to pay the State $71.71 for your ticket. If the judge sets your ticket lower than that, the City actually owes the State the balance. If the judge sets your ticket higher than that, the City keeps only 44% of the balance over $71.71 with the rest also going to the State.
City Council Action March-May 2011 Accepted Wastewater Treatment Facility’s Building C Furnace Replacement Adopted Resolution 1319, amending the Explorer Interlocal with City of Algona Adopted Resolution 1320, authorizing the Mayor to enter into an interlocal agreement with Algona and Pacific for joint participation in the South Valley Police Explorer Program Approved On-Call Engineering Services contracts Awarded Sumner Springs Reservoir Seismic Tank Anchoring Design to BHC Consultants, LLC Accepted WWTF Digester Piping Modifications Project Awarded WWTF Emergency Sink Hole Repair Contract Approved Stewart Creek Culvert Replacement Contract
Adopted Ordinance 2353 condemning Ewing property Adopted Ordinance 2354, placing a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries Adopted Ordinance 2355 amending SMC Title 12, streets, sidewalks and public places Adopted Ordinance 2356 amending SMC Title 13, public services Adopted Ordinance 2357 amending SMC Title 15, building and construction Adopted Ordinance 2358 amending SMC Title 17, subdivisions Adopted Ordinance 2359 amending the sign code Adopted Ordinance 2352, findings of fact for interim development regulations for off-street commercial parking Appointed Jon Swanson to fill vacant council position
Accepted 24th Street Storm Drain Crossing project Reappointed Larry Johns to Parks Board & Gene McCaul and Dennis Tompkins to the Forestry Commission Reappointed Barbara Bitetto, Anita Miller, Marsha Vandenberg, Judy Caviezel and Charlie Nordeck to the Arts Commission; Cynthia Bush to the Planning Commission; Kevin Clegg and Robert “Doc” Hansen to the Design Commission Adopted Resolution 1321 extending negotiation period for Wastewater Treatment Facility annexation agreement Confirmed appointment of Sue Larson to the Arts Commission Adopted Ordinance 2360 adding Restricted Parking Zones Awarded Parker Road Sidewalk Consultant Contract to KPG, Inc.
Awarded the WWTF Primary Digester Bypass Piping Contract to Nordic Construction, Inc. Awarded the Public Defender Contract to Tom Guilfoil Adopted Resolution No. 1322: WSDOT Public Works Mutual Aid Agreement Adopted Resolution No. 1323 updating the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Accepted the North Sumner Pump Station #15 Project Confirmed appointment of Terry Smith to the Design Commission Approved the Fryar and Main Water Change Order Adopted Ordinance 2361 extending Stewart Road Interfund Loan Approved Robison Settlement Agreement
Sumner Community Connection
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Summer 2011
SAFETY SALLY SAYS: Follow Fireworks Rules
For the safety of you, your family, your neighbors, your home and your community, please note and follow the rules regarding fireworks within Sumner: Fireworks may be discharged only on July 4 from noon to midnight. Fireworks may be sold June 28 at noon through July 4 at 9 pm. Applications for stands must be submitted by June 15. No one under the age of 16 years may possess or discharge any fireworks unless directly supervised by a responsible adult. Discharge of fireworks is not allowed on City property including parks and parking lots.
Legal fireworks: Sparkler Cylindrical Fountain Cone Fountain Illuminating Torch Wheel Ground Spinner Flitter Sparkler Mine/Shell Smoke Device Helicopter Aerial Spinner Roman Candle
Want a Float? The Sumner Community Float is homeless! The barn it was housed in so generously for five years has been sold. If you or anyone you know would like to donate space for the float, please contact Jon Swanson at 253-299-5794 or jswanson@ci.sumner.wa.us. He can get you more details about size and the space requirements that are needed.
Legal only on tribal land: Firecrackers, bottle rockets, missiles and rockets
Discharge of fireworks on someone else’s property without the owner’s permission is not allowed. Discharge only legal fireworks (listed at right). Always have a water bucket present, never relight “duds,” and never alter fireworks. More details available at http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/fireworks.htm
Illegal everywhere: M-80’s and larger, dynamite and any improvised, homemade or altered explosive devices such as tennis balls or cherry bombs
“Summer afternoon - to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” ~Henry James (1843 - 1916) Sumner City Council
Steve Allsop
Curt Brown
INSIDE: New Gathering Space Proposed Event Fees
Leroy Goff
Ed Hannus
Cindi Hochstatter
City of Sumner 1104 Maple Street Sumner, WA 98390
Randy Hynek
Jon Swanson
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SUMNER, WA PERMIT NO. 1
This Summer’s Chip Seal & Street Striping Maps About Traffic Ticket Fees ECRWSS
Helping Pets Enjoy the Summer Too
Postal Customer
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City Hall Calendar JUNE
20 City Council Meeting, 7 pm 21 Public Works Committee, 5 pm 23 Arts Commission, 6 pm 27 Council Study Session, 6 pm 28 Finance Committee, 5 pm
AUGUST
1 City Council Meeting, 7 pm 4 Planning Commission, 7 pm 8 City Council Study Session, 6 pm 9 Parks Commission, 4 pm 10 CD/Parks Committee, 4:30 pm 11 Forestry Commission, 6:30 pm JULY 11 Design Commission, 6:30 pm 4 City offices closed 15 City Council Meeting, 7 pm 5 City Council Meeting, 7 pm 16 Public Works Committee, 5 pm 7 Planning Commission, 7 pm 18 Public Safety Committee, 4:30 pm 11 City Council Study Session, 6 pm 22 Council Study Session, 6 pm 12 Parks Commission, 4 pm 23 Finance Committee, 5 pm 13 CD/Parks Committee, 4:30 pm 25 Arts Commission, 6 pm 14 Forestry Commission, 6:30 pm 14 Design Commission, 6:30 pm SEPTEMBER 18 City Council Meeting, 7 pm 1 Planning Commission, 7 pm 19 Public Works Committee, 5 pm 5 City offices closed 21 Public Safety Committee, 4:30 pm 6 City Council Meeting, 7 pm 25 City Council Study Session, 6 pm 8 Forestry Commission, 6:30 pm 26 Finance Committee, 5 pm 8 Design Commission, 6:30 pm 28 Arts Commission, 6 pm 12 Council Study Session, 6 pm
City Celebrates Three Retirements & New Building Official There are some changes at City Hall. Three employees are retiring after long careers in Sumner. Roy Fortier served Sumner for 21 years, first as building inspector and then as building official. Audrey Young has been balancing numbers in Sumner’s finance department for 25 years, and in the police department, Ron Lawson patrolled for parking violations Rick Kelley joins Sumner for 10 years. The City thanks as the new building official. all three for their dedication and wishes them a well-deserved, happy retirement. Coming on board as the new building official is Rick Kelley. You may see him if you are doing work on your home or business. Rick lives in Puyallup and has spent the last six years working as a Building Inspector and Deputy Fire Marshal for the City of Fife. He has a degree in business administration from Columbia Southern University and several building and fire related certifications from ICC. He looks forward to serving and meeting more of the citizens of Sumner.