Report to Taxpayers Mission
to provide needed and valued services that promote our sense of community
Vision
to set the standard
2011
Ah, the “good old days.” You hear this phrase used a lot, usually by people who never experienced those days in the first place. We’re all guilty of dreaming of when people left doors unlocked, traffic meant two cars passing on a road and kids still delivered newspapers. Are you full of nostalgia yet? What if these are much better “good old days” now? A bold statement, I know, but let’s take off the rose-colored glasses and take a more balanced look back. Remember when at least one kid would contract polio each summer? How about when people would die in a matter of days from an ordinary scratch because they didn’t have antibiotics? America struggled with racism and sexism. And, if we went back to the Great Depression, the poverty and unemployment would make today’s economic troubles pale by comparison. Every era has its good and bad, progress and regress. That’s life! Human nature compels us to remember the good about the past and dwell on the bad in the present. So, let’s shift that a bit and take a look at the good things that happened in Sumner last year. It’s quite a list and may just rival the thought of milk being delivered in glass bottles! I believe these are much better “good old days” after all. Take a look and see what you think.
Priority: Protection of water, open space and other natural resources.
Mayor Dave Enslow
Held second Shred & Clean event with Daffodil Valley Kiwanis.
of excellence for a
Continued to offer local gardeners Bonney Good Sumner Grow, a class “A” quality, free biosolid that resulted in 100 percent reuse of the generated biosolids.
progressive small city
Participated in the Puyallup River Executive Task Force, a county-wide effort to provide long-term solutions to flooding of the Puyallup River and its tributaries.
Values We serve with respect and integrity. We are responsive and accountable.
Cleaned and maintained catch basins, treatment detention ponds, and Salmon Creek. Swept miles of streets every week. Met all Federal permit requirements for the Wastewater Treatment Facility. Participated in Pierce County’s Flood Plan Advisory Committee. Worked with Forterra for unprecedented agreement that has Orton Junction project permanently preserving over 500 acres of farmland and open space in Pierce County. Worked toward successful solution to federally mandated changes in Flood Plain regulations. Continued work on significant updates to the Shorelines Master program. Worked on extensive responses to citizen comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for proposed Northstar Chemical Facility.
We are collaborative
Conducted three drug take-back days as well as maintained daily drug take-back bin, collecting 271 pounds of drugs to be safely destroyed.
and professional.
Added 3.5 feet elevation to the perimeter wall to protect the Wastewater Treatment Facility in the event of a flood.
We are innovative and visionary.
celebrate!
City crews also helped make many 2011 Sumner celebrations possible:
Daffodil Parade Santa Parade St. Patrick’s Day Parade Homecoming Parade Sumner Arts Festival Bridge Lighting Classy Chassis Car Show Wine Walks Autumn Evening Come Walk With Me Street of Treats Hometown Holidays Sumner High School Prom & Homecoming Dance Bicycle Rodeo Block Parties Relay for Life
Partnered with Department of Emergency Management and Army Corps of Engineers to teach proper sandbag techniques before winter. Participated in the Puget Sound Partnership for combined stormwater education campaign, Puget Sound Starts Here. Extended the stormwater main 1930 feet from Valley Avenue through Gary Street to serve Wood Avenue and Gault Street.
Priority: Safe and efficient transportation system. Finished reworking and improving Traffic/Main & Fryar intersection, installing sidewalks and bike lanes, realigning lanes for improved flow, and replacing signals. Successfully received State Recreation and Conservation Office funding for trail section. Audited signage around city and removed unnecessary signs. Purchased radios and changed police dispatch frequencies to 800 Mhz, permitting interoperable public safety communications over a three-county area. Replaced two aging patrol cars. Municipal Court processed 2363 filings, conducted 957 infraction hearings with 477 mitigations, 439 contested, and 41 reviews. Participated in auto theft prevention program and regional efforts to combat impaired driving and underage drinking. Removed mudslide from West Valley Highway and worked with landowner to recover costs. Completed more streets under the chip seal program. Completed new parking enforcement protocols. Constructed approximately 700 lineal feet of sidewalk along Elm Street. Coordinated with residents to fill in missing gaps in sidewalks along Parker Road. Participated in a simulation to better understand how to design intersections and sidewalks to assist sight-impaired individuals. Received grant funds to install solar-powered flashing lights at crosswalks near schools.