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FRIDAY February 3, 2017
Volume 10, No. 133
S E RV I N G F I F E , M I LT O N , E D G E WO O D & S U R R O U N D I N G C O M M U N I T I E S
LEADERSHIP?
With budget woes, troubles at city hall and seat shuffling at council, where is the leadership for the City of Fife? BY STEVE DUNKELBERGER stevedunkel@fifefreepress.com The City of Fife is spending more money than it is taking in from taxes and fees. The current two-year general fund of $37 million draws about $600,000 from the city’s cash reserves. That account will run out by 2019 if nothing else changes since expenses are growing at a rate of about 3 percent a year while revenues are growing at just about 1 percent. One reason for the looming budget troubles involves the ongoing dispute between the city and the Puyallup Tribe over
a shift in how a portion of tribal gaming revenues from the tribe’s two casino locations are distributed to non-tribal governments through a state compact to offset any impact expenses the gaming generates. A committee of tribal members and local government officials, including those from Fife, Tacoma and Pierce County, decides how 2 percent of the gaming revenues is allocated to agencies and governments
Police set to present changes following strategic plan
See FIFE / Page 9
PAT HULCEY has served on the Council since 2010. His term expires in 2019. WINSTON MARSH Mayor, has been a resident of Fife since 2007. He has served on the council since 2013 and was elected mayor in 2016. His term expires at the end of the year and reportedly has health issues.
BRYAN YAMBE Deputy Mayor, has served on the council since 2013. His term expires in 2019.
TIM CURTIS has served on the council since 2012, including a term as mayor in 2014-2015. His term expires in 2019.
Chief Pete Fisher
BY STEVE DUNKELBERGER stevedunkel@fifefreepress.com
SUBIR MUKERJEE City Manager, has served as the city’s chief administrator since 2015.
DEE-DEE GETHERS served on the council between 2011 and 2013 and then since 2015. Her term expires at the end of the year.
KIM ROSCOE served on the council from 2002 to 2009 and was then appointed from July 2011 to November of 2011 and then from March of 2013 to December of 2013. She was then elected to the council in 2015. Her term expires in 2019.
LEW WOLFROM has served on the council since 2011. His term expires this year. LOREN COMBS (right) City Attorney who has been the city’s contracted legal counsel since 1988.
HOOPIN’ 4 HEROES Basketball fundraiser pits Fife Schools against First Responders to benefit Special Olympics Washington BY MATT NAGLE matt@fifefreepress.com
PHOTO BY ALYX GIBBS
ECRWSS Postal Customer
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TACOMA, WA PERMIT NO. 225
Fife High School Life Skills student and Special Olympics athlete Cameron made a sweet free-throw last year and the crowd went wild.
Things are looking shipshape for this year’s second annual Hoopin’ 4 Heroes basketball fundraising event, an evening of community unity and b-ball on the hardwood to raise money for Special Olympics Washington. Hoopin’ 4 Heroes will be held in the Fife High School gymnasium on Feb. 21. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the event starts at 5 p.m. Last year’s inaugural Hoopin’ 4 Heroes was one of the best events held in Fife in 2016, as the Fife High School gym was packed full with a modest estimate of 400 family and friends
See HOOPS / Page 6
‘Murder at Aunt Agatha’s’
Fife students prepare to stage hilarious murder mystery BY MATT NAGLE matt@fifefreepress.com
It’s no secret that it costs a small fortune to take the family out for a night at the movies, but in Fife there is a better alternative that’s much less expensive and offers memorable and highly entertaining fare fit for all ages. It all takes place at Columbia Junior High’s Performing Arts Center where young theater students are ready
to raise the curtain on a zany new production of “Murder at Aunt Agatha’s.” “This is one of our favorite shows written by Dave and Teresa Hockman,” said theater instructor Hayley Rathburn, referring to Fife Schools’ beloved theater duo who for years created and staged a wealth of plays for students to perform. A live theater experience in the spirit of great old Humphrey Bogart style detective movies, “Murder at Aunt Agatha’s” is a mystery/comedy featuring a wacky cast of characters who all gather at their departed great aunt Agatha’s house to hear the reading of her will. They find out that whoever stays at the house the longest
See PLAY / Page 6
The Fife Police Department has a new roadmap to curb crime in the city by being more proactive with business and community groups on ways to prevent crime rather than being reactive when it comes to a crime in progress. “Historically, police have been 911 call takers and responders,” Chief Pete Fisher told the council during a recent presentation. “We are reactionary and that does not get to the underlining problem.” The department underwent a strategic plan to shift the organization to be more proactive in ways that solve problems, not just solve crimes. “A strategic plan is one of the most important pieces to a successful organization. It clearly articulates the mission and values of an organization, as well as establishing a clear vision,” according to a staff report. “The strategic plan sets out goals and objectives by which the organization can measure its performance.” While the hiring of a strategic plan facilitator can cost departments up to $7,500, Fife received the work for free, thanks to Fisher’s ties to his old department. Bremerton Police Chief Steve Strachan volunteered to help the Fife department free of charge. The changes in the works at the 31-officer department will strive to use crime data to chart trends as a way to determine patrol methods, as well as seek more ways to help businesses and residents prevent crimes from occurring in the first place by promoting block watch programs and training sessions about how landscaping, design, alarms, fences and cameras can prevent crime, particularly in business and warehouse districts. One police challenge in the city is that Fife has a daytime population of some 30,000 people and a nighttime residency of just 9,400, making the bulk of the city’s crimes business related. “Our daytime population and our nighttime population are totally different,” Fisher said. The department is now crafting presentations about the strategic plan for the City Council, as well as business and neighborhood groups this spring and summer.
FILE PHOTOS
The Fife Police Department conducted a strategic plan and is working on ways to be more proactive to prevent crimes rather than reactive with crime responses.