January 2023 VOICE Magazine

SHOP LOCAL

SHOP LOCAL

SHOP LOC-OLY

SHOP LOC-OLY SHOP LOCAL AT CAPITAL MALL

SHOP LOCAL AT CAPITAL MALL

SHOP

LOC-OLY

Capital Mall is proud to support local businesses owned by your neighbors or who source products directly from local makers. Scan for more information about how to Shop, Eat and Play LOC-OLY at Capital Mall.

Capital Mall is proud to support local businesses owned by your neighbors or who source products directly from local makers. Scan for more information about how to Shop, Eat and Play LOC-OLY at Capital Mall.

SHOP LOCAL AT CAPITAL MALL

Capital Mall is proud to support local businesses owned by your neighbors or who source products directly from local makers. Scan for more information about how to Shop, Eat and Play LOC-OLY at Capital Mall.

#CAPITALMALLOLY

360.754.8098 | 625 Black Lake Boulevard, Olympia, Washington

@capital_mall capitalmallwa capitalmallolympia.com

#CAPITALMALLOLY

@capital_mall capitalmallwa capitalmallolympia.com

360.754.8098 | 625 Black Lake Boulevard, Olympia, Washington

#CAPITALMALLOLY

@capital_mall capitalmallwa capitalmallolympia.com

360.754.8098 | 625 Black Lake Boulevard, Olympia, Washington

January 2023

THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER VOICE MAGAZINE

Visit ThurstonChamber.com and click on the Events Calendar for the latest information regarding Chamber events.

Join our host, Uptown Grill at 514 Capitol Way S, Olympia, WA 98501 on Thursday, January 5 at 5:30 p.m. for the Thurston Young Professionals Monthly Networking Event. Enjoy bites & beverages as you expand your network! All are welcome – feel free to invite other 20 to 30-year-olds so they can expand their networks and get to know all the fantastic young professionals in our community.

On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 11:30 a.m., at The Norman Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin's University, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby, Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier, Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto and Thurston County Commissioner Chair Carolina Mejia will collectively present a State of the Community Address brought to the community by the Thurston Chamber. During the event, representatives will share the state of their jurisdiction and address moderated topics. Thank you to our event sponsor, Puget Sound Energy. Register at https://members.thurstonchamber.com/events

After Hours

Join our Business After Hours host Sani-Fog at Sky Bear Media, LLC at 113 Thurston Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98501, on Thursday, January 19 at 5:30 p.m., for mingling and networking with other business professionals, playing games, beverages and appetizers. Business After Hours is a great opportunity to expand your network. ROXY 94.5 and Pacific Source Health Plans proudly sponsors Business After Hours.

The VOICE is FSC® Certified.

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC), is a non-profit organization that sets certain high standards to make sure that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner.

In This Issue...

Shared Legislative Agenda 2023 p. 7

Director Doug Mah details the Public Policy Division's agenda for the 2023 State Legislative session.

The 2023 State of the Community Report p. 13

Elected officials from Lacey, Olympia, Tenino, Tumwater, Yelm and Thurston County report on the state of their communities in 2023.

Olympia Career Hub Offers New Construction Bootcamp Training p. 20

Thanks to funding from the City, Olympia residents can receive free construction training and necessary certifications to help find a living-wage job.

Caught in the Lens p. 22

Keep up with the latest Chamber happenings and see all of the great smiles that make up our membership!

Thurston County Chamber VOICE

PUBLISHER

Thurston County Chamber of Commerce

EDITORIAL David Schaffert 360-357-3362 dschaffert@thurstonchamber.com

CONTRIBUTORS David Schaffert Doug Mah

ADVERTISING Sales & Marketing: Krystal Barkus Elizabeth Bretschneider Ashley Chandler

SUBSCRIPTIONS 360-357-3362 info@thurstonchamber.com

DESIGN Ben Hawkes Mosaic Marketing Studio

COVER Photography by Shanna Paxton Photography. Front L to R: Thurston County Commissioner Chair Carolina Mejia, Mayors Joe DePinto, Debbie Sullivan. Back, L to R: Mayors Wayne Fournier, Cheryl Selby, Andy Ryder.

PRINTING Print NW

CONTACT THE CHAMBER

809 Legion Way SE Olympia, WA 98507 360-357-3362 info@thurstonchamber.com thurstonchamber.com

The State of the Community Report & Address

by David Schaffert, President/CEO, Thurston County Chamber

Every January, the Thurston Chamber hosts senior elected officials from Lacey, Olympia, Tenino, Tumwater, Yelm and Thurston County at the State of the Community Address. We also develop in the Chamber VOICE Magazine, a State of the Community Report. The report is developed through the elected responses to a couple questions.

1. What drives your optimism for 2023?

You’ll find the answers to these questions, written by the elected officials, beginning on page 13. We encourage you to read their statements and then attend the State of the Community Address on Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

At the State of the Community Address, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby, Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier, Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto, and Thurston County Commissioner Chair Carolina Mejia will collectively present an address and then will take part in a question-and-answer session moderated by myself.

This is a unique opportunity to engage with our elected officials and be part of the conversations on important community issues. We look forward to seeing you there.

THURSTON COUNTY CHAMBER

BUILDING COMMUNITY PROSPERITY

COPYRIGHT All material appearing in the VOICE Magazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. The VOICE Magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. ©2022 VOICE Magazine, Thurston County Chamber.

This year's questions are:

2. What exciting projects in your community are on the horizon?

“ We were impressed with the personal attention we received from OlyFe d . ”

When Trent and Katie Breland envisioned their own eco-friendly salon, OlyFed responded with encouragement, advice and support. “We knew we had a long-term partner because of their community commitment and positive reputation among Thurston County business leaders.” Trent and Katie understand what local entrepreneurs have known for 116 years: OlyFed is all about putting real relationships above the bottom line.

Trent and Katie Breland Salt Hair Lounge, Olympia

by Doug Mah, Doug Mah & Associates, Thurston Chamber Public Policy Director

Shared Legislative Agenda 2023

Each year, the Public Policy Division of the Thurston Chamber convenes the Shared Legislative Partnership. The Partnership works to advance regional priorities for the upcoming State Legislative session. These priorities, when approved, will provide multiple and broad benefits to the entire region due to the significant scope and impact across and between entities. The list of regional priorities for 2023 includes:

Young Child & Family Center – North Thurston Public Schools

High-quality early learning and recreation programs are critical factors in healthy communities. By expanding access to these programs in an area where they are needed most, this project shifts the trajectory of our community. It impacts overall health, educational attainment, and economic prosperity across our region.

Combining an early learning center with public recreation, this 70,000 square foot facility will provide

developmentally appropriate activities for youth ages 3-5 and their families, while increasing community access to critical early learning resources in an area with extremely limited childcare options. Project partners include North Thurston Public Schools, South Sound YMCA, City of Lacey, Thurston EDC, and Thurston County Chamber. This funding request will ensure architectural and engineering services (start to finish) for the proposed Young Child & Family Center on property owned by North Thurston Public Schools.

Capital Budget Request – $6,200,000

Thurston County Chamber

Budd Inlet Remediation & Restoration –

Port of Olympia

The Port of Olympia is proposing to become the “Working Party” to lead the design and implementation of remediation and habitat restoration efforts in lower Budd Inlet. These efforts will clear the way for the implementation of the preferred alternative for the Capitol Lake/Deschutes Estuary Long Term Management Plan, which had been identified as the Estuary Alternative. The Port of Olympia (along with others) is a named Potentially Liable Party under the State Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). The Port signed an Agreed Order with the Department of Ecology in 2012 to investigate the extent of the contamination and develop remediation strategies.

The Port started the contamination investigation and remedy selection work and has approved contracts to complete this work by June 2023. In addition, there is significant shoaling in the navigation channel and turning basin in Budd Inlet. Many of the vessels calling at the Port of Olympia have to time their arrival or departure to ensure sufficient draft. However, the navigation channel is a federal asset managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps cannot expend Federally appropriated funds within a Washington State MTCA site. This investment will help to fund the design of this project to incorporate multiple stakeholders’ objectives and position it for additional Federal resources to balance the environmental restoration goals with commerce and economic development.

Capital Budget Request – $3,800,000

Gopher Mitigation/Economic Development Funding – Tumwater, Yelm, and

Port of Olympia

Significant parts of the Cities of Tumwater and Yelm have been removed from development for housing, employment, schools, State facilities and utilities as a result of the listing of several prairie species (most notably the Mazama Pocket Gopher) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Cities of Tumwater and Olympia, along with the Port of Olympia, are working to develop Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) that identify the type and amount of mitigation land to be set-aside for gopher mitigation banking. The bank allows private and public development to occur in areas within the cities where development has been halted because of habitat impacts.

The amount of land needed for Tumwater is estimated at 1,015 acres at a cost of over $55 million over 30 years including the cost to establish and maintain the appropriate prairie land. Tumwater and the Port of Olympia are approximately 12 months away from

Thurston County Chamber

completion of their HCP but need to demonstrate commitment to obtaining and developing mitigation prior to completion of the HCP. The City of Yelm is beginning to develop a Habit Conservation Plan that will require them to acquire land for a mitigation bank before development can happen in impacted areas. They also need to demonstrate a commitment to acquiring land and developing mitigation. We are requesting $2.5 million in funding for Tumwater and $1.5 million for Yelm to initiate the mitigation bank. It would be used for the initial land purchase and improvement into qualifying habitat. As other property is developed which impacts the habitat, credits will be sold and the proceeds reinvested in more property to be converted into mitigation. The objective in both Cities is to jumpstart the creation of a sustaining mitigation bank.

Capital Budget Request – $3,800,000

Local Grain Conveyance and Storage System – Thurston EDC

The Craft District in Tumwater is developing into a flagship location that champions Thurston & Lewis Counties rich heritage in craft brewing and distilling and advances craft beverage and agricultural interests

in the State. The district is the first of its kind with a unique mix of public, private, and educational stakeholders. The district provides regional accessible tasting rooms, brewing and distilling facilities, quality assurance laboratories, and classrooms. The district partners seek to support grain and malt handling of locally grown ingredients for beverage manufacturing. The planned grain conveyance and storage system silo has multiple compartments so that partners can store a wide array of ingredients grown in Washington State. This grain system is a key component supporting regional efforts to build a regional-scale grain supply chain that can offset disruptions, make our region more resilient, and provide a new and valuable market for regional farmers. Thurston County is designated as Washington State’s Craft Brewing, Distilling and Cider Making Innovative Partnership Zone (IPZ). This project meets the core objectives of the IPZ and furthers the goals to develop an industry through industry support, research, and workforce training. Project enhancing equipment, including a Local Grain Conveyance and Storage System, will further differentiate this unique and innovative district.

Capital Budget Request – $247,200

You’ll find the answers to these questions, written by the elected officials, in the following pages. We encourage you to read their statements and then attend the State of the Community Address on Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

At the State of the Community Address, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby, Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier, Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, Yelm

This is a unique opportunity to engage with our elected officials and be part of the conversations on important community issues. We look forward to seeing you there.

Thurston County Chamber

Mayor Joe DePinto, and Thurston County Commissioner Chair Carolina Mejia will collectively present an address and take part in a question-and-answer session moderated by Thurston Chamber President/CEO, David Schaffert.

Every January, the Thurston Chamber hosts senior elected officials from Lacey, Olympia, Tenino, Tumwater, Yelm and Thurston County at the State of the Community Address. In addition, a State of the Community Report is included in the VOICE Magazine, where officials share their responses to two questions posed by the Chamber.

We have faced – and risen to – a number of unprecedented challenges over the past two years. Proudly, the City has never faltered in providing exceptional services to the community.

Looking out at the economic and geopolitical landscape, we certainly have challenges ahead. However, what makes me optimistic is knowing that there is nothing we can’t do if we work together. We have an exceptional Council and extraordinary staff who are passionate about meeting the needs of Lacey residents and businesses. Bright spots on the horizon in Lacey include a number of incredible initiatives and projects:

• New Leadership. We look forward to finding a phenomenal new City Manager to lead Lacey for years to come.

• A south sound gem – Greg Cuoio Park: The first development phase of this 500+ acre park will get underway this year. Phase 1A includes adding access, parking, two miles of trails, disc golf, a community shelter, an ADA walkway, and an allaccess playground.

• Enhanced Shelter Partnership: The City is proud to partner with Washington State, Thurston County, and the Low Income Housing Institute to acquire the hotel located at 8200 Quinault Dr NE and convert it into an enhanced shelter. Funded by the Right of Way Initiative, this shelter will provide 118 living units for some of the community’s most vulnerable members.

• New Lacey Police Station: Lacey’s current police station is nearing its fourth decade and is no longer able to accommodate the needs of our community. Design of the $40M+ facility will wrap up this year with construction commencing in 2024.

MAYOR Andy Ryder

• Housing & Development: In 2022, permits were issued for 15 Multi-family buildings with 197 units. After up-zoning of residential areas in 2022, the City is now focused on updating its Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

• Midtown Matures: Building off past momentum, Midtown is becoming a thriving community hub with the opening of the 6th Avenue mixed-use building, the (re)development of The Landing, and the At Home department store moving into the Sears building. We’re also very excited about the expansion of the Food Truck Depot nearby to include special events and a local market.

• Infrastructure enhancements: While not exhaustive, we’ll be adding electric vehicle charging stations, performing roundabout design, replacing a bridge, and implementing a number of transportation and utility infrastructure improvements!

1. What drives your optimism for 2023?

Ifeel Olympia is making progress in the right direction on many fronts and I’m confident that progress will continue into 2023. In 2022 we made significant headway addressing our homeless crisis with major efforts like relocating the Mitigation Site, establishing the Quince Street Village, resolving the challenges at Ensign Road, and launching the Journey2Jobs program which is connecting currently homeless individuals back into the workforce. We’ve also laid the groundwork on many new affordable housing developments that will start to take shape in 2023. These include a project with the Family Support Center in West Olympia, a unique partnership with Urban Olympia to build work force housing on the former Griswold’s building on 4th Ave., and our collaboration with Habitat for Humanity for the development of over 100 owner-occupied affordable homes on city owned property on Boulevard Rd. We continue to build powerful connections with the private and non-profit sectors to tackle the housing crisis and our recent wins give me hope that we’ll win this battle.

2. What exciting projects in your community are on the horizon?

MAYOR Cheryl Selby

There’s a lot of activity to be excited about but one project in particular is the City of Olympia’s partnership with the Chamber of Commerce for the Olympia Career Hub. This project aims to build career skills and pathways for our residents so they have the skills required to access in demand industries. The first construction cohort begins January 23 and is a 7-week hands-on skills training. It’s open to all experience levels and is offered at no cost to Olympia residents and members of the Squaxin Island tribe. Through hands on training and classroom instruction, participants will earn industry recognized certifications in many construction areas and participate in a hiring event upon program completion.

On the micro-entrepreneur front, Olympia continues to be a leader in supporting small business, specifically in the area of the arts, culture and history sectors. With the passage of the “Inspire Olympia” ballot measure last spring, we’ll be creating a $2.5 million grant program to provide much needed business training, operational support and help with capital outlays for non-profits in Olympia that provide public programming. Awards will also go to organizations who provide free and reduced admission and discounted tuition to Olympia residents and students in the Olympia School District.

Olympia

We have an amazing community and an engaged group of community leaders in Tenino, what drives my optimism is the number of excited and talented people that want to make Tenino a better place, we have a lot of exciting public and private projects going on and there’s never a shortage of vision.

In the last few years, we have had the opportunity to take on several projects that preserve Tenino’s history and celebrate its unique assets. In 2022 we completed an extensive renovation of our City Hall; we have the oldest City Hall in Thurston County, and at over 100 years old it is now more useful than it’s ever been.

In 2022, we received a grant to build a new park playground and renovate our quarry pool. We feel these two projects will drive local day trips into our city and add new ways to enjoy Tenino for decades to come.

In the last few years, we’ve seen robust development, this trend continues with a town home project, single family home infill across the city and new businesses opening regularly.

The SWWA Agricultural Business & Innovation Park Project received preliminary plat approval and site improvements are beginning this month. The first building proposed on the site is 13,628 sf and will host a variety of tenants that add value to Agricultural products produced here in the Thurston County region, we anticipate 1-2 additional buildings to follow shortly. With the opening of the T9O Ranch, Tenino is now home to the region’s largest professional sports facility, a nationwide destination for Equestrian Sports bringing in thousands of guests nearly every weekend of the year.

Tenino has been riding a wave of

MAYOR

Wayne Fournier

progress for the past few years, we have had a good run of stability that has led to local investors confidently putting their money into their community. In 2023, with the passing of Prop 1, we are optimistic of increasing influence and equity in the regional political landscape now that Southwest Thurston County will be gaining its own District with the BoCC and Port of Olympia.

MAYOR

Debbie Sullivan

What drives your optimism for 2023?

Coming out of the pandemic, there are many reasons to look to 2023 with optimism and a belief in a better tomorrow.

While the past two years have been difficult, we persevered. We maintained all of our City services and continued to move forward. During the height of the pandemic, businesses and workers demonstrated grit and determination in providing essential services to the community. Residential and commercial construction never slowed, bringing new housing and businesses to Tumwater. Despite the challenges, we continued to move forward—together.

A continued focus on the City Council’s Strategic Priorities is key to our success in the coming year. In support of our goal to pursue targeted community development opportunities, the City has hired its first Economic Development Director. This realizes a long-term goal for a designated staff member to recruit and retain businesses in Tumwater and provide additional support to implementing our Economic Development Plan.

Like many businesses, the City has faced staffing challenges and difficulty filling jobs. Overall the number of applicants is down, but the quality of candidates is outstanding. Increasingly employees come seeking value and purpose at work. Our new staff members bring energy and enthusiasm to innovate and implement some of our most complex projects, including environmental, sustainability, and climate change initiatives. Most importantly, I see optimism in our community.

What exciting projects in your community are on the horizon?

We want Tumwater to be a city for all people. This year we are working with a consultant to develop an equity toolkit to guide the development of strategies and resources to ensure equity in our actions and decision-making.

The City’s biggest road improvement project will start in early 2023. The I-5, Trosper Road, and Capitol Boulevard Project will replace the intersection and interchange with three roundabouts to move traffic more efficiently and reduce intersectional delays and safety issues. This project will have significant impacts to traffic along Capitol Boulevard for an extended period of time.

We continue to be a partner in the Regional Housing Council to meet the needs of those at risk of or experiencing homelessness, preventing homelessness, and expanding the availability of affordable housing in Tumwater.

Tumwater

Yelm

There are many reasons to be optimistic about 2023 for the City of Yelm but the biggest reason remains the people. We are fortunate to have recruited some amazing talent in key positions who will increase our overall customer experience and provide new services for our community. Besides those employed with the city, we have very special folks in our community including our 2022 3A State Champion Football team and impressive entrepreneurs, who brought new businesses and places of employment to our city. With our recently acquired water rights, we have seen an explosion of growth in our city. We are planning many projects to deal with the increased population.

Upcoming projects that I am very excited about include the completion of our first dog park, our $33 million renovation of our water treatment plant, and new infrastructure projects designed to move traffic. The dog park is in the 2nd phase of construction and should be completed by the end of the summer. The

vast majority of it was paid for by a Community Development Block Grant. Our water treatment plant will start construction next year and will provide new water hookups that should last us the next few decades and will be easy to upgrade for new growth.

Lastly we will be creating more parking in downtown Yelm by paving a city owned lot along with new one-way streets that will enable a more walkable downtown that includes an activated alleyway.

It is an exciting time to be the Mayor of Yelm and I am looking forward to what’s next!

MAYOR

Joe DePinto

Thurston County

2022 was a busy year for the county! The Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) laid the foundation for so many policies and projects that will come to fruition in the coming years. This year, the BoCC passed a HOME Fund (a sales tax increase of one-tenths of one percent) and consolidated with the City of Olympia’s HOME Fund. This revenue will support the Regional Housing Council’s efforts to regionally reduce the number of people struggling to access affordable or permanent housing. In 2023, the BoCC will review with our local partners a long list of projects to address this complex issue of affordable housing and homelessness.

The BoCC continues to work on improving the quality of governance of the board. With the voter-approved expansion of commissioner representation in the county to move from a three to five-member board, two new members and districts will be added. The BoCC recently approved the

new district maps and will conduct elections of the two new commissioners during the general election in November 2023.

The BoCC and federal government approved the county’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to offset development impacts to the habitat of species protected under the Endangered Species Act resulting from building permits issued by the county. The county will begin issuing permits in 2023.

General government moved to a new location on Pacific Avenue in Olympia. The current Courthouse Campus was built in 1978 and the buildings have surpassed their useful life. They are not meeting current needs for space, safety, and technology to address the growing demands for services to our citizens. To improve access to the criminal justice system, the county will begin remodeling the buildings on the courthouse campus beginning in mid-year.

Carolina Mejia

The county’s budget continues to be a challenge in balancing services to the citizens, funding constitutionally mandated programs, and ensuring fiscal responsibility through maintaining a sustainable and responsible general fund balance.  We will continue to work with the state legislature to find options to aid counties with funding opportunities.

We are optimistic about 2023 and excited to continue our work with our community partners and stakeholders.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHAIR

Olympia Career Hub Launches Construction Bootcamp Training Program

Are you a resident of Olympia interested in a construction career? Do you want to receive free training and receive your necessary certifications? Do you want a living-wage job? Thanks to funding provided by the City of Olympia, the Olympia Career Hub has spots available in the Construction Bootcamp program.

• Training starts in January 2023 at the Olympia Armory.

• Training is open to all experience levels.

• Training is free to City of Olympia residents and members of the Squaxin Island Tribe.

• This is a chance to advance your skills and earn industry-recognized certifications.

This program is multi-week. By attending full-time, participants will earn certification in

• OSHA-10 safety standards

• flagging

• forklift operating

At the end of the session, students will attend a hiring event to connect with employers. This free training will lead to living-wage jobs! Register at: https://bit.ly/3NZtADl

Annual State of the Community Address

On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 11:30am, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby, Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto, Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier and Thurston County Commissioner Chair Carolina Mejia will collectively present a State of the Community Address brought to the community by the Thurston County Chamber.

During the event, representatives will share the state of their jurisdiction and address moderated topics, including but not limited to the economy, homelessness and Interstate 5 congestion.

The event will be held at The Norman Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin's University, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503. Register at: https://members.thurstonchamber.com/events

Thank you to our sponsor, Puget Sound Energy.

Caught in the Lens

Keep up with the Thurston Chamber happenings – ribbon cuttings and the networking events. Find more at the Chamber's Facebook page – fb.com/thurstoncountychamber.

Thurston County Chamber

Thurston County Chamber

Photos by Shanna Paxton Photography

Photos by Cortland Henderson

Thank

The Thurston County Chamber sends a BIG "Thank You" to ALL of our investors. With members like you, we are able to provide a sustainable business community in Thurston County as well as foster growth and positive change. Only through your support can we continue to fund important community initiatives and lead the way for business.

PLATINUM

DIAMOND