Inside the City of Tumwater Date: March 17, 2021 To:
Mayor Pete Kmet City Councilmembers City Employees
From: John Doan, City Administrator
PEOPLE
Eight Express Interest in Council
Eight people have applied for the vacant City Council
position: Mike Arnold, Rebecca Faust, Joel Hansen,
Angela Jefferson, Nam Nguyen, Elizabeth Robbins, Alex Rossiter, and Rob Warner. At the Tuesday,
March 16 meeting, Councilmembers reviewed the applications and discussed the selection process. At
a special meeting on Saturday, March 20, all applicants will be interviewed. After interviews are
completed, Councilmembers will confer about the
candidates in open session and appoint a new
Councilmember by formal motion at the next regular meeting. The Council vacancy is the result of the
Lt. Raffelson Honored
A Fire Apparatus Procession & Memorial Service with
resignation of Tom Oliva who stepped down after serving more than 11 years on the Council.
full line-of-duty death honors was held for retired Lt.
Kudos to Our Employees
Firefighter/Paramedic on Medic 5, serving Tumwater
Department, a woman called back and spoke to
Department Training Officer. She was a mentor and friend to many during her years in the fire service.
courteous and professional and wanted to thank
Memorial for Chief LaVielle Saturday
It must be contagious, because another customer
public memorial service for Chief LaVielle. Captain
promptly answered questions, ensured a payment
Honor Flag. The video of the memorial is posted on
person was appreciative of having a great person like
Facebook page.
Gwen and Joann. It IS great to have you on our team.
Darlene Raffelson on March 6. Raffelson was a
After interacting with Gwen Frost in the Finance
and Thurston County, and was later promoted to
Finance Lead JoAnn Fletcher. She said Gwen was very
Gwen for her service. She was pleased we have employees like Gwen in the City—so are we!
Mayor Kmet and Acting Chief Hurley spoke at the
called us about an interaction with JoAnn who
Crimmins presented the family with the Tumwater
posted, and relieved the customer’s stress. The
the Washington State Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Joann working for our wonderful City. Thank you
City Passes Audits
The State Auditor completed their Accountability
and Financial audits of the City and published the results. We again, had a clean audit. Thank you to everyone, particularly Ursula, Shelly, Diane, and
Brandon who helped with the Audit. It is important
to note that the audit includes a review of our annual financial statement and financial operations, but the accountability audit looks at many items that are
often handled outside of the Finance Department. These include open public meetings, purchasing and bidding,
contracting,
and
financial
condition.
Everyone is part of keeping the City “clean” in the audit world.
EVENTS City Makes CDBG Funds Available
Every third year, the City receives about $1M in
Development Review Committee The Development Review Committee is busy reviewing a lot of proposals. First up is the 54-unit
Tumwater Vista Apartments proposed for the 631731 block of Israel Road. It would remove the
dilapidated vacant house across from the High School. They will also be looking at a proposed 2-car garage with an artist loft at 920 Ferry St. SW. Other projects they have reviewed are: •
28 lot subdivision for Habitat for Humanity at 1150 73rd Avenue SE
• • •
8 duplexes at 7515 Trails End Dr. SE 28 lots at 6721 Kirsop Road SW
Subway Remodel at 5595 Capitol Blvd. SW to add a drive-up
•
Single-family house on Hoadly at Middle Street.
federal Community Block Grant Funds to support
human services and facilities in the community. Working with Thurston County, the RFP for those funds has been released. The City Council set a priority for the capital funds (at least 85% of the
funds) to be spent on affordable housing. Up to 15%
may be spent on services to support low-income
people. Additional information is available on the
City website.
Council Approves Urban Forestry Plan
The City Council has approved the final product of the two-year effort to create an Urban Forestry Plan
Keep the 4th of July on your Calendar!
to guide the City’s efforts to maintain and grow the
and compliant celebration for the 4th of July. Don’t
framework of measures for the forest, it also
Parks and Recreation is working to develop a safe
urban forest. In addition to laying out a policy
plan an out-of-town trip yet.
provides a framework of goals and measures to
PLACES Industrial Project Approved
The Hearing Examiner denied the appeal by the
group “Edible Forest Gardens” of the Community Development Director’s decision to allow a 1.1M
square foot warehouse distribution building at 2311 93rd Avenue SW. The site is located behind Lincoln
Creek Lumber.
determine how we are doing over time. Next up will be an update to the City’s street tree regulations and updating the tree protection regulations.
Thank you Brad Medrud and your team for the work on this Plan.
Renewable Diesel Coming to Tumwater
Following the suggestion of Marc LaVack and the fleet team to the City’s Green Team, we are switching
to a new renewable diesel. This new diesel burns
more completely making it cleaner. It reduces greenhouse gases from 13-90% and lifecycle
INSIDE THE CITY Illustrating our Mission, Vision, or Beliefs in Action.
emissions by approximately 60-90%. Another great
This week marks the anniversary of the dramatic changes to our work and lives caused by COVID.
everyone!
Changes to where and how we went to work.
The City Green Team is comprised of employees
Changes to how we lived our lives, visited friends and family, went out to eat, went to school, shopped, and celebrated holidays because of COVID.
step in greening City operations, thank you
from across the organization who are working to find ways, large and small, to reduce our carbon footprint
and minimize our impact on climate change. The Team is chaired by Dan Smith and Meridith Greer.
While the pandemic was happening, we also faced significant economic impacts, protests about racial justice and elections, department re-organizations, loss of colleagues, public review of policing and law enforcement, and disruption of the education system. What a year!! The City Leadership Team meets almost every morning for a check-in. It has been an opportunity for coordination, communication, and increased understanding of our respective roles and the departments. I’ve asked each of them to spend the anniversary reflecting on what has happened over the past year – not just COVID, but everything we have faced. Reflecting is a powerful form of learning.
Tree Planting “Greens” Isabella Bush Park
Parks staff along with students from the FRESH Program joined Councilmembers Schneider and Cathey in planting 400 willow trees in the Park on March 5.
You can do it alone or with others and share what you come up with. I encourage everyone to spend a few minutes alone or with some co-workers to reflect on a couple questions. There should be no question that for every one of us, things have changed. Thinking about that change helps us see how the change can take us to positive outcomes. Try it out! What was your biggest organizational learning from the past year? What was your biggest personal learning from the past year? What surprised you the most about people during this past year?
TUMWATER FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH
FEBRUARY 2021 NEWSLETTER
THROUGH THE MONTH
EMERGENCY RESPONSES
Football continues to bring communities together on Friday nights across the country. Our volunteer firefighters attend Tumwater High School football games on EMS standby. While football is a contact sport and injuries do occur, the risk of serious or catastrophic injuries has never been lower in the history of high school football. Rules are in place to lower the risk of concussion in student athletes, and the ability to detect and manage concussions has never been higher. We are fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers, thank you!
M5 & M14 Medical Responses 50 In City medical calls (M5) 48 County medical calls (M5) South County medical calls 52 (M14) 150 Total ALS Calls
The Knox Box Rapid Access System has been trusted by thousands of fire and law enforcement agencies for over 40 years. Knox Boxes provide first responders with immediate access into secure buildings, campuses, residences and commercial properties when it matters most. Assistance was provided to a resident at the Thunderbird Village community with their Box.
Number and Type of Call 3 Fire 316 EMS (Medical) 7 Hazardous Conditions 30 Service Calls 49 Good Intent 25 False Alarm Calls 0 Disaster Related 430 Total Calls Total Fire/EMS Calls:
580
Medical Services Officer Division (MSO) On Feb 6, MSO Crimmins assisted with the mass vaccination clinic at the Regional Athletic Complex, and vaccinated 1100 residents. The MCI Committee has begun building a new Active Shooter Plan in cooperation with Tumwater Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. Crews ran on 4 cardiac arrest calls during the month of February.
STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS EMERGENCY RESPONSES CONT. Years of Service & Dedication Lt. FF Andrew Fink
9 Yrs.
FF Pat Kelley
9 Yrs.
FF Scott Piper
9 Yrs.
PM/FF Matt Somnis
9 Yrs.
MSO Crimmins, PM Lt. Osberg, PM Lt. Rian Winter, PM Lt. AC Bates
and PM/FF Monti Sorem attended the OTEP workshop that prepares instructors to teach the required EMS classes for the year.
Crews continue to use appropriate
PPE to keep themselves and the
community safe against COVID-19. Some of the safety requirements include:
• Obtaining proper-fitting PPE
• Performing hand hygiene using hand sanitizer
• Wearing isolation gowns
• Using proper face mask, shield, and goggles when necessary
• Wearing gloves
ENGINE CALL VOLUME / RESPONSE TIMES
Number of Calls per Shift A Shift 113 32% Fire 68 % EMS B Shift 106 31% Fire 69% EMS C Shift 106 25% Fire 75 % EMS D Shift 107 17% Fire 81% EMS
February 2021 Monthly Call Volume T1 T2 1-1 (M14) 2019 156 184 39 2020 206 199 59 2021 182 198 50
February 2021 Average Unit Travel Time T1 & T2 ET1 to T1 6.89 ET1 to T2 9.01 ET2 to T2 5.65 ET2 to T1 6.10
AC Brian Hurley Suppression Report
Trosper Rd Off Ramp MVA
Tumwater Fire Department adopted a new fire inspection report management program.
As of March 1, all Inspection/Testing/Maintenance (ITM) reports for various fire protection systems will be submitted online.
Systems such as fire alarms, kitchen hoods, sprinkler
systems, and others require annual inspections per
the fire code. Compliance and deficiencies are tracked with correction notifications sent out by the vendor.
The new system can better track the status of fire
protection systems and result in a safer community and improved firefighter safety.
Officer Suppression Report
Training by Category
Administrative Emergency Medical/OTEP/In-service Fire Suppression / Prevention Special Operations Technical Rescue WAC Requirements Total Training for the Month
5.5 44 4 0 11.5 65
Crews have been working on 1st quarter training SCBA and Asbestos Awareness. This required training is annual refresher course on the use of protocols to limit exposure and decontamination procedures. With the inclement weather in February, crews worked on weather-related responses and prepared for cold weather and flood-related issues. Annual EMS training schedules were released in March so crews are just getting started.
On February 3 at 1040, ET1 and BNT1 were dispatched to a residential structure fire with East Olympia #6 in
the 9400 block of Case Rd. ET1 arrived second on scene and supplied water to E64 prior to arrival of a
tender or large water truck. After the water supply was secured, Tumwater ET1 crew advanced hose lines inside the structure and assisted with extinguishment
and overhaul. BNT1 was used as an Incident Safety Officer post. Mutual aid partnerships are essential in
the fire service!
Safety training for firefighters is focused on industry best practices: Air Monitoring, Terrorism Preparedness, Working in Extreme Heat Environments; Decontamination, Understand Safety Data Sheets (SDS); Slips, Trips, and Falls; and CPR and AED.
Parks & Facilities Project Updates | February 2021
Tumwater Valley Golf Course Septic System to Sewer Conversion Preliminary planning and survey work is underway to convert the existing septic system and connect to the City sanitary sewer system. This project will provide reliable sewer service to the Golf Course facilities. Due to the close proximity of the Deschutes River, Engineering staff are working on environmental permitting and protections. Design and engineering of the new connection will begin in April with construction anticipated to begin this summer.
Tumwater Valley Golf Course Maintenance Shop and Restroom Location
Neighborhood Park Improvements:
Connecting Neighborhoods and Parks
Tumwater Hill Park & Barclift Park
The Historical Park to Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls segment of the Deschutes Valley Trail is complete. The meandering trail was built on a historic train rail bed along a slope overlooking the Deschutes River.
This improvement project includes utility installation to provide power, sewer, and water connections and construction of new restroom facilities at two neighborhood parks. Preliminary design evaluation and cost estimation has been completed. Construction is slated to begin this summer. This project is funded by the voter-approved Metopolitan Park District.
Current restroom facility at Deschutes Valley
In the early 1900s, a railroad track ran along the river with a great view of the upper falls, near today’s Falls Terrace restaurant. Although the railroad is long gone, the old rail bed is now a pedestrian and bicycle trail with interpretive signs about the history of the area.
Olympia-Tenino Railroad c1900
TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MAINTAIN • IMPROVE • BUILD Approved by voters in 2018, funding from the MPD will be used to extend the useful life of our most used parks and playgrounds, address safety and security issues, invest in underserved neighborhoods, improve energy efficiency, and preserve new open spaces.
Priorities include: Parks and playgrounds maintenance and safety New neighborhood parks, playgrounds, and restrooms Trail expansion along the Deschutes River Valley Protection of environmentally sensitive areas and wildlife corridors Community arts and cultural heritage programs, historic properties, recreation programs, and a community garden Community Center with meeting and event space, senior services, indoor sports courts, and land for a future public swimming pool
Current MPD Projects There are several deferred park maintenance projects slated for completion in 2021. Chain-link outfield fencing will be replaced on many of our baseball and softball fields. Some of these fences are over 26 years old and in need of replacement. Repairs are being made to some of our neighborhood park play structures to increase accessibility, improve safety and replace failing access points. New water lines will be extended at Pioneer Park to provide drinking fountains to our sports fields. Water lines will also add new irrigation zones to increase the efficiency of water usage and turf care. Stormwater catch basins at Pioneer Park have sustained damage during past floods of the Deschutes River. These storm systems will be repaired and replaced. Picnic tables at several of our parks will be replaced with new, ADA accessible tables. Park signage will be updated at several parks and trails.
Tentative Schedule of MPD Projects 2020-21 Historic District Park Improvements New Restrooms at 2 existing neighborhood parks New Neighborhood Park – The Preserve Community Conversation – new Community Center 2021-26 Deferred Park Maintenance Projects Purchase Open Space and Neighborhood Park land 2022 Community Garden Program Opportunity-based Public Art New Neighborhood Park--South Tumwater 2023 Acquire Land for Community Center 2025 New Neighborhood Park--SW Neighborhood New Community Center 2027 Deschutes Valley Trail Expansion New Neighborhood Park – Trails End
Police Department Monthly Report
To:
John Doan, City Administrator
From:
Jon Weiks, Chief of Police
Date:
March 15, 2021
Re:
February 2021
COVID-19 We continued to operate under modified COVID-19 procedures. Our patrol staff continue to focus on visual presence in the community, while limiting in-person contact. Calls for service not involving an active threat to people or property continue to be handled by phone.
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY 2021-0177
Robbery – Tumwater officers were dispatched to a local retailer for a robbery that had just occurred. An employee called Dispatch and reported a female suspect had just fled the store pushing a cart of merchandise that she did not attempt to pay for, and when confronted, she pulled a 10” knife and threatened the employee. The suspect then fled to a vehicle and put some of the stolen merchandise into the vehicle. An Officer responded and reviewed store video that captured descriptions of the suspect and the vehicle. Another responding Officer located the suspect vehicle stopped in a parking lot at a nearby business. The victim employee positively identified the female passenger in the vehicle as the suspect. A search of the vehicle produced the stolen property that was later returned to the store, as well as the knife that was used to threaten the employee. The approximate value of the theft was over $1,200. The female suspect was identified, arrested, and booked for Robbery 1st Degree.
2021-0330
Obstructing – Tumwater Officers responded to a report of a female attempting to prowl vehicles in the parking lot of a local restaurant on Trosper Road. The reporting party reported observing a female attempting to gain access into vehicles that were parked in the restaurant lot as well as in a nearby complex. Arriving Officers attempted to contact the female and despite activating their lights, she refused to stop and talk. Because the suspect refused to stop and cooperate, Officers tried to detain in her in handcuffs. She continuously refused to cooperate and tried to physically overcome their detention. Due to her resistance, the suspect was advised she was under arrest for obstructing justice. The suspect continued to refuse orders and did not follow commands to relax
her arms, put her arms behind her back, and even dropped to the ground to avoid being handcuffed. Once handcuffed, the suspect continued to refuse orders for several minutes. The suspect provided a false name and officers had to utilize a fingerprint scanner to positively identify her. The suspect had a felony warrant for her arrest from Thurston County for Taking Motor Vehicle without Permission. Due to COVID restrictions, the warrant was not confirmed. The suspect was arrested and booked for Obstructing Justice. This same suspect later committed a similar crime and resisted arrest in March 2021. 2021-0340
Assault – Tumwater Officers were dispatched to a local restaurant for a report of an assault of an employee. Upon arrival, Officers made contact with the victim that reported he observed a male standing at the side door to the business. When the employee contacted the suspect, he stated he had an order and the employee advised him the interior of the business was closed and it was against safety policy to accept people into the business to place orders at that time. The suspect became argumentative and he was told to leave. As the employee attempted to close the door, the suspect grabbed ahold of the door and punched the employee in the head and then fled on foot with his dog. Officers canvassed the area and were unable to immediately locate the suspect. Approximately an hour later, an employee at a nearby business observed the suspect in the area of their business and called Dispatch. Officers responded and located the suspect hiding in the brush with his dog in a closed and fairly concealed area behind the business. The suspect was detained and when questioned, admitted to getting into a confrontation with the restaurant employee, but only admitted to pushing, not punching the employee, and admitted to purposefully hiding from law enforcement. The suspect was positively identified by the employee and then arrested and booked for Assault 4th.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROPBOX The public deposited 100 pounds of prescription drugs in February for a total of 195 pounds for the year.
BUDGET At the end of the month, the Police Department budget is 16% spent for the year.
K-9 STATISTICS 2 Deployments 1 Tracking Assisted the Lacey Police Department with tracking an armed robbery suspect of a cannabis business. Officer Mize arrived at the scene and deployed K9 James in the area the suspect was last seen. K9 James was able to obtain the suspect’s scent and began tracking the suspect. K9 James led Officers a short distance away to the driveway of a closed business, where the scent ended. It was believed the suspect fled from this location in a vehicle. 1 Narcotic Assisted the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force with a free-air sniff around the exterior of three vehicles in West Olympia. Officer Mize responded to the scene and deployed K9 James around the
exterior of the vehicles, where he provided alerts to the presence of narcotics inside of each vehicle. Officer Mize provided Detectives with a probable cause statement to support a search warrant application and then cleared the scene. Officer Mize was later advised Detectives had applied for and were granted a search warrant for each vehicle. Detectives recovered 32.8 grams of methamphetamines from the first vehicle, 165 grams of heroin and 17 grams of methamphetamines from the second vehicle, and 1.3 grams of methamphetamines from the third vehicle.
SRO ACTIVITY In-person hybrid learning resumed in the Tumwater School District in February, starting with the lower elementary grades. School Resource Officer Rosco Rollman spent much of his time going to the elementary and middle schools and checking in on their progress and identifying any needs they may have had. SRO Rollman assisted Black Hills High School Administration with a hit and run collision that occurred on campus. The Administration elected to handle the incident in-house. SRO Rollman assisted some of the elementary and middle schools with suggestions and guidance regarding contacting families that weren’t responding to the schools’ attempts to get the students in compliance with distance and now in-person learning. SRO Rollman provided BHHS with information and guidance regarding a student who had run away and later returned home. SRO Rollman made his presence known in some of the elementary school zones to alert drivers that schools are back in session. SRO Rollman met with both BHHS and THS Administrators to address concerns and possible issues and emergencies when they resume in-person learning. SRO Rollman attended the first day back to in-person learning at Tumwater Middle School for the 6th graders. He conducted traffic control and connected with the incoming students. SRO Rollman met with School Board President Melissa Beard and discussed hybrid learning and walked the TMS campus talking and meeting with students that were on-campus. SRO Rollman assisted BHHS staff with orienting new students on campus.
CODE ENFORCEMENT Code Enforcement initiated 4 new cases this month: • • • •
Complaint of a sign affixed to a tree; Complaint of an oversized political sign in a residential area; Complaint of trash, noise and numerous people living in trailers/sheds in a residential area; and, Complaint of the style of fencing and fence boards at a neighbor’s home.
Code Enforcement closed 6 cases this month: •
•
• • • •
A 2016 case of trash, overgrown vegetation and inoperable vehicles on a residential lot closed after onagain/off-again compliance and over $14,000 in fines being submitted to collection. There have been no further complaints since that time. This case was closed pending any new complaint and/or resources to address the problem. Abandoned vehicles at an uninhabitable residence was closed when the property was sold to new owners. Code Enforcement opened a new case in January to provide the new owners a clean slate to work from. Too many goats at a residential property was resolved after a Notice of Violation was issued. The owners relocated goats in order to come into compliance. A case of an abandoned vehicle and trash on undeveloped commercial property was closed after discovering it was a duplicate of another case. The property owner removed a sign affixed to a tree after issuance of a courtesy letter. Complaint of fencing boards and the style of fence in a residential area was closed when no violation could be established.
Code Enforcement currently has 9 active cases.
QUANTIFIABLE ACTIVITY
Calls for Service Self-Initiated* Arrests Citations Issued New Cases – Investigations Public Disclosure Requests CPL/Gun Transfers Court Documents Evidence Overtime Annual Leave Sick Leave
*
2021 1280 1547 39 78
Monthly 2020 % Changed 1461 -12% 1382 12% 98 -60% 91 -14%
Year to Date 2020 % Changed 2872 -4% 2857 7% 175 -48% 148 -11%
17
22
-23%
34
35
-3%
77
77
0%
163
150
9%
74 39 149
112 81 187
-34% -52% -20%
190 111 265
213 171 273
-11% -35% -3%
168 169 205
381 190 280
-56% -11% -27%
670 299 372
815 475 461
-18% -37% -19%
Self-Initiated includes: investigative follow-ups, civil paperwork service, area checks, business checks, school visits, citizen contacts, traffic stops and back-up activity.
PERSONNEL • •
2021 2768 3058 91 132
Laura Wohl, Administrative Manager – 3 years Rachael Black, Officer – 2 years
TRAINING • • • • • • • • • •
One member attended virtual CIT One member completed BAC/SFST refresher One member completed Patrol Tactics Instructor training Two members attended Missing Children Investigations Two members completed the one-week Field Training Officer Academy One member attended an Officer Involved Shooting Investigation webinar One member completed ACCESS Level I recertification One member attended a Body-worn Cameras in 2021 webinar Four TPD members of Thurston County SWAT attended monthly training Two members continued to attend the Basic Law Enforcement Academy.
534 total training hours
COMMENDATIONS/LETTERS OF APPRECIATION Officer Randy Baughn received a “Welcome Back” commendation from the staff of a local motel. The card stated, “Welcome Back Randy! Thank you for all you do!” Officer Baughn had been working on medically restricted duty for the past several months. Officer Russ Mize received a commendation from a motorist he had stopped for a traffic violation. The driver described Officer Mize as professional, yet at the same time very personable and making it an enjoyable experience. Officer Charles Lett received a commendation from a motorist he assisted with a potential road-rage incident. The resident felt Officer Lett went above and beyond the call of duty in helping her in a professional, courteous manner with a hostile situation. She wrote, “Officer Lett’s calm, patient, and kind demeanor eased the fear and anxiety that my five-year-old daughter and I were experiencing.” Officer Seth Stauffer received a commendation from a citizen he assisted during the recent snow event. The resident wrote, “A big thank you for the push from Officer Stauffer this morning. Mom’s taxi got stuck in the middle of the road and he rescued us. That was truly above and beyond. Thank you again!!!”
Transportation & Engineering Water Resources & Sustainability March 2021
Personnel Updates & Anniversaries Steve Craig
WRS Operations Manager | 03/09/1990 – 31 yrs. Kelly Crawford
Construction Inspector | 3/14/1990 – 31 yrs. Danny Miller
Construction Inspector | 3/23/1992 – 29 yrs. Jerry Leaming
Electrician | 03/02/1998 – 23 yrs. Jacob Lenz, Collections, will be leaving at the end of March. We wish him well in his future endeavors.
Transportation & Engineering ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Citywide NHS Resurfacing
The contractor will complete final City “punch list” items, including curb painting, curb ramp repairs, and overall project cleanup by the end of March.
PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECT UPDATES
I-5/Trosper Rd/Capitol Blvd Reconfiguration
City engineering staff have been engaging the
Consultant for review of the construction documents and reports. Design efforts are ongoing and anticipation construction will occur in 2021-2022.
Tumwater Hill Sanitary Sewer Rehab Program
Bid documents (plans, specifications, cost estimate, etc.) are being prepared for rehabilitation of
approximately 10,000 feet of existing sewer on
Tumwater Hill, utilizing CIPP (Cured in Place Pipe) lining
technology.
This
technology
will
allow
rehabilitation of the existing pipes without extensive open trenching and pipe replacement. Capitol Blvd. M Street to Israel Road
Final contract preparation for design and engineering
services and the notice to proceed will be complete by
the end of March. This contract will provide for
roadway improvements on Capitol Boulevard. City Paver Project 2021
Staff are preparing the construction documents for the
2021 City Paver Project. This project will include replacement of specific ADA curb ramps, pavement
repair, crack sealing, and asphalt overlay or chip sealing of roadway surfaces.
TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS
The Streets Division cleared several downed trees and debris from the high-wind storms in February. Equipment maintenance and testing is in full swing as crews prepare for spring.
Water Resources & Sustainability COMPLIANCE WITH WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ACT
In 2018, America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) came
into law. Section 2013 of AWIA, requires all community
water systems serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update risk assessments and emergency
response plans. The Risk and Resilience Assessment takes all hazards on the water system into account, from malicious acts to natural issues. These hazards include
cyber-attack, sabotage, earthquakes, and storms, to
name a few. The City of Tumwater completed its AWIA I-5 / Trosper Rd / Capital Blvd Roundabouts
Risk and Resilience Assessment this month. It is the first of two steps to fulfill the compliance requirement of Section 2013.
An Emergency Response Plan will be completed in the
next six months, building off the previously completed assessment. This is a great example of routine and on-
going efforts to ensure our water system delivers
adequate and safe drinking water to the 50,000+ customers of Tumwater.
COLLECTIONS DIVISION
The Collections Crew has been working alongside Water
Resource Specialist David Kangiser to relieve flooding
THANK YOU!
Walter Renaud, with the Streets Division, received a
virtual high-five for always trying to stay ahead of the littering issues in the City. “The Gold Creek Property
Owners Association would like to thank you and your crew for your prompt action regarding a refrigerator
being abandoned on the corner of Gold Creek Drive and
70th. It's nice to know that the City of Tumwater continues to be so responsive. Keep up the good work!”
caused by several active beavers building dams near 66th
Jerry Leaming, Operations Electrician, received a thank
is experiencing a rise in water levels again, with help from
has been covering work requests for the vacant Signal &
Avenue SW and Cavalier Loop SW. Linwood Avenue SW the area beavers.
you from a very happy citizen living in Olympia! Jerry
Streetlight Technician position on top of his own work, so we are thankful for his help, too. A tenant on the
northeast corner of Yelm Hwy & Henderson Boulevard
said, “This is not a complaint! I just wanted to thank you for your quick response to my request about the
beeping pedestrian signal. It was wonderful to NOT wake up hearing it at 4 a.m. Your department is great! Thanks again.”
City Engineer Matt Webb mentioned Jerry as well. He
expressed his appreciation for Jerry’s collaboration on several projects. Way to go, Jerry! Keep up the good
work.
A Stop Work Order issued to the beavers had little effect
General lift station and storm pond maintenance is ongoing.
UTILITY OPERATIONS
The Water Division delivered 429 past due notices to
customers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is not physically shutting off services for non-payment. Routine meter maintenance is ongoing, as well as
meter reading for high consumption accounts and real
estate transactions. Rocky Smith had almost 200 tickets for utility locates in the last month. That’s a lot of locates!