Inside the City of Tumwater Date: January 24, 2022 To:
Mayor Debbie Sullivan City Councilmembers City Employees
From: John Doan, City Administrator
PEOPLE
Praising our Employees
YMCA Director Kyle Cronk
New Mayor and Councilmembers get started along with two re-elected Councilmembers
recently sang the praises of
Mayor Debbie Sullivan has launched her career in the
Groth as someone who truly
City’s Chief Executive role. The Mayor comes to the job, having been a Councilmember and Planning Commissioner. She is looking forward to meeting all the City employees and will be showing up at various staff meetings in the coming months. It has been quite the start for her with a snowstorm, flooding,
Recreation Specialist Charlie cares and does an outstanding job. Kudos came from business owner Theresa Kaufman for Mary Heather Ames’s solution to a traffic impact challenge for a new restaurant use.
the first hybrid meeting, and a joint public hearing
The City’s first hybrid meeting led to many “hybrid
with the County Commission.
meeting heroes” who upgraded the technology and
Last spring, Angela Jefferson was appointed to a vacant Council seat and was voted into office in the November General Election. Peter Agabi also joined the Council. Peter is an epidemiologist who works in the Certificate of Need Program in the State Department of Health. Councilmembers Eileen Swarthout and Michael Althauser were re-elected, with Althauser selected to serve as the next Mayor Pro Tem. The new Mayor and Councilmembers were sworn into office by State Supreme Court Chief Justice Steve Gonzalez at the City’s very first hybrid meeting on January 4.
procedures to host the City Council’s first hybrid meeting (some participants were virtual and some in person). They included Lance Inman – IT Manager, Ann Cook – Communications Manager, Mark Pearson, and Stephen Lund from our consultant CCI Solutions, Melody Valiant – City Clerk, Bob Neal of TC Media, Hanna Miles – Deputy City Clerk. Praise for Police Officers Kelly Clark and Danielle Dawson came from a resident involved in a traffic accident. Along with the “responders from TFD,” they were thanked “for a job well done.” A Tumwater 8th grader wrote to thank the Fire Department to say, “I truly appreciate everything you do to make our community a better place.”
City Loses Chief Ridgeway
Take the Survey and forward it to local friends.
Former Fire Chief Rich Ridgeway passed away on January 20. His 31-year fire service career started with the Olympia Fire Department, and in 1978 he transferred to the Tumwater Fire Department as a Fire Captain. He retired in 2003 as Fire Chief. Ridgeway’s father was a Tumwater Chief, and his son Brad is currently a Captain at Tumwater Fire Department. An event honoring the life and service of Chief Ridgeway will be held at a future date. Our condolences go out to Chief Ridgeway’s family, friends, and the fire department.
PLACES DRC Reviews Projects
The Development Review Committee (DRC) looked at feasibility of a proposal by Oak Harbor Freight Lines for a trucking facility at 9801 Lathrop Industrial Drive. They also looked at a proposal by Glenn Wells for a portion of the parcel between Israel Road and Tumwater Blvd. west of I-5 for 1,282 residential units. They also did formal review of a proposal for 60 residential units at 2801 Barnes Blvd. SW.
EVENTS
Ahead for the Committee is the conversion of a space at 3431 Capitol Blvd. to a salon and spa, the
Free At-home Rapid COVID-19 Test Kits
145,000 s.f. State Library and Archives Building at
The State Department of Health is supporting efforts
7380 Linderson, and a 28,750 s.f. warehouse at 8208
to increase access to at-home rapid tests across the
River Road.
state. Order rapid-antigen COVID tests online. Tests are free and will be shipped at no charge. You can
City Receives Another Transportation Grant
order up to five free tests for each household. Supply will be limited at first and will be restocked as availability increases.
We Want to Hear From Residents! The
City
is
surveying
residents to help build a more robust understanding of
our
thoughts,
community's priorities,
and
satisfaction levels.
The City has received another federal grant to help
Some of the questions we are interested in having
with the right-of-way acquisition for the X Street
answered are:
(and Capitol) Roundabout. The project is another
By
How would you rate the quality of life in Tumwater?
Would you say Tumwater is growing too fast or not fast enough?
How do you receive information about the City? filling
out
this
quick,
10-minute
survey,
respondents will be helping to shape the future of Tumwater. The survey will be open until 5:00 p.m. January 31.
step in the implementation of the Capitol Blvd. Corridor Improvement Plan that will make traffic flow better and increase safety for non-motorized transportation – and encourage redevelopment. Thank you to our Transportation Team for obtaining these funds.
INSIDE THE CITY Illustrating our Mission, Vision, or Beliefs in Action. January 21st marked the 2-year anniversary of the announcement of the first COVID-19 case in the United States. For some of us, that seems like a lot more than two years – and for others, it has gone so fast. Regardless, things have turned upside down, and our ability to do what we did the way we did it has been altered. Teleworking, kids at home and then back to school (repeat), supplies of things we try to purchase are absent or slow to obtain, COVID exposures and cases interrupt our work and our teams, the people we arrest can’t be booked in jail, golf is overwhelmingly busy, people don’t pay their water bills, masks make it difficult to communicate, we miss seeing people smile... and the list goes on. I really don’t need to create a list because we’ve all been experiencing it regardless of where we are in the City. Yet, our beliefs talk about Excellence (The E in P.E.O.P.L.E.). How can we be excellent with all this other stuff going on? Forbes magazine provides us with some ideas of how we can deal with adversity and remain committed to excellence. 1. Embrace it. This is rough stuff for all the reasons I said. Some of us have more of it than others, but COVID has impacted all of us. Ignoring it and fighting won’t make it go away. 2. Practice self-compassion. Give yourself a break. We are all working really hard and trying our best – yes, YOU! Acknowledge that to yourself. 3. Master your emotions. We all have triggers that set us off. Learn what your triggers are and be aware. Doing that helps us maintain control. 4. Make humor your friend. This work usually isn’t funny, but that doesn’t mean we can’t develop a positive attitude about our thinking and our challenges. There is no shortage of irony as we go through our days. 5. Practice wellness. We’ve all heard this, but do we do it? Exercise, eating well, meditation, and time away are all important. 6. Think about growth. We all want to be better at our work and life. This adversity has tested but also grown our skills. How do you use that growth to better your career?
7. De-clutter. Whether that means cleaning up your workspace, taking the unnecessary stuff off your cell phone, or eliminating activities that agitate you, focus on what is important and add value to your life. 8. Remember your purpose. Why did you take this job? Sure, to pay the bills. But we went into public service vs. doing something else because we believed in serving the public – making people safer, helping people, protecting the environment, planning the future, helping people have clean water, etc. We are all still doing those things! The public needs us now more than ever. 9. Be grateful. Pause and say thank you for what matters: family, a job, friends, health, a home, and a pet– whatever brings you joy, safety, health, and happiness. 10. Be confident in your abilities. You didn’t get your job because you are an idiot. You got it because you were the best qualified and are probably pretty darn good at it. COVID made many things change, and you, like everyone, are learning again how to do our work. No one has done this before, so we have no one to compare to! 11. Reflect/don’t dwell. Recognize your situation and develop a plan – then go do it. Don’t spin. Get help from your supervisor, friend, co-worker, family if you need help with the plan. Then do it, one step at a time. I can’t stress enough that this is new territory. The last pandemic was different, and we are making this up as we go. Along the journey, it makes sense that we face adversity and challenges. Let’s help each other and help ourselves continue to be Excellent. I hope this list helps you take them on – because I know you can.
Police Department Monthly Report
To:
John Doan, City Administrator
From:
Jon Weiks, Chief of Police
Date:
January 15, 2022
Re:
December 2021
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY 2021-1978 / 2021-1980 Residential Burglary/Possession of Stolen Auto - Tumwater officers were dispatched to 54th Ave. and Trosper St. SW regarding a single-vehicle collision. The reporting party stated the vehicle appeared to have been involved in a collision, and it was now on fire. Officers arrived on the scene immediately located an unoccupied, green Honda CRV on its side and was fully engulfed in flames. The driver of the vehicle had fled the scene. A check of the vehicle registration showed the vehicle to have been stolen out of Grays Harbor County. It was believed this same vehicle was observed approximately 45 minutes earlier driving recklessly on Trosper Rd., but when officers responded to the area, they were unable to locate it. A witness reported the vehicle had passed her on 54th Ave. traveling at an estimated speed of 75-80MPH. As the witness approached the collision site, she observed the vehicle had crashed, and the driver exited the vehicle. The witness stopped to check on the driver, and he ran to her car and got into the front passenger seat without permission. He frantically yelled at the witness to drive, but she refused and ordered him out of the car. The suspect exited the witness’ vehicle and fled on foot. The witness provided officers with a good description of the suspect and his direction of travel. A short time later, officers were dispatched to a burglary at a residence located on Lanai Lane SW. The reporting party was a construction worker working in the area. He reported he and another worker observed the suspect lurking around the area and attempted to get into a separate house. He was unsuccessful, and they watched him go to a second house. The workers are familiar with the area and did not believe he was associated with the residence. They felt his actions were suspicious, so they followed him. When he exited the residence, the workers detained him until law enforcement arrived. A responding officer located the workers detaining the suspect, and the suspect matched the description provided by the witness to the collision. The officer confirmed the suspect did not have permission to be in the residence and placed the suspect into custody. Additionally, a name for the suspect who stole the car was received from the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office. The person arrested for the residential burglary was the suspect identified by the sheriff’s deputy. Last, the suspect’s wallet and ID were recovered from the stolen car involved in the collision. The officer interviewed the suspect, who admitted to being associated
with the crashed vehicle. The suspect was booked into the Thurston County Jail for Residential Burglary and Possession of a Stolen Auto. The suspect also had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest and was an unlicensed driver. 2021-2045 Assault 2nd-DV/Unlawful Imprisonment - Tumwater officers were dispatched to a report of a domestic violence incident that occurred at a residence on Childress Ct SW. Upon the officers’ arrival, they located the victim at a residence next door. The victim described how she had been brutally assaulted by her husband and when she tried to leave, he physically stopped her from leaving and locked the doors to prevent her from escaping. When the victim found a moment to escape, she ran to the neighbor’s house to call 911. The injuries the victim sustained were consistent with the attack she described. Officers then developed probable cause to arrest the suspect for Assault 2nd – Domestic Violence. The victim advised officers the suspect was still believed to be in the residence, along with their two young children who were asleep. The on-scene Sergeant used his PA to hail the suspect and order him out of the residence, but the suspect did not comply. Officers also attempted to contact the suspect using other means, but he did not respond to any of them. Once officers determined the suspect was not going to comply with orders to exit the residence, they applied for and were granted a search warrant for the residence to locate and arrest the suspect. The Thurston County SWAT team was activated based on the circumstances of the case, the suspect being intoxicated and not responding to commands and the suspect’s access to weapons. They responded to the scene, and at 0527 hours, they were able to take the suspect into custody without incident. The suspect was booked into the Thurston County Jail for Assault 2nd – Domestic Violence and Unlawful Imprisonment – Domestic Violence.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROPBOX The public deposited 65 pounds of prescription drugs in November and a total of 1,120 pounds for the year.
BUDGET At the end of the month, the police department budget is 91% spent for the year.
K-9 STATISTICS 1 Deterrent Deployment • Assisted the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office in taking a felony assault – domestic violence/ burglary – domestic violence in violation of a protection order suspect into custody. The suspect was known to deputies to be a mixed martial arts competitor, having a history of violence; and was highly intoxicated. Officer Mize and K9 James responded to the scene and learned the suspect was passed out inside the house. A plan was devised to have Officer Mize and K9 James lead a team of deputies into the residence to discourage the suspect from fleeing or resisting. Officer Mize deployed K9 James and led the arrest team into the residence. The team approached a bedroom and could see the suspect lying down on a bed. Officer Mize announced their presence and advised the suspect he was under arrest. The suspect was facing away from officers and was ordered to show his hands. The suspect did not initially respond, so Officer Mize repositioned himself and K9 James to where the suspect could see them both. The suspect then
complied with orders to show his hands. Once the suspect’s hands were determined to be empty, deputies moved forward and placed the suspect into custody without further incident. 1 Building Search • Assisted the Olympia Police Department with searching a restaurant that had been broken into. Responding officers found forced entry into the business, and the alarm company was reporting motion occurring inside. Officer Mize responded to the scene and deployed K9 James. Officer Mize approached the building, along with an Olympia officer, and provided several warning announcements the building was going to be searched by a police K-9. The announcements went unanswered, and Officer Mize deployed K9 James inside the building to search. Officer Mize and K9 James searched the entire business and were unable to locate anyone.
SRO ACTIVITY At the request of a teacher and school psychologist, School Resource Officer Tyler Boling participated in a Q&A session about his role as an SRO with students in an ESL (English as a Second Language) class at Tumwater High School. School Resource Officer Rosco Rollman worked with Peter G. Schmidt Elementary staff to identify the heavy traffic issues during drop-off/pick-up times. A plan was developed and sent out to the parents of the student body. Both SRO Rollman and SRO Boling then worked with our patrol staff and Metro officer to address the traffic concerns. The combined effort led to 122 traffic stops in the three-week period leading up to the school district Winter Break. SRO Rollman and SRO Boling provided social emotional learning support (SEL) to 10+ students at various schools throughout the school district this month. The support is in the form of student consultations, crisis intervention, meetings with the student’s counselor/therapist, and home/family issues. The SRO’s investigated the following incidents: • SRO Rollman investigated the theft of two catalytic converters from vehicles owned by the school district. The investigation was unable to identify any suspect(s). • SRO Rollman collaborated with Tumwater Middle School staff regarding a student who brought a Taser to school and activated it during class. It was determined there was no one threatened, assaulted, or injured by the stunt. The Taser was recovered, and the matter was addressed through the school. • SRO Boling received a report from a Tumwater High School student about airdropped photo to his cell phone. The photo was a picture of a gun in a backpack posted by another THS student. SRO Boling and THS administrators located the student and her backpack. The investigation determined the photo was taken from the internet, and it was not actually the student’s backpack, nor did she have a gun. The student stated she did it as a joke and acknowledged what she did was wrong. SRO Boling counseled the student and completed an informational report. The matter was then resolved by the school.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
Code Enforcement initiated one new case this month: • Feather flags at a commercial business. Code Enforcement closed five cases this month: • Abandoned vehicles at a vacant residence was closed after the new owners made significant progress in cleaning up the property. • Feather flags at a retail business were taken down by the owners upon receipt of a courtesy letter. • Two cases of feather flags at two commercial businesses were taken down by the owners upon issuance of a Notice of Infraction. • Noise (loud music) coming from a retail business was closed after contacting the owners and learning the business previously had a live band playing in an outdoor tent for a one-off event. Code Enforcement currently has 11 open 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 1,562 1,006 37 28
Monthly 2020 1,392 1,114 39 31
% Changed 12% -10% -5% -10%
2021 17,455 13,451 500 525
16
14
14%
96
77
83 70 125 391 502 540
2020 17,238 13,973 666 487
% Changed 1% -4% -25% 8%
214
202
6%
25%
1,089
853
28%
115 76 192
-28% -8% -35%
1,306 836 1,584
1,490 813 1,598
-12% 3% -1%
470 591 61
-17% -15% 785%
3,921 5,847 3,059
4,543 5,026 1,749
-14% 16% 75%
Self-Initiated includes investigative follow-ups, civil paperwork service, area checks, business checks, school visits, resident contacts, traffic stops, and backup activity.
PERSONNEL • • • •
Year to Date
Jon Weiks, Chief – 33 years Bryent Finch, Detective – 12 years Sawyer Smith, Officer – 2 years Seth Stauffer, Officer – 2 years
TRAINING
• • • • • • • • •
Two members attended a Public Records Act legislative update webinar One member completed a one-week Pre-Supervisor course One member completed a one-week Force Science Analysis course One member completed a one-week Defensive Tactics Master Instructor refresher course One member attended a three-day Inside the Tape investigations course One member attended a Critical Thinking and Decision-Making webinar Three TPD members of Thurston County SWAT attended monthly training One member continued in the Basic Law Enforcement Academy Twenty-three members completed internal EVOC training
367 total training hours
COMMUNITY ACTIVITY Our Patrol staff and School Resource Officers spent the final three weeks leading up to the winter break focusing their efforts in our school zones. The combination of not enough bus drivers and/or parents opting to transport their children to schools is overwhelming the normal traffic flow around the schools. This resulted in drivers becoming frustrated and driving recklessly. Our officers concentrated on the elementary schools and made 122 contacts, with only three resulting in citations being issued. Our officers’ focus was on education and issuing warnings. The Tumwater Police Officer’s Guild held our annual Shop-with-a-Cop event. Officers took 15 children, ages 8-14, shopping for Christmas presents for their families. Afterward, everyone headed back to the police department to wrap the presents, eat pizza, and play bingo for some great prizes. One lucky child walked away with a new bicycle he won during a raffle. Officer Stacy Brown did a tremendous job putting this event together. Additional Tumwater Police Department staff who participated were Elizabeth Anderssen, Randy Baughn, Rachael Black, Tyler Boling, Hannah Dale, Danielle Dawson, Chase Grimmett, Jennifer Heath, Friedrich Jaeger, Jennifer Kolb, Patrick Long, Jay Mason, Tim Rios, Rosco Rollman, Seth Stauffer, Oran Thompson, Jon Weiks, and Laura Wohl. Additionally, many family members of TPD staff participated, and area businesses donated to make it such a successful event.
COMMENDATIONS/LETTERS OF APPRECIATION Officer Kelly Clark and Officer Danielle Dawson received a letter of appreciation from a resident whose property was damaged in a three-vehicle collision. The resident wrote, “Officers Clark and Dawson and the first responders from TFD were very professional and caring. They organized and smoothed out a situation which seemed very chaotic to the average layperson. As a Tumwater resident, I am proud of our first responders; they are very approachable, and I like seeing the police and fire fighters doing “regular things” in our neighborhood like stopping by Starbucks for a quick cup of coffee, or shopping at Safeway for a communal dinner at the fire hall, respectively. Please pass on my thanks for a job well done and best wishes for a safe, healthy, and productive New Year.”
Transportation & Engineering Water Resources & Sustainability January 2022 PERSONNEL UPDATES & ANNIVERSARIES Rich Hutchins WRS Maintenance Tech II | 01/12/2010, 12 yrs. Evan Ozasa WRS Sewer Collections Lead | 01/23/2017, 5 yrs. Kahle Waters WRS Maintenance Tech I | 01/02/2018, 4 yrs.
TRANSPORTATION & ENGINEERING PROJECTS IN DESIGN Capitol Boulevard, Israel Road to M Street Design This project includes proposed improvements to Capitol Boulevard, from Israel Road to M Street, to provide access control and increased pedestrian facilities. The City’s design engineering consultant has focused on the first two projects we anticipate constructing, the X Street Roundabout and a new road east of Capitol Boulevard connecting Linda Street to Lee Street. Design work is expected to be complete by the end of 2022. We are currently applying for additional grant funding and, if successful, begin right-of-way acquisition for the X Street Roundabout as early as this summer.
Interstate 5 / Trosper Road / Capitol Boulevard Reconfiguration Project The Transportation and Engineering Department is currently reviewing 90% plans, estimates, and specifications for this project. Work on this project will begin the week of January 24, 2022. STREETS New Pedestrian Access Ramp on 79th After receiving requests to improve pedestrian access at the intersection of 79th Avenue SE and Trails End Drive SE, Transportation Manager Mary Heather Ames worked with Engineer Joseph Norman to design a ramp on the south side of 79th Ave SE. Mary Heather also worked with the HOA to gain access beyond the right-of-way to safely complete the project. Transportation Operations crew members Jason McIntyre, David Moorhead, and Daniel Sullivan removed the old sidewalk and installed the new ramp and 25 feet of sidewalk; Brian Frankowski relocated and repaired the irrigation system, and Eldon Newell and crew placed sod to finish out the project. Proof that we can do good in our community when we work together.
First Snow Event! The first snow of the season started Christmas Day around 5:00 p.m. City Operations crews worked around the clock clearing roads of snow and ice through the first week in January. Although we didn’t see an unusually high snow accumulation, lower than normal temperatures created conditions that made this event more difficult than usual. Crews worked over 900 hours, traveled 6,600 miles, used 70,000 pounds of salt, applied 19,000 gallons of anti-icer and 120,000 pounds of sand. A huge shout out to Transportation Operations and
Water Resources Operations Crews for all of the long hours through the holidays and excellent service to the community!
View of City Hall from 6th Avenue
WATER RESOURCES & SUSTAINABILITY Getting Greener One of the City of Tumwateris to be a leader in environmental sustainability, which includes how we operate. Since 2019, the Green Team, a collaborative group made up of representatives from every department, has been working to help the City become greener and explore ways to reduce the carbon footprint. Recently, staff finished the 2020 Sustainability Report, that looks at how City operations functioned over five key categories: climate, electricity, transportation, water, and solid waste. The good news is the City is getting greener! Across the board, City staff have been working hard to reduce emissions by driving less, becoming more energyefficient, fixing leaks goals to save water, and so much more.
2020 compared to 2019: • • • •
11.1% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions 1.8% decrease in electricity usage 100% renewable energy usage starting November 2020 11.4% decrease in water usage
Thank you to everyone who has been helping to make the City a greener place! The Water Resources & Sustainability Department is excited to continue this fantastic work with the addition of a Sustainability Coordinator in the next few months! 2022 Lead and Copper Tap Testing is Coming We are blessed with good water quality in Tumwater. To ensure our water is delivered at its best, frequent sampling and testing are done. Most testing happens behind the scenes by our excellent Operations staff. However, every three years, the City relies on its citizens to help in an important sampling campaign for lead and copper, and 2022 is one of those years! Starting in late spring/early summer, the City will be mailing out information-seeking volunteers to sample their tap water. This includes homes, childcare centers, and schools. It is easy to do and takes very little time. The City provides all the supplies and instructions needed. There is no cost to participate, and each person is informed of their testing results! Lead and copper may be picked up in small amounts in drinking water from pipes and fixtures from your home plumbing. In the past, the City of Tumwater has not had an issue. However, frequent testing ensures there are no changes and alerts us to potential problems. Want to learn more? Check out our Lead and Copper Testing webpage for more information, including how to participate.