Inside the City of Tumwater

Date: January 30, 2023

To: Mayor Debbie Sullivan

City Councilmembers

City Employees

From: John Doan, City Administrator

People

New Supervisor in Finance Joining Us

Sherri Winn joins our team in the vacant Accounting Supervisor position in the Finance Department. She just moved to Washington from Moscow, Idaho to be closer to family. In Moscow, Sherri was in a very similar role, leading the utility billing, accounts receivable, and accounts payable functions. She was with the City of Moscow for four years, and prior to that, with a private sanitation company for many years.

Sherri started on January 3. If you haven’t already, stop by and introduce yourself!

Housing Services and Land Use Planner Joins CD

ThepriorSeniorPlannerpositionhasbeenre-crafted as a Housing Services and Land Use Planner to support long-range planning work, including housing and homeless services. Erika Smith-Erickson was a planner with Thurston County, and prior to that, she was a Permit Technician with the County and Environmental Technician with the State Department of Ecology. Welcome Erika!

Erika’s first day will be February 16.

Police Specialist II Position Filled

Lee Sumpter joined the Police Department as a Police Services Specialist II replacing Ross Rutledge following his retirement. Lee joined us from the Washington State Patrol where she was an evidence technician.LeejoinedtheArmyafterhighschooland has worked as a major retail store manager. She has a degree in criminology and criminal justice from Arizona State University. It was great to meet Lee at orientation!

Fire Restructuring Brings B.C. s

Restructuring of the Fire Department has included the elimination of the former Captain positions which will be replaced with Battalion Chiefs. These new positions, often called “B.C.s," do not ride on an engine or respond to every call the way a Captain often did. They will respond to larger and more complex incidents and support responses when thereare simultaneouscalls. Becausethey arenoton each call, they also have time to assist with management of facilities, equipment, training, administration, etc. The new B.C.s (former Captains) are Jeff Jernigan, Brad Ridgeway, Donovan Cathey, and Josh Stewart.

The restructuring also introduced additional Lieutenants to ride on engines as the company officer. The Department has promoted Duncan MacLeod and Tod Mower to two of those positions, and James Osberg is being transferring to a third opening. It is anticipated the restructuring will be complete by mid-year once all positions are backfilled.

If the RFA is approved, B.C.s from Olympia and Tumwater would make the proposed two Battalion Chief system work across the new combined agency

Senior Accountant Recruited from Centralia

Neesa Musselman is joining the City on February 1 in the Senior Accountant role – the position being madevacantbytheretirementofBillSampson.Nissa started with the City of Centralia and did many different roles in the Department. She has a degree from Centralia College. Welcome, Neesa!

Events

ERP Going Live in April

The first portion of the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is set to go live on April 3. While this might seem like we have a lot of time, it will be here before we know it. The first phase is called Financials, and while it’s heavily focused on the Finance Department, it will affect all Departments in the City. It includes accounts payable, accounts receivable, the general ledger, project accounting, and contracts. So all the bills we pay, the revenue we take in, the codes used for our payments, and more. This does not include payroll and human resource functions, which will go live in the fall. In February, we will be holding Train the Trainer sessions. Tyler Technologies will be training ourpowerusers,thosewho enteralotof invoicesfor payment and spend much of their time working in the system. In March, our staff will help train other City staff who work in the system but not constantly.

This cross-departmental project has been in the works for several years. Thanks to the implementation team for getting us to the first phase!

Red Cross Recognizes Tumwater

The American Red Cross has recognized Tumwater as a 2023 Premier Partner for being one of the highest contributing partners in the region. In our four drives last year, we had 121 participants and potentially saved 360 lives. Great work everyone! Congratulations to Dave Kangiser, the winner of an Amazon gift card donated by the Red Cross! For more information on how to donate blood, check out www.redcrossblood.org

Places

Lots of Projects at DRC

The Development Review Committee is reviewing these development proposals:

 Preliminary Review of the development of an existing building at 300 Tumwater Boulevard SW into commercial tenant spaces including an arcade and a bar and restaurant.

 Feasibility Review of a proposed metal building at 8913 Select Court SE.

 Feasibility Review of a proposed Popeyes fast food restaurant at 5945 Littlerock Road SW.

 Feasibility Review of a 2,600 s.f. addition to Pacific Northwest Bottling at 2719 32nd Avenue SW.

 Feasibility Review of proposed modular classroom to be used for training by the State Department of Fisheries at 9628 Lathrop Industrial Drive SW.

 Preliminary Review of a modular building for instruction at 621 Linwood Avenue SW for the Tumwater School District.

 Feasibility Review of 7,500 s.f. warehouse for an existing business at 5880 Linderson Way SW.

Formal Review of the renovation of an existing hangar for use as an aviation-themed event center – Hangar 51.

 Preliminary Review of the proposed Velkommen Apartments – 21 apartment units – at 7125 Littlerock Road.

 Preliminary Review of a food truck court at the Craft District.

The pending items before DRC are:

 Preliminary Review of “The Rookery” – a change of use/remodel of a single family house into an officeandtheconstructionofmixedusebuilding with offices and six apartment units.

 Preliminary Review of the New Market Apartments – 427 apartments on the extension ofNewMarket Streetbehindthe CityShops.This project is significant for the City’s Town Center Plan by extending New Market and bringing more residential to the area.

Inside The City

Illustrating our Mission, Vision, or Beliefs in Action.

There are so many awesome things our employees are doing to demonstrate our Mission, Vision and Beliefs. HerearejustafewI’veheardabout from the past few months:

 OlyFed, one of the sponsors of the City’s Tree Lighting, wrote with “….nothing but positive feedback about the event!” School teachers also wrote to thank us for the opportunity for their children to perform at that Tree Lighting. A big thanks to the Fire Department for allowing the apparatus bay to be a unique performance venue.

 The instructor of the Recreation Program’s Ukulele Holiday song class wrote to thank Chad

Harvell for making the class a “friendly, hospitable, and learning-conducive setting.”

 A neighbor on Trosper Road wrote to thank the Police Department for working to reduce the number of abandoned cars along the road and in sodoing,“keepingTumwatersafeandattractive.”

 This is an old one, cut still good. A resident wrote to thank the City for the FRESH Farm program. They praised the beet greens (glad someone did) and said “the kids were neat.” The FRESH farm operates in partnership with the School District at Isabella Bush Park and will restart in the spring.

 Several notes highlight the friendly and professional staff who work at the golf course –and how they look forward to 2023. The COVID years have been pretty amazing for golf. Even with rates going up, record numbers of golfers hit the course. The golf course was also able to significantly reduce its debt, which will be fully retired in 2025.

 Hanna Miles received notesof appreciationforher work with the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) that meets annually to review applications, hear requests, and allocate (never enough) funds to promote tourism in the community. Thank you also to Councilmember Swarthout who chairs that Committee.

 Later last year, a resident stopped by the permit counter to thank the Operations Crew for getting the street sweeper going and doing such a good job cleaning the streets and for excellent customer service. This biennium’s budget includes funding for a 2nd street sweeper.