Administrator s Letter February 10, 2012 Dawn Masko, City Administrator

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1 Administrator s Letter February 10, 2012 Dawn Masko, City Administrator 1. Please Observe Trail Closures The City wants to reiterate that trail closures throughout the City are still in effect and residents need to adhere to them. Police, Fire, and Public Works staff have surveyed all trails and have posted those trails that are deemed to be potentially hazardous to the public if used. Many of the trails, especially Sequalitchew Creek Trail, have dozens of downed trees across the paths and hanging from the hillsides. Those using the trails during this closure period are forced to move under or over the downed trees. Because these trees are not considered stable, there is a danger of someone being trapped or crushed if there is movement. In either case, the Fire Department would be unable to extricate anyone injured on a backboard due to all of the debris. Our only options for getting injured citizens out of these remote areas would be Pierce County Mountain Rescue, Airlift Northwest, or PCSORT (Pierce County Special Operations Rescue Team). All three of these options potentially involve lengthy waiting times and come at a considerable expense to the City of DuPont and the citizens concerned. Please help us to help keep you, your children and your pets safe during this storm clean-up time. An updated trail cleanup status is posted on the City s website at 2. Community Finance Committee Mayor Michael Grayum is creating a short-term Community Finance Committee to be made up of Councilmembers Kathy Trotter and Mike Courts, staff, residents and community business members. The purpose of the Committee is to provide a thorough review of the City s budget including projected revenue and impacts and provide constructive, forward-thinking recommendations to determine a long-term debt financing strategy and to improve the financial health of our community. Our highest priority is fixing our community s fiscal crisis by identifying a sustainable way to make the debt service payments for the Fire Station, Police Station and City Hall. We face a tough financial challenge and must come together to make DuPont the best place to live, work and play, said the Mayor in a statement issued on January 16, The Mayor will be selecting the community members for the Committee during February from those that have expressed interest. The Committee will be convened March 1 st and will meet weekly or biweekly and conclude its work by the end of April. Interested residents and business members should contact Mayor Grayum at (253) for more details. 3. Storm Clean-up Volunteers Many thanks to our energetic group of volunteers who continue to work diligently to clean-up storm debris! If you are interested in joining this dedicated group and helping clean up your City please contact the storm hotline at (253) All volunteers need to fill out volunteer forms and ensure their hours worked are tracked. A special storm volunteer appreciation event is scheduled for Thursday, March 1 st.

2 Upcoming Meetings Week of February 13 th 17 th Planning Agency Meeting Monday, February 13 th at 7:00 PM Tourism Board Meeting Tuesday, February 14 th at 2:00 PM City Council Meeting Tuesday, February 14 th at 7:00 PM Tree Board Meeting Thursday, February 16 th at 1:00 PM 4. Council Agenda Items February 14 th, 2012 Proclamations: Mark Eakes (Community Service); Steilacoom High School Cheer Team Presentations: Youth Council Members; South Sound Heritage Award for Fred Foreman; DuPont Interpretive Signage Update Consent Agenda Items: Council Meeting Minutes; Claims Vouchers; Fee Schedule Update 5. Pierce Transit Boundary Review Public Hearing The Public Transportation Improvement Conference (PTIC) has determined that a proposed change in Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area (Pierce Transit) boundaries should be subject to public hearing, as provided by law. This hearing is an opportunity for the public to voice their opinions on the proposed revised boundary delineation. To view maps of the proposed changes please visit the PTIC website at The public hearing will be held on March 8, 2012 at 6:00 PM at the Pierce Transit Training Center, located at th Street SW, Lakewood, WA The PTIC will accept public comment on the new proposed boundary for Pierce Transit. If you are unable to attend the public hearing but would like to submit comments, please send those to: Clerk of the Public Transportation Improvement Conference (PTIC), c/o Treva Percival, PO Box 99070, Lakewood, WA 98496, or your comments to PTIC staff at ptic@piercetransit.org. Public comments pertaining to the may also be directed to the DuPont City Council during the public comment period at City Council meetings or by to Councilmember John Ehrenreich (DuPont s PTIC representative) at jehrenreich@ci.dupont.wa.us. 6. Community Development Update The Planning Agency will hold a public hearing on the DuPont Shoreline Master Program Update (SMP) at their February 13 th meeting at 7:00 PM at City Hall. The draft SMP and related documents can be found here. The City is seeking interested residents for appointment to the Planning Agency. Eligible applicants must be residents of DuPont for at least one year. Please submit a letter of interest to the City Clerk that includes your relevant professional experience, your reasons for desiring to be appointed to this position, and your thoughts on the most significant planning issues facing the City in both the short and long term. 7. Tourism Board Seeking Applicants The City is seeking applicants for appointment to the City s Tourism Board. Eligible applicants must be residents of the City. Please submit a letter of interest that includes your relevant professional experience and your reasons for desiring to be appointed to a position, together with a copy of your resume to City Hall, Attn: Erin Larsen, City Clerk,, DuPont, WA Parks & Recreation Please call (253) or go to the City s website at for registration information, questions on Parks & Recreation activities, or for volunteer opportunities. Want to know more? Like us on Facebook at Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

3 Many thanks for the youth in our community who submitted their letter of interest to serve on the newly formed Youth Council. Youth Council members will be announced at the February 14 th City Council meeting. The first official meeting will occur on Monday, February 27 th at 6:00 PM, just prior to the regularly scheduled Parks Agency meeting. Parents are encouraged to get involved as well. Anyone interested in helping kick off this exciting opportunity for our youth are asked to call Parks & Recreation at (253) Families are encouraged to register for youth baseball early, as the deadline is quickly approaching. All registrations must be received by 4:00 PM on Friday, March 2 nd. Registration forms are available on the City s website. Ages 4-6 will be exclusively playing T- Ball. Older players will use a spring-loaded pitching machine. The cost is $85 for 4-6 year olds and $100 for 7-8 year olds. Volunteer coaches are needed. Please contact Tom Bradbury at dupontbaseball@gmail.com if you are interested. Children 9 years and up are encouraged to register for baseball programs through DuPont-Steilacoom Youth Association at A work party to help preserve the City s Heirloom Orchard is scheduled in conjunction with Parks Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 21 st. Please watch the City s website for details. Many helping hands are needed to help preserve our historic orchard. If you are interested in serving on the Orchard Committee, please contact the City at (253) Registration is now open for the City s spring and summer track program. Track begins on April 9 th and runs through July 28 th at Pioneer Middle School. Meets are scheduled for Saturdays at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. This program is open to kids ages 4 thru 18 and the cost is $135. Questions regarding the track program should be directed to Coach Mark Brinkhaus at (253) Find your luck at the end of the rainbow at the Annual Shamrock Walk on Saturday, March 17 th! This annual fun-filled walk begins at 10:00 AM in front of Anytime Fitness. All walkers receive a green St. Patrick s Day balloon to take on the walk with them. Once the walk is complete the balloon is popped and you will be awarded the prize inside the balloon! Walkers will also enjoy live music by Ray Conn. The first 100 families will receive a goody bag full of ideas for healthy living and healthy snacks. The cost to participate is $5.00 for kids, $8.00 for adults, or $25 per family. Put on your best green duds and join the fun! Auction items are currently being accepted for the Parks & Recreation Annual fundraising auction. Springtime in Paris is scheduled for Friday, May 11 th at the DuPont Fire Apparatus Bay. This was our largest fundraiser of the year in 2011 and your support is greatly appreciated. Please contact Parks & Recreation at (253) with questions. Mark your calendars and plan to attend! Are you interested in becoming more involved in your community? Consider joining the 4 th of July planning committee! The committee is in full swing and new members are welcome. If you are interested in helping please contact Gina Irvin at irvjam@msn.com. Everyone is invited to hop on down the bunny trail to the first annual Bunny Breakfast on Saturday, March 31 st at 10:00 AM. Tickets are on sale now for $10 per person, with kids two and under free. Families are encouraged to wear their Sunday best for this fun-filled morning with the Easter Bunny. Don t forget your cameras! Many thanks to the DuPont Fire Department for the use of their facility. More information is available at

4 Senior Game Days are here! Roll the dice every Thursday at the DuPont Community Center, 303 Barksdale Avenue. Doors are open from 1:00 4:00 PM. Seniors are encouraged to bring their favorite games to share with the group. All are welcome & encouraged to attend. Join other seniors in the community every Friday morning from 9:00 11:00 AM at City Hall () for a morning of coffee and lots of laughs. All seniors are welcome and are encouraged to bring a friend. Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Calling all princesses in DuPont! Gowns, Crowns, and Castles too Nothing short of a royal to-do! The City is pleased to announce its first annual Enchanted Princess Tea Party scheduled for Saturday, March 3 rd at High Noon. Girls are encouraged to dress as a princess and enjoy an afternoon of tea sandwiches, desserts, and a princess craft project. Cost is $15 for adults and $12 for children. Tickets will go on sale January 17 th. Tickets will not be sold at the door so don t delay and miss out on the fun! Visit our website for information on other programs and events including Karate, Yoga, Track, Kidz Love Soccer, Dance4Life, parenting classes, and more! 9. Open House Celebration DuPont s new HealthMart pharmacy is holding on Open House on Saturday, February 11 th from 10:00 AM 2:00 PM, with a ribbon cutting at 11:30 AM. There will be free giveaways of tote bags with goodies and Valentine carnations (while supplies last), and attendees can register to win a portable DVD player, digital camera, or GPS. Lunch is at 12:00 PM with cake and refreshments. 10. Workshop Explains Reverse Mortgages Most Americans would prefer to remain in their own home for as long as possible. One way that people can do that is a Reverse Mortgage. Knowing the fundamentals about Reverse Mortgages can make for a solid decision and prevent major problems. A Reverse Mortgage enables seniors 62 or older to access their home equity for a variety of purposes. Pierce County Community Connections Aging & Disability Resources is sponsoring Reverse Mortgages: A Primer for Consumers as part of the Know it before you need it series. The free workshop explains in clear, impartial terms the basic features of a Reverse Mortgage and how one can provide the means to stay in one s home. Presenting at the workshops will be Bob Riler, HUDcertified Reverse Mortgage counselor; Rebecca Rainsberger of Genworth Financial and Edwin Hoffmann of Eagle Home Mortgage. This is an information-only event. The workshop will be repeated four times: February 13 th 12:10 12:50 PM Pierce County Annex, Main Conference Room 2401 So. 35 th Street, Tacoma February 13 th 7:00 8:00 PM Soundview Building Conference Room 3611 South D Street, Tacoma February 15 th 12:10 12:50 PM County-City Building, Rainier Conference Room 930 S. Tacoma Avenue, 7 th Floor, Tacoma February 15 th 7:00 8:00 PM University Place Library Conference Room 3609 Market Place West, Suite 100, University Place The presentations are free and open to the public. No RSVP is required. For more information contact the Pierce County Aging & Disability Resource Center at (253) or (800)

5 11. EPA s Proposed Stormwater Permit for JBLM Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) has received a proposed Municipal Stormwater discharge permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The permit, when final, is expected to help guide how stormwater is managed across nearly 142 square miles of base property over the next decade and beyond. EPA s draft municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit for JBLM is the first such proposed permit for a military or other federal facility in western Washington. The draft permit requires specific actions and activities that must be accomplished over at least the next five years to protect local waters. JBLM has been implementing a stormwater program for several years in anticipation of receiving a permit from EPA. Among the new requirements under the proposed permit, the base must control runoff from all construction sites; control runoff from all new development and redevelopment sites; map, inspect, and maintain the storm system; and engage JBLM employees and the community about preventing pollutants in storm water runoff. Due to its proximity to Puget Sound, the Base permit also requires: Stormwater runoff from redevelopment and new projects must meet performance standards through use of Low Impact Development (LID) techniques and, if needed, traditional stormwater features (detention ponds); A new construction project threshold of 5,000 square feet or greater; A program to reduce runoff from the existing developed areas; A biological stream health monitoring program using aquatic insects in Clover and Murray Creeks. EPA s proposed permit requires LID practices such as rain gardens, permeable pavement, native vegetation areas, and green roofs to avoid or lessen the reliance on traditional stormwater pipes and ponds. By using LID, a larger portion of rainfall will be intercepted, infiltrated, evaporated, or reused to avoid excess runoff. These actions will help maintain or restore a more natural stream flow throughout the year, replenish groundwater, and help protect fish and other aquatic organisms. It will also reduce the influx of pollutants washed into the streams, creeks and lakes on the base or into Puget Sound. EPA will hold a public meeting to discuss the permit on Monday, March 19, 2012 at the Lakewood Library, 6300 Wildaire Road SW, Lakewood, WA. The open house will be from 6:00 6:30 PM and the public meeting will start at 8:00 PM. Comments on the Draft Permit will be accepted through March 30, Send or comments to: EPA Region 10, Office of Water and Watersheds, OWW-130, Attn: NPDES Stormwater JBLM, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98101, or via to vakoc.misha@epa.gov. The EPA will consider all comments and make any necessary changes to the draft permit. The Washington Department of Ecology will also consider certifying the permit in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The EPA Director of the Office of Water & Watersheds will then make a final decision about permit issuance. For a copy of the Draft Permit: des+public+notices/jblm-ms4-pn-2011 For more about how EPA works to protect water quality from stormwater in the Pacific Northwest: