By Dawn Masko, City Administrator, City of DuPont
1. Prescription Drug Program. The Police Department has done a second disposal of prescription medications totaling 19 pounds that have been turned in to the Department since March. The program began in February 2010 and the first disposal consisted of 22 pounds of prescription medications, bringing our total destroyed medications to 41 pounds for the year. The Police continue to encourage citizens to drop their expired and/or unused prescription drugs into the bin located in the Public Safety building.
2. Tourism Board and Lodging Tax Committee Updates
The Tourism Board held its annual retreat on October 22nd to discuss tourism priorities and projects for 2011. Many thanks to the Liberty Inn for hosting the wonderful retreat. Upcoming events include golf events, history events, and car shows. The Home Course golf course hosted another successful event – the 2010 Tournament of Champions – the weekend of October 23rd and 24th which resulted in more visitors to our City. This impressive tournament consisted of the top male and female players from the State of Washington.
The Lodging Tax Committee met on October 27th to discuss the 2011 Tourism budget. This budget incorporated the goals of the Tourism Board which were determined at the annual retreat. The committee recommended funding be set aside for architectural drawings of an Interpretive Center, restroom facilities, and a reserve fund for capital projects to showcase our historic sites. The budget proposal will be included as part of the 2011 Preliminary Budget to be discussed by the City Council.
3. Upcoming Meetings – Week of November 1st – 5th
* Parks Agency Meeting Monday, November 1st at 7:00 PM
* Tree Board Meeting Tuesday, November 2nd at 1:00 PM
* Tourism Board Meeting Tuesday, November 2nd at 2:00 PM
* City Council Workshop Tuesday, November 2nd at 6:00 PM
* Civil Service Meeting Wednesday, November 3rd at 6:00 PM
* Sequalitchew Creek/Edmond Marsh Meeting Thursday, November 4th at 6:00 PM at EOC
4. Council Workshop Items – November 2nd, 2010
* Police Department Budget Presentation
* Fire Department Budget Presentation
* Fire Department Strategic Plan
5. New Northwest Landing Commercial Owners Association (COA) Board
Effective on November 15th, Quadrant will no longer be in control of the COA Board. Their declarant control period is coming to an end as the development of Northwest Landing is in its final stages. Elections were recently held and the new board members will be Diane Branson (America’s Credit Union), Jim Tweedy (CalPortland), and David Yasuda (Puget Western, Inc.). Larry Ackerman, Tammy Corey, and Denise Ford will continue to manage the COA operations, as well as the Residential Owners Association (ROA).
6. Rivers Flood Hazard Management Plan Meetings
Pierce County Public Works and Utilities will host three public meetings to provide the public with an update on the Rivers Flood Hazard Management Plan. The public meetings will address flood hazard issues on Pierce County’s seven major rivers and tell residents about the policies and projects aimed at helping reduce the risks and property losses associated with flooding. The meetings will be an open house, drop-in format, and all three will run from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
* Thursday, November 4th Fife Community Center 2111 – 54th Ave. E.
* Monday, November 8th Orting Middle School 111 Whitehawk Blvd. NW
* Tuesday, November 9th Lakewood Community Ctr 9112 Lakewood Dr. SW
Information about the plan update can be found at www.piercecountywa.org/floodplan. For more information about the meetings, or to provide comments on the plan update, contact Melissa Paulson at (253) 798-4686 or mpaulso@co.pierce.wa.us.
7. Jiffy Lube Burglary
The Police Department has arrested the primary suspect in the recent Jiffy Lube burglary and charged him with burglary in the second degree and felony criminal mischief. He is being held in the Lewis County jail. Police have information as to who the accomplice is and the investigation is continuing, with a second arrest being anticipated in the near future. Both persons responsible are from Tacoma.
8. Recreation Programs
Recreation has been busy organizing several programs and events, including the following:
* Join your Parks & Recreation Agency for Fall Bingo on Friday, November 5th at 6:00 PM. Tickets are $20 for four cards and $10 for two cards. This is guaranteed to be an evening of good times and great prizes! Prizes include gift certificates to local restaurants, Morton’s Steakhouse gift card, gourmet food baskets, and donations from our Holiday Bazaar vendors. Players ages 12 and up are invited to join this fun-filled evening. Tickets can be purchased at City Hall.
* Yoga classes will be beginning on Thursday, November 4th and will run through December 16th. Certified instructor Kerry Rawcliffe will be leading the classes, which will be held weekly at the Community Center and are $40 per month. Registration is currently open.
* Registration for Youth Basketball officially opened on October 29th. This league will serve youth ages Kindergarten through 8th grade. Basketball season will run from November 22nd – March 4th. Volunteers and volunteer coaches are needed. The cost for this program is $50 which includes a T-shirt. Our goal is to have every team play at least one game per week in addition to practices. The registration deadline is Friday, November 12th.
* Our Holiday Bazaar is officially full with 38 participating vendors, with a waiting list of 7 vendors. The Bazaar is being held on Saturday, November 13th at Pioneer Middle School. Doors open at 9 AM and admission is free. Parks & Recreation will host a gift basket raffle to help support ongoing programs. Tickets are $1.00 each or $5.00 for six tickets. Box lunches will also be available for purchase for $5.00.
* Annual Santa Breakfast – Many thanks to America’s Credit Union for sponsoring this year’s Santa Breakfast scheduled for Saturday, December 4th at the Home Course Event Pavilion located at 2300 Hoffman Hill Blvd. The gourmet breakfast buffet begins at 10:00 AM. Santa Claus will be ready to hear your wish list near the cozy fireplace. Tickets are $10/person with children 2 and under free and include photo time with Santa and a special treat from the jolly old elf himself. Don’t forget your camera! Tickets can be purchased at City Hall.
Additional information is available at www.ci.dupont.wa.us or by calling 253-912-5245.
9. Karate Participants Fare Well in Championships
City of DuPont Parks & Recreation Traditional Okinawan Karate program participants competed in the Isshinryu Open Karate Championship on Saturday, October 23rd. The karate program meets every Tuesday and Thursday evening and their practice has indeed paid off! Congratulations to the following DuPont participants for their outstanding finishes and to Sensei Ettinger for providing such fantastic leadership:
* Ben Cenit – 1st Place
* Alisa Mitchell – 1st Place
* Kenneth Daniels – 1st Place
* Evan Stevanvich – 1st Place
* Hope Rady – 2nd Place
* Danielle Ippolito – 2nd Place
* Cory Mitchell – 2nd Place
* Diego Nacionales – 2nd Place
10. Third Annual Bone Hunt
To kick off the Halloween weekend, the third annual Bone Hunt will be held tonight beginning at 5:30 PM at DuPont PowderWorks Park. Kids will hunt for bones in the dark with flashlights with prizes being awarded for each bone found. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This year’s Bone Hunt is being sponsored by the ROA.
11. Pierce County Boundary Review Board Update
The Pierce County Boundary Review Board (BRB) met this past week and upheld the formation of the Countywide Flood Control District. A written decision is anticipated to be released by November 12th. The formation was opposed by 10 cities and 2 park districts and the BRB’s decision can be appealed to the Pierce County Superior Court. A funding mechanism for the flood control district has not yet been established. Additional information is available on Pierce County’s website or by accessing the following link: Flood Control District.
12. Pet Safety on Halloween
The Humane Society has issued a statement reminding everybody that while Halloween may be a treat for kids, pets don’t necessarily feel the same way. The constant stream of strangers at the door, bizarre costumes, unpredictable activity, loud noises, and strange smells can make even the calmest pet terrified and confused. Some simple steps are recommended to keep your pet happy and the holiday enjoyable for the whole family.
* Starting early in the evening, put your pets in a quiet, safe room indoors. A chew toy, stuffed KONG, or other interactive toy will help distract your dog. A radio playing soft music can help mask strange noises and calm your pet.
* Make sure your pets are wearing current ID and their microchip information is up-to-date.
* Resist the urge to let your kids take the dog trick-or-treating with them. Even the calmest dogs can panic, bolt, or become protective.
* Remember to keep candy out of the reach of your pets. Candy is harmful, and chocolate is especially toxic to animals.
* Finally, pet costumes are fun, and many dogs enjoy the attention – but respect their comfort and patience. Remove the costume after taking a photo and you’ll both be happy.
13. JBLM Growth Coordination Regional Steering Committee Meeting
The City of DuPont hosted the Regional Steering Committee Meeting for the JBLM Growth Coordination Plan today. The committee is exploring opportunities to help implement the plan and will be applying for another Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) grant that will fund the startup costs and establishment of a potential regional partnership to continue to work collaboratively together and growth-related issues.