By Dawn Masko, City Administrator
1. Flood Control Zone District. On Friday, January 14th, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle ruled that Pierce County’s proposed Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) must be sent back to the Pierce County Boundary Review Board (BRB). The BRB had not taped the afternoon portion of its earlier hearing on the FCZD, and because the statute requires that review of a BRB decision must be made on a verbatim record of all testimony, Judge Felnagle orally ruled that the case must be sent back to the BRB for a new hearing and a new decision.
The parties to the litigation had set January 28th as the date for presentation of a written order for Judge Felnagle’s signature. In the meantime, Pierce County Councilmembers, acting as the FCZD Board of Supervisors, met on January 25th. After an executive session, Board members voted to dissolve the FCZD by repealing Pierce County Ordinance No. 2010-16s which had initially created the District, and to start over with a new countywide flood control zone district proposal.
Several Board members spoke in favor of dissolving the FCZD because: they felt the opposing cities have raised legitimate issues that need to be addressed; the County Council has new membership that has raised issues about the process; Council was previously advised that SEPA was not required and now believes that SEPA is required; and starting over provides the opportunity to create a holistic plan while addressing all concerns up front. After the vote, the meeting was immediately adjourned.
2. Lifetime Achievement Award
Lorraine Overmyer will be the first recipient of the Heritage League of Pierce County’s new Lifetime Achievement Award. She will be honored posthumously for her commitment to Heritage work within the DuPont community and surrounding areas for 36 years. Ms. Overmyer was a City Council member for 16 years where she championed historic preservation. She was a founding member of the DuPont Museum and the Steering Committee, which became the DuPont Historical Society where she remained active on the Board of Directors until 2009. In 1999, Ms. Overmyer’s dedication was recognized with the Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservation Award from Washington State’s Historic Preservation office. The awards ceremony will be held at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma on February 26th at 9:30 AM. The Overmyer family will be present to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award on Lorraine’s behalf.
3. Parks & Recreation Agency Vacancies
The City is seeking interested residents for appointment to the City’s volunteer Parks & Recreation Agency. Eligible applicants must be residents of the City of DuPont for a minimum of one year. Youth are encouraged to apply. Serving on the Agency is a great volunteer opportunity for residents concerned about the future of our parks and recreation programs. Please submit a letter of interest that includes your relevant professional experience, your reasons for desiring to be appointed to a position, and your thoughts on the most significant parks and recreational issues facing the City in both the short and long term. Letters should be sent to Erin Larsen, City Clerk at City Hall, 1700 Civic Drive, DuPont, WA 98327.
4. Shoreline Master Program Update
The Planning Agency will hold a special meeting at 7:00 PM on February 7th at DuPont City Hall to review the draft DuPont Shoreline Master Program and draft DuPont Cumulative Impacts Analysis. More information is available at www.ci.dupont.wa.us/development/shoreline-master-program.html.
5. School Board Appreciation Month
The DuPont City Council signed a proclamation at the January 25th Council meeting recognizing School Board Appreciation month. The proclamation recognized our School Board for their quality work in service to the students, parents, and citizens of our community to ensure young people are educated and prepared for their future in the workplace and as citizens.
6. Fire SAFER Grant Update
The DuPont City Council accepted the FEMA SAFER Grant award at the January 25th Council meeting. This grant will fund a wage and benefit package for three firefighter positions for a two year period beginning April 7, 2011. The City is moving forward with the hiring process which has already included a written exam. Candidates who received above a 90% on the written test, have a current EMT certificate, have successfully completed a Firefighter 1 course, and have attended a basic recruit academy have been invited to continue in the oral interview process. Prior to the oral interview, candidates will be required to obtain a current CPAT (Candidate Physical Agility Test) certificate. Three candidates will move forward to a physical and physiological testing process in March, and the successful candidates will attend an Advanced Academy beginning April 7th and will remain on probation for a period of one year.
7. Upcoming Meetings – Week of January 31st – February 4th
* Tree Board Meeting Tuesday, February 1st at 1:00 PM
* Tourism Board Meeting Tuesday, February 1st at 2:00 PM
8. Report Streetlight Problems
Public Works is encouraging citizens to check your surrounding streetlights and report those that need to be repaired. Please record the number on your pole along with the nearest street address and contact City Hall at (253) 912-8121. Be sure to leave your contact information in case there are questions about the location of the pole. We will forward the information to Puget Sound Energy for repair, which usually takes 2-3 days but can take up to a week. If you notice that the repair has not been completed within a week, please do not hesitate to call us back and report it again.
9. Parks & Recreation
* Congratulations to our Youth Basketball players who qualified for the Washington State Hot Spot Finals on March 20th in Lacey! Our local state qualifiers who will represent the City of DuPont are: Emeka Egbuka, Miles Krosschell, Ja’Kevious Bynum, Jamie Rosmayrn, Alex Potter, Kaylyn Rosmaryn, and Angelica Bliss. Congratulations and best of luck!
* Registration is now open for Challenger Sports Spring Break Soccer Camp. This camp will occur April 4th thru 8th at DuPont PowderWorks Park and is open for ages 6 thru 12. The cost is $116. Registration forms are available online at www.ci.dupont.wa.us.
* DuPont Parks & Recreation Spring Baseball signups are underway for kids ages 4 thru 8. Deadline is February 11th and no registrations will be accepted after this date. Anyone over the age of 8 is encouraged to register for baseball with the DuPont-Steilacoom Youth Association. Volunteer coaches are needed. Please contact Tom Bradbury at dsya.vicepresident@gmail.com with any questions. Our Opening Day Jamboree is scheduled for March 26th at DuPont PowderWorks Park. Don’t miss it!
* Bingo Night is coming on Friday, February 25th at 7:00 PM at the Community Center. This event is sponsored by Parks & Recreation and proceeds will help support our Youth Basketball program. Ages 12 and up are welcome. Prizes include gourmet food baskets, gift certificates from local restaurants, and much more. Tickets are available at City Hall a purchase price of $20 for four cards and $10 for two cards.
* Going Green? Mark your calendars for the 4th Annual Shamrock Family Fun, Walk & Roll scheduled for Saturday, March 12th. This is a great way to continue with your New Year’s resolution of healthier living! The walk begins promptly at 10:00 AM. Prizes for the walk are being gladly accepted. Please contact Parks & Recreation at (253) 912-5245 if you would like to donate prizes. This is a great opportunity to promote your business locally. The first 50 walkers will receive a goody bag packed with ideas for healthier living! Registration forms are available at City Hall (1700 Civic Drive) or on the City’s website.
* Volunteers are needed for the committee to plan our community-wide July 4th/ Operation We Love Our Military event. If interested, please contact Gina Irvin at irvjam@msn.com. Meetings will begin in February.
* Save the date of Wednesday, July 27th for City of DuPont Parks & Recreation Day at the new Cheney Stadium! Registration forms will be available on the City’s website starting February 1st. The cost is $12 per participant and includes a reserved game ticket, ballpark meal, game program, and a pre-game autograph session with the Tacoma Rainiers baseball players. Spaces are limited so don’t delay. Go Rainiers!
10. Tourism Board Activities
* The Tourism Board has developed a sub-committee to work on the Fall Festival scheduled for September 24th and 25th. This is a very enthusiastic group! The committee is currently seeking individuals who would like to serve on the planning committee for this event. Interested volunteers should call (253) 912-5245.
* This year’s Summer Car Show will be held on July 16th. Back by popular demand, this year’s show will occur at Clocktower Park. Are you a car lover? Volunteers and ideas are always welcome! Please contact Gina Irvin if you would like to volunteer to help at irvjam@msn.com.
11. Spring Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Class
The DuPont Fire Department invites citizens who live or work in the DuPont area to attend our next session of CERT classes. Aimed at preparing groups of citizens in our community to prepare for and respond to disasters, the classes will follow a model developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and offered in cities across the United States. The idea behind this model is to teach people in neighborhoods how to help each other in the first few minutes or hours following a disaster – before emergency responders are able to render professional help. Students will gain hands-on skills such as how to put out small fires, render first aid in a disaster situation, and perform light search and rescue.
The series of six classes will be held on Monday and Wednesday evenings for three weeks, from 6:30 – 9:00 PM, and will culminate in a practical exercise to be held on a Saturday from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. The spring class will begin on March 21st and end on April 9th. Classes will be held at the DuPont Fire Station. Instructors will be uniformed firefighters and other subject matter experts. The classes are FREE and are open to 25 students. It is important that if you enroll you are able to attend all sessions to receive your CERT certificate. Contact Fire Chief Greg Hull at (253) 377-7289 or Battalion Chief Greg Cooper at (253) 377-3245 for additional information. To enroll, contact Vincent Martinez at (253) 983-4580 or vmartinez@lakewoodfire.org.
12. Transfer of Development Rights Committee
Applications are being accepted to fill five positions on a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Committee for Pierce County. Members of the Committee will assist in oversight of the Transfer and Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program in conjunction with the TDR Administrator. Additional information is available at TDR Committee or by calling (253) 798-7477.
13. Free Essentials of Risk Management Workshop
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and the Pierce County Economic Development division invites you to attend a FREE workshop to help you understand the essentials of risk management and accident prevention. Every business paying workers’ compensation insurance is encouraged to attend. After a general discussion, you can arrange for individual meetings with L&I consultants. Topics will include workers’ compensation rates, L&I claims, safety and accident prevention programs, claims management, and determining employer and employee responsibilities. The workshop is being held on Thursday, February 17th from 8:00 – 11:30 AM at the Environmental Services Building, 9850 – 64th Street W., University Place. Register at Risk Management Workshop or call Hans Kueck at 798-2335. Registration ends on February 11th.
14. Public Safety Workshops
The City of DuPont is planning a series of Public Safety workshops to occur in the upcoming months. These interactive visioning and planning workshops will provide opportunities for citizens to provide input on public safety issues facing the City and help guide strategic planning efforts for the future. We are seeking DuPont citizens desiring to volunteer their services to facilitate these workshops. Interested citizens should submit a letter of interest outlining their qualifications, including experience leading large groups in an interactive charette process. Letters should be sent to the City Clerk at DuPont City Hall, 1700 Civic Drive, DuPont, 98327 and must be received by Friday, February 11th at 5:00 PM.
15. Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail Dedication
The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is being dedicated on Tuesday, February 1st at a public ceremony beginning at 1:00 PM at the boardwalk trailhead. Visitors can arrive at 12:15 PM to make the 1-mile walk from the Visitor Center to the boardwalk trailhead. Visitors should plan on wearing comfortable shoes and warm clothes appropriate for an outdoor ceremony. The round-trip walk from the Visitor Center to the end of the Boardwalk and back is 4 miles. For more information, contact the Refuge at (360) 753-9467. Nisqually NWR is located off Exit 114 on I-5. Follow the signs to the Refuge.
16. National Wear Red Day
On National Wear Red Day® Americans nationwide are being asked to wear red to show their support for women’s heart disease awareness. Join the national awareness movement by wearing red on Friday, February 4th and encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to do the same. For more information about National Wear Red Day® and The Heart Truth campaign visit www.hearttruth.gov. National Wear Red Day is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association.