Upcoming Meetings:
- Council Meeting – September 4, 2018, at 6:30 PM at Town Hall
- Planning Commission – September 10, 2018, at 6:30 PM at Town Hall.
- Preservation and Review Board – August 29, 2018, at 6:30 PM at Town Hall.
- Civil Service Commission – September 6, 2018, at 2:00 PM at the Community Center.
Council Future Agenda “Look-Ahead” Issues:
Copies of the Agenda and staff reports are available at all Town facilities once published. The Agenda and Council meeting minutes are posted to the Town’s official website.
Farmers’ Market:
The 2018 Farmers’ Market season concludes Wednesday August 29th. The Market runs from 3 PM to 7 PM in downtown.
Summer Concerts:
The 2018 Steilacoom Summer Concert series concludes on August 29th with Danny Vernon – the Illusion of Elvis. The concert starts at 6:30 PM. Concerts or conducted in Pioneer Park at 1700 Commercial Street, Steilacoom, Washington.
Parks and Recreation:
Please enjoy the Town’s park system but remember that animals must be on leash at all times; the owner is responsible for cleaning up after their pets; and no camping, alcoholic beverages, marijuana, or fireworks are allowed at any time in any Steilacoom park.
Burn Ban Extended:
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issued a burn ban for Pierce, Kitsap, King and Snohomish counties Monday afternoon because of unhealthy air quality throughout the region.
The burn ban begins at 5 p.m. Monday and includes charcoal barbecues, bonfires and fire pits. It will last indefinitely, the agency says.
The bans are in addition to any existing fire safety restrictions.
The complete list of banned fires includes:
- Charcoal barbecues or other solid-fuel devices
- Campfires and bonfires
- Fire pits, chimneys or other free-standing devices
- Fireplaces and uncertified woodstoves
- Agricultural fires.
Natural gas and propane grills are allowed during the burn ban. Native American ceremonial fire permits for events outside of tribal lands will not be issued.
Stream Team at the Puyallup Fair:
The Town is scheduled to staff the Stream Team booth at the Puyallup Fair on Monday, September 17th from 2 PM to 5 PM. Please let me know if you would like to volunteer for the partnering opportunity.
Parking Lot Restriping:
The two lots near the ferry terminal that the Town leases to the SCC are scheduled to be restriped on Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th. This project may impact access to the boat launch during those days.
Noncompliance Notices:
One (1) Notices of Noncompliance letter was sent to a construction company this week for storing a construction trailer on the Town’s right-of-way.
2018-2019 Before and After School Care:
2018-2019 Before and After School Care now enrolling. Located at Cherrydale Primary. Open Every Weekday. For details call 253-581-1076
Public Safety:
Suspicious Activity:
If you observe suspicious activity, please contact Public Safety – non-emergency number – (253) 798-4721 as soon as possible.
To anonymously report suspicious activity please email the Department at crimetips@ci.steilacoom.wa.us
Car Prowls:
Once again, there has been an increase in car prowls. Please remember to lock your vehicle when you will be away from it, even if it is in your driveway or in front of your home and not to leave electronics or other items of value in the vehicle and/or in plain sight.
Animals on School District Property:
Due to health and safety considerations, animals whether on or off leash, being led or ridden, alone or accompanied, are not allowed on School District property. This is particularly important on the play and athletic fields.
Public Works:
Streets and Storm:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew worked with the contractor on 1st Street; vactored catch basins; swept streets; maintained rights-of-way; assisted Hunter Tree Services in removing hazardous trees from Champion Street; repaired catch-basins; sprayed noxious weeds and sidewalks; and performed other routine maintenance projects.
1st Street Project:
The contractor continued installing water main and electrical main lines between Jackson Street and the 900 block of First Street. The contractor is also testing the new water main between Champion Street and Jackson Street.
Electrical:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew continued working with the contractor on 1st Street; responded to an unplanned power outage on Cambridge Drive caused by faulty wire in a different section of the wire than the one that faulted last week; tested capacitators on the #3 pump at the Sunnyside pump station; and performed other system’s maintenance.
Water/Sewer:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew performed inspections on 1st Street; completed biannual lead and copper sampling as required by the Department of Health; responded to a resident reporting an unusual odor in the 500 block of Galloway Street; repaired the irrigation system at the Sunnyside pump station; continued assisting the Parks Department constructing the trail stairway in Cormorant Park; performed hydrant maintenance; and performed other system maintenance.
Parks, Buildings and Grounds:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew set up for and recovered from the Farmers’ Market and Summer Concert; maintained various parks which are being heavily impacted with the nice weather; performed additional work at the trail head at Cormorant Park; and performed other routine buildings and grounds maintenance.
Other:
Garden Club News:
Welcome to two young women who recently moved to Steilacoom and have volunteered to help maintain the planted bump outs along Lafayette. Gretchen Daniels and her husband moved here three years ago from St. Louis and she works in the financial aid department at Pierce College. Her husband is employed by the V.A. Jessica Harb and her husband arrived in early July from D.C. She works remotely for George Washington University on grants and contracts and her husband is in the Army. They will be stepping in to replace outgoing volunteers, Peggy Hansen, Patty O’Grady, Tracy Miles and Retta Gresham who have earned our thanks for keeping Steilacoom beautiful.
National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) Festival:
The top ten highlights of our upcoming 5th annual National Drive Electric Week festival, 8 September, 11 AM to 3 PM, downtown Steilacoom
1) A record 94 vehicles are registered to attend
2) A record 29 different types of vehicles are registered to attend. (to see types and numbers go to https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1202)
3) 22 area elected officials have signed up to attend and some will participate in a discussion at 1 PM at the Steilacoom Town Hall
4) Tonia Buell, from Plug In America will start the first town hall forum at 11 AM pluginamerica.org/team-member/tonia-buell/
5) Steve Marshall, Executive Director, Center for Advanced Transportation & Energy Solutions will be our guest speaker at noon in the Town Hall, “The Future of Transportation: Smarter, Safer, Greener & Faster”, steve-marshall-transportation-energy-solutions-smarter-safer-greener-faster
6) Pierce Transit will again have an electric bus on display with hourly “around town” rides on the half hour. (Proterra EcoRide BE35)
7) Come hungry and support Centerforce who will be bringing their famous Hometown Dogs Food Truck, centerforce.net/business-services/hometown-dogs-food-truck/
8) We have 8 official volunteers, who will help park the electric vehicles as they arrive between 10 AM and 11 AM.
9) The Steilacoom Tribal museum and the Steilacoom Historical Museums will be open. Bring your family to tour these interesting facilities in historical downtown Steilacoom when not viewing vehicles and discussing their attributes with their owners
10) Much of downtown Steilacoom will be closed for regular traffic and we will have various vendor displays. Please consider this festival to be an enjoyable time to learn and have fun with your family.
October Scarecrow Contest:
It’s not too early to be planning for this year’s October scarecrow contest, sponsored by the Steilacoom Garden Club. Get your thinking caps on and create a distinctive scarecrow to herald the fall season. To enter the contest, simply contact Mary La Tourelle at 253-221-1409 or Lafannin@msn.com and let her know the location of your scarecrow. There is no application form to fill out. Members of the Garden Club will judge the scarecrows based on four criteria: originality, workmanship, costume, and use of props. We will have a category for businesses/organizations and one for residences. Judging will take place on October 15 so make sure to have it done by then. Prizes will be awarded for winners in both categories