Upcoming Meetings:
- Council Meeting – January 5, 2021, at 6:30 PM. Zoom Invite: us02web.zoom.us/j/86212686053
- Planning Commission – January 11, 2021 at 6:30 PM. Zoom Invite: us02web.zoom.us/j/86070874337
- Civil Service Commission – January 7, 2021 at 2:00 PM. Zoom Invite: us02web.zoom.us/j/86321639756
- Preservation and Review Board – January 27, 2021 at 6:30 PM.
(*) Meetings are being conducted via Zoom. Additional information is on the applicable meeting’s agenda.
Town Offices Closed:
Town offices will be closed Friday, January 1st, 2021 – New Year’s Day. I wish all of you a safe and very happy New Year.
Recycle and Yardwaste Collection Schedules:
LeMay/Pierce County Refuse on their website provides a link that allows a resident to input their address and receive a schedule for their location for garbage, yardwaste, and recycle pick-up. The link is: www.lemaypiercecountyrefuse.com/
Planning and Community Development:
Public Notices for Applications:
On a trial basis, we are posting public notices for development applications on the Town’s official website at
townofsteilacoom.org/. Current applications are:
1. Final Plat approval for Norberg Estates Phase II
2. Comprehensive Plan revisions and zoning of the mill site at 4302 Chambers Creek Road.
Norberg Estates – Continuation of the Public Hearing:
In March 2020, the Town Council passed Resolution 1177, which sets out the requirements for final plat approval for Norberg Estates Phase II. There are 18 conditions of approval, including providing the Town with a No Further Action determination from the Department of Ecology following completion of the arsenic and lead contamination cleanup.
Landau Associates, the company that directed the arsenic and lead cleanup, has submitted its final report to the Department of Ecology. Landau Associates has been advised that the determination is in the final stages of completion, but that will occur after January 5, 2021.
Completion of the conditions of approval is required before the final plat can be approved. Consequently, staff will be requesting Council to continue the advertised hearing until the January 19, 2021 meeting.
Norbert Estates – Critical Area Buffer Replanting:
The developer in coordination with the Town removed six dead, dying, or dangerous trees from the critical area buffer. This week, Town staff replanted twelve trees of like species in this area.
Community Services:
Childcare:
The Town provides childcare from 7:00 AM to 5:45 PM at Cherrydale School. Registration is currently open. Additional information is available on the Town’s official website or contact the Community Center at 253.581.1076. townofsteilacoom.org/156/Youth-Programs
Public Safety:
Over the past week, 56 Public Safety incidents occurred in town, including the following:
Emergency and other patrol incidents
- 12 medical aid responses
- 18 suspicious circumstance/security checks
- 1 response for persons in crisis/welfare checks
- 14 traffic stops
Crimes against persons
- No significant events to report
Crimes against property
- 2 incidents of vehicle prowl
This past week our officers assisted a neighboring police agency in response to a domestic violence incident involving a firearm. Through coordinated effort of multiple agencies, the incident was peacefully resolved.
Public Safety is grateful for the efforts of Public Works in treating our icy roadways.
From our families to yours, the Public Safety Department wishes all our neighbors a pleasant holiday.
No-contact online crime reporting is available. Please see the Public Safety webpage for more details: townofsteilacoom.org/160/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
Public Works:
Streets and Storm:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew concentrated on blowing sidewalks and applying moss inhibitor, planted the replacement trees in the critical area buffer in Norberg Estates; performed additional maintenance on storm drain systems due to the heavy rains; conducted inspections on construction sites; along with other maintenance activities.
Rigney Road – Nonmotorized Improvements Project:
The Town is advertising for an engineering design consultant for the Rigney Road Nonmotorized Improvement Project. This is a partially federally funded project so an outside engineering firm is required along with WSDOT oversight.
Electrical:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew installed two permanent services in the 1500 block of Euclid Street; assisted the Water/Sewer crew; pulled pump #1 at the Marietta lift station and removed items improperly flushed into the sewer system; changed the crane cable on the service truck; performed a requested power disconnection in the 200 block of Gove Street; and performed other maintenance activities.
Water/Sewer:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew removed improperly flushed items which were impacting the Marietta Street lift station; installed a new water meter for lot #8 of the Tasanee development; repaired pump #3 at the Sunnyside pump station; and performed other maintenance activities.
Parks, Buildings and Grounds:
Crew Emphasis:
The crew installed lock boxes on all of the facilities as part of the transition to a new janitorial service; emptied garbage cans which continue to experience increased levels of use; cleaned around the recycle containers at the Community Center and performed other maintenance activities.
Other:
Christmas Treecycling:
The annual Christmas Treecycling Drop-Off will be held on the weekend of January 9th and 10th, 2021 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day at the Public Works (1030 Roe Street) utility yard. The annual event serves as a primary community recycling event and fund-raiser for Steilacoom Boy Scout Troop #71. A suggested minimum donation of $3.00 per tree will be collected in support of the Scouts.
We can only accept Christmas trees that have been cleaned of all decorations including lights, tinsel, garland, nailed-on bases, etc. Sorry, no flocked trees, wreaths or other vegetation accepted at this event.
Residents who subscribe to the curbside yardwaste recycling may cut up their cleaned trees and place them inside their yardwaste cart for pickup on their regularly scheduled day. Recycling your tree through our annual event supports both our community conservation efforts and the Scouts from Steilacoom Troop #71. Thank You and Happy Holidays!
COVID-19 Resources:
- A study is available for in-home COVID testing in Pierce County (scanpublichealth.org/)
Helping Researchers and Public Health Leaders Track the Spread of Coronavirus
To slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), we need to learn more about it. The SCAN study is providing free at-home testing for COVID-19. The findings will help our research partners, including Public Health – Seattle & King County and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, keep people informed and make the best possible, data-driven decisions to protect our community.
Enroll online anytime, and we will deliver a test kit to you within about 24 hours.
- Washington Exposure Notifications – WA Notify
Washington Exposure Notifications (also known as WA Notify) is a new tool that works through smartphones, without sharing any personal information, to alert users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. It is completely private and doesn’t know or track who you are or where you go.
WANotify: www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/WANotify
- Isolation versus Quarantine differences from CDC/DOH: