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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07 July NewsletterThis is another of those situa�ons where I must write this update while things are s�ll in play but likely to have come to conclusion before this arrives in your mailbox. I’m of course speaking about our search for Port Townsend’s next City Manager. We’ll have to wait un�l next month’s newsle�er to make any introduc�on and in the interim will rely on our website’s Latest News and local media to keep you informed of the outcome. One thing I want to share at this point was how rewarding it was to be able to see Port Townsend through the eyes of the candidates. We had four very qualified individuals come to town with their own unique backgrounds and perspec�ves. Even with those differences, there were common themes beyond our beau�ful se�ng that a�racted them to this opportunity. Each had done their homework, and all recognized the depth and breadth of investments made over the years by the city’s administra�on, councils and, most importantly, the community. They have all been around enough to know that not much can get accomplished without the par�cipa�on and support of the people who live here. The fact that so many par�cipated through the Community Task Force process was a key factor in their decision to apply. Once here, their desire to work with this community was strengthened by seeing the results of the investments as implemented and by their many interac�ons with people around town. Our future looks bright thanks not only to the poten�al that comes with our next manager but also due to the work and crea�vity of our outgoing manager. There is simply not enough room in this newsle�er to list all that has been accomplished during David Timmons’ tenure. To sum it up, he is leaving us with a strong and resilient City poised to take on the challenges of today and the dreams for tomorrow. Please join me in thanking David for his decades of dedica�on and service! Now, a few par�ng words from David: What can I say? I came here in 1999, but I really started this journey back in 1976 at the young age of 23. My career path back then was direc�ng me to be a Na�onal Park Ranger on Isle Royal. But fate took me on a different journey. Fast forward to today, I have worked in three states and four forms of local municipal management. I was also uniquely the first community administrator in four communi�es. It is also ironic, I started my career for a community on a peninsula (with a paper mill) and I now finish here, on a peninsula (with a papermill)! I have witnessed and experienced many rich and rewarding things and just when you thought you have seen it all, something truly unique pops up! Port Townsend has certainly had its share of surprises and rewards! We have accomplished so much, yet there is s�ll more to do. What can I say to you about life as a City Manager? I am always surprised by the confusion that surrounds what a “City Manager” does? It took my parents years to finally stop introducing me as a “Planner”. As a City Manager you not only serve the community, you also lead the complex organiza�on that runs it day in day out. With the �me you are given to serve, you must always decide to maintain that delicate balance to lead, follow, mentor, nego�ate, arbitrate, create, forecast, facilitate, terminate, enforce, enable, authorize, budget; and, on occasion, plan. In many ways it can be pre�y mundane and rou�ne, yet you can also find yourself managing in a disaster! The role can also be very rewarding helping to set and accomplish community goals. You also get to see a community perspec�ve that few get to see. Is this a community of privilege or one of scarcity? I can tell you that it is both. But the one thing I will miss the most; is helping the employees excel and helping with the small things that ma�ered to people. And finally, working in tandem with an incredible staff and elected leaders. For me It’s never been about chasing the shiny object or accolade. It’s always been about the small things that really ma�ered the most. Many have asked how I can stand to do this job? Well I have to say that to understand this requires that you realize quickly as a professional City Manager that you are mandated to maintain strict personal and ethical boundaries. Ignoring them quickly leads to a deeper division within the organiza�on and the community and puts you in a tenuous posi�on. Port Townsend is also professionally isola�ng, but you are also part of a professional league: July 2019 Newsletter The mayor’s update -con�nued on page 2- The Interna�onal City Management Associa�on (ICMA) and its Washington partner. I have been affiliated and part of these organiza�ons throughout my career. Being part of this has literally shown me the world! I also have been appointed now to serve as a Senior Advisor, one of 90 or so serving the over 10,000 ICMA members. Through it all, there too was my wife, Maria, and partner of 42 years. Without her there for me, I could never have survived the stress and the conflicts. We have two daughters, a son-in-law and four grandkids, and it’s now their �me to have me more a part of their lives. Thank you for le�ng me serve this community for the last twenty years. I did my best with what I had to work with, but it is now �me for someone else to fill this role. I will leave you with this one quote that resonates with me right now: "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." ~ J. R. R. Tolkien Thank you all for the �me that you have given me. -David Timmons City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Flushable wipes Cause Major Problems JOIN US AT THE LIBRARY! Jennifer Pharr Davis - Author, Speaker, Record Se�er and Na�onal Geographic Adventurer of the Year Thursday, July 11, 7:00 p.m. Port Townsend Public Library Please join us for a free presenta�on by Jennifer Pharr Davis. She is a lover of long journeys and good stories. She is an author, speaker, record se�er and 2012 Na�onal Geographic Adventurer of the Year who has covered over 14,000 miles of long distance trails on six different con�nents. Jennifer has authored seven books, including her latest cri�cally acclaimed work, The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience (Viking Press). She has also wri�en three North Carolina guidebooks and two hiking memoirs called Becoming Odyssa and Called Again, as well as ar�cles for The New York Times, Outside magazine, Backpacker, Trail Runner, and Blue Ridge Outdoors. For more informa�on about Library events visit www.ptlibrary.org I was asked to write an ar�cle for the City’s Newsle�er, so I thought what is an issue that is affec�ng our wastewater treatment system? One of the first things that came to mind is the impact that flushing single use wipes down the toilet has on our system as well as impacts to the wastewater industry worldwide. These wipes, while convenient and with labeling that states they are “flushable”, are one of the worst things that happen to our City’s collec�on system. These wipes don’t break apart like paper, so they collect in our pump sta�ons and eventually get sucked into pumps. These wipes don’t move easily through the pumps and accumulate un�l they get wound together, which will eventually stop the pump from doing its job. This is a picture of a ball of wipes that we pulled out of a pump that was working in one of our li� sta�ons. This blockage caused the failure of the pump, resul�ng in the need to rebuild the motor in the pump at a cost of between $6,000 to $10,000 of unplanned cost. If the pump had been unable to be rebuilt, the City would have had to replace the pump at a cost of $20,000. Despite direc�ons on the packaging, the only proper way to dispose of these kinds of wipes is to throw them in the garbage. By doing a quick search on YouTube you can see lots of videos about the issues that are being felt around the country and the expense to public u�li�es of dealing with the impact of these issues. Your help in NOT flushing these wipes will not only protect the City’s wastewater collec�ons system and our pump sta�ons but will ul�mately reduce the costs of running our sewer u�lity. Thank you for your help!! - Bliss Morris (Opera�ons Manager, Wastewater Treatment Facility) City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us City Happenings PORT TOWNSEND MAIN STREET'S CONCERTS ON THE DOCK! Join us each Thursday from July 11th through August 29th for our free all-ages summer music series at Pope Marine Plaza. Sea�ng opens at 4:30 p.m., music from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Having a mini-business emergency? Port Townsend Main Street Program "LENT Microloan Fund Loans” for businesses in the commercial historic districts, deadline Monday, July 15 at 5:00 p.m. Purpose of LENT Funds: Low-Interest Microloan Funds are a tool to offset some of the financial impacts businesses endure from emergency situa�ons, though business development proposals will be considered. For more informa�on, visit www.ptmainstreet.org On February 22, 2019, voters approved annexa�on of the City of Port Townsend into EJFR. As a condi�on of the annexa�on, EJFR agreed to hold an elec�on asking the voters to expand the size of the Board from three to five members. On March 20, 2019, the Jefferson County Fire Protec�on District #1 (DBA East Jefferson Fire Rescue) Board of Fire Commissioners approved Resolu�on 19-04, which authorizes voters of East Jefferson Fire Rescue to consider increasing the number of fire commissioners from three to five. At the August 6, 2019, general elec�on, voters will consider the Proposi�on for increasing from three to five elected fire commissioners for approval or disapproval. If Board expansion is approved, the Board of Fire Commissioners will ask voters to consider establishing Commissioner Districts at the 2019 General elec�on. The purpose of establishing five Commissioner Districts is to ensure equal representa�on throughout the Fire District service area. The proposed Commissioner Districts would provide two districts within the City and three in the unincorporated area." Ques�on: Why is EJFR asking voters to consider increasing the number of fire commissioners? Answer: The commissioners believe that an increase from three to five commissioners will provide be�er representa�on for the residents of East Jefferson Fire Rescue. With the recent annexa�on of the City of Port Townsend to East Jefferson Fire Rescue, the par�es agreed to ask voters to consider increasing the number of fire commissioners to provide equal representa�on to all members of the district. The ballot measure provides the opportunity for the voters to decide if they would like to increase from three to five commissioners. Ques�on: What are the du�es of a Fire Commissioner? Answer: A Fire Commissioner has full responsibility for managing all affairs of the District, including comprehensive planning, budge�ng, organiza�onal design and general policies for guiding the delivery of services. The Board appoints a District Secretary and a Fire Chief and delegates them certain authori�es for managing the opera�onal func�on of the District. Ques�on: How o�en and where does the Board of Fire Commissioners meet? Answer: Regular mee�ngs of the Board are held on the third Wednesday of every month. Occasionally a mee�ng will be moved due to a conflict. Mee�ngs begin at 7:00 pm and are held at Sta�on 1-5 (Jacob Miller) located at 35 Cri�er Lane, Port Townsend. Most mee�ngs last between one to three hours. All regular and special Board mee�ngs are open to the public and all ac�ons authorized or required by law are taken at these mee�ngs. Ques�on: How much are fire commissioners paid? Answer: A fire commissioner is not paid a salary and not employed by the fire district. A fire commissioner can receive remunera�on for their a�endance at a mee�ng or qualifying ac�vity on behalf of the District. The current remunera�on amount is $128.00 per qualifying ac�vity/event. O�en, there is only one qualifying ac�vity or event per month. Ques�on: How long is a Commissioner’s term of office? Answer: Commissioners serve a six-year term. Ques�on: What happens if the Proposi�on is approved? Answer: The three exis�ng board members would appoint two addi�onal board members. Those two members will draw lots with one serving un�l the next general elec�on in 2021 as there would be no mechanism to open a special filing period to elect a successor in 2019 and the other serving un�l 2023. This would result in having one commissioner with a term expiring in 2019, two in 2021 and two in 2023. Ques�on: What happens if the Proposi�on is not approved? Answer: The three exis�ng Commissioners would govern East Jefferson Fire Rescue without immediate vo�ng representa�on from the City of Port Townsend. Ci�zens residing within the City of Port Townsend are eligible to vote in the next Fire Commissioner elec�on. All Commissioners would remain at-large. 2019 Board of Fire Commissioner Expansion City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Stormwater Rate Increase In April the City Council approved Ordinance 3222, amending the exis�ng Stormwater Capital Surcharge. This amendment increases the surcharge from a flat monthly rate of $3.00 to a flat monthly rate of $6.00 (for Low Income Customers, this will be an increase from $1.50 per month to $3.00 per month). This new rate takes effect July 1st and City u�lity customers will see it reflected in their July billing (city-wide billing occurs at the end of every month, so, for most customers you will see this rate increase on the bill that is generated July 31st). Safety Tips for Pedestrians and vehicles School is out, and summer is officially here. Port Townsend happily welcomes visitors to our city, and offers much for residents to take part in, in and around the area. Summer also brings a lot of construc�on projects, which can naturally take our a�en�on from the road in front of us. While we take part in all that Port Townsend offers to us, here is a reminder about safety laws and rules: Crosswalks and Intersec�ons: Drivers and bicyclists must come to a full stop at stop signs (RCW 46.641.190) and crosswalks. You must then yield to pedestrians or bicycles using the crosswalk (RCW 46.61.235). Once the pedestrian is clear of your half of the roadway, you may proceed. NO Skateboarding Downtown Streets and Sidewalks: Prohibited loca�ons (PTMC 10.40.020): The use or riding of skateboards and roller skates is prohibited on all por�ons of streets in the City which are open to vehicular traffic and all public sidewalks on the por�ons of streets and other areas set forth below: A. Water Street between Monroe Street and Walker Street B. Washington Street between Monroe and Harrison Streets C. Taylor Street between Washington and Front Streets D. Adams Street between Washington Street and the shoreline E. Quincy Street between Water and Washington Streets F. Lawrence Street between Taylor and Harrison Streets G. Monroe Street between Lawrence and Water Streets H. Polk Street between Washington and Water Streets I. Tyler Street between Washington Street and the shoreline J. Madison Street between Washington Street and the shoreline K. Union Wharf L. City Dock M. Sims Way between Walker Street and Kearney Street N. 12th Street between Landes Street and Haines Street, including the transit passenger wai�ng area O. Haller Fountain and Terrace Steps, including the landscaped staircase and the en�re area lying between Washington Street and Jefferson Street on pla�ed Taylor Street Downtown and Advisory Bike Lane: With the Water Street project, Port Townsend followed the current guidelines recommended in the NACTO (Na�onal Associa�on of City Transporta�on Officials) Bikeway Design Guide. Our new bike lanes downtown is referred to as “Advisory Bike Lanes” and include a 2 foot “buffer zone”. The buffer zone provides extra safety for bicyclists traveling along-side parked cars in the case that a car door is opened. The 2-foot buffer zone and 5-foot bicycle Advisory Lane dashed line allows for vehicles to cross if necessary to pass a parked delivery vehicle. The advisory bike lanes are NOT to be used for parking, stopping, or otherwise driving in. From Advisory Bike Lanes in North America Alta Planning Design: “Streets with Advisory Bike Lanes operate as a type of shared-roadway environment where mixing, merging, and yielding is required and should be expected. The degree of mixing depends on the volume of bicyclists and motor vehicles, and the direc�onal flow of those volumes.” Enjoy the summer and stay safe!