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Home My WebLink About12 December NewsletterNewsletterNewsletter City of Port Townsend 250 Madison Street (360)385-3000 www.cityofpt.us DECEMBER CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS: December 2020 Winter Weather Road Conditions 12/07/20 Business Mee�ng 12/14/20 Workshop Mee�ng 12/21/20 Business Mee�ng Mee�ngs are subject to change. Please view our website calendar for an up-to-date mee�ng schedule. www.cityofpt.us/calendar A Note From Mayor Michelle Sandoval Consider applying to be on a Ci�zen Advisory Board or Commission. Visit our website for descrip�ons, applica�ons, and mee�ng schedules: For more informa�on contact the City Clerk’s Office at (360) 379-5083. The following Boards and Commissions have vacancies: • Ac�ve Transporta�on Advisory Board MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY! www.cityofpt.us I had hoped to write this end of year column reflec�ng back on a difficult year, but knowing we as a community made it through and congratulate us for doing a good job at staying safe and protec�ng each other. But it seems we are not quite out of the woods yet. Our COVID numbers have escalated higher this past week than back in March during our ini�al closures. We are now a “high risk” county given our COVID numbers per capita. New mandates from our governor have begun and it’s important we take this pandemic seriously, once again. We are all exhausted from the long trial we’ve been through, I acknowledge that. But persist we must. Especially when tradi�onal holiday �me means the gathering of family and friends. I will ask all of you to please con�nue to wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance and please stay home if you can. As a community we can offer support for our small businesses through on-line ordering, take-out menus and purchasing gi�s or gi� cer�ficates for the holidays, if you celebrate gi� giving. We want our beau�ful town to be intact when we can reopen, with all our restaurants and shops surviving. When this pandemic began I asked that we remember our most vulnerable. If you have the capacity, please do give to our non profits. Links provided below. Thank you Port Townsend for the commitment you’ve made to protec�ng each other. Let’s get through this wave all together. Please be kind. Happy holidays to everyone. Here are some helpful resources: Jefferson Public Health: www. jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/202/Public-Health Giving Opportuni�es: Jefferson Community Foundation: www.jcfgives.org Local 2020: www.l2020.org Dove House: www.dovehousejc.org Food Bank: www.jeffersoncountyfoodbanks.org Olycap: www.olycap.org• Lodging Tax Advisory Commi�ee (collector) • Parks, Recrea�on and Tree Advisory Board • Planning Commission Winter Snow Route Informa�on Our City snow routes map is available on our website. This map lets residents know in which order their street will be plowed. This and other informa�on about winter weather, including our snow removal policy, can be found at www.cityofpt.us/publicworks/page/transporta�on A Note From City Manager John Mauro What does localism mean and why might this be important to consider now and into the future? In the past few months, we’ve been through remarkable challenges together. Those challenges o�en have causes and connec�ons far beyond our community and many of them pre-date COVID. But when faced by crisis – especially when this par�cular crisis is happening simultaneously almost everywhere else – we need to draw from our local community’s strengths. We can harness those strengths to get through the current crisis together and use them not to just “bounce back” from these impacts but to “bounce forward” to something far be�er. Local is powerful. A commitment to localism – a devo�on to it, even – unlocks the poten�al for us to recover and build deeper resilience. That’s the main theme of a COVID recovery ac�on plan that’s been community-driven and backed by four local government agencies. A commitment to localism is a call for all of us to step up, to step closer, and to step forward together. As local and na�onal COVID cases spike and state guidelines and restric�ons change, many of our local businesses are s�ll open. If you can, why not commit to regular support – and enjoyment – of the food, goods and services our local business community provides? Suppor�ng our small local businesses helps them stay in it for the long haul as well as deliver a suite of local benefits – local jobs and training, local crea�ve energy that a�racts talent and visitors, and support for local projects and infrastructure through state and local taxes. Local nonprofits and agencies also play a cri�cal role, assis�ng those in most need and delivering on a range of inspiring missions that help bring our community forward to a be�er future. If you can, why not commit some level of support to these organiza�ons, either through financial support or dona�ng �me or other resources? Even when in-person volunteerism is compromised by COVID restric�ons, there are ways to make a difference and help those organiza�ons sustain both themselves and our greater community. Your neighbors might need you – and you may need them. A �me of crisis is when we all need to look a�er each other be�er, sharing skills or tasks and making sure people have what they need, from groceries to medicines to a listening ear at the other end of the phone. If you can, why not check in on your neighbors and stay in be�er contact? With less daily physical connec�on, it’s harder to know who might be suffering and how you might help. The City and our surrounding landscape provides local opportuni�es for enjoyment, ac�vity and solace. Parks and trails have been maintained to the best of our ability in this difficult �me so we can all get outside. Why not visit one you haven’t been to yet or stroll a sec�on of coastline at low �de? Our pool and library are preparing to open and very eager to serve you again soon, hopefully mid-December, so you can invest in your physical, mental and emo�onal health. Whether it be that investment in your health, an investment in your neigh- borhood, or an investment in a local organiza�on or business with your �me, resources or patronage, all of us gain when we put our collec�ve energies and investment into our local community. Not only will it get us through this most difficult year, it’ll power us to a brighter year ahead. Sims Banner Reservations City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us The Sims Way community announcement banner is a popular way for local organiza�ons to promote upcoming events. From March through October, one banner is displayed for one week at a �me. Reserva�ons will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis star�ng on Monday, January 4, 2021. To make a reserva�on: • Call City Administra�on at (360) 379-5047. • If your preferred week is not available, you will be added to the schedule as tenta�ve. • Submit a permit applica�on and required fees within 10 business days or your tenta�ve reserva�on will be canceled. Photo by David Conklin, courtesy Port Townsend Main Street Program City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Introducing City Staff We are con�nuing to profile City staff members so you can learn more about the team and their work from their perspec�ve. Check back here each month so see a new staff profile. This month is Suzanne Wassmer from Development Services Department. How long have you worked at the City of Port Townsend? I started in June of 1999 so that is unbelievably over 21 years. I was the Permit Technician in the Waterman and Katz building for about five years, and started on the Planning side when we moved to City Hall. This month is Suzanne Wassmer in the Development Services Department. What do you currently do in terms of job du�es? My Title is Land Use Specialist so I work within the Development Services Department reviewing building, public works and land use permits for land use regula�ons in the Port Townsend Municipal Code. I typically review and issue permits rela�ng to signs, home occupa�ons, short term rentals and others such as lot line adjustments. Judy, John and I work as a team to share and puzzle over some of the ques�ons and proposals that come up on the land use side. The work we do paves the way for future infrastructure and building development in the City. What do you like or enjoy most about working at the City? I like the variety of work, and that there is always more to do and to learn. Every applicant and applica�on is a li�le different. Shepherding residents and would-be-residents through the land use process is gra�fying. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, your job, or your team with the public? I’m grateful to live in this beau�ful area and work in this town. Being furloughed for three months gave me a new perspec�ve and apprecia�on for my work in City Hall. It con�nues to be an anchor in this rapidly changing world. In early November, the Department of Ecology paid a visit to the wastewater treatment plant and compost facility for an inspec�on and tour. While here, the Department presented both plants with their 2019 awards for 100% compliance with the City's Na�onal Pollu�on Discharge Elimina�on System permits. This was the 22nd consecu�ve year that the City’s wastewater treatment plant has earned this award from the State. Hats off to the professionals who operate these cri�cal city facili�es! 22 Years of Excellence DM Disposal Christmas Tree Collection Week DM Disposal will pick up Christmas trees during the week of December 28 - January 2, and the week of January 11-15. Just leave your Christmas tree along the curb. Our compost facility also accepts Christmas trees in the yard waste pile. Please remember to take all of your trash with you. PT Public Library and Online Programs City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Community Spirit over the Holidays—Shop, Dine and Stay Enhanced Winter Ligh�ng The Port Townsend Main Street Program is ligh�ng up Port Townsend through Uptown and Downtown decora�ons. Sparkling white lights are being hung on trees in the downtown historic district. Port Townsend Main Street is coordina�ng a winter lights campaign which runs through February and is funded by the City of Port Townsend Lodging Tax Advisory Commi�ee and par�cipa�ng property owners. Main Street Small Business Saturday Kickoff - November 28th This year, with the impacts of COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, merchants are encouraged to extend Small Business Saturday for the whole week, star�ng on November 28th, 2020. By extending Small Business Saturday over a week, it offers the chance to have a safer, more socially distant event. Merchants are also encouraged to offer curbside pickup and online shopping op�ons as well. Port Townsend Virtual Community Tree Ligh�ng- December 5th Santa will light the Community Tree and the Fire Bell Tower December 5th 2020 around dusk—it will be shared virtually on Facebook Live on the Port Townsend Main Street Facebook Page. More Merriment! • Winter Window Wander • Aldrich’s Gingerbread Contest • Santa Zoom Visit(s) with children For more informa�on about these ac�vi�es, visit www.ptmainstreet.org or follow along on social media. #FoundInTown #ptmainstreet Update on Port Townsend Public Library’s Reopening: According to local COVID-19 infec�on rates and the new restric�ons added to the State’s “Safe Start” plan, the City Library believes that the safest and most prudent way to serve our patrons and community is to delay reopening the library building through at least December 14. The good news is that curbside pickup of holds will con�nue Tuesday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The City Library looks forward to being able to reopen to in-person patron services when it is safe to do so. Use your Library card to access Crea�vebug, it has thousands of award-winning art & cra� video classes taught by recognized design experts and ar�sts. Stay home and get crea�ve this winter with this wonderful new library resource. Go to this website to learn more: www.creativebug.com/lib/jclibrary Main Street - 2020 Holidays in Port Townsend