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Home My WebLink About04 April NewsletterNewsletterNewsletter City of Port Townsend 250 Madison Street (360)385-3000 www.cityofpt.us APRIL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS: April 2021 04/05/21: Business Mee�ng 04/12/21: Workshop Mee�ng 04/19/21: 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 Council Member Ariel Speser My name is Ariel Speser and I have been a Council Member since 2018. I was fortunate to grow up in Port Townsend and have a deep apprecia�on for the beau�ful landscape, unique culture, and strength in community that make Port Townsend such a magical place. I am currently the Chair of Council’s Rules Commi�ee and also serve on the Behavioral Health Advisory Commi�ee, Jefferson County Transit Authority Board, Peninsula Regional Transporta�on Planning Organiza�on, and JeffCom 911 Board. I enjoy working with our City staff, Council Members, and collabora�ng with other local elected officials. One recent example is the Intergovern- mental Coordina�ng Commi�ee, which helped create a community-gen- erated COVID-19 Recovery & Resiliency Ac�on Plan, as part of the Inter- governmental Collabora�ve Group (ICG). I was honored to be the elected official liaison to the Human Services Group and in that capacity worked with an outstanding group of talented and dedicated community members. Together, we created an Ac�on Plan, outlining several projects that can help our community recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and build a stronger, more resilient future together. One example is the crea�on of a COVID Navigator through Olympic Community Ac�on Programs (Oly- Cap) that has already assisted hundreds of people in receiving essen�al services to meet their basic needs. In the wake of the George Floyd tragedy, the Council’s Ad Hoc Commi�ee for Public Safety was established to create a shared language around com- munity safety and develop specific recommenda�ons that will help make Port Townsend’s Police prac�ces more transparent, evidence based, and focused on harm reduc�on. We are finally having the long overdue conversa�on to deconstruct the common meaning of “public safety” so as to ask the ques�on: safe for whom? It is incredibly important that Port Townsend remains a livable, vibrant, and inclusive community for working families and all those who call Port Townsend home. Growing up here ins�lled strong values of social and environmental jus�ce, a commitment to serving those who are the most vulnerable, and a true apprecia�on for the beauty around us. As part of the next genera�on of civic leaders, I am grateful for the though�ul stewardship our previous leaders have taken in preserving Port Townsend’s rich history and making the City what it is today. Looking forward, I am op�mis�c about our future. I thank the people of Port Townsend for the opportunity to serve. This month we are hearing from Ariel Speser - Mayor Michelle Sandoval Consider applying to be on a City Advisory Board or Commission. Visit our website for descrip�ons, applica�ons, and mee�ng schedules: www.cityofpt.us For more informa�on contact the City Clerk’s Office at (360) 379-5083. The following Boards and Commissions have current and upcoming vacancies: • Arts Commission• Historic Preserva�on Commi�ee• Library Advisory Board• Lodging Tax Advisory Commi�ee• Parks, Recrea�on and Tree Advisory Board• Planning Commission A Note From City Manager John Mauro City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Reopening We’re back! Well, we never truly went away, but we are now resuming some of our public-facing ac�vi�es in-person as the end of the pandemic appears in sight. It’s been a year and as a rela�ve newcomer myself, I can’t tell you how excited I am to see actual people again and to get the chance to interact with those we serve. Here’s the brief run-down: • The Port Townsend Public Library opened on March 2 for “Grab and Go” services, including 15-minute browsing, holds pick up and check out. The Library staff have been delighted to see patrons back in the building and look forward to extending addi�onal hours and services over the coming months. In fact, on April 6, we’ll be expanding in-person hours to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am-5pm with hopes to add more in-person hours soon. • The Mountain View Pool opened to the public on March 22, with limited hours (7-11am, M-F) and lap swim and deep water exercise available by scheduled appointment. We hope to keep increasing those hours in the near future. • City Hall will open for limited services later this month – date s�ll to be determined. We expect our new front desk to accommodate most requests and services with limited appointments available for more technical services like permit review. Many services are s�ll available online. • City Council mee�ngs are s�ll virtual and will remain so for the �me being. While we’ve received posi�ve feedback about how public par�cipa�on at Council mee�ngs is possible from the comfort of your own home, I know many Councilmembers look forward to returning to the chambers. And so do I! More informa�on on library, pool, City Hall and other services is available on our City website: www.cityofpt.us or by calling (360)385-3000. Engage PT 2021 We also want to keep you informed and engaged on the City decisions that affect you. Each year, we draw together the priority issues that need community input and decisions by City Council. Our main focus area for 2021 is financial sustainability. What’s that? In essence, we need to con�nue to meet ongoing and evolving community needs and aspira�ons over the long-term. Basic infrastructure and services underpin a healthy natural environment, meaningful economic development, and a high quality of life for us all. This focus area will help us balance the community’s willingness and ability to generate revenues and to match the cost of services and obliga�ons over the long term. It’s a journey that we’re on together, so please stay informed and involved on this focus area (and on other ongoing focus areas like housing, economic development and climate change) through Engage PT: www.cityofpt.us/engage. Engage today for a better tomorrow City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Port Townsend Main Street Program Garage Sale Season Is Quickly Approaching Open House for Discovery Road Project Earth Day: Let’s spruce up the town! The Port Townsend Main Street Program’s Earth Day Spring Clean-Up is Saturday, April 17th from 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering in for this socially distant ac�vity, please contact us at admin@ptmainstreet.org Hidden Histories Wayfinding Signs: The Port Townsend Main Street Program, in collabora�on with the City of Port Townsend, the Jefferson County Historical Society and Olympic Peninsula Steam are making progress on a project to re-purpose the merchant informa�on signs located Downtown and Uptown. Our vision is to create a series of "Hidden Histories" signs, telling lesser-known stories of Port Townsend. Each sign addresses an element of our community's past and includes a link to an informa�ve website via QR code. Stay tuned for more informa�on! “Buskers on the Block” Thursdays and Saturdays in April & May at 2:00 p.m. Loca�ons vary. Visit www.iLovePortTownsend.com for the schedule. The long days of summer seem to hold the most promise for selling garage sale items and real estate. Please follow these Port Townsend Municipal Code rules: • Garage Sale signs have the 3-3-3 rule: they may be up to three square feet in size, for three days, and up to three signs may be placed on the property or in nearby streets. Signs must be removed within 24 hours a�er the sale, and may not be displayed more than three �mes in any 12-month period. • Residen�al Real Estate signs may be up to 4-1/2 square feet in size, but only one sign may be placed on the property. Off-premise direc�onal signs poin�ng down the street are not allowed except during an Open House when signs up to three square feet in size are allowed in nearby rights-of-way. Signs must be removed the same day of the Open House. • Signs in the right-of-way must be self-suppor�ng. Use signs with wire legs or wooden s�cks temporarily secured into the ground. Place them on the private property side of u�lity poles, fire hydrants and sidewalks where they are out of the way of motorists and pedestrians. • Please do not a�ach signs to u�lity poles or traffic signs! Thank you for doing your part to reduce sign clu�er. If you have ques�ons, contact Suzanne Wassmer in the Development Services Department at (360) 379-5095 or swassmer@cityofpt.us. You are invited to par�cipate in an online open house for the Discovery Road Bikeway and Sidewalk Project. Concept design images will be available for review. Open house par�cipants will also have the opportunity to post comments between April 1st and April 14th. The open house may be accessed at this link: www.new.map�onnaire.com/q/7s79xzg7mr8k If you have any comments or ques�ons about the open house, please contact, Laura Parsons, P.E., at lparsons@cityofpt.us or (360)379-4432. More informa�on about the Discovery Road Bikeway and Sidewalk Project can be found on the City of Port Townsend website at: www.cityofpt.us/engagept City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360)385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Cross Connection, Why Be Concerned? 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 to see a new staff profile. This month is Naomi Stern from the Finance Department. How long have you worked at the City of Port Townsend? Just over 3-1/2 years (4 years in August 2021) What do you currently do in terms of job du�es? I am part of the newly created Public Experience Liaison team. This unique new team will serve as the “nerve center” for City Hall, responsible for manning the new front desk, gree�ng community members when they enter, handling all incoming calls and mail, assis�ng community members with a variety of ques�ons, upda�ng City web content, direc�ng calls and inquiries, scheduling appointments, processing incoming payments, etc. My primary area of focus within the team is financial. I moved recently from the U�lity Billing posi�on into the PEL posi�on. I am the primary cashier, handling daily payments, processing/sor�ng and delivering all incoming mail, helping answer u�lity billing ques�ons, helping to direct people to resources – both internal and external. What do you like or enjoy most about working at the City? My two favorite parts of my job are helping people and learning new things. I am naturally curious about how things work and I have a drive to help others, whenever possible – whether it be something simple like finding their water meter loca�on, or something more complex, like helping someone connect with outside resources when they are faced with difficult �mes – I love those opportuni�es. I get to meet interes�ng new people, I get to learn more about our amazing, vibrant community and I reap the reward of helping guide people through a some�mes confusing maze of paperwork and assistance programs, which is rewarding. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, your job, or your team with the public? Besides being part of an amazing team with the City of Port Townsend, my �me outside City Hall is full with a busy home life with my talented musician husband, our two wild, indomitable toddlers and our furry family members. Introducing City Staff The following is the second part of a series of ar�cles aimed at providing insight into various aspects of Water Treatment and Distribu�on. A cross connec�on is a point in a plumbing system where the potable water supply is connected to a non-potable source. Last month’s newsle�er explained in more detail what Cross Connec�on is, you can view last month’s newsle�er, and all previous newsle�ers on our website www.cityofpt.us/administra�on/page/city-newsle�er Most water systems in the United States and Canada have good sources of water and/or sophis�cated treatment plants to convert impure water to meet drinking water standards. Millions of dollars are spent to make the water potable before it enters the distribu�on system so most water purveyors think that their supplies are not in jeopardy from this point on. Studies have proven this to be wrong. Drinking water systems may become polluted or contaminated in the distribu�on system through uncontrolled cross connec�ons. Cross connec�ons are installed each day in the United States because people are unaware of the problems they can create. Death, illness, contaminated food products, industrial and chemical products rendered useless are some of the consequences of such connec�ons. As a result, many hours and dollars are lost due to cross connec�ons. *This informa�on was provided by the American Water Works Associa�on Pacific Northwest Sec�on Addi�onal sources of informa�on may be found on the PNWS-AWWA web site: www.pnws-awwa.org