HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 June_NewsletterNewsletterNewsletter
JUNE CITY COUNCIL
MEETINGS:
June 2022
A Note From Council Member Libby Urner Wernnstrom
This month it’s my turn to introduce myself as your new City Council
Member. When I moved to PT in 1998, I was pregnant with my daugh-
ter Rachel, who just graduated from college last weekend – it feels like
the end of an era! In my 24 years here, I’ve worn a lot of different
“hats” in our community. You may know me as an OPEPO mom, as a
costume designer for Key City Public Theatre, or as Wooden Boat Fes�-
val staff. Being your City Councilor is new territory, and I’ve been learn-
ing a *lot* these past few months, about everything from wastewater
treatment and deer parasites to poplars and pickleball. A city has a lot
of moving parts!
Event managers talk about the three “T’s” – traffic, toilets and trash. City services are much
the same – get them right and no one no�ces. Mess them up, and it’s all anyone can talk
about. No one thinks about hydrant flow rates or the age of the boiler at Mountain View un�l
there’s a problem. The City has been working hard to get a handle on long-term planning—
ge�ng out of “crisis mode” reac�ng to aging infrastructure as an emergency and instead of
approaching maintenance as a set of long-term projects, planning for �mely repair and
replacement. A great example of this is the new agreement for our Olympic Gravity Water
System.
Most of the “nuts and bolts” work of the City happens at the commi�ee level. Commi�ees
dig deeply into projects and policies and make recommenda�ons to Council. If you’re interested
in learning more about how the City works or have input for change, one of the best ways to
have an impact is when something is in commi�ee. Council commi�ee mee�ngs and agendas
are all listed on the City website at:
www.cityofpt.us/citycouncil/page/agendasminutesvideos
In addi�on to City Council Commi�ees (I’m on Finance and Budget), Council Members also
sit on other commi�ees, advisory boards and task forces. I serve as the City representa�ve to
the Fort Worden PDA board, and I represent the City on the Board of Health. I’m also on the
Jefferson Broadband Ac�on Team, helping bring fiber op�c internet to rural Jefferson County.
All of these different “hats” have helped me be�er appreciate the many ways people are
working together to make our community thrive. Our City, County, Port and PUD are collabora�ng
more effec�vely, and those partnerships are helping get things done, from the Point Hudson
je�y replacement to broadband funding.
Star�ng in May, City staff and City Councilors will be staffing a booth at the Farmer’s Market.
Stop by and say hi or ask ques�ons. And if you haven’t already, check out the “How Your City
Works” series – the next installment -“Return to the Land” explains the City’s compos�ng
process on Tuesday, June 7. For more informa�on visit: www.ptpubliclibrary.org.
Visit the City Council page on our website to learn how to a�end virtual
Council mee�ngs, see photos & bios, and get agendas for upcoming and
previous Council mee�ngs: www.cityofpt.us/citycouncilCity of Port Townsend
250 Madison Street
(360)385-3000
www.cityofpt.us
06/06/22: Business Mee�ng
06/13/22: Workshop Mee�ng
06/20/22: City Offices Closed
Mee�ngs are subject to
change. Please view our
website calendar for an
up-to-date mee�ng schedule:
www.cityofpt.us/calendar
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• Civil Service Commission• Climate Ac�on Commi�ee• Library Advisory Board• Lodging Tax Advisory Commi�ee
City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360) 385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us
A few months ago, I wrote a perspec�ve piece about housing in the PT Leader, which you can
read here:
www.ptleader.com/stories/the-big-ques�on-what-can-we-do-about-housing-guest-viewpoint,81344
I make three main points. First, we must work together to build on our successes. Second, we
must think outside of the box with new tools, policies and partnerships to help us move
forward. Third, we must push for state and federal resources to amplify our posi�ve impact.
Those all s�ll hold true.
The aim of wri�ng this piece was to recognize our increasingly dire situa�on, acknowledge
some progress, and urge us all to double down on our efforts and get involved. The first two
of these seem rela�vely straigh�orward, but that last one is hard for some people to grab
onto – “what can I really do?” you might ask.
This summer, we’re working to support our local organiza�ons to help answer that ques�on be�er. A number of
groups are coming together “Under the Tent” to promote and discuss ways to make a difference in our housing crisis.
The first gathering will be at 22nd Street and San Juan from 4-6 pm on June 30.
The City joins our friends at Community Build, Housing Solu�ons Network, Habitat for Humanity, Bayside Housing
and Services, Jefferson County, Port Townsend Preserva�on Alliance, the Community Boat Project, Olympic Housing
Trust, OlyCAP, the Interfaith Council, COAST, Dove House and Jefferson Land Trust.
Join us to learn what’s happening, what each of our organiza�ons are doing, and how you can get involved with any
of them to make a difference. You can also have a look at our Engage PT website to learn more about what’s happen-
ing and how the City is involved: www.cityofpt.us/engagept.
The event is free and open to all. I look forward to seeing you there!
PT Main Street Community Events
A Note From City Manager John Mauro
Mark your calendars! Port Townsend Main Street's Concerts on the
Dock is just around the corner and we have a great line up in store
this year! The first concert kicks off on Thursday, July 7 with a favorite
local funk band, Uncle Funk & the Dope 6. Sponsored in part by
Homer Smith Insurance and generous local businesses.
Visit our website for more informa�on and to see the full line up at:
www.ptmainstreet.org.
Did you know that with a quick call or with a few clicks of the mouse, you can request a pothole be filled, report a
downed tree, or inform us about a water leak or drainage issue? Emergencies and crimes can be reported by calling
9-1-1, but for non-emergency concerns or requests, you can click on the “Report a Concern” box on the home page
of our City website: www.cityofpt.us. On the site, you can also find phone numbers for a variety of partner agencies
like the County, Wave and Olympic Disposal.
Filling out the form completely helps us know what to expect, where to find the problem, and how to get in touch if
we need more informa�on. Our team monitors these reports Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
Our crews work hard to be responsive, but o�en need to priori�ze or, like in the case of potholes, plan for a wider
area at the same �me to be more efficient. Thanks for taking the �me to report a concern, including those that might
be on public property. We all can play a role in working together to ensure our public places and infrastructure are
safe and in good working order.
Help Us Help You: How to Report A Concern
City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360) 385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us
We Are Hiring
Sims Gateway Boatyard Expansion Project Update
PT Public Library
You have likely heard about the Sims Way Gateway and Boat Yard Expansion project. This project
has many facets to consider including the look and feel of the City’s Gateway and management of
the trees that line the street between 10th Street and Kearney Street. The City, Port, and PUD are
working closely together in an effort to steward the public’s resources and infrastructure so cri�cal
to our community. This partnership recognizes that each agency serves the same people and yet
has substan�ally different missions and responsibili�es. This project also has created an extensive
community dialogue for which the City is thankful. We invite all to view informa�on on the City’s
website, including documents, presenta�on materials, and videos of various mee�ngs. The City
counts on par�cipatory government and encourages all to provide construc�ve comments, sugges�ons, and
concerns.
Please see our website at www.cityofpt.us/engagept/page/sims-gateway-and-boatyard-expansion-project for
addi�onal informa�on and please submit your comments to engagePT@cityofpt.us or feel free to join the
Parks, Recrea�on, Trees, Trails Advisory Board mee�ngs monthly on the 4th Tuesday at 4:30. The agenda for
these mee�ngs are available on the City’s mee�ng calendar at www.cityofpt.us/calendar.
Read Beyond the Beaten Path
The Summer Reading Program is back in-person at the library! We have fun present-
ers and musicians, Read to Rover, and story�mes at the Pink House lawn and at
Chetzemoka Park! For a chance to earn your 2022 Summer Reading t-shirt, designed
by local ar�st Dana Sullivan, kids: read 45 hours, adults: read 90 hours. Reading to
each other counts!
Join our Summer Reading Kickoff Party on Thursday, June 23 from 1:00-2:00 pm.
Play lawn games, make bubbles, and ice-cream from Fiddlehead Creamery! Grab a
copy of your paper trackers, sign up for Beanstack (our online tracker) and a copy of
the event calendar!
The City has five current job openings right now. Visit our Human Resources
webpage for more informa�on and to see the full job descrip�ons:
www.cityofpt.us/hr
S i m s G a tewayand
B
o
a
tYardExpa n s i o n P r o j e c t
Friends of the Port Townsend Library Book Sale at the Community Center
Saturday, June 18 - 9:00 - 3:00
Bag of books for $5.00 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.
How Your City Works Giving Back to the Land: The Story of City Compost
Tuesday, June 7th, 7:00 p.m. - Live Online – www.ptpubliclibrary.org
Join us for the second program in the “How Your City Works” series. Presented by Bliss Morris, City of Port Townsend
Wastewater Opera�ons Manager. Have you ever wondered how your yard waste becomes compost? The City has a
small and dedicated team who transform mountains of yard waste into usable compost. Learn the process of compost
crea�on on an industrial scale and how you can apply these techniques on a smaller scale at home too! The City’s compost
facility was one of the first in the state to compost bio-solids, and has been up and running at the same loca�on since 1994.
City Clerk | Deputy Public Works Director/City Engineer | Finance and Budget Analyst | Police Officers
City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360) 385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us
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 Emily Coler, Public Experience Liaison with
our Finance Department.
How long have you worked at the City of Port Townsend?
Three years this month.
What do you currently do in terms of job du�es?
I am one of three Public Experience Liaisons, so in addi�on to fielding
phone calls and processing u�lity bill payments, I manage our facility
rentals, ci�zen concerns, and do various data entry and tracking projects.
I am also the liaison for the public works and development services depart-
ments, so I a�end a lot of mee�ngs.
What do you like or enjoy most about working at the City?
My co-workers. I have never had a work family quite like this one.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, your job, or your team with the public?
I am the (not so famous) “girl in the tree” on the mural on the old
Nummies building in Sequim right next to Hurricane Coffee Co. I also
really love photography, so if you see me around with my camera,
please say hi!
Introducing City Staff
Our Compost Facility Has a New Sign
Madrona Ridge Construction
The Madrona Ridge Planned Unit Development, located on Rainier St north of the Discovery Road Roundabout, has been
approved by the City’s Hearings Examiner. The City an�cipates construc�on to start early this summer. With the beginning
of construc�on, ques�ons may arise about the project and its approval.
Please refer to the City’s DSD projects webpage at
www.cityofpt.us/development-services/page/land-use-projects-under-review for all of
the documents provided for the approval of this project consistent with City Code and
the City’s Comprehensive Plan. This project is slated to provide 167 housing units by
Richmond American Homes. The City is hopeful that this project will provide some
relief to the housing pressures the community is feeling.
The Compost facility installed a new sign that is located just before the scale house showing if compost is available or not
available. You can also check out our webpage for availability: www.cityofpt.us/publicworks/page/compost-facility