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Home My WebLink About02(360) 379-5047 (email: citycouncil@cityofpt.us) www.cityofpt.us February 2012 City of Port Townsend From Mayor David King As I started to consider newsletter subjects it was suggested that, though I am starting my second term on City Council it is my first as Mayor and I may be something of an unknown to much of the community. So I have agreed to write something about myself. Just this once, I promise. I grew up outside the Washington DC beltway before there was a beltway. I graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy in 1967 and Harvard College in 1971. I started building boats on the Rappahannock river in Virginia right after college (my dream was to build a boat and sail away) and have been in marine trades in one form or another ever since. I worked in boatyards in Virginia, Maine and California before coming to PT. I met my wife Alice in the Bay Area and we came to the second Wooden Boat Festival in 1978 to see if we'd like it here. We have. I have been self employed as often as not. I worked for Admiral Marine for about ten years but quit when they relocated to Port Angeles. Port Townsend is my home. Since 1999, I have been CFO of Townsend Bay Marine, a successful partnership of four maritime opportun- ists. In 2009, we had more than eighty employees and paid more than $3.3 million in payroll. Until I joined the Council, my volunteer efforts for the community were largely to protect and enhance the “Port” in Port Townsend. Now that I represent all of Port Townsend’s citizens, I have tried to broaden my understanding of city operations and the diversity of our community. We are not only shipwrights but artists, students and sanitation workers. We are bow makers, real estate developers, ice cream makers and brew- ers. We are farmers, sailors, equestrians and equestriennes. We are the aged and the under aged. Many of us are several of these. And as shown by the vacant storefronts and Wednesday crowd at the food bank it has not been easy for us these last several years. I am personally familiar with these struggles since between 2007 and 2011 my property taxes increased 19.5% but our family’s income fell more than 90%. Even so I support our local ef- forts to invest in our town and secure high quality services through local tax initiatives. I love our library and our waterfront, our network of trails, the new sidewalks and open skies unblemished by wires. Stewardship of public funds is the Council's gravest responsibility and this year we will institute a program to publicly evaluate our financial condition every quarter. But I only wish all my tax dollars demonstrated bene- fits as tangible and immediate as the ones I spend here. We will be very busy in 2012. We share with other cities the challenge of meeting increased demand for services with constrained or reduced resources. Additionally we have an array of critical projects to man- age. Some, like repairing the downtown sidewalks and installing secondary treatment for our water system, are entirely our responsibility and largely under our control. Others, like the PUD’s acquisition of PSE’s pow- er system, the operation of Washington State Ferries, and Washington State Park's management of Fort Worden are of critical importance but outside our direct authority. We will have to express ourselves clearly, forcefully and frequently in order to influence these outcomes. Fortunately, our community has demonstrat- ed an exceptional ability to do just that and to work together for common and sometimes extraordinary goals. From the McCurdy Pavilion to the Food Co-op to the Port Townsend Library to the Maritime Center one does not have to look far to find evidence of our coming together to build the community we want. We will continue to make this a better place to work and live. New businesses are locating here and existing ones are expanding. From my bicycle I see young families pushing strollers the size of my Honda Fit. I am optimistic about our future and looking forward to being of use in bringing it about. Port Townsend School District Capital Levy 2012-2016 On February 14, PTSD is submitting to the voters a proposal for a four-year Capital Projects Levy in the amount of $4,726,000. The funds will provide critical upgrades of communications, electrical, plumbing, heating systems and more to make all three campuses safer, healthier and more functional. The projected cost per thousand is $0.51 in 2012-13 and $0.58 in the years 2013-16. For more information please contact Supt. Gene Laes at 379-4501 or Board Chair Jennifer James-Wilson at 385-7373. Date Location Description 12/03 31st Street Bike 12/06 San Juan Ave. Bike 12/08 Water Street Glove 12/12 City Hall Cell phone 12/16 Blue Heron Bike 12/19 Hill Street Bike 12/31 City Hall Watch 1/03 Courthouse pills POLICE LOST AND FOUND 385-2322 Citizen Volunteer Opportunities Consider applying today for vacancies on the fol- lowing Citizen Advisory Boards, Committees, and Commissions. See the city website for committee descriptions, applications, and meeting schedules or contact the City Clerk’s Office at 360-379-5083 for an application. Parks Recreation and Tree Advisory Board Design Review Advisory Committee Housing Action Plan Network (HAPN) PEG Access Coordinating Committee Climate Action Committee (CAC) Library Advisory Board Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Board The Jefferson County Conservation Futures Pro- gram: Preserving Open Space and Supporting Farms and Forests Our local Conservation Futures Program helps maintain important wildlife habitat, farms and forests as open space in our County. Since 2003, the pro- gram has supported many open space protections. Open space protections, often through the purchase of land or development rights, are paid for with fund- ing from the Conservation Futures Fund (the Coun- ty’s smallest property tax levy) matched at least one to one with other resources such as donated land, private contributions and state or federal grants. Applications are due March 5, 2012 for this year’s funding cycle. A total of $260,000 is available to- wards open space protections within the city and county. The Conservation Futures Oversight Com- mittee will review the applications and make funding recommendations to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in June. Interested citizens, land owners, and non-profit or- ganizations are encouraged to contact program staff at tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us or (360) 379-4498. More information is available at www.co.jefferson. wa.us/commissioners (click on “Conservation Fu- tures Program and Committee”). “Light at the End of the Tunnel” A cooperative marketing program between the City of Port Townsend and the Port Townsend Main Street Program During the downtown Sidewalk Tunnel Lid Project from early February through June, we will focus on promoting downtown businesses while construction takes place. We have various activities and events slated to encourage you to shop and support our valuable local businesses. Please enjoy and be a part of history in the making! Feb. 4: Special events during Gallery Walk Feb. 10 & 11 and Feb. 18-20: Red Wine & Chocolate winery/ cidery tour across the Olympic Peninsula that will end in downtown Port Townsend with shopping and dinner Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day specials Feb. 14 & 20: Historic walking tours by JCHS Museum Feb 18-20: Salmon Derby Feb. 20: Presidents’ Day specials Feb. 25 & 26: Treasure Hunt There will be fact sheets on the history of the sidewalk tunnels that will correspond to a photo exhibit opening March 1 at the JCHS Museum. CUSTOMER LOYALTY STAMP CARDS -First stamp is free, each additional stamp with minimum $5 purchase at participating businesses -Completed stamped cards will be entered in a drawing for a $500 “Taylor Made for You” prize package with dining certificates, movie passes & merchandise gift certificates -Customers must return completed Loyalty Cards to participating businesses by May 31, 2012 -Drawing June 2, 2012 (Some restrictions apply) COUPON BOOKS -Coupons provided by participating businesses and redeemable through May 31, 2012 Promotion will conclude with a celebratory wrap-up party “Hard Hats & Carhartts” at the June 2 Gallery Walk. For project information visit www.cityofpt.us/currentprojects.htm and click on “Downtown Streetscape Sidewalk Tunnel Lids.”