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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06From Mayor David King This September we will begin a series of town meetings to consider our community’s needs and the City’s ability to meet those needs. With active oversight by Council, we are implementing a 2012 budget that is conservative but ensures the continued operation of valued community services such as the YMCA and the pool. In re- sponse to increasing expenses but flat revenues, staff positions have been consolidated, elimi- nated or allocated to capital projects where possible. Our A+ rating from Standard and Poor’s allowed us to re-finance bond funds to save $90,000 this year and ease bond repayment in the future. Even so, hard choices remain and plotting a course for our future that responds to the shifting realities of the economy is work for all of us to do together. The ratio of things we want or need compared to the resources we have for them is daunting. We have to add secondary treatment to our water system, replace our sewer outfall, and up- grade the water system at City Lake. We need to take care of our parks. We want to expand our library and keep our pool open. And our underfunded streets steadily deteriorate. Each year fewer state and federal resources are made available to local governments. The City will lose $65,380 from 2012 liquor tax and profits, which the state will retain for its general fund. Washington is phasing out support for state parks and Fort Worden will have to find $800,000 of additional revenue to sustain operations that are critical to our local economy. State support for police officer training has been drastically reduced and is now the City’s re- sponsibility. The community has been responding creatively. The Local Investing Opportunities Network (LION), the Mercantile, The Farmer’s Market and Local Agriculture, PUD's acquisition of PSE, and the PDA’s co-management strategy for Fort Worden show a growing commitment to local sustainability and autonomy. Government is by design less able than private business to respond quickly. A handout at my first Association of Washington Cities (AWC) meeting featured an old Heinz ketchup bottle showing a shield with the number 57 - the number of districts that may be separately author- ized in Washington. In Jefferson County alone 27 special districts operate with jurisdictions of some kind. Their operations are governed by an intricate web of ordinances, ballot measures, interlocal agreements and other legislative authorizations. Officials work to build connections between our financial silos in order to leverage funding and increase value for the community. The City is pursuing partnerships with other communities for police training. We are working with the County and other jurisdictions through the Exploratory Parks and Recreation Committee (EPRC) to create a community-wide approach for parks and recreation. The processes required can be complex, expensive, time-consuming and appear to defy common sense, but the good news is that at the local level we are largely left alone to do this. Political Action Committees (PACs), super or otherwise, are not much interested in po- larizing us. That we would have to do for ourselves. The plan to settle long-standing issues between the Port and the City over Kah Tai and the Boat Haven is an example of how different agencies can work together for the common good of their constituents. A working group from the Port and City agreed on a vision that combined (continued) City of Port Townsend (360) 379-5047 (email: citycouncil@cityofpt.us) www.cityofpt.us June 2012 a vibrant and diverse working waterfront with a significant wildlife habitat and public open space in the middle of our community. The vision kept us on point while staff worked through a myriad of details, where, as we all knew, the devil resided. It didn't happen sooner because for 30 years the Boat Haven and Kah Tai functioned largely as they should, despite the outstanding issues. It happened now because recent events, the des- ignation of 6(f) protection, the Port's prospect of having to manage Kah Tai for the first time, and the Port's lawsuit, provided urgency and focus. And it happened relatively quickly because much of what is in the proposed outcome had been considered and discussed previously. But these changes will not substantially affect Port or City budgets or staffing levels, at least not immediately, and to address intergovernmental challenges that do so will be more complex. So a comprehensive conversation involving not only the City and the County but school and hospi- tal districts, emergency service providers and all our local jurisdictions will be necessary to se- cure a future we desire. The town meetings will be a key component of that conversation. Taylor Street “Hard Hat & Carhartts” Party Saturday, June 2, 2012 Noon to 5:30 p.m. Live Music – Outside Quimper Sound Port Townsend’s own Delta Rays will play on the street from 3-5 p.m. Children’s activities in selected stores and on Taylor Street Irish Tea Tasting at Wandering Angus, 929 Water Street Wild Sage Tea Garden on Taylor Street Rat Island Rowing Club will display rowing sculls Complimentary refreshments reflecting Tay- lor Street cuisine “Hard Hat & Carhartts Costume Contest” at 5 p.m. Best outfit wins 2 tickets to the Taste of Port Townsend & gets to draw the $500 “Taylor Made for You” Loyalty Card Winner “Loyalty Card” drawing at 5:15 p.m. for $500 “Taylor Made For You Prize Package!” 5:30-8 p.m. Gallery Walk downtown Help us celebrate as we approach the completion of the Tunnel Lid Project Own the Night - CoLab - Fiber Frenzy - Haiku Group - Zombies Felties - Book Clubs WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? Come to the Library’s Mt. View Campus OPEN HOUSE on Friday, June 1, from 2 - 5 p.m. to find out and get acquainted with the temporary quarters. Music by Shady Grove and refresh- ments will be provided. WE ARE MOVING ----- AGAIN Due to popular demand, PT Shorts is moving back to its old home. As of June 2, PT Shorts will be held in the Pope Marine Building instead of the Cotton Building. PT Shorts is a free hour long program of short readings, performed by local actors. It is held every first Saturday of the month, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. It is sponsored by the Port Townsend Arts Commission and produced by Key City Public Theatre. Each month the director, theme and readers change. The current offerings will al- ways be listed on the Key City Public Theatre website http://www.keycitypublictheatre.org/ pt_shorts.htm For more information about the program or how you might participate, please call Catherine McNabb at 379-5089. See you at the Pope Marine Park Building on June 2 at 7:30 p.m.! Congratulations Killer Whales! Half of the Olympic Mountain Bike Team “Killer Whales” have qualified to go to the National Championships, Ju- ly 6 in Sun Valley, ID. This high school age group also took 2nd in the Washing- ton State competition. They are planning a fund raising car wash on Saturday, June 2 and would appreciate your support as they reach for their goal. For more information contact Doug Ross at 821-1802 or email him at dougross@olympus.net. Friends of the Port Townsend Library Used Book Sale Saturday, June 9 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. (8 a.m. for Members of the Friends) Held at the Community Center in Uptown PT Citizen Volunteer Opportunities Consider applying today for a posi- tion on the Citizen Advisory Boards, Commit- tees, and Commissions listed below. • Planning Commission • Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Board • Parks Recreation and Tree Advisory Board • Library Advisory Board • Climate Action Committee • PEG Access Coordinating Committee • Housing Action Plan Network (HAPN) • Arts Commission • Lodging Tax Advisory Committee — Nonvoting Member representing broad community interests See the City website for committee descriptions, application, and meeting schedules or contact the City Clerk’s Office 379-5083 for an applica- tion. Do you have extra stuff piling up in your garage or attic? Or perhaps, you’ve combined households and now have two toasters, two blenders, or an extra set of dishes? Spring is the perfect time to de-clutter. But don’t just toss it, 2good2toss it! You can sell or give away your useable items on 2good2toss.com. It’s free, simple, and a good way of recycling items you no longer want, but other people may need. Check it out, get rid of something, find something! www.2good2toss.com For more information, email Pinky Feria Mingo at pinky@co.jefferson.wa.us or call 385-9444. Why Sign Consolidation and Wayfinding? An informal survey of residents attending a recent sign- age workshop indicated that the most common question that they were asked by visitors was “How do I get to Fort Worden?” Clearly, the almost dozen road signs that currently indicate the route to the Fort are not working. As Fort Worden brings in over one million visitors a year to Port Townsend, many of whom would like to shop and dine at businesses and restau- rants outside of the Fort, this is a cause for concern – If visitors can’t find the Fort, they likely can’t find their way back to our business districts! This disconnect is also true for many of our notable destinations. Merchants and those in the hospitality business tell us that some visitors to the Downtown Historic District are completely unaware of the Uptown portions of the same district. The primary purpose of the Sign Consolidation and Wayfinding Project is to reduce visual clutter and help visitors seamlessly navigate their way around and through Port Townsend by increasing the “legibility” of the environment through the provision of consolidated and effective signage and the deployment of new infor- mation technologies. Secondarily, the way in which this locational information is communicated will also provide an opportunity for visitors and residents to learn more about the rich history of Port Townsend as well as the many unique businesses and services located within the City. Mindful that Port Townsend’s visitor demographic is very broad - from retirees to families to young adults - approaches need to reflect a balance between tradition- al signage and new technologies that tap into the capa- bilities of smart phones, such as Quick Response (QR) Codes, GPS, downloadable mapping and accessing such applications as TripAdvisor, Yelp, etc. To check on the progress of this project, contact Rick Sepler, Public Services Director at 379-5081. Jefferson Land Trust Have you ever wandered back into the woods at the bottom of Cook Avenue? Grand fir and cedar trees surround the Winona Wetlands, a haven for many birds, amphibians and other wildlife and one of the largest wetlands in the City’s North Beach Drain- age Basin. The City, Jefferson County and Jefferson Land Trust have been partnering for several years to protect the mature forest, wetland buffers and floodplain areas of the Winona Basin. Last month 7 platted lots were acquired by the City with grant funding from Jefferson County Con- servation Futures Program and community contributions. Jefferson Land Trust secured the funding and facilitated the acquisition. In the last few years alone, the Land Trust acquired and transferred 15 acres of land to the City for wildlife habitat, storm-water retention and filtration, hiking trails and nature appreciation. Since 1996 the partners have been working together to protect a greenbelt of native vegetation and wetland habitats known as the Quimper Wildlife Corridor. Jefferson Land Trust provides docent led walks of the Quimper Wildlife Corridor the first Saturday of every month. Check out their website at www.saveland.org for more information. Animal Licenses Did you know that all fees an owner pays for a dog license help to offset the costs the City pays for animal shelter services? The City contracts with Jefferson County for animal shelter services relat- ed to animals picked up in the City. This includes housing and care of abandoned pets and other animals. The cost for this service is up to $22,000 annually. The County in turn contracts with the Humane Society for shelter services for animals picked up outside the City limits. By buying a dog license (which is required by City code), you help in two ways: by supporting the local animal shelter and by reducing the amount of taxpayer dollars needed to support the shelter (City contribution is offset by the amount of licensing fees taken in from City residents). A license helps keep your pet safe as well. The collar tag you receive which contains your license number allows the shelter staff to contact you if your pet is brought to the shelter for any reason. Please make sure your animal’s license is current. The fee for a two-year dog license is $20 (fixed) or $48 (not fixed). Please contact the Jefferson Humane Society (385-3292) for further information or to purchase your license. In addition to paying a lower animal license fee, spaying or neutering your pet will help reduce the population of unwanted animals and will help to prevent overcrowding of our local shelter. The Humane Society works closely with Olympic Mountain Pet Pals, a non-profit organization which offers free spay/neuter ser- vices to low income residents of Jefferson County. Please see the respective websites www.jeffersoncountyhumanesociety.org and www.ompetpals.org for more information. Personal fireworks are illegal in Port Townsend and even the smallest fireworks can be dangerous. Therefore the City is again providing the community with a July 4 fireworks dis- play at Fort Worden State Park. An Old Fashioned 4th at the Fort will begin at 5 p.m. with kids games and lawn pinball and capped off with a fireworks show at 10 p.m. Come join us for this old fashioned home spun show. We encourage you to obtain a Discover Pass that will give you access to all Washington State Parks for a year or if you prefer, a $10 day pass will be available at the main office or at pay stations located at the Park. After 7 p.m. on July 4 there will be open access to the Fort with free parking.