COMMUNITY CONNECTION NEWSLETTER BACK ISSUES--APRIL 1997     Welcome to the first edition of the City of Sumner's new community newsletter, Sumner Community Connection. The purpose of this newsletter is to establish a communication link between Sumner City government and you, Sumner citizens. The newsletter is intended to inform you about the functions of City government as well as the services, programs and activities the City provides for its citizens, both residential and business. In this edition, you'll find information about the continued development of the north industrial area, the 1997 City budget, the Spring Cleanup coming up the week of April 14, our new Senior Center, plus a number of other articles we hope you will find both interesting and helpful. Sumner Community Connection will be published quarterly and mailed to all residences and businesses. We hope you will find this newsletter a valuable resource. We'd love to hear back from you any suggestions for future editions. In This Issue City's North End Poised for Development 'A' Bond Rating City Introduces New Ways to Communicate Mayor's Message Gordon Scraggin Served City 34 Years '97 Budget Enhances Programs, Services City of Sumner Spring Cleanup April 14 -18 Consultant Hired to Study and Evaluate City Utilities Rates Improvements at Sumner Cemetery Safety Tips from your Fire Dept. 'Community Policing' Introduced in Sumner Bike Patrol is an Effective Tool for Law Enforcement Sumner Educational Camp Combines Summer School, Day Camp New Trees for Loyalty Park Many Trees Damaged in Winter Storms Improvements for Sumner Meadows Golf Links New Senior Center a Popular Place City, School District Finding Ways to Work Together Calendar City's North End Poised for Development North Sumner is poised to become the site of the next significant growth of industrial development in the Seattle-Tacoma area, once improvements to the area's infrastructure are completed. Sewer lines have been extended into the area, and extensive road improvements including a new interchange on SR 167 should be in place within three years, significantly improving access to the area. Industrial development in the 926-acre area north of downtown and between the Stuck River and West Valley Highway has been limited because of poor truck access and lack of sewers. The sewer project that began in 1994 is 99 percent complete. The sewer was funded through a utility local improvement district (ULID No. 67) involving 174 parcels of property. Next will be the street improvements needed to sustain heavy truck traffic. The Washington State Department of Transportation will begin construction on the freeway interchange late this year. The work will include a split diamond interchange with the northbound ramps at 24th Street and the southbound ramps one-quarter mile south at 28th Street. DOT will also improve the east-west 24th Street into a multi-lane roadway to link with the north-south 142nd Avenue East. This summer the City will begin improving 142nd Avenue into the downtown area and construct a new bridge over the Stuck River at Tacoma Avenue. The street improvements are estimated to cost in excess of $24 million, of which $17.8 million is being funded through state and federal grants, and City funds. The City of Sumner hopes to fund the $6.2 million balance through a local improvement district (LID No. 70) that will assess affected property owners. The City has been holding meetings with the property owners to make them aware of the plans. The final part of the improvements will be the construction of a new water tank north of downtown. This new tank is necessary to meet the significant "fire flow" demands needed to protect large industrial buildings. Back to Table of Contents 'A' Bond Rating The City of Sumner has received an "A" bond rating from Standard & Poors for the $8 million bonds that have been sold to finance the ULID 67 sewer project in the north end. The "A" rating ensures that the City and Sumner customers will pay lower interest rates on the bonds. The high rating will save City sewer customers $254,229 over the life of the 20-year bonds. Back to Table of Contents City Introduces New Ways to Communicate The City is taking advantage of technology to provide information to the public. A new phone system has allowed City Hall to expand its INFO-Line. The new system allows the City to leave messages regarding a variety of topics of interest. By calling 863-0587, callers will be directed to a menu of additional locations which provide details on issues from City Council schedules to crime safety tips. While most of the message lines are complete and being maintained, several will be activated later in the year. Call 863-0587 1. City Council Schedule 2. Driving Directions to City Hall 3. Community Events 4. Public Meetings 5. Status of Public Works projects 6. Employment Opportunities 7. Senior Center Activities 8. Crime Prevention Tips 9. Frequently Called Numbers Back to Table of Contents Mayor's Message Daffodil Festival is a tradition worth preserving Hello, and welcome to your new city newsletter. This newsletter has been designed to be informative, topical and a forum for you as citizens to respond to and let your City Council, myself and my staff know just what are the important aspects of your community you like or do not favor. My part of this newsletter will be to bring forward ideas and news that has been presented by you or others. It is my intention to discuss items that you will feel compelled to respond to and indicate the action you expect your city government to take. Please write or call. This is the only way your City representatives can do what's right for Sumner. April 19th is the day the Grand Floral Daffodil Festival Parade will pass through Sumner and surrounding cities. How important a tradition is this festival parade to you? It has been a 64-year event looked forward to by thousands of us who have lived our entire lives in Pierce County, but to others it has only a short history. Sumner has the exclusive, exciting history of having festival Queens reign two consecutive years. Congratulations to two young ladies who are articulate, mature and who sparkle when they represent this City at festival events. The 1996 festival Queen Hillary Fulk and the 1997 Queen Jennifer Brown - Bravo! The Daffodil Festival tradition has come to a cross road. The volunteer organization of the festival needs your support and input. Just what do you like and expect of the festival? The parade is only a few days away and it will conclude a month long list of activities. Please write, fax, or call the Daffodil Festival Inc., 741 St. Helens, Tacoma, WA 98402, Phone 206/627-6176, Fax 206/627-6246 and let them hear your ideas, support and maybe volunteer for a tradition this community needs to continue. Mayor Robert Moltke Back to Table of Contents Gordon Scraggin Served City 34 Years Gordon Scraggin recently retired from his position as Sumner City Attorney after serving for 34 years. Sumner has changed quite a bit since Gordon began working for the City in 1963. There was no freeway through town, there were farms instead of warehouses on the north end, and a lot fewer state-mandated regulations to contend with. "It was a quieter time," he said. Gordon has worked under seven mayors and been through three remodels of City Hall. He has seen the City government grow from a time when the Fire Chief also served as Building Inspector to today when there is an entire department for building and community development. Asked about his greatest accomplishment in Sumner, Gordon looks back to 1968 when the City acquired the Weber-Ritter and Elhi Springs water systems which assured the City of an adequate water source for future years. Gordon is continuing with his private practice in Fife, but plans to "slow down" and begin enjoying a real retirement. He and his wife Nancy live in Edgewood and have a daughter and grandchild. Gordon graduated from the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington Law School. Before entering into a private practice, he clerked for U.S. District Court Judge George Boldt. Everyone at the City of Sumner would like to extend their sincere appreciation to Gordon for his many years of service as City Attorney. Gordon's presence at City Hall with his unequaled charm and positive demeanor will be missed. A celebration in honor of Gordon Scraggin's contributions to the City will be May 2. Contact the City Clerk for information. Back to Table of Contents '97 Budget Enhances Programs, Services Sumner's 1997 City Budget has been prepared as a financial plan and management tool to guide the City through 1997 and beyond. This year's budget contains a considerable number of programs and objectives to maintain and enhance a level of City services that ensures a safe, healthy, attractive and livable community. The 1997 budget totals $43,679,058 compared to $35,883,346 in 1996, which represents an 11.6% increase. The increases do not reflect any new or additional taxes or fees on residents, and the City utility budgets do not propose any increases in monthly utility rates aside from a .7% utility rate increase to reflect construction inflation. The significant increases in this year's budget are primarily attributed to the north end transportation system infrastructure which is being funded primarily with state grants and local improvement district funds. A high priority was placed on enhancement to public safety services, and funding in this area was increased 12.9% over 1996. The budget also included funding for four new staff positions: police department dispatcher, park maintenance worker, full-time city attorney and administrative/legal assistant. Another focus in this year's budget is "transportation system" planning and development. Over the past few years, the City has been in the process of planning, securing funds, and designing numerous major street improvement projects, which total in excess of $13 million. Many of those projects are scheduled for construction in 1997, including 142nd Avenue East, Valley Avenue, Washington Street, Graham Street, Meade-McCumber Street, 62nd Street East, and major street overlays. Back to Table of Contents City of Sumner Spring Cleanup April 14 -18 The annual spring cleanup week is scheduled April 14 - 18. This free curbside collection service is for residential refuse customers only. Residents should have their items at their regular pick-up location by 7 a.m. on your regular scheduled garbage/recycling day. You must use the coupons that were attached to a mailer sent to all residential customers in their utility billings the first week of April. The haulers will accept only one coupon of each type per residence. * Coupon #1 is for three extra bags of garbage. There is a weight restriction of 40 pounds per bag. * Coupon #2 is for three extra containers of yard waste. Each container must weigh less than 40 pounds. * Coupon #3 is for one major appliance. (For safety, please remove doors and latches from refrigerators or freezers). If you lost or did not receive the coupons, please contact the City's utilities department at 863-8300 or stop by City Hall during regular business hours, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Items not accepted include: tires, furniture, remodeling debris, small appliances, microwave ovens and hazardous materials. Please call 1-800-287-6429 for information on where to dispose of hazardous materials. Back to Table of Contents Consultant Hired to Study and Evaluate City Utilities Rates The City has hired a consulting firm, E.E.S. of Olympia, to conduct a study and evaluate the rates paid by residential and business customers for water, sewer and storm drainage services. The firm is examining how the City charges for "fire flow" (water for fire suppression) considering the large amount of industrial property in the north end. Adjustments in water rates may be necessary to help pay for infrastructure improvements in the industrial area. Another focus of the study is the rate charged for storm drainage for both residential and business customers who benefit from the utility. Hook-up fees may need to be adjusted. Current hook-up fees are $1,000 for property inside Drainage District 11, and $2,500 for properties outside District 11. The flat rate for sewer service will also be examined in the study. The City is considering going to a metered system for sewer service with discounts for seniors and persons with disabilities and on fixed incomes. The consultants' study with recommendations for rate adjustments should be completed by May 1. The recommendations will go before the City Council, which will hold a public hearing before any action is taken. Back to Table of Contents Improvements at Sumner Cemetery The City of Sumner is currently developing a comprehensive plan for future development of the Sumner Cemetery located west of town. The cemetery is split into two sections on either side of Valley Avenue. The Pioneer section is filled to capacity while the newer section closest to the freeway has plenty of room for future growth and should meet the City's needs for many years. City staff has developed a cemetery master plan that was based on input from citizens in a series of meetings conducted by outside consultants. Suggested improvements included a new veterans' memorial area, new raised marker burial areas, a new mausoleum and new urn walls. City staff is putting together a funding plan for the improvements, and the master plan will be presented to the City Council for adoption later this year. Improvements would begin shortly thereafter. Back to Table of Contents CALENDAR April 12 CPR and First Aid class, Fire Station, register by calling 863-5451 April 14 Hearing Examiner 3 p.m., Council Chambers City Council Study Session 6 p.m., Council Chambers April 19 Daffodil Parade, 3 p.m. April 21 City Council regular meeting 7 p.m., Council Chambers April 23 Community Development/Public Works Council Committee 4:30 p.m., City Hall April 24 Council Parks Committee 8 a.m., City Hall April 27 Family Festival Sumner High School, 1 - 5 p.m. A community-wide health and safety fair for families. Food, activities, workshops and a helicopter. April 28 City Council Study Session 6 p.m., Council Chambers April 29 Sumner Arbor Day May 1 Planning Commission 7:30 p.m., Council Chambers May 5 City Council regular meeting 7 p.m., Council Chambers Council Youth Committee 6 p.m., Council Chambers May 7 Council Personnel and Finance Committee 3 p.m., City Hall Forestry Commission 4:30 p.m., Council Chambers Council Public Safety Committee 7 a.m., City Hall May 8 Design Commission 6 p.m., Council Chambers May 12 City Council Study Session 6 p.m., Council Chambers May 14 Community Development/Public Works Council Committee 4:30 p.m., City Hall May 19 City Council regular meeting 7 p.m., Council Chambers May 22 Council Parks Committee 8 a.m., City Hall May 27 City Council Study Session 6 p.m., Council Chambers May 28 Community Development/Public Works Council Committee 4:30 p.m., City Hall June 2 City Council regular meeting 7 p.m., Council Chambers Council Youth Committee 6 p.m., Council Chambers June 4 Council Personnel and Finance Committee 3 p.m., City Hall Forestry Commission 4:30 p.m., Council Chambers Council Public Safety Committee 7 a.m., City Hall June 5 Planning Commission regular meeting 7:30 p.m., Council Chambers June 9 City Council Study Session 6 p.m., Council Chambers June 11 Community Development/Public Works Council Committee 4:30 p.m., City Hall June 12 Design Commission 6 p.m., Council Chambers June 16 City Council regular meeting 7 p.m., Council Chambers June 23 City Council Study Session 6 p.m., Council Chambers June 25 Community Development/Public Works Council Committee 4:30 p.m., City Hall June 26 Council Parks Committee 8 a.m., City Hall Back to Table of Contents Safety Tips from your Fire Dept. The Sumner Fire Department will utilize this column to provide you with information about emergency medical, fire safety, disaster preparedness tips, as well as other topics that we believe are important. How to Stop Bleeding One of the more common injuries requiring first aid that adults, particularly parents, have to deal with is bleeding associated with cuts. The techniques used are very simple. If you are faced with a situation in which a person is bleeding, do the following: * Take a clean cloth or bandage and place it directly over the cut. Apply direct pressure to the area until bleeding is controlled. If the bleeding saturates the bandage, do not remove it, simply place another bandage on top of the first and continue applying direct pressure. * If this does not control the bleeding after five minutes, call 911. Having done that, if the bleeding is on an extremity (arm, hand, leg, foot), find a pulse that is above the bleeding area. Press firmly on the pulse, compressing it against the adjacent bone. This reduces the blood flow to the area allowing the blood to clot. * The above techniques work the majority of the time, even with near or complete amputations. However, if severe bleeding continues and medical care is unavailable, the use of a tourniquet or constricting band may be necessary. Use a band of material that is at least one inch wide and place it tightly around the extremity, making sure it is between the area of bleeding and the heart. Then transport the person to medical care immediately. Remember, first aid and CPR training classes are available from the Sumner Fire Department. Back to Table of Contents 'Community Policing' Introduced in Sumner If a police officer knocks on your door, don't be alarmed: the officer may be there just to introduce him or herself as the officer who is assigned to your neighborhood. And don't be surprised if you're downtown and an officer on a bicycle stops to just say, "hello". This is all part of the Sumner Police Department's emphasis on a new approach to police work called "community policing." In the past, the Police Department focused primarily on enforcement and apprehension. Quality of life concerns were secondary to numbers of arrests. The new "community policing" philosophy focuses on quality of life concerns with increased emphasis on providing a high level of community service. When Ben Reisz took over as Sumner Police Chief two years ago, one of the first things he did was change the Police Department's mission statement to go along with his emphasis on "community policing." The mission statement now reads, "Our mission, together with the community of Sumner, is to make our city a place where all people can live safely and without fear." Chief Reisz encourages the police officers to get out of the station and their patrol cars and become known in the community. The idea is to give residents a sense of ownership in their police officers, and to give officers ownership in their territories. The City is split into zones for community policing purposes, and each officer is assigned a residential zone and an industrial zone. Police officers attend neighborhood meetings and encourage residents to set up block watches and other measures to watch out for each other. Police officers, as well as the Chief, also go to the schools regularly and meet with groups of students to open dialogue with young people in the community. Back to Table of Contents Bike Patrol is an Effective Tool for Law Enforcement Now that the weather is turning warmer and less wet, residents might notice more Sumner police officers patrolling on bike. They're hard to miss with their bright, daffodil-yellow jackets and the fact they are on bikes. Sumner is an ideal community for bike patrols, considering the flat terrain and compact residential and business areas. In the day time, the bike patrol is more of a public relations tool, designed to get officers out from behind the wheel of patrol cars to where citizens can see and talk to them. But at night, bikes are an effective law enforcement tool. Officers can quietly sneak up on someone breaking into a car or committing another crime. "They don't even know you're there," says Officer Joe Pihl, who is enjoying his second year on the Sumner Bike Patrol. Back to Table of Contents Sumner Educational Camp combines summer school, day camp Parents, are you wondering what to do with your kids this summer? The Sumner Parks and Recreation Department is offering something new - Summer Educational Camp. This is a combination of summer school and day camp activities. From 9 a.m. until noon, children will attend classes in core curriculum subjects (math, science, language arts and social studies). The classes will be broken down by grades 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 and will be taught by state certified teachers. In the afternoon, children will participate in fun, group activities such as drama, unicycling, juggling, arts and crafts, and games. The camp begins the week of June 30 and runs a total of nine weeks, conducted at three different sites: Maple Lawn Elementary, Crestwood Elementary and Liberty Ridge Elementary. The camp will run three weeks at one site, and then move to the next site for three weeks. The program is designed to accommodate working parents and runs from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Cost is $75 per week. A $20 per week deposit will reserve a spot. Call the Recreation Office at 863-5365 for a registration form. A different summer program, Action Day Camp, begins June 23 and runs through August 29 at Robert Miller Gymnasium, 1509 Valley Ave. The day camp focuses on organized games, field trips, arts & crafts, movies and swimming. It runs from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday - Friday. Cost is $75 per week. Call 863-5365 for a registration form. Back to Table of Contents New Trees for Loyalty Park Everyone knows Loyalty Park for its wonderful large trees. In order to ensure that future generations will have a similar wooded park to enjoy, the City has been planting a number of new trees. More than 26 trees have been planted in the park during the winter. Most of the trees have been tagged to help recognize their type. The City will be removing four trees which were determined by the City's arborist to be unhealthy and dangerous. During the next months, the City will also be thinning some of the larger trees and cabling the branches together to make them more secure. For more information about these trees, the park, or the Forestry Commission, please contact the Community Development Department, 863-8300. Back to Table of Contents Many Trees Damaged in Winter Storms The snow and ice this winter took a heavy toll on the City's urban forest. Trees in yards, street trees, and many trees in parks were damaged. Some common tips on tree maintenance: When you have a tree with damaged branches, you should remove the damage with a clean cut. Cut off the broken limb stub where it joins the next largest branch or the trunk. Do not cut immediately below the break. Avoid the temptation to top the tree. Many of the trees that were damaged in these winter storms were the result of bad pruning. Topping is the indiscriminate removal of branches of the tree. It usually results in the tree looking "cut back", destroys the tree's natural character, and most of all, it severely weakens the tree. The City has a variety of information on the proper pruning of a tree which it can provide to you. Contact the Community Development Department at 863-8300 (or at our website) or call the State Tree Link Hotline at 1-800-523-TREE. Back to Table of Contents Improvements for Sumner Meadows Golf Links The City of Sumner's golf course, Sumner Meadows Golf Links, will undergo improvements this spring and summer designed to make it more playable year-around. The course is already known as being a good "wet" course, meaning it stays relatively dry even during the rainy season, at least compared to other area golf courses. Further improvements to the drainage system this year should enhance the course's "playability" even further. Another major improvement will be the interconnecting and asphalting of all the cart paths, as soon as the weather permits. A new maintenance facility will be constructed at the south end of the course. The facility will include storage areas for equipment and materials, a lunch room, and locker room for staff. Long range plans include construction of a permanent clubhouse to replace the temporary clubhouse in five years or longer. The golf course has been a successful venture for the City since it opened in fall of 1995. It is completely self-sustaining with revenues generated through greens fees covering all overhead. The number of rounds being played at Sumner Meadows often exceeds projections, particularly during periods of warm weather. Don't forget, residents of Sumner receive a greens fee discount. Back to Table of Contents New Senior Center a Popular Place Sumner Senior Center has become a popular place since opening its doors last December with an estimated 2,400 "visits" each month. The Senior Center was built on a site just west and south of Stock Market Foods, at 6209 154th Ave. E. Previously, the Senior Center was part of the Sumner Library building on Fryar Street, but was moved to make room for library expansion. The new building, at 6,000 square feet, is twice as large as the former Senior Center. It has a large dining area for the hot lunch-time meals served five days a week, plus the entertainment that precedes or follows the meals. Seniors enjoy live music, dancing, bingo and other activities in the large dining hall. Other rooms at the Center are set up for arts and crafts, games, classes and health-related clinics. There is even a small gift shop where seniors can sell their handicrafts. The Senior Center owns a van which is used for weekly trips out of town to favorite destinations such as malls and parks. The van is also available on Mondays and Fridays to transport seniors from their homes to the Senior Center and home again. The Senior Connection Service also operates out of the Senior Center. This service provides a network of information, assistance, and employment opportunities for seniors. Any senior living in the Sumner area is welcome to join the fun at the Sumner Senior Center. The cost of the noon meal is $2 or a donation. Please call 863-2910 for more information or the City info line, 863-0587, for a listing of current activities and trips. Back to Table of Contents City, School District Finding Ways to Work Together In December, the City of Sumner and Sumner School District entered into an agreement to continue to collaborate on projects which can save money and build a better community. The City and District have a long history of mutual cooperation and collaboration on projects and services which includes the Daffodil Valley Sports Complex and the Recreation Program. The two also share facilities for recreation, meeting and community purposes. Our City and District efforts were recently recognized by the Local Government Commission as a model of cities and districts working together. The agreement commits the City and District to continue to find ways to work together. Beyond facilities, the two will look at the possibilities of sharing staff and equipment. The collaboration is a recognition that the success of the community is dependent on the City and District working together to solve problems. Over the future editions of the newsletter, we will be using this space to highlight the collaborative projects which we are undertaking to make the community a better place. Back to Table of Contents