October 2024 

Hello everyone, 

I remain in the thick of the budget season, working with the mayor, the council, and the management team to plan for the city’s future.  

A bit of good news: With strong reserves and good financial practices, we received a clean audit from the State Auditor’s Office on financial statements and federal grant compliance. I want to thank the finance team and all grant or funds managers and everyone who manages a budget, for their excellent work.   

However, the budget isn’t just about clean audits or balancing revenue and expenses. We have many commitments to the community that we need to make good on, like maintaining our buildings and making the most of our revenues. Most importantly, our budget represents our city values and council priorities. When all is said and done, people are our core value. 

Externally, this means providing the best services we can to Tumwater, given financial realities, and carefully considering where we invest our time and city funds. This month’s “Inside the City” shows the result of this people-centered approach from completed road work to emergency services to community events, to managing water for the future.

Internally, it means focusing on our staff, including collective bargaining with union partners, and working toward market-rate pay for our non-represented staff – as well as renewed focus on wellness, belonging, recruitment, and retention. 

It is a difficult asset to quantify in a spreadsheet, but the good news is our city has invested in good people. Treating each other well makes for a productive and kind workplace, and while budgets are part of treating each other well, the care I see you providing one another, and the people of Tumwater is the essential ingredient. 

I appreciate each of you who has shown kindness or support to colleagues this past month – and whoever is leaving the tiny toy animals around our offices and throughout city buildings, that helps too! 

Happy autumn, and thank you, 
Lisa Parks, Tumwater City Administrator

Parks and Rec switching gears to fall season

With the celebration of Falls Fest last month, the Parks and Recreation Department is officially swinging into the fall season. In addition to program planning, landscaping crews have been beautifying City Hall and the facilities team is making improvements to properties. Can you guess where the mischievous squirrel was captured? Check out the Parks newsletter  to find out.  

Fire might receive an additional Medic One unit 

Thurston County Medic One provides paramedic services as a partner of Tumwater Fire Department, as well as Olympia and Lacey Fire Departments. Medic One is planning to add it’s eighth medic unit and the current proposed location is Tumwater Station 2. The Fire Department also responded to several brush fires over the summer. Read more about this and last month’s response calls in the Fire Department newsletter.

Tips from IT: Spam emails

• Be wary of the sender. Look for unfamiliar or suspicious email addresses, especially if the email seems strange.
• Avoid clicking links or attachments. Don't click on links or download files from emails unless you trust the source.
• Be cautious of spelling and grammar. Spammers may intentionally misspell words or add extra characters to avoid spam filters.
• Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. These emails may be phishing scams trying to steal sensitive information.
• Don't share personal information. Never give out personal information like passwords, social security numbers, or credit card numbers via email.
• Avoid open Wi-Fi. Avoid using open Wi-Fi networks when sending or receiving emails. 

Police wrap up a busy summer

The Tumwater Police Department responded to 1,531 calls for service in the month of August, which is an 11% decrease from the previous year. So far this year, the Department responded to 11,732 calls for service, which is a decrease of 8% per year. Three code enforcement cases were opened, including one for an RV parked without moving, one for a rooster in a residential area, and one for people living in an RV in a residential area. Read this and more in the Police monthly report. 

TED summer projects nearing completion

It’s been a busy summer packed with several projects for the City Transportation and Engineering Division. We achieved a milestone paving Israel Road in September and are currently pouring sidewalks and driveways and raising utilities. Final pavement striping on Israel is planned for October 8-11. The Linwood Sidewalk Project is also showing progress and we’re on track for completion in November. This year’s Citywide Striping Project applied nearly 100 miles of pavement markings to increase visibility and safety throughout the City. Read this and more in the TED monthly report.

WRS investigates water loss, reminds about commute trip reduction

Our Tumwater Water Resources & Sustainability Division recently completed their annual study on Water Use Efficiency reporting. The report examines water production compared to consumption. In the past year, the water lost has slowly been increasing. Read the WRS newsletter for tips to help and learn about staff commute trip reduction incentives.

New email signature line

Have you noticed that some of your fellow staff members are sporting new email signatures with the City logo? City management worked with the Communications team recently to update our City brand standards for email signatures. Staff members may now choose to include the City logo with their signatures. The standard font was also changed to Aptos to be consistent with Outlook. Check out the email guidance in the shared Communications Toolkit, Branding and Style Guide.

What to do if you get sick – Advice from HR

It’s that time of year where we all might experience a sniffle or two. While the flu has been prevalent for many years, we are also still battling COVID-19. Now that our kids are back in school, and the weather is getting colder, it’s a great time to remind ourselves to take extra precautions in case we get sick. The best advice Human Resources has to offer is to regularly wash your hands, sanitize surfaces, and cover coughs and sneezes. If you do end up getting sick, and especially if you test positive for COVID-19, the current CDC guidelines provide additional advice to protect yourself and those around you. 

If you have any questions or need any clarification, please feel free to reach out to Human Resources. 

There will be a Flu Shot Clinic for staff and family members from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Oct. 24, at City Hall. Please contact HR to receive a form to fill out beforehand. 

Weekly yoga series

Staff are invited to join a 6-week yoga series from Nov. 6 through Dec. 18. Classes will be from 12:30-1:30 p.m. every Wednesday except for Nov. 27 in Council Chambers. Participants are invited to bring their own yoga mats if possible and to wear flexible clothing. Yoga classes can help you de-stress, relax, and pay attention to your mental health. Self-care is always important, and is especially important during the darker, colder months of the year. For more information, contact Alyssa Jones Wood.  

Welcome new staff members

Welcome to new staff members who began in September 2024.

• Elizabeth Tinsley, Department Assistant II, Fire Department
• Bob Toy, Engineering Technician IV, Development Construction Inspector