DuPont City Administrator’s update, Nov. 21

Ben Sclair | November 22, 2012

By Dawn Masko, City Administrator, City of DuPont

1. Happy Thanksgiving! As a reminder, City Hall offices will be closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Hoping this Thanksgiving finds you with many reasons to be thankful and wishing you the blessings of family, health, happiness & relaxation.

2. Annual Christmas Tree Lighting

Feel the holiday spirit come alive for the entire the community as the City’s hosts its Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, November 30^th. Festivities begin when Candy Cane Lane opens at 4:30 PM. Participating businesses on Wilmington Drive will open their doors to kids for a candy cane or other holiday treats. At 5:00 PM the lobby of the Community 1^st Credit Union will be open for holiday revelers to purchase menu selections from local DuPont restaurants for $5.00 per plate. Enjoy caroling, ornament making and other holiday cheer. DuPont Forza will host pictures with Santa at a modest price. The lighting of the tree will occur at 6:00 PM at Ross Plaza with our own homegrown tree. Bundle up and enjoy a festive evening with family and friends! Many thanks to the Northwest Landing Residential Owner’s Association and Commercial Owner’s Association for their generous contribution of $2,700 towards this annual event!

3. Coats for Kids

There is still time to drop off new and/or clean and undamaged coats of any size for the “Coats for Kids” Drive. The second annual drive is sponsored by the DuPont Fire Department, together with the DuPont Lions Club and Caring for Kids. Please drop off coats at the DuPont Fire Department, 1780 Civic Drive, between now and November 30^th. If you or your organization are unable to drop donations off but would still like to contribute, please contact DuPont’s CERT Coordinator Claire Keller-Scholz at (253) 964-8414 or via email at cscholz@ci.dupont.wa.us and we will arrange to have the DuPont Fire Department pick them up. Thank you for helping make life better for the children of our community during the chilly weather months.

4. Urban Forestry Restoration Project

The Urban Forestry Restoration Project, administered by the WA State Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Program (DNR), is an exciting opportunity to enhance the capacity of urban forests to manage stormwater and improve air and water quality by improving the health and functionality of trees and forested sites in urban settings. Even more exciting is our opportunity to participate in this program here in DuPont. Through this program the City will receive three weeks of a Washington Conservation Corps team’s time to accomplish urban forestry maintenance tasks. The crew will assist City staff with storm cleanup and structural pruning of street trees on Center Drive and at other locations throughout the City as time allows.

For more information about the Urban Forestry Restoration Project, visit the Project onlineor contact Micki McNaughton at (360) 902-1637 or micki.mcnaughton@dnr.wa.gov. The WA State Urban and Community Forestry Program is made possible through a partnership with the USDA Forest Service.

5. Upcoming Meetings – Week of November 26^th – 30^th

Planning Agency Meeting scheduled for Monday, November 26^th has been cancelled
City Council Meeting Tuesday, November 27^th at 7:00 PM

6. Council Agenda Items – November 27^th, 2012

Public Hearing: 2012 Budget
Consent Agenda Items: Claims Vouchers; Fire Chief Contract Renewal; City Attorney Contract Renewal; Fire Marshal Services Contract
Unfinished Business: Ordinances Adopting 2013 Property Tax and 2013 EMS Property Tax; Model Business & Occupation Taxes Ordinance Update
New Business: 4^th Quarter Budget Adjustment– 1^st Reading; Ordinances Amending the DMC Regarding Business Licenses, Rental Property Business License, Square Footage Business & Occupation Tax, and Utility Taxes – 1^stReadings; Ordinance Adopting the 2013 Annual Budget – 1^st Reading; Ordinance Updating the Sign Code– 1^st Reading; Ordinance Adopting the Water Comprehensive Plan Update – 1^st Reading

* Council Agenda Packet is available on the City’s website.

7. Parks & Recreation

Please call (253) 912-5245 or go to the City’s website at www.ci.dupont.wa.us for registration information, questions on Parks & Recreation activities, or for volunteer opportunities. Want to know more? Like us on Facebook at “City of DuPont Events, Recreation & Tourism”.

Calling Local Businesses – If you would like to participate in Candy Cane Lane during the Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, November 30^th, please contact Parks & Recreation at (253) 912-5245 by Monday, November 26^th.

Holiday Bazaar Thanks! – Many thanks to our local vendors for participating in the Winter Wonderland Holiday Bazaar. This year’s event was full and had a waiting list. Special heartfelt thanks to Anna Skretting who chaired the bazaar for the third year in a row!!

Youth Basketball Team Sponsors – Help support a youth basketball team by becoming a sponsor! The City of DuPont’s youth basketball league serves nearly 200 youth in and around our community. We need your help! Your company’s name will be placed on the back of the uniforms for $175 per team. Please contact (253) 912-5245 if you are interested.

Get Sweet on Parks & Rec – Parks & Recreation is holding a “Get Sweet on Parks & Rec” Caramel Apple sale through December 5^th. Holiday caramel apples are available for pre-sale for $5.00 each. Apples will be delivered the week of December 17^th. The apples are beautifully wrapped and ready for gift giving. All proceeds benefit events and recreation programs. Thanks in advance for supporting Parks & Recreation!

· 5^th Annual Santa Breakfast – Tickets to the Santa Breakfast are on sale at City Hall and are selling out fast! This annual event is scheduled for Saturday, December 8^th with seating at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Tickets are $10 each; 2 and under are free. Tickets include breakfast with Santa and a special take-home goodie from Santa’s elves. We will not have a professional photographer on site, so don’t forget to bring your cameras to take photos!

Visit our website for information on other programs and events including Karate, Yoga, Track, Kidz Love Soccer, Dance4Life, and more!

8. Catch Basin Vactoring

The City’s contractor is poised to begin catch basin vactoring next week within the Savannah Oaks area, and along Center Drive, McNeil Street, Ridgeview Drive, and part of Hoffman Hill Boulevard. This work is part of our ongoing stormwater system maintenance activities. Cleaning and vactoring of catch basins is performed on a cyclical basis to limit the buildup of dirt and sediment in the catch basins and helps to avoid the potential for more intensive maintenance or repairs to downstream piping of the system. This work will be completed over the next two months and will cover approximately one-third of our storm system. Information on starting locations and work progress schedules will be available soon.

In advance of the work commencing, the City is asking for your help. Your help begins with knowing where stormwater catch basins are in your area. If you live or park on the street in one of these areas, please avoid parking on, adjacent to, or within 8 feet of catch basins. The City will be placing signs in neighborhood areas in advance of the work as it is scheduled to occur. Leaving this area in front of the catch basins clear will ensure that the contractor has clear access to clean the basin and help facilitate timely completion of the work. We appreciate your assistance.

9. Community Development Update

Sign Code Update –The first reading of the proposed sign code ordinance will occur at the November 27^th City Council meeting. The staff report and draft sign code are posted on the City’s website.

10. Christmas Tree Sales

Boy Scouts of America Troop 71 (DuPont/Steilacoom) will be opening their Christmas Tree lot on Friday, November 23^rd (the day after Thanksgiving). Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 4:00 – 7:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM, and Sunday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM. This annual fundraiser runs until all the trees are sold out around December 19^th. Trees are 4’ thru 8’ Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Noble Fir, Nordman Fir, and Evergreen wreaths starting at $22. All proceeds support the Scouting program. The tree lot is located at 1631 Lafayette Street in Steilacoom (next to the Barber Shop). Delivery’s can be made to DuPont and Steilacoom upon request. Come on by, pick out your tree, and support local Scout adventures this year!

11. Museum Gift Shop Offers Unique Holiday Gifts

Looking for unique heritage holiday gifts? Shop at the DuPont Museum gift shop! New items will be featured during the holiday season. Find great gifts under $10 and $20 for teachers, kids stocking stuffers, and those difficult to buy for! The DuPont Museum, located in the Historic Village at 207 Barksdale Ave., is open from 1:00 – 4:00 PM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Please contact Doris Stewart at (253) 964-2399 for holiday shopping assistance. You will love the selection of “hometown gifts.”

12. Holiday DUI Emphasis

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” DUI emphasis began last week with extra patrols scheduled for Black Friday in Pierce County. Around here, you better drive sober or get pulled over. That’s the motto of the current six-week DUI emphasis control, multi-agency project that recently kicked off. The program puts additional law enforcement out on the road to make DUI arrests. Agencies participating include Sumner, Bonney Lake, Puyallup, University Place, Lakewood, DuPont, Steilacoom, Gig Harbor, Fircrest and Fife police, along with the Washington State Patrol and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

13. Gingerbread House Building

Northwest Landing ROA is sponsoring “Home Sweet Home” Gingerbread House Building for the young and the young at heart. The event will occur on Friday, December 14^thbeginning at 7:00 PM at Chloe Clark Elementary but tickets for the pre-assembled houses must be purchased in advance for $5 each and are limited to two houses per family. Tickets are available at the ROA office located at 1495 Wilmington Drive, Suite 110 after November 20^th. All of the fixin’s to build your dream home will be provided at the event. Snacks and drinks will be served. Only a limited number of houses are being sold, so don’t delay! Call 964-1289 for more information.

14. Food Drive

The 3^rd Annual Fallen Officers Food Drive will be held on Thursday, November 29^th from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM at the Lakewood Police Station located at 9401 Lakewood Drive SW. Suggested donation items include peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meat, fish and stews, baby food and formula, fruit juices, rice, pasta, chili, evaporated milk, powdered milk, and breakfast foods. No glass, frozen, home canned, or perishable items can be accepted. All donations will go to the Emergency Food Network.