As work crews continue to work toward the Sequim Civic Center’s last touch-ups, plenty of things are going on inside Sequim’s city government and possibly over it.
Candidates for open city manager position
Six candidates are vying for the soon-to-be vacant City of Sequim city manager position.
The city hosts a public meet-and-greet reception for the candidates from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, June 18, in the Civic Center lobby, 152 W. Cedar St.
Retiring manager Steve Burkett’s last day is June 30 after more than six years on the job.
He said the candidates will be announced at the meeting.
The six candidates will interview with the Sequim City Council and some of the city staff on June 19.
Burkett said a decision might be made later that day.
Growlers still a concern
Mayor Candace Pratt announced June 8 the city remains in discussions with the U.S. Navy about presenting on its EA 18G Growler aircraft and proposed electronic warfare training, which allows pilots to practice detecting dangerous signals from other signals.
She said the Navy’s preference is to present with the city council rather than host a public forum.
Similarly, city councilors sat in on a private meeting between the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and Navy on Feb. 20 at the tribal campus in Blyn.
City Attorney Craig Ritchie said the city councilors cannot legally base any decisions on information they heard from the private meeting but they can use information from the proposed meeting and information requests from the Navy and Federal Aviation Administration.
Previously, the city council agreed to seek its own meeting with the Navy after hearing public testimony on Feb. 9 about growlers’ possible impact.
Pratt said there are lawsuits filed attempting to halt growlers’ flights, too.
“I suggest we put it on hold for a month or so and see where it (the lawsuit) goes,” she said. “These things (growlers) need to be discussed though.”
If a meeting were to take place with the Navy, Pratt said she’d consider opening it up to the public prior for questions that she and other councilors possibly would ask the Navy.
Road repairs approved
Lakeside Industries tentatively will begin work after the Fourth of July on nine road segments in need of repair within the city limits.
Crews will repair pavement, put down an overlay and perform sub-grade work at North Fourth Avenue (between Washington Street and Fir Street), North Second Avenue (between Spruce Street and Alder Street), South Seventh Avenue (between Washington Street and Hemlock Street), South Second Avenue (between Bell Street and Hammond Street), North Brown Road (between Fir Street and Willow Street), the alley behind the Civic Center, Whitefeather Way, Sequim-Dungeness Way and the Sequim Avenue and Cedar Street crosswalk.
Sequim city councilors approved the contract on June 8 with Lakeside at $653,587.50 plus 10 percent contingencies for a total of $718,946.25.
Interim Public Works Director David Garlington said city staff had budgeted $768,000 for the projects.
Lakeside was the only bidder, Garlington said, and that he expects no construction interference with summer events such as Lavender Festival Weekend.
The projects are part of the city’s 2015 Pavement Preservation project.
Port of P.A. grant helps Guy Cole Center
City councilors also approved an interlocal agreement with the Port of Port Angeles on Monday to accept a matching grant for audio/visual equipment in the Guy Cole mini-Convention Center.
City staff plan to purchase the equipment for up to $19,147.32 to convert the rooms on the east end of the center to accommodate remote classrooms. The port will reimburse the city with $9,573.66 based on actual expenses. The funds come from the port’s new Community Partner Program awarding $65,000 to eight agencies for 10 projects. The other groups receiving grants are Concerned Citizens of Forks, Feiro Marine Life Center, Forks Chamber of Commerce, Forks Timber Museum, North Olympic Discovery Marathon, Peninsula Trails Coalition and the Port Angeles Downtown Association.
Students in the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center’s Building Trades Program will install the equipment as they continue to renovate the facility as part of an agreement with the city.
Sequim Civic Center Dedication Ceremony
Join the Sequim City Council and city staff as they dedicate the new Civic Center, at 152 W. Cedar St., to the citizens of Sequim and the Sequim community at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13. The Civic Center houses the police station, City Hall and community plaza. The ceremony will take place on the community plaza at the front of the facility.
The ceremony will include the dedication of a 30-foot totem pole donated by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe that depicts the story of “Why the Sun Always Shines in Sequim.”
Also included will be the dedication of the 9/11 Memorial that features an 843-pound piece of sheet metal from the fallen World Trade Center in New York City, which was destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001. The artifact was retrieved in 2011 by Police Chief Bill Dickinson, Sgt. Darrell Nelson and Officer Randy Kellas and was stored by the police department for four years in anticipation of incorporation into the new facility.
Tours of the Civic Center will be conducted following the ceremony until 4:30 p.m.
Contact communications and marketing director Barbara Hanna at 681-3422 or bhanna@sequimwa.gov with questions.
For more
For more information happenings and projects with the City of Sequim, call 684-4139 or visit sequimwa.gov.
