Editor’s note: The following is the first of a regular column from City of Sequim Manager Charlie Bush, gleaned from his weekly updates to the Sequim City Council and posted at the city’s website (www.sequimwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=748). The updates include various topics that Bush and the City Manager’s Office personnel are involved with week to week. The reports also are available by video. — MD
Week ending Feb. 10
• Rotary Homelessness Panel
I moderated a panel this morning (Feb. 10) on homelessness for the Sunrise Rotary Club, where I serve on the program committee. We had representatives from St. Vincent De Paul, OlyCAP, Sequim Community Aid and Serenity House on the panel … I asked the panel for their top recommendations for assisting the homeless in our region. Developing additional affordable housing, starting with shelter space, was at the top of their list.
Other suggestions were shopping at the Serenity House Store, making donations to the OlyCAP Housing fund, volunteering and supporting job creation/economic development.
• EDC Executive Director Interviews
I’m serving on the search committee and made my last trip to the EDC for a bit. Interviews are going well and I believe we are nearly through the semi-finalist round. There are at least two finalists.
• Port of Port Angeles/Sequim meeting
Joe (Irvin) and I met with Port of Port Angeles officials today to map out our upcoming combined commission and council meeting, planned for Monday, March 13.
We settled on a robust list of agenda items including sharing goals for each organization, providing appropriate background on our Economic Development and Comprehensive Plans, discussing John Wayne Marina, receiving an update on the Composite Recycling Technology Center (CRTC), and discussing air service.
• Olympic Medical Center Expansion
Our development review team will be meeting with the project development team for Olympic Medical Center on its $7.9 million Cancer Center Expansion next week. We are excited to get going on this one as well!
• Association of Washington Cities Legislative Action Days
Mayor Dennis Smith, Deputy Mayor Ted Miller, Councilor Genaveve Star, City Clerk Karen Kuznek-Reese, City Attorney Kristina Nelson-Gross and I will be spending a night in Olympia next week as a part of the Association of Washington Cities’ Legislative Action Days.
We’ll be meeting with our legislative delegation on Thursday, along with the cities of Port Angeles and Port Townsend, and will be traveling down on Wednesday.
AWC will be running conference sessions on Wednesday afternoon related to activities at the Legislature this session. This event is another opportunity to talk with legislators about agenda and to support bills that benefit our city.
Week ending Feb. 3
• Emergency Management Committee
We had our monthly meeting of the Sequim Emergency Management Committee, featuring City of Sequim staff and representatives from most of the other agencies serving Sequim, like Fire District 3, Clallam County, Clallam PUD and other key stakeholders.
We continue to make steady progress in many areas, including updating our emergency response plan, training staff, conducting public outreach, developing new interlocal agreements to aid emergency response, fine tuning our emergency operations center, working on advance contracts with suppliers of key resources, like fuel, etc.
• Monthly meeting with Commissioner Ozias
Mayor Smith and I had a productive meeting with (Clallam County) Commissioner (Mark) Ozias, as we do every month. The main topics discussed this time included opioids, parks development, mental health services and economic development.
• Staff Transitions
Director of Community Development Chris Hugo’s last day in the office was Tuesday (Jan. 31). Joe Irvin will be overseeing the Community Development Department until we hire Chris’ replacement, which is anticipated around mid-May. We’ll be getting an advertisement out in March for the position.
Chris will be doing some remote work for us and coming back for a few meetings between now and the end of May. Bobbie Usselman, Deputy City Clerk, also announced her retirement, effective March 31. We’ll be adjusting her position moving forward to Assistant to the City Manager. The position will serve in both a deputy clerk role and in a support role to the City Manager’s Office, performing advanced analytical work and managing high profile projects.
We are targeting people with advanced degrees and a few years of experience for this role, so far with a lot of success. The position should post next week.
Charlie Bush is City Manager for the City of Sequim. Reach him at 681-3440 or cbush@sequimwa.gov.
