press release open houseCity of Yelm
Press Release
105 Yelm Avenue West 360.458.3244
P.O. Box 479 360.458.4348 FAX
Yelm, WA 98597 www.ci.yelm.wa.us
For Immediate Release
November 6, 2006
For further information contact:
Stephanie Ray, Program and Project Manager
360.458.8414
stephanier@ci.yelm.wa.us
Yelm Public Safety Building Open House
The City of Yelm announced it will be hosting a public open house to give the community an opportunity to learn about the upcoming construction of a new Public Safety Building. The
open house is scheduled for November 29, 2006, from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM in the City Council Chambers at Yelm City Hall, 105 Yelm Avenue West.
The City is working with the architectural firm of Aria Jackson Ellison Murakami of Seattle in the design of the new building. The new Public Safety Building will be home to the Police
Department and Municipal Court, and is proposed to be a new 12,000 square foot building at the location of the historic downtown water tower on 2nd Street. “The Central Business District
is an appropriate and convenient location for a public facility”, stated Stephanie Ray, the City’s Project Manager.
Police Chief Todd Stancil, who has been with the City of Yelm since 1995 as both an officer and as chief, is excited about moving into the brand new facility. The existing Police Station
is a portable structure purchased used 20 years ago, and has outlived its useful life span. Chief Stancil stated, “Being involved in the design process of the new Public Safety Building
from the start is going to result in a highly functional space for both the Police Department and Municipal Court”. The building will include a courtroom and a training facility that
will double as an emergency operations center. In addition, features lacking in the present facility such as adequate holding cells, and a state of the art evidence room have been included
in the plans.
Stephanie Ray indicated that, as part of the bond issue to finance the estimated $4.3 million dollar project, the City worked with Martin Nelson Company of Seattle to receive its first
rating from Standard and Poors. A rating of “A” was
issued on the bond and makes Yelm the smallest City in the State of Washington to receive such a high rating. Yelm City Administrator Shelly Badger stated that “getting an A rating
right out of the block speaks volumes for the management of the City, and particularly the financial leadership of Agnes Bennick, City Clerk/Treasurer.” The ratings bureau cited solid
financial policies, a stable and supportive City Council, and the growth that Yelm as undergone as indicators of a strong local economy.
The open house will introduce the project to the public, and has been coordinated with the site plan review permit process. Final design and permits are expected to be issued by the
end of December and the bids are expected to be let in January of 2007. Project completion date is set for early spring of 2008.
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