psbCity of Yelm
Public Safety Building
Public Open House
November 29, 2006
4:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Yelm City Hall
105 Yelm Avenue West
City of Yelm
Press Release
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
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
360.458.3244
360.458.4348 FAX
www.ci.yelm.wa.us
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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