07-14-2020VIRTUAL YELM CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020 MINUTES
1. Mayor JW Foster called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
Roll Call Present: James Blair, EJ Curry, Tad Stillwell, Tracey Wood, Joe DePinto
and Terry Kaminski.
Molly Carmody joined the meeting at 6:04 p.m.
2. Agenda Approval
20-064 MOTION BY TRACEY WOOD TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
SECONDED BY TERRY KAMINSKI. 6-0, MOTION CARRIED.
3. Special Presentations - none scheduled
4. Public Comment - no comments
5. Consent Agenda -
June 9, 2020 & June 23, 2020 Minutes
20-065 MOTION BY TRACEY WOOD TO APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECONDED BY EJ CURRY. 6-0, MOTION CARRIED.
6. New Business -
a. Construction Contract - Swofford Excavating for Longmire Drainage Improvements
20-066 MOTION BY TRACEY WOOD AUTHORIZING MAYOR FOSTER TO SIGN THE
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH SWOFFORD EXCAVATING NOT TO
EXCEED AMOUNT OF $149,000. SECONDED BY EJ CURRY. 7-0, MOTION
CARRIED.
7. Old Business - none scheduled
8. UPDATES -
City Administrator - Michael Grayum
• There Is a meeting on Thursday for the Bond Refinance that will save 2.5
million dollars over 20 years and Increase our credit rating.
• The City was the successful recipient of a $580,000 grant from Thurston
Regional Planning Council to fund the completion of the Mosman
Improvement Project.
• Reminded everyone of the Blood Drive at the Yelm Community Center this
Friday and Saturday.
• All the CARES ACT Funding has been allocated to almost 50 local businesses
to assist them through the COVID 19 Pandemic.
• The storage trailer has been removed from the Yelm City Park parking lot and
replaced with a storage shed.
• Tournaments will be returning to the Longmire Park. They will follow the Safe
Start Plan, the COVID 19 guidelines and sign waivers of liability.
• The Splash Pad at the Yelm City Park is still closed due to the social distancing
requirement. Due to the size of the Splash Pad, only eight children would be
allowed to use it at a time, which is not practical.
Councllmember Blair attended the second half of the Solid Waste Advisory
Committee Retreat, the Yelm Finance Committee meeting Is this Thursday and the
Yelm Public Safety Committee meeting is scheduled for next week.
July 14, 2020
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Councilmember Carmody will attend Intercity Transit Authority meeting
tomorrow. Councilmember Carmody stated there will be many residential evictions
in the future due to the Coronavirus and she would like Council to be aware and
think about what that would mean for citizens.
Councilmember Curry attended the SE Thurston Fire Authority meeting and
stated there will not be a Bond Measure on the ballot this year due to the
Coronavirus. Councilmember Curry also attended the Senior Center "10 Weeks of
Back Packs Program".
Councilmember Stillwell attended the General Government Committee meeting
and stated he appreciates Kimberly Rachor for her help with the CARES ACT
Funding Business Applications. Councilmember Stillwell also thanked
Councilmembers Curry and Wood for their assistance in reviewing the
applications. Councilmember Stillwell stated there are a couple of Councilmembers
that have been talking negatively about other Councilmembers and this is not
consistent with our organizational culture and values emphasizing collaboration.
Councilmember DePinto attended the Yelm Public Works Committee meeting
for Councilmember Carmody. Councilmember DePinto continues to work with
Councilmember Blair on the privately funded Secure Mailbox Project.
Councilmember DePinto also continues to work with Timberland Regional Library
on a new location.
Councilmember Kaminski will attended the Yelm Finance Committee meeting
on Thursday and the Nisqually River Council Retreat on Friday. Councilmember
Kaminski continues to work on her "Beautification of Yelm" project.
Mayor Foster is attending the virtual AWC Annual Conference, and the Risk
Management Services Association meeting. The Thurston Conservation District
gave a presentation at the Yelm Community Center and there will be more to
come. Pat Clark, Police Records Clerk has retired and we wish her well. The Yelm
Farmers Market is held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can sign
up for the Blood Drive this Friday and Saturday at the Yelm Community Center.
The Church of Living Water held a fundraiser, bought gift cards, and gave them to
members of the community. Tadence Ruppert is shadowing Mayor Foster and
Communication Specialist Brianna Feller for a Summer Intem program. The Yelm
Chamber held their monthly Zoom meeting and featured Superintendent Brian
Wharton who gave an update on Yelm Community Schools. Mayor Foster Invited
everyone to drive down Mill Road and check out the Sidewalk Improvement
Project taking place.
9. Executive Session - none scheduled
20-067 MOTION BY JOE DEPINTO TO ADJOURN. SECONDED BY EJ CURRY.
7-0, MOTION CARRIED.
10. Adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
/y d�
/ Attest:
]W Ifoster, Mayor Lori Lucas, City Clerk
These minutes record the official actions of the Yelm City Council. Complete recordings are
available on the city website at www.yelmwa.gov.
July 14, 2020
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