E-MAIL TO THE EDITOR: Mayor Recaps Budget Adjustments, Recognition For Linda Bird

Budget adjustments and a celebration honoring Playground by the Sound volunteers and former Mayor Linda Bird were among the highlights of this week’s University Place City Council meeting.

Budget Adjustments – Revising the City’s mid-biennium budget is typically done to reflect current economic realities and other changing circumstances. Highlights of this year’s budget adjustments included:

• Combining all revenues and expenses for police, public safety, animal control, code enforcement, emergency operations, courts, jail and city attorney into a separate Police/Public Safety Fund; 
• Transferring $33,780 in general funds previously earmarked for city manager recruitment into the Strategic Reserve Fund;
• Increasing City contributions to Parks & Recreation by $37,467 in 2011 and $89,564 in 2012 while continuing to rely on private donations to help operate recreational programs for kids and seniors;
• Adjusting future revenue estimates downwards to reflect actual decreases in collections of sales, utility and real estate excise taxes;
• Using Lot 8 land sale proceeds ($560,000) to pay down debt service on Town Center bonds, thus reducing the General Fund contribution to debt service payments.

Although expenses remained relatively unchanged, some adjustments included approximately $109,000 in savings by various departments; increases in PERS and L&I rates; additions in citywide training budgets; replacing a pool vehicle; and completing interior improvements to the Lot 8 garage along with Market Place roadway improvements. For more detailed information on the budget adjustments, please visit www.CityofUP.com

Community Champion! Celebrating community, a wonderful new playground and honoring a “Community Champion” lent a festive air to this week’s council meeting. More than 50 people attired in brightly colored “Playground by the Sound” t-shirts were acknowledged in a proclamation thanking them and project coordinator Linda Bird for their outstanding contributions and leadership in the development and construction of the playground located in the north meadow of Pierce County’s Chambers Creek Properties. The City Council also recognized Linda Bird with a special proclamation and “Community Champion” award for her ongoing leadership and commitment to our community.

In other action, the Council:

• Declined a proposed land donation near 65^th Street West from Mr. Sven Oldfelt based upon a recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Commission (PARC). Although the parcel is located above city owned property near Chambers Creek, PARC indicated an extremely steep slope would make access to the City property virtually impossible. Other issues involving potential impacts on the neighborhood, public parking and road access also led PARC to recommend denial. 
• Proclaimed November 2011 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month;  
• Accepted a “white paper” from the Parks & Recreation Commission regarding Community Garden guidelines.

UPdates

• Glass Recycling Location – Due to neighbor complaints regarding noise, U.P. Refuse has removed the glass recycling container located at the 40^th Street West Fire Station. People can still recycle glass at the containers located at Cirque Park (7250 Cirque Drive) and U.P. Refuse (2815 Rochester Street, off 27^th Street). 
• Veteran’s Memorial – Join local veterans at the dedication of a flagpole and future memorial site on Friday, Nov. 11 at 3:30 p.m. on Cirque Drive, just south of Bridgeport (beyond Precision Tune).
• Guitars & Gourds! – UP for Art’s third installment in the Fall Arts & Concert Series will feature guitarist Andrew Sherbrooke and Gourd Artists Stacy Annon and Sally Favors on Friday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Civic /Library Building Atrium. Admission is free; however, donations are greatly appreciated. For more information, visit www.upforart.org. 
• Thanksgiving Day Dinner – Don’t have plans for Thanksgiving? Please join us in a community Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 24, from noon to 2 p.m. at University Place Primary (27^th and Grandview). Sponsored by U.P. Refuse, this annual FREE community dinner offers an opportunity to share a great meal with friends and neighbors. Donations are appreciated. 
• Holiday Helpers Needed! - Volunteers are needed to help decorate Homestead Park, Windmill Village and Market Square for the holidays. Able bodied helpers are especially needed on Wednesday, Nov. 30, to help transform Homestead Park into a winter wonderland. Other volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks on various days, including the City’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 3. To volunteer, please contact the U.P. Volunteer Center at 223-0039. A detailed listing of all Tree Lighting Activities is also available at www.CityofUP.com. 
• Santa Paws Pet Photos – On Dasher, On Fluffy, on Fido and Holly…..get a great photo of your pet and Santa at the annual “Santa Paws” Pet photos on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Windmill Village (3715 Bridgeport Way West). Photos are $10 with proceeds going to the future off leash dog park. You can also pick up a 2012 SUNDogs Calendar (free with SUNDogs membership or $5 each). For more information, visit www.sundogs.org. 
• Duck the Halls with boughs of holly…..fa la la la la…la la la la….see it’s not so hard! There is still time to form a caroling team to compete in the 1^st annual “Duck the Halls” Caroling Competition on Friday, Dec. 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Market Square in front of the new Civic/Library building. Sponsored by UP for Art and Families Unlimited Network, the event is a benefit for the UP Food Bank. Get your friends, family members and neighbors together to form a team. Teams must register by Wednesday, Nov. 23. Entry forms and contest rules are available at www.upforart.org. Teams must prepare two holiday songs (maximum time limit 8 minutes) and will be judged on musical ability, enthusiasm and creativity. Costumes are optional. Registration is free; however, teams and audience members are asked to bring nonperishable food items for the U.P. Food Bank.

As always, I appreciate your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me at

dklosowski@CityofUP.com.

Sincerely,

Debbie Klosowski

Mayor, City of University Place