PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend City Council has discussed updates to two city plans, the emergency management plan and the city’s 2017 work plans.
There was no discussion on these issues by the council on Monday, though presentations from city staff are expected to go before the city council again this month.
City Manager David Timmons focused on transportation concerns, describing this area as the most pressing issue and one that already has a plan that can provide a baseline for decisions.
“This year has been brutal,” Timmons said. “The streets are not going to hold up, so we have to come up with a funding model and an investment strategy on how we’re going to maintain these streets, especially those that are not eligible for state or federal funding.”
Timmons also reported on four draft bills on annexation into the East Jefferson Fire-Rescue district, library funding and parks and community services.
Now, the city contracts with the fire department, which serves unincorporated East Jefferson County, for fire service.
Annexation into the fire district would provide the residents of Port Townsend more representation but could have some tax implications, Timmons said.
“The last remaining part of this is seeing if the city wants to move forward with annexation from the current contract relationship,” Timmons said.
“But we also have to take into account the tax implications of that, which could be significant.”
Timmons didn’t elaborate on what the tax implications could be and said it should be discussed by the City Council.
The draft bills on the Port Townsend Library and parks and community services involve how to best fund these programs, which include the Mountain View Commons and YMCA. In the long term. Timmons recommended that these also needed more discussion before any decisions were made.
The draft of the Port Townsend 2017-18 capital projects plan also includes such major projects as a complete overhaul of Water Street and sewer and stormwater infrastructure updates.
A number of housing projects are possible in the future, although Timmons said many developers have yet to present a plan for implementation and funding for this year.
The city’s Continuity of Government provisions as a part of the city’s emergency management plan hasn’t been updated since roughly 1994, according to city attorney Steve Gross.
The ordinance lays out the succession of the heads of city offices including the City Council, city manager, police department, public works department, emergency management program, fire department and library.
The ordinance was passed on to the heads of each of these city departments for updates and will be sent back to the City Council for discussion and a possible action within the month.
“This brings us up to a more current baseline,” said Port Townsend Mayor Deborah Stinson.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
