Olympia City Council Business Meeting and Executive Session - October 22, 2025
Olympia City Council Business Meeting and Executive Session - October 22, 2025
The Olympia City Council held a business meeting on October 22, 2025, with six members present and one excused. The meeting included an announcement of a new Parks, Arts and Recreation Director, a special recognition for student calendar artists, public comments on air quality, housing costs, and recycling services, approval of a consent calendar, and council committee reports. The meeting concluded with an executive session on a personnel matter.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (6-0) with Mayor Pro Tem Yến Huỳnh excused.
- 25-0893: Approval of October 7, 2025 City Council meeting minutes.
- 25-0910: Approval of October 14, 2025 City Council meeting minutes.
- 25-0901: Approval of bills (September 4–10, 2025: $4,252,926.52) and payroll (August 31–September 30, 2025: $6,726,442.90) certification.
- 25-0903: Resolution accepting the Economic Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan.
- 25-0896: Resolution authorizing a consolidated master services and purchasing agreement with Axon Enterprises for body-worn cameras, Tasers, translation services, software licenses, digital evidence management, and support services.
- 25-0868: Ordinance amending Ordinance 7434 (Third Quarter Budget Amendment) on second reading.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Richard Burgess (1309 Fern Street resident) reported severe air quality issues near his home, alleging deliberate poisoning with diesel fuel for 18 months. He requested assistance relocating through the housing voucher program and asked Mayor Pro Tem Huỳnh to contact him.
- Todd Monohon presented data comparing homeownership versus renting costs for a median-priced house ($545,000) in Olympia. He noted that owning costs about $5,000/month while renting costs about $3,000/month, a gap he has never seen so wide. He warned the gap will likely close via lower sales prices and higher rents. Councilmembers appreciated the analysis and discussed implications for housing policy.
- Larry Dzieza criticized the city's termination of glass and cardboard recycling at the downtown 10th Avenue drop-off site, stating the city failed to communicate the closure. He argued it contradicts climate goals and the city's stated values, noting the city made $8.2 million from the land sale while cutting services. He urged the city to find new sites for recycling.
Discussion Items
- Response to Recycling Closure: Public Works Director Mark Russell explained that staff have been unable to find a practical new site for glass and cardboard recycling within the 18-month window after selling the property to the Squaxin Island Tribe. The current site will close for cardboard and glass in early 2026 (after the holiday season). Alternatives include the Waste and Recovery Center on Hogum Bay and Yager Park facility on the west side. Councilmember Cooper requested a future study session on the city's recycling system. Councilmember Vanderpool suggested exploring temporary partnerships with the county, school district, or other entities. Mayor Dontae Payne expressed concern about the timing and inconvenience for residents. City Manager Jay Burney added that the constrained timeframe limited options.
- Council Reports covered multiple topics:
- Joint Animal Services Commission (Councilmember Green): The county considered but stepped back from a significant budget cut to Joint Animal Services. The commission recommended flat assessments for 2025 despite cost increases. In-house spay/neuter and medical treatments reached 90% in 2025.
- Lodging Tax Advisory Council (Councilmember Cooper): Reviewed a record 38 applications for $2.8 million; funded about 20 for just over $1 million, leaving $500,000 in reserve.
- Opioid Abatement Council (Councilmember Cooper): The county plans to take $1 million from opioid abatement funds for jail medication. The council directed adjustments to the interlocal agreement and preparation of a request for proposals to be issued in November.
- Federal Shutdown Concerns (Councilmember Cooper): Raised the risk of WIC and SNAP benefits stopping after November 1 if the shutdown continues, calling for an emergency community meeting with partners. Councilmembers Madrone and Vanderpool supported and noted potential impacts on food banks and federal food supplies.
- Budget Status (Councilmember Gilman): Affirmed support for a 0.1% public safety sales tax, a B&O tax increase (retail to 0.015, other categories to 0.002, threshold $500,000), use of $1.5 million REET for public safety hiring, and $1.2 million in reductions. Public hearings scheduled for November 3, 10, and 17.
- Neighborhood Schools (Councilmember Gilman): Community interest in strengthening city relationships with elementary schools as hubs.
- Transportation (Councilmember Vanderpool): Intercity Transit system changes to roll out in May 2026. Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) approved legislative priorities including Miss Qually Bridge planning and roundabouts.
- Land Use/Briggs Urban Village (Councilmember Madrone): Land Use Committee recommended a minimum 9,200 sq ft grocery store (staff recommendation) as one store, and a trigger for green space development tied to residential phase instead of commercial. Item expected to come to council after the new year.
- TRPC Executive Director Search (Councilmember Madrone): Community event November 6 to meet candidates.
- Experience Olympia Interim Director (Mayor Payne): Met with Experience Olympia and Beyond; agreed to an interim director and enhanced regional partnership.
- Mayor's Report: Noted participation in bi-weekly meetings with Governor's office on federal policy updates, including sanctuary jurisdiction status. Walked through downtown with Congresswoman Strickland. Participated in Indigenous People's Day celebration. Attended celebration of the Recycling Reform Act passage.
Key Outcomes
- Consent calendar adopted unanimously (6-0).
- Special recognition presented to student artists for the 2026 Water Resources Stewardship Through Art calendar.
- Council directed staff to explore a future study session on recycling system challenges.
- Council noted ongoing efforts for opioid abatement fund allocation and preparation of RFP.
- Council indicated continued monitoring of federal shutdown impacts on local food assistance.
- Council affirmed budget direction with public safety sales tax, B&O tax, REET use, and budget reductions; public hearings scheduled.
- Council received updates on Joint Animal Services, lodging tax, transportation, and land use proposals.
- Executive Session held at 7:21 PM (recess), reconvened at 7:33 PM for up to 60 minutes to discuss a personnel matter per RCW 42.30.110(1)(g). No decisions were made. Meeting adjourned at 8:13 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the Tuesday, October 21st, 2025 business meeting of the Olympia City Council. For the record, we have a quorum with Mayor Pro Tem Wyn Excused and Councilmember Madrone joining us on Zoom tonight. So before we adopt the agenda, I would like to call forward our city manager Jay Burney for an announcement. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members again for the record, Jay Bernie, City Manager. And I'm here to share some some really great news. So as council is aware, um, we have uh I just recently conducted a search for a new director of our parts arcs and recreation department. And after a nationwide search, we realized that we had the best candidate right here already working for us at the City of Olympia. Uh Silvana Neehauser is going to be our new director of parts, arts, and recreation departments. So we're going to start there. Silvana has been with the city for uh 15 years. Uh, she has grown professionally as I watched her growth of the department, it's been amazing. She started as a senior program specialist uh in the parks, arts and recreation department, and most recently was the director of parks planning and maintenance. I've watched Sylvana and I know the council has as well, just worked seamlessly in the interim role over the past um almost year, it seems like. Um, and as I got through the interview process and finished up talking to both to staff and community members that that were sat on the panel, it became very clear to me uh what I already knew is how well respected Savonna is, both out in the community and with the staff in parks, arts, and recreation. Um so I'm excited to welcome her, welcome her as our newest director in our department. And so please join me and congratulating Savannah and I invite her to make a few comments. Well, thank you very much for the record. Silvana Nehauser, director of Parks, Arts and Recreation. Just feel so good to say that. Um I'm very thankful to be selected to serve our amazing community. I work here, I live here, and I love Olympia very much. And I just feel very honored to be selected and to be able to lead an amazing department. My colleagues that I work alongside are so dedicated to this community, and they're dedicated to excellence. And I just couldn't ask for a better team. And I appreciate the opportunity to be at the helm and um yeah, get some more great projects done. And I'm really excited. There's a lot on the horizon. And um, thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, Silvana. Um, just keep those ears open. There might be some comments from council. So any comments from the dais. Councilmember Gilman. I love the parks, and I'm so excited that you're going to be at the helm. And um I think the highest praise is often from the people who you lead. And I was lucky enough to sit at a parks table at the employee barbecue a month or so ago. And the whole team at the table was super enthused about your leadership and what you are all doing together. So I just I think that's really high praise. And I wanted to pass that along. And I'm I'm really happy that you'll be directing our parks, arts and recreation. Thank you. Councilmember Cooper. Thank you, Mayor Pain. Uh, similarly, uh, just echo the accolade. And it's such a cool thing. I I think I told the city manager many, many times he knew what he needed to do. And he still wanted a national search, and you still prevailed.
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