Puyallup Senior Advisory Board Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Senior Advisory Board met in person at Council Chambers, City Hall, 333 S. Meridian, Puyallup, on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Chair Steve Shipman presided. Board members present were Joel Ricks, Don Massey, Ellen Bradley-Mak, and Jenny Krzemien, who arrived at 3:50 p.m.; Vice-Chair Robert Aline was excused. Staff included Parks & Recreation Director Cody Geddes, Puyallup Activity Center Supervisor Doug McCormick, Senior Services Assistant Shelby Grenon, and Administrative Clerk Yessenia Abarca. The board approved an amended agenda and prior minutes, received a lahar preparedness presentation, heard program updates, and adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda approved 4-0 after moving item 5.b, the Ice Breaker, to follow Staff Reports at staff request. The minutes attribute the motion to Vice-Chair Aline even though he was marked excused; the transcript does not name the mover.
• April 13, 2026 meeting minutes approved 4-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Jody Erickson, University of Washington assistant professor of nursing, requested to be placed on the next meeting agenda to report on nursing students' community practicum work on transportation in Puyallup, prepared in alignment with AARP Age-Friendly City guidelines. Staff noted the request would be added to the next agenda.

New Business: Lahar Informational Presentation

• EOC Project Coordinator Louise Darcy presented on personal preparedness and lahar-specific hazards. She explained emergency management coordination across local, county, state, and federal levels, noted that Puyallup has its own emergency management division, and described the city's partnership with the East Pierce Interlocal Coalition (EPIC) EOC.
• Major hazards covered included earthquakes, flooding, wildfires, and volcanic activity from Mount Rainier. She cited the 2001 earthquake as magnitude 6.8, lasting about 35 seconds, causing $4 billion in damages and more than 400 injuries.
• Lahars were described as mud-and-debris flows that can travel up to 50 miles per hour and reach 100 feet high. A regional school evacuation exercise involving over 40,000 students is held every two years.
• Preparedness tools included Puyallup Alerts, wireless emergency alerts, sirens, social media, ShakeAlert, NOAA weather radios, the Ready, Set, Go evacuation framework, and the free CERT training program. CERT classes run about seven or eight sessions, are offered twice a year, and the spring class had 30 graduates.
• In Q&A, Ms. Darcy said seniors outreach included a May 18 presentation at the activity center and another planned for July. She also explained that residents can register cell phones or landlines for geofenced emergency alerts, and that small lahars typically occur in summer within Mount Rainier National Park.

Other Business: Senior Advisory Board Trifold

• Doug McCormick reported a delay in producing the Senior Advisory Board trifold because the design included a photo of a board member who has since resigned. A temporary version will be available before the next meeting, and the final version will be distributed once the board membership situation is resolved.

Staff Reports: Senior Services Report

• Doug McCormick highlighted recent and upcoming Puyallup Activity Center programs: Bridge to Sanity, an informal current events discussion group meeting on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.; and Sketch and Paint, an open-format class on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon with no designated instructor and an emphasis on mutual support.
• The June 7 Snoqualmie Valley Railroad trip to North Bend and Twede's Cafe filled within a day and a half and had a 25-person waitlist, leading to repeated trips. Future trip ideas included the Museum of Flight in fall or winter and the LeMay Car Museum at Marymount, whose family home is open on the final Saturday of August.
• Other events included a first annual Kentucky Derby party on May 7, a Volunteer Appreciation event on June 3 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. with thank-you cards, certificates, and a catered meal, and the upcoming Cruise-In on June 26 with a patriotic theme for the nation's 250th anniversary.
• McCormick also mentioned the Summer of Safety series with Central Pierce Fire, Puyallup Police, and EOC partners.

Ice Breaker

• Chair Steve Shipman shared that after retiring from teaching, he worked for nine years as a Seattle Mariners seating host and met Reggie Jackson. Doug McCormick shared that he has worked with seniors for 40 years, including 24 years with the City of Puyallup.

Board Member Comments

• Board members praised the Volunteer Appreciation dinner, with one calling it one of the best volunteer events they had attended. McCormick thanked Dr. Erickson for bringing nursing students to the activity center and expressed regret at missing the end-of-semester graduation event. Jenny Krzemien apologized for arriving late.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the amended agenda and the April 13, 2026 minutes, each by a 4-0 vote.
• Directed staff to add Dr. Erickson's transportation project report to the next meeting agenda.
• The Senior Advisory Board trifold will be distributed before the next meeting, with a temporary version used in the interim.
• Staff will consider adding years of volunteer service to future volunteer appreciation certificates.
• The Cruise-In will take place on June 26, 2026, with a patriotic theme and hot dogs.
• The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.