LaceyLife – October 2023
Introducing: 2023-24 Lacey Youth Council
The Lacey Youth Council (LYC) recently kicked off its fifth year with a group of energetic students ready to get to work. The LYC serves as an advisory body to the Lacey City Council and provides local high school students an opportunity to share youth perspectives with local leaders, learn more about local government, work on community projects, and earn volunteer hours.
The 2023-24 LYC includes the following members, including four returning members (noted by an *):
- Sarah Towne (Mayor), Senior, North Thurston
- Zruy Ramirez-Plasencia* (Deputy Mayor), Sophomore, North Thurston
- Eliana Allin (Clerk), Junior, Pope John Paul II
- Sophie Allard (Library Board Youth Rep.) Junior, Timberline
- Nathaniel Clay* (Parks, Culture, & Recreation Board Youth Rep.), Senior, Timberline
- Anthony Santiago (Historical Commission Youth Rep.), Senior, River Ridge
- Samuel Tatarian (Commission on Equity Youth Rep.), Junior, Timberline
- Nyko Hegwood, Junior, Timberline
- Rory Line*, Senior, Timberline
“The Lacey Youth Council is looking forward to another year serving as advocates for the youth in their community,” said Sadie Siglin, LYC Staff Liaison. “This year’s Youth Councilmembers are passionate about the safety and well-being of the community, and eager to share their ideas, perspectives, and experiences with the City Council.”
The LYC meets twice a month during the school year and provides monthly updates to the Lacey City Council at the 2nd regular Council meeting.
Connect with Emergency Services
The City works closely with other agencies in our community to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters. There are steps you can take to prepare for these situations, too.
Register for Thurston Communtiy Alerts and Smart 911
Thurston County Emergency Management, Lacey, and other participating cities have a system to help you stay informed of potential hazards and threats in our area. Residents can register for Thurston Community Alert to receive emergency and non-emergency alerts via text, voice, and email.
In addition to signing up for alerts – you can create a Smart911 profile that includes information about you that will help first responders better assist you in an emergency. This can be especially helpful for people who have gate codes, special needs, or pre-existing conditions.
Community Emergency Management Resources
- Thurston County Medic One System – provides pre-hospital emergency medical services to the residents of Thurston County. Established in 1974, it was the first public, countywide, tiered-response, EMS system in the United States. Their approach is to involve all jurisdictional entities as participants in the system rather than a sole-provider approach.
The system includes fire departments/districts, paramedic transport units, private ambulance companies, and an EMS helicopter service. - Lacey Fire District 3 (LFD3) – provides quality fire and emergency services, including responding to medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, structure fires, rescue, and other calls for service in Lacey and its UGA. In partnership with Thurston County Medic One, LFD3 is one of three fire service agencies in Thurston County that provides advanced life support paramedic services throughout the County.
- TCOMM 911 – operates 24/7 as a countywide enhanced 911 emergency dispatch center. You should call 911 when you or someone you’re with is experiencing an emergency and needs help from fire, police, or an ambulance.
Visit our Emergency Management Services webpage to learn more.
You’re invited to the 2023 Mayor’s Gala, on Friday, October 20 from 6–9 p.m. at the South Puget Sound Community College Lacey Campus.
This fundraiser supporting the Lacey Veterans Service Hub includes a social hour, buffet dinner, short program, and opportunities to support local Veterans and their families.
Individual tickets cost $80 or you can purchase a table of 8 for $600. To buy tickets and view available event sponsorships, visit our Mayor’s Gala webpage.
For more information, contact Jenny Bauersfeld at (360) 438-2621 or JBauersf@ci.lacey.wa.us.
Property Taxes 101
Last month we provided an overview of our budget process, including how property taxes are split between various government entities. This month we’ll go over
a very simplified version of how property taxes are calculated and applied. Check out the websites listed below for a more detailed overview of the process.
Let’s start by going over three important property tax components:
- Levy Amount – Total amount of property taxes allowed to be collected in a year by a taxing district (such as the City).
- Assessed Value Citywide – The true and fair value of all properties in the City as determined by the Assessor.
Assessed Value – The true and fair value of a single property as determined by the Assessor. - Levy Rate – The dollar rate allowed to be collected per property, expressed in per $1,000 assessed value (AV).
Levy Lid (1% Increase)
For cities with a population over 10,000 — like Lacey — a taxing district cannot increase its total Levy Amount by more than 1% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower, each year, plus additional levy on new construction and “add ons.”
New Levy Amount Calculation: $1,000,000 x 1.01 (Levy Lid 1% increase) = $1,010,000
As mentioned above, this is a very simplified example. To learn more about property taxes in Washington, visit the Washington State Department of Revenue’s website or the Municipal Research and Services Center’s website.
Help Prevent Local Flooding: Rake a Drain!
Fall has officially arrived and with it comes falling leaves and typically rain. If your neighborhood has lots of leaves, it’s a good time to make sure they aren’t clogging the storm drains to help reduce local flooding. If you find a storm drain that’s covered or clogged with debris, use a rake or broom to clear it.
Other things to keep in mind:
- Never blow or sweep yard debris into the roadway.
- Use leaves to mulch planting beds to provide winter protection for plants.
- Dispose of leaves in your organics cart or compost pile.
- Maintain gutters, downspouts, rain barrels, etc. by keeping them cleared of debris and directed away from properties or hillsides.
If you see major flooding or cannot clear a drain, call our Public Works Department at (360) 491-5644 during business hours or (360) 704-2740
after hours.
View the October LaceyLife in pdf format.
