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My First Term: Work and Successes

Yelm needs a full-time mayor. During my first term from 2016-2021, I served Yelm every day as a leader who listened and brought real change and leadership to the city. I was present and involved in the daily operations of City Hall and answered calls and texts for assistance and advice in my off-hours daily - in fact, I still do! I've fielded countless requests for guidance from our amazing council and city staff during my brief retirement, because they trust my knowledge and experience and know they can count on me to be there when called. Below are examples of what can be accomplished when a mayor puts in the work Yelm deserves.

Public Amenities

  • Splash pad construction, mostly with grant funds

  • Trail and park enhancements

  • Jazz in the Park fruition

  • Prairie Days re-imagination - more fun and affordable for families

Public Safety

  • Worked with DOT and the School District to install flashing crosswalks for schools

  • Improved training and equipment for police officers

  • Tore down dangerous abandoned buildings

  • More sidewalks and improved transportation routes for safer travel

Serving the Underserved

  • Provided a space for the Boys and Girls Club, which now provides a safe and nurturing environment for over 100 of our community's children 

  • Found new ways to support Yelm Community Services, which in turn provides food and necessities to hundreds of Yelm residents every week 

  • Increased funding for the Senior Center

  • Cleaned up homeless encampments and reduced the number of unhoused people in our community by providing opportunities for them to connect with services

Environmental Consciousness

  • Installed grant-funded solar-powered vehicle charging stations at the Community Center

  • Worked with Nisqually Land Trust, Tribal and State partners to protect the Nisqually river.

  • Began efforts to reduce fuel consumption with more efficient city vehicles

Lower Water Rates

  • ACTUALLY REDUCED WATER RATES! 

  • Improved billing to recognize and reduce water waste, further bringing down your monthly  bills

Staff Quality and Retention

  • Hired the most qualified and capable staff to serve our city

  • Improved training and equipment for public works and administrative employees

  • Negotiated fair and  supportive wage and benefit contracts for our three unions 

  • Became a 'Well City' to support employee health and lower insurance premiums paid by the city

Fiscal Responsibility 

  • Consistently presented balanced and responsible budgets the the Council

  • Received clean state audits

  • Brought tens of thousands of Federal dollars to Yelm to support local businesses during the pandemic

  • With my wife Nicki in 2021, used Covid relief money to create the Yelm Community Foundation. Others quickly joined and grew the fund to over $20,000, helping dozens of families with basic necessities

Citizen, Business, and Community Engagement

  • Stayed available at City Hall almost every day, and responsive to staff and citizens by phone and email

  • Conducted weekly 'walk-abouts' of Yelm businesses, learning their work and appreciating their local business experience and how we can support them

  • Hosted town halls and business roundups

  • Worked closely with the Chamber of Commerce to understand business concerns

Veteran Support

  • ​Worked with JBLM leadership and 1st Special Forces Group

  • Attended every on-base event from change of command and responsibility ceremonies to commemoration of service members lost in combat

  • Fully involved in South Sound military Communities Partnership, VA, VFW, and American Legion to provide opportunities for our miliary families, honoring our status as a Great American Defense Community program, supporting the military recognition banners, and designating Yelm as a Purple Heart City

Positive Attention on Yelm

  • Attended Thurston County Chamber meetings to keep Yelm businesses in the regional conversation

  • Worked directly with Economic Development Council and South Thurston Economic Development Initiative

  • Served as Yelm representative to and chaired the Thurston Regional Planning Council

  • Established a program of monthly meetings with the six other Thurston County Mayors

  • Kept regular communication with our state legislators and federal congressional representatives to keep Yelm's priorities their priority

  • Consistently championed the local business economy

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