[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6188801,"mediaKeyId","5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34","parentId",5062010,"title","Thurston Chamber outlines preliminary FIFA fan-zone plan; Lacey to consider July 8 work session request","audioSeconds",526,"startMs",6409000,"endMs",6935000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34&start=6409&end=6935","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34/thumbnail_6409000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6188801/Lacey/Thurston-County/Washington/Thurston-Chamber-outlines-preliminary-FIFA-fan-zone-plan-Lacey-to-consider-July-8-work-session-request","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188801-a81268acc5419ca145ec8649c1c3d949/orig.mp4?Expires=1775103445&Signature=gc2jw8O2Y4zWByXxBlGB107KYmdmCfkpJWVZ46WaRk~6pre79bCjH8UKlI7qaFD24GYhymR91F7nrT561Maoesx5zhIbG77SGQRpYmZyQG3XhpawEJAI0X6ewlqZEflJa2jbe67Fqe2Xk3fvUVuY7pA4IruqNYil76NNTjQm5w7TdvML8J65kfqVOWI4MAjPHgIoXukjG~o0S2azAGkMxbdMxOOhJp6o6pqdEvaiEqOk1H4P5oUGi~haI4El0bicwbFHWyHvL57JYvpnEBhlvYL5vPj~dJhUMhGluZDng-tQKo5PEU-BA7jhx8lffvmMP0EjSviOEXaUbUA36INNmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lacey, WA","date","2025-06-25T14:53:36Z","article","Council received an informational briefing on June 24 about a proposed FIFA fan-zone event series and a likely request for local funding and interlocal coordination at a July 8 work session.

The Thurston Chamber is proposing fan-zone festivities to coincide with World Cup matches in the Seattle region between June 15 and July 6 next year. The events would consist of large-screen viewing, music, food vendors, cultural showcases and family programming. Organizers have identified Thurston County as a potential fan-zone location because of its location between Portland and Seattle.

Staff described the current status as preliminary: the Thurston Chamber may take the lead on event planning and is seeking early support to begin event logistics and fundraising. Staff provided a draft budget and said jurisdictions may be asked to consider contributions and an interlocal agreement to support the Chamber-led effort. A preliminary budget in materials shown to council included an estimated total and an anticipated sponsorship amount; staff described the presented figures as preliminary and said sponsorship revenue could reduce partner shares.

Why it matters: If approved, fan zones could drive hotel stays, restaurant and retail activity and increase regional visitation during match days. Conversely, hosting multi-day events requires municipal resources for public safety, transportation, parking, site setup and potential contingencies.

Council process and next steps

Deputy mayor and staff said a full discussion and formal request will be scheduled for the July 8 work session. Staff asked council members to review the preliminary packet before that meeting and to direct questions to staff in the interim; no funding decisions were requested on June 24.

Budget and logistics (preliminary)

Staff cautioned the budget is preliminary and subject to change. In the meeting materials, staff referenced a planning figure for partner contributions and said sponsorships could reduce the jurisdictions’ shares. Council members asked how firm the planning figures were; staff said the amounts are a ballpark estimate and will change as sponsorships and fundraising progress.

Quotes from the meeting

Rick (city staff): “Putting on an event like this is gonna take quite a few dollars, and there isn't really enough time to start fundraising with private sponsors yet.”

Council reaction and concerns

Council members expressed support for participation but raised questions about the effectiveness of a city contribution, how to measure return on investment, and the city’s budget constraints. One council member said the event could benefit hoteliers and the local economy; staff reiterated that partner jurisdictions will discuss contributions in early July.

Discussion versus decisions

June 24 was an informational briefing only; staff expect a formal ask at the July 8 work session and possible future agreements among Thurston County, Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey.

Ending: Staff will return on July 8 with a fuller packet and a requested policy decision on whether Lacey will commit funds or join a multi-jurisdictional agreement to support the fan-zone series.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lacey City Council Worksession - June 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council was briefed on a proposed regional fan-zone series coinciding with World Cup matches. The Thurston Chamber seeks initial funding; staff said a July 8 work session will include a formal request and possible interlocal agreement with Olympia, Tumwater and Thurston County.","taxTitle","Lacey, Thurston County, Washington","taxId",4615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188803,"Lacey unveils interactive equity map to guide planning; public launch planned this summer",1876,4553000,6429000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34&start=4553&end=6429","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34/thumbnail_4553000.jpg","/articles/6188803/Lacey/Thurston-County/Washington/Lacey-unveils-interactive-equity-map-to-guide-planning-public-launch-planned-this-summer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188803-bfb1e0fc24d1784a57c2bc90212715df/orig.mp4?Expires=1775103445&Signature=W~OgHvxZ05VNaxwtEhpzkTfbrjvsxtSttt1G2TkJ7ShdvpC7Jmad1ZJlXTL-eg7SyuOluqNmF2pKihdBIqqYP4~aG-sFewIfXYW6x-j9JHMJYdPVPlxlLc8yxoQUs1Di5bmj8vypzMTxQ3ijDN4RwaYQRhZUSD8ZnfqXCW72PbyDXNaIzHJcYyLOIZMawneszyi8XEu9lPBcKtKEmGaUuuG7UEQyAdKQQGpiYyyhvb9jbPhaJwuhcHZXN-Gachqg-kvbdYBh5GCbZw3fN5Qf-cmNHOopI4Z3WErgXcx9EHL6lUT1TWGNZ2VShmJZ~IalkrXGYVFZGGnfpDDKh~xSMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Lacey presented an interactive equity map to the City Council on June 24, showing how census tracts within the city and Lacey’s urban-growth area compare to Thurston County across five indices: accessibility, livability, education, economy and environment.

Assistant City Manager Shannon Kelly Fong said the map is intended as a data-driven decision-support tool that complements community input and other qualitative information; staff plan to publish the tool for public use in the coming months and to refresh it on a two-year cycle.

Why it matters: The equity map is intended to help staff and elected officials identify areas where targeted investments or policy changes could reduce disparities— for example, in park access, broadband connectivity, or transportation—while acknowledging that data alone does not capture lived experience and that methodology and data sources have limitations.

What the tool does and how it was built

Staff said the map was developed with consultant Community Attributes Inc. and was informed by methods used by the Kirwan Institute on Race and Ethnicity. The tool combines multiple data sets (census data, county-level indicators and state health-disparity measures) into index scores and produces a five-step rating: very high, high, moderate, low and very low, where “very low” indicates a combination of worse outcomes for indicators in the index.

Shannon Kelly Fong emphasized limitations: data are not perfect, different datasets and methodologies (for example, tree-canopy measures) can produce different results, and quantitative data should be used with community engagement. She also noted the map will be public-facing with a user guide explaining methodology, data sources and limitations.

Key features and examples

- Scope and comparison: The tool compares census tracts in Lacey and the Lacey urban-growth area to all census tracts in Thurston County, not to statewide or national baselines.

- Drill-down and exports: Users can select custom areas, toggle indices (for example, turn on only accessibility layers), view underlying datasets (for example, home Internet access, park access, voter participation) and download results as Excel spreadsheets or printable maps.

- Stakeholder input: The map was reviewed by the Commission on Equity and city executive staff; staff said the library and human-service groups will be alerted when the tool is published.

Cost and maintenance

Staff said they plan to refresh data on a two-year cycle. During the meeting, staff estimated the refresh cost at approximately $1,520,000 per refresh in the presentation materials; they described that figure as preliminary and subject to budget decisions. Staff said future expansions to the tool are possible as new datasets become available.

Quotes from the meeting

Shannon Kelly Fong: “This is one of many data-driven equity tools. Data is just one part of the story and you have to understand community differences and perspectives.”

Council questions and next steps

Council members praised the tool’s functionality and discussed potential regional uses, such as sharing data with the Thurston Regional Planning Council. Council Member Vasquez noted overlap between equity indicators and social determinants of health; staff responded that health-disparity datasets were among the sources used. Staff said they will work with communications to publicize the map to nonprofits, the library and community stakeholders when the public version goes live.

Discussion versus decisions

The presentation was informational; no formal action or policy change was proposed. Staff said the map will be posted publicly after final edits and user-guide materials are completed; they expect to publish the tool in the coming months.

Ending: Staff requested feedback and said they will continue to refine the tool and coordinate outreach before the public launch.","City staff introduced a county-scale equity map and demonstration tool that scores census tracts across five indices. Staff said the map will be public in coming months, refreshed on a two-year cycle and used to inform planning and community outreach, not to replace qualitative input.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188810,"Regional utility LOTT reports strong performance, outlines reclaimed-water limits and future needs",2248,1003000,3251000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34&start=1003&end=3251","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5062010-8bfc6b65a0ae734f0665b03ffd09da34/thumbnail_1003000.jpg","/articles/6188810/Lacey/Thurston-County/Washington/Regional-utility-LOTT-reports-strong-performance-outlines-reclaimed-water-limits-and-future-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188810-1846319d9d04432002c8840e5600c733/orig.mp4?Expires=1775103445&Signature=b-8eizsd7I0L76MgUw7D1DO8IRbFjGaLBadet6N7gB1DykCmz0wEXGG~x3IAUYNysrZMGTWkN4oImBn6VNnymNspWr1fO~WuNOlTk-8e-fJ5r1fsK3hF2qorfjaIzdiC0SCOIJyLKFEM6djRwEG5xCvezEWzETOquAkeGXzMEH2GIxcKEtU2EDBZpljPpI5BB~g-uSe2iX8d4YNh86glqSeyXDHP-4I0UGGijrd2RqhqJrlbJy~c7WfIeGX0zNeuUfn-z8wHYXSDwz3o42IAD5hdbXi~XJ2X1lDw7q~CjAsJM4TeuuqxPUxreKxfQji76RcUqOGUC-vfULQo3eWmfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LOTT Executive Director Matthew Kennelly told the Lacey City Council on June 24 that the regional wastewater utility serving Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and Thurston County is meeting discharge permits, has cut energy use and is expanding reclaimed-water use — but that most reclaimed water available to Lacey is committed to water-rights mitigation.

The presentation, given to the City of Lacey during a regular work session, summarized LOTT’s treatment capacity, recent upgrades and community reuse projects and was followed by a separate city presentation on Lacey’s newly drafted reclaimed-water plan.

Kennelly said LOTT treats roughly 13,000,000 gallons per day at its Budd Inlet treatment plant in downtown Olympia and that the utility “is your wastewater utility.” He noted the utility tests about 23,000 samples a year, treated roughly 4,460,000,000 gallons last year, and said the utility has the highest level of treatment on Puget Sound. Kennelly added that the Martin Way reclaimed-water plant produces about 1.5 million gallons per day of Class A reclaimed water and that more than 180,000,000 gallons were delivered last year to Woodland Creek recharge sites for groundwater infiltration.

Why it matters: Lacey’s reclaimed-water supply and LOTT’s capital plans determine whether reclaimed water can be used for irrigation, parks or other local uses now or in the future. City staff said most of Lacey’s current allotment must be infiltrated to satisfy mitigation required by water-rights permits, limiting near-term reuse for parks or city landscaping.

Key facts and planning details

- Scope and customers: LOTT serves about 140,000 people across the region, processing sewage collected by partner cities before advanced treatment at the Budd Inlet plant.

- Treatment and reuse: Kennelly described the utility’s recent process upgrades, energy-efficiency gains (he said a recent upgrade saved about 15% plant-wide energy), biogas reuse for heat and power, and biosolids reuse programs for agriculture. He said LOTT won national engineering awards for its recent plant upgrade.

- Capital projects and costs: Kennelly said capital projects make up about 70%–74% of LOTT’s budget. He described a scheduled digester upgrade — four large tanks built in the 1980s — with a budget of about $34,000,000. He said LOTT funds projects with fees, loans and bonds as needed, and cited recent loans including two $10,000,000 low-interest loans and an SRF loan of about $15,000,000 for a prior upgrade.

- Reclaimed-water operations and constraints: City utility staff (Gagan Braar and Terry O’Neil) explained Lacey’s reclaimed-water allotment from the Martin Way plant and how much must be infiltrated for mitigation under existing water-rights conditions. They said Lacey’s current allotment is approximately 0.68 million gallons per day (MGD). Of that, 0.45–0.65 MGD is currently being infiltrated at the Woodland Creek recharge facility to satisfy mitigation commitments; regulators and permit conditions limit infiltration to about 0.9 MGD at that site.

- Capacity and future supply: Staff and LOTT said Martin Way’s current membrane bioreactor treatment trains require steady flow to operate and that expanding reclaimed-water production would require adding treatment capacity (additional “trains”) only when sustained wastewater flows justify it. A full build-out of the Martin Way facility and other LOTT decisions would be needed before reclaimed water is routinely available for parks and irrigation. City staff projected that by 2040 Lacey’s allotment could increase (staff estimated an allotment scenario up to roughly 1.46 MGD in materials shown), but most near-term supply would still be committed to mitigation as population growth triggers additional mitigation obligations.

- Where reclaimed water is used today: Staff said reclaimed water is being used to recharge groundwater at Woodland Creek Community Park and the Hawkes Prairie infiltration ponds, and to serve large irrigation users such as the Tumwater Golf Course. They said no single-family homes in the service area currently receive reclaimed water and that commercial or large institutional users are the primary customers.

Quotes from the meeting

Kennelly: “I’d like you to think about that we are your wastewater utility.”

Staff (on mitigation limits): “We have to make sure we don’t infiltrate more than 0.9 MGD of reclaimed water every day” at the Woodland Creek facility.

Council questions and clarifications

Council members asked whether reclaimed water could supply parks or residential irrigation. City staff said the Martin Way plant does not currently have excess capacity for both mitigation and widespread irrigation and that a future expansion would be required to free up reclaimed water for parks. Staff noted the need for storage, pumping and distribution improvements and said those costs would be part of future capital planning if and when reclaimed-water supply grows.

Discussion versus decisions

Both presentations were informational; no council action or vote was taken. Staff said the reclaimed-water plan will be attached to the city’s wastewater comprehensive plan and brought back for adoption with that document in a future year. LOTT said it will continue to pursue loans and cost-effective capital funding; Lacey staff said they will continue coordination with LOTT, Department of Ecology and regional partners.

Community connections and next steps

Kennelly, LOTT staff and city engineers highlighted partnerships with the Squaxin Island Tribe and the Department of Ecology on regional water-quality work, and described outreach programs such as school tours (more than 1,000 fifth graders participated last year) and public wet-science displays. LOTT and city staff recommended continuing regional collaboration rather than building multiple new small treatment plants, and said several LOTT-owned properties were offered first to partner jurisdictions for reuse (for example, the Mullen Road property was sold to the city of Lacey for affordable housing because it was surplus to LOTT’s plans).

Provenance: Meeting transcript, LOTT presentation and city reclaimed-water plan briefing.

Ending: Staff said the reclaimed-water plan requires no immediate council action and will be integrated into the city’s wastewater comprehensive plan. Council members asked to be notified as capital and funding decisions progress.","LOTT Executive Director Matthew Kennelly told the Lacey City Council that the regional utility is meeting permits while expanding reclaimed-water work; city staff described a reclaimed-water plan that will prioritize water-rights mitigation and means Lacey currently has little reclaimed water available for parks or irrigation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Thurston Chamber outlines preliminary FIFA fan-zone plan; Lacey to consider July 8 work session request

Lacey unveils interactive equity map to guide planning; public launch planned this summer

Regional utility LOTT reports strong performance, outlines reclaimed-water limits and future needs