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University Place council reviews 2023–24 goals, highlights police hires, sewer projects and debt paydown
Summary
City Manager Steve Sugg presented a final report on the council's 2023'1024 goals, citing a new police contract and officer hires, ARPA-funded sewer bids for five neighborhoods, park and street projects and an early debt repayment plan that will save the city about $4 million in interest.
City Manager Steve Sugg presented the City of University Place Council with a final report on the city's 2023'1024 biennial goals at the Jan. 6 meeting, summarizing accomplishments that included a new police contract, the arrival of four new officers (with four more planned), the awarding of bids to extend sewer service to five neighborhoods using ARPA funds, major park improvements and a council-authorized early repayment of $17,100,000 in city debt.
Why it matters: the report outlined projects and policy choices that affect public safety, neighborhood infrastructure and the city's fiscal position. Sugg framed the outcomes as the result of multi-year efforts by council and staff and as groundwork for 2025 priorities.
Sugg said the council's highest-priority goal was public safety. "The public safety levy, which was approved in spring of 2023 by the voters," Sugg said, "resulted in increased visible patrols along Bridgeport Way and the hiring of additional officers." He noted the city has added a community outreach officer, naming Corey Shears as the officer assigned to encampment response, graffiti complaints and similar outreach duties. Sugg told council the city had completed recruitment to add eight commissioned officers in total, with four arriving in early November 2024 and another four expected in 2025.
On infrastructure, Sugg highlighted work at SERC Park, a 22-acre park the city has developed in phases. Sugg said the city converted temporary skate ramps to permanent concrete and is finishing an inclusive playground scheduled for a spring ribbon-cutting. He credited city crew work for a significant cost saving on park irrigation, saying crews avoided an expensive contractor replacement and saved roughly $250,000.
Sugg said the council prioritized American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to address long-standing unsewered areas. "Prioritizing ARPA funds allowed us to put out to bid and award contracts for five neighborhoods," he said, adding the in-house engineering team worked with Gray & Osborne on designs. Sugg described the bids as "tight," which he said indicated well-prepared plans; he did not provide construction start dates in this meeting.
On economic development, Sugg reviewed adopted subarea work including the Northeast Business District plan and the ongoing 27th Street district planning. He noted the Alta mixed-use project replacing a former theater has leased several hundred apartment units and cited recent ribbon cuttings for new storefronts such as 5 Guys and See's Candies; he also referenced Trader Joe's 20th anniversary at the University Place location.
Sugg closed the report by noting a council decision earlier in 2024 to repay a portion of the city's debt. He said council authorized an early repayment of $17,100,000, which staff estimate will save the city more than $4,000,000 in future interest payments. He added the earliest callable date on the bonds being targeted for redemption is 2026.
Council members discussed next steps and asked for follow-up reports. Council member Fleming asked for clarification about "street grids" and how planned connections and new local streets fit with traffic modeling; Planning Director Kevin Briskie and engineering staff were identified as the sources for more detailed, citywide traffic modeling. City Attorney Matt Kayser was listed as the lead negotiator on interlocal agreements to expand youth recreation through agreements with the University Place School District and Fircrest-area partners.
Votes at a glance: the meeting recorded three procedural motions. A motion to approve the agenda was approved with no objections; the consent agenda was approved unanimously; and a motion by Council member Grassi, seconded by Council member Worthington, to extend the meeting by 15 minutes passed on a voice vote.
What comes next: Sugg said the SERC Park site plan study would return in Q1 2025 and staff will bring reports on parking meter performance, the 27th Street district plan and the timing for sewer construction in the awarded neighborhoods. He reiterated that debt redemption earliest availability is 2026 and that staff will provide follow-up financial analysis when bond call dates near.
