Sumner City Council adopts package of ordinances on personnel rules, utilities, parking and fiber franchise

Sumner City Council voted unanimously on April 6 to approve a suite of ordinances covering personnel policies, civil service for the police chief, a franchise agreement for fiber infrastructure, parking code revisions and the vacation of a portion of Harrison Street Alley.

The council adopted Ordinance 2957 to amend Sumner Municipal Code chapter 2.10. Human Resources Manager Adrien McNell said the changes are administrative: they update compensatory‑time language to reflect federal law, clarify leave accrual for permanent part‑time employees working fewer than 20 hours weekly, adjust payday scheduling for days when city offices are closed, and authorize the mayor to implement a branded‑clothing policy. McNell said the changes carry no budget impact; the measure passed on a 5‑0 roll call vote.

Ordinance 2959 exempts the police chief position from civil service protections, aligning local code with common local practice and state law so the chief serves at the pleasure of the mayor under an employment agreement, McNell said. The council approved the amendment on a 5‑0 vote.

On telecommunications, the council completed a second reading and adopted Ordinance 2956, a 10‑year, non‑exclusive franchise agreement with Easy Fiber. City Attorney Andrea Marquez said the franchise grants the company a license to use public right‑of‑way to build and operate fiber telecommunications facilities; each installation will require separate permits, bonds and inspection and the company must relocate infrastructure at its own cost when a public project requires it.

The council also approved Ordinance 2960, a set of parking code updates to clarify rules on four‑hour truck parking, restricted streets, loading‑zone timing and backing‑in to angle parking. Community and Economic Development Director Ryan Windish said the changes respond to enforcement observations and aim to tidy alignment and backend angle‑parking standards.

Finally, the council adopted Ordinance 2958 to vacate a 69‑by‑15‑foot portion of the Harrison Street alley at the request of SJS Investments. Deputy City Attorney Doug Ruth said the right‑of‑way has functioned as a parking lot since 2007, that notice was posted and sent to adjoining owners, and the ordinance preserves utility easements. The vacation passed on a roll call vote.

All of the listed ordinances passed on 5‑0 roll calls. Several had prior committee review and were presented by staff during the meeting. The council recessed to an executive session on pending litigation later in the evening and indicated no action would follow immediately.