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Yelm staff reports police hire, splash pad repair, backflow notices and loop bid date
Summary
Staff told the council a lateral officer accepted a conditional offer (target start Sept. 1), the splash pad pump was replaced and a backup procured, the loop bid opening is July 22, and letters about required backflow assembly testing were mailed to certain properties.
At the July 14, 2026 Yelm City Council meeting, staff provided several operational updates and community notices.
Scott, speaking for staff, said the police department has extended a conditional offer to a lateral officer from Yuma, Arizona; pending a successful background check the officer is expected to start around Sept. 1. He also said Officer Boyd, hired earlier in the year, began academy training on July 6 and is expected to graduate in November.
Public‑works and parks updates included an announcement that the splash pad outage was repaired after a pump failure; staff said a replacement pump was installed and a backup pump is now on hand to reduce future downtime. Scott said the loop project bid opening is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22 at the WSDOT office in downtown and that staff will proceed with the procurement process.
Staff also noted letters have been mailed to some residential and commercial properties regarding backflow assembly testing required by the city code adopted in 2003. Scott explained that backflow assemblies prevent irrigation and other systems from sending water back into the public water supply, that annual testing is required and that residential testing can cost about $50–$60 per unit. He advised council members to expect questions from residents and to refer inquiries to the information in the letter.
The public safety committee reported on several items earlier in the meeting: two interlocal agreements (one with the independent investigation office ready for signing and another regional SWAT interlocal still under discussion), continued questions about the Flock camera system, school‑district discussions about SRO coverage and a reported decrease in police calls over recent months. The committee also noted passport sales activity at a Prairie Days event (30 passports processed in one day).
Next steps and outreach: staff said they will proceed with the HR onboarding process if the lateral officer clears background checks, advertise the loop bid opening as scheduled, and respond to public inquiries about backflow testing and letters. National Night Out was announced for Aug. 4 and staff reminded council of upcoming community events.
