Public Safety Building housing Council Chambers, Yelm

– Tonight’s City Council session is Mayor Harding’s last at the gavel
On Friday, July 23, Yelm’s Mayor Ron Harding formally announced his resignation
* Harding’s last day as Yelm’s Mayor is August 9 at 5pm, reportedly becoming City Administrator in Aumsville, OR, replacing Maryann Hills, who left to take on new challenges after serving almost 21 years as City Administrator.
Read more
* A formal announcement will be forthcoming today of Harding’s Aumsville, OR. position
UPDATE: From The Olympian July 27: click here
UPDATE: The Aumsville, OR. City Council appointed Harding July 25: click here
* Clearly, 2.5 years into Harding’s third term on a $30,000 Mayor’s salary and running the city when City Administrator Badger resigned, instead of hiring a full-time replacement, and his lack of focus on his construction business, required looking elsewhere to supplement income
* Yelm’s City Council must appoint interim mayor within 90 days to fill term until Nov. 2017 election
* The City Council will then have to appoint an interim City Councilor to fill that vacated seat
* Wed., July 27 Study Session is Harding’s last Mayor’s Report to be publicly presented
* A Public Hearing on the 6 Year Transportation Plan is on tonight’s council agenda
* Harding’s last Council directive will be to discuss potential litigation, a 30 minute Executive Session with City Attorney Steve DeJulio present by phone. hmmm.


– Tahoma Terra Phase II Public Hearing had huge turnout Monday
On Monday, July 25 at 9am, the Public Hearing on the build-out of 198 parcels in Tahoma Terra Phase II garnered one of the largest turn-outs and number of public comments at a Public Hearing in the last decade. Residents of Pierce County commented on the unprecedented growth of Yelm having an impact on their traffic and current Tahoma Terra residents discussed lack of promised park space, road width, traffic impacts, emergency vehicle access, and water issues with the proposed development adding so many new homes. The overriding sentiment was that Yelm needs to allow the infra-structure to “catch-up” before such massive growth is approved. Harding is leaving a bevy of angry residents at the city’s growth policies.


– Hearings Examiner told about state water law set in Yelm –
2 Supreme Court cases, now law, must be followed
I spoke about the city of Yelm not having enough water allocation to support these 198 parcels. While Tahoma Terra Phase II legal counsel kept saying that Yelm had enough approved connections, I said that connections were not the issue, rather Ecology-granted water rights allocation for the city of Yelm were of note, as defined by 2 Supreme Court water law cases.
Read more of my full public statement for the record.