The city of Puyallup is on the national radar when it comes to finding additional funding and addressing the issues of the region.
“It’s taken several years and meetings to get to this point,” said Puyallup Councilmember Mike Deal.
This year, the city will receive about $1.5 million in federal appropriations.
“This is the most we have ever achieved on our federal legislative efforts,” said Interim City Manager Gary McLean. “We’re really pleased with that.”
The funds will help upgrade Pierce County jurisdictions to an 800MHz communications system, help complete the Shaw Road extension and assist in improving sewer and water infrastructure for businesses in Puyallup’s new downtown redevelopment.
“We are the only jurisdiction in the county that got three this year,” McLean said. “Puyallup is a regional player now.”
The city has had a legislative program for five years, McLean said, and it’s not just funds the program has secured. During the city’s first legislative program objective, efforts were focused on strengthening safety and public notification of pipeline safety issues.
It led to better regulations, public notification and more public outreach, McLean said.
Three years ago, the city secured a $750,000 grant to address downtown parking issues. Currently, the city is working with Sound Transit to secure more funding to create a long-term solution.
Working with multiple agencies and organizations is needed to complete more regional projects, he said.
“It’s virtually impossible to do it without multiple partners,” McLean said. “You really have more effective programs with joint partners.”
Having a presence in Washington D.C. has paid off for Puyallup, he said. The city spends less than $100,000 for the program a year, which includes the representation of a lobbyist and taking a delegation of councilmembers to Washington D.C. to meet with Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Representatives Adam Smith and Dave Reichert and their staffs.
“They know a dollar invested in Puyallup will help the region,” McLean said. “We actually have results to show for it.”
Murray and Smith have been particularly helpful, McLean said. Murray even visited Puyallup last year for a trip her staff requested.
The Puyallup delegation will visit the capital again next month.
“These trips aren’t particularly fun,” Deal said. “It’s demanding but obviously it pays off.”
The two-day trips are spent in cold weather going back and forth from the Senate building to the House of Representatives making pitches for funding or to address issues. Then it’s on a plane back to Washington state. This year, the delegation will probably focus on more funding for the Shaw Road Extension as well as funding to address Sounder parking, Deal said.
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