Utility Advisory Committee
The Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) is comprised of 11 members who serve as the principal public advisors on utility issues for the City's four public utilities - Drinking Water, Wastewater, Storm and Surface Water, and Waste ReSources. Each year, their Work Plan (pdf) is approved by the City Council. The committee was established in 1998 and adopted by City Council in Ordinance 5786. Committee members are appointed by the City Council and serve three-year terms, ending March 31 of the last year of the term.
Roles and Responsibilities
The UAC is authorized to act as the principal policy advisory to the City Council, the City Manager's office, and the Public Works Department on utility matters. The committee holds monthly public meetings and makes recommendations to the Council, as necessary.
- Conduct research, perform analyses, and prepare and develop reports and recommendations to the City regarding utility policy choices on issues, such as:
- Utility rates
- Utility-related chapters of the City's Comprehensive Plan
- Utility master plans
- Utility franchises
- Regulatory compliance with state and federal laws
- Levels of customer service and satisfaction
- Capital facilities for each of the City's four public utilities
- Fosters opportunities for expanding the public's involvement in the planning and delivery of public utility services.
- Provides advice to the City on management strategies to:
- Maintain the community's investment in its utility infrastructure
- Respond to state and federal regulations
- Define the role the utilities play in managing and accommodating growth in the community
- Evaluate operations to ensure the utilities are operating in a sustainable manner, which assures stewardship for our natural, business, material, and human resources.
- Present an annual work plan to the City Council for approval.
- Present an annual report to the City Council for approval on the state of the utilites and other work of the committee, including recommendations to improve the operations of the committee.
Meeting Time:
The UAC meets the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m., at the Public Works Maintenance Center, 1401 Eastside Street, SE, Olympia.
Application Information:
You can download the
application online. The following citizens are eligible to apply for the committee.
- Citizens who live within the City or Urban Growth Area of Olympia.
- Business owners and managers who operate a business in the City of Olympia.
- Business owners and managers who are City of Olympia utility customers.
Staff Contacts:
Committee Members:
- Mary Groebner, Chair - Term Expires: 2011
- Emily Lardner, Vice Chair - Term Expires: 2010
- Carol Law - Term Expires: 2011
- Lana Hamilton - Term Expires: 2010
- Michael Young - Term Expires: 2010
- Karen Rogers - Term Expires: 2010
- Dick Allen - Term Expires: 2012
- Dean Mason - Term Expires: 2012
- Deborah Pinsonneault - Term Expires: 2012
Contacting Public Works:
