• Invest in downtown so that more people live, work, learn, shop and play in downtown Olympia.
• Put sustainability into action so that we save the planet.
• Improve the effectiveness of government so that we deliver high quality service that satisfies citizens at a reasonable price.
• Focus on Olympia as the Capital City to preserve and enhance our identity and economy.

City Council Annual Goal Setting Retreat        
    2008 (pdf file)
    2007 (pdf file)

Some Accomplishments...

We Put Sustainability in Action by acquiring 11.7 acres of waterfront land on West Bay Drive for a future park.

With voter approved Parks and Pathways funding, we're purchasing land for future parks and building sidewalks to connect neighborhoods and parks.



More than 2,500 weekly riders Invested in Downtown by hopping aboard Intercity Transit's DASH Shuttle during the 2007 legislative session.

The FREE year-round DASH shuttle connects the Capitol Campus and downtown Olympia with rides along Capitol Way every 12 minutes from 6:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.


We Improved the Effectiveness of City Government by working with the security alarm industry to reduce the number of alarm calls by 80% and free up the equivalent time of two police officers.  BEFORE - taxpayers subsizided emergency police response to over 3,000 calls annually from private security systems (of which 99.7% were false alarms).  NOW - the people and businesses with private security systems pay a fee when they have a false alarm.  Learn more about Olympia's innovative Security Alarm Program that is now a national efficiency model.


The Olympia City Council has long Focused on Olympia as the Capital City by encouraging State government to locate employees and facilities in the Capital City - particularly on the Campus and in downtown Olympia. 

In October 2006, a new 161,000 square foot home for 750 employees of the State Department of Social and Health Services was dedicated on Cherry Street in downtown Olympia - the first new state office building in downtown Olympia in more than a decade.  The Olympia City Council thanks the State of Washington for Investing in Downtown Olympia!


The City's water utility and Olympia residents and businesses are Putting Sustainability into Action through wise use of our precious drinking water resources.

Since 1996, drinking water use in Olympia has dropped by 11% - even while the number of new connections to the City's water system increased by 19%.  Another indicator of Olympia's commitment to water conservation and sustainability -- the average amount of water tapped by residents for indoor use has decreased by 27.5% in the past 10 years, from 87 gallons per day to 63 gallons per day last year. 


Another way City of Olympia utilities are Putting Sustainability into Action is by purchasing 100% of the power for utility operations from "green" (non-emitting) sources of energy.

And our commitment to Putting Sustainability into Action doesn't stop there.  In 2006, Class A reclaimed water came online in Olympia.  Produced by the LOTT Alliance and distributed by the City of Olympia water utility, Class A reclaimed water is now used in Olympia for irrigation, dust control, and power washing at Marathon and Heritage Parks, the Port of Olympia, and the Percival Landing Boardwalk.


Investment in the Capital City and downtown Olympia in 2006:

• Building permits were issued for over $142 MILLION in new construction in Olympia during 2006, including over 300 new dwelling units.

• As a regional economic center, retail sales in Olympia continued on an upward swing with 6% growth in 2006.  Over $16 MILLION in sales tax was collected in the City of Olympia during 2006 - about $900,000 more than 2005.