On today's episode, we sat down with TPU Director Jackie Flowers, who came on board in August and is the first woman to hold the position permanently.



Jackie came to Tacoma from Idaho Falls, and has managed public utilities for 19 years of her 26-year career. We talked about what she sees as the utility's priority focus areas, how lower income folks can get help paying their bills, TPU's impressively clean energy portfolio, the future of advanced metering in Tacoma, electric vehicles, how to combat the rumored "bro" culture at TPU, and — you guessed it — Click. 



We got to most of your listener questions, too! Thank you for submitting those.



Links



The News Tribune: Rainier Connect recommended in public-private Click option for city



Click network update from TPU



TPU bill payment assistance information



The News Tribune: Settlement reached in Tacoma Public Utilities 'bro' culture case 



The News Tribune: The Tacoma public utility board has chosen its next director. Next stop: City Council



The News Tribune: Power revenues can't be used to pay for Click network's commercial expenses, judge says



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Episode 46: Tacoma Public Utilities Director Jackie Flowers

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Welcome back to another episode of Citizen Tacoma! Michelle Douglas joins the podcast to discuss hunger in Pierce County. She gives an update on some of the ways Emergency Food Network and the food pantries across the county are serving those who need food.

We also check-in about the arts, the economy, downtown Tacoma, and more.

Enjoy!

Links

Emergency Food Network

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Michelle Douglas—Emergency Food Network

Did you know that Tacoma is governed by a "charter?" And that every ten years, a group of citizens gets together to review it and propose new changes. It's true!

Steve Wamback is the chair of the committee that is tackling this process. With more than 50 meetings planned in six months, they have a big workload ahead of them.

So what are they looking at? How does the process work? And how can you share your input? All that and more on the next episode.

Links

Tacoma's Charter Review Committee

Flyer for extended public comment session on Monday, February 26 (.pdf file)

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Steve Wamback – Tacoma’s Charter Review Committee

Welcome back to another episode of Citizen Tacoma! Melissa Malott joins the podcast to discuss the health of Commencement Bay and what's threatening it. She gives an update on some of the industrial uses in the port and the work CHB is doing on that front. We get into the proposed rebuilding of the animal rendering plant and much more.

She also speaks a little bit about the Tacoma Charter Review Committee and what's happening there.

Enjoy!

Links

Melissa Malott at Communities for a Healthy Bay

Tacoma Charter Review

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Melissa Malott — Communities for a Healthy Bay

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland joins the podcast to talk about the recent speakership elections, government shutdowns, conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, bridging the digital divide, her view on what's at stake in the 2024 elections, and more.

Links

Marilyn Strickland

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Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland

On this episode, we welcome Deputy Mayor Kristina Walker, who is a commissioner with Pierce Transit and a board member with Sound Transit. We discuss what's happening with transit in Tacoma and the wider region. We focus on the opening of the extension of the Link T Line in Tacoma. We also look at bus rapid transit, access to transit, and we check in on projects in Seattle and on the Eastside of Lake Washington.

Links

Kristina Walker

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Episode 46: Tacoma Public Utilities Director Jackie Flowers

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