Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Tumwater City Council advanced a $1.85 million budget amendment for the purchase of the Lodge Building to house the Parks & Recreation Department.
Originally built by the Pabst Brewing Company in 1988, the Lodge Building sits on a 1.8-acre property at 4315 Tumwater Valley Drive. The city intends to move the department into the site to accommodate future growth.
The city council made the decision at a meeting on Tuesday, July 7.
The council’s meeting packet included a table that outlines funding sources for the acquisition: $1,157,397 million from park impact fees, nearly $548,843 from the Tumwater Metropolitan Park District and $143,760 from an unidentified source.
The council will consider the amendment, along with other updates to the city’s 2025-2026 budget, for final approval on July 21.
The updates also include a $1.25 million expense to purchase a new fire engine in cash instead of debt.
Finance Director Troy Niemeyer explained to the council that the initial plan was to buy the fire engine using debt financing, which would also be used for the remodeling of the North End Fire Station on Linwood Avenue.
He said the first payment for the truck, which was approved for purchase three years ago, is due by July, but the funding won’t be ready until September.
Other public safety provisions in the amendment fund repairs for existing fire apparatus and expand cancer screenings for fire department personnel.
The proposed amendment also carves out $400,000 for increased code enforcement and abatement, as well as $416,000 for the city’s contribution to the Thurston County Opioid Abatement Council.
The city council agreed in March to pool opioid settlement funds with neighboring jurisdictions to support regional opioid prevention projects.
An additional $50,000 is earmarked for the Davis Meeker Garry oak tree on Old Highway 99. Nemeyer said the city allocated $25,000 for management of the tree. After launching a request for proposal, the city found a contractor, who bid $75,000 for the project.
The budget update also accounts for participation in the Tumwater Youth Program through which the city hosts various activities for youths. The program saw strong turnout in 2025, so city officials anticipate maintaining that level of engagement through the remainder of 2026.
Other changes to the budget include corrections to cost allocations and increased funding for the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee to support tourism-related initiatives.
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OlyBlues
Very disappointed to see the city of Tumwater spend even more money to purchase the luxurious Parks Lodge instead of consolidating city services in the oversized new city hall they are also purchasing "for growth." The city has failed to provide an adequate explanation as to why a non-essential city department requires a separate million dollar palace. and cannot be co-located in the new multi-million dollar city hall. The city has a long track record of wasting tax dollars and this is one of the most egregious examples of wasteful government spending. The city will continue to lose trust with residents until they start being fiscally responsible stewards of tax dollars. The perception of empire building by Mayor Dahlhoff is very strong here.
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