City Council authorizes funding for purchase of Tumwater Valley Lodge

The Tumwater City Council backed a $1.85 million amendment to the 2025-26 city budget to pay for the Tumwater Valley Lodge. 

The council originally approved the purchase of the 6,000-square-foot building and its 1.8-acre property on Feb. 17, and then made good on the deal at a meeting on July 21. 

The city will use the property to house the Parks & Recreation Department, which is currently in a leased office on Airport Court off Old Highway 99.  

The Pabst Brewing Company had the lodge built on Tumwater Valley Drive in 1988. The property is now vacant, but was last used as a day care center. 

During the Feb. 17 meeting, Parks & Recreation Director Chuck Denney said the building was inspected last year, with no major issues identified. Recent improvements have also been made to its roof, flooring, heating and air conditioning systems. 

Funding for the purchase will be mainly sourced from park impact fees and revenue from Tumwater Metropolitan Park District. 

Fire engine

Funding to purchase a $1.25 million fire engine, which was supposed to be bought through debt financing, was also included in the budget amendment.

Tumwater Finance Director Troy Niemeyer said in a previous meeting that the funding won’t be ready in September. The first payment for the truck, which was approved for purchase three years ago, is due this month. 

The amendment also pays for repairs for fire equipment, increased cancer screenings for the fire department personnel, and code enforcement and abatement.

The amendment also includes the city’s $416,000 contribution to the Thurston County Opioid Abatement Council, which is being taken from the opioid settlement funds.  

Additionally, the funding also goes toward the preservation of the historic Davis Meeker Garry oak tree and to accommodate increased participation in the Tumwater Youth Program.