Puyallup parents who oppose a proposed switch from junior highs to middle schools are circulating a petition online.
Some parents say they oppose the move because they believe sixth graders belong in elementary school, rather than a sixth-through-eighth grade middle school. Others say moving ninth graders to Puyallup’s existing high schools will create overcrowding at the high schools. They also fear the numbers will force students unwillingly into double shifting at the high school.
District officials say middle schools are the prevailing model in Western Washington. They also say ninth graders need to be in a high school …

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The Puyallup City Council may be guaranteed some new faces in the near future.

In a 6-1 vote tonight, the council gave initial approval to an ordinance that would impose 12-year term limits on council members.

The new rule must be voted on once more before it takes effect. If it’s finalized, there would be a fairly immediate impact: Mayor Kathy Turner and council members Don Malloy and Rick Hansen wouldn’t be able to run for re-election when their current terms expire.

Deputy Mayor Tami Brouillet cast the sole dissenting vote, saying it should be up to voters who serves …

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Puyallup residents will see an increase in their utility bills to cover a legal settlement, but for most customers the fee hike won’t be as large as once planned.

And they’ll pay less in total for the settlement.

The City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday to finalize an ordinance raising the landfill fees starting in March. Councilmen John Knutsen and Rick Hansen voted against; they’ve advocated for other options.

The fees will be used to pay down debt from bonds the city will issue to cover the upfront cost of the roughly $2 million settlement, which stems from a civil lawsuit brought by …

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An open house is scheduled 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 27 at Zeiger Elementary School, 13008 94^th Ave. E, Puyallup, to discuss the state Department of Agriculture’s proposal to spray trees and plants in the parking lot of the South Hill Mall with an insecticide to treat for European gypsy moths.

Officials from the agency will be on hand to answer questions. The agriculture department wants to do three to five applications of the insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki starting in the spring.

Gypsy moth eggs were found in vegetation in the parking lot of the mall …

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Puyallup City Council members spent more than an hour Tuesday night debating whether to finalize an ordinance raising landfill fees to pay for bonds to cover a legal settlement.

They heard from citizens. They asked question after question of staff. Eventually, they narrowly approved the second reading of the ordinance in a 3-2 vote.

But in the end it didn’t matter. Two of the council’s seven members were absent, and staff from the city attorney’s office determined there weren’t enough “yes” votes from those in attendance to meet the standards for passage under state law.

An assistant city attorney said at …

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Puyallup City Council has officially moved the start time of its regular meetings an hour earlier to 6 p.m.

The change to city code was approved in a 4-3 vote Tuesday after a lengthy discussion and some — at times heated — comment from the public.

Councilmen Don Malloy, John Knutsen and Rick Hansen voted against moving the meeting time, saying they heard feedback from residents that it should stay at 7 p.m. to give people time to get home from work and eat dinner beforehand.

“I think 7 p.m. has historically worked for us,” Malloy said.

A handful of …

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Puyallup’s annual Santa Parade through downtown starts at 4 p.m. Saturday. It’ll be followed by a tree lighting, refreshments and holiday music in Pioneer Park, 330 S. Meridian.

There’s no charge to attend.

Ralph Dannenberg can officially drop the “interim” from his title.

The Puyallup City Council on Monday voted unanimously to approve his contract as city manager. The former parks director will be paid $152,000 annually, including benefits, said Glenda Carino, city spokeswoman.

Dannenberg began filling the top executive post on an interim basis in April after former City Manager Gary McLean resigned.

He earned praise from the council for his 2011 budget, which doesn’t include any layoffs or new taxes as it bridges a $5 million shortfall.

“That was no easy feat in these challenging economic times,” said …

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