[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6289690,"mediaKeyId","2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf","parentId",2532169,"title","City outlines fleet replacement program; staff says 2025–26 will include 66 scheduled replacements","audioSeconds",2971,"startMs",4531000,"endMs",7502000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf&start=4531&end=7502","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf/thumbnail_4531000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6289690/Walla-Walla/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/City-outlines-fleet-replacement-program-staff-says-202526-will-include-66-scheduled-replacements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6289690-ccac55409d0acdc3f4db89ae01e76ac0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200076&Signature=BwckUb4MqbtDw5EPGn2TtfMGL-DxUpzrhJep1iqcp82OlqklsezOQWNx2aIisDNn5L1jn5c~CfjZKv2iaX4s~VwV8tzeg-sgnAkHUTDB4Wq8M0KODe4gRsD7phxTgunHq~~Z9Be2kP00fMlAsPkzRk2ZfO1tOXr9NCSyTq01kVBB8hRF8CK3esz-9JaKavlQ5yuz22Kikvbp~yaGd0G0EfnWN1~CobLb3FQ50unEoFnXUxuhGxts4FER7Xf67lgqpClMXYDKBSNAAqsRBqkB9S62cFz8meqXSHLLVEGbfWEV1u~kWR-omJkHT7-KFRJ6hc85WWQ8v1Ll4ckjkK8K2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Walla Walla City, WA","date","2025-02-24T00:00:00Z","article","Fleet Services Manager Matt Edwards briefed the Walla Walla City Council on the city’s fleet replacement program at the Feb. 24 work session, explaining the inventory, forecasting model and the budgeted replacements planned in the 2025–26 biennial budget.

Edwards described the program as a near‑30‑year practice that uses an Excel‑based replacement model and an enterprise asset management system to schedule replacements, track maintenance and set aside annual reserve funding. He said the program follows the Walla Walla municipal code, which established a revolving internal service fund for fleet replacement, and the city’s capital asset policy.

Edwards gave counts by department and asset class: public works holds the largest share (about 181 vehicles/equipment, roughly 48% of the capital fleet plan); parks and recreation about 110 (29%); police 42 (11%); fire 35 (9%); and other departments a combined 12 assets (3%). He said the capital fleet plan addresses roughly 280 capital assets (vehicles and equipment) that staff budget for replacement and manage through lifecycle planning.

Edwards explained replacement cycles and examples: police patrol vehicles are assigned a 4‑year frontline replacement cycle (8‑year total useful life); bucket/bucket‑truck style vehicles were shown with a 10‑year cycle (20‑year useful life); refuse collection vehicles vary by type (residential side‑loader ~7‑year cycle, rear‑loader ~9 years, commercial container trucks ~10 years). He described categories that may require major system rebuilds (motor grader, bulldozer, wheel scraper) as a cost‑effective alternative to early replacement.

Edwards emphasized the role of preventive maintenance schedules and the asset management system in optimizing replacement timing. He said the system captures work orders, fuel transactions, utilization, downtime and total cost of ownership so staff can identify when maintenance costs or operational risk justify replacement. Edwards said the fleet group is staffed with six positions but operating with five mechanics at the time of the presentation.

On planned procurement, Edwards said the 2025–26 budget includes 66 replacement purchases and leases; he noted the list is larger than a typical year (usually 20–30 purchases) and that staff intends to bring the recommended replacements to council in 2–3 regular meetings with full backup packets for each item. He also outlined the city’s existing leases and said several leased items are already in service under prior council approvals.

Councilors asked about data backups, electric vehicle maintenance and range considerations, and whether replacement schedules can shift in tight budget years. Edwards said the model and asset management system (plus Munis financial records) provide overlapping data; he said electric vehicles will reduce operating maintenance costs but raise range and charging‑infrastructure questions and that the fleet team can reprioritize and present options if leadership directs postponement of set‑asides.

Edwards: \"When you look at the replacement window, the optimal replacement point is when operating costs and downtime meet at a low point and replacement gives the best total cost outcome,\" he said.

Ending

Council thanked staff for the detailed, data‑driven briefing. Edwards recommended splitting the 2025 procurement requests across multiple council meetings and said staff will supply the full replacement packets, budget impacts and risk assessments prior to each purchase approval. No council votes were taken during the presentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 24, 2025\tCity Council - Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Fleet Services presented the municipal fleet replacement methodology, inventory counts and a planned 2025–26 replacement list; staff emphasized a data‑driven replacement model, preventive maintenance tracking and a revolving internal replacement fund established by municipal code.","taxTitle","Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, Washington","taxId",59846,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6289694,"New Downtown Walla Walla Foundation executive director outlines data‑driven strategies to connect locals and support businesses",1957,2546000,4503000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf&start=2546&end=4503","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf/thumbnail_2546000.jpg","/articles/6289694/Walla-Walla/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/New-Downtown-Walla-Walla-Foundation-executive-director-outlines-datadriven-strategies-to-connect-locals-and-support-businesses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6289694-740fe3f526cacf43f5248d8e8663f5af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200076&Signature=hU4haYCIwoK34nx0YYHP1Wo8r1KhIYlrTY-eMpzLCR2FSPqsRPdvHRpMcnphUQMGkhtG5AblhsFshb5i3sp1UINxd7oZPwg4RRSxVI3A7Qa3N~Z43Akj44ri39eREi~RcHhdwx6Bzjw0blDIrDuctk2OQlrOD~TgXtzAQuFnn8B2-GeTdOTJlXbsonqmDAzuXaEiUOuAcMm4TTNdx8xbUK-LEx7CuQwP9VGLSzDuSNKrDg7j-Uv7Og97phQrjuyjluWgXRyDSaP7v04gTNx4Rp-Ih1BRCpQ2Ah5fIaJs5tdFlqigdkPvZ0wrkwahFBMlIkmWSSCs7FIJCTjSuWqyTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mallory, the newly appointed executive director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, introduced herself and presented the foundation’s 2024 outcomes and 2025 priorities at the Walla Walla City Council work session on Feb. 24.

Mallory described the foundation as a 40‑year Main Street program that tracks downtown reinvestment, business openings and volunteer hours. She reported that about 1.5 million visitors came to the Walla Walla Valley and used a conservative assumption that 60% of those visitors (about 900,000) visited downtown. The foundation recorded 11 new downtown businesses and about 30 jobs created; Mallory said public and private investment in downtown totaled about $5.5 million.

The downtown foundation also reported an expanded farmer’s market sales estimate—Mallory said market sales rose from approximately $630,000 to about $830,000 in 2024—and said volunteers contributed hours the foundation values at roughly $31 per hour (used to calculate a volunteer economic impact figure).

Mallory reviewed the organization’s role in administering the Main Street tax credit program and other local incentives. She said the foundation received roughly $277,000 in business and occupation/main‑street tax credit donations in the most recent cycle and described the council’s decision to keep public utility and B&O tax revenues local as an important funding mechanism for downtown programs.

On strategy for 2025, Mallory said the foundation will prioritize “connecting locals and creating legacy,” with programs to increase local attendance and engagement (a proposed “Locals on Main” marketing campaign, merchant showcases and block‑level activations) and to rehabilitate vacant storefronts through outreach to property owners. She emphasized community‑led design and called for stronger local participation in design and facade‑improvement discussions.

Councilors asked about parking, historic district incentives and facade grant programs; Mallory said she is building property‑owner relationships and will investigate design guidelines and historic tax‑credit tools as part of a broader outreach effort. She described the foundation’s desire to reactivate street festivals and smaller block activations to spread foot traffic across downtown blocks.

Mallory: \"Data tells a story,\" she said, describing the foundation’s emphasis on measured outcomes and community input.

Ending

Mallory’s presentation framed downtown strategy around data, volunteer and tax‑credit resources and expanded local engagement through events and marketing. Councilors welcomed the focus on reconnection with longtime residents and on using event programming to activate underused blocks; the presentation was informational and no council votes were taken.","Mallory, the new executive director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, briefed council on downtown metrics, volunteer economic impact and plans to increase local engagement through events and marketing campaigns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6289698,"Visit Walla Walla reports flat occupancy, highlights short‑term rental and targeted marketing gains",1969,185000,2154000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf&start=185&end=2154","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532169-1adc1a0ad4c8ce1d7b1e67e932ab3fcf/thumbnail_185000.jpg","/articles/6289698/Walla-Walla/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/Visit-Walla-Walla-reports-flat-occupancy-highlights-shortterm-rental-and-targeted-marketing-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6289698-b1b4e35c30e0ee6217af836da413ce50/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200076&Signature=Sd0nufj7ft8lYdPfizmGVi6oOmBnvGRc7RQStnfUuaN-VamSjn~CrHhvxDYjkF7gjmqQcX8l0xD~5IQI3fms7nJNAmW8oZ~QaibTVqOymmnC3Wi~57fNV7B7iOCQgy2dioSa3BR9zh-jLZk414Amb4ZS7ZVSqh1jsDWmBvJktoZUR8jgDGNzBRFpQX6sHwak0cOx7QKZ~XfYjGYWKph~uXY1D-seZ1Sa6ELbagcVDjArgcF-rKtALktirhZiSXtLr2GASUEY-2DuT4rzzY1De91UXZ6GrcjoghAw2~2zPKU2XJe3aIVBESr95C~Oe~oWayThlV3sy4CeUXBtobLJlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Guy Glazer of Visit Walla Walla presented the organization’s annual report to the Walla Walla City Council on Feb. 24, outlining 2024 lodging and marketing data and new tools for tracking short‑term rentals.

Glazer said overall occupancy was “about flat” year over year and that Visit Walla Walla has started measuring short‑term rentals through a subscription service, which showed an average of 328 short‑term rental units in the valley and roughly 2.23 rooms per rental. \"We have an extra 700 rooms that are short term rentals,\" Glazer said, describing the conversion of those listings into a citywide capacity estimate.

The presentation gave numeric context for visitor spending and marketing. Glazer said the organization used a conservative average daily visitor spend estimate of $207, and a conservative average hotel daily rate of $140 (he said an actual rate nearer $160 is likely). He described earned media activity that produced 615 curated pieces of content in 2024 with an estimated advertising-equivalent value of about $2.6 million; Visit Walla Walla’s share of the paid/earned program was roughly $55,000, he said.

Glazer also described a targeted digital advertising program run with the platform Datify. He said the program cost about $140,000 and could be explicitly linked to 6.4% of local hotel occupancy attributable to that campaign; the organization estimated those ad-attributed rooms represented roughly $1.8 million in revenue and said the campaign produced a roughly 13:1 return on dollars spent.

On markets and destination priorities, Glazer said Spokane and Seattle remain the largest sources of overnight and day‑trip visitors and that the organization is shifting marketing to those drive markets. He described destination development work—film liaison activity with Washington Filmworks, an agritourism mapping tool funded via an RTS grant, and a 2026 multi‑day cycling event being planned with Whitman College and Bicycle Rides Northwest—as efforts to broaden the visitor base beyond wine tourism.

Glazer summarized collaborative marketing projects with the Walla Walla Wine Alliance, a pooled 12‑month ad calendar and hotel/hospitality partnerships such as hotel‑hotel meeting coordination and the Walla Walla Wine on Tour retail partnerships. He said Visit Walla Walla is considering owned media projects such as a podcast and that PR, earned media and repeated influencer hosting remain central tactics.

Councilors asked about demographic targeting, the status of film projects, and the role of short‑term rentals in capacity planning. Glazer said short‑term rental night counts and the Datify platform improved the organization’s ability to measure and target visitors, but cautioned that short‑term rental inventory fluctuates when owners take units off market for personal use.

The presentation included workplan examples (a wander map, agritourism filters, trail data collaboration with Blue Mountain Land Trust) and described ongoing coordination with the Port of Walla Walla and hotel partners. No council action or vote was taken; the item was presented for information and council members were invited to submit follow‑up questions through staff.

Glazer: \"The average daily visitor spend is $207,\" and \"earned media is a way more valuable pillar than paid media,\" he said during the presentation.

Ending

Visit Walla Walla’s briefing emphasized measurement improvements and tactical shifts toward regional drive markets while preserving the wine industry partnership. Councilors had questions about demographic segmentation, outdoor‑recreation development and the specifics of marketing partnerships; staff will follow up on data requests and next steps.","Visit Walla Walla told the city council its 2024 visitation was roughly flat compared with the following year but flagged new short‑term rental data, a $207 average daily visitor spend estimate and targeted digital ads that the organization says drove occupancy gains.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City outlines fleet replacement program; staff says 2025–26 will include 66 scheduled replacements

New Downtown Walla Walla Foundation executive director outlines data‑driven strategies to connect locals and support businesses

Visit Walla Walla reports flat occupancy, highlights short‑term rental and targeted marketing gains