Remarks by Jim Kastama
67 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 3
- Play at 2:14:17
“Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just only two items. One of them is that I know the community has had several requests. Sounds like a very small point, but I just want people to know about it. When I would speak at the senior center on a monthly basis, people always ask for dance classes in Puyallup. And I just want people to know they're finally here. This Thursday the 3rd, they're starting dance classes at the senior center at 730 at night. I've already signed up. My wife and I have. I just want to make that announcement to the community. I know people don't think it's that significant, but I wanted…”
City Council · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 40:53
“So moved. I am, Mr. Mayor, I am sorry. I have identified myself in the queue and I was waiting to be called.”
City Council · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 41:08
“Yes, I move that a public hearing actually would take place on the 15th, not September 1st as specified. in the underlying resolution. And this would allow us to go ahead and have that public hearing while the school has opened. And keep in mind, that is just a public hearing. And if there is a first reading, that will be At that moment and then two weeks later, which would be about a month past this date here, we would be looking at potential second reading. And I think that that would just be a wiser approach at this stage. So that's the motion. Second.”
City Council · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 50:53
“So just clarification, Mr. Mayor. Do we want to show the video tonight? Is that the request? Or did it be distributed to all of us? Because I would gladly have it distributed to me, and I will watch it. But I don't know if technically it's possible for that to happen, if that is so your request.”
City Council · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 52:00
“Mr. Mayor, just clarify what the motion is. Is it to see the video now? Yes. OK, that's fine.”
City Council · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 1:33:55
“Councilmember Castema. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate you reading that letter from Puget Sound Energy from Christine Non. I think it's very important that the citizens of Puyallup understand some of the changes that are coming about. But what she didn't go into was the fact that we're going to see significant rate increases in the city of Puyallup. I went to the The UTC request, that's Utilities Transportation Commission, which Puget Sound Energy, it's a private company, but they are governed or they are controlled by a public entity that's the Utilities Transportation…”
City Council · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 43:00
“So we're kind of following the same pattern. Excuse me, Mr. Mayor. This is out of hand. You need to monitor this meeting. This brings us back to... They're accusing us being Nazis and it's out of hand. What? No, no, no. Not you, sir. No. You're implying that. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for taking control. Sorry.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:28:20
“Thank you. Boy, Bill, a question I have for you. You know, as Mayor of Sumner, you talked about partnerships, but I noticed that there is no MOU with Sumner. What's up with that?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:29:19
“Stacy, thank you for coming here. Appreciate that. I assume, can you get us a P&L?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:29:26
“I would appreciate that. My email is pretty easy to find. I would appreciate that. So let me ask you, you mentioned you get government grants. What percentage of your income is by government grants as opposed to private contributions?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:30:25
“Thank you. The number of volunteers, do you have volunteers who help you? 215 active. How many of those are from Puyallup? Just curious.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:30:38
“That would be a good number yet. How do you screen people to see who is eligible for these services?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:31:25
“Okay, so there's no verification of that. But if they say that they're, so I assume if they self-identify a certain income and they're above a threshold, you don't serve them.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:31:50
“Where do you say, sorry, you make too much money?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:32:29
“So in other words, you just take anyone regardless of income?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:32:40
“Even if they declare, I make $100,000 a year, you would still serve them?”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:32:50
“You would hope. Yeah. But you have no threshold, though. In other words, self-declaring at 100,000, you're leaving it up to the person to say, I'm not going to get the food.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:33:05
“Right. And those are federal requirements. I got that. Are you familiar with our city's community grants program? I am, yes.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:33:16
“I have not. OK, that is a way to vet all of these numbers, your P&L, and go through all of that. And that's what we make everybody in Puyallup do. I mean, we happen to have the largest independent food bank in the state of Washington, which is right over there next to the train station. And then we also have St. Francis House, which has pantry, food pantry there. And in those circumstances, they have to come before us every year through the Community Grants Program, where we do a very close analysis of your P&L and, again, service numbers here. And then we give a grant from there. And I would…”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:35:13
“Do you mind if I ask a question? Absolutely.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:35:23
“I don't know the exact numbers, but I would say that they're open on Saturdays. And I think that also, considering how much community support they have here, they're all funded by funders from here. They don't get government grants. other than that $20,000 our food bank does. That's all they get from the government. Everything else is from private sector and personal contributions. So that's the kind of support level they have. And we would certainly, if we're looking like I think Bill Pew mentioned the fact that Sumner's now expanded their hours, We have partnerships right now that are fully…”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:36:35
“But I am a former director right here. I suggest it's probably pretty high.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:36:57
“I think they solicit that $20 million from the private sector, and they don't go to the government sector because of many of the regulations that you just mentioned. And they have the ability to identify people in need, I think, of income groups. And actually, Stacy, this is really a good conversation. We should get the president of the St. Francis House and the director and food bank We should get presentations from them, too. And I look forward to us doing that. Usually, again, the process is all vetted through our community grants program. That's what I would prefer. But I think some of…”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:38:15
“I get that. I agree. And I would think that since they target by income, because they're able to do that, that they would address a lot of those people and target it as opposed to giving it blanket and adhering to the federal guidelines. But if there's a gap... We should talk about that, but that gap, again, what we're looking for in Puyallup is we're not looking for dependency. We're looking to help people make through areas of their life and become self-reliant. And so that does require that we look at the current situation where they're at income-wise, etc., And again, I don't mind…”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 1:39:16
“Thank you. Appreciate that. That finishes my comments.”
City Council · Jul 14, 2026