Management and Staff

hot topics

The LOTT Alliance currently employs 63 people at two separate work sites, the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant and the Administrative Office. There are four separate divisions, which include Administration, Planning and Programs, Engineering, and Facilities.

Approximately two-thirds of LOTT’s employees work in the Facilities Division. They are assigned to Facilities Management or to the Operations, Maintenance, or Process Sections. Each section has a variety of positions ranging from entry level to highly skilled journey-level workers, as well as support and supervisory staff. Thirty-five of the facilities employees are represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) labor union.

The other one-third of the staff is based in LOTT’s Administrative Office, including the Executive Director. The Administration, Engineering, and Planning and Programs Division employees provide finance, community relations, planning, environmental compliance, human resources, network administration, legal, engineering, and construction management support.

LOTT’s size and organizational structure require employees to perform duties that, in a larger organization, would typically be assigned to more than one individual. For this reason, LOTT staff members often perform multiple specialized functions.

Meet the Management Team

Michael D. Strub P.E.
Executive Director
(360) 528-5702

Mike Strub has been the Executive Director for the LOTT Alliance since 2002. As Executive Director, he carries out the policies of the Board of Directors and is primarily responsible to the Board of Directors for the overall management of LOTT's administrative and business affairs, operational and permitted responsibilities, implementation of the Wastewater Resource Management Plan, intergovernmental relations, capital and long-range planning efforts, and other activities related to carrying out the mission of the LOTT Alliance. Mike has been involved in public infrastructure design, construction, and management for over 30 years. He is a registered civil engineer, holds a Masters degree in engineering management, and has done post graduate work in utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) for predictive utility planning. Mike is a member of the Rotary Club of Olympia, and a member of the Board of Directors and the Treasurer for South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity. Previously, he was the Public Works Director in Rapid City, South Dakota and spent many years in the private sector as a utility consultant.

Karla Fowler
Planning and Programs Director
(360) 528-5712

Karla Fowler joined LOTT full-time in 1996. As Director of Planning and Programs for the LOTT Alliance, she is responsible for overall management of Public Information and Involvement, Reclaimed Water Programs, Wastewater Flow Reduction, Environmental Evaluations, Agency Planning, Regulatory Permitting, Industrial Pretreatment, and Biosolids Management. Prior to joining LOTT, Karla co-owned and managed a public relations consulting firm for 12 years, specializing in government clients and environmental projects. She worked as a consultant on several LOTT projects during that time. Karla holds a BA Degree in Radio-TV-Film and an MA in Library Science (Instructional Media emphasis), both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a member of the WateReuse Association, Water Environment Federation (WEF), Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association (PNCWA), and PNCWA's Water Reuse Committee. Karla has been a member of the West Olympia Rotary Club since 1990, and served as Club President for the 2006-2007 year.

Laurie Pierce
Facilities Director
(360) 528-5727

Laurie Pierce became Facilities Director for LOTT in 2005. As Facilities Director, Laurie is responsible for managing the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant, Hawks Prairie Reclaimed Water Satellite, three pump stations and over 100 acres of property owned by LOTT. Laurie also manages two-thirds of LOTT's work force, the annual Operating and Maintenance Budget for all LOTT facilities, and compliance with all regulatory issues relating to our State NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) and Reclaimed Water Permits. Laurie began her career at LOTT in 1991 when she was hired as an Apprentice Operator with the City of Olympia. She spent the next 14 years learning her craft while serving in a variety of positions at the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant. Prior to becoming Facilities Director, she served as Operator I from 1993-1996, Maintenance Worker II from 1996-1997, Lead Operator from 1997-2002, and Operations Supervisor from 2002-2005. Laurie is currently working to complete her Bachelor's Degree in Business Management.

Brian Topolski P.E.
Engineering Director
(360) 528-5703

Brian Topolski became the Engineering Manager for LOTT in 2000. He came to LOTT in 1991 as the project engineer for the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant nitrogen-removal upgrade. At LOTT he has had unique opportunities to lead several major expansion projects including the Outfall upgrade, the Southern Connection interceptor system, the Capitol Lake Pump Station and the Hawks Prairie Satellite Reclaimed Water Projects. Brian graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee with a degree in Civil/Sanitary Engineering in 1981. During his schooling, he worked as an intern with engineering firms in Chicago and Nashville. Brian has been a licensed professional engineer for 20 years. Brian has worked in wastewater his entire career, including wastewater projects in Tacoma, Pierce County, and Seattle as a consulting engineer and an engineer for the State Department of Ecology. He has also been an active member of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) for 20 years.

Rick Hughes
Administrative Director / General Counsel
(360) 528-5711

Rick Hughes has worked as LOTT's General Counsel since 2004. As General Counsel, Rick provides legal services, oversees land acquisition, supervises human resources, and is LOTT's labor negotiator. In October of 2006, Rick became LOTT's Administrative Director in addition to his General Counsel duties. Rick's duties as Administrative Director include oversight of finance, procurement, payroll, administrative services, insurance, and network administration. Rick has practiced law since 1987. He earned a Juris Doctor cum laude from Tulsa University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics cum laude from Southern Oregon University. He has been a partner in a 103 year-old law firm, a judge pro tem, court-appointed arbitrator, and a tenured college professor (legal studies). Rick has also been an elected city council person and planning commissioner. In 2004, Rick wrote a college textbook for those entering the legal profession. He authored the chapter on "damages" in a current Washington State Bar Deskbook, as well as several law journal articles. Rick is a 2006 graduate of the Lead Thurston County program. He sits on the Board of Directors of “Together,” a non-profit dedicated to promoting positive youth development in Thurston County.