Tacoma City Council Meeting - March 27, 2012

This week’s City Council meeting wasn’t as contentious as some have been recently, possibly because it was short on budget-related items.  We did, however, get some good Tacoma history lessons on icons from our city’s past. 

CONSENT AGENDA

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Strickland made three proclamations this week:

The first was a proclamation naming March 30, 2012 to be R. Merle Palmer Minority Scholar Day in the City of Tacoma.  The Palmer Scholars program has provided scholarships and mentorship to help more than 250 diverse students from Pierce County graduate from college since 1983.  Palmer Scholars have a graduation rate of over 90%.

The second recognized Allen J. Correll for his work advancing and protecting human rights with Tacoma’s first Human Rights Champion Award.  Correll was, among other things, a retired Human Rights Director for the City of Tacoma, and a consultant to the White House on civil rights issues.  Mayor Strickland’s called him “someone very special to our community,” and Councilmember Woodards described Correll as “a giant, not only in stature…, but in the community.”  Correll passed away earlier this year.

The third and final proclamation recognized retiring Fire Chief Ron Stephens for his 35 years of leadership and service to Tacoma.  Several members of the community came forward to say a word about Stephens, including former Mayor Karen Vialle, who thanked the Chief for his part in making Tacoma’s the “best fire department in the country.”

PUBLIC COMMENT
The bulk of public comment tonight came from speakers sharing their thanks for the naming of Clay Huntington Way (the section of Cheyenne Street leading from South 19th to Cheney Stadium).  Several speakers, including former Mayor Baarsma gave brief histories and personal memories of Huntington’s many years of involvement in Tacoma (Ahhh … do you remember when we used to get a history lesson every week?) The only other comment was a brief explanation of the resolutions on the agenda pertaining to bringing new categories of City employees into the represented category after a two year process.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38457 Awards a contract to: RedZone Robotics, Inc., on its bid of $250,000, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for the one-time purchase of five RedZone Robotics SOLO Robots, software, support equipment, applicable licenses, and training for use in sewer collection system inspections – Specification No. PW12-0057F. [Kenneth Tross, Sewer Maintenance Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

“There must be a question about robots…?”  No, sadly for us, there was no discussion of the robots.

Resolution No. 38458 Renames the 1900 block of South Cheyenne Street to “Clay Huntington Way.” [Reuben McKnight, Historic Preservation Officer; Ryan Petty, Director, Community and Economic Development]

This resolution, naming the section of Cheyenne Street leading from South 19th Street to Cheney Stadium comes just in time for the opening game of the Tacoma Rainiers 2012 season on April 5.

Resolution No. 38459 Authorizes execution of a Letter of Agreement with the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, AFSCME, Local 120, to transition the classifications of Business Analyst I, II, and III into the bargaining unit, affecting approximately 28 budgeted, full-time positions. [Mike Brock, Labor Negotiator; Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

Resolution No. 38460 Authorizes the execution of a Letter of Agreement with the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, AFSCME, Local 120, to transition the classifications of Broadband Services Technician and Broadband Services Technician Lead into the bargaining unit, affecting approximately 8 budgeted, full-time positions. [Mike Brock, Labor Negotiator; Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

Resolution No. 38461 Authorizes the execution of an agreement with the Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society, in the decreased amount of $494,600, budgeted from the General Fund, for animal shelter, licensing, and related services for the year 2012.[Captain Charles Taylor, Tacoma Police Department (TPD); Chief Don Ramsdell, TPD]

The Humane Society will be funded this year at a significantly decreased rate.  The presentation included a discussion of their efforts at increasing efficiency, and on decreases in numbers of animals needing homes, due to the shelter’s proactive spay/neuter program, which doesn’t turn away any pet owner looking to have their animal fixed. 

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28058 Continues the downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) for the 25th year; providing for the levy of assessments and other income, in the amount of $822,665; and approving the renewed work plan, budget, and assessment of rates from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013. [Bob Levin, Private Capital Division Manager; Ryan Petty, Director, Community and Economic Development]

Mayor Strickland recused herself on this one, as she’s a property owner downtown

Ordinance No. 28059 Amends Chapter 12.09 of the Municipal Code, relating to Solid Waste, Recycling, and Hazardous Waste, to clarify the definition of solid waste to include unwanted vegetation or debris and abandoned or junk vehicles or parts on City-owned property and improved rights-of-way. [Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28060 Amending Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to implement rates of pay and compensation for certain classifications transitioning into the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, AFSCME, Local 120. [Mike Brock, Labor Negotiator; Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

Ordinance No. 28061 Amending Chapter 1.30 of the Municipal Code, relating to Retirement and Pensions, to add a new section to allow registered domestic partners to receive the same retirement benefits as spouses. [Monica Butler, Director, Retirement]

This ordinance proposes changes to allow “terms that apply to marriage” also to apply to domestic partners.  Changes requiring this in 2014 are on their way, and the City wants to get out in front of those.  The changes won’t be significant, but will make a few minor changes to benefits that aren’t available to domestic partners currently.

Ordinance No. 28062 Amending Chapter 1.30 of the Municipal Code, relating to Retirement and Pensions, to require City employees entering the Tacoma Employees’ Retirement System after June 1, 2012, to complete five years of service as a member of the Retirement System prior to applying for disability retirement. [Monica Butler, Director, Retirement]

This change relates to portability and eligibility of benefits.  The ordinance would close a loophole that currently allows for an unlikely, but potentially costly benefit that Tacoma might be required to pay an employee who had not worked for the City for very long, but was a “dual member” with another municipality’s retirement system…

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER
March 30 is the deadline for kids to submit posters for EnviroChallenger program reflecting what they’ve learned from that program.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Neighborhoods and Housing Committee

Councilmember Ibsen reminded us that the Proctor Saturday Farmers’ Market resumes its weekly schedule starting this Saturday, March 31.

Councilmember Boe made his weekly plug for the Tacoma Sister Cities International Film Festival (this Thursday the featured film at the Blue Mouse is White Wedding, from George, South Africa), and for La Bohème, this weekend from the Tacoma Opera

Mayor Strickland closed out the meeting, reminding us that this Thursday, March 29, at 10:00 a.m. you can volunteer with the Community Planting event at the Chinese Reconciliation Park

ADJOURNMENT

So, there you have it.