City Council Meeting- April 22, 2008
This evenings City Council meeting stirred up some passions.
- A proclamation was made for Tacoma being recognized as a Tree City USA for its urban forests. In celebration of the grand re-opening of Wright Park, a community event will be held on May 10, 1-3pm. The Mayor declared May 10 to be Arbor Day. Also, if any neighborhoods are interested in getting free trees from the City contact Jennifer at 591-5511.
- There wasn’t any public comment, instead everyone saved their opinions for the public hearing.
- The Tacoma Housing Authority was granted the authority to become a Public Corporation in conjunction with the City, in order to move forward on the acquiring and operating of the Rhodes Center building. (Previously on Exit133)
- Ordinance 27709 was (finally) passed. This created an LID for the conversion of existing overhead utilities to underground utilities along Stadium Way from the intersection of Stadium Way and Borough Road northwesterly to the dead end. Residents have been waiting for this for quite some time.
- The public hearing tonight was filled with passionate speakers. It was about the recent decision by the Human Services Commission to recommend funding not be renewed at some of the well respected homeless shelters. The recommendations are a result of a new competitive funding application process created to better fill the Council’s expectations of the Commission. Many spoke out about the impact the loss of funding would have on the shelters and their populations, several spoke out in thanks from the New Pheobe House for receiving more money to continue their work. The Council made it clear this is not the end of the discussion and decisions haven’t been made. Councilmember Julie Anderson asked staff to “think outside the box” to solve this problem. The issue will be on the May 6th agenda for voting.
That’s all for tonight.
R.R.?
Filed under: City Council, Legislation, City Government
7 comments
E Erik B. April 22, 2008
Many spoke out about the impact the loss of funding would have on the shelters and their populations, several spoke out in thanks from the New Pheobe House for receiving more money to continue their work.
Whitney,
Doesn’t it all break even between the social service entities?
Some were reduced but others increased based on the independent ranking of them?
D drizell April 22, 2008
“The Tacoma Housing Authority was granted the authority to become a Public Corporation in conjunction with the City, in order to move forward on the acquiring and operating of the Rhodes Center building. (Previously on Exit133)”
I was vacationing in Oregon last weekend and had a very bad dream about this. The Tacoma Housing Authority turned the Rhodes into a big drug manufacturing house, kind of like the Carter apartment building in the film New Jack City. The whole intent was to raise funds so that the THA could buy out the rest of downtown and turn it into one big slum. Of course, the City Council was okay with all of this because none of them actually care about Tacoma anyway.
C crenshaw sepulveda April 23, 2008
I’m not sure I can respond to this, drizell, and maintain the high standards of this fine blog.
J J. Cote April 23, 2008
drizell,
At what elevation were you while in Oregon? Certain medications can be effected by higher altitude.
Relax, drink a can of pear nectar (chilled, of course) an hour before bed and all will clear by morning.
C crenshaw sepulveda April 23, 2008
You have to wonder how drizell can hold any position of public responsibility with with the kind of thinking evidenced in his above comment.
D drizell April 23, 2008
I can’t explain it, but like I said, it was a BAD DREAM. Meaning I don’t wish it to occur and I certainly hope it’s not the truth. Most of my dreams involving Tacoma are good ones. Instead of being the drab, soulless city it is, Tacoma is a thriving, creative, culturally rich metropolis. I’ve had visions of driving southbound on I-5 and making the big curve toward Tacoma and seeing a row of gleaming skyscrapers punctuating the skyline. I’ve seen attractive neighborhoods filled with creative people supporting their neighborhood businesses.
Too often, those in positions of public responsibility lack any sort of vision that can help make their jurisdiction a better place.
N notagain April 23, 2008
Shame on you for ganging up on drizell. I can see where that concern is coming from, and it must be acknowledged.
As for the best news of the week, namely “..the recent decision by the Human Services Commission to recommend funding not be renewed at some of the well respected homeless shelters,” the most important aspect of that decision was that the shelters are barriers to their clients’ participation in the road home program. Shelters have become squatter camps with walls and they are now more interested in perpetuating homelessness to keep their grants coming than in solving it.