Tacoma City Business Preview - Week of January 29, 2013

It’s a pretty short agenda this week. That said, we are looking forward to hearing more about the progress on the donation of BNSF Prairie Line property to the City.

Utility Rates
This week the City Council has a joint study session with the Public Utility Board to discuss Tacoma Power and Tacoma Water Rates. Tacoma Power and Water staff will provide information on their rate planning.

Following that session, the Council study session will discuss Environmental Services utility rates. Environmental Services Department staff will share information related to the General Government utility rate planning.

BNSF Property Agreements
The second item on this week’s study session agenda is a little more interesting: staff will present information on proposed City of Tacoma/BNSF Railway Company property agreements. The first agreement would grant access across Tacoma Water property to connect BNSF properties in south Tacoma.

The second relates to the donation of the property for the Prairie Line Trail to the City of Tacoma. This would be the property between South 26th and South 15th extending out from (but not including) the UWT section of the Prairie Line Trail. This donation would give the City the land to continue the improvements of the bicycle and pedestrian corridor for a few blocks through the Brewery District, and then downhill from UWT campus, past the Tacoma Art Museum and the United Way building, ultimately completing the connection to the waterfront.

Operating Agreements
Two resolutions this week would authorize operating agreements for services with local nonprofits.

The first resolution would authorize $420,000 for the Housing First Chronic Homelessness Project, operated by Tacoma’s Metropolitan Development Council. The “Housing First” model is intended to help eliminate homeless encampments in the city by quickly providing housing to individuals living in open encampments or on Tacoma’s streets. Once housed, individuals are provided with other services to help them move towards more stable housing. This contract with MDC covers housing and case management services for the 2013-14 biennium, funded out of the mental health sales tax passed last year.

Another resolution on this week’s agenda would authorize $450,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound for the operation of the Topping HOPE Center in South Tacoma.

Proclamations & Announcements
The Mayor will proclaim February 1, 2013, as “Go Red Day” in the City of Tacoma, and will announce the 2013 Tacoma Reads Together book selection.

Final Readings
The Council will hear the final readings of two ordinances this week. The first will renew a telecommunications franchise, and set conditions for that agreement. The first reading was January 8. The second ordinance would make changes to the benefits plan for certain represented City employees, as discussed last week.

Purchase Resolution
Two items on this week’s purchase resolution:

 
1. $3,430,156 budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for the replacement of approximately 10,500 linear feet of existing wastewater sewer pipe and approximately 800 linear feet of stormwater sewer pipe located at North 43rd Street to Ruby Street from Pearl Street to Baltimore Street; and

 
2. $120,000, plus sales tax, for a cumulative total of $538,000, budgeted from various departmental funds, to increase the contract for auto accident management services on an as-needed basis through December 31, 2013.

Item 1 is another page out of the continuing saga of replacing Tacoma’s aging wastewater infrastructure. The deteriorated wastewater pipes that would be replaced with this resolution were installed over 80 years ago, require recurring maintenance
The pipes have exceeded their design life, require recurring maintenance and repairs, and are at risk of failure. If they were to fail, the result would be sewer overflows of untreated wastewater into Commencement Bay, and possibly into basements of adjacent buildings. Ew.

Item 2 would fund a contract that provides every facet of accident management from electronic initial reporting through returning the vehicle to service.