Tacoma City Council Meeting - April 23, 2013

The meeting started off with the last-minute addition of a couple items: Ordinance 28146, pertaining to the issuance and sale of electric system bonds, and Resolution 38661, pertaining to parking agreements related to the recent announcement that State Farm will be opening offices in downtown Tacoma.

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Strickland proclaimed April 26, 2013 as Domestic Violence Awareness Day, and asked everyone to pause at noon on that day to remember Crystal Judson, and recognize that domestic violence is everyone’s responsibility.

PUBLIC COMMENT

No comment.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38658 Awarding contracts to:

 

1. L.N. Curtis & Sons, on its bid of $617,400.00, plus sales tax, budgeted from the General Fund and the EMS Special Revenue Fund, for protective jackets and trousers for structural firefighting, for an initial three-year term with the option to renew for two additional one-year terms – Specification No. FD12-0750F;[Bruce Bouyer, Captain; James Duggan, Chief, Tacoma Fire]

 

2. General Microsystems Incorporated, in the amount of $428,688.72, plus sales tax, for a cumulative total of $880,428.00, budgeted from the Information Systems Fund, to increase and extend the contract for enterprise storage area maintenance through May 31, 2015 – Specification No. IT11-0066F; and[Jack Kelanic, Assistant Director; Michelle Lewis-Hodges, Director, Information Technology]

 

3. Republic Parking NW, Inc., in the amount of $1,562,808.00, plus sales tax, for a cumulative total of $8,471,208.00, budgeted from the Parking Enterprise Fund, to increase and extend the contract for operation and management of municipal parking garages and lots, from May 1, 2013 through May 31, 2014 –Specification No. PW08-0113F.[Chris Larson, Engineering Division Manager; Kurtis Kingsolver, Interim Director, Public Works]

In response to a question from Councilmember Ibsen, staff clarified that the consolidation of City parking operations covered by item 3 is anticipated to result in a savings of $400,000, which will go towards closing the larger parking fund shortfall of roughly $5 million.

Resolution No. 38659 Authorizing the execution of a Multi-Family Housing Eight-Year Limited Property Tax Exemption Agreement with Signature Investments, LLC, for the development of ten multi-family market-rate rental housing units located at 4031-4033 South Puget Sound Avenue in the Tacoma Mall Mixed-Use Center.[James Colburn, Associate Planner; Ricardo Noguera, Director, Community and Economic Development]

The proposed development will fill the existing vacant property with 10 new market rate rental units, scheduled for completion by fall 2014. The 1,078-square-foot units would be two-bedroom, 2.25-bath, with garages for $1,050 a month. The eight-year tax exemption will apply to the residential improvement value of the development, while the value of the unimproved land will continue to be taxed. At the end of the eight years, the full value of the properties will become taxable.

Resolution No. 38660 Authorizing the execution of a collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 483, Court Clerk’s Unit, which covers 26.8 budgeted, full-time positions effective January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2015. [Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

This is a tri-party agreement between the union, the City of Tacoma, and the municipal court, with the City responsible for wages, and court responsible for working conditions. The resolution passed without Council comment.

Resolution No. 38661 Ratifying the parking agreements entered into with Neil Walter LLC and 909 A Street, LLC.

The resolution accepts two agreements for a total of 805 parking permits for State Farm employees. The agreement with Neil Walter, LLC would allow State Farm employees to park in A Street, North Park, and Pacific Plaza parking garages beginning January 2014 through December 2018, with the option to renew through 2023. The 552 permits covered by that agreement would begin at $115 per month per permit, with built in increases up to $129 per month through 2023. The agreement with 909 A Street, LLC would begin October 2013 through December 2018, with the option to renew through 2023. The 253 permits covered by that agreement would begin at $60 per month per permit, with built in increases up to $88 per month through 2023. There will continue to be access for short-term parking use. The deals wil generate nearly $4 million in the first four years, which will go to cutting the projected parking fund shortfall in half.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28144 Amending Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to implement rates of pay and compensation for employees represented by the Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, covering 19 budgeted, full-time positions assigned to Tacoma Public Utilities, Tacoma Rail Division.[Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

The ordinance passed without comment.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28145 Amending Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to implement rates of pay and compensation for employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 483, Court Clerk’s Unit, which covers 26.8 budgeted, full-time positions. [Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

The ordinance would implement the earlier resolution.

Ordinance No. 28146 Providing for the issuance and sale of the City’s electric system revenue and refunding bonds series 2013, not to exceed $375,000,000, to provide funds to finance capital improvements and to allow for the option to refund or defease a portion of the City’s outstanding electric system bonds, and appointing the City’s designated representative to approve the final terms of the sale of the bonds.

At this point the plan is for the issuance of $240 million of bonds, which would fund capital projects, refund outstanding bonds for savings and debt restructuring, and fund the defeasance of 2005B and 2007 bonds. The financing structure is designed to fund the capital budget, taking advantage of current low interest rates by refunding bonds, and maintain consistant and stable utility rates for customers in the future. Staff will meet with ratings agencies, but the expectation is that the current AA rating will continue.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER

Nothing to report.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Economic Development Committee – Deputy Mayor Campbell reported on the work of the committee.

 

• Heard an update from the Institute for Environmental Research in Education on lifecycle assessment initiatives, pursuant to Resolution No. 38188.

 

• Received an overview of Tier 1 property disposition.

 

• Received an annual review of the Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training Program, and issued a do pass to reauthorize LEAP, including recommended changes.

 

• Heard how Tacoma is performing on a number of key indicators in the first of what will be a quarterly report to the committee.

  Councilmember Campbell also thanked everyone who worked on the State Farm deal.

Councilmember Boe had a couple items to share.

 

• May is Bike Month, and you can get ready by attending the Bike Swap at the University of Puget Sound this Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Buy a new bike, attend a workshop, etc. Boe is also issuing his annual challenge to his fellow council members to bike to work in the month of May, with an offer for a personal Boe bike escort from work to downtown.

 

• In Pacific Avenue Streetscape news, there will be a mixer at Tacoma Cabana this Thursday, April 25 from 5 to 6 p.m. to discuss changes of scope and schedule for the project as work begins on the west side of Pacific. (And if anything can get you excited to discuss streetscape work, the rum drinks at Tacoma Cabana might just do the trick)

Deputy Mayor Campbell added a couple more items.

 

• He plans on joining Boe in biking in May.

 

• Campbell also acknowledged the members of the Salishan Youth Leaders group who came out to participate in how city government works

Mayor Strickland announced the upcoming Monday mixer on development inTacoma. On May 29 at 5 p.m. roperty owners, potential developers, and those interested in investing in Tacoma are invited to a conversation and mixer at the Hotel Murano.

Councilmember Woodards was absent.

ADJOURNMENT

Another quickie of a meeting clocking in at 35 minutes. On a note related to Domestic Violence Awareness Day this week, today is the YWCA Pierce County’s annual luncheon.