Tacoma City Council Meeting - April 3, 2012

After a disappointing lack of robot conversation at last week’s council meeting, we were surprised this week to get some real conversation about the BearCat SWAT trucks. So real, in fact, that the purchase resolution was held over until next week after questions during public comment. It’s not every week that we see that.

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Resolution No. 38462 Sets Tuesday, April 17, 2012, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council on proposed amendments to the Land Use Regulatory Code regarding the preservation and enhancement of public and private natural areas throughout the City, as recommended by the Planning Commission. [Stephen Atkinson, Associate Planner; Ryan Petty, Director, Community and Economic Development]

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
One (much anticipated) proclamation, one presentation this week.

Mayor Strickland proclaimed Friday, April 6, 2012 to be Frost Park Chalk Day in Tacoma, and encouraged all residents to join in. This Friday will be the first of the 2012 Frost Park Fridays series, which has been going on for five years now, since an ambitions and artistic group of concerned citizens took over the park to preserve it as a public space. You can join the action every Friday from noon to 1:00 p.m. RR Anderson of chalk art and cartoonist infamy made a short statement accepting the proclamation. He shared the following statement with us on this momentous occasion:

This is a tremendous day. I’m very happy to have learned about proclamation forms! I’m mostly excited to see all the chalkies up there #Occupying the dias… we’re the 99% of sidewalk chalk artists busting our fingers for everyday civilian pedestrians to have a genuine personal encounter with art and real artists for free. WAKE UP MUTANTS! It’s Friday in America.

Indeed.

Following the chalk-lamation, we heard a presentation from the 2012 Daffodil Festival court of princesses. Each of the girls came forward to share a little about her plans for the future. It’s a bunch of very ambitious and poised young ladies, but we have to give special credit to the princess whose post-graduation plans include becoming President of the United States. To take a cue from this year’s Daffodil Festival theme: “don’t stop believing.”

PUBLIC COMMENT
There was only one commenter this week, who spoke with what sounded like well-informed authority on the question of the purchase order for the Lenco BearCat Armored SWAT Truck. Tim Smith had questions for the City on how we came to decide to purchase this particular vehicle, and requested that the Council hold over the resolution until next week pending further examination.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38463 Awards contracts to:

 
1. Anthony Construction Company, Inc., in the amount of $114,313.00, including sales tax, budgeted from the Streets Special Revenue Fund, for a cumulative contract total of $310,000.21, to increase the contract for additional work related to the 739 Broadway Local Improvement District Structural Sidewalk Replacement project – Specification No. PW11-0453F [Chris Larson, Engineering Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]; and

 
2. Lenco Armored Vehicles, in the amount of $341,024.00, plus sales tax, budgeted from the TPD Grant Fund, for a one-time purchase of a 2012 Lenco BearCat armored swat truck – General Services Administration (GSA) Contract No. GS-07F-0390M. [Sergeant Chris Travis, Special Investigations; Chief Don Ramsdell, Tacoma Police Department]

Based on questions raised during public comment, Councilmember Boe moved that the resolution be split into two items, and that the second (pertaining to the SWAT vehicle) be held pending further information. As there is no time crunch to get it in before then, we’ll be hearing about it again next week. What we know at this point is that the funding would come from a Port Security grant, and no general fund dollars would be needed. According to the explanation of the request:

This vehicle will enhance Homeland Security resources of the Tacoma Police Department. Lenco Armored Vehicles is the only manufacturer of the BearCat, has proprietary armored design and is built to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosives (CBRNE) specifications.

TPD does already have an armored vehicle, but it sounds like this new vehicle is supposed to provide capability to respond to types of events beyond the capability of the existing truck. We have to admit to not being up on our SWAT vehicle specs, so we’ll leave it at that.

Item #1 passed.

Resolution No. 38464 Directs the proper officers of the City to appoint applicant agents for the submittal of requests for public assistance grants to the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, for partial reimbursement of repair costs for damage resulting from the severe storm of January 2012 in three Washington State counties. [Mike Fitzgerald, Fire Department Manager; Interim Chief Jim Duggan, Tacoma Fire Department]

This resolution will allow the City to apply for federal grants to help with costs due directly to Snowmaggedon 2012. The funds are only available to governments, and could cover up to 75% of qualifying projects. Staff has identified 12 potentially eligible projects within the city, and another 10 with the public utilities. Costs covered could include utility repair and restoration, as well as preventative measures taken during the storm.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28060 Amends 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 Amends 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]

Ordinance No. 28062 Amends 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]

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28063 Amending the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Program to add the Puyallup Avenue Multimodal Improvement project for eligibility in the 2012 Pierce County-wide Transportation grant funding process; and adopting said amended program for amended year 2011 and 2012-2017. [Chris Larson, Engineering Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

Ordinance No. 28064 Amending Ordinance No. 21862 which established the Cumulative Reserve Fund, to remove the $10 million cap on the fund, expand the use of funds to allow for flexibility and rate stabilization, and rename the fund the Rate Stabilization Fund; and depositing $26 million from its current operating funds into the Rate Stabilization Fund for the fiscal account year 2011. [Bill Berry, Rate Planning and Analysis Section Manager; Ted Coates, Superintendent, Tacoma Power]

The simplified explanation of this move seems to be that the changes would allow Tacoma Power to set aside excess revenues from years in which it received surplus revenue from the sale of power (as it did in 2011). Those funds would then be available for use to mitigate the impact on rates for customers of years in which revenues are down and expenses are up. Part of that $36 million fund could be taken out to minimize rate increases that would otherwise be far greater. This move is an attempt to be better prepared to respond to forces beyond our control, like fluctuations in the energy market as a whole.

Ordinance No. 28065 Amending Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, and declaring the effective dates, to increase rates of pay and compensation for employees represented by Tacoma Police Union, Local 6, International Union of Police Associations. [John Dryer, Labor Relations Manager; Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

This is an administrative action to correct the omission of details that would normally have been included in the original changes, but weren’t.

PUBLIC HEARINGS AND APPEALS
This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council to consider amending the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Program for amended year 2011 and 2012-2017, to include the Puyallup Avenue Multimodal Improvement project. [Chris Larson, Engineering Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

We heard from speakers from the Dome District Development Group and Pierce Transit, both of whom welcome the addition of the Puyallup Avenue project, and look forward to changes that will make the area more accessible to foot and bike visitors, and users of public transportation.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER
No report.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Public Safety, Human Services, and Education Committee

For the 10th week Councilmember Boe reminded us of the Sister Cities International Film Festival at the Blue Mouse, which will this week be featuring a drama from the Phillipines.

Councilmember Walker reported on meeting with the Friends of South 12th and discussing their concerns about crime in the neighborhood. She also expressed enthusiasm for the food waste recycling program beginning this month in Tacoma. Apparently it has been in the works for four years now.

Councilmember Fey was at opening night at the new Overtime sports bar on 6th Avenue.

Councilmember Campbell was at the grand opening of the new community garden at 46th and Hosmer.

Councilmember Lonergan reminded us that cleanup season is starting in Tacoma, beginning with the Dometop Neighborhood cleanup next week. He invited residents in that neighborhood to drop off debris free of charge at a designated location, or to simply give Councilmember Campbell a call.

ADJOURNMENT

A little accountability and responsiveness, a few federal grants to ease the budget pain, and a little bit of chalk and optimism – not bad for an evening’s work.