Tacoma City Council Meeting for January 18, 2011
CONSENT AGENDA
RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 38179 sets Thursday, February 24, 2011, at 9:30 a.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner on the request to vacate an 80-foot-wide portion of Hill Street lying southwest of Waterview Street for general use and to increase the yard area. (Maik and Alison Darley; File No. 124.1321)
Resolution No. 38180 authorizes the execution of an amendment to the Pierce County Enhanced 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point Participation Interlocal Agreement to extend the agreement through December 31, 2011; and accepting and depositing $225,276 into the Fire Miscellaneous Special Revenue Fund, for emergency communications-related expenses of the Tacoma Fire Department.
Resolution No. 38181 authorizes the execution of an Interlocal Agreement to Formalize the Partnership with Pierce County for Solid Waste Programs through December 31,2020.
The agreement requires that both the City of Tacoma and Pierce County reduce the per capita weight that will go to the landfill in Graham. Councilmember Jake Fey said the resolution is very ambitious but very necessary.
PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Deputy Mayor Lauren Walker read a proclamation recognizing the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College and the objectives of the Gandhi, King, Ikeda, Hassan Institute for Ethics and Reconciliation. The proclamation also honors Daisaku Ikeda and makes him an honorary citizen. A temporary exhibit from the institute is on display in the University of Washington – Tacoma library for another week.
PUBLIC COMMENT
- Three people thanked the city for its support of Catholic Community Services and its housing program, and praised CCS’ work in Tacoma.
REGULAR AGENDA
Motion to authorize the City’s full and final settlement of all claims against the City in the claim of Melissa Rupe, Claim Nos. W-007-08, W-010-08, and W-038-1 0, date of accident December 10, 2007, upon payment by the City in the amount of $72,996.89.
Motion to authorize the City’s full and final settlement of all claims against the City by James Miller, Claim No. 13233, upon payment by the City in the amount of $45,000.
RESOLUTIONS
Purchase Resolution No. 38182 awards contracts to:
- Columbia Ford Lincoln Mercury Nissan Inc., in the amount of $2,600,000, including sales tax, budgeted from the Fleet Equipment Rental Capital Outlay Fund, for the purchase of up to (10) 2011 Nissan Leaf electric vehicles, (70) 2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Intercept vehicles, and (11) 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid detective vehicles – Washington State Contract Nos. 05410, 05710, and 04809;
- Quigg Bros., Inc., on its bid of $528,082, including sales tax, budgeted from the Limited Tax General Obligation Bond Redemption Fund, for seismic upgrades to the Foss Waterway Seaport Museum – Specification No. PW10-0723F; and
- Northend Truck Equipment, Inc., in the amount of $450,000, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Fleet Equipment Rental Capital Outlay Fund, for a cumulative total of $1,255,000, to increase the contract for various size truck bodies and attachments on an as-needed basis through December 14, 2012 – Washington State Contract No. 12304.
Councilmembers praised the city for its leadership in green purchasing but had questions about replacing administrative vehicles once they reach 100,000 miles. They all agreed that people’s lives rely on police vehicles running well and “set those aside.”
Councilmember Ryan Mello pointed out that a car hitting 100,000 miles 10 years ago is vastly different from a car hitting 100,000 miles today, while councilmember Joe
Lonergan said he’s “really struggling” with $330,000 for 10 cars (the Nissan Leaf electric vehicles). “I’m still not convinced,” he said.
The council continued item one to the meeting of Jan. 25, 2011.
Resolution No. 38183 authorizes the execution of an agreement with the Foss Waterway Development Authority, in the amount of $1,500,000, budgeted from the 2010 Limited Tax General Obligation Bond D Fund, to distribute bond proceeds for the financing of public infrastructure improvements on the Thea Foss Waterway.
Resolution No. 38184 declares surplus and authorizing the negotiated disposition of approximately 8,912 square feet of unimproved right-of-way located within the Tacoma Rail Mountain Division rail corridor in Frederickson to Pierce County, in the amount of $38,050; granting a crossing easement, a temporary construction easement, and a quit claim deed; and authorizing the execution of a construction and maintenance agreement with Pierce County, for the 176th Street Bridge Replacement Project.
Resolution No. 38185 authorizes the execution of an agreement with Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, in the amount of $355,072, budgeted from the General Fund, for the Phoenix Housing Network; counseling; and homeless adult services to support the Hospitality Kitchen, Nativity House, and the Tacoma Avenue Shelter, for the period of January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011.
FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27966 authorizes Tacoma Rail to reissue switching tariff TMBL 8807 and to adjust freight rates based on cost of service charges, generating an estimated $2,262,332 of additional revenue, effective February 1, 2011.
COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
- Mello encouraged the council and audience to attend the community garden kick-off event Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. at the Evergreen State College Tacoma campus.
- Councilmember Victoria Woodards thanked staff and volunteered for their hard work on Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. event.
- Walker also praised Monday’s event.
Filed under: City-Council, City-Council
35 comments
P Published Author and Devoted Father RR Anderson January 19, 2011
Unless viewed as some form of bail-out/stimulus-package $330,000 for 10 cars in these dark times is completely obscene.
Where is your moral compasses?
M Moochach January 20, 2011
$33,000 per vehicle. Why not. it wouldn’t be right to drive a $22,000 vehicle on City business, it needs to be a $33,000 vehicle. If the City can keep giving raises to every employee then I am sure $33,000 cars is no big deal. Look at this way, if they saved $110,000 on the vehicles what are they going to do with the money? Fill potholes? Re-open downtown sidewalks that have been closed for years due to neglect? Please…let’s get the priorities right, green cars, raises and fancy new offices for the City staff – that’s what counts.
L lemolo January 20, 2011
I’m happy to have my city government help make electric cars mainstream — that’s one reason I vote for environmentally-minded progressives for the council. Over time, much of the difference between the cost of a Leaf and, say, a Corolla will be made up through much lower “fuel” costs. And if progressive cities (and yes, this is a progressive city relatively speaking) don’t lead the way toward protecting our air, water, and climate, who will?
T Tacoma1 January 20, 2011
The Nissan Leaf sounds like it’ll be the perfect city fleet car. Kudos to the city for making a sensible no emission choice here.
Seriously, you can’t put a meaningful dent in the potholes in this city for $110K. If the citizens don’t want to pay enough taxes to fund road improvements, I guess we’ll all have to slow down enough, stop texting while driving, and pay attention to where we’re going so we can drive around the potholes instead of into them.
T Tacoma1 January 20, 2011
Ahh yes. EV conversions can be cheaper. And u know I’m not a car nut, but a modern ev has airbags (lots of em). ABS, and solid crash test ratings. That beetle is a death trap and a million $ lawsuit waiting to happen the first time a city worker dies in an accident in one.
R RR Anderson January 20, 2011
how about no cars for anyone, and instead force city workers to ride the damn bus? I mean EVERY city employee. Ride. The. Bus.
R RR Anderson January 20, 2011
THEY SHOULD STICK TO BOYCOTTING OTHER STATES. AT LEAST THAT DOESN’T COST ANY MONEY! BUYING THESE STUPID LITTLE CARS ARE AS RIDICULOUS AS GIVING THE CITY MANAGER A GIANT RAISE DURING A DEPRESSION OR TYPING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
T tacoma1 January 20, 2011
If our citizens would be willing to fund an extensive public transportation system, then we probably could forgo most city cars. We aren’t there yet. But I’m game if you are. Meanwhile, zero end user polluting, safe cars are a pretty good compromise to get the city business done. IMO, of course.
M Mofo from the Hood January 20, 2011
I didn’t know that Tacoma had hybrid detectives.
H Halley January 20, 2011
One of the questions brought up was the relative cost of a Prius. The city rep explained that the city did not want to rely on petroleum at all, which is why they opted for the Leaf. Come to the meeting next Tuesday for the actual vote on the resolution.
D Daniel January 20, 2011
If all the pot holes were filled in, what would all the knee-jerk armchair headbobbers squawk about? Oh wait… never mind. I forgot. If all the pot holes were filled in, everyone in Tacoma would be happy and rainbows would shoot out of chimneys, raining gold coins down upon local artists. Babies would flop out of the womb with complimentary ingots of gold. Truth and fairness would prevail, and everyone would eat vegan ice cream on hover-buses.
T Tacoma1 January 20, 2011
Isn’t a pothole actually just a naturally occuring speed bump? Like mother nature’s way of telling us all just to slow the f’ down.
F frizzlebee January 20, 2011
Just food for thought: Buying a Leaf, rated at 100 mpg, as opposed to a run-of-the-mill sedan rated at 30 mpg, and using a cost of $3 per gallon, would save you roughly $6K during a 100K mile life of the car.
It still means that Leafs cost $33K, but it’s definitely a small bit of a bright side.
On the other hand, a DeLorean running on garbage that could travel back in time to save the Luzon would be our best option.
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
Yes. complaining about potholes is good for comic relief. However, now we are in a world where libraries are getting shut down. Libraries that I can see from my house. A world where community centers are being shut down and anti-gang laws are being beefed up. The governor has been kidnapped and replaced with a Dino Rossi replicant.
You want electric cars? FINE. Marty at one point was talking about using electric golf-carts. You could buy every man woman and child an electric golf cart in Tacoma for 300K… HEAVENS TO BETSY!
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
the irony is damage from the super tiny wheels of the leaf encountering potholes will cancel out any savings on gas. Maybe the appearance of being a green city is what we’re really buying? We can not just buy $1000 worth of ‘this is an electric vehicle’ door stickers for our existing internal combustion engine fleet?
T Tacoma1 January 20, 2011
If a city owned Nissan leaf is charged using city owned electricity……isn’t the cost to operate it technically free?
I could be wrong but it seems like the city would be just spreadsheet money from one govt agency to a govt utility with no real net loss or gain.
M Mofo from the Hood January 20, 2011
Okay, let’s reduce our dependence on reliable gasoline powered vehicles. Let’s regrade the pot-holed streets into dirt paths lined with flowering pear trees. It’s a proven fact: A lot of City business travel could involve mules and horses.
D Daniel January 20, 2011
When you’re required to run on a balanced budget and are dealing with massive drops in tax revenue, things like library closures are inevitable. Everyone knew that once the private sector began its recovery, the public sector was going to finally run into the backside of 2008. What shocks me most is that things are not far worse. Not that things are good. As you know, I’ve squawked and screamed about the libraries and museum myself.
So fine. We’re stuck with limited dollars. But that doesn’t mean that we should insist that every dollar be forced to do the highest good that dollar can do. There is no system in the world that could administer such a complex web of value. And there will always be another child dying in a hospital when a service road could be repaved. Does that mean the service road is paved with children’s blood? No. And it’s not paved with unfilled potholes, either.
Some things are just… good. Electric cars are good. The federal gov’t has invested $90 million in building an infrastructure for EV’s in the PNW. Let’s put it to use.
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
OK FINE, can we at-least REUSE the old #1 ‘wired city’ logo and change it to #1 green city?
and when the next fad-bubble comes along change the #1 green city to #1 space elevator city?
M Mofo from the Hood January 20, 2011
#21 Translation:
The Federal Government has invested borrowed money to force the citizenry to drive electric cars.
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
Electric Cars are a dangerous distraction from what we REALLY should be doing which is forcing citizenry onto rail.
D Daniel January 20, 2011
@23
Crenshaw says “Buy Now! Or Invest!” when calling attention to our supposed garish cheerleading. I suggest we add “Bow Now! Be Impressed!” to this short list of witty phrases. Because I would prefer it if we all bowed and said “ahhhhh” whenever the gov’t did something.
M Mofo from the Hood January 20, 2011
Has the City looked into renting cars from Enterprise Rent-a-Car?
I think they could get up to 10 Toyota Corolla’s for about $70.00 each per day minus a volume discount. Plus they offer Unlimited Mileage.
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
I make a motion that “Bow Now! Be Impressed!” be amended to “BOE Now! Be Impressed!”
J Jesse January 20, 2011
Since the city is one spreadsheet away from owning TPU, isn’t the electricity to run the cars close to free? Let’s say it’s $1 for every 22 miles. That’s $4545 per 100,000 miles.
Let’s say the alternative is a Ford Focus that gets 22 MPG. Let’s also say gas stays relatively low at $3.25 a gallon over the 100,000 mile life span of the car. That is $14,771 in gas for 100,000 miles. $4545 minus $14,771.
That’s the $10k difference in cost! …and you used no fossil fuels and created almost no emissions. I’d say it’s a great deal.
M Mofo from the Hood January 20, 2011
I say we all get into an electric bus and take a roadtrip tour of the neighborhood community gardens.
J Jim C January 20, 2011
If the city really wanted to think “forward”, they should go REALLY green and give city employees a radical transportation option. I think horse trails and hitching posts would fit in nicely with the “historic” character of downtown’s neighborhoods.
T Tacoma Fan January 20, 2011
Anybody know the life of the battery, cost to replace and how to dispose of them?
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
10 cars. TEN.
P Published Author RR Anderson, Friend of the People January 20, 2011
Just feels like such a small number for such a big number. Maybe if it was 15 or 20 it would seem like a better deal.
T Tacoma1 January 20, 2011
What’s small or big is all relative. Personally I’m huge in Japan.
M Mofo from the Hood January 20, 2011
I’m a little concerned about the cost of insurance for operating battery powered cars. These cars are targets for crime rings that want the batteries to resell on the black market.
Any hybrid detective could confirm my claim.
T Tacoma1 January 21, 2011
Im still saying That buying electricity (produced from hydro power) from ourselves, not gas from BP, or Exxon, to power our city EV fleet cars is a pretty smart sustainable policy.
L low bar January 21, 2011
there are enough photons that hit the surface of the planet to make peak oil look like a fruit fly flart
T Tacoma1 January 26, 2011
Since the City is apparently bound to purchase vehicles thru a State contract, they didn’t have the ability to buy from a local dealer.
With the Leaf likely to be in short supply, the local dealers are probably happy not to have to supply a low profit fleet order when they have plenty of retail customers lined up and waiting for this vehicle. Just thinking that if the local dealers had a problem with this order that they would be the first to complain ‘bout it.