Tacoma City Council Meeting for January 25, 2011

Lots of discussion of electric vehicles and bad rental property owners this week. Enjoy.

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 38186 sets Tuesday, February 15, 2011, and Tuesday, April 19, 2011, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the dates for public hearings by the City Council to consider the submittal of an application to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for a $3,904,000 Section 108 loan to Horizon Holdings I, LLC, to assist with tenant improvements for Total Renal Care, Inc., dba DaVita; and amends the 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development to include this activity.

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Marilyn Strickland read a proclamation designating January 2011 as School Board Recognition Month.

PUBLIC COMMENT

• One person spoke about issues he believes exist within funds and debts of solid waste utility management. He advocated for eliminating the wastewater rate increases.

• A representative from the Foss Waterway Development Authority thanked the council for their consideration of the bond funding in Resolution No. 38183.

• Four people spoke in favor of Pierce Transit’s Proposition No. 1 to fund buses. One man said it would be a horrible mistake were it to fail, and that it would disproportionately affect citizens with disabilities and senior citizens.

• A representative from the Save Our Buses steering committee thanked the council for their support, and said the failure of Proposition No. 1 would set the city back in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction goals.

• A representative from the Hilltop Action Commission, three Hilltop residents, and one person from the Central Neighborhood Council spoke in favor of Ordinance No. 27967, saying the city would have better control over bad landlords. They say most rental owners are good owners, but the bad ones are really bad.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 38183 (Continued from the meeting of January 18, 2011) 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.

Some of this funding would go toward finishing the Esplanade project. Councilmember Ryan Mello said this investment is about accentuating the city’s positives.

Purchase Resolution No. 38187 awards contracts to:

1. 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; (Continued from the meeting of January 18, 2011)
2. Wireless Access Technologies (WAT), in the amount of $317,332, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Capital Bond Fund, for a cumulative total of $892,332, to increase the contract for semi-ruggedized computer laptops, hardware, and accessories – Specification No. PD07-0104F; and
3. Braun Northwest, Inc., in the amount of $279,427, plus sales tax, budgeted from the EMS Special Revenue Fund, for a cumulative total of $558,894, to increase the contract for two additional Type III Ambulance Medic transport vehicles – Specification No. FD10-0248F.

An amendment was proposed and passed to separate the Nissan Leaf purchase from the rest of the resolution in order to more fully weigh the cost and benefit. The purchase resolution (without the Nissan Leaf purchase) passed as written.

Councilmember David Boe said the council requested a life cycle cost analysis on the proposed Nissan Leaf purchase, compared to vehicles the city has purchased including Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion. He said the data the council received seemed like comparing apples and oranges.

Strickland said she believes the purchase resolution has been thoroughly vetted, and that the city has made a commitment to sustainability.

Councilmember Marty Campbell said he was excited to see the prospect of electric vehicles come forth. He said he wants to be sure that the the life cycle cost is cheaper than other options. Campbell also expressed concerned at purchasing 10 vehicles at once, rather than several now and continuing to purchase updated makes and models as they are rolled out (such as the Chevy Volt). Campbell also threw out the question of purchasing cars from local dealers to emphasize sustainability.

“I think that this is a new technology and we have to look at it so differently,” Campbell said Tuesday.

Councilmember Lauren Walker said she too is confident in the research of the city staff, and would like the city to set an example in sustainability.

The Nissan Leaf purchase resolution passed.

Resolution No. 38188 supports Life Cycle Assessments and life cycle thinking in relevant legislative and management decisions, and encouraging public and private entities in the city to do the same.

Resolution No. 38189 identifies the Downtown Streetscape Improvement Project as a priority for additional federal funding; and pursuing the shift of funding for the Downtown Intermodal Center to Pierce Transit for improvements in support of downtown transit services.

Resolution No. 38190 urges Tacoma voters to vote “Approved” on Pierce Transit’s Proposition No. 1, which would impose a three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) sales and use tax increase, for a total sales and use tax of nine-tenths of one percent (0.9%), to provide funds to Pierce Transit to preserve transit service levels, at the special election to be held on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, which reads as follows:

Pierce Transit Special Election – Proposition No. 1

Sales and Use Tax Increase

The Board of Commissioners of the Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area (commonly known as Pierce Transit) adopted Resolution No. 10-013 concerning a proposition to increase the sales and use tax. This proposition would authorize Pierce Transit to impose an additional three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) sales and use tax, for a total sales and use tax of nine-tenths of one percent (0.9%), to provide funds to preserve transit service levels, implement local and express bus services and provide SHUTTLE services for people with disabilities, vanpools and associated capital improvements, all as authorized by Resolution No. 10-013.

Should Proposition No. 1 be: Approved ___ Rejected ___

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27967 amends Title 6B of the Municipal Code, relating to the license code, to add a new Chapter 6B.165, entitled “Provisional Rental Property License,” which requires a license and subsequent inspection of residential rental properties where conditions exist that are in violation of the minimum building standards, the Fire Code, and the Revised Code of Washington Title 59 Landlord and Tenant, effective January 1, 2012.

Ordinance No. 27968 amends Chapter 12.08 of the Municipal Code, relating to wastewater and surface water management, to adjust rates and charges for services provided by the Wastewater and Surface Water Utilities for the years 2011 and 2012.

Ordinance No. 27969 amends Chapter 12.09 of the Municipal Code, relating to solid waste management, to adjust rates and charges for services provided by the Solid Waste Utility for the years 2011 and 2012.

Ordinance No. 27970 amends Chapter 12.10 of the Municipal Code, relating to Tacoma Water, to adjust rates, charges, and fees for services provided by the Water Division; and adding a new Section 12.10.301 relating to fire hydrant service fees, effective February 14, 2011.