Tacoma City Council Meeting for March 23rd, 2010

This evening’s Tacoma City Council meeting had an unusual beginning … At the end of the Pledge of Allegiance as the moment of silence began, Robert Hill approached the podium and began singing the national anthem. Mayor Strickland gaveled him down as he continued to sing. Three policeman pulled him out of the meeting. “Mr. Hill, goodbye.” The moment of silence then began again and the meeting continued along the agenda.

C O N S E N T A G E N D A

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 37996 sets Tuesday, April 6, 2010, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council to consider the dedication of a 7,835-square-foot tract of frontage land located along Canyon Road East to Pierce County for the Canyon Road East road improvement project.

Resolution No. 37997 sets Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 9:30 a.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner to vacate a portion of East I Street lying approximately 300 feet south of the intersection of East I Street and East 40th Street, for landscaping purposes. (Leroy and Traci VanderPool; File No. 124.1308)

Resolution No. 37998 authorizes the execution of a grant agreement with First Five Fundamentals, in the amount of $206,641.91; accepting and depositing said sum into the Human Rights and Human Services Special Revenue Fund, to support child care referral services for Pierce County parents and child care providers for the period of January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27879 vacating a portion of the South Hosmer Street right-of-way between the Sound Transit rail right-of-way and South Tacoma Way, to be used as a driveway between facilities on the east and west side of Hosmer Street, and for vendor deliveries. (Bradken-Atlas Castings & Technology; File No. 124.1303)

Ordinance No. 27880 amending Chapter 13.06 of the Municipal Code to reclassify the property located at 4121 South 74th Street, from an “R-2” One-Family Dwelling District to a “T” Transitional District to develop a 10,975-square-foot, one-story office building with 46 associated parking stalls. (Tyler Street L.L.C.; File No. REZ2009-40000132009)

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The City Council recognized seven students from Tacoma’s sister city, Kitakyushu, Japan.
• Mayor Strickland proclaimed March 20th, 2010 as Community Garden Day in the City of Tacoma. The Mayor took the time to also name the seven sites identified by the City as potential community garden sites. They include: South 85th and Sheridan, South 25th and Grant, North 57th and Norpoint , North 45th and Orchard, South 48th and Yakima, South 12th and Stevens, Portland and Wright Ave.
• Then, the Queen Mother of the Daffodil Festival presented the 2010 Daffodil Royal Court. Each member of the royal court then introduced themselves.

R E G U L A R A G E N D A

RESOLUTIONS
Purchase Resolution No. 37999 awards contracts to:

1. Avaya, Inc., in the amount of $540,964.22, budgeted from the Communications Systems Fund, for maintenance and managed services relating to the City’s voice communications network and centralized voice messaging system through December 13, 2012;
2. Avaya, Inc., in the amount of $931,937.87, budgeted from the Communications Systems Fund, for communications equipment and upgrades to the General Government voice communications network through December 31, 2010; and
3. Woodworth & Company, Inc., in the amount of $145,000.00, for a cumulative contract amount of $1,983,759.52, budgeted from the Solid Waste 2001 Bond Construction Fund, to increase the contract for additional work on the West 1 Area Repair and East Cap Extension project at the Tacoma Landfill.

Resolution No. 38000 adopts the 2010 Washington State Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge and Municipal Construction.

Resolution No. 38001 authorizes the execution of an agreement with the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, in the amount of $580,000, budgeted from the General Fund, to continue providing recreational programming for the City through December 31, 2010. The programs funded are the same as in 2009.

Resolution No. 38002 authorizing the execution of an amendment to, and restatement of, the Operation and Use Agreement with the Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities (TACID), to provide services for persons with disabilities, for the period of April 17, 2009 through April 15, 2019.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27788 vacates a portion of South Washington Street abutting the south side of State Route 16 and lying between South Adams Street and West Union Avenue, to combine the vacated right-of-way with the adjoining property and to remove an existing building encroachment. (Tacoma Rescue Mission; File No. 124.1302)

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27881 amending Chapter 12.08 of the Municipal Code, relating to Wastewater and Surface Water Management, to broaden the eligibility for participation in the Septic Amnesty Program to include commercial premises not connected to the municipal sanitary sewer system. The septic amnesty program reduces the connection charge by 50%. The goal is to reduce the number of septic systems in the City. This ordinance extends the incentive to commercial properties.

Ordinance No. 27882 amending Ordinance No. 27696, relating to the Business Improvement Area (BIA), to comport with chapter 35.87A RCW, which requires a public hearing only when there are changes in the assessment rates, modification of the boundaries, and/or establishment or disestablishment of the BIA.

Ordinance No. 27883 continuing the Business Improvement Area (BIA) for the 23rd year and providing for the levy of assessments and other income in the amount of $855,941; and approving the work plan, budget, and assessment of rates from May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011.

That’s it. Ignoring the National Anthem bit, there was relatively little comment or discussion this evening. Good night.