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November 16, 2010 · Halley Griffin · archive: txp/article

Tacoma City Council Meeting for November 16, 2010

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 38146 set Tuesday, November 30,2010, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council on the recommendations of the Human Services Commission for community services funding for local human services programs.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27949 amends Chapter 13.06 of the Municipal Code to reclassify the property located at 5201 and 5205 Pacific Avenue, from a “R-4” Multiple-Family Dwelling District to a “C-2” General Community Commercial District, to allow for the construction of a commercial retail and office building with associated parking.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27950 (First and Final Reading) approves and confirms the assessment roll for LID No. 8630 for the installation of permanent pavement and storm drainage on:

  1. G Street, from South 61st to South 63rd Streets;
  2. Monroe, Street from South 7th Street south 650 feet;
  3. Adams Street, from North 16th to North 18th Streets;
  4. Monroe Street, from South 36th Street to Manitou Way;
  5. Huson Street, from South 62nd to South 64th Streets; and
  6. South 42nd Street, from Cushman Avenue to Asotin Street.

Ordinance No. 27951 (First and Final Reading) approves and confirms the assessment roll for LID No. 8631 for the installation of alley pavement and storm drain lines with storm water catch basins on the alleys between:

  1. Proctor and Madison Streets, from North 37th to North 38th Streets;
  2. North 11th and North 12th Streets, from Mullen to Ferdinand Streets;
  3. Bristol and Vassault Streets, from North 50th to North 51st Streets;
  4. South 9th and South 10th Streets, from Union Avenue to Washington Street;
  5. Sixth Avenue and South 7th Street, from Monroe Street to Mason Avenue;
  6. North Whitworth Street, from Gove to Mullen Streets;
  7. Wilkeson and Ash Streets, from South 19th to South 21st Streets; and
  8. South 12th and South 13th Streets, from South Junett to South Cedar Streets.

Ordinance No. 27952 (First and Final Reading) approves and confirms the assessment roll for LID No. 8632 for the construction of permanent pavement with storm drainage on the alley between Asotin and Alaska Streets, from South 74th Street north 305 feet.

Ordinance No. 27953 (First and Final Reading) approves and confirms the assessment roll for LID No. 6976 for the installation of modern street lighting along Monroe Street, from South 36th Street to Manitou Way.

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

None this week.

PUBLIC COMMENT

  • Robert Hill recommended a cheaper option for city water filtration as part of the Capital Facilities Program. He brought a selection of clean and dirty water filters to show the council.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS
Purchase Resolution No. 38147 awards a contract to:
General Chemical Performance Products, LLC, in the amount of $366,000, sales tax not applicable, for a cumulative total of $904,860, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, to increase the contract for liquid aluminum sulfate for wastewater treatment through January 31, 2012 – Specification No. PW08-0638F.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27947 amends Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to implement rates of pay and compensation for 259 budgeted, full-time positions represented by Teamsters Local Union No. 117, General Unit, effective retroactive to January 1, 2009.

Ordinance No. 27948 amends Section 12.08.720 of the Municipal Code to remove the requirement for a side sewer inspection at the time of sale and substituting in its place a program to educate property owners regarding side sewer conditions and maintenance obligations; and amending Sections 12.08.030 and 2.06.070 of the Municipal Code to remove the references to the side sewer inspection requirements.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

  • Councilmember Joe Lonergan invited the community to the tree-lighting ceremony in front of the Pantages Theater at 6 p.m. November 27.

  • Councilmember David Boe invited the community to the Sing-Along Sound of Music at the Pantages Theater at 3 p.m. before the tree-lighting ceremony. He also mentioned that the Spanish Steps have reopened “only for pedestrians” and said they look fantastic.

  • Mayor Marilyn Strickland recapped information from the council’s study session earlier in the day, where the council heard presentations from the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Cheney Stadium and the Foss Waterway Development Authority.

PUBLIC HEARINGS AND APPEALS (Will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m.)

This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council on the amended Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Program for amended year 2010 and 2011-2016.

This is the date set for a second public hearing by the City Council on the 2011-2012 Biennial Budget and the 2011-2016 Capital Facilities Program.

  • Robert Hill suggested holding future public hearings on weekends to improve citizen turnout. He again suggested furlough days for city employees as a cost-saving measure. He also recommended stopping fluoridation of city water and again recommended his water filtration system.

  • One man asked if this budget is the best the city can do. If not, he said, the council should search for a way to amend the budget.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27954 adopts the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Program for amended year 2010 and 2011-2016.

Ordinance No. 27955 amends the Capital Facilities Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and adopting the 2011-2016 Capital Facilities Program.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

  • Councilmember Marty Campbell thanked Tacoma Power and emergency first responders for their hard work to get power restored to Tacoma.

Filed under: City-Council, City-Council

12 comments

  • Daniel November 17, 2010

    Some time ago, there was a rather authoritative interview / abridged biography of Mr. Hill – I believe it was in the Weekly Volcano. It was actually about as good as an article about Mr. Hill can be.

    Mr. Hill seems to be in a remarkably lucid frame of mind, comparatively. I’m afraid at this point, further exploration of the topic would equate a frivolous dive into sensationalism. There seems to be some instinct amongst various types to cast Mr. Hill into some kind of Hunter S. Thompson or fiery, off-kilter Elijah iconography. In my mind, there is no fit. What I find more interesting is the public’s intense desire to have their very own savant.

  • RR Anderson November 17, 2010

    Mr Hill is an enigma machine with a hat.

  • fredo November 17, 2010

    another pay raise for unionized city workers. what a surprise.

  • Tim Smith November 17, 2010

    Robert Hill is trying to point out that a “point of use” filter in residential and commercial facilities is or should be a more economical alternative to filtration and purification at the head end of the water supply. The largest portion of water use in Tacoma is by industry and very few of them need the ultra-pure water which will flow through the pipes. Mr. Hill also, and rightly so, points out that the miles and miles of pipes between the new treatment facility and the user still contain sediments and other debris as well as areas of surface water infiltration. While over time, flushing and pipe replacement will decrease this contamination, with the age and enormity of the existing water delivery network the new treatment plant will never eliminate this challenge. Robert’s proposal is to use the money being spent on the treatment plant to put small filter systems where water is used for human consumtion and not attempt to ultra-purify water that is immediately recontaminated as it goes down the pipes.

  • Rith November 17, 2010

    The filtration issue comes from a federal mandate to treat for bacteria in the water supply, bacteria that can kill. There was a whole discussion about it and how to deal with it and meet the federal requirement, both now and in the future when the Feds change thier mind and ask for tighter restrictions. Filtration was the best option.

  • Rith November 17, 2010

    To clarify on the bacteria, I think you actually need to already be near death’s door for it to affect you, but the point is that the filtration discussion already happened. So bringing it up again serves no useful purpose.

  • Jesse November 17, 2010

    More LIDs! More LIDs! Good work!

    “He also mentioned that the Spanish Steps have reopened only for pedestrians”—- Boe

    Doesn’t Boe know that Strickland was out there cutting the ribbon when the construction fence for that project showed up? Town of pre-emptive ribbon cuttings ala MM Bridge!!

    (J/K, I actually like Strickland…)

  • Jim C November 17, 2010

    I’m still waiting for the Stadium Way repave that was promised after 505 Broadway was completed. The road surface is continually deteriorating and it’s going to get worse once the ground starts freezing.

  • J Cote' November 22, 2010

    Some thoughts:
    Robert “the Traveler” Hill is a nut job. He tends to go out of his way to prove the point and it makes it very difficult to believe him if/when he actually DOES have a decent idea.
    The LID program is the most asinine idea to come out of City Hall since the Chinese Removal program of 1885.
    Spending 20% of our gas tax revenue to pave alleys when the streets are crumbling underfoot for lack of preventive maintenance is just plain dumb. It would be like going out of your way to create bike lanes when the streets lack sidewalks for pedestrians. Oh, wait, they do that too.
    This Council’s priorities are as screwed up as the one before and the one before that.

  • JJ November 22, 2010

    If the federal mandate or any federal dictate becomes unreasonable enough or tyrannical (especially the tyrannical EPA),the correct approach should be that of secession from a alien and non representative government.
    Just refuse the federal mandate and tell them to f off or jump off a bridge.
    The Federal government has so many teething current problems that it’s really a paper Tiger.

  • RR Anderson November 22, 2010

    JJ is ready for ‘second amendment remedies’ so dont you dare ‘pave his alley’ if you know what i mean!

  • low bar November 23, 2010

    or run into him in an alley wearing your ‘yes we can’ t-shirt