Tacoma City Council Meeting for September 14, 2010

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Marilyn Strickland read a proclamation in honor of Stadium Bowl’s centennial and the Fill the Bowl event attempting to break a world record for food donation. Find out more in this Exit 133 story.

The council heard a presentation from the U.S. Census Bureau.

PUBLIC COMMENT

• Robert Hill spoke about problems he believes exist with the new downtown parking program. He suggested stand-up meters for each space rather than the automated pay stations. Hill also spoke about the Murray Morgan Bridge loan. More here.

• A Catholic Community Services representative spoke about Resolution N. 38015 and the work down by CCS.

• One person requested a “quick stop” zone outside of the downtown U.S. Post Office to allow customers to get in and out.

• One person spoke in favor of Resolution No. 38106.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS
Purchase Resolution No. 38104 awards contracts to:

1. Richard Phillips Marine, Inc., on its bid of $342,109.00, including sales tax, budgeted from the Sewer 2006 Bond Construction Fund, for the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall Repairs – Specification No. PW10-0341F;
2. Insituform Technologies, Inc., on its bid of $914,812.77, including sales tax, plus a 10 percent contingency, for a cumulative total of $1,006,294.05, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for sanitary sewer rehabilitation within Basins NO4-2 and NO4-3 – Specification No. PW10-0175F;
3. SSI Compaction Systems, a division of SSI Shredding Systems, Inc., on its bid of $2,632,517.54, including sales tax, budgeted from the Solid Waste 2006 Bond Construction Fund, to furnish and install two solid waste compactors, including one year of maintenance services – Specification No. PW10-0255F; and
4. W.S. Darley & Co., in the amount of $493,768.00, budgeted from the EMS Special Revenue Fund, for one Emergency Medical Services transport-capable fire engine for deployment in Northeast Tacoma – Not practical to bid.

Resolution No. 38105 authorizes the execution of an amendment to the agreement with Catholic Community Services, in the amount of $29,699.84, for a cumulative total of $317,849.84, budgeted from the General Fund, to include Nativity House as one of its human services programs through December 31, 2010.

Resolution No. 38106 directs the City Manager to collaborate with Sound Transit to finalize a proposal and seek approval from the Sound Transit Board for a new LINK Light Rail stop near South 11th and Commerce Streets, and to move forward with securing funding for, and construction of, the proposed project once the design is complete and approved.

Resolution No. 38107 accepts and deposits $46,277,000 of federal funds into the Streets Special Revenue Fund for the Murray Morgan Bridge Rehabilitation Design-Build Project; and authorizing the execution of a local agency agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation for the administration of said funds.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Amended Ordinance No. 27920 amends Chapter 11.05 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Model Traffic Ordinance, to add new parking enforcement measures in support of the City’s parking system.

Ordinance No. 27921 authorizes the issuance of two series of Limited Tax General Obligation (LTGO) Bonds and one series of Unlimited Tax General Obligation (UTGO) Refunding Bonds, in the aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $72,000,000, to finance capital projects of the City and to refund or defease certain LTGO and UTGO Bonds.

Ordinance No. 27922 authorizes the sale of revenue bonds, in the aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $5,200,000, to refund or defease a portion of the City’s outstanding Convention Center and Parking Revenue Bonds, fund a debt service reserve, and pay cost of issuance.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS CITIZENS’ FORUM

• One person charged the city council with knowingly misusing funds and their positions.

• Robert Hill spoke again, this time against vehicle impounding by out-of-state corporations and about public health notification. He was escorted out mid-comment by request of Mayor Strickland.

• One person, who identified himself as a recent victim of home invasion, spoke out against crime levels in Tacoma. He said many citizens do not feel protected in the city.

• One person spoke about Tacoma’s temporary banner program and requested that a banner program honoring the troops be approved for expansion into Tacoma.

• One person expressed concern about recent police shootings in the state of Washington, and requested that restraint be used on the part of law enforcement.