Tacoma City Council Meeting - January 10, 2012

The proceedings began with the swearing in of newly elected and re-elected Councilmembers Anders Ibsen, Ryan Mello and Lauren Walker.  David Boe was absent, and will be sworn in at next week’s meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Resolution No. 38392 Sets Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council on proposed amendments to the Land Use Regulatory Code recommended by the Planning Commission regarding downtown off-street parking regulations. 

Resolution No. 38393 Sets Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council on proposed amendments to the Land Use Regulatory Code regarding large retail uses.

Resolution No. 38394 Sets Monday, February 13, 2012, at 5:00 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner for Local Improvement District (LID) No. 8652 for permanent alley pavement at a number of locations.

Resolution No. 38395 Sets Monday, February 13, 2012, at 5:00 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner for Local Improvement District (LID) No. 8653 for permanent alley pavement at a number of locations.

Resolution No. 38396 Setting Monday, February 27, 2012, at 5:00 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner for Local Improvement District (LID) No. 8654 for permanent alley pavement at a number of locations: 

Resolution No. 38397 Authorizing the execution of an amendment to the interlocal Pierce County Enhanced 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point Participation Agreement to extend the date through December 31, 2012; accepting $232,020 from Pierce County; and depositing said sum into the Fire Miscellaneous Special Revenue Fund, for expenses related to emergency communications.

Two resolutions were submitted and approved to be added to the agenda:

Resolution 38402 on TC Broadnax
Resolution 38403 on City Council Appointments

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Strickland proclaims January 2012 to be Mentoring Month in the City of Tacoma, and encourages all individuals and organizations to support mentoring and get involved as mentors.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Ken Paulson, whose daughter was murdered by stalker at her elementary school spoke to request that the Council support stalking protective order legislation.  A state level bill will be introduced this week to raise the level of importance of the crime in the criminal justice system.  Mr. Paulson asked the Council to put similar legislation on city agenda, and to use its influence to get other state legislators to sign on to the state level legislation.

REGULAR AGENDA

A motion was made and passed to authorize the City’s full and final settlement of all claims against the City by Jennifer Kammeyer, EEOC Charge No. 551-2010-00757, upon payment by the City in the amount of $137,500.

A motion was made and passed to authorize the City’s full and final settlement of all claims against the City and Sgt. Gary Kieffer in the matter of Hung Viet Mai and Le Thi Mai v. Edna P. Hernandez, Et Al., Pierce County Superior Court Cause No. 10-2-15211-9, upon payment by the City in the amount of $125,000.

APPOINTMENTS

Resolution No. 38398 Elects Council Member Joe Lonergan to the office of Deputy Mayor to serve a one-year term through December 31, 2012.

Resolution 38403 passes City Council Appointments for 2012.

With the start of a new year, and a new City Council, it’s time to reappoint members to the 51 boards and commissions on which the they serve.

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38399 awarding City contracts passed.

Resolution No. 38400 Authorizes a one-time divided vote referendum for Medicare coverage to eligible employees who are members of the LEOFF retirement system and represented by the Tacoma Firefighters Union, Local 31, or by the Professional Public Safety Managers Association.

Resolution No. 38401 Adopts the 2012 City of Tacoma State Legislative Agenda Priorities.

Councilmember Mello proposed two amendments to the resolution.  The first amendment expresses the City’s support for marriage equality in Washington, in line with Governor Gregoire’s recent stance.  The amendment passed with one dissenting vote from Councilmember Lonergan.  The second amendment expressing City support for the use of both reductions and new revenues to address the State budget shortfall passed unanimously.  Councilmember Campbell, in reference to Mr. Paulson’s comments made a motion that the City support the passage of a stalking protection order bill.  This amendment, and the Resolution as amended also passed unanimously.

Resolution 38402 Authorizes a contract agreement with T.C. Broadnax to serve as the new city manager.

Mr. Broadnax will be in town for meetings later this week.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28048 (First and Final Reading) Amends Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to add language establishing reductions in pay for non-represented General Government employees and General Government directors in 2012; adding a new section entitled 2012 Temporary Pay Reduction Leave; and declaring an emergency making necessary the immediate passage of this ordinance and its taking effect immediately upon publication.

PUBLIC HEARINGS AND APPEALS

This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council on the proposed establishment of a Transportation Benefit District to fund and make improvements to the City’s transportation system.

A transportation benefit district is a quasi-municipal corporation, a separate entity within a city, created for the sole purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, providing and funding transportation improvements within its boundaries.  In the City of Tacoma, it’s likely that the district limits would be the city limits.  The district would have the option to collect funding within the district (via taxes, tab fees, etc) to fund projects.  Those projects funded must be within the district boundaries, must be listed on transportation plan, and must be reasonably expected to help mitigate congestion or increase road capacity.  A number of other cities in the state already have transportation benefit districts.  The question at hand is whether to create the district, and does not propose collecting any funds at this time. 

One citizen, and a representative of Downtown On The Go spoke in support of the establishment of the district.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

We’re starting off the year with no unfinished business.  Isn’t that nice.

CITIZENS’ FORUM

Five citizens spoke on a variety of topics, including opposition to Walmart in Tacoma, regulations on contaminated soil, and sadness over the loss of a tennis club, which the speaker requested newly sworn in Councilmember Ibsen to look into.  We also heard again from Mr. Paulson in support of the anti-stalking legislation.  One gentleman expressed concerns over the ethics of David Ladenburg and a Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy.  The comments were a little tricky to follow, but involved showing the council a picture of a dog, and a request for protection from Mr. Ladenburg. 

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER

Mr. Arellano informed the Council that Point Ruston is back under construction, with work having resumed on a multi-family residential unit with five levels of multi-family residential space over two levels of parking.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Mayor Strickland closed the meeting with a reminder of the City’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, which she called the largest on West Coast.

And that’s all, folks.