Tacoma City Council Meeting - January 31, 2012
It was a pretty low-key week for City Council this week. No proclamations, no public comment, no unfinished business. Even the large-scale retail uses public hearing failed to deliver much excitement.
CONSENT AGENDA
RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 38420 Sets Monday, March 12, 2012, at 5:00 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner for Local Improvement District (LID) No. 8655, for permanent pavement, concrete curb and gutters, storm drain lines, and storm water catch basins, where needed, at several locations:
PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
A motion was made and adopted adding Resolution 38424 on a memorandum of agreement with the firefighters union to the agenda.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
REGULAR AGENDA
RESOLUTIONS
Purchase Resolution No. 38421 Awards contracts to:
1. Asphalt Patch Systems, Inc., on its bid of $1,474,787.60, plus a 30 percent contingency, for a cumulative total of $1,917,224.00, plus sales tax, budgeted from various departmental funds, for asphalt patching and concrete repair services, on an as-needed basis for a two-year period – and – bid was below expected – Boe
2. Rural/Metro of Greater Seattle, Inc., on its score of 98.18, to provide private emergency ambulance response and transport services within the Tacoma Fire Department service area, for an initial six-year period beginning April 1, 2012, with the option to renew for four additional one-year periods.
Resolution No. 38422 Authorizes the execution of a Collective Bargaining Agreement with Teamsters Local 313, which covers 129 budgeted, full-time positions, and provides in-part for zero wage increases in both 2011 and 2012 and a Consumer Price Index-based increase in 2013, effective January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2013.
Resolution No. 38423 Authorizes the execution of Amendment No. 2 to the agreement with Van Ness Feldman GordonDerr LLP, in the amount of $50,000, for a cumulative total of $250,000, budgeted from the Self Insurance Fund, to provide legal services for appellate issues related to the proposed redevelopment of The Point at North Shore Golf Course.
Several items are still pending – including two appeals – this amendment covers costs relating to these appeals, but not costs relating to pending claims for damages. Hopefully this is the last amendment for this agreement.
Resolution No. 38424 – John Dryer – Labor relations negotiator – Supports MoA btwn firefighters and City – These are challenging times, and the firefighters will continue to negotiate in good faith with the City as work to close the budget gap continues.
FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 28044 (Held over from the special meeting of December 20, 2011) Amending Chapter 6A.20 of the Municipal Code, relating to admission tax, to remove the exemption provided to those attending events sponsored by non-profit organizations in Section 6A.20.030.E; and require non-profit organizations with annual admission revenues over $250,000 to collect a 5 percent tax on all admission charges exceeding $250,000, effective July 1, 2012.
A motion was made and passed to remove this item from the agenda for later consideration. The City is still considering its options for addressing the budget shortfall, and working with the arts community on this item. The Council wants a little more time to consider its options. This topic will be addressed at the February 15 Government Performance and Finance Committee and at the next Tacoma Arts Commission meeting.
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND APPEALS This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council on proposed amendments to the Land Use Regulatory Code regarding large retail uses.
The comment this time around was a little more balanced than in the past, with the main coherent arguments being in favor of cleaning up the language of the proposed amendments to simplify the process and requirements. A couple commenters expressed concern that the new processes would inhibit development in Tacoma, potentially deterring would-be Tacoma businesses not wishing to deal with the constraints and ambiguity of the new regulations, particularly those regarding requirements for existing structures, and for public involvement.
Aside from changes we’ve discussed before pertaining to neighborhood zoning and conditional use permits, we heard the details of the process that would be put in place to address concerns that existing processes do not include sufficient opportunity for citizen input on developments that can have a significant impact on the character of a neighborhood. The proposed new process would include expansion of the public notice process, public comment sessions, pre-conditional use permit community meetings to allow for a “back-and-forth” between developers and the community. None of these changes, of course, will apply to the Walmart project currently making its way through the permitting process. The first reading for these changes is scheduled for February 7, and the final reading is scheduled for February 14.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.
REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER
Mayor’s address is available on TV Tacoma.
COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Government Performance and Finance Committee
ADJOURNMENT
Absent: Councilmember Woodards.
Okay, not much to say about that one. See y’all next week.