Tacoma City Council Meeting - July 24, 2012

CONSENT AGENDA

ASSESSMENT ROLLS

The Director of Public Works presents the assessment roll for: LID No. 3964 for the placement of sanitary sewer in South Adams Street, from South 23rd Street extending north approximately 900 feet. Setting Thursday, August 16, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28019 Vacating the alley right-of-way between East 30th and East 31st Streets, extending between Portland Avenue East and East R Street, for the future development of Tribal governmental facilities. (Puyallup Tribe of Indians; File No. 124.1296) [Ronda Cornforth, Senior Real Estate Specialist; Phyllis Macleod, Hearing Examiner]

The substitute ordinance makes some minor changes, but they were not deemed substantive by the hearing examiner. The ordinance passed without comment.

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Strickland recognized the boyscout troup present in the audience, who are working on their communications badge.

Connie Ladenburg, in her capacity as Vice Chair of the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee, announced that the City of Tacoma had been awarded a state grant to help with crime suppression and response, and said a few words about the importance of prevention and intervention programs.

PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment was entirely focused on the medical cannabis ordinance, with more than 20 speakers coming forward to speak to the issue. Mayor Strickland kicked things off by emphasizing that the City is supportive of patients who want medical cannabis under the state law, but emphasizing the challenges of balancing those needs with the wishes of neighborhoods and with federal laws. Public testimony was emotional and varied, with many users of medical cannabis coming forward to testify to the importance of access, and several business owners asking that the Council consider allowing their businesses to continue to operate legitimately.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38512 Awarding contracts to:

1. Owen Equipment, in the amount of $320,821.00, plus a $2,000 contingency, for a cumulative total of $322,821.00, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Surface Water Utility Fund, for one Vactor five-yard catch basin cleaner to be installed on Freightliner cab and chassis – City of Port Angeles Contract No. ES-11-002 [Fred Chun, Fleet Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works];
2. Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, Inc., on its bid of $794,260.00, sales tax not applicable, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for consultant engineering services associated with the design and construction of the Dewatering Facility Upgrade project at the Central Treatment Plant – Specification No. CT12-0001F [John O’Loughlin, Science and Engineering Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works];
3. Rodarte Construction, Inc., on its bid of $1,650,321.50, sales tax not included, plus a 10 percent contingency, for a cumulative total of $1,815,353.65, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for the replacement of approximately 6,500 linear feet of existing wastewater pipe on North 42nd Street to North 38th Street from Pearl to Orchard Streets, and North 35th Street and Lawrence Street – Specification No. PW12-0247F [John O’Loughlin, Science and Engineering Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]; and
4. General Chemical Performance Products LLC, in the amount of $185,000.00, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for a cumulative contract total of $619,720.00, to increase and extend the contract for liquid polyaluminum chloride for the treatment of wastewater through March 31, 2013 – Specification No. PW07-1084F [Dan Thompson, Wastewater Operations Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works].

Resolution No. 38513 Declaring surplus and authorizing the conveyance of approximately 2,641 square feet of City-owned property located adjacent to 3009 Portland Avenue East, to the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, for the amount of $26,410, for the development of the Tribal Justice Center project. [Ronda Cornforth, Senior Real Estate Specialist; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]

The land in question is considered surplus to the City. The sale of this property, along with the earlier resolution, will enable the Tribe to complete the tribal justice center project, and as Councilmember Campbell noted, facilitate a $20 million investment of outside money in East Tacoma, as well as a big step forward for the Tribe in centralizing their operation.

Resolution No. 38514 Allocating $32,500 to the Making a Difference in Community Sobering Center, budgeted from the 2011-2012 Human Rights and Human Services Council Contingency funding in the General Fund, to provide emergency outreach and support services to homeless and chronic inebriates in Tacoma. [Stacey Gillette, Contract Specialist; Linda Bremer, Director, Human Rights and Human Services]

The MDC Sobering Center is the only facility to provide shelter and services for homeless and chronically inebriate individuals in Tacoma. The Center has received funding from the City in the past, but with this year’s round of budget cuts, they will not be receiving funding in 2012. The loss of those funds along with a decrease in funding from other funders (Franciscan and Multicare) led MDC to apply for the contingency fund support to allow services to continue through the end of 2012. Funds were awarded, as the services are not available elsewhere, and MDC will continue to work with Human Rights and Human Services to consider what model can best serve this population. Mayor Strickland noted that it makes sense to fund such services because they ultimately reduce the costs of serving the population in question through emergency services.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28082 Amending Chapter 1.24 of the Municipal Code, relating to the personnel rules, to align with current federal and state law related to disabilities and veteran’s preferences; and repealing Section 1.24.665 of the Municipal Code in its entirety to reflect changes in state law related to affirmative action. [Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

The changes make Tacoma’s practices consistent with Washington State law.

Ordinance No. 28083 Amending Chapter 8.30 of the Municipal Code, relating to public nuisances, to add a new section identifying activities related to marijuana that are nuisances. [Elizabeth Pauli, City Attorney, Legal]

The new section identifying marijuana-related activities as nuisances is being added for the purpose of providing additional tools for dealing with these facilities. The ordinance distinguishes between uses that are clearly trying to comply with the state law, as opposed to those with no connection (i.e. marijuana gardens vs. medical marijuana gardens). Uses in sensitive areas can still be found to be nuisances. Deputy Mayor Lonergan announced his intention to work with the city attorney over the next week to come up with a proposed amendment or substitute ordinance that would remove zoning considerations, while maintaining sensitive use buffers for uses such as parks and rehab facilities, as well as schools, churches, and daycare facilities. Several council members reiterated the City’s support of access for medical cannabis users under the state law, but Mayor Strickland also pointed out that the Council needs to balance the needs of all of its constituents, and that in the face of conflicting and confusing laws, the City is doing its best to muddle through responsibly. The ordinance will be up for a final reading next week.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER
The City Manager announced that Tacoma’s Public Works Wastewater Management has been recognized with a Platinum Excellence in Management award by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. The City is one of five nationally to receive recognition at this level. The award recognizes Tacoma for implementing and sustaining successful programs, in areas such as resource efficiencies and management of biosolids.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Public Safety, Human Services, and Education Committee Councilmember Woodards reported on the work of the committee.

• Three do pass decisions to fund the MDC Sobering Center, to add priorities and change structure of the Human Rights and Human Services plan, and medical cannabis changes.
• Two updates from police dept on call volume and fireworks patrol.
• At the next meeting the Committee will discuss South Sound 911 updates and competitive and noncompetitive funding processes for human rights and human services funding.

Councilmember Campbell was excited to remind us of the next neighborhood cleanup coming up in the First Creek neighborhood this weekend, and also thanked TC for the budget meetings. Apparently the Lincoln meeting in particular was engaging, and brought out a side of TC that we haven’t seen before… the video is worth a thousand words, but we’ll keep those words to ourselves.

Councilmember Woodards is looking forward this weekend to both the nice weather and to Tacoma’s Ethnic Fest, this Saturday and Sunday at Wright Park from noon to 7:00 p.m. She encouraged everyone to come out and join in the festivities to celebrate the differences in our community. The free event is sponsored by Metro Parks, the City of Tacoma, and Pierce County. More information is available at www.EthnicFestTacoma.com

Councilmember Boe reminded us of the construction work on Stadium Way, suggesting that maybe this is an opportunity to explore other avenues for getting to work.

City Manager Broadnax thanked City staff for their efforts to organize the community budget meetings, and Council for the opportunity to get out into the community to hear the concerns of constituents.

ADJOURNMENT