Tacoma City Council Meeting - June 23rd, 2009

This week’s City Council meeting was a relatively low key affair. Council approved a significant IT project, bought some garbage containers, agreed to some labor negotiations, and heard about the historic value of a certain church. All in all … pretty quiet.

Consent Agenda

Resolution No. 37812 set Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council for further public testimony on a set of potential changes to the downtown parking regulations that would eliminate the parking requirements for new buildings in the portion of downtown known as the International Financial Services Area while providing a means to further address the parking needs of people with disabilities. Previously on Exit133

Regular Agenda

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 37813 awards contracts to three vendors for sidewalk reconstruction, Municipal Building reroofing, and plastic garbage containers.

Resolution No. 37814 authorizes the execution of Amendment No. 3 to the agreement with Moss & Barnett, in the amount of $80,000, for a cumulative total of $255,000, budgeted from the IT Municipal Cable TV Fund, for legal services in connection with telecommunications, cable, open video, and private communications systems.

Resolution No. 37815 authorizes the execution of a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 483, Custodial and Building Maintenance Unit, which covers 31 budgeted, full-time positions, and provides in part for selective wage adjustments to reflect the 70th percentile of the labor market and increases in 2010 and 2011 tied to the Consumer Price Index, and a provision that allows employees to convert to the Personal Time Off plan, effective retroactive to January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2011.

Resolution No. 37816 authorizes the execution of a Collective Bargaining Agreement with District Lodge 160, on behalf of Local Lodge 297, of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Tacoma Rail Mechanics Unit, which covers 12 budgeted, full-time positions, and provides in part for a general wage increase of 2.5 percent, an increase in meal reimbursement to $12.50 per meal, and a provision that allows employees to convert to the Personal Time Off plan, effective retroactive to January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2012.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 27808 vacates a portion of East R Street south of East 44th Street and 2.5 feet of the alley right-of-way located on the north side of East 51st Street within the plat of Portland Avenue First Addition, to be incorporated into the Salishan Housing Development.

Ordinance No. 27811 designates the Electronic Content Management System (ECMS) as a Special Project of Limited Duration; authorizing the execution of a Professional Services Agreement in the amount of $205,245, and a Licensing Agreement, in the amount of $1,390,850, plus annual maintenance in the amount of $69,542.50, with Autonomy, Inc.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

This week’s First Readings were primarily focused on the Municipal Code changes we mentioned last week following the public hearing. Public testimony did result in an amendment that removed Christ Episcopal Church (312 North K Street) from the North Slope Historic District rezone. The church had no objection to the historic overlay, but it didn’t want to lose their existing or future uses at the property. Given that the property is on the edge of the district and that the NSHD is okay with the exception, the amendment passed through easily.

The full list of changes will be back for final reading next week.

Finally, many thoughts and prayers went out to the family of Dick Sonntag – former City Councilman and community member who passed away earlier this week.