Tacoma City Council Meeting - June 25, 2013

CONSENT AGENDA

ASSESSMENT ROLLS

The Director of Public Works presents the Assessment Roll for the following:

LID No. 7724 for the installation of underground primary electrical distribution, utilities, telephone, and cable TV lines along Stadium Way from the intersection of Stadium Way and Borough Road northwesterly to the dead end.

Setting Thursday, July 25,2013, at 1 :30 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner.

[Ralph Rodriguez, Ll.D. Administrator; Kurtis Kingsolver, Interim Director, Public Works]

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

The agenda included an item recognizing the Second Quarter 2013 Human Rights Champion Award recipients, but as the recipients were unable to attend this week, they will be recognized next time.

PUBLIC COMMENT

We heard comment on two main topics this week. Representatives of several agencies came forward to speak in favor of funding various programs providing mental health and chemical dependency services. And students and parents from Lowell Elementary spoke in favor of the name change to create Mr Dahl Drive. We also heard from a representative of the Pochert family, which is supportive of the designation of the building bearing their family name as a historic structure.

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38683 Awarding contracts to:

1. Harlow Construction Co., Inc., on its bid of $891 ,975.50; Holroyd Company, Inc., on its bid of $2,065,750.00; Corliss Resources, Inc., on its bid of $169,498.74; and Miles Sand and Gravel Company, on its bid of $103,129.97, for a cumulative total of $3,230,354.21, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Streets Special Revenue Fund, for crushed and natural aggregate materials on an as-needed basis from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, with the option to renew for four additional one-year terms -Specification No. PW13-0244F; [Rae Bailey, Street Operations Division Manager; Kurtis Kingsolver, Interim Director, Public Works] 
2. ICON Materials, on its bid of $2,513,441.00, plus sales tax, plus a 10 percent contingency, for a cumulative total of $2,764,785.10, budgeted from the Solid Waste Fund, for construction of the Tacoma Landfill Stage 3 Closure Central Area Phase III project - Specification No. ES13-0013F; [Geoffrey M. Smyth, P.E., Science and Engineering Division Manager; Michael P. Slevin, III, P.E., Director, Environmental Services];
3. Physio-Control, Inc., in the base amount of $454,798.45, plus sales tax, plus a trade-in of existing monitor/defibrillators valued at $70,000.00, and three optional years of equipment maintenance totaling $43,386.00, for a projected contract total of $428,184.45, budgeted from the Fire EMS and Miscellaneous Special Revenue Funds for 14 Lifepak 15 monitor/defibrillators, accessories, and maintenance - Specification No. FD13-0249F; [Michael Newhouse, Medical Services Officer; James Duggan, Chief, Tacoma Fire] and
4. Wm. Dickson Company, in the amount of $500,000.00, plus sales tax, for a cumulative total of $1,164,654.55, budgeted from the Streets Special Revenue Fund, Surface Water Fund, and the Water Fund, to increase the contract for additional work on the North Waterview Street Roadway Repair Project - Specification No. PW11-0617F. [Chris E. Larson, P.E., Engineering Division Manager; Kurtis Kingsolver, Interim Director, Public Works]

Councilmember Boe noted that the first three items all came in under expected budget, and asked about the timeline for completion of item 4, which it turns out will be substantially complete this week.  

Resolution No. 38684 Renaming the 800 Block of North 13th Street to “Mr. Dahl Drive.” [Reuben McKnight, Historic Preservation Officer; Peter Huffman, Interim Director, Planning and Development Services]

The request for this item was researched and submitted by Lowell Elementary students, and recommended for passage by City departments. The block in question does not have any other addresses or intersect with any major streets.

 

Resolution No. 38685  Designating the Kellogg-Sicker and H.C. Pochert Buildings located at 1110-1112 and 1114-1116 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, as city landmarks and placing said properties on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places. [Reuben McKnight, Historic Preservation Officer; Peter Huffman, Interim Director, Planning and Development Services]

The Pochert and Kellogg-Sicker buildings, built in 1904 and 1906 respectively, are both associated with the early development history of the Hilltop, which at that time was the most vibrant commercial district out of downtown. Effects of the historic designation will be to make a design review necessary for any exterior changes, protect the buildings from unnecessary demolition, and make them eligible for property tax incentive for rehabilitation. 

Resolution No. 38686 Approving the recommendations of the Human Services Commission to allocate funds in the amount of $1,716,485, budgeted from the Mental Health Fund, for human services programs from July 1, 2013 through December 31, 2014. [Kimberly Dodds, Contract and Program Auditor; Tansy Hayward, Director, Neighborhood and Community Services] 

The programs funded by the mental health sales tax distributed by this resolution fall into three categories of strategic priorities: community-based care, jail and hospital diversion, and programs targeted to help youth.

Resolution No. 38687 Authorizing the execution of a Multi-Family Housing 12-Year Property Tax Exemption Agreement with A&A Property Holdings, LLC, for the development of seven market-rate and affordable rental housing units located at 3412 South G Street in the Lincoln Mixed-Use Center. [Debbie Bingham, Program Development Specialist; Ricardo Noguera, Director, Community and Economic Development] 

The project covered here would build seven units of multi-family housing with seven single car garages attached. The tax exemption applies only to the value of the buildings, with the property still taxed. At the end of the 12 year exemption, the value of the buildings will be taxed as well.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Amended Subsitute Ordinance No. 28157 Amending Chapters 1.37, 10.14, 13.02, 13.04, 13.05, 13.06, and 13.06A of the Municipal Code, relating to the 2013 Annual Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, by revising regulations pertaining to drive-through facilities, platting and subdivisions, signs, adoption and amendment procedures; correcting minor errors; and addressing inconsistencies and enhancing clarity of the Code, effective August 1, 2013. [Brian Boudet, Planning Division Manager; Peter Huffman, Interim Director, Planning and Development Services]

The ordinance passed as amended without further comment from Council.

Ordinance No. 28158 Amending the Comprehensive Plan by modifying the land use designation systems, incorporating “Environmental Justice,” updating unfunded transportation projects, establishing a new land use designation framework, and endorsing review of the Countywide Planning Policies for Pierce County, effective August 1, 2013. [Brian Boudet, Planning Division Manager; Peter Huffman, Interim Director, Planning and Development Services]

The ordinance passed without further Council comment.

Ordinance No. 28159 Amending Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to implement rates of pay and compensation for approximately 32 budgeted, full-time positions, represented by the United Transportation Union, Switch Crew Unit, effective July 1, 2013. [Joy St. Germain, Director, Human Resources]

This ordinance also passed without further council comment.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28160 Amending Chapters 12.01, 12.06, 12.08, 12.09, and 12.10, relating to utilities, to increase the bill due date from 10 to 15 days on utility customer invoices. [Steve Hatcher, Customer Services Manager; Bill Gaines, Director of Utilities]

This ordinance came out of discussions between City Council and the Public Utilities Board about ensuring that customers have sufficient time to pay their utility bills. The decision was made to push the deadline to 15 days to allow customers to better budget for the variability of utility bills. 15 days is an industry standard, and gives customers more room to budget from one paycheck to the next. If the ordinance passes next week, residential and commercial customers will begin seeing the new deadlines in their July utility bills. Utilities staff also mentioned the budget bill pay option available to help customers pay their bills and avoid default or back payment situations.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER

City Manager Broadnax welcomed new Neighborhood and Community Services Contract Service Manager, Pamela Duncan to the City. She comes to us by way of of the Cleveland Public Schools, United Way of Pierce County, and the Evergreen State College in Tacoma. Welcome Ms. Duncan.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Infrastructure, Planning, and Sustainability Committee – Councilmember Mello updated us on the work of the committee, which has been renamed from the Environment and Public Works Committee to better reflect its focus.

• 2013 Annual Amendments - Received a final briefing, reviewed recommendations, and sent recommendations to the full Council after reviewing and minor tweaks.
• Mr Dahl Drive - Recommended forwarding the proposed name change to the full Council after hearing testimony from many students students on the impact Mr Dahl had on them.
• State Building and Fire Code Changes - Received briefings, and recommended forwarding to Council for adoption
• At the next meeting the committee will be interviewing candidates for both the Sustainable Tacoma Commission and the newly created Transportation Commission.

Councilmember Boe shared two big bike events coming up this weekend.

• The 2013 Tacoma Twilight Criterium - This Saturday, June 29, the best spectator bike race in Tacoma will be back in the Proctor neighborhood, from 2 to 9 p.m. the bikes will be whizzing around the streets. Come out for the spectacle, and visit a local business or two while you’re there.
• 2013 Tour de Pierce - This Sunday, June 30, you too can get in on the bike riding, at your own pace. The Tour de Pierce annual event offers different distances for different experience levels, starting out of the Washington State Fair Grounds in Puyallup.

Mayor Strickland closed the meeting with her annual reminder that all fireworks are illegal in the City of Tacoma, and an invitation to instead head down to Ruston Way for the Freedom Fair:  www.freedomfair.com

And there will be no Council meetings next week for the 4th of July holiday. The next meeting will be on July 9. 

Council members Campbell, Thoms, and Walker were all absent this week. 

ADJOURNMENT