Tacoma City Council Meeting - Nov. 17th, 2009

We are just weeks away from a new City Council. See the bottom of our notes if you’re interested in applying. Big agenda items this evening included bonds and a lease for Cheney Stadium and the acceptance of Complete Streets by the City. Here are our notes:

R E G U L A R A G E N D A

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 37916 endorses the creation and ongoing development of the Complete Streets Design Guidelines; and directing the City Manager to implement the Mixed-Use Centers Complete Streets Design Guidelines and the Residential Complete Streets Design Guidelines. Complete Streets seeks to rebalance the planning process that has historically focused on cars. Tacoma has defined Complete Streets within Tacoma as streets that safely comfortably, and appropriately accommodate bicycles, pedestrians, cars, trucks, and people of all ages and abilities. Check out last week’s discussion for more information.

Resolution No. 37917 states a finding of substantial need, and authorizing the City to increase the 2010 Ad Valorem property tax revenue collection for the General Fund property tax levy to one percent, as the implicit price deflator is currently negative.

Resolution No. 37918 states a finding of substantial need, and authorizing the City to increase the 2010 Emergency Medical Services levy to one percent, as the implicit price deflator is currently negative.

Resolution No. 37919 authorizes the execution of a long-term, 30-year agreement with SDL Baseball Partnership, LLC, for the lease of Cheney Stadium from January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2041. This lease is conditioned on the completion of the rehabilitation of Cheney Stadium. A major component of the agreement is that the stadium will remain “Cheney Stadium” for the duration of the lease. There were lots of loving comments from the dais.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27847 amends Chapter 10.10 of the Municipal Code, relating to the contracting process, by amending Section 10.10.010 to align the retainage requirements on public improvements with state law, allow delegation of final acceptance of public improvements, provide flexibility to issue monthly progress payments throughout the month, and streamline the process for final contract payment calculation.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27848 authorizing an increase in 2010 for Ad Valorem tax collection in terms of both dollars and a percentage increase of one percent.

Ordinance No. 27849 authorizing an increase in 2010 for property tax revenue collection in terms of both dollars and a percentage increase of one percent for Emergency Medical Services.

Ordinance No. 27850 fixing the 2010 Ad Valorem property tax levy.

Ordinance No. 27851 fixing the 2010 property tax levy for Emergency Medical Services.

Ordinance No. 27852 providing for the issuance and sale of up to seven series of limited tax general obligation bonds in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $51,000,000, to rehabilitate Cheney Stadium, acquire land, and construct and improve other capital projects. Some of the other projects included are Salishan improvements, the Seaport Museum, Old Town Dock, Fire Station #5 and People’s Pool. There was a lot of discussion of projects that if we don’t fix them soon, they will be gone. The Old Town Dock in particular. Once gone, we won’t get them back … sound familiar?

PUBLIC HEARINGS AND APPEALS
This is the date set for a public hearing by the City Council on the proposed issuance of recovery zone facility bonds, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $4,979,000, to finance the rehabilitation, improvement, construction, and expansion of Cheney Stadium. Alan Douglas was the only citizen to offer any comment.

This was Councilmember Anderson’s last City Council meeting as she will be leaving to become the Pierce County Auditor.

The Mayor offered a motion that directed the City Manager to begin the appointment process. Applications for the At Large 7 Position and At Large 8 Position are now due no later than 5:00 pm on December 4th, 2009. You in?

That’s it.