Tacoma City Council Meeting - October 30, 2012

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Resolution No. 38562 Setting Tuesday, November 13, 2012, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for a public hearing by the City Council on the 2013-2014 Biennial Budget and the 2013-2018 Capital Facilities Program. [Steve Call, Interim Director, Finance]

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28072 Vacating the west 20 feet of the Court G right-of-way, between South 25th and South 27th Streets, for general use and surface parking associated with the redevelopment of the adjacent housing project, Hillside Terrace.  (Tacoma Housing Authority; File No. 124.1331) [Troy Stevens, Senior Real Estate Specialist; Phyllis Macleod, Hearing Examiner]

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Strickland proclaimed November 2012 as Art at Work, Tacoma Arts Month in the City of Tacoma, and encouraged all citizens to take part in the Art @ Work Month activities planned. 

The Mayor also recognized City of Tacoma housing division manager, Ric Teasley, who was recently awarded the Community Impact award by the Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium for his work on affordable housing issues in Tacoma.

PUBLIC COMMENT
One commenter spoke in favor of the ordinance proposing changes to City rules governing scrap metal dealers.  A representative of Habitat for Humanity echoed the kudos for Ric Teasley, thanking him for his work, and praising Tacoma’s housing division as well-run and productive.

REGULAR AGENDA

APPOINTMENTS

Resolution No. 38563 Appointing Council Member David Boe to serve as the City’s alternate representative on the Pierce County Regional Council; and Council Member Victoria Woodards to serve as the City’s representative on the Foundation for Tacoma Schools. [Mayor Marilyn Strickland]

RESOLUTIONS

Purchase Resolution No. 38564 Awarding contracts to:

1. Advantage Building Services, in the amount of $52,358.74, sales tax not applicable, budgeted from the Solid Waste Fund, for janitorial services for all of the facilities located at the Solid Waste Management Division for an initial oneyear period with the option to renew for four additional one-year periods, for a projected contract total of $261,793.70 –Specification No. PW12-0534F [Gary Kato, Acting Solid Waste Management Division Manager; Michael P. Slevin III, P.E., Interim Director, Environmental Services];
2. Jones & Roberts Company, in the amount of $50,000.00, plus sales tax, budgeted from the 2009E LTGO Bond Fund, for a cumulative total of $1,150,976.00, to increase the contract for additional project work on the Foss Waterway Seaport North Wall – Specification No. PW11-0586F [Chris Larson, Engineering Division Manager; Dick McKinley, Director, Public Works]; and
3. Brown and Caldwell, Inc., in the amount of $226,346.00, sales tax not applicable, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for a cumulative total of $612,771.00, to increase and extend the contract for additional design and construction management services on the Lincoln and Alexander Pump Station Upgrade project through December 31, 2014 – Specification No. CT10-0029F [John O’Loughlin, Science and Engineering Division Manager; Michael P. Slevin III, P.E., Interim Director, Environmental Services].

_ Councilmember Boe recused himself to avoid the potential for the appearance of a conflict of interest.  The resolution passed without other comment._

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28094 Amending the 2011-2012 Biennial Budget to include an additional appropriation of $6,200,000, for a total biennial appropriation of $46,638,786, to the Department of Public Utilities, Rail Division, to allow Tacoma Rail to meet its anticipated operating requirements through the end of 2012; and declaring an emergency making necessary the passage of this ordinance and its taking effect immediately upon publication. [Dale King, Tacoma Rail Superintendent; Bill Gaines, Director of Public Utilities]

The ordinance passed without further comment.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28095 Amending Chapter 6B.160 of the Municipal Code, relating to pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers, and garage sales, to include the definition of precious metals and secondhand precious metal dealers; establish an exemption section to the license; eliminate the Secondhand Goods – Trade-In license; amend the redemption periods for pawned and secondhand property to align with state law; and expand the time and dates allowed to conduct pawn brokering transactions.[Danielle Larson, Tax and License Division Manager; Steve Call, Interim Director, Finance]

The City regulates pawnbroking and other buying/selling/trading of second-hand goods (defined as any item that is not new).  This ordinance would clean up language and align details of the TMC with the RCW.  Up to now pawnbrokers have been required to report on daily transactions to police, but the same requirement has not been imposed on other similar businesses, such as “second hand stores.”  This change would clarify that those same requirements apply to all such businesses.

Ordinance No. 28096 Amending Chapter 6B.190 of the Municipal Code, relating to scrap metal and recyclable material dealers, to amend the type of marking required on vehicles used for the collection or disposal of scrap metal or recyclable materials; amend the type of reporting requirements to be made to the Tacoma Police Department; and amend the record-keeping requirement to align with state law.[Danielle Larson, Tax and License Division Manager; Steve Call, Interim Director, Finance]

In order to keep up with changes in the industry and especially to deter metal theft, the main change would require all vehicles transporting scrap metal to display a license plate attached to their vehicle.  This means that if residents are concerned about a vehicle that claims to be transporting scrap metal, they should be able to request to see the driver’s scrap metal license.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.

REPORTS BY THE CITY MANAGER
None.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

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

• Giving a do-pass to proposed changes to metal scrapping and pawn shop regulations.  The City will continue to work as part of a taskforce to address scrap metal theft state-wide.
• Giving a do-pass recommendation to radio upgrades for South Sound 911.
• Giving a do-pass to updates to the City’s curfew ordinance, including a recommendation that it become permanent.
• Receiving an informational update on efforts to build a community center on Tacoma’s Eastside.

Councilmember Fey announced the final community budget input meeting, which will be held next Monday, November 5 at the Center at Norpoint.  Fey encouraged all Tacomans who have not yet had the opportunity to participate in this budgeting process to attend. 

Councilmember Campbell also gave a reminder of the other of the two remaining budget input meetings, which will be held this Thursday, November 1, at 6:00 p.m. at Lincoln High School.

Councilmember Walker thanked everyone who attended the budget session held last night for a meaningful conversation about how we define core services.  Walker also reminded us that the Art @ Work Month kick-off party, with the presentation of the Amocat awards, will be held this Thursday, November 1, starting at 6:00 at the Tacoma Art Museum.  She hopes to see you there.

ADJOURNMENT

For more on this week’s agenda items, see this week’s Tacoma City Business Preview from Exit133.

Well, that’s it for this week.