ACTION REQUESTED

1. The updated Public Policy Calendar is attached for your information.  My intent in providing this is to give you a longer-range “heads up” on policy issues you may be considering.  I welcome your questions or feedback.

2. Don’t forget to mark you calendars for the Joint Municipal Action Committee 2008 Legislative Priorities Luncheon on October 12th, at the Chambers Bay Golf Course, 6320 Grandview Drive West, University Place.
TOPICS OF INTEREST

3. City Attorney Elizabeth Pauli provides the attached information regarding permissible activities by City officers and employees in political campaigns and union elections.

4. Community and Economic Development (CED) Director Ryan Petty reports that at the August 15th Planning Commission meeting, staff from Sound Transit presented information on the proposed alignments for the Sounder commuter rail at-grade crossings, particularly at Pacific Avenue but also at other locations.  The presentation was given in response to questions that have been raised by the Commission relative to the project’s relationship to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  As a result of the presentation, the Planning Commission passed a motion directing CED Planning Division staff to conduct a review of the Sounder extension project for consistency with the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan and to report back with findings to the Commission on September 19th.  The purpose of conducting the Plan consistency review is for the Commission to provide information to the Council for their consideration as part of the Council’s review of the Sounder extension that is expected to occur in October.  In addition, Planning Commission Chair Tom Smith and Vice-Chair David Boe will discuss the issue at the Environment and Public Works Committee on September 12th. 

5. Fire Chief Ron Stephens provides the attached memorandum regarding the Fire Department’s progress to date in their efforts toward achieving accreditation.

6. The City Council/Neighborhood Council Events Calendar for September 2007 is attached for your information. 

7. Ryan Petty provides an article from Economic Development Now, summarizing a recent survey documenting the relatively small economic development impact achieved from the deployment of free wireless services in municipalities ("muni-WIFI").  Nearly 200 municipalities have “muni-WIFI” in place, in progress, or planned; and yet slight to no effect on economic development is reported.  This lack of impact is particularly evident in markets such as Tacoma which are well-served by fiber providing high speed Internet and data services.  Access to fiber optic cable is reported as being by far the stronger business location qualifier.  

8. Council Members Evans and Fey would like to invite you to the 2007 Tacoma Sustainability Tour on Saturday, September 22nd, at 9:00 a.m.  This tour is a project of the Campus-Community Waste Reduction Task Force—a partnership between the University of Puget Sound, the City of Tacoma, and local businesses, residents, and community leaders.  The tour will begin at the EnviroHouse located at the Tacoma Solid Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Center, 3510 South Mullen.  Please see the attached agenda, which provides information on additional tour sites.  A bus will be provided for the tour, so if you are interested please contact John Hickey at hickey@ups.edu or 879-3203 by Tuesday, September 11th, to reserve a seat. 
9. The agenda for the Public Utility Board meeting of September 12, 2007, is attached for your information. 

 COUNCIL AGENDA

10. On August 22nd, there was a bid protest at the Contracts and Awards (C&A) Board Meeting regarding Purchase Resolution No. 37273 (item 1).  This item on Tuesday’s agenda for your consideration would award a contract to the lowest bidder, Northwest Cascade, Inc. for extension and replacement of existing sanitary sewer mains (Adams Street and North First Street Sanitary and Storm Water Extension Project).  The Public Works Department had recommended that contract be awarded to the lowest and best responsible bidder, Northwest Cascade.  Wm. Dickson Co., the second lowest bidder, protested the recommended award claiming that Northwest Cascade did not properly comply with the subcontractor listing requirements of RCW 39.30.060. The Public Works Department refuted Wm. Dickson Co.’s claim and insisted that Northwest Cascade had fully satisfied the subcontractor listing requirements of RCW 39.30.060.  The Board heard the protest and voted unanimously in favor of recommending award to Northwest Cascade.  
 

On August 24th, the City received notification that Wm. Dickson Company was requesting a hearing before the Council for review of their protest of the recommended award.  Because some time has passed since the last appeal at a Council meeting, I am providing the attached summary of Council Bid Protest Procedures and a memorandum dated January 3, 2005, which outlines the protest notification procedures and procedures to clarify the scope and conduct of          quasi-judicial hearings by the Council for these appeals.  For more information regarding this issue, please see the C&A Board Summary and additional background information in today’s mail packets. 

 STUDY SESSION/WORK SESSION

11. The City Council Study Session of Tuesday, September 11, 2007, will be held in Room 16 of the Tacoma Municipal Building North.  Discussion items will be:     (1) Mixed Use Center Review Project; (2) Classification and Compensation Study Update; (3) Other Items of Interest; (4) Agenda Review; and              (5) Executive Session-Personnel Matters.

At Tuesday’s Study Session, the Council will be presented information on the status of the Mixed Use Center review project. The project is evaluating the mixed-use centers that are designated in the Comprehensive Plan.  Emerging issues, based on public input, include revising development regulations including allowable heights, parking standards, landscaping and zoning reclassifications. The review of the City Tax Exemption for Multi-Family Housing program will be discussed at the October 23rd Study Session. The attached memorandum from Ryan Petty provides additional background information.

As a second topic at the Study Session, John Hankerson from the consulting firm of Milliman Inc. will continue the discussion around the elements of a pay strategy framework that were introduced at the August 14th Study Session related to the Classification and Compensation Study currently underway.  For your review, Interim Human Resources Director Mark Cassidy  provides the attached memorandum, which includes materials that will be discussed at the Study Session.

 At the conclusion of the Study Session, there will be an Executive Session to discuss personnel matters.

12. The updated Tentative Council Study Session, Workshop, and Town Hall Meeting Calendar is attached for your information.

 COUNCIL REQUESTS/INQUIRIES

13. During the LeMay Museum discussion at the August 21st Study Session, Council Members raised a number of questions.  Public Assembly Facilities Director Mike Combs and Ryan Petty respond in the attached memorandum.

14. At Council’s request, Elizabeth Pauli provides a summary of the origin and adoption of the 1997 Tacoma ordinance that amended the City’s zoning code to make billboards in certain locations non-conforming, and established a requirement that the non-conforming billboards be made conforming or removed within ten years.

15. At the August 7th Committee of the Whole meeting, Council Member Fey requested a list of mechanisms that could be used for park funding.  Government Relations Officer Randy Lewis shares the following tax options available to all Metropolitan Park Districts:

• A “regular” or non-voter approved property tax levy of up to 75 cents per thousand of assessed value.
• The ability to ask voters to approve a “special” levy for specific purposes for set periods of time above the 75 cents per thousand level (60 percent vote needed).
• The ability to raise the levy back to the maximum amount of 75 cents per thousand for up to 6 years (levy lid lift with 50 percent vote needed).
• The ability to seek voter approval to “protect” the regular levy from being reduced by pro-rationing due to the park district’s status as a junior taxing district (50 percent vote needed).
• The City Council has the authority to impose an impact fee for park use that could be considered the City’s financial support of the district.
• Metropolitan Park Districts in Pierce County also receive a per capita share of the one-tenth of one percent “zoo, trek and parks” sales tax.

16. At the August 21st Council meeting, Council Member Fey requested information regarding the Salishan development’s use of low impact development strategies.  Assistant City Manager Bill Pugh reports that the plumbing fixtures being installed in the homes meet current codes for water efficiency, but will not result in reduced pipe sizes for the sanitary sewer mains.  Salishan is performing some innovative work with low-impact development to reduce surface water flows by using bio-infiltration swales with native plants.  Salishan also minimized the increase in impervious surfaces by incorporating enhanced public park areas, narrow 16-foot wide alleys to interconnect wider streets, and no sidewalks along one side of the street.  The project also included native plantings in restored wetland buffers and bio-swales.  While all of these strategies reduce surface water runoff and related contamination during average rainfall events, they have no significant reduction during peak stormwater events.  Pipe sizes are designed to handle peak flows during storm events to prevent flooding.   

17. In response to Council Member Manthou’s question regarding what the new property owners were planning to do with lots purchased under Resolutions 37268 & 37269, Bill Pugh reports they will be developed as single family homes.
 
18. In response to Council questions from the August 7th Committee of the Whole meeting, Bill Pugh provides a copy of the 2004 City/Metro Parks agreement and an inspection report conducted in August of areas maintained by Metro Parks for the City (these findings have not been reviewed with Metro Parks yet). The agreement includes: 1) Appendix A, which provides a line item summary for the $3.3 million annual allocation by the City; 2) Appendix B, which describes the maintenance level of service; and, 3) Appendix D, which describes names of facilities, types, ownership and operation and maintenance responsibilities.

19. In response to Council Member Evans’ question, the 2007/2008 grounds maintenance biennial budget is $2,378,834 for maintaining parks (City and Metro Parks owed property). 

  MARK YOUR CALENDARS

20. You have been invited to the following events:

• The Tacoma Fire Ceremony in remembrance of the 9/11 heroes and victims on September 11th, 8:30 a.m., at the Firefighters Memorial located at              3301 Ruston Way.
• Regence Blueshield Erling O. Mork Building Dedication on Tuesday, September 11th, 5:00 p.m., at 1501 Market Street.
• Businesses for USO Networking Social on Wednesday, September 12th,  11:00 a.m., at 4218 South Steele Street.
• The Commencement Bay Maritime Fest will be held on Saturday, September 15th and Sunday, September 16th.  The Maritime Fest is an annual event in which Tacoma celebrates its working waterfront.  More information is available at www.maritimefest.org/.
• Metro Parks Centennial Cruise on Thursday, September 20th, 4:00 p.m., at the Tacoma Yacht Club, 5401 North Waterfront Drive.
• Wm. M. Factory Small Business Incubator Founder’s Day Celebration and BBQ on Saturday, September 22nd, 3:00 p.m., at 1423 East 29th Street.
• Port of Tacoma Customer Reception 2007 on Thursday, September 27th, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Port of Tacoma Administration Building, One Sitcum Plaza.
Report No. 856
September 6, 2007
Page Six

• Alliance for Youth of Pierce County’s Together for Youth Luncheon on Friday, September 28th, 11:30 a.m., at the University of Puget Sound Rotunda, 1500 North Warner.
Sincerely,

Sincerely,

ERIC A. ANDERSON 
City Manager