1. Hotel aims to help bring wayside railroad crossing horns to Old Town
The Silver Cloud Hotel on Ruston Way may donate equipment worth $39,000 and $43,539 in cash to the City for constructing wayside railroad crossing horns in the vicinity of McCarver Street and Ruston Way. The funds would go into the Public Works Streets Special Revenue Arterial Street Fund, and the new stationary horn would sound only at the crossing, providing a quieter crossing for the neighborhood. The current practice requires locomotives to begin sounding their on-board horn a quarter mile prior to reaching the crossing.
2. Fire Department hosts applicant workshops and physical test orientations
The Tacoma Fire Department (TFD) will host applicant workshops and physical abilities test orientations on June 18 and June 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Tacoma Fire Department Training Center, 2124 Marshall Ave. Anyone interested in the workshops should attend in exercise clothing and athletic footwear. The applicant workshops provide an opportunity to learn about being a firefighter in the City of Tacoma and to receive information about the physical abilities test. TFD is accepting applications for firefighter positions through June 30, 2005.
3. Ordinance calls for $2.4 million line of credit for police stations
An ordinance scheduled for final reading June 21 calls for issuing a Limited Tax General Obligation Line of Credit Note for up to $2.4 million to help complete the construction of the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) Headquarters and substations. Due to higher than anticipated construction costs, the $34.3 million in bonds approved by voters in 2002 is not sufficient to complete the TPD headquarters and four substations. The ordinance proposes using funds from the future sale of the current TPD headquarters at 3737 S. Puget Sound St. as well as funds from the sale of City-owned property at South 21st and Jefferson Streets to secure the $2.4 million line of credit.
4. Development agreement could lead to more residents, retail on Thea Foss
Members of the City Council are scheduled June 21 to consider the purchase and sale, development and environmental indemnity agreements between the Thea Foss Waterway Development Authority (FWDA) and TF-Four, LLC. TF-Four proposes to redevelop Site 4 alongside the Thea Foss Waterway with new hotel, residential units, retail and commercial uses and parking. The FWDA board approved the agreements earlier this year. This item was continued from the June 14 Council meeting.
5. Ordinance would require review and report on HUB program every two years
If approved by the City Council, an ordinance scheduled for final reading June 21 would amend the Municipal Code for Historically Underutilized Business enterprises (HUB) to adopt a formula-driven approach for greater transparency and to help ensure equitable participation by small, underutilized firms that contract to do construction services for the City. The amendment would also require the City Manager and the Director of Public Utilities to review the implementation of the program and report their findings to the City Council every two years.
6. Tacoma Dome renovation recommendations to lead study session
Staff is scheduled to present the final Tacoma Dome renovation recommendations, including all proposed components and their projected costs, to the City Council during the June 21 study session. The Council will also hear a timeline for a bond proposition to appear on the Sept. 20, 2005, primary election ballot. City staff are also scheduled to introduce members of the Citizens Advisory Committee who will lead communication and campaign efforts leading up to the bond vote. The public may attend the noon study session in Room 16, Tacoma Municipal Building North, 733 Market St., but the Council will not take public comment. CityPost (Channel 85 on Click!, Channel 77 on Comcast) will air the audio portion of the session live. Replays of the study session audio can be heard Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. on CityPost (channel 85 on Click!, channel 77 on Comcast).
