“Tacoma City Council Study SessionNoon, Tuesday April 4, 2000Room 16, Municipal Bldg. N.728 St. Helens AvenueTacomaI-200 ImplementationFollowing passage of Initiative 200, the percentage of City subcontractor dollars going to minority and women-owned businesses dropped from 24 to 3 percent, according to the City. In 1998, the Council asked City staff to examine the initiative’s impact and recommend responses.During the Council and Public Utility Board’s joint study session, City staff and others will update the Council and the Board on their work. The City conducted focus groups with:- Prime contractors and subcontractors- Businesses that do work for the City- Businesses that submitted proposals but didn’t get the job- Minority and women-owned businessesCity staff took the groups’ feedback and looked at ways to promote equal opportunities for contractors and subcontractors while complying with the new law.Presenters will discuss focusing selection criteria on size and location of the contracting firm rather than race and gender of the owner(s), hiring historically underutilized businesses.Another idea is utilization of a pilot program creating a list of companies prepared to do work under $25,000. Rather than going through a formal bidding process, the City would send bids to five companies on the roster. Presenters will discuss concerns raised by focus group participants, including City paperwork and red tape.LEAP UpdateCity staff and members of the Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training Program (LEAP) Advisory Committee will update the Council on the LEAP program activities and recommended changes.The LEAP program requires the prime contractor on a qualifying public works project to ensure 15 percent of the project’s labor hours are performed by Tacoma residents and/or apprentices.Tacoma City CouncilCouncil Meeting5:00 p.m., Tuesday April 4Room 16, Municipal Bldg. N.728 St. Helens AvenueTacomaAdult Entertainment RestrictionsThe City may restrict new retail businesses selling sexually oriented items from locating near many areas in a proposed regulation up for comment.In 1999, the Council approved a six-month moratorium on building permits and business licenses for adult retail and entertainment uses. The City has worked with the Planning Commission to review the effects of adult businesses and recommend reasonable controls.The proposal includes bans:- Within 1,000 feet of similar uses.- Within 1,000 feet of any residences, library, church, day care, nursery, public or private elementary or secondary school, and parks.Tacoma has no pending licenses. If approved at a later meeting, the ordinance would impact all new adult retail businesses applying in Tacoma.”