1. Development agreement could lead to more residents, retail on Thea Foss

Members of the City Council are scheduled June 14 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.

2. Council to appoint members to panel on high-risk, high needs residents

The City Council is scheduled to appoint individuals to a Blue Ribbon Panel on High Risk/High Needs Residents during its June 14 meeting. The panel will study issues and make recommendations to the City Council on ways to address this segment of Tacoma’s population, and will be required to make its recommendations no later than Nov. 15, 2005. The panel will include one representative from each of the five City Council districts, the Hilltop Action Coalition, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, the Affordable Housing Consortium, the Pierce County Human Services Coalition, Associated Ministries and the Ministerial Alliance. It will also include three representatives from the Pierce County Funders Group, one from the Washington State Department of Corrections and one housing or social service recipient nominated by the Pierce County Coalition for the Homeless. The Mayor will name the chair and vice chair for the panel.

3. Ordinance calls for $2.4 million line of credit for police stations

An ordinance scheduled for first reading June 14 calls for the issuance of 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. Ordinance would require review and report on HUB program every two years

If approved by the City Council, an ordinance scheduled for first reading June 14 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.

5. Legislative Audit Committee the main subject of joint study session

City Council members will hear a staff presentation on the options for a Legislative Audit Committee to open the June 14 joint study session with the board of Tacoma Public Utilities. The discussion will include possibilities for the scope and structure of the committee, similar committee models and areas of responsibility. Discussion of this topic was requested by the Government Performance and Finance Committee. The Council will also hear an update on the Broadway Center for Performing Arts, including work being done by the Performing Arts Steering Committee to devise better ways and means for assuring that the City’s cultural facilities remain premier centers for the performing arts. The steering committee is working with the arts community to help develop a new operating agreement for the three City-owned theaters. 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).

6. Planning Commission to hold public hearing on moratorium

The Tacoma Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the six-month emergency moratorium on Special Needs Housing June 15 at 5 p.m. in Council Chambers in the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St. The City Council passed the emergency moratorium on May 17, and a copy of the ordinance is available on the Online Newsroom at www.cityoftacoma.org/tacomanews. A preliminary map of the Draft Special Needs Housing Moratorium Inventory can be viewed on the 9th floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St., or by viewing the PDF version online at http://www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/cronews/draft_groupcare_map.pdf. The Planning Commission will make its final recommendations to the City Council at the end of the public hearing, and the Council will hold a public hearing on the moratorium and the Commission’s recommendations during the July 12 Council meeting.