Tacoma City Council
Study Session
Noon, Tuesday, November 5, 2002
Room 16
Tacoma Municipal Bldg. North
733 Market St.

Retirement system, Mobil Task Force

The Tacoma Employee’s Retirement System will review their fiduciary responsibility and investment strategy to ensure that the city’s retirement plan remains well-funded. The Mobility Task Force—a group that addresses bicycle and vehicle traffic issues on City streets—will present recommendations for engineering, enforcement and education activities. The council will not take public comment.

Tacoma City Council
Regular Meeting
5 p.m., Tuesday, November 5, 2002
Council Chambers
Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market St.

Click! Network rate increase

The council will take public testimony on a proposed ordinance that would increase cable TV rates. Tacoma Power wants to increase revenues to stay in line with increased expenses and to begin repayment of its capital investment. Click! Network hasn’t increased rates since it began commercial cable television service in 1998, and has doubled the number of channels and service offerings in that time. The price for the most popular package would increase $2 per month, if the City Council approves. Tacoma Power has included this proposed 6 percent revenue increase in its 2003-2004 biennial budget. The Council expects to vote on the measure Nov. 12.

Local contracts, employment

If the council approves, developers working on local projects that receive city funds or assets will be required to comply with the City’s Historically Under-utilized Business (HUB) program that aims to create better contracting opportunities for small, local businesses, and the Local Employment and Apprenticeship Program (LEAP) that is intended to increase training opportunities and reduce unemployment. Both city programs already apply to certain public works projects. This resolution, if approved, would expand program requirements to include other construction and private amenities projects the city helps to fund through tax incentives, federal grants or other means. The resolution, if approved, will establish the council’s policy on these matters, the City Manager will be authorized to study and recommend the council any changes to city ordinances that are necessary to implement the policy. The council will take public comment before voting.

Nuisance codes to be revisited

The council will take public testimony on the first update to the nuisance code since 1966. The revised ordinance would streamline the city’s process for correcting certain violations of the nuisance code such as litter, debris and overgrown vegetation, and it also will add parking standards for vehicles on single-family residential lots. The council expects to vote Nov. 12.

City may by Aviation Crossings bldg.

The council will consider making a $2.5 million interim interfund loan out of Convention Center Construction Fund to be repaid by Dec. 31, 2003 so the city can purchase the Crossings Aviation buildings and make other improvements. The city will pursue a commercial paper loan for long-term financing. The council will take public comment and expects to vote Nov. 12.

This is an incomplete agenda of the Nov. 5, 2002 Tacoma City Council meeting. The Index prints as much as space allows.