Tacoma City Council Meeting Summary - June 25, 2024

The Tacoma City Council met on June 25, 2024, at the Tacoma Public Utilities Auditorium (a change of location), with Deputy Mayor John Hines presiding. Present were Councilmembers Bushnell, Daniels, Diaz, Rumba, and Walker; Mayor Woodards joined via Zoom later in the meeting. Councilmember Scott was absent. The agenda included a consent calendar, a proclamation for the Tacoma Stars Reserves, two purchase resolutions, final adoption of the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Improvement Program, first reading of a compensation plan ordinance, and a 60-minute Community Forum largely focused on Charter Review Committee recommendations.

Consent Calendar

• Adopted the minutes of the joint City Council and Public Utility Board study session of November 7, 2023, by unanimous voice vote.

Proclamations, Recognitions, Presentations, and Announcements

• Recognized the Tacoma Stars Reserves for winning the Western Indoor Soccer League Championship for the third consecutive year and clinching the 2024 National Amateur title in the Premier Arena Soccer League U.S. Open Cup. MVP Manny Nicasio was named. Josh Paul, Director of Operations, accepted the recognition and noted the players are unpaid, train late at night, and many coach local youth and high school programs.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Yvonne McCarty (Northeast Tacoma) spoke on Ordinance 28971, the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program. She said only one project, North Shore Parkway, has been listed for Northeast Tacoma and remains unfunded; she described failing roads such as Norpoint Way and poor side streets in the Stadium District and North End. She also noted that Director Chavez did not attend a Northeast Tacoma neighborhood council meeting and asked for better inclusion of District 2 in transportation planning.
• Jay Herring (District 4) attempted to speak about Charter Review recommendations during Public Comment, but was redirected by the Deputy Mayor to Community Forum later in the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 41455: Authorized an increase and two-year extension of the contract with Mercer Health and Benefits, LLC, in the amount of $645,000 plus applicable taxes, for a cumulative total of $2,020,000, budgeted from the Health Care Trust Fund, for employee benefits brokerage and consulting services. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41456: Authorized renewal of an Aquatic Lands Lease with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources at $11,445.12 per year (with annual inflation adjustments) through April 30, 2036, budgeted from the Facilities Fund, for a portion of the Commencement Bay harbor area including the Marine Security Operations Center at 3301 Ruston Way. Presented by Regan Bogart of Public Works; adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 28971 (Final Reading): Adopted the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Improvement Program amended for 2024 and 2025–2030. Councilmembers Walker, Bushnell, and Hines voiced support: Walker noted that listing projects does not guarantee funding and encouraged public engagement in next spring’s process; Bushnell praised inclusion of economically depressed and historically underinvested areas such as the Hosmer corridor. The roll call recorded seven ayes, with Councilmember Scott absent. The raw transcript includes an apparent roll-call discrepancy regarding Mayor Woodards’ vote, but the ordinance was declared passed.
• Ordinance 28972 (First Reading): Amends Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code to implement changes to non-represented classifications, including creating 12 non-represented appointed titles and 1 non-represented classified title, updating 6 classification titles, increasing pay ranges for 3 classifications, and changing the overtime category designation for 1 classification. Carrie Lewey, Assistant Human Resources Director, presented the ordinance as a refinement of the compensation system modernized by Substitute Ordinance 28862 (December 13, 2022). Councilmember Walker asked about the appeals process; Lewey said the changes resulted from working through employee appeals and department feedback. The ordinance was sent to final reading.

Community Forum

• The Community Forum was limited to 60 minutes, with each speaker allowed 90 seconds. The Clerk reported nine written comments: five about the charter, one about construction at A and 84th Streets, one about the levy lid lift, one about the Harrison shooting range, and one about vehicle emissions.
• Numerous speakers urged the City Council to place all 24 Charter Review Committee recommendations on the November ballot, with special emphasis on three items: an Office of Policing Accountability, a Climate Accountability and Sustainability Commission, and a change from the council-manager form to an elected mayor/chief administrative officer or strong council-mayor form. Speakers argued that an unelected city manager is unaccountable, citing City Manager Elizabeth Pauley’s $350,000 salary and policy decisions.
• Speakers on police accountability, including Hayes Leviathan and Owen IOX, demanded independent civilian oversight with subpoena power, external complaint investigations, and charter codification, referencing the Manny Ellis case and concerns about internal police investigations. Owen IOX also asked that the city be prohibited from placing competing measures against citizen initiatives.
• Climate advocates, including Stacey Oakes (350 Tacoma), Ifa Pasquale (Climate Alliance of the South Sound), and others, called for a charter-based climate commission to enforce the city’s climate emergency commitments. They criticized misinformation about tree carbon capture, the 15% expansion allowance for fossil fuel facilities in the Tideflats, the PSE LNG facility exemption, and the Bridge Industrial warehouse project.
• Multiple speakers commented on the charter review process itself. Barb Church and Beverly Allen said the council should rely more on Charter Review Commission members’ expertise rather than consultants unfamiliar with the recommendations. Ann Dorn (District 5) and Eric Hurdy supported Councilmember Diaz’s amendment for an elected mayor, with Hurdy praising the reversal of the proposed council-shrinking provision. Steve Havely expressed disappointment that council members asked few questions about the 24 recommendations.
• Several speakers condemned anonymous racist comments in public forums and requested zero tolerance, on-camera identification for remote commenters, and no second chances for hateful speech. Deputy Mayor Hines later responded that racism and hate speech are unacceptable and that the council will work to keep forums welcoming.
• Darren Holter testified about Tacoma Police Harrison shooting range soil contamination, saying test reports showed concentrations above Model Toxics Control Act cleanup limits, city employees were not informed or trained about lead hazards, worked without protective equipment, and were directed to move contaminated soil and flush contaminated dirt down storm drains. He submitted supporting documents.
• Ed Jacobs invited the council to a homeless memorial on June 30 at Shiloh Baptist Church, noting 30 people died on the streets in the last year, and asked for a moratorium on homeless sweeps when temperatures exceed 85 degrees. Teresa Paradis later encouraged creative solutions to homelessness and argued that sweeps and camping bans don’t work.
• Amelie O’Connor, president of the Bridge Condo Association, requested council action on drug use and crime in the Theater District, citing broken windows, open-air drug use, and lack of enforcement. Michelle Reich offered remarks largely unrelated to city business about religion and cats.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41455 adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41456 adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 28971 passed on final reading; seven ayes recorded, Councilmember Scott absent, with a noted transcript discrepancy in the roll call.
• Ordinance 28972 introduced and referred to final reading.
• Councilmember Scott was excused from the meeting.
• The council announced a public hearing on Charter Amendments for July 2, 2024.
• Meeting adjourned.

Committee Reports and Announcements

• Councilmember Daniels, chair of the Economic Development Committee, reported that the committee met on June 11 and June 25, receiving presentations on the Green Jobs and Pathways Summit and a one-year progress update on the Green Economic Development Strategy. The outgoing CED Director, Jeff Robinson, was recognized at his last committee meeting. The next meeting is July 9.
• Councilmember Walker announced Summer Late Nights, a program for grades 6–11 running June 24 through August 30, weekdays 5–10 p.m., with free dinner and no registration required, and thanked partners and staff.
• Deputy Mayor Hines made closing remarks against hate speech and racism, emphasizing the council’s commitment to a welcoming community forum.