Tacoma City Council Meeting - October 22, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Tacoma City Council Meeting - October 22, 2024
The Tacoma City Council met on October 22, 2024, at 5:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a remembrance photo for Dr. Maxine Mims, a flag salute, and a moment of silence. The council approved an agenda modification to add Resolution 41544, adopted the consent agenda, recognized David Fischer for his contributions to the arts, and held public comment and a community forum. All regular agenda items were adopted unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of the Infrastructure, Planning, and Sustainability Committee (May 22 and June 26, 2024), Planning Commission (January 17, February 21, March 6, March 20, 2024), Public Utility Board (September 25, 2024, and special study session September 30, 2024), and City Council study sessions (January 30 and February 6, 2024) were filed. (Items 1-10)
- Resolution 41540 awarded a contract to Clean Earth Environmental Solutions, Inc. for $604,152.90 (plus taxes) for household hazardous waste transportation and management, with a projected total of $1,812,458.70 over three years, with renewal options.
- Resolution 41541 awarded a contract to Foundation for Tacoma Students for $880,000 to administer participatory budgeting in Council District 4 through December 31, 2028.
- Resolution 41542 accepted a $1,000,000 grant from the Washington State Health Care Authority and awarded a contract to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for a street medicine team pilot program, with renewal options.
- Payments totaling $58,504,434.52 for the period September 23 to October 6, 2024, were approved. The consent agenda was adopted unanimously.
Proclamations & Recognitions
- Recognition of David Fischer: Mayor Woodards presented a proclamation honoring David Fischer, CEO of Tacoma Arts Live, for his 18 years of leadership, including raising over $75 million for capital projects, renovating the Pantages Theater, and expanding equitable arts programming. Fischer thanked the council and community.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michelle Reich spoke against Resolution 41542 (street medicine pilot), arguing it enables drug use and that services should be provided at health facilities, not on the street. She cited needle litter and Portland’s reversal of similar policies.
- Kathy Laha expressed support for the street medicine program but noted the need for more mental health crisis teams and criticized the city’s handling of health care and large industrial projects.
Community Forum
-
The community forum heard 14 speakers (plus 53 written comments) on a wide range of topics. Key themes:
- Homelessness and public safety: Several speakers (business owners and residents) described unsafe conditions, open-air drug use, threats, and lack of police response. They called for more enforcement and cleanup.
- Climate and development: Speakers from the Climate Catastrophe Ground Zero Coalition and others criticized the city for approving a mega-warehouse in South Tacoma, citing environmental racism, loss of wetlands, and increased pollution. They demanded a climate commission and updated green zone proposals.
- Workers' rights: Speakers advocated for a workers' bill of rights, including predictable schedules and a living wage, citing unstable employment in warehouses.
- Psychedelic decriminalization: A representative of the Tacoma Psychedelic Society and a retired Green Beret (Herb Daniels) shared personal stories of healing from PTSD and addiction, urging the council to decriminalize psychedelics.
- Housing and zoning: Kit Burns, an architect, criticized the Home in Tacoma plan for excessive density and lack of parking, warning it would lead to private equity domination of neighborhoods.
- Other: A speaker requested a full budget of all spending on homeless sweeps; another demanded a ceasefire related to Gaza; and a young speaker expressed frustration with climate inaction.
-
The council enforced Rule 9D, prohibiting remarks supporting or opposing ballot propositions. One speaker was cut off after violating this rule.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 41543: Authorized a $1,500,000 increase to the contract with Morris & Willner Partners Inc. for professional services and temporary staffing (cumulative total $3,450,000). Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution 41544 (added by agenda modification): Directed the City Manager to work with the Tacoma Fire Chief to develop a spending plan for the estimated $30 million per year from Proposition 1, a levy lid lift for fire services on the November 5, 2024 ballot. The plan must be presented to the council by January 31, 2025. Councilmember Walker praised the transparency. Adopted unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All resolutions adopted: Consent agenda (Res. 41540-41542), Res. 41543, and Res. 41544 were passed unanimously (with no opposition noted).
- Community forum schedule changes: The council announced that community forums scheduled for November 12, November 26, and December 10, 2024, would be rescheduled to November 19, December 3, and December 17, respectively, due to holidays and travel. A formal motion to suspend rules and adopt the changes was made but not voted on before adjournment.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after a brief recess following a disruptive speaker.
Meeting Transcript
I would like to call to order the city council meeting of October 22nd, 2024. Clerk, will you please call the roll? Councilmember Bushnell. Present. Councilmember Daniels. Councilmember Diaz? Here. Deputy Mayor Heinz. Councilmember Rumba. Absent. Councilmember Sidalgay? Here. Councilmember Scott. Here. Councilmember Walker. Here. Mayor Woodards. Here. Please join me in listening to the land acknowledgement and flag salute led by Deputy Mayor Hines, followed by a moment of silence in honor of Dr. Maxine Mims. Today we dedicate our moment of silence to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Maxine B. Mims. A beacon of education and empowerment. Born in 1928 in Newport News, Virginia, Dr. Maxine Mims' journey was one of unwavering dedication to education and community service. As the founder of the Tacoma campus of Evergreen State College, she revolutionized adult education, focusing on urban African American students. Her motto, Enter to Learn, the Part to Serve, has guided countless students, instilling in them the value of education and community contribution. Dr. Mims was not only an educator, but also a visionary and a friend to notable figures like Maya Angelo and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. Her influence extended globally, serving on the advisory board for the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Today, we remember Dr. Mims for her monumental contributions to education, her commitment to equity, and her passion for uplifting marginalized communities. Let us take a moment of silence today to honor her memory and the enduring impact of her life's work. And to her family and to her immediate family, to her Evergreen family, and to everybody who was touched by Maxine Mims. We offer our deepest and heartfelt condolences. Tacoma is better because of her, but will never be the same without her. The flag salute and please remain standing for a moment of silence. We have one modification to the agenda tonight to add a resolution. I move to suspend Rule 4A of the rules and procedures of the City Council Council of the City of Tacoma to add an additional resolution, resolution number 41544 to tonight's agenda as item 16A on the regular agenda. Second. Resolution number 41544 will direct the city manager to work with the Tacoma Fire Chief to develop a spending plan for the additional funds should Prop 1 the Levy Lidlift for Fire Services passed during the general election on November 5th. Are there any council questions or comments? Seeing none, all those in favor of adding resolution number 41544 to tonight's agenda. Signify by saying aye. Those opposed signify by saying nay. The motion is declared adopted. Anyone wishing to comment on the res on resolution number 41544 may do so during public comment. Are there any additional modifications to the agenda this evening?
openpublica.com