Tacoma City Council Meeting – June 17, 2025: Youth Commission, Juneteenth, Fire Engines, and Appointments
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Tacoma City Council Meeting – June 17, 2025
The Tacoma City Council met on June 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a moment of silence for former CED Director Jeff Robinson, a proclamation for Juneteenth, the Mayor's Youth Commission annual report, public comment, approval of consent agenda items, two motions on fire department and police recruitment, and multiple appointments to city boards and commissions.
Consent Calendar
- The council adopted the consent agenda, including Resolution Nos. 41699 and 41700 (setting hearing dates for street vacations for UW Tacoma campus expansion), and accepted the findings of the Hearing Examiner for Ordinance Nos. 29043 (formation of Local Improvement District No. 8668) and 29044 (confirmation of Final Assessment Roll for LID No. 8644). All votes were unanimous.
Proclamations and Presentations
- Mayor's Youth Commission Annual Report (2024–2025): Outgoing Chair Rowan Hingley, Social Health Committee Chair Caleb Rosteen, and incoming Chair Begina Kisembo presented the report. Key achievements: collected over 2,500 books in five languages (English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian) in partnership with 15 local organizations; testified in favor of Washington State House Bill 2048 (banning flavored nicotine); wrote a policy statement on the Second Streets Initiative; and held a trip to Olympia meeting legislators. The new leadership team for 2025–2026 was introduced. Councilmembers expressed gratitude and pride in the commission's work.
- Juneteenth Proclamation: Deputy Mayor Daniels read the proclamation declaring June 19, 2025, as Juneteenth in Tacoma. Community leaders Candace Wesley (founder of Juneteenth 253) and Jerome J.D. Davis (CEO of Way Out Kids) spoke about the history and upcoming celebration at Stewart Heights Park on June 19 from 11 AM to 5 PM, featuring performances by Crystal Aiken, Soul for Real, and Fred Hammond. The mayor also announced the first Juneteenth flag raising at the Tacoma Dome on June 18 at 4 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michelle Reich (in-person): Spoke under public comment, urging the council to speak out against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, linking it to the spirit of Juneteenth and human rights. She criticized silence on the issue.
- Frank Boykin (in-person): Honored former CED Director Jeff Robinson, sharing a poem about leading by example. He praised Robinson's professionalism and community engagement.
Discussion Items
- Motion 14a – Purchase of Two Stock Pumper Engines: Councilmember Sidalgay moved to waive competitive bidding and authorize the purchase of two stock pumper engines from Rosenbauer America LLC for an estimated $2,000,000. The waiver was based on a special market condition: the vendor has two engines currently in production, reducing the typical 30–48 month build time to about 8 months, replacing aged frontline engines. The motion passed unanimously.
- Motion 14b – Police Lateral Recruitment Incentives: Deputy Mayor Daniels moved to direct the City Manager to develop a program for future council approval that allows the Tacoma Police Department to provide recruitment incentives for lateral police officers. The motion passed unanimously.
Appointments
- Resolution 41701 – Tacoma Public Utility Board: Reappointment of John O'Laughlin, recommended by the Government Performance Finance Committee after interviews. Councilmember Hines and others spoke in support. Unanimously adopted.
- Resolution 41702 – City Events and Recognitions Committee: Appointments and reappointments of Janet Bissell, Ty Vo, Sidney Stevens, Nathan Donald, Jacob Tice, and Kirsten Putman, recommended by the Economic Development Committee. Unanimously adopted.
- Resolution 41703 – Mayor's Youth Commission Leadership Team: Appointments of Begina Kisembo (Chair), Nora Garisic (Vice Chair), and committee chairs/vice chairs for the 2025–2026 academic year, as presented by liaison Anna Lee. Unanimously adopted.
Reports by the City Manager
- Deputy City Manager reported on the successful WeBike e-bike rebate program: of 10,000 statewide vouchers, 1,800 applications came from Tacoma; 450 Tacoma-specific rebates distributed (350 for income-qualified applicants at $1,200 each, 177 at $300). The program included multilingual outreach and community events. Also recognized a Public Works crew member who stopped work to help an elderly woman cross the street, exemplifying community-centered service.
Committee Reports
- Councilmember Diaz (IPS Committee) reported that the committee received updates on the Pride-themed crosswalk (installation expected in coming weeks) and transportation impact fees (further updates scheduled for summer, topic to full council in fall). Planning commission interviews were conducted; recommendations will come to council next week.
Key Outcomes
- Adopted consent agenda with resolutions and ordinances (unanimous).
- Approved $2,000,000 purchase of two fire pumper engines (unanimous).
- Directed City Manager to develop lateral police recruitment incentive program (unanimous).
- Reappointed John O'Laughlin to Tacoma Public Utility Board (unanimous).
- Appointed six members to City Events and Recognitions Committee (unanimous).
- Appointed Mayor's Youth Commission Leadership Team for 2025–2026 (unanimous).
- Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:30 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to call to order the City Council meeting of June 17th, 2025. Clerk, will you please call the roll? Councilmember Bushnell. Present. Deputy Mayor Daniels. Here. Councilmember Diaz. Councilmember Heinz. Councilmember Rumba. Here. Councilmember Sidalga. Councilmember Scott. Councilmember Walker. Here. Councilmember Walker's virtual. Mayor Woodards? Here. Please join me in listening to the land acknowledgement and flag salute led by Deputy Mayor Daniels, followed by a moment of silence for our beloved former CED director, Jeff Robinson. Tonight we dedicate this moment of silence to the passing of someone who served this city with distinction. Jeff was our former community and economic development director and a longtime passionate advocate for creating opportunity in every neighborhood of Tacoma. Many of us had the privilege of working alongside him, and we know how deeply he cared about lifting up others, especially those too often left out of growth and progress. Jeff was more than a colleague. He was a friend, a mentor, and a tireless advocate for economic development and community development in Tacoma. Jeff truly believed in this city and in its people. Through his leadership vision and compassion and compassion, he helped shape Tacoma into a place where more people could see themselves building a future. His passing leads a deep, deep void, but his legacy lives on in the work we continue to do and in the lives he touched along the way. When he was the executive director of the Martin Luther King Housing Development Association, and I think a lot of us who are in this room tonight know Jeff more for than just his time here as the CED director. And what I would say about Jeff personally is that whether it was when I met him 25 years ago or when I saw him just a year ago. And he gave back to this community. And I've never seen a person other than Alberta, Canada, who was one of his mentors, who cared more deeply about housing and making sure that everyone had one. And I hope that we'll all take these words to heart, because I think Jeff Shirley did. To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn praise of honest critics, and endure and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give of oneself, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition, to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exaltation. To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have success. Tonight to Barbara, his loving wife, to his children and his family, both by blood and by those he adopted along the way. May we remember that we all breathe better because Jeff was a part of us. We offer sincerest condolences to Jeff's family. And Jeff, we know that while you have left us here, you are in a better place looking down on us, and we will continue to carry out your work. Deputy Mayor. We gratefully honor and acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Piala people where they make their home and speak the Leshutsi language. Please stand for the flag salute and remain standing for a moment of silence. All right, agenda modifications. Are there any modifications to the agenda this evening? Seeing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda. And accepting the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the hearing examiner for ordinance numbers two nine zero four three and two nine zero four four. Second. Are there any council questions, comments, or corrections to the consent agenda? All right. Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, including resolution numbers four one six nine nine and four one seven zero zero, and accepting the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the hearing examiner for ordinances number two nine zero four three and two nine zero four four. Please signify by saying aye.
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