I'd like to call to order the city council meeting of September 30th, 2020 2025.

Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Bushnell.

Present.

Councilmember Daniels.

Here.

Councilmember Diaz.

Here.

Councilmember Heinz.

Here.

Councilmember Rumba.

Here.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Here.

Councilmember Scott?

Here.

Councilmember Walker.

Here.

And Mayor Woodards.

Here.

Please join me listening to the land acknowledgement and flag salute led by Councilmember Hines, followed by a moment of silence.

We gratefully honor and acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Piala people where they make their home and speak the Lashutsi language.

Please stand for the flag salute and remain standing for a moment of silence.

My pleasure to flag the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands under God and Division with liberty and justice for all.

Agenda modifications.

Are there any modifications to the agenda this evening?

Seeing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda.

Second.

All right, are there any council comments, questions, or corrections?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the consent agenda is declared adopted.

Moving on to proclamations, recognitions, presentations, and announcements.

We have two ceremonials tonight.

For the October for the October 2025 as Tacoma Arts Month proclamation, I would like to invite Heidi Fernandez to whose chair, Heidi, I was looking at the last name, and you're gonna have to help me.

Um chair of the Tacoma Arts Commission to the podium as I read this proclamation.

Thank you so much for being here this evening.

Whereas this October, we celebrate the 24th anniversary of the Tacoma Arts Month, an event that celebrates and showcases Tacoma's arts and cultural community.

And whereas arts and culture are woven throughout our city, providing a diversity of experiences created by and for our community.

And whereas we want to express our gratitude to the cultural bearers, artists, creators, and organizations for the care they exhibit in serving our community.

And whereas these programs create active, accessible, and welcoming public places, provide opportunities to explore personal creativity, strengthen community connections, promote a sense of shared purpose, and cultivate pride among residents.

And whereas the art community helps grow and sustain our creative economy while enriching people's lives, connecting communities and providing meaningful educational and emotional experiences.

And whereas we celebrate the first seven years of Tacoma Creates, Washington's first cultural access program, and look forward to the future as Tacoma Creates expands across the arts, culture, heritage, and science experiences throughout our community while supporting the sustainability of our local cultural organizations.

And whereas the programming highlighted in October is exemplary of the arts and cultural programming presented year-round and showcases the unique talents of our artist organizations and local businesses.

Now, therefore, I, Victoria R.

Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim October 2025 as Tacoma Arts Month in the City of Tacoma and encourage everyone to celebrate the arts, experience culture, embrace community, connect with creativity, and share joy this October.

Please join me in a round of applause.

Now, before I call on the chair of this committee, I would like to ask everyone who is in this or in this audience who either represents an arts organization, is an artist, provides cultural experiences.

If you are in the in the audience, I would like you all to stand.

So as we go into celebrating this month as Tacoma Arts Month, let's keep that spirit in mind.

Let's remember that we all are here to serve residents of Tacoma with the best.

And I will be honest and say I think we have the absolute best arts, culture, heritage, and science, nonprofits and individuals who lead this work in this city, which I also happen to think is the greatest city in the universe.

So I think that our arts community matches that.

So I just want to say thank you to all of you and how grateful I am for the service that you provide.

And on behalf of this council are excited about Tacoma Arts Month and what we're gonna get to see and experience and why we only focus on it one month a year.

We know that it happens every day, every week, every month throughout the year.

With that, I will turn the comments over to our chair.

Thank you, Mayor Woodards, Deputy Mayor Daniels, and members of the council.

On behalf of the Tacoma Arts Commission, I want to express our gratitude for this proclamation and for your continued support of Tacoma Arts Month and Arts and Culture in Tacoma.

Creativity is at the heart of what makes Tacoma a vibrant and compassionate city.

Every October, artists, organizations, and community members come together to showcase the diversity of voices and talents that define our cultural life.

We deeply value this recognition and we look forward to celebrating with community throughout the month ahead, including at Kaleidoscope, the free all ages opening celebration for Tacoma Arts Month, which is this Saturday, October 4th from 1 to 4 p.m.

at the Tacoma Public Library's main branch.

There are so many amazing events coming up during Arts Month, including the Tacoma Studio Tours, many community-produced events and arts at the Armory later in November, in mid-November.

We encourage everyone to find out more about this month's events at Tacoma Arts Month.org and get out to explore our community.

And I believe Daniel has the new brochures for the studio tours that you can pick up.

And all of this is possible.

It's not about the arts commission, it's about all of the people and organizations who are here today who take their time and effort to put on events and make it part of this city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Heidi, not only for your words tonight, but for your leadership on the Arts Commission, and I hope I get this right.

Heidi Fernandez Yamazarez.

Thank you.

All right.

Now part of a part of the Tacoma Arts Month are the AMCAT Awards.

And the Amocat Awards honor the people and organizations who support, promote, and create space for arts to thrive in Tacoma.

The awards are presented annually by the Tacoma Arts Commission as a part of Tacoma Arts Month.

At this time, we invite Tacoma Arts Commission member Vernon Young up to the podium, and he's already there to introduce this year's Amicat Arts Award winners.

And then I'll ask both Heidi and Vernon to come forward to accept the proclamation for Arts Month.

Vernon, I'll turn it over to you.

Good evening, Mayor Woodards, Deputy Mayor Daniels, and members of Tacoma City Council.

My name is Vernon Nung, and I have the honor of serving on the Tacoma Arts Commission.

Tonight, it is my privilege to introduce the 2025 Amicat Arts Awardees.

Since 2004, the Amicat Arts Awards have recognized individuals and organizations who go above and beyond to support the arts in Tacoma.

They honor the vision, dedication, and community engagement that make the arts thrive here.

This year we celebrate five honorees who represent the heart of Tacoma's creative community.

In the category of community outreach by an individual, we are honoring two remarkable people.

And so maybe after I say the name, we could have a second just to clap.

They're here, because I know I know they're, I know that one of the people are here from one of the organizations that's on this list.

So if they're here, let's ask them to stand and be recognized.

Great.

First is Saire Rafe.

SIRA is a community artist, printmaker, muralist, and activist whose work consistently uplifts the voices of our communities.

Through public art, collaborative workshops and community-centered projects, SIRA addresses themes of justice, belonging, and care.

Their murals and installations can be found throughout Tacoma, serving as gathering points for reflection and dialogue.

SIRE's work is grounded in the belief that the arts are a tool for empowerment, and they have helped countless residents see their own stories reflected in the city's cultural landscape.

Sirey Rafe.

Irina is a tireless community organizer and artist who has brought incredible energy to Tacoma through neighborhood-based arts events.

She is the driving force behind projects such as Porch Fest, which transforms front lawn into performance spaces, Tacoma Rama, with which combines parades and music with joyful civic pride, and Tacoma Honk, a festival, a festival of activist street bands that fills our neighborhoods with sound, movement, and celebration.

Her leadership demonstrates how grassroots arts events can strengthen the bonds between neighbors, forming relationships that are the essence of community.

Irina Resputeness.

In the category of community outreach by an organization, we're honoring two groups whose work continues to expand access for our community to the arts, culture, and greater sustainability.

First, Remakery.

Our second organization honoree is Mi Centro.

Mi Centro has served Tacoma's Latine community for decades with the arts at the heart of their mission.

From cultural celebrations to educational programming, Mi Centro ensures that traditions are honored while creating pathways for future generations.

Their dedication to representation, advocacy, and cultural pride has enriched Tacoma's artistic life and provided a home for Latine voices to be seen and heard.

Finally, in the category of arts patron, we are recognizing Tacoma Public Library.

Sorry, with a reopening of the main branch, the library has transformed into a cultural anchor in downtown Tacoma.

Its new community hub brings together organizations like Wright 253, the Tacoma Tool Library, and Remakery under one roof, making creative resources more accessible than ever before.

Across its eight branches, the library has expanded cultural programming, hosted exhibitions and performances, and provided free spaces for learning and creativity.

The library's commitment to serving the public makes it one of the most important partners for arts in our city.

Tacoma Public Library.

Together, these five honorees embody the spirit of the Amicot Arts Awards.

They remind us that the arts are not just entertainment, but a vital force for connection, identity, and resilience.

On behalf of the Tacoma Arts Commission, I extend our gratitude to each of them for their contributions.

And I thank you, Mayor and Council, for joining us tonight to honor their work and celebrate Tacoma's thriving creative community.

Thank you so much.

Now I'm gonna have another person speak, and but I want everyone also who got the award to be prepared when we're done with this.

I'm gonna ask all of you to come forward to accept the proclamation so that we can get a picture of everyone.

And then I'm gonna now call on Council Member Councilmember Scott to make some comments.

Those of you, Councilmember Scott, I call in my mind, I call her the creative on the council because she is the artist.

And I would just add um that not only that, she's a former arts commissioner, um, and currently she serves as the representative to the arts commission.

So, Councilmember Scott.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, thank you all for being here.

I love Arts Month.

It's one of my favorite times in the city of Tacoma.

There's so many fun things that happen.

Um, and I just I love one of my favorite things about Tacoma is that it is one of the most creative places and passionate places about sharing that creativity with other people that I have like I mean I've lived here my whole life, but I've been some other places, and this is always the best place.

I I always end up right back here because it really truly is the best place.

Um so I wanted to one share that.

I also I was made aware that the Arts Commission is 60 years old this year, so happy birthday to them.

Uh and the wonderful work that they that they've been doing in our community for decades.

Uh the other thing that I wanted to point out is as you can see that there is a bunch of fun art on the dais here.

Um I did this last year as well, just to, you know, like bring a little art.

I mean, not that I don't like this lovely taupe color that we have going on here, but um, I you know, I think that every space can be brightened a little bit with a little bit of art and color, and what better way of brightening it than with the art of children.

Uh and so myself, council member Walker, Deputy Mayor Daniels, as well as Mayor Woodards got to go hang out with uh some lovely youth at the Tacoma Rescue Mission.

And um, we just really we we don't, you know, we we tell them a little bit about what we do as council members.

I don't know.

I think some of them were like, that's kind of cool.

I think most of them were just like, what are we doing with the the paints?

Don't you can stop talking now?

Um, and so, but we really didn't give them a whole lot of parameters.

Uh, all of it was like finger painting.

Some of them, they definitely use their hands, they got really deep into it.

Uh, some of them were using markers to create other colors.

You can see that there's little fingerprint buddies and they've turned them into balloons and handprints.

I don't know if you know a young person these days, but there's a lot.

If you see the numbers 6-7, 6-7.

So that's uh that's a thing.

Uh, if you don't know what it is, that is an opportunity to go talk to a youth in your life.

Um, not that I know that they can necessarily explain it, but it'll be a fun little journey for both of you.

Um, so I just really wanted to take the time to one, thank my colleagues that were able to make it there with me.

Uh, two, thank all of the lovely children for sharing their artwork with us uh from the arts uh from the rescue mission, as well as the staff and volunteers at the rescue mission.

Uh and yeah, and just my council colleagues in general and definitely uh the facilities folks who allow me to to tape things places that are do not normally have tape on them.

Uh we use painter's tape, it will come off, it's all fine.

Um, but yeah, so I just wanted to say I really appreciate the kiddos there.

I did tell them we were gonna give them a shout out.

Hopefully, if any of them are watching, hello.

Your art is beautiful, and it is on TV.

Um, and yeah, I just really thank you all for I there.

It's not often I get to see so many of our wonderful arts and cultural organizations sitting in the chambers to say thank you all for the work that you do, and I just really appreciate how much you make me love Tacoma.

So thank you.

Councilmember Scott, art does bring out the kid in all of us because when the camera was panning, I was looking for the one piece of art that I submitted after making it with a kid.

I didn't see it, but I'm gonna look for the only council member that put their name on it was Councilmember Walker.

So you can see her as well.

Yeah, Council Member Walker I'm gonna take it, take a picture of it and show it to my mom that I made art as the mate.

Deputy Mayor Daniels likes to think she's not an artist.

She is, but she's also a really great arts producer.

She was really direct in the group, getting everybody to produce their best work, too.

So it was it was a it was a team, it was a team effort.

It really was fun, and I encourage everybody if you have an opportunity to share time and space with those young people.

Um we had a wonderful time, and I I often wonder when you get when as an adult when you get to hang out with kids who has a better time them or you.

I think in this case, we definitely have the better time.

So with that, I'd like to invite all of our award winners this evening, along with the chair and if there are any other members of the arts commission to come down to the front of the of the podium here of the dais here, and we're gonna take a picture together.

So come on down.

Come on.

I already warned you.

Look, you all come on.

The meeting is still going on.

People at home are wondering what's happening.

Heidi, Heidi, Heidi, I need you to come down here in the front.

Nope.

There we go.

There you go.

Okay.

Squeeze it, squeeze it, squeeze it.

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

Okay, we're so close, guys.

All right.

Just like the Academy Awards.

All right, everybody.

One, two, three.

One more.

One, two, three.

Thank you all.

Heidi.

Heidi.

All right, as they are taking their seats.

Uh, excuse me, everybody, I'm sorry.

I know you're you're excited, but we still have a meeting going on.

So if you're going to exit or talk, please go out in the hall and do that.

I'm sorry.

Um, we now are gonna move on to our second proclamation this evening.

Um, for October 25, we're going to be proclaiming it as walk and roll to school month.

Um, and I would like to um invite Chandra Chandra, sorry.

Um uh Rule Royd, sorry, Safe School, Safe Routes and Schools Coordinator for Public Works Transportation Planning Department.

To the poll, thank you for being here already to the polling as I read this proclamation.

I'm sorry, as this proclamation is read by Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

Whereas every October, children, parents, guardians, and community leaders from around the United States join together for walk and roll to school events to increase awareness about the health and environmental benefits of walking, biking, and rolling to school.

And whereas walking, biking, or rolling to school helps to create a vibrant and connected community while building physical activity into a student's daily routine, which improves their health and increases their readiness to learn in the classroom.

And whereas parents, guardians, school staff, and community leaders can make a lasting impression by modeling fun, safe, and healthy behavior, and by accompanying students on walk and roll to school events.

And whereas the city of Tacoma recognizes the importance of pedestrian and bicycle safety and is planning and constructing improvements to school routes across the city following the approved safe routes of school action plan.

And whereas the city, in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools, staff and families is united in its commitment to fostering safety, connection, and solidarity throughout our community, creating a supportive environment for every student and neighborhood.

Now, therefore, I, Christina Walker, on behalf of the mayor and the council do hereby proclaim October 2025 as walk and roll to school month in the city of Tacoma and invite our community to celebrate together as we make healthy choices and ensure we have safe routes to schools in every community.

All right, Chandra, I'll turn it over to you.

Thank you, Mayor Woodards, Deputy Mayor Daniels and members of City Council for celebrating with communities across the nation by proclaiming October as walk and roll to school month.

As the new safe routes to school coordinator for the city, I am honored to accept this proclamation and support Tacoma in making our school neighborhoods safer for the most vulnerable road users.

I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share my vision for the Safe Routes to School program and why I'm so excited to join the city of Tacoma.

I've worked in youth programs for 15 years, but I first encountered safe routes programs about nine years ago when I led bike and pedestrian safety education programs for an environmental nonprofit in California.

Through that work, I helped youth gain the skills and confidence to safely explore their neighborhoods on foot or on bike.

I helped youth learn to ride for the first time, and I helped parents teach their children to be safe pedestrians.

I love that work.

I loved empowering youth and families and spreading the joy of biking.

I left that role to move to the Pacific Northwest, and I've spent the past five years supporting immigrant and refugee youth in King County through after school programs and food access work.

I love that work.

I love reducing the barriers that newcomers to this country face and helping youth and families survive and thrive here.

I decided to come back to Safe Routes work for the city of Tacoma because I am passionate about climate action and sustainability.

I am passionate about youth development and I am passionate about helping families thrive in their communities.

Thriving to me means having safe outdoor spaces to walk and roll, to have air free of pollution, and to have a community that values these things.

I see through adopting Vision Zero through the Safe Routes to School Action Plan and through the city's climate action plan that Tacoma is a place that values these things.

I'm excited to work here, contribute to this community, and raise my daughter here in Tacoma.

Thank you.

I look forward to working with you all to make Tacoma a safe, joyful place for families to walk and roll to school.

Thank you.

Chandra, please come forward to accept your proclamation.

Tell me to invite you to it, thank you.

Oh, yes.

I love and love.

Yes, thank you.

Oh, two, three.

Thank you all so much.

Good job.

Thank you.

All right.

Moving on to public comment.

Under the public comment period, you can speak about motions, resolutions, and ordinances on tonight's agenda.

Under community form, which is held at the end of this meeting, you can speak about items over which the city council has jurisdiction.

These forms are intended to give speakers the opportunity to share your viewpoints and feedback with the city council to aid in our decision making, and it's not meant to be a back and forth dialogue.

Your remarks should be directed to the city council and not to and not at individual staff members.

If you want to speak under the public comment period, press the raise your hand button near the bottom of your Zoom window now or star nine on your phone so we can see the number of people wishing to testify.

If you're speaking in person, please sign up at the back of the room if you have not done so already.

Your name or the last four digits of your phone number will be called out when it is your turn to speak.

Clerk, will you please read?

This is the time set aside for public comment.

Speakers are asked to identify the specific legislation they wish to address.

All right.

I would like to remind everyone to please keep your comments respectful, relevant, focused, and on topic.

We strive to provide a comment period where people can feel respected while sharing a wide variety of viewpoints and acknowledge that we may hear comments that conflict with our values.

To ensure all speakers can express their First Amendment constitutional rights, we ask that you refrain from clapping, cheering, booing, or otherwise being disruptive.

You will have 90 seconds to make your remarks.

Please be mindful of the time frame.

As always, you are not required to use all of your time to make your point.

If you cannot remain on topic, you will be given two warnings.

If you remain off topic, we will have to move on and we'll end your time.

As we all know, we will see a number of high-profile election and ballot measures this fall.

As a reminder, per rule 9D of the rules of procedure, public comment and community form discussions may not be used to support or oppose any election campaigns or ballot propositions.

Any direct mention of a candidate's candidate candidacy or a ballot proposition will result in the immediate suspension of the speaker's right to continue speaking at the council meeting.

Clerk, have we received any written public comment this evening?

Mayor and council will receive two regarding ordinance numbers 29057 and 29058.

Great.

Thank you.

All right.

I'm gonna start with calling those who have who have their hands raised online, and we're gonna start with Chelsea's Chelsea's iPhone.

Oh my god, hi everyone.

I will keep it brief.

My name is Chelsea McElroy.

Can you hear me actually?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay, cool.

Sorry.

It's my first time calling in.

I normally show up.

I'm starting school tonight, so I'm kind of busy.

But I want to call in and let you all know my support.

I believe it's ordinance number two nine zero five eight.

It's about um the capital amendment to the Tacoma Creates funding.

Um this is my first year being funded by Tacoma Creates.

I've always struggled with getting funding from the city because I didn't know all the technical jargon needed.

It took me over nine years to get my paperwork in order so that I would be eligible.

And as y'all know, Vision Step Team has been existing in the City of Tacoma for nine years.

We're going into our 10th year, and this is our first year being funded.

I recognize now that I'm not just speaking for myself, but I'm speaking for all the smaller organizations underneath my new nonprofit umbrella that don't have the capital or the means to afford to rent in some of the larger organizations.

And so if we were able to invest in ourselves with capital dollars, we'd be able to one pay our rents even to larger organizations and or invest in ourselves by having brick and mortar locations.

I think that the joy that the arts community brings to Tacoma is vibrant.

However, I recognize that in my nine years of service to the city from my from my nonprofit and through Vision SEP team, that there has been 17 programs near and dear to my heart that have closed in that nine years.

Most of them have closed because they cannot afford to rent anywhere else.

And then also there is no arts hub space.

That's just for BIPOC creators that are not giving up the autonomy of their own business.

I love the work that I get to do.

I appreciate the work that you all are doing and funding Tacoma Creates, but all I'm getting paid for right now is to provide additional services.

So again, all I'm getting paid for is to show up and do more work, do more labor.

But if I were able to have funds to invest in myself in my program, we wouldn't be paying exorbitant amounts of rent.

We'd have our own space, and we would greatly appreciate if you considered small organizations like my own that receive less than $50,000 or less than $75,000 from the city of Tacoma.

Thank you, that's all.

Thank you, Chelsea.

All right, I'd like to now call on Jasmine Brown.

Can everyone hear me all right?

Sure can, Jasmine.

Go right ahead.

Okay, great.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh my name is Jasmine Brown.

I'm a local artist, and I sit on the arts uh commission as well.

And I'm also a new board member for the Remakery.

Congrats remakery.

Um, and I'm also the director and founder of Swan Creek Art Academy, an after-school programming um uh organization.

And we uh operate out of three east side uh multiple middle schools, first Greek Geodrome and Steward.

One of the greatest challenges I've encountered uh so far starting a nonprofit is acquiring space to expand our programming beyond TPS property.

Um we had a situation where we were rented a space on uh South Tacoma Way and part of the ceiling collapse.

The HRAC didn't work, and uh there was an unmitigated mold problem.

And uh I spent thousands of dollars of my own money trying to make that space work, but we had a very limited ability to make that space functional.

So I fully support the capital funding set aside and that the Tacoma creates reallocation that will help small grassroots nonprofits like Swan Juan Creek uh place roots in Tacoma and provide programming to an increased uh community uh uh create to more community members by being able to acquire space.

It's ultimately very, very important, and some of the larger organizations are able to provide their programming, but we small smaller organizations are not able to carry out our full potential because of lack of space available.

Thank you, Jasmine.

Kathy Lahan.

Kathy, go ahead, you're off mute.

Kathy, if you're speaking, we cannot hear you.

Kathy, try putting yourself on mute and off.

Oh, there Kathy.

Kathy, try putting yourself on mute and take yourself off mute again.

Let's see if that fixes it.

Okay, let's let's skip, let's go to Isaiah Hunt and let's come back to Kathy.

Isaiah.

Hmm.

Isaiah, can you hear us?

I feel like this is not the callers issue, it's a technical issue on our side or on Zoom.

Shaking the side.

Let's go to Matthew Wilson and see if that makes a difference.

Hi, are you able to hear me?

Yes, we can is this is this is this Isaiah or Matthew?

This is Matthew.

Okay, Matthew, go ahead.

We can hear you.

Okay, great.

Uh my name is Matthew Wilson, and I'm the executive director of Oasis Youth Center.

Queer people have a long history of contributing to the arts, so we find the passage of the Tacoma Creates ordinance of particular importance.

OASIS is here to enthusiastically express support for Tacoma Creates.

As Pierce County's only queer youth center and partner of Tacoma Creates has allowed us to create culturally relevant events and support youth development.

I encourage the council to pass the resolution.

Arts are not a side plot or a side project, but an important part of humanity and the city.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Matthew.

Can we try Kathy again?

Kathy.

Kathy and Matthew, I'm gonna ask that the two of you hang up and call back in.

I'm gonna start to call people in the audience, and then I'll come back to you and call you, call you up when you log out and log back in.

Let's see if that fixes it.

Because Matthews worked.

All right, I'm gonna start with those who have signed in the chambers.

And we're gonna start with um Beverly Bowen Bennett.

It's been a long time since I've come down here.

My goodness, Beverly.

Believe it or not, I am now 82 years old.

I have struggled many times during my life with depression.

And you say, now why am I up here talking about that?

Because I have learned if I do more, I feel better.

The watch me just not be able to think of their names.

Uh the 38th Street uh creates.

We do women at play on Wednesdays at 12:30.

Anybody wants to come play with us?

We even let guys come.

And we do different things all the time.

I'm into felting.

The other thing I do is I go to the remakery and I volunteer there, usually on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday afternoons.

I cannot tell you how these two organizations impact the quality of my life.

Not only the quality of my life, but the quality of the life of people that I get to interact with there.

And I cannot tell you how important I think it is that you continue the funding for Tacoma Creates.

Thank you so much, Beverly.

I can tell there are some first timers here tonight.

Um and everybody who giggled, they know why.

Um I appreciate um the encouragement that you all want to provide each other when you get up to speak, but sometimes someone may have a different opinion than yours and you don't agree, and then you don't clap.

So as I read earlier, there's no clapping, cheering, booing so that every speaker can feel respected and heard when they come up to the podium.

So I'd appreciate it if you didn't make any noises and let everybody speak this evening.

So thank you all so much.

All right, I'm gonna go to my next person, which is Gloria Carpincha.

Hello.

Um I'd like to encourage you to continue Tacoma Creates.

Uh my thing that I uh that that jumped out at me when I first read this was the whole um where the funds are going to be allocated to and capital projects.

And the reason why I probably wouldn't have been so concerned if I didn't already notice hostility towards the the Tacoma for All issue.

So I was worried that initially that any of that these funds wouldn't be going towards the actual artists and their needs, that it would wind up going to some landlord or you know, it it it when you see capital, that's the first impression you get.

So but as I understand it, uh there's uh strong restrictions as to how these funds are going to be allocated to make sure that they're sent properly to what uh to Tacoma creates instead of divert it somewhere else.

So it would be uh probably helpful to people because when they see this capital investment, you initially get that.

Oh my god, what are they talking about?

Who are they gonna pay?

You know, what buildings are we gonna buy?

And speaking of buildings, um, I think we have enough uh buildings of can I finish the sentence?

Finish the sentence.

I I think we should start looking into eminent domain to get rid of these derelict properties and turn them into creative spaces.

Thank you very much for your comments this evening.

If you have more for anybody who runs out of time, you are welcome if you have your comments written to give them to the clerk, and the clerk can make sure that all of us receive your full comments this evening.

All right.

Um Jasmine, did you want to speak or you are you um yielding your time to the other APCC speakers?

I'm yielding my time to speak.

Okay.

And Raddy Ohm, did you want to you want your okay?

Uh so then I'm gonna start with Elena Casio.

Um that's okay.

Well, why don't the three of you come up and you can decide which one is gonna speak first?

Now, each one of you get a minute and 30 seconds each, and we can't roll it over, and nobody can take any somebody else's time.

So please state your name for the record so we know who's speaking.

Hafidae, Tacoma City Council members.

My name is Joel Erimer, and I am the founder of Guma Imauhi, a Chomorrow nonprofit organization and partner and supporter of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center and its 47 nations, both partially funded by Tacoma Creates.

I'm here to appeal to you to prioritize arts, culture, heritage, and science in our community.

We kindly request that you restore program funding to 78%, ensuring organizations like mine can continue to provide vibrant cultural experiences that enrich the community.

We ask that you adhere to the legislative and voter intent by investing in the arts and culture sector, which benefits our community through diverse programming and events and aligning with the city's values.

We ask that you allow organizations the flexibility to address their programmatic needs to include capital expenditures.

This flexibility will allow us to prioritize our great greatest needs, ensure sustainability, and make more significant impacts within the organization and the community.

By supporting nonprofit organizations, you're investing in the destiny of Tacoma, but also the richness and diversity of our community.

We appreciate your consideration of our requests and look forward to working together to promote arts and culture in Tacoma.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Right on time.

Next, honorable mayor Woodard, Council members.

My name is Elena Casio.

Thank you for all that you do for Tacoma.

I am here representing APCC and the Filipino community.

I am an advisor to the Pierce County Filipino Seniors Association.

I serve the community through the leader leadership of Asia Pacific Cultural Century Center using Tacoma Creates funding.

We're here to urge you all tonight to please reconsider capital funding.

If this not honor voter intent, it will impact APCC's program delivery.

And there are other ways to support capital needs of the organization.

If you are intent on capital, we urge you to not support to uh a rollover and stockpiling of capital funds.

Funding should be disbursed in the community annually and to benefit all the city of Tacoma.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, it looks like Catherine Raz.

She don't nobody else up here want to talk.

Hi, Council members.

My name is Catherine Raz, and I own a business on South Tacoma Way called Fernseed.

Um I'm here tonight to urge you to vote yes on the community ownership.

Tacoma Creates Capital Edition update.

Um and I'm speaking as somebody who uh supports this as a business owner adjacent to the arts community.

I've spent the last 18 months of my life researching the importance of owning the buildings for small businesses.

I tried to purchase my building last year for my small business and found that in the time that I've been renting it since 2020, it's gone up over a million dollars because of speculative investment in our city.

Meanwhile, I've paid over 267,000 in rent over those four years.

In my research, I found that owning the real estate is one of the only things that stabilizes business ownership, and I imagine that it must be the same thing for arts organizations.

So I would really urge you to dedicate this portion of the budget to helping these organizations which form the backbone and fund parts of our community and make place a place to acquire the real estate and stop spending so much money on ever increasing rents.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your testimony.

I just want to go back really quickly.

I have a whole bunch of people who signed up with APCC, and I know you all just stood together.

Is there anybody else here from APCC that wanted to testify?

Because I don't want to skip anybody's skip anybody.

Okay, I don't see any hands raised.

All right, so then I will move on.

Katie Matron, followed by Michelle Reich.

Good evening.

Thank you for having me.

I'm Katie Matrian.

I'm chair of the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board, and I'm here tonight in support of ordinance 29057, which is reimposing Tacoma Creates for the next seven year cycle.

Um I previously submitted in writing at support from the entire advisory board to continue this effort and wanted to say tonight that we stand ready to continue to work with the city and staff for the next seven years to provide wonderful programming in arts, culture, science, and heritage throughout Tacoma.

I had originally thought I would speak maybe personally on the amendment, but I'll hold that later and tell you that uh TCAB stands ready to continue this dialogue that we've been working with you on over the last year, and we'll continue to work with you on and thank you for your time.

Thank you very much.

Michelle, followed by Lacey Frye.

Michelle Reich.

Uh speaking about the property tax exemption ordinance amendment.

Well, as we all know, uh funding that the federal, state, and local governments has been turned upside down for the next four years, and it all rolls downhill.

And the state doesn't get the federal money, the localities like Tacoma doesn't get the state money, and then every dollar that the state or we get in Tacoma is precious.

And to give property tax exemption to uh speculators and and contractors and builders that invest it is uh a misuse of public funds because in the end that's public taxpayer money money, it's uh money that belongs to the general revenue that you're giving away to people that already have all the money to do anything they want, and there's a lot of other ways to uh incentivize construction of building, they would do it anyway, and you could uh give them uh expedited code processing.

Uh that was one way to do it, uh, Councilmember Hines without giving away the taxpayer money because all these people want money for their programs, and you're giving money away to these builders that already have a bunch of money in the bank and everything, and they would build these buildings without the city's uh exemption.

Thank you.

Thank you, Michelle.

Lacey Fry, followed by Michael Lang.

Hi, my name's Lacey Fry.

I'm the corporate grants and foundations officer for Lemay America's Car Museum, and we're here to support or express our enthusiastic support for reauthorization of Tacoma Creates.

I was and still am in awe of the incredible scope of programming that Tacoma Creates enables us to bring to the community.

Last year alone, we were able to provide free hands-on STEM education for third graders throughout Tacoma Public Schools.

We were able to provide over 200 family memberships to the community, uh, tour community members who are receiving food assistance.

And we were able to serve over 9,000 people with our education programming.

And that's just us.

Tacoma creates funds over 80 arts and cultural science and heritage organizations, this community.

They do incredible work to support a more equitable and creative future for Tacoma, and I'm really excited to see what they can bring together.

So thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments, Lacey.

Michael Good to see you, Michael.

Good to see you too.

Uh, good evening.

My name is Michael Lang, and for five years I served as the program director for Spaceworks Tacoma, a program that supports artists and creative entrepreneurs and has a long track record of activating vacant spaces in Tacoma.

Uh, given that experience and as a former recipient of Tacoma Creates funding, I am speaking in support of ordinance 29058.

During my tenure, I unfortunately saw the closure of two of our programs, the 950 Art Gallery and the Artist Studio Space.

Uh, in both instances, rent was a major factor in our decision to close.

The RCW for Washington's cultural access program clearly states that capital expenses, not just programming, is an allowable use of funds.

And while the proposed 6% funding allocation is not enough for any one organization to secure a building, it is a start and is money that can be leveraged.

More importantly, it sends a message.

It says that we as a city recognize that the cycle of increasing rent is one of the biggest threats to our smallest and most vulnerable organizations.

When creative and cultural spaces close, building uses often change, and that loss becomes a permanent whole in our community.

We need creative solutions like this proposed ordinance to help reverse that trend.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Michael.

JD Davis, followed by Zev Cookie, hello to our esteemed mayor, deputy mayor, and city council.

My name is JD Davis.

I am the CEO and president of Way Out Kids.

I've been doing work in the community for at least 15 to 20 years, focused on youth.

I'm in here in support of Tacoma Creates.

Uh with support from Tacoma Creates, we currently serve about 300 kids a day in after-school programs.

We've been doing this for at least the last five years.

But also because of that, we've been able to host the largest Juneteenth celebration in Washington State.

And that was spearheaded with our support from Tacoma Creates.

So I'm just here saying how important this organization is that you continue funding, and with FIFA on the way, we need to make sure we are all locked in together.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, JD.

Zev Cook, followed by Kim Keith.

Good evening, Council.

My name is Ev Cook.

I'm a resident of the South End neighborhood, and I'm here tonight to speak in support of the Tacoma Creates resolution, including funding for capital projects.

I think for all of us living here, it's pretty clear that Tacoma is rapidly gentrifying with rents going up significantly.

I think that this is a community that has been, you know, well known for our art scene for decades.

Um and to protect that, this needs to be a city where artists can afford to do that work here in Tacoma.

Um it's really important that we own our own space to be able to do that and break the cycle of the corporate landlords being able to raise rents however much they like in retail space, or even arbitrarily decide that they don't want to rent to a certain organization any longer.

I think that investing in capital funding is absolutely the right direction that we need to be headed in in terms of reclaiming our spaces and making sure that we can provide locations for the arts community to thrive in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Dev.

Kimberly Keith, followed by our sorry, Kim Keith.

I called her Kimberly is not what's here, but either one.

Kim Keith followed by Joey.

It's all good.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Council members.

You've heard a lot from me lately, so I'm not gonna take up too much of your time, but I just want to say when we started Tacoma Creates, 48 organizations were funded.

And last year, 80 organizations are funded.

And so we are doing amazing things for Tacoma.

The creativity, the arts, the the families, the community, everybody is getting served with something really special through this funding.

And I just want to see it reauthorized.

I think there are many ways that it could be divided up, many ways to use it.

But I think what's really important is that we have it so that all of our young people and families and everybody in our community can benefit from these fantastic programs.

And so that's my truth.

I'm sticking to it.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Um Joy.

Good evening, Council and Mayor.

I'm speaking in support of the community ownership amendment to allocate and commit a full six percent of capital for small organizations to update and acquire community spaces permanently and to reject any weakening amendments of this Tacoma Creates update.

We all know too well how much gentrification and displacement plays in our community.

And now more than ever, youth and Tacoma citizens in general need acts accessible third spaces that encourage art and creativity.

Specifically, we need permanent spaces for youth to constantly constantly be able to return to.

The only way to sustain programming is by securing physical spaces.

I know we have multiple artists here on the council, including Councilmember Daniels and Councilmember Scott.

I know you know how important physical spaces are from the Dash Center to Fab 5, Alma, and more.

Unfortunately, these spaces no longer are available to community.

One of my favorite places as someone who grew up on the hilltop was Wright 253 on MLK.

These spaces and others are all spaces I have benefited from as both a writer, teaching artist, someone who has worked with youth, and as a community member.

Again, please vote yes on the community ownership Tacoma Creates Capital update of committing 6% into supporting small organizations to permanently own their spaces and reject any weakening of this amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your for your testimony.

Joy.

Karen Chu, followed by Austin Chris Christofferson.

Thank you.

I'm here about Tacoma Creates.

Thank you for considering passing Tacoma Creates reauthorization, Councilman, which will continue access to these funds to the community for the next seven years.

That said, Tacoma Creates was passed by Tacoma Voters to bring programming to Tacoma residents.

I ask that you do not include capital in this ordinance as it will decrease the programming that we can bring to the community.

By voter intent, Tacoma Creates is not the place for capital investment.

If you decide that some capital funding needs to be included, I ask that you remove the 6% set aside and let capital be an allowable expense within one application to allow flexibility to the organization organizations that best know their funding needs.

I also opposed oppose the proposed stockpiling of unused capital funds over multiple years.

All funds should be distributed each year to maximize critical programming support.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Austin Hello, Council and Mayor and the residents of Tacoma.

My name is Austin Christofferson.

I serve as the director of government affairs at Easy Fiber.

I'm in speaking obviously in support of ordinance 29055.

I also just wanted to give a quick introduction.

As the local director of government affairs, I hope that what if if we were to pass that, we would be working very closely together.

Easy Fiber is a little bit of a different internet company.

We uh we have very transparent, low-cost affordable plans that are locked in for life, so the rates will not go up, as typically we see with competitors.

Our intro speeds are actually uh most competitors' high-end speeds, so that's pretty nice.

And this is obviously gonna future proof the city uh and their residents with the need for internet for telehealth, and as we're seeing the increase with AI.

Um again, I'm Austin.

I'm the director of government affairs.

I hope to look forward to young partnership.

Uh at Easy5, we also like to invest in our community.

We have a community impact team that has a quote of five to seven events a week in the cities that we serve.

So we uh we look forward to helping support you and that, and happy arts month.

Great.

Thank you very much for being here, Austin.

Uh Debbie Link, followed by Tanya Durant.

Thank you.

I appreciate being able to speak tonight on behalf of Tacoma Creates.

Um I am Debbie Lang, the executive director at Museum of Glass.

I was fortunate to be part of the group seven years ago that campaigned for Tacoma Creates, the first um cultural access program in the state, and it's so fun to remember that.

We promised the voters several things throughout the city.

More programming in neighborhoods, more programming in schools, greater collaboration among all of the organizations, and with the voters' overwhelming support, what a great result it's been.

And how many students, how many people have been positively impacted by this wonderful initiative.

I really feel like the mission has been fulfilled.

And today we are viewed as a city that is a leader, fueled by Tacoma Creates, larger organizations have been the anchors in the city, and smaller organizations and individuals have brought innovations and growth.

Success has really been interrelated, and voters are community, they've seen this success.

Of course, I want to um thank all of you for the consideration of reauthorization.

Um, but I also have concerns about some of the amendments that have been discussed and look forward to working with council over the next week on these.

Funds going to capital do not support programming.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments tonight, Debbie.

Tanya Durant, followed by Isaiah Hyun.

Okay, got you.

Thank you, Isaiah.

Good evening, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Council.

I'm Tanya Duran.

I'm the CEO of Green Trike.

And I am also reminded of seven years ago being one of the active members of the committee that worked with council to get Tacoma Creates across the finish line in such a successful way with our voters.

And I think it's because of that that you've decided to go ahead and take advantage of the council manic opportunity, which I applaud and we're excited about.

And of course, we're all in support of Tacoma Creates, and I do know that that is an obligation because you are doing it councilmanically to really think hard.

The landscape has changed.

We're in a different context than we were seven years ago.

Beyond the Bell and Club B didn't exist seven years ago.

Um, you know, our our current economy didn't exist seven years ago.

A lot of the programs that we are stewarding, you know, to be honest, it was a little daunting to think about how can all of our organizations get into the neighborhoods, and you've heard evidence that we were able to do it.

So lots of success.

And like um my colleague Debbie Lank, I look forward to working with council over the course of the next week on your amendments to make sure that we revisit that sense of partnership and collaboration that was so critical when we took it over the finish line seven years ago.

So issues around capital, issues around what is done with the reserve fund, how those funds are used and for what purpose, um, things like that.

Just look forward to working with you all again in that spirit of collaboration.

So thank you very much for your support.

Thank you very much for being here this evening, Tanya.

Isaiah.

That's it.

Hello, my name is Isaiah.

I wasn't on Zoom and I came down here, so I know.

You got here fast.

Wait, Isaiah, you're still online.

Oh no, you just went off.

I just ran away, man.

So I'm getting sorry, forgive me.

Um, my other day, huh?

Um, I am an alumni of Spaceworks here in Tacoma.

Um, I am a longtime uh Hilltop resident, and um uh I'm here to talk about the uh Capitol Flynn.

I'm in support of that.

It is something that as a voter, I believe that we which that is what I expected to see.

Um Spaceworks gave us a lot of the businesses that we love, and now that hole is left, and I don't want to see a hole like that left without um the funding able for artists to be able to have to own their buildings.

A lot of people talked about how rents are going up and the importance of owning spaces, so I don't want to reiterate that too much.

But um as a site director for the Boys and Girls Club and an admin for Fly Star, which is a nine prop nonprofit for you youth who are artists.

I have seen firsthand how access to expressing themselves through arts can change a child's life and keep them out of prison, can keep them from uh you know become Kia boys or whatever, right?

Um and these are realistic problems that we can that we can have that we can solve by just putting a little bit of money aside to help them have access to the arts.

Um my aunts, Virginia Taylor and Patricia Richardson owned the Northwest Dispatch.

Northwest Dispatch did not own its buildings, it was pushed into two different buildings before it had to close.

This is what happens when we do not support as a community these spaces, these businesses and the arts um directly.

The point of Tacoma Creates, as far as I know, was to make Tacoma a art destination city, and we need to do that by making destinations for art.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments and for sharing with us your connection.

Um with that, I don't have anybody else who signed in in the chambers unless you have another list back there.

All right, I'm gonna go back to those who are online, and we've lost the two people who were having problems.

But we'll start with Clarity Consulting Northwest.

Oh, uh uh unmute yourself.

Okay, sorry.

That's okay, Lori.

Go ahead.

Yeah, I'm on my phone.

It's a little challenging.

Um, so my name is Lori Arnold, and I'm speaking in support of the updates to the Tacoma Creates um ordinance as specified in Exhibit A of Ordinance 29058.

I fully support these updates, especially the one that commits 6% of the funds to capital so that funded organizations, especially the small orgs can acquire or upgrade their spaces instead of having to constantly pay ever increasing rents, you know, in just the last 10 years or so.

I've seen great programs like Dash Center, uh, Fab Five.

Um trying to remember the other one.

Um, but even then there was a few years ago there was a really great space called One Heart Cafe.

These were all little small organizations that because they you know rented the space that they have their organizations in, they could not sustain um, especially the gentrification has already been spoken of.

Let's bring in the higher rents.

I feel like this update is especially the one that that allows folks to use some of the these funds to be set aside for capital.

Um, is critical to our ability in Tacoma to support and maintain sustainable arts and cultural preservation in Tacoma.

So I really urge you to um keep those updates and and not an amendment to that.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments, Lori.

And then finally, I'm going to call on my eyesight is so bad.

Last name Ata.

Hi, um, my name is Danielle Ata.

I'm a Tacoma native and artist.

I'm also a volunteer supporter and collaborator in our city's arts community.

Um I've seen first, I'm here in support of the 6% allocation, um, which is only is less than 400,000 a year.

I've seen firsthand how some of these smaller programs have changed lives.

I've watched countless youth grow through Tacoma's arts programs, um, including artists that we all know and love, like Kenji Sowell and Tiffany Hammond, whose work is seen across our city.

Small grassroots organizations are often the only ones that are accessible to the under underserved and most vulnerable youth, and they are the ones that are most at risk.

I do not believe that this uh proposal is a threat threat to larger programs.

It's an investment in balance, reciprocity, and stability for the whole ecosystem.

When smaller groups are secure, Tacoma arts community at every level can grow stronger.

Thank you very much for your comments this evening.

Okay, we do have one more person, and it is Manny.

Manny, go ahead.

Hi, everyone.

Uh, I'm Manny Kowalin.

I'm the executive director for Inspire Washington.

We are the state's cultural advocacy organization, an architect for the cultural access program that first became uh real in Tacoma in 2018.

I just really wanted, I wish I could be with you there tonight.

I just really want to applaud the city of Tacoma for being a leader uh in providing more access to science, heritage, and the arts.

Um, all across Washington, so many other communities want uh to be as brave and courageous and as creative and cultural as Tacoma.

So um once again, you are making history as the first uh city to reauthorize uh cultural access program.

And uh, and again, I just want to applaud all of you, the leaders there that are the authorizers of this program and the community that has leaned in and participated and provided all of these growth prep great programs and is advocating um I just really applaud the spirit of collaboration uh and all of your work together.

So, congratulations to Coma for carrying it this far.

Thank you.

Great, thank you very much, Manny, for your comments.

I don't see anybody else online.

I don't have any other names that have that are signed in.

Is anybody else wishing to speak this evening?

All right, I'm gonna declare the public comment period closed, bring it back to the full council.

Let me say this.

Thank you to everyone who showed up this evening um to share um your thoughts.

I saw a lot of people who haven't been here before, and it's always nice to see new people taking um advantage um or participants and taking advantage, but participating um in local government.

So thank you all for being here this evening.

Um, with that, um, we are going to um move on to our regular agenda, and we have a motion before us for consideration.

Oh, let me just say this for those of you here this evening.

Um, a lot of you came tonight to talk about Tacoma Creates, and I want to be super clear.

Tonight is the first reading of the ordinance.

There'll be no votes taken tonight, it's just the first reading.

This is an ordinance that requires two readings.

So the first reading will be tonight, and then next Tuesday will be the second reading, and we will actually vote on the reauthorization next Tuesday.

So don't think that what you said tonight um wasn't heard.

It absolutely was, but I just don't want you to think you're hanging out to wait for us to vote on it because it won't, the voting won't happen tonight.

Um, so uh thank you all very much.

All right, we now have a motion before us for consideration.

I move to authorize the city settlements of all claims against the city and all city cross claims against the city of university place in the matter of Day Island Yacht Club versus City of University Place and City of Tacoma.

U.S.

District Court case number 323 C V05652 JW, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the proposed consent degree and subs in substantially the form of the consent decree on file with the city clerk and payment by the city in an amount of 130,000 dollars and subsequent real property actions as more particularly described in the consent degree.

Second.

All right, all those in favor.

All those in favor uh signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The motion is declared adopted.

Moving on to appointments.

Item eight, clerk, will you please read?

Resolution number 41764 is a resolution reappointing individuals to the human services commission.

I move to adopt resolution number 41764.

Second.

All right, I'd like to call on Councilmember Rumbah.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, at the September 11th, 2025 Community Vitality and Safety Committee, the committee conducted re uh reviews and recommended the reappointment of the following individuals to the Human Services Commission.

Christy Coyne and Nikki Singh.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you very much.

Uh, Councilmember Rumba.

All right, are there any additional council questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41764 signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the resolution is declared adopted adopted.

Moving on to item nine.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution number 41765 is a resolution appointing an individual to the Transportation Commission.

I move to adopt resolution number 41765.

All right, I'd like to call on Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

At the August 13th, 2025 Infrastructure Planning and Sustainability Committee meeting, the committee conducted interviews.

And at the following September 10th, 2025 meeting, the committee recommended the appointment of Felicity Waldron to the Transportation Commission Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41765.

Signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The resolution is declared adopted.

Um we invite individuals being appointed and reappointed tonight to attend the city council meeting, either virtually or in person.

Is there are any of the names called here in person?

All right.

If not, um whether you are attending uh virtually or you'll watch this later.

I'd like to thank you for volunteering and continuing your service on the Human Services Commission and the Transportation Commission.

We really appreciate your willingness to serve and please join me in a round of applause for those who are just appointed in reaction.

All right, moving on to purchasing resolutions.

Item 10, Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution number 41766 is a resolution awarding contracts to 22nd Century Technologies, Infogenie Inc., Compu Vision Consulting Inc.

Sensa LLC and Tech Systems, each in the amount not to exceed $1,800,000 budgeted from the Information Technology Fund for temporary staffing master services for an initial contract term of three years with the option to renew for two additional one year periods for a projected contract total of nine million dollars.

Plus applicable taxes.

I move to adopt resolution number 41766.

All right.

Are there oh, sorry?

Are there any council questions or comments?

All right.

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41766 signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to item 11.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution number 41767 is a resolution authorizing an increase and extending the contracts with the following contractors.

Sage Group Technologies Incorporated in the amount of 187,000 for protected contract total of 1,387,000 plus applicable taxes through March 31, 2026, and the Sturgeon Group Incorporated in the amount of 245,000 dollars for a protected contract total of 2,195,000 dollars plus applicable taxes through December 31, 2026.

Budgeted from the Information Technology Fund for continued supplemental support and professional services.

I move to adopt resolution number 41767.

Second.

All right, are there any council questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41767 signify by saying aye.

Aye.

The resolution is declared adopted.

First reading of ordinances, item 10.

Item 12.

Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance 29054 is an ordinance amending section two of ordinance number two nine zero four nine to establish an effective date of January 1, 2026 for the changes to the assumed water usage for customers with incomplete or no water flow records.

All right, I'd like to call on Christina Kieran uh who is here this evening.

Christina.

Yes, hello, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, members of the City Council.

My name is Christina Kern, and I lead the environmental services rates and budget team.

I'm here before you tonight to speak to ordinance two nine zero five four, which is requesting an amendment to a previously approved ordinance.

For residential wastewater customers, wastewater rates are a combination, a combination of a fixed rate and a variable rate based on water usage during the winter months, referred to as the winter quarter average.

For new customers or those with incomplete or no winter flow records, the Tacoma Municipal Code provides for an assumed water use amount to be used for billing until a customer's actual winter quarter average uses usage can be established.

Last month, council approved ordinance 29049, which amended section 1208B 210 of the Tacoma Municipal Code related to wastewater residential rates to update the assumed flow amounts from six cubic uh CCF per month for single family dwellings and five CCF per month per unit per month for multifamily dwellings to five CCF and four CCF respectively.

The intent was for the code changes to become effective with already planned rate increases on January 1st, 2026.

This ordinance establishes that intended effective date.

I'm happy to answer any questions.

All right, do we have any questions for Christina?

I'd like to call on Councilmember Walker, the other Christina.

Thank you, Mayor.

So just to clarify, we usually would have put that date in the original ordinance, but we missed it, so we're doing it now, or is this typical that we separate them out?

It was an oversight.

So it was intended to be in the original legislation.

Thanks.

Are there any other questions?

Seeing none, this ordinance will be set over for final reading next week.

Item 13, Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance number 29055 is an ordinance granting a non-exclusive ten-year telecommunications franchise agreement to easy fiber Texas LLC to construct, operate, and repair a telecommunication system in the city.

All right, uh Jeff Luner is this here.

Thank you, Mayor and City Council members.

My name is Jeff Leaders.

I'm the meeting communications office division manager for franchise services from the city manager's office.

Before you this evening is a request for ordinance number 29055 for a 50-page telecommunications franchise agreement for your consideration between Easy Fiber Texas LLC and the City of Tacoma.

Setting forth provisions, terms, and conditions of the grant of franchise, specifically making such grants subject to conditions, the provisions rather of Title 16B and Title 10 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Tacoma City Charter.

Providing for city regulation of the telecommunications system prescribing liquidated damages and certain other remedies for violation of the franchise provisions, in addition to those specified persuading to municipal code in the Tacoma City Charter.

This request from Easy Fiber Texas LLC is for their first 10-year telecommunications franchise agreement with the City of Tacoma.

This franchise will allow Easy Fiber Texas LLC doing business as Easy Fiber, a company currently involved in the business of operating telecommunications networks utilizing fiber optic technology to construct, operate, and maintain their network within the City of Tacoma.

This item was presented to the Government Performance and Finance Committee during the September 16th, 2025 meeting and approved for your consideration this evening.

A special thanks to Charles Lee, Deputy City Attorney, and Garner Duncan and Austin Christofferson, who we met earlier with Easy Fiber Texas for all of their efforts as we negotiated this agreement.

This concludes my presentation.

I can stand for any questions.

Do we have any questions?

You're off the hook, Jeff.

This ordinance will be set over for final reading on October 21st, 2025.

All right, moving on to item 14.

Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance number 29056 is an ordinance implementing an emerging leader position on various committees, boards, and commissions by renaming existing youth and student positions, repurposing other existing positions, and amending various chapters in Title I of the Municipal Code.

All right, I'd like to call on Councilmember Rumba.

Thank you, Mayor.

And um I want to, I'm so excited to bring this proposal forward today.

I'll speak more on this next week for final reading, but I did want to share that this proposal was shaped by significant feedback from the amazing volunteers that make up our committees, boards, and commissions here in Tacoma.

This proposal streamlines how we recruit youth to volunteer with us to enhance access to these opportunities and minimize administrative overhead.

I'm excited for the city to implement an emerging leader program to have a comprehensive aligned youth volunteer program structured to engage youth and young adults early in life in order to encourage lifelong community service, create opportunities for youth professional development and leadership opportunities, and validate you youth specific feedback and city council policy development.

I really want to call out the mayor's youth council for their information and what they brought to this conversation.

They were really helpful.

And I also want to say, as someone who sits on the community vitality and safety committee, we have a lot of commissions that are part of that, and it's just sad to see no youth um represented a lot of times on these commissions and boards and committees.

So that was what really what really drove me to do this.

And um, I look forward to um next week.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Rumbar.

Are there any questions or comments?

Councilmember Rumbaugh.

Seeing none, this ordinance will be set over for final reading next week.

Item 15, Clerk, will you please read ordinance number 29057 is an ordinance reimposing the Tacoma Creates Cultural Access Program.

Chapter 1.55 of the municipal code, and the one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax that funds it for an additional seven consecutive years.

All right, I'd like to call on myself.

Um just a few comments tonight.

I'm going to talk about this resolution or this ordinance and the next ordinance, both that are on the agenda tonight.

Um, Deputy Mayor Daniels, Councilmember Scott, Councilmember Walker, and I are excited to bring these two amendments forward this evening.

The first proposal is to uh reimpose the one-tenth of one percent sales tax to fund Tacoma Creates, and the second is a proposal for updates to the Tacoma Creates program.

Um, as I said tonight, we are we are not taking a vote.

We are only bringing these forward, and next next week we will take a vote.

But I just want to share a few comments about both of these ordinances tonight.

It is very clear from the testimony tonight, um, and when it was voted on seven years ago, that this community loves its arts and its artists and its organizations.

Um it is also very clear that we live in a world um where uh one-tenth of one percent can feel like a lot, especially to families who are struggling.

But we all know that sometimes, in order to have great returns, you have to make an investment.

And that's what Tacoma creates is.

It's an investment into our cultural access program.

It is vital for Tacoma's broader economic health because it nurtures thriving the thriving and creative economy.

In fact, data shows that direct annual economic activity generated by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences Tacoma is more than 160 million dollars.

On top of the economic value gained by thriving by a thriving creative economy, our cultural organizations help us find new and creative ways to appreciate each other, to work together, to imagine our future, and to share our deepest thoughts.

We survey our residents every two years.

And our residents say 94.8% felt Tacoma Creates funding was very important or important.

In addition, 91.5% felt that Tacoma Creates should be re-imposed by the city council.

Now, I've been an elected official for 20 years.

They don't normally get 91% of the votes.

By voting yes to re-impose our sales and use tax, we are validating what our residents have already tell told us and what they tell us every day.

Tacoma is an art city, and our arts, culture, heritage, and science organizations are the heart and soul of this community.

So we bring these forward tonight.

Um for consideration by this council.

Next week we will take a vote on what is before us.

And we heard you this evening.

We heard those of you who are concerned about whether or not or are concerned about the implications of how capital funding might affect programming.

And as we have this week um to consider potential amendments or changes, we want you to know that we heard all voices.

Now hearing your voice or hearing you doesn't necessarily mean that everyone in the audience will get what they want.

The reality is that there are lots of different thoughts and lots of different desires and lots of different needs.

But you elected the nine of us to make decisions based on what we best know and understand, and that's what I believe will happen in this council.

Um to have been part of this council when we passed Tacoma Creates, and I'm excited that next week I'm hoping that we will actually re-authorize Tacoma Creates.

We were the first in the state to run the initiative and have it passed.

And as we continue to lead, I hope we will be first in the state to reauthorize.

With that, I will open it up for any other council questions or comments.

But this is what's before us this evening.

We we will take a vote next week, and I look forward to hearing to continuing to hear from all of you and to making the best decision for the residents of Tacoma.

Are there any other comments?

All right, seeing none, this ordinance will be set over for final reading next week.

Item 16, Clerk, will you read?

Ordinance number 29058 is an ordinance amending chapter 1.55 of the municipal code relating to Tacoma Creates by amending various sections to restructure funding categories to better reflect administrative costs and identified needs in the community, expand support for the public school cultural access program, and update language for consistency.

All right.

Um, I've already I've already talked about this one as well, so I'll open it up if there are any additional council questions or comments.

All right, seeing none, this ordinance will be set over for final reading next week.

Moving on to item 17, Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance number 29059 is an ordinance amending chapter 68.110 of the municipal code relating to property tax exemptions for multifamily housing by amending section 68.110.020 entitled Property Tax Exemption Requirements and Process to Implement Program Updates as recommended by the government performance and finance committee.

All right, I'd like to call on Council Member Heinz.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh so this evening we're talking, we're going through the first reading of our update to the multi-family tax exemption.

I see a lot of people are this is not what they're here for.

Uh no.

So Coma creates its past uh council member Heinz.

Um I I don't I don't know where your group of people are tonight, but they are not.

Um is a little bit of background.

So we made changes to the multifamily tax exemption back in 2021, including um expanding the 12-year to areas that begin to designate as mid-scale, neighborhood commercial nodes, um, and also eliminating the eight-year MFTE in uh high opportunity areas, Parker and Point Rustin.

And at that time, when we made those changes, we also put into the policy that three years later we would come back and re-examine our MFT product um policy to really kind of just make sure we're right sizing the policy as things change and move over time.

So we began that work back in 2024.

Um, and so this is the culmination of about I'd say about 18 months of work to get us to this point.

Um we are proposing six updates to the multifamily tax exemption.

So these six updates came out of the government performance and finance committee, uh which I'm proudly chair.

Um, and I want to thank my government performance and finance committee uh count uh committee members for all their work on this.

So the six updates we're proposing, and I went over a lot of this at study session at length, so I'll keep it very kind of to the point in brief.

Uh first, we're recommending uh the increase of the minimum number of units required for the eight-year MFT from four to twenty units per project as a as a way to do two things.

One are mid-scale areas where we allow the 12-year MFT can only go up to 20 units.

Uh but in the mixed use centers, um, we also we have the eight-year and the 12-year MFTE, those can go much bigger.

So, what we're really trying to land on is this idea that uh projects that are 20 units and lower are more of a mid-scale product and should kind of all be operating under the same set of rules, which is this 12-year MFTE, and then bigger projects for more density, which we want to see in our downtown and our mixed use centers, um, the eight-year MFT sent to work better for that.

So, to kind of say that if you want to use eight-year MFT, it has to be bigger than 20 units.

The second was we want to continue to allow households to qualify as low income or moderate income for the purposes of the MFTE unless household income exceeds 90% of the count Pierce County's AMI.

So, what is that what does that mean?

To qualify for one of these rent restricted units, you're you have to make around 70% of the area median income.

The challenge is is as you earn more, you could um that unit you could put no longer stay in the rent restricted unit.

Um so what we're doing is building in space so as people earn more, they're able to stay in that unit and have their rent at that restricted level.

Um, really, this is about not discouraging people from kind of earning more money and and and raising their income.

And so, and we landed on the 90% number because we also then don't want folks who could pay more or whose income has kind of really jumped up to continue to occupy a rent restricted unit when that would better serve someone who was at that 70% of AMI level.

So the state law allows you to go up to 150%.

Uh, we thought that seemed a bit excessive, the idea that somebody could be making 150% of AMI and yet still occupying a rent restricted unit when that should probably be for somebody who's making 70% made more sense.

So we landed on the 90% number for this proposal.

Uh the third is um we are requiring that properties that are applying for the extension for the affordable units for the those units to be at least 10% less than the market rate.

Okay, so what does that mean?

So we have prod we have um current 12-year MFTs that have come through and they apply for an extension.

So state law allows an eight-year project or a 12-year project to apply for a 12-year extension.

And in order to, and in some cases, we've had projects come through where when they apply for the extension, the restricted affordable rate is the exact same as the market rate.

And our per our idea behind this was if you're gonna be getting a tax extension exemption extension, the mark the rents that are restricted should be lower than the market rate.

There should be some nexus between the two.

And so we started at 10% as kind of a start.

Um, and with this idea, we'll come back in three years and see like is that still hitting the mark or not.

You know, we have some projects, um, Proctor 1 is a good example where the restricted rental rates are much, much lower, somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars difference between a month, and then we've had some where they've come in and maybe exactly the same, and we'd really like to see there to be a clear difference between the two.

Uh fourth, um, we and I definitely speak to this more as either this reading or next reading.

We're we're we've moved to discontinue the eight-year MFTE and the two census tracks located in the downtown regional growth center to help reduce displacement.

So we um through some of our studies around kind of census tracts that are at risk of displacement.

Uh we identified quite a few of them, but we are looking at two specific ones in the hilltop downtown regional core to pull away the eight-year MFTE in those two areas.

So we're proposing to make that change.

Um and then fifth, we recommended expanding the community economic development department's efforts to share and centralize outreach for property owners and community members.

One of the challenges we heard from some of the developers who are building these 12-year MFTE projects is having a difficulty identifying prospective tenants that can that their income qualifies for those units.

And so one of the things we're gonna we're asking CED to do help, and they've said that can be part of their workflow is better coordinating with potential tenants to make sure we're getting people into those units so they're not sitting vacant.

Um then finally, uh we have said that we're gonna launch an additional review at a GPFC um or one of our council committees in 2028 with the idea that we want to continue to come back and look at this to make sure and see if our policies are still meeting the goals we have.

Um really excited about these processes, these um proposals.

Um I want to thank not only committee members but uh community stakeholders that came and were part of this conversation and shared kind of their thoughts about some of the proposed changes we made.

And with that, uh Madam Mayor, um happy to take further questions or further discussion.

Thank you.

Sorry, thank you, um, council member Hines.

Uh councilmember Walker.

Um thank you, Mayor.

I just briefly want to thank um Councilmember Heinz and the um his committee, GPFC, um, for the work on this.

I was part of GPFC when we did the initial round, and I know how much time and effort goes into this, and I think you all did a huge heavy lift on this.

So I appreciate you doing that work.

And I also really appreciate um that we put in the original the review at three years, and I can't remember if we put the three year in this next one, and so that's my question for you.

Yes.

Okay.

Yes, there is a three-year review period.

And just it reminds me of something I was gonna say earlier.

Um, one reason I think that's really important is from when we first made the change in 2021 to 2024, um, we've seen the economic environment shift quite dramatically, right?

So one of the things that came out of the community stakeholder conversation was between 2021 and 2024, we've seen more economic uncertainty at the national level, we've seen an increase in interest rates, we've seen um some of the lending that was traditionally available drying up for some of these larger projects, and so they were actually asking us to be very cautious about some of these changes with the idea that many of these projects take multiple years in the pipeline before they come out of the ground.

So the three year uh look back is still part of it because I think I would hope that the the council in 2028 would be looking at um if this is still working or not.

Great, thank you.

I really appreciate that.

And um part of the conversation that I had with Deputy Mayor Daniels about um the changing of um the with the census tracks, part of what makes me um not cautious about putting that in there is that we have that three year.

So I really appreciate that.

I think that makes a lot of sense for this tool in particular because the housing market changes um so much.

So uh again appreciate the whole committee and the work that you all did to get us to this point.

Thanks.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Walker.

All right, um, let me call on Council Member Sidalgay.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

I move to substitute substitute ordinance number two nine oh five nine seconds.

I'll give me a second it myself.

Councilmember Sidalgay.

Uh thank you again, Mayor.

And I actually want to thank um Councilmember Hines and everyone else that co-sponsored.

There was a lot of really amazingly good stuff in this uh ordinance, and um I wholeheartedly support almost all of it.

Um but the change that I am proposing, um I'll go into what it does.

It uh it returns the for the eight-year MFTE that is only uh allowable in mixed-use centers.

It would change the minimum number of units uh back down to four units, but it would limit uh the usage of that MFTE exclusively to home ownership, owner occupancy home ownership projects.

Um this is to incentivize the creation of owner-occupied multifamily dwellings and to incentivize the creation of income regulated rental housing units through the 12 and 20 year MFTE program.

Uh I'll get into some of the reasons uh why.

Um I do believe that given today's economy uh uh sorry, um given today's um um conditions in which we have uh loosened quite a few development standards, for example, parking.

Um I believe using the eight-year MFT to in incentivize only market rate 100% market rate rental housing with no affordability requirement is simply just not an efficient use of a public subsidy.

Uh we need to be more intentional about what we're inside incentivizing and who it benefits.

With this change, the beneficiary becomes the person who purchases the unit.

This tool can help first-time buyers looking uh buyers, uh working individuals and families and retirees looking to downsize groups that are often shut out from the cur from current housing options.

Um this shift changes how we view the eight-year MFTE to be a tool of home ownership focused uh developers and benefit those who purchase them and live there instead of uh um to be used by rental housing developers, and again uh it incentivizes those to use the 12-year or 20-year MFT, which requires a 20 or 25 percent of the units to be income limited, respectively.

Um at the end of the day, I firmly believe that given the changes that we've we've done, um, if we're providing a tax benefit, the public should receive uh more affordable options uh back for it.

Um and I do want to get into one uh important pro uh um kind of historical note.

Uh due to state law changes about 20 years ago, condo development has been nearly non-existent in this state, but this year the state law changed uh to make it easier to build 12 unit or fewer condo uh buildings, and this amendment would get us aligned with that momentum on the state level.

Um in a world in which we do have a shortage of housing, I think it's really important that when we're giving public uh subsidies that we get something uh back from it, and this does force those 12 and 20 units to be uh more uh uh maybe look a little better on paper.

Um if we include home ownership projects built across the city, you know, including in District 4, where in only in one of my uh in one of the five mixed-use centers, is there any sort of home ownership building?

This would be a powerful step towards uh building equitable, walkable neighborhoods that are enriched again by housing types that lead to generational wealth and housing cost stability.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Sidalge, Councilmember Rumba.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to thank you, Councilmember Sidalge, for bringing this forward because I've had issues with the MFTE of eight years for a long time, especially in the downtown, which I think we are seeing a lot of development.

Um I also know about that bill where they like it's 12 units or less, that could be condos.

Um and so I'm asking, I'm gonna ask you a question.

Why are you not aligning your bill where if people try to do more than 12 units, they're gonna have to get private funding to do that?

And so I think that that's gonna be really difficult because of the insurance issues.

Um would you consider aligning yours with 12 units or less for the MFTE of eight years?

If it was so they could own or occupy by, I mean, if it's a someone's buying it.

Um I did four units or more to encourage multifamily, but there's no maximum on the the number of size of that you could build um on any of them, actually, right?

So this is uh to encourage uh the minimum uh multifamily condo building, but the expectation is they would be much more than just four.

I guess I guess my question is knowing that the state law allows you to do 12 units of condos without that extra insurance that you'd have to pay, and that means they'd have to get private funding to do anything more than 12.

Would you consider aligning with that so that we could actually have things built that would be sold?

I'm not a hundred percent sure because if you build more condos, even if it's more than twelve, it's still ownership condos and and they would still be.

I think it's gonna be hard to.

I guess my point is I just see it might be difficult to get that funding to do the project.

And so it might people might decide not to do the projects.

I'm gonna ask my question.

That's just my question.

So I'm gonna entertain um the rest of the questions at the dais, but here's what I might ask uh council member Sidalgay, would you consider withdrawing your motion for this week?

Sure.

So that so that this conversation can continue.

Um and the We've had a long day, maybe.

Yeah, do you know what I mean?

And then and then and then we know you want to bring it forward.

I'll let everybody ask their questions, but it might be good to work out the questions so that we might get to a better place by next week.

And this is only first reading, so we can be back next.

So my first day back.

Hey, uh city attorney, do we need to can he just withdraw?

Do we need a motion to withdraw the motion?

I withdraw my motion.

Wonderful.

Thank you.

Council member, then we'll move on to Councilmember Bush now.

Oh I um well, uh, since we're not gonna be going over the that I just do want to appreciate GPSC uh and all the work and diligence, especially uh council member Hines.

I know you did a lot of work with uh development community to kind of really understand some of the the nitty-gritty background information on to um uh to get us to where we're at today.

Um I really appreciate the um uh certain portions, for example, the uh allowing uh folks to be able to stay in a unit up until 90 percent.

Um, because uh you want we want to encourage folks to uh access better opportunities, but there is a real uh benefit cliff that could uh potentially occur to a family, and um you know try uh trying to keep them in their home or in their location is one of the best ways to provide stability for that.

And so we want to be cautious of that benefit cliff.

And I I think we we landed at a good spot at 90 percent.

Um, and I think reviewing it and seeing how that impacts in the future in the next three years is really important.

I think markets change, and I I think uh and we've seen that obviously in the last um as many years, and so that's why reevaluating this is also extremely important.

Um I one of the one of the challenges I have with the the eight-year MFTE um in particular is that my district has not necessarily seen the benefit of the eight-year MFTE.

Um, I really want to see more uh economic opportunity and uh industry five specifically, and and it's I know it's been utilized very well in other parts of the city, it but not necessarily in district five.

And so I'm really trying to find ways to you continue to utilize that tool in a way that supports uh different parts of the cities as well, um parts of the city as well.

So that's just something that I've been been thinking about quite a bit as well.

Uh I say as well as a lot.

Um sorry guys, I'm on the fly.

I don't have any notes here.

Um and uh there's one other point I wanted to make.

Uh but you know that's okay.

I I'm gonna support it.

Thank you very much, everybody.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Bush.

Now, Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, and my question is for Councilmember Sidalge.

Um I am not understanding how this um the new home ownership part of MFTE would be um I I don't think the word I want is enforced, but um how do we make sure that the homes are being sold to I will phone a friend.

Okay.

Debbie.

Oh, you're uh there's a uh there's a uh title restriction component and there's an annual reporting component to it, but I'll let Debbie get into that.

Good evening, Mayor and Council and Debbie Bingham with the community economic development department.

Um councilmember Walker, I think that as um council member just said, so there was in the amendment um uh uh part of it that said there had to be a deed restriction that basically said you acknowledge you have to live in the home.

Um then annually there is a reporting requirement even for an eight-year MFTE that says you haven't changed anything, it's basically just a self-addestation says you uh haven't changed anything, and if you have, then you are and you get caught, then there is a penalty.

You know, you could lose the um exemption completely.

So those are the ways that we could track that.

And is that the city doing that tracking, or is that if it's part of the title, is it then the auditor's office?

No, the city does all of the monitoring for them FTE programs.

So and we have a mechanism in place that we could track that title restriction, or would that be?

I might have to ask the city attorney.

I assume that if if someone sold it and there's something on title that we would be notified.

I'm not exactly sure how that works.

I'm not either.

I I could guess, but we probably should look at that question and get back to the council.

Council member, I do know that on the um uh by the Chacoma Mall sub-area where we have inclusionary zoning, they do the same process where it's on title.

So I believe that there is a process.

I'm sorry, I just don't know exactly how it works because we haven't done it with the MFTE yet.

Okay, thank you.

And um, this is um a good reason to just uh pause for this a little bit, I think till next week.

Um appreciate, I think what we're trying to do here.

I'm just a little bit nervous about um how it's gonna get rolled out and how we're mixing the homeownership and the rental.

So I'm looking forward to a little bit more conversation before we get into this one for sure.

So thank you.

Great.

Councilmember Sidalga, did you have something to add?

Oh, I just wanted to mention that's exactly the mechanism.

The deed restriction was the mechanism we used in Home and Tacoma for homeownership uh incentivization, which is where some of it came from from looking at other programs.

All right.

Um, are there any other comments?

Councilmember Daniels.

Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I just want to make sure that I uh take a moment to thank Council Member Hines and the rest of the GPFC committee uh who uh spent the year uh researching this and um putting together what I think is a balance proposal uh that um that takes into consideration all of the things, much of which uh we all have different ideas about and uh this one in particular, the amendment in particular.

I uh in general I support uh council members um council members at Dalga's um initiative to want to create more homeownership in the city.

That's one thing that I work on every day.

In fact, uh I was at Housing Washington today about uh trying to learn more about how to create more affordable homeownership and rental supply in our community at large.

Um so this is one thing that I study quite often, and I'm not sure that this uh amendment is fully baked, particularly because there is no requirement for affordability at all.

And I want to make sure that if we are going to add something that we do it with intent, um and that it is well studied and well stakeholdered within our um community and within our council.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Seeing no other comments at this time, um, this item will be set over for final reading next week.

Um now, moving on to unfinished business.

Is there any unfinished business?

Seeing none, moving on to community forum.

Um community forum is an opportunity uh for you to speak about items over which the city council has jurisdiction.

As a reminder, these forums are intended to give speakers the opportunity to share their viewpoints and feedback with the city council to aid in our decision making and is not meant to be a back and forth dialogue.

Your remarks should be directed to sit to the city council and not to individual staff members.

At this time, I would like to ask attendees if you want to speak under the community forum to please press the raise your hand button near the bottom of your Zoom window or star line on your phone now, so we can see the number of people wishing to testify this evening.

If you are speaking in person, please sign up at the back of the room if you have not done so already.

Your name or the last four digits of your phone number will be called out when it is your turn to speak.

Clerk, will you please read?

The purpose of community forum is to assist the city council in making policy decisions.

Items of discussion will be limited to matters over which the city council has jurisdiction.

Arguments should not be made in support of or opposition to any matter on this week's agenda.

Each person may address the city council only one time during this forum.

All right, community forum will be limited to a total of 60 minutes.

Each speaker will have 90 seconds to make your remarks.

Please be mindful of the time frame.

As always, you're not required to use all of your time to make your point.

If you cannot remain on topic, you will be given two warnings.

If you remain off topic, we will have to move on and we'll end your time.

Clerk, have we received any written comment for a community forum?

Mayor and council, we received seven for regarding the Climate and Sustainability Commission, two about the South Tacoma Warehouse and Food Deserts, and one regarding police staffing.

Okay, wonderful.

Thank you very much.

All right.

I'm gonna start by calling those who are online and Kathy Lahan.

I hope I can hear you this time.

Kathy Kathy, I don't know what's going on this evening, but we cannot hear you.

Try one more time.

Kathy, all we're getting is a little bit of static.

Let's go on to Kathy Irwin and we'll come back to see if we can pick up Kathy Lahan one more time.

Hi.

This is Kathy Irwin.

Yep, go ahead, Kathy.

We can hear you.

Okay.

Okay.

So to the reason why I wanted to speak tonight, and I also sent my uh comments in my written comments as well.

Is we are dealing um as residents with two different situations that need more immediate attention from city council members and city leaders.

The first one is the food desert situation in um due to the impacts uh from Fred Meyer closing down over on Pacific Avenue.

And hopefully, this is not something that's gonna be put off until 2026.

The second issue is the British Industrial Warehouse that will be opening up within the next month or two.

And this is uh shown by the um marketing that's going on by Kidder Matthews company that these two of these warehouses are actually almost ready to go.

Yet we have no idea what truck routes are going to be used.

Um street changes that might be needed.

We cannot get any kind of response from the planning department for updates.

The city website is at least six months behind on any news about it.

It still refers to it as a proposal.

We have sent emails to Shirley Schultz, who's supposed to be the head of that project, do not get responses.

So we are asking as residents to get some assistance from the city council members to look into this situation so this uh South Tacoma residents and business leaders can know what is going on.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Kathy.

Okay, let's try Kathy Lahan one more time.

Oh well, let's go.

Let's go to Teresa Evans and then we'll come back to Kathy.

Hello.

Uh thank you for calling on me.

Yes, going back to Kathy, that's a good idea.

Um, I'm Teresa Evans.

I'm in District 4, Santa Shadalga's district now.

Um and I'm um wanting to talk to you guys because um albeit it's kind of not uh a city council thing, but it sort of is that uh people uh got me interested in the grid city co-op through the city council or through the involvement from the city council.

And it's something that's on my mind.

And the last person who spoke just talked about possibility, or not necessarily food cooperative, but with the 72nd um Fred Meyer closing.

So um that one UBI 604 165975.

And it's kind of like uh really super iffy, if not like it's basically going to be ending.

So I figured somebody might be interested in bringing in in um taking it on, maybe a group would be interested in taking it on or taking on something like that.

So that's what I had to say.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Thank you very much, Teresa, and always good to hear your voice.

I think Kathy gave up.

Kathy Lahan, are you still online?

I don't see you.

All right.

All right, we will um move on from Kathy, and we'll go to those who have signed signed up uh in person this evening.

We'll start with Michelle Reich, followed by Kenya Shakur.

Michelle Reich.

Tacoma has a new record.

Number one in violet crime for Washington State.

That record is not a fault of the Tacoma Police Department.

That is the fault of the nine people sitting before me, the Tacoma City Council, and the resources you gave the police department and the rules and of engagement you gave them to first street crime.

So here we are, number one in this in the state.

Now I uh worked in scheduling and training for five squadrons or Air Force Security Police.

Uh that's uh in the strategic air command, and that's the equivalent to the Seattle Police Department.

So I have a little experience online police staffing.

So I see that you allowed the police department to be depleted by their numbers, and I gave you ways to bring them up to speed years ago, and you need to do their job to bring them up, and now we have that number one in violent crime, and this is due to your actions or inactions, and uh it's gonna be a while before we be brought up to speak there, but uh the citizens of Tacoma are pinned for your actions on holding the police department back and doing their job and holding them back and funding.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments.

Kenya.

Hello, my name is Kenya Shakur.

I'm uh visual artist, also sit on a committee here, also served as a chair of the committee last year, and I'm here to speak on ordinance 059 about the MFTE program.

Um, one year, nine months ago, I was looking for um affordable housing and was considered low income at the time.

And I remember that there is an MFTE program that I should have been able to benefit from.

And so I visited the city website to look at a list of property owners, developers that got those subsidies, and a number of those places that I called didn't know what I was talking about, even though they got those tax breaks.

So I'm really calling for you all to you know visit the websites and the listings to really audit it from a perspective of a person that may be in distress, maybe um looking for affordable housing to see if those tax breaks that we're providing people actually get to benefit from them.

Um so yes, I'm I'm interested in an audit and I'm just interested in increased transparency.

Great.

Thank you very much for being here this evening.

All right, I don't have anybody else with their hand raised online, and I don't have anybody else signed in in the chambers.

Am I correct there?

All right.

With that, um, I will declare a public or community forum closed, bring it back to the full council.

Um I will go to comments and committee reports of the city council, and I will turn to Councilmember Walker, who is chair of the infrastructure planning and sustainability commission.

Committee.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

The IPS committee has met twice since our last report out.

Our August 27th agenda included two complementary topics transportation impact fees and system development charges.

Both presentations discuss proposed rates, hypothetical scenarios, and implementation timelines.

Presenting these top two topics together allowed the committee to more fully understand the city's options to maintain service delivery while accommodating the for population growth and increased density.

On September 10th, staff presented a process for allocating transportation benefit district revenues that are dedicated for pedestrian safety and requested committee feedback.

And we will see hear more about that at the Transportation Benefit District.

The committee meets again next Wednesday, October 8th, here in the chambers.

Um, our one special meeting in the chambers every year where the committee's boards and commissioners uh that IPS oversees will deliver brief presentations summarizing their accomplishment accomplishments and priorities from the past year and update the committee on their priorities and items of interest for the upcoming year.

Madam Mayor, that concludes my report.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Walker.

Are there any final council comments?

I'd like to call on Councilmember Sidalge.

Thank you, Mayor.

I wanted to plug.

You can right here.

I actually have a poster this week.

I wanted to plug uh the this Saturday uh at the Eastide Community Center from 11 to 6.

We're gonna have our first ever uh Tacoma Festival of Lights.

I will be there.

I know at least Councilmember Walker is gonna be there.

Uh several others are gonna be there.

Please celebrate with us on the East Side uh this Saturday, 11 to 6.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Uh with that, are there any final council comments?

Any others?

All right.

Well, I just you all were gonna adjourn, but we're gonna stay for the transportation benefit district.

But I just have one quick announcement.

Um I I'd like to announce that I am looking forward to delivering my last state of the city on this Thursday, um, October 2nd at my alma mater, Lincoln High School.

It's where I did my first state of the city, and it's where I will give my last state of the city, the greatest high school that council member Heinz and I went to.

It will start at the doors will open at 5 p.m.

The program will begin at 6, and again, it'll be in the Lincoln High School Betty Drost Auditorium, located at 701 South 37th Street.

Umsually I use my state of the city to um to talk about what we would the state of our city, what what we've done the past year, what our challenges have been the past year, and what we're gonna be working on in the future.

However, this year, I want to refriger more broadly on what we've been through as a community, how we've gotten through it together, and I want to share my gratitude and hopes for the future of Tacoma.

I hope all of you will consider attending.

Um again, that's this Thursday at 5 p.m.

Uh doors open, 6 p.m.

The program um starts at Lincoln High School.

Um, as a reminder, um the transportation benefit district governing board special meeting will take place immediately after we adjourn this meeting.

So I will turn to the deputy mayor for the final motion for tonight's meeting.

Do I need to excuse anybody?

I move to adjourn.

Second.

Did you want to stay, Councilmember Hines?

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed?

The motion is declared adopted.

We stand adjourned.