Let's do it.

I would like to call to order the city council meeting of December 16th, 2025.

Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Bushnell?

Present.

Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Here.

Councilmember Diaz.

Here.

Councilmember Heinz.

Here.

Councilmember Rumba.

Here.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Here.

Councilmember Scott?

Here.

Councilmember Walker.

Here.

Mayor Woodards?

Here.

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

But before we begin tonight's moment of silence, as this is our last council meeting of the year, I want to acknowledge all of the heartbreaking acts of violence that have happened both here in the United States and abroad.

And I want to take this moment in this season of peace and joy to remember not just those who are involved in the most recent incidents, but those who across our community, across our state, and across our country, and across this world who are suffering.

Brought this to mind for me today.

Was thinking about the shootings at Brown University.

And then the targeted violence that happened in Australia to our Jewish brothers and sisters.

And I know those are just two of the most recent incidents.

And there were so many more that didn't make the news.

So while I lift these two up for our moment of silence, I ask you to think of others and other people that we didn't acknowledge with those words tonight.

And then this season, let's remember those who are hurting and send prayers their way.

Councilmember Sidalgay.

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

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

We have two modifications to the agenda tonight.

Second.

All right, the version of this legislation published was a draft.

The substitute is simply to replace the legislation with the final version.

Are there any council questions or comments?

Seeing none.

All those in favor of adding substitute resolution number 41825 to tonight's agenda.

Signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The ayes have it.

The motion is declared adopted.

Anyone wishing to comment on substitute resolution number 41825 may do so during public comment.

Are there any other agenda, additional agenda modifications to tonight's agenda?

All right, seeing none, we will move on to the consent agenda.

I move to adopt the consent agenda, including resolution numbers 41819 and 41820.

Second.

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

Seeing none.

Those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The consent agenda is declared adopted.

We have two ceremonials tonight.

Um and I actually am going to switch them around than how they are in my uh agenda.

So we're gonna start um first.

Well, no, I'm not gonna switch them around.

I should read the agenda.

This is my last meeting.

The least I could do is get it all right.

Um we're gonna start with with the first one tonight.

Um, and we are going to be uh honoring and recognizing honorary mayor Nacho Day.

We're gonna call it Nacho Day proclamation.

And I am going to do two things.

One, uh Nacho was voted on by the by the residents of Tacoma to be mayor for the day.

And so today is Nacho's Day, but before I can read the proclamation, we first have to swear Nacho in as the mayor, as I had to do so.

So, umani, uh, if you would meet me here in the front, we will swear Nacho in, and then I will come back and read the proclamation.

Mayor, I believe it's called a proclamation.

Oh, yeah, thank you.

Yes, I'll stand by the mic.

Because so people can hear so cute.

These chairs out of the way.

This is Nacho.

Isn't Nacho cute?

So cute.

All right, mama.

If you will raise pa if you will raise Nacho's right paw.

So got it, Nacho, you ready?

All right.

I Nacho do solemnly swear that I will support.

So, Nacho, let me tell you what we're gonna do.

Instead of having you repeat it all, I'm just gonna read the whole thing, and all you have to do is meow at the end.

Okay.

All right.

I Nacho do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Washington, and that I will comply with the city charter and all ordinances of the city, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of honorary pet mayor of Tacoma.

According to the law and to the best of my ability, while resisting the urge to chase birds, eat tortillas, and fall asleep in my favorite fuzzy blanket.

What do you say, Nacho?

Do you accept the duty?

I think I I heard Nacho say yes.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a round of applause for the new mayor.

Congratulations, Nacho.

It's a tough job, but I know you got it handled.

All right.

We'll let Nacho go back to the other side now.

All right.

Gives me great honor to read.

Oh, oh, you no, you and Nacho have to come over here in front of the podium now.

Nacho's not done yet.

The work of a mayor is never done.

Nacho's like Nacho's back in his bed.

Nacho's a right.

Allow me to read this proc this proclamation.

Whereas the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County, in partnership with the City of Tacoma, held an election and fundraiser in November of 2025 for our first ever honorary pet mayor for the day.

And whereas dogs and cats, along with very cute with one very cute bunny and an adorable guinea pig, vied for the top spot and shared their policy agendas, most of which called for more treats, more naps, and more cuddling.

And whereas in a nail-biting race, a cat with no tail and a tough start in life, Nacho sees the lead, beating out rivals Cooper and Jar Jar Pig.

And whereas, since his rescue in 2019, Nacho has wholeheartedly embraced his love of fuzzy blankets, catnip, and making biscuits, while also developing an endearing obsession with bread and tortillas.

And whereas Nacho embodies the grit and determination of the city, he now serves as honorary pet mayor and shares a message of love and appreciation for the work of the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County and his wish that we never give up on those around us or on ourselves.

Now, therefore, I, Victoria R.

Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council and the over 225,000 residents who call Tacoma home.

Do hereby proclaim Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, as honorary pet Nacho Day in the city of Tacoma.

And I urge all residents to join me in applauding Pet Mayor Nacho's heroic efforts to help raise more than 14,000 to support low-cost spay and neuter programs at the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County and his work drawing attention to the essential role that trap neuter return programs play in protecting and supporting community cats.

Please join me in a round of applause.

Now, um, I'd like to think that I thought of every great idea, but that is never the truth.

Um this was an idea that was brought um brought to me by Councilmember Hines.

And so Councilmember Hines, I got to read the proclamation.

I'll let you make some comments.

Oh, well, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you, Mayor Nacho.

I guess you're not Mayor Elect Nacho, maybe Mayor Nacho.

Um, this came, you know, I think many of you know I've been pretty involved with the Humane Society and looking at animals as one of my quote unquote pet projects.

And um, you know, each year my family goes to Orcas Island and in the town of East Sound, they do an election for the mayor.

And the mayor is an animal of some kind, they have a parade, and it's a fundraiser for one of their local animal organizations.

And so I saw this idea, and I came back to Mayor Woodards and said, Hey, Madam Mayor, how would you feel about having an honorary pet mayor for the city?

And she looked at me kind of like wondered, what are you talking about?

And then I explained it to her, and she was a full support of it.

So the idea was, you know, a great way to one um highlight a great cause, which is low-cost span user programs of the Humane Society we need to offer here in our community.

Um, and also have a little bit of fun.

Um, have an election that's actually bought and paid for um through donations.

Um legally bought and legally bought and paid for.

Um and just have a little bit of fun with a wonderful animal.

And I would just say he he is not spoken yet, but I do think Mayor Nacho is probably the most appropriate mayor for the city of Tacoma.

You know, as a town that's famous for Jollis Jerry and kind of our gritty spirit to have uh a former, you know, homeless animal that has been through some strife in its life and has risen all the way to the top of city leadership for all animals.

Um, very happy to be here.

Kind of reminds me of my own journey, John.

There you go.

Very appropriate.

Um, it was funny enough.

Uh I will tell one funny story.

Um, I was talking to my daughter, she's eight years old, and I was like, hey, Mayor Nacho's coming.

And she's like, Well, what's who's that?

I'm like, well, he's our our pet mayor, the cat.

Um, and she's like, Well, what's a cat mayor gonna do?

And I said, I mean, I don't know, he could ban dogs in the entire city tomorrow through proclamation or something.

She's like, Oh my gosh, are you gonna bring in like scientists that are gonna like scan his brain so you know what he's thinking?

I said, No, no, sweetie, we're not gonna do that.

But we're gonna keep a close eye on him around other species and things like that.

Um, so I just want to say uh thank you, Kanani, for bringing your pet in and putting it up for mayor.

Uh, the mayor and I were joking about, you know, you hopefully you know what you signed up for.

You've got a lot of ribbon cuttings at pet stores and a lot of parades and things ahead of you with Nacho.

Uh, but we're so proud of him this evening.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you very much, um, Councilmember Hines.

And so I will ask you and Nacho to come forward to accept your proclamation.

Oh, well, what do you want to do you want to say something?

Oh, um, I I mean, he he told me something.

Oh, well, well, please tell us what Nacho did Nacho every every every good mayor needs a spokesperson.

Okay, yes.

Yes.

I'm gonna I will I will clean this after I don't worry about it.

Here all over it.

Are you gonna bear okay?

We're taking a we're taking a mental health break right now.

Okay.

Um see here.

Uh, pet mayor Nacho would like to share a few remarks.

As your newly elected mayor, Nacho is proud to report this may be the first and quite possibly last election in which everyone could agree on campaign funding.

$14,000 was raised um in direct contributions for the Tacoma Humane Society's Spay and Neuter program.

These funds will monumentally approve the lives of the animals that will be treated, but in the long run, contribute to population control.

This election provided another Haley's comment level phenomenon, and despite the division in households and across the nation, Mayor Nacho is delighted that everyone came together around a fundamental truth.

Cats rule, dogs rule.

Rude.

But that aside, Nacho has heard your concerns.

He has heard your pleas from countertops, windowsills, and the virtual meetings you unapologetically interrupt.

As the holidays approach, Nacho would like to draw everyone's attention and a possible thumbs to the Tacoma Humane Society's Community Food Bank.

This season, he respectfully requests that while out shopping for your furly furry companions' food, you consider picking up an extra bag to donate to the Humane Society.

The community food bank provides assistance throughout the community.

And let's be honest, the animals at the shelter are far more pleasant and appreciative than most of our relatives.

Also, and this is important, this is an excellent opportunity to donate any unopened food that your furry pride and joy suddenly, inexplicably, and unapologetically decided they just don't like anymore after you bought it in bulk.

Now, speaking from personal experience.

In conclusion, Nacho's administration will be transparent, it will be compassionate, it will occasionally throw up on the carpet at 3 a.m.

after making the most feared sound known to mankind.

I think every cat owner knows that sound.

Thank you for your trust, your votes, and the to the food scoopers, aka the humans, your continued service.

Remember humans, ask not what your cat can do for you, ask what you can do for your cat.

And to Nacho's cat brethren, the only thing you have to fear is the vacuum.

Thank you.

Please come forward to accept your proclamation.

Yes, yes.

Um, grandma.

Grandma, would you like to come?

Grandma said, no.

Your grandson is getting up.

The best picture of anyone here.

Thank you.

Okay, everybody, look at your one, two, three.

Not your always.

Okay, okay.

Come on, so I love this.

All right.

Madam Mayor, oh, the Humane Society is here.

I didn't even you came up, but I didn't ask you if you the Humane Society wanted to say anything.

Yes, okay, no problem.

Hello, my name is Megan Tackett.

I'm the development strategist at the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.

Uh, first and foremost, the Humane Society for Tacoma in Pierce County would like to extend an enormous congratulation to Nacho, the winner of our pet mayor for a day contest and his proud human Kanani.

We're thrilled to see this highly qualified feline step into office and tackle important issues like affordable carpet castle housing, laser pointer misinformation.

I'm not gonna be able to get through this, I'm sorry, and reduce and reducing the city hall mouse population to zero.

We also apologize in advance for any fur left behind on human mayor Woodard's chair.

Of course, Tacoma Humane is always deeply grateful for the partnership with the City of Tacoma.

Thank you for bringing this idea to fruition and creating such a fun and exciting way to bring the community together.

We also want to thank all the voters and participants who helped raise more than 14,000 for pets in need, including our impressive runners up, Copper and Jar Jar Pig.

From all of us at Tacoma Humane, thank you for your compassion, your support, and for helping make our community a safer, happier place for every pet.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right, we're gonna move on to our second ceremonial, and for this recognition recognition, I would like to invite Jeff Jenkins to the podium.

Come on up, Jeff.

Unlike grandma, you don't have a choice.

Whereas March 3, 20 2008, Jeffrey Jenkins began his city employment in the public works department as assistant facilities division manager for the real property services section.

And whereas in 2009, Jeff retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves after serving in combat and general engineering assignments for 22 years in various locations around the world, including the first and second Gulf Wars.

And whereas on January 6, 2014, Jeff was appointed assistant public works director, where he worked tirelessly towards improving government efficiencies in many areas to better support public works, the city, and the community, and then became public works director on June 30th, 2025.

And whereas the string of accomplishments under Jeff's leadership and guidance includes overseeing the department with a total budget of over 250 million and 310 employees, being instrumental in creating, securing, and managing the Tacoma Streets Initiative and the Transportation Benefit District, improving government efficiencies from building a technology-based transportation system, better communication methods, and successful coordination with various external and internal stakeholders.

Overseeing key initiatives like the Streets Initiative, APWA accreditation, a public works and information technology stakeholder group, and our racial equity action plan.

And tirelessly working on the next Tacoma Streets initiative for Tacomans.

And whereas these achievements and Jeff's commitment to maintaining and improving our public infrastructure have greatly enhanced the quality of life for our community.

And whereas we want to wish Jeff all the best on his retirement and new beginnings, and to enjoy well-deserved personal time off on his fishing boat.

Now, therefore, I, Victoria R.

Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council and the over 220,000 residents of Tacoma, do hereby recognize Jeffrey A.

Jenkins for his over 17 years of public service and his outstanding leadership and legacy of excellent service to the city and to this community.

Please join me in a round of applause.

And it looks like Councilmember Rumbah has her hand raised, and I know Councilmember Walker is going to raise her hand.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to say that in this short period of time that you led the Department of Public Works, I just want to thank you so much for how you reached out to the community and how personable you were, and how you thought I think you can and would, and I think we are going to change minds and ideas of what our city means as far as streets and improving traffic, accidents, and I just know you're so committed to my neighborhood, Northeast Tacoma.

I just have to call you out because you put in all those street signs, and it really nobody is parking illegally.

They're actually doing what they're supposed to do, and you were right.

And you took a tour with me through Northeast Tacoma, and I really appreciate you taking all that personal time on something that I thought was important, and obviously my neighborhood that thinks is important.

So I'm sad that you're leaving.

But I hope that you enjoy your retirement, and I hope you know you can always come back, and we would probably take you back.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Romba, Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor Jeff.

I just wanted to add my uh thank you and congratulations for all the work you've done, especially this last year as we've gotten to work closer together.

Um, I know you've been doing the work for years and years and years behind the scenes, but to step up and step in and lean into this big um big job has been awesome to have you at the helm.

And as Councilmember Rama said, I'm sorry it was so short.

Um, feel like we're just getting rolling.

Um, but I'm very excited for you to have some retirement to enjoy as well.

Well earned, well deserved.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker.

And then finally, um, Jeff, I just want to say I when I was a council member here at the city, um, I saw you on the second floor a lot, um, and in you know, getting going in and out of the elevator and passing one another for the longest time as a new council member, I had no idea what Jeff did.

Um, and in you know, getting going in and out of the elevator and passing one another for the longest time as a new council member.

I had no idea what Jeff did.

I I didn't know who he was, I just knew he was this really nice person, and he always spoke to me.

Um, and then I got got an opportunity to get to know you and and and to watch you.

And while um you um you seem to be or you present to be very quiet and thoughtful, or or maybe just very quiet, but you are incredibly thoughtful, and there is a lot behind that quiet exterior that we see.

Um, and we've had an opportunity to see more of that.

Now, um you became the public works manager in or director in July, but before that, you had a stint as the interim public works director.

Um, and and and and in and at both times, Jeff, um, you led with compassion for your team.

Um, incredibly bright and smart about the work of public works.

Um, and and you really um continue to have the department focus on the most important work, and that is taking care of the residents of this city.

So, Jeff, just a big thank you.

Um, obviously, your shoes are going to be incredibly hard to fill.

You've only been here, you've only been in this current position for six months.

We couldn't find anybody, so we had to go back and get Curtis King solver to come back to fill your shoes.

Um, so you know that says a lot for the kind of leader, and I I tease Curtis a lot, but this is a lot for the kind of leader that you are, Jeff.

We will miss you, but so excited for you to be able to um to get to the other side um and enjoy the second half of your life.

So, Jeff, thank you so much for your leadership for saying yes for always stepping up, and you will be missed.

I will turn it over to you for comments.

Wow, thank you so much.

That this was completely unexpected, and I really appreciate uh the opportunity to serve the city and to work for such a great council and great city manager, so many friends uh and co-workers that are here today.

Really want to call out Sola, who's my work life and Joe and Doc Curtis and Elizabeth.

I mean, so many great memories.

So thank you.

Thank you, Jeff.

Please join me a round of applause.

And Jeff, please come accept your proclamation.

Yeah, sorry.

Well, all the members of the public works department, please come forward now.

We're slow and sound.

Yeah, does that include former members?

Do you want former members or just current members?

Come on, every public works department person.

Okay.

There you go.

There you go.

And then we go.

All right, one, two, three.

Great job.

Okay, no, one more.

I'm not counting, I'm just taking time in that way.

Yeah, no, it's just not leaving.

Hi, Nacho.

Bye, Nacho.

How come Nacho gets to go home early?

Nacho, this is your council meeting to run.

All right.

I did think it was funny.

Moving on to public comments.

Um, on tonight's agenda, there is one opportunity um to speak about motions, resolutions, and ordinances on tonight's agenda.

This forum is intended to give speakers the opportunity to share their viewpoints and feedback with the city council to aid in our decision making, and it is not meant to be a back and forth dialogue.

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

If you wish if you wish to speak under the public comment period, press the raise your hand button now near the bottom of your Zoom window 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.

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 con 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.

Um and if you remain off topic, we will have to move on and we will end your time.

Clerk, have we received any written comment for tonight's meeting?

We've received one regarding resolution 41822.

All right.

Um, with that, I am going to call on those who have signed in, and then I'll go to those who are online.

And um, we're going to start with Michelle Reich.

Michelle Reich.

I wish uh give um praise to uh Nacho, a uh mayor for the day, a ginger kitty in um ancient Egypt, but ginger kitties were considered sacred.

And as far as I'm concerned, all cats are sacred.

And and that's uh uh been uh through the ages there.

But um along with that, there's uh 60 million unowned cats.

We now don't call them uh unhoused cats because uh a lot of the unowned cats are also community cats, and when they're community cats, they have caregivers in the community to take care of them.

And uh there's many uh community cat caregivers worldwide and in Tacoma there.

I know people are taking care of many cats in the dozens there, community cats.

So uh cats that are unknown needs support, and uh also the the Spain Newter program of the Humane Society and others is a way to keep the kitty population down, and because we're all responsible for the uncats because they didn't come here through us, sir.

And so uh we have a responsibility uh for all these cats that are uh unowned in the street.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments, Michelle.

Bill Dickens, followed by Sally Perkins.

Thank you very much.

Uh thank you for City Council members for this opportunity.

My name again is Bill Dickens, private citizen.

Uh proud Tacoma Power Retiree.

I was a senior economist.

Uh, and I'm here to uh extend my thanks and appreciation for the draft plan by the community uh economic development department here, the uh 2026 and 2030.

Read the draft plans twice, and I am one that fully supports this plan uh because uh three key essentials are reflected in the draft plan.

Uh it is short, it is simple, and it is savvy because it maximizes opportunities for Tacoma residents, and it makes sure that we can minimize risk.

Uh so for that, and many thanks to the director.

Uh our director here, uh Carter, uh Tonya Carter and I share something that we are both graduates from American University.

Well, I studied economics just like she did, so she's in great hands, and congratulates to her staff for that.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Bill.

Sally Perkins, followed by Antoinette Griffin and Mark Finney.

Sally Perkins, District 3, speaking on resolution 41822.

The city's homelessness strategy approved in 2022 is part of the Tacoma 2035 plan.

This homelessness strategy is out of date, yet it is the basis for staff reports to the council, which is why I often write rebuttals to the reports you are receiving because they do not reflect current reality.

During your debate on the camping ban, you acknowledge that the camping ban is not a solution to homelessness.

Amen to that.

You also said you wanted to revisit your current strategies around homelessness to be sure that they are relevant and effective.

Amen to that.

Please amend this resolution to require the updating of your homeless strategy during 2026.

Include an accurate estimate of homeless people, a commitment to shelter beds relevant to people's circumstances, more safe parking options, a housing first approach, improved access to mental health and drug treatment options, et cetera.

Reliance on removals, confiscation of belongings, and threats of arrest should be expressly prohibited.

Everything should have clear metrics for accountability.

Please prioritize authentic participation by community members, especially people with lived experience.

Focus on the person being served with their well-being and success being the goal of the strategy and the city.

This is an amazing opportunity for the new council to set an up-to-date positive strategy with and for our homeless neighbors.

Make this commitment tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Sally Antoinette.

Good evening.

I'm here regarding resolution 41824.

My name is Antoina Griffin, and I am the oldest of 58 grandchildren of the late Bishop Curtis Edward Montgomery.

Thank you for allowing me here tonight.

I am asking for your support in approving the honorary renaming of G Street between 19th and 21st Streets to Curtis E.

Montgomery Street in honor of my grandfather.

Even though my grandfather has been gone for 10 years, he still teaches me just by the way he lived.

Watching him, I learned what real faith looks like, what integrity means when no one's watching, and how important it is to show up for people with consistency and compassion.

One of the things that defined him most was his humility.

He served without needing recognition, serving God, his family, his church, and this community.

He was a man of faith, always willing to learn and encouraged others everywhere he went.

When my sister Sharice and I reached out to neighbors and local businesses, we heard story after story about how my grandfather encouraged people, supported them and made them feel seen.

And even those, even those who didn't know him, told us they wish they had, and still graciously chose to support this effort.

His legacy lives in the people he impacted and passed from one generation to the next.

It is carried forward honestly and willingly because my grandfather chose to serve with love and purpose.

Thank you for your time, your consideration, and for helping us honor my grandfather's legacy.

Thank you very much for your comments this evening.

Mark Finney, followed by David Schrodell.

Good evening.

My name is Mark Finney.

I'm the executive director at Thrive International.

About 15 months ago, we added a facility here in the city of Tacoma, down in Councilmember Bushnell's district.

Having been here for just over a year, uh Thrive International has really appreciated all the ways that Tacoma has been a fantastic city for our work with uh immigrants of various stripes.

And we are not the most well-known facility that houses immigrants in Tacoma, unfortunately, but we hope to get there because this has been a phenomenal place, and we've been able to help uh over 500 people access affordable housing, including um 14 families that have come straight out of the shelter system here in Tacoma.

So I just want to say mostly thank you, because you've made an incredible opportunity for hospitality, and uh we've had a really wonderful time working together with a number of entities here at the city, the police department, school districts, especially the fire department.

Um, you know, we have around 350 people living with us at any given time, and and life happens, uh, but we have always felt a great partnership and support with the city and its entities and our neighbors and appreciate the opportunity to be here with all of you.

Thank you.

Great, thank you, Mark.

David.

Followed by Prentice Johnson and Stephen Montgomery.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, uh Tacoma City Council for having me today.

I'm here to speak on two items uh briefly on resolution 41823, the city's economic development plan and strategy moving forward.

One of the things I want to appreciate in that plan is that none of us can do any of this work alone, and there's a good call out of a number of partners in the community that will be working with the city to make sure that this plan is executed and we're able to move forward with economic development.

The other item I want to speak on very briefly was ordinance 29089, the Business Safety and Resiliency Fund.

And I think it's important to recognize that we don't know what the challenges are that lie ahead, but we need to have an ability to respond to those.

And I think that as was brought up in study session, I think it was a week ago, the flexibility of these funds is paramount to being able to execute.

I think the big example that I think of is if you were around about a year ago when a uh someone was having a bit of a breakdown and broke 50 windows in storefronts in downtown Tacoma, and the city council came together, and Mayor Woodards led the charge to problem solve how do we support these businesses that through no fault of their own suddenly couldn't operate on a given basis and kind of a key time of year.

And the city council was able to come together, scrape together some funding.

We at the Danton Tacoma Partnership were able to get it deployed into the field to repair those windows for those businesses right in this middle of Danton, Tacoma.

This fund would allow us to do that and other things like it in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, David.

Um, for those of you here this evening who may be asking when is there an opportunity to make comments about uh deputy mayor Daniels or myself.

If you haven't signed up in the back of the room already and you want to make comments, please feel free to sign up.

You don't have to, I just want to let you know that you can.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to say I'm Prentice Johnson, uh, the pastor of Greater Christmas Church.

I'm here to speak on the resolution 41824, which is the resolution to conferring the honorary street name of Courtesy Montgomery from South G Street to 19th and 21st Street to Bishop Curtis Montgomery Street.

As I stand here, I just two things I want to say.

First of all, thank you to the council city council for even conferring this.

And secondly, this is a man that I feel that uh that honors he is honored due to him.

I go down the list of all the accolades, I'd be with the families here.

You see there have been members.

But I will say this.

But he he impacted the lives of not just people in Tacoma, but across the country.

I got people across the country calling in saying this is a great thing.

They're gonna come for this event.

So what I'm seeing here today is that I'm here in support.

Great Christmas Church is in support of this, and we want it to be done as unto him to give honor to this great man.

And I can stand for myself as a product of City of Tacoma, uh fatherless child.

This man took me in and did what he did.

I'm standing here today because of him, but not only me, millions of people across the world.

He's touched lives.

Great man, and to honor him with this naming the renaming the street, will be honored not just to Tacoma, but to the whole world.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Pastor Johnson.

Um Stephen Montgomery, followed by Lindy Montgomery Escalante.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, to the council.

To uh Mayor Taco or Nacho Taco, I get I I get it.

I think I voted for Taco.

Because Nacho didn't even stay for the whole meeting.

But what I will say is I am Stephen Montgomery, son of Curtis E.

Montgomery, and I just want to say at this time of the season, my dad would just say, just love one another.

Just serve people as a council, as mayor, just serve the community, serve mankind, be kind to people, be loving, and if you do that, everything else takes care of itself.

So I thank you for this opportunity.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Stephen.

Lindy, followed by Janice Clark and Sharice Martin.

I am the daughter of Bishop C.

E.

Montgomery, and this is concerning the street name, renaming of his name to his name.

Although my father wasn't involved in politics or a political leader, he silently and intrically worked with the community for the greater good by helping people by acknowledging their strengths and their weaknesses.

I remember as a young child in the K Street riot, which was called the Mother's Day riot, which is now MLK.

I remember him getting up over the pulpit and admonishing the congregation.

Do not go and tear down this beautiful city.

I admonished no one from my congregation to go there, and no one did.

I remember this heinous thing that tore the city apart and divided us.

But I remember my father always preaching, always calling out names as of Harold Moss, the City Police Chief Jim Harrison, and others who were intricately involved in building the city.

I remember him always calling this the city of destiny and being a teenager in high school and thinking I was in the Wizard of Oz and that Tacoma was the Emerald City with the Great Bridge going across.

I remember all the wonderful memories that my father gave to me about the city of Tacoma.

And I'm so proud that he gets to have his name on a street.

Thank you very much for doing this.

Thank you.

Janice.

Amen.

Good evening, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, City Council members, city manager, city attorney, city clerk, and all of you.

I am a resident of Washington State, and now coming full circle as an official re-registered business owner in this beautiful city of Tacoma.

But I rise in support of resolution 41824 conferring the honorary street name, Bishop.

I know the bishop's not on there, but he's still bishop.

Bishop Curtis E.

Montgomery Street, as it's so been noted.

Uh echo the family.

I echo the pastor and everyone here.

As we go back and think about he's one of the four horsemen.

And the news tribune had put the four gentlemen who was there, the four horsemen as we were called them, and Bishop Montgomery is one of them.

My dad, the Reverend Ivory Crittenden, all these were peers.

These guys were peers, and so absolutely I'm so grateful, Madam Mayor, and each of you for the resolutions to ensure that at least those uh Starwood people whose shoulders we stand on and continue to thrive, that a street is named in honorary of Dim.

So thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Janet.

All right, Sharice Martin.

Hello, good evening.

Um wanna give my thanks to Mayor Woodard, Deputy Mayor, and the members of the city council today.

Thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of Resolution 41824.

Um my grandfather, he served his community with excellence.

One of his favorite quotes was do everything in decency and in order.

Um, as a child, I really didn't understand why we didn't see him often as I would like, but now I understand and I get it.

He was building and serving and helping and creating a legacy that would deeply impact his community profoundly, his vision to start a church, um not just a church, but a community center, a daycare, a place where homeless could find refuge and food was no easy task.

Um I just also want to say there was gang members from the Hilltop community who found transformation, uh, changing their lives and serving in their local communities today, even as we speak, because of my grandfather.

Um, soon the land that he owned as purchased part of the church will become affordable housing for seniors on the Hilltop community.

What started with one man's vision and his desire to give back continues to impact many lives today.

Thank you for considering honoring a legacy and recognizing the lasting power of service, faith, and community for Bishop C.

E.

Montgomery.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

All right, Oliver Webb.

Hello.

I'm not gonna cry today, I promise.

That's a great face.

That was yeah, that was five years of working together and knowing I'm gonna cry.

Um, so I want to take a moment to talk about uh Deputy Mayor Daniels and Mayor Woodards, but before that, um I was gonna come up and talk about uh Nacho because you know we have to talk about something on here, but I have sat here and listened to this amazing family um talk about uh resolution 41 uh 824, and I actually want to stand behind this resolution as well because this is what's to what Tacoma's about.

It's why I moved here, it's why I work with this council, it's why I come to these meetings.

Um because these families stay here and they stay for generations, and these generations of families help in this city, and they have leadership here, and they are within the roots of Tacoma.

And so I also want to back this.

Um not my grandpa, but we don't know, because that's a lot of grandkids.

Um maybe.

So I also am a Montgomery, and uh, yeah, who knows?

Uh no, so I want to back it as well.

I also want to tell you how much I love Mayor Woodards and Deputy Mayor Daniels, and I didn't cry because I have 10 seconds left.

So thank you so much for everything you've done for my org and for me.

So thank you.

Thank you very much.

Lua Pritchard.

Madam Mayor and respected members of the council, thank you so much for this opportunity.

I wanted to make sure that uh we go on record today because today is your last meeting as mayor.

I want everyone to know this city and whoever's listening in this county and the state, that on behalf of the Asia Pacific uh community here in Tacoma Pierce County and the state, we truly appreciate you.

As a person, as a human being, and as a leader.

You have been our mayor to come to.

You have always done that before you were a mayor, and you've done that as a human being and as a sister of the community.

Thank you, Victoria Woodards.

Sorry for saying you out, but in our culture, we always have to address you as your title, Mayor Woodards.

So today we want to say thank you, thank you so much, and thank you to council for all of your work you've done with Victoria and helping her support the community.

Our people are better, our places are better, and our city of Tacoma is better because of you, no matter what anyone says.

Thank you so much, and on behalf of all of us who are here for you today, so that you could see that we appreciate you, and then we we wish you the very best of everything in the future.

Thank you so much.

Now, for those of you all who are new here.

Those of you who have been here before, those are the ones who are laughing right now.

Because they know that we have a strict policy.

What did I say?

No clapping, cheering, or booing.

And if you snap, it can't be loud enough for me to hear it.

And if I make those rules for everybody else, even when you talk about me, I must enforce the same rules.

Um, so um uh uh thank you uh very much for that.

Um okay, I'm gonna go to those online, and we will start with Rob Huff.

Hello, council members.

Uh, my name is Rob Huff, and I'm a resident and voter in District 2.

I'm a member of the Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to end homelessness, and I'm before you today to speak to resolution 41822.

As you consider this ordinance, I ask that you require that passage be contingent on completion of a revision of the city's homelessness action strategy.

The current version of the strategy dates back to 2022, at a time when our community was in the midst of the COVID pandemic, and when homelessness in our city looked very different than it does today.

The strategy strategy should be updated to meet the current situation, where we have even more people who are homeless, more people who are elders who are becoming homeless, a severe shortage of workable shelter spaces for homeless families, and we have fewer shelter spaces to respond to the growing and shifting needs of the community.

Back in October, when this council narrowly voted to expand the camping ban policy to cover much of the city, a number of members noted that the camping ban is not meant to reduce homelessness, and that there should be an effort to create solutions to homelessness.

An update to the homeless action strategy would create an opportunity for this critical work.

Let's do that.

Thank you, Rob.

Um the next person is Verna Lilly.

Thank you, Madam Mayor and Council.

My name is Verna Lilly.

I live in the first district, and I wish to speak to resolution 41822, the Tacoma 2035 tenure strategic framework.

I volunteer with agencies that do direct outreach to people living homeless.

I ask for an amendment to the Tacoma 2035 plan that directs the council to update the homeless strategy with specific measurable goals and an implementation plan that is adaptable to changing circumstances and aligned with the unified regional approach to homelessness in Pierce County.

And it needs to emphasize truly collaborative partnerships with people and agencies directly involved in this work.

Elected representatives and advocates can and should be on the same page regarding this issue with a common goal of ending homelessness and respecting the human dignity of all, regardless of their circumstances.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Verna.

Sharon Monty Parr.

Hello.

I am thank you, uh Council members.

I am Sharon Montgomery, and I am speaking on resolution 41824 also.

And I just like to thank you for this opportunity to speak regarding the honorary renaming of a portion of G Street in recognition of my father, Bishop Courtesy Montgomery.

My father grew up in Chicago as the only child of his parents.

He married his high school sweetheart, my mother, Eleanor, and came to Tacoma through the United States Army.

After his service, he attended seminary and pursue the vision of building a church that would strengthen families and uplift the community.

At age 27, his vision became Greater Christ Temple and eventually the Oasis of Hope Center, all on 19th and G Street.

Over more than 50 years of ministry, he and my mother raised their 10 children, seven sons and three daughters, and nurture nurtured hundreds of spiritual children throughout Tacoma.

He was known for his wisdom, humility, and peaceful nature.

He lived a life marked by dignity and integrity.

His impact on the hilltop and the broader community is deep and enduring.

Renaming this portion of the street to Courtesy Montgomery honors a man who gave his life to strengthening Tacoma.

On behalf of the Montgomery family, thank you so much for considering this recognition and allowing me to speak and share his story.

Thank you.

I want you all to know I can read, just the name was broken up.

John Montgomery.

John.

Hello.

Hello, Honorable Mayor Worders, members of the Tacoma City Council and members of the community.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today, and thank you for considering resolution 41824 to rename G Street in honor of my late father, Bishop Curtis Montgomery.

Tacoma was not just a city where my father lived, it was a city that he served in.

For decades, he poured his life into this community, preaching hope, mentoring young people, strengthening families and standing as a steady presence in moments of both celebration and hardship.

He believed deeply that faith should be lived out in action and leadership meant service.

This street holds special meaning for me personally.

In 1975, when I was just seven years old, I was struck by a car on this very street.

But by God's grace, I survived.

Renaming the street is not just about elevating one man above others.

It's about recognizing a life that consistently consistently lifted others up.

It's about honoring a legacy of compassion, faith, and commitment to Tacoma that spanned generations.

On behalf of our family, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your consideration.

This honor would be more to us than words can adequately express.

We finally thank the city for helping shape my father's life and mine.

Thank you for your time, your service, and for your thoughtful consideration.

Thank you.

Next speaker, Teresa Power Drudis.

Hello, Mayor and Council.

I'm going to try to talk a little quieter because when I'm in that room, it feels like whoever's on the Zoom call is shouting at us.

I hope you can hear me.

I am first of all, I'm here to speak on Tacoma 2035 plan, resolution 41822.

And to say that I agree with those who spoke in front of me that there is a need to update this plan around homelessness.

And I would appreciate it if that could be put into an amendment tonight.

I also want to thank all of you for your time on the council.

I know that even though I don't always agree with some of you, I always appreciate people who do public service and service of Tacoma is important to me.

This is a uh city that I love.

And because I love it, I want us to have a logical homelessness plan.

Please to also take out any language in the plan that talks about refusal of services because there's a big difference between rational non-engagement and refusing to serve the services that would actually work for you.

And also, if you plan to keep using camping bands as a strategy, stand up for it.

Tell us why.

Tell us why it works so well.

Be upfront about that as a strategy.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Teresa.

And our final speaker online tonight is Linda Redman.

Hi, can you hear me?

Sure.

Can Linda go right ahead.

Okay.

Um I live in Auburn and I go and help with one and sometimes two of the outreaches for the homeless in Tacoma.

And I recently heard something, it was shared with me, and I want to share it with you.

It's um two podcasts, and it and it's about homelessness.

So this is I'm I'm also talking about the resolution 4012 to encourage you to just um know some of the latest things going on in other states um that are successful.

So the podcast is called is the army of normal people, and um Gabrielle is um a woman that's um being interviewed.

She works in Minnesota, and she found a national law so that it is legal that churches can have people on their property.

Um so what she found was successful, and it's been going on three years, is if a church, even a church that had only 20 families, they would have um a small number of mobile tiny homes, like that they're nice homes, and they're on like two wheels, and um they're like maybe 20 feet long by nine feet wide, and two of the households are members that are in that church that are living there full time with the other residents, and they took the worst, the people that had the most um most severe cases of like chronic homelessness.

They didn't have any other family, they didn't even have to share the same religion, and the idea is just to love them and bring them into the church family, you know, just accept them.

And they even if they didn't have to take um, didn't even have to be off drugs, but they over time they all improved.

Thank you and thank you.

Linda, you went over the time.

I know you didn't hear the buzz buzzer, but thank you for your comments.

And if you have more comments to share, um, you are always welcome to send them to the clerk, and she will get a copy to everyone on the council.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

All right, I'm gonna close public comment for those who are online, bring it back to the chambers, and we'll start with Kristen Ang, followed by Chairman Bill Starrud.

Uh good evening, council.

My name is Kristen Ang, a resident of Tacoma.

I'm also a Port of Tacoma Commissioner, but I'm here on my own accord.

I want to support resolution 41823 uh to speak here on public comments about Tacoma's community and economic development plan, a clear statement of who we are and what we believe that growth must be inclusive, opportunity shared, and progress rooted in community.

And this vision has been championed by two leaders we honor today, Mayor Victoria Woodards and Deputy Mayor Chiara Downriels.

Both have led with Tacoma Heart with compassion, community conscience, and an unwavering commitment to people.

Mayor Woodards has had a historic eight-year run here as mayor and has provided steady leadership during an uncertain changing time, including the pandemic.

And I met Mayor Deputy Mary Daniels before she even got on the scene, and I always thought she was one of the most bold, intelligent people in Tacoma.

And I'm so grateful that she chose to serve in her four years.

And they reflect their policies and their passion reflect the real needs and real lives are a community.

And together they do reflect the Port of Tacoma's Tacoma Advantage, people partnership, and performance.

You guys, you show that kindness and strength, kindness and compassion are strength, and that type of leadership leads to prosperity and economic development.

Thank you for being a friend to business and the port and to me.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Kristen.

Chairman Starrud.

All right, I apologize for interrupting your guys' meeting.

I can tell you guys work hard and what you do is all good for the city of Tacoma.

And I'm honored to be able to stand before you.

And on this special day, I've gotten to know Tacoma's mayor.

Mayor Woodard.

She's always had an open arm.

Handshake to work with the Piop tribe.

It wasn't always that way in the old days.

But she's changed the atmosphere.

She's changed the everything as far as the way we deal with the city of Tacoma.

And I hope the way the city of Tacoma deals with us.

We have a beautiful town.

We have a beautiful city.

And you've played a key role in their mayor.

And on behalf of the Piaw Tribal Council.

Don't get me going.

I'd I'd like to uh thank you for all of your hard work.

And you honor our people by the way you are and what you've done.

And thank you so much.

We all love you at the POH Tribe Mayor Board.

Thank you.

That was the wind.

Yeah, Chairman, would you come up and take a picture with all of us?

Hi.

Thanks for being here.

Thanks for a lot of you've been welcome.

Mayor.

And she was right there that created it.

She's been a champion, you know, champion for the city of Tacoma.

And I on behalf of the tribe, I want to say thank you.

We love you.

Smile.

One, two, three.

Thank you for all the time you've taken out of your schedule for this town.

I will always be here.

Thank you.

I did get another note.

Mayor Cress.

Whoops.

Oh, there you go.

And um, I actually have a photo, it's not with me, but I don't know if you remember me, but back in 2018, we took a picture together when I was Ms.

Tacoma, USA.

And it was at the um at the Lincoln District designation, and just um over the years, just being a part of our community, and you leading so much of uh shaping and advocating, especially for immigrant and refugee communities.

It's it's been such an honor.

Um being present for when you proclaimed alongside Tacoma Community House the Year of Belonging.

Um, and just being um each of you just standing up to be a voice for love and for respect and for responsibility uh in these trying times has been such an honor, and um, we have so much love for you both, and um we're gonna miss you, but we know we're looking forward to seeing you in community and reviewing the strategic plan.

And I saw Sister Cities in there, and uh just again that kind of foresight for making sure that our partners who are from those communities are a part of the uh what we do together.

So thank you so much for your leadership and um continue looking forward to continuing being part of community together.

Thank you both.

Thank you, Mayor Crest.

One more now, okay.

You know what?

Is there anybody else who wishes to testify?

You don't have to, you can stop running back and forth now.

Um, if there's anybody else who wishes to testify, please come to the podium and just state your name for the record, and then that way we can we can save her just a little bit of energy on her feet there.

Thank you for doing that.

Hi, everyone.

My name is Phyllis McElroy, and I'm the board chair at the Tacoma Urban League.

So I would just like to thank you, um, Mayor Woodards and Kiara for your leadership and your service and your support and all the great things you've done for me personally and for this community.

It's much appreciated.

Thank you, Phyllis Ruth.

Um else wishing to testify before I declare.

Oh, I'm Aaron Gwinep, and I just want to thank all of you for your public service.

It's such an honor.

Um, but also it's a very difficult job.

And I'm especially grateful to Mayor Woodards who has advocated so much, not only in these chambers, but also in the community in so many ways, showing up with not only practical wisdom, but also a lot of love and compassion.

And I'm just truly grateful to have gotten the privilege to know you.

Also to Chiara, who I just I really admire the way that you've led and um the way that you have been a listener in the community.

And I just think that it's such a gift to have people who are willing to serve our city with so much love and compassion, and I'm grateful.

So thank you.

Thank you, Erin.

All right, can I declare the public comment period close?

Are we good?

Oh girl.

All right.

I'm gonna declare the public comment period close.

Bring it back to the full council.

All right, appointments.

Item six, Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41821, a resolution appointing an individual to the Board of Commissioners of the Tacoma Housing Authority.

I move to adopt resolution number 41821.

Second.

Um, it is my honor tonight to nominate Ron L.

C.

Jones to serve on the Tacoma Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.

Per our city charter section 2.4.

Appointments can be made by a majority vote of the council from nominations by the mayor.

Um, Pastor Ronel Jones is someone who I chose because he's a dedicated community leader and the senior pastor at Tuvine Community Church of God in Christ, where he has spent years working alongside families, neighbors, and organizations to support those in need.

His leadership is rooted in compassion, integrity, and a deep commitment to uplifting others.

All values that are essential for the important work of housing justice and community stability.

Pastor Joan brings a grounded community-centered perspective to this role.

He understands firsthand the challenges many Tacoma Tacoma residents face in accessing safe, affordable, and dignified housing.

He also brings experience in building trust across diverse groups, fostering relationships with residents, community partners, and faith-based organizations, and advocating for solutions that honor both individual dignity and collective well-being.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41821 signify by saying aye.

All right.

All those opposed, the ayes have it.

Congratulations, Pastor Ronelle Jones.

All right, moving on to item seven.

This item will have a PowerPoint presentation.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41822, a resolution adopting Tacoma 2035 as the city's 10-year strategic framework and adopting the community safety action strategy as a key component of the community safety goal area.

I move to adopt resolution number 41822.

Second.

All right, I'd like to call on Jacques Cologne.

Jacques.

Mayor Victoria R.

Woodards, Deputy Mayor Daniels and Council.

Good evening.

Thank you so much.

My name is Jacques Cologne.

I serve the city as the director of the Center for Strategic Priorities in the City Manager's Office, and I have the pleasure of bringing to you tonight Tacoma 2035 a new 10-year framework for the City of Tacoma.

Tacoma 2035 is a new approach to strategic planning for the city.

We are calling it the organizing umbrella for all of the plans and strategies that we have in the city.

As you look up at the board, you'll see that there is a lot that we do at the City of Tacoma to make sure that our city is sustainable, safe, housed, working, thriving, and connected.

And all of that work can be organized in this way to allow us to see how they work together to help us achieve our shared vision as a city.

How we got here was that 10 years ago, the city passed its first 10-year strategic plan, a visionary plan called Tacoma 2025 that had uh seven focus areas and 20 indicators, and we have been implementing that plan for the past 10 years.

As part of that, we refreshed council priorities in the year 2020 to include those six areas that you see up there.

And finally, through uh community engagement through the one Tacoma process and deep work with city departments as well as council.

We landed on Tacoma 2035 as a new focus on city of on the City of Tacoma's role and strategies, and this new approach allows flexibility so that this council as well as future councils can shape it to uh advance whatever the current needs of the community are.

The purpose of Tacoma 2035 is in short to align the four more than 40 strategies and plans being implemented across the city.

In doing so, we are also updating the city's vision, mission, and values, and providing a new tool to communicate on key strategies and initiatives to both council and the community.

This tool will allow council to have a new way to support decision making in advancing council priorities, including through budget development.

And finally, as I just mentioned, it also provides the flexibility to reflect and advance both current and future council direction.

As part of Tacoma 2035, the community safety goal area contains a new strategy, the community safety action strategy.

Council has had an opportunity to shape this strategy over the past two years, and the purpose of that strategy and that shaping was to build a shared community-wide vision and definition of what community safety means.

Describe how key city actions address that community vision and how partner actions help contribute to that as well.

You see the four goal areas on the left side of the screen for the community safety action strategy, which are safe places and neighborhoods, people receiving the right services at the right time, effective response with care, and finally promoting healing and repair in our community.

And so, as I leave you, we have this umbrella of plans that we are calling Tacoma 2035.

Um I am very grateful for all of the work that council has had in shaping this and bringing it forward, and I'm here to answer any questions that council might have.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much, Jock, and thank you for the presentation.

Do we have any council questions or comments for Jacques?

Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I just want to take a minute to thank you, Jacques, for walking us, and I mean us, the council, us the staff, us the city, through this process.

I think halfway through, I wasn't sure how we were gonna get to something coherent.

There's just so much information in here.

Um and um the mayor and I were we're whispering about that umbrella graphic.

I just think it's such a useful tool for us to um show the community what we're working on to refer back to to keep ourselves on track.

There were a lot of comments tonight about updating plans.

I know those are all in the works, and we're gonna have a tool to have uh staff, the city manager report back to the community, say these are the ones that are updated, these are the ones that aren't, and we're gonna work on them.

But overall, this is just such a great um tool for us to have clear, transparent conversations with the community and really get the work done.

So I just want to thank you for your ability to like take all this information and put it into something that not only makes sense but we also have visuals that we can show to the community.

So I'm really optimistic about this, not only as a plan but as a tool to move forward.

So thank you.

And very excited to support it.

Thanks, Mayor.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Walker, Councilmember Bush now.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, and thank you, Jacques, uh, for all the work.

I know that you've met individually, collectively with all of us in the council, uh, but also out in the community, uh, as well as different department heads.

There's so much that went into crafting this and getting it to where it's at today, and I'm just I don't think people will understand the hours that have gone into this.

And you'd mentioned the 40 plus plans that you are trying to uh help fit under this umbrella, right?

And so it took a lot of time, effort uh on your part, but then all the people that contributed to it as well.

I'm really looking forward to implementing this plan, and as as been mentioned, these there's flexibility in this plan as well.

And I think that's really important for the public to hear is that this is not set in stone.

Um community needs and priorities shift over time, and especially as we uh talk about uh partnering with other agencies and organizations at a regional level.

Uh, this plan will certainly need to be updated to reflect those changes as well.

Um, so I think it's really important that we have this plan in place.

That way we can move and modify as we need to as a city to be a best partner in these plans.

Um, but uh I think that uh overall it also sets us up to be a leader in all these different spaces and help provide guidance for other organizations where they might be able to fill gaps and where we can you know provide stability in certain areas.

So uh just to really appreciate it, and a special thank you to the extra work around the community safety uh plan.

I I think it's really important to look at public safety in a in a full spectrum.

It's every department's responsibility, it's every individual in the community's responsibility, public safety is something we do together.

Um, and I think this plan also helps reflect that.

So thank you so much, and thank you, Mayor.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Blitz Chanel, Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I would just echo everything that has been said, but I just wanted to make sure that I took an extra second to thank you, Jacques, for all of the work that you've been doing over the last four years.

I think it maybe have been three.

I feel like we've been working together on this plan, the community safety plan, all of the plans, plans, plans, and more plans for so many years.

And I'm just um I don't have any comments, um any additional comments other than the ones that I've already given you over the last few years, but I'm just really thankful for the work, and I'm thankful for how you've been able to visualize and organize all of the thoughts and the ways that we think about our city and help us think um in the future and how we can be the best and the brightest.

So I appreciate your work.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor, Councilmember Hines.

All right, thank you, Madam Mayor.

And I again I want to thank Jacques, but you know, I had conversations about this multiple times, and two things that I was really happy that we did out of this process was it was number one, you and I've talked multiple times about how the city often talks to the public in multiple different instances about multiple different topics.

So you might be a resident and you get asked about a community safety plan and then a housing actions plan and then a strategic plan.

And at some point we've talked about I think the public gets a little worn down with like, well, you've asked me seven times what I want to do.

Um why don't you just do it?

Uh and so I think one of the best part processes out of this was you all doing a great job of partnering with all of our conversation around this treaty plan or the um conference plan update and getting out during the public conversation to do I think the work for the public in some ways, taking in their information and then making it make sense and how we operate here, and so I just want to thank you for making this seem very seamless.

I also just really want to appreciate the fact that as many of my colleagues have said, there's lots of plans, some of which started before even Mayor Woodward.

It's arrived here on council, some of which are much newer.

Um, and this brings some kind of I think I believe just some organization to that kind of what could seem often chaotic, but really fits together.

So this is uh I really appreciate the work here, and I look forward to the next piece, though Jacques will remind me that I've always said that three is the magic number, and there are six parts to this, but uh we can continue to work forward about how we get to the the three magic three.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Hines, Councilmember Diaz.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I also wanted to take a moment to shank Jacques and his team for all the work they do to put this plan together.

I think the umbrella graphic is particularly helpful for folks as they're navigating it.

And I think once the website catches up with the plan, I think it'll also be really good at interactive and really help for the community members to weave together how it how it all makes sense and how it works together.

I think that's one of the most important parts of the plan is making it actually user-friendly for our community members because they don't live in this government jargon that we do in the same way.

And so you've done a really good job of not just taking their feedback, putting it in, but also making it more user-friendly for them on that end as well.

I think the one thing I would um kindly request, even though we don't typically make amendments from up here, is I'm hearing the font looks a little bit like Comic Sands.

So if we could perhaps change that, I would really appreciate it.

Um because we've got 10 years we get a look at this thing.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmember Diaz, I thought you were gonna be like me and say, can you make it bigger?

I mean, I welcome that too.

Thank you, Councilmember Diaz.

Councilmember Ramba.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I just Jacques, thank you for listening to me when I told you I just didn't know what this was, and that you came back with um another way to show me what this was, and I really appreciate you being such a great listener.

Um, and I think this is really important, and I appreciate that there are six priorities.

Um, that you added ones that I thought were important, um, that the environment is a big part of this.

Thank you so much for um all the great work you do.

And I think this will, while it might not make sense to people today, I think that there are the way we show this on our website will be helpful for people as we move forward.

I think it's good to always have a plan um for what we're going to do, and I appreciate as giving a roadmap for that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Are there any other council comments at this point?

All right.

Um, Jacques, I just want to take a moment um to say thank you to you for your leadership in getting um this done.

Tacoma 2035 is it's a clear and community-informed roadmap that reflects who we are, where we want to go, and how we'll get there together.

No, there were lots of comments tonight about including a particular plan within Tacoma 2035.

And while I appreciate all of the asks for that, Tacoma 2035 is really about all of the plans of the city.

And so what I might suggest to this council as it has been brought forward this evening by members of the community is that maybe potentially right after the first of the year that there is a resolution directing the city manager to update the plan and bring it back to the full council.

I don't think it necessarily belongs in the 2035 overall plan because then that gets us into looking at every single plan that's a part of 2035 and making sure that it gets updated in a way.

So I support everything that was said this evening and agree with what's been said, but don't necessarily agree that the 2035 plan is the right place to do it.

And would again encourage you all to bring a motion forward after the first of the year that directs the city manager to make that update, and everybody's shaking their head.

So somebody's gonna make that motion.

But outside of that, um, the plan um clearly centers equity and opportunity and accountability, um, and it aligns our day-to-day decisions with long-term outcomes that matter to our residents, such as safe neighborhoods, a strong local economy, and city government, and city government that truly delivers on what it says it's going to do.

Um 2035 is not just a vision.

Um, it's not just a document that will sit on a shelf.

It's a commitment.

Um, it's a commitment to be transparent about our priorities, to measure our progress for all of the plans that we put in place, and to adapt as our community grows and changes.

It is not a stagnant document.

If it becomes stagnant, then it truly is not what we envisioned it to be, and we need to look at it differently.

But I trust, Jacques, under your leadership, that will not happen, as well as this council.

Um, I am really plat.

I'm really proud of all of the collaboration that helped shape this plan that went into making this plan possible.

Um, and now is the time that we put it into action.

And the one thing I want to remind everybody is that the plan is not the end.

Um, the plan doesn't clearly specify all of the things that the city needs to do, but it's aspirational, and it talks about the things we need to do in order to become that city.

Um, it is not a document that's one and done and won't allow for any more community input.

I would say that it really is the beginning of some of the community input as we continue to address all of the needs of this community.

So, Jacques, I know it's been a long time coming for you and your staff, but I think it is a great plan.

I too love the umbrella.

I might have had something to do with making it brighter and more colorful, but Jacques started with the idea.

I love the infographic, and if I could have any other present on my last night as mayor, that's one of them.

Um, or my last night chairing a meeting, I shouldn't say.

I I got told December 31st.

Don't y'all forget.

Um, but Jacques, just thank you so much for this.

And with that, I will say this.

All those in favor of adopting resolution 41822.

Please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the ayes have it.

The resolution is declared adopted.

Great work.

Thank you, Jacques.

All right.

Item eight.

You can tell we're getting a lot done tonight.

Um, this item will have a PowerPoint presentation.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41823, a resolution adopting the 2026-2030 Community and Economic Development Strategic Plan, which outlines the strategies to support more businesses, expand quality jobs, increase housing, grow creative enterprise, and active activate the city's space for cultural and economic life.

I move to adopt resolution number 41823.

I'd like to call on Debbie Bingham.

Debbie.

Good evening, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Council members.

I'm Debbie Bingham with the Community and Economic Development Department, and I'm here to present on resolution 41823, the adoption of the 2026 through 2030 Community and Economic Development Strategic Plan.

This plan reflects the lessons we've learned over the past five years and outlines a bold equity-centered vision for Tacoma's economic future.

Before I continue and address how we got here and what the plan entails, I did want to briefly pause to comment on the scope of this document.

This document focuses exclusively on only two divisions within our department, the economic development services division and the business services and workforce partnership divisions.

It excludes housing and arts and cultural vitality, which already have separate plans.

Arts and Cultural Vitality is currently updating their strategic plan, which is called Arts Artful Tacoma and Housing's plan is actively carrying being carried out at this moment.

This plan is allied with aligned with broader planning city planning efforts, one that um such as the one Tacoma Comprehensive Plan, the Side Tide Flat Sub-area Plan, the Climate Action Plan, and Tacoma 35 2035.

So I just like to bring this slide because there are plan goal if the overarching goal of this plan is that Tacoma has a vibrant, inclusive economy, thriving businesses, and equitable access to living wage jobs.

This plan is an update of the 2020 through 2025 strategic plan, and it has been created under the close guidance of the Economic Development Committee with leadership from Deputy Mayor Daniels over the past year.

This in early 2024, the update began with a comprehensive review of where we were on the former strategic plan.

And from then we moved through a detailed discussion with the Economic Development Committee on each of the initiatives in the plan.

Over the past year, we've engaged with council and staff to reflect on what's worked, what's changed, and where we need to go next.

This process included a deliberate pause and to listen and learn, ensuring that the updated plan is grounded in current realities, council-driven focus, and community needs.

On October 14th, 2025, the updated plan framework was presented to the EDC committee, and on December 9th, Deputy Mayor Daniels motioned for EDC and they voted to forward this updated plan to the full council.

The plan is more data-driven and equity focused than ever before.

We've elevated the green and creative economies as central pillars of Tacoma's future.

Community and economic development is now positioned as a systems level convener, bringing together partners, aligning strategies, and driving collective impact.

We've also clarified roles, metrics, and accountability to ensure transparency and results.

Each section has metrics and distinct and just that distinguish between what we own, influence, and monitor.

We have heard from the council that we need to listen to businesses, including non-traditional businesses, and be adaptive and responsive.

And all of that is built into this new plan.

Sorry, uh, Councilmember Hines, but this plan has seven focus areas.

Um, and uh each of them are shown in this slide.

We've refined our focus, each focus area to better reflect today's challenges and opportunities.

For example, our business retention efforts are now sector-specific with a focus on green, blue, and creative economies.

The small business and entrepreneurship section will focus on assisting small, local andor legacy businesses in areas undergoing commercial redevelopment.

Um let's see, and they will also focus on creative funding for businesses that are often left out of traditional funding pipelines.

We're aligning workforce development with key sectors and quality jobs in the downtown.

Um we know that office space is not the same item, hot item that it was in 2019, and so our focus is on adaptive reuse and focusing on transit-oriented development in the Dome District with a Tacoma Dome Light Rail Extension, focusing on activating public spaces like the new skate park downtown.

We are shifting our industrial strategy to align with a new Tide Flat sub-area plan and focusing on traded sector growth.

And we're telling Tacoma story, highlighting what makes our city a great place to live, work, and invest.

This plan is a roadmap, but it's also a call to action.

It reflects our strategic vision for a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Tacoma.

Well, this plan update started and was created under the um close guidance of the Economic Development Committee.

We are very grateful for their guidance and for Deputy Mayor Daniels sponsoring this resolution and her leadership throughout this process.

We also listened to input gained listen to input and gain knowledge from our partner organizations, many of whom were instrumental in creating the original plan in 2019.

Organizations such as the neighborhood business districts, the chamber, the economic development board, the Black Collective, APCC, the Manufacturer Industrial Council, Latzenex Unidos, and of course our educational partners.

Without this community feedback and input, this plan would not be what it is.

And with that, staff recommends the adoption of the 2026 to 2030 strategic plan as proposed and sponsored by the Economic Development Committee.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Debbie.

Mayor Woodard's actually had some comments on this, but I guess I could probably just start mine first and see if any of um do you have one already?

I have some comments too.

Oh, okay.

Okay, I'll start mine and then you can go too.

Okay.

Debbie, thank you for all your work and thank you for the visualization and figuring out how to put all those pages into a very brief presentation.

Um as a chair of the economic and development committee, I'm so proud of this new strategic plan, and it's really been a labor of love from our committee.

We spent the past year with staff and the economic development department and hearing from businesses and other stakeholders about their vision of how to help Tacoma thrive.

I'm especially proud of the plan's focus on small businesses and our intent to nurture entrepreneurship.

Tacoma has always been a city of dreamers and creators, and I think it is important that local government does everything it can to remove barriers for those looking to build their own future.

It is also a vital importance that we focus on enhancing the quality of jobs that are offered in our city.

We need to do everything we can to help make sure that the community members are making a living wage and have access to jobs that are fulfilling.

We have hard work to do in the year, you all have hard work to do in the years ahead.

But I believe this strategic plan offers the roadmap we need we need to bring our vision to life.

I want to thank my fellow economic and development committee members for their commitment to this vital work.

I'm also grateful to our economic development department for all they do day in and day out to ensure that our local businesses are prosperous and that our local economy is growing.

That's really truly a testament to the your entire crew.

Thank you so much, Debbie Fitzplan.

Councilmember Heinz, we can start with you.

Thank you.

So are we not sure we can't fold a couple of those into other ones to get to three?

I mean, maybe we'll work on that at least with no.

I want to thank the Economic Development Committee and Economic Development Department for putting this together.

Um having gone through this, I thought it's just a good document and plan and wish to put us in place, really be successful here in the city of Tacoma.

Um something that I think I would just though I'm the chair of the government forwards and finance committee and we'll talk a lot about the budget.

I think one of the critical things I want to bring up in this is um when you think about where our revenues come from as a city on one of the biggest places that we're able to generate revenues for for our general fund is through our economic development department, the businesses that are in the city growing and thriving.

And so, not only is having thriving businesses good for the city, for the community, for you know the vibrancy of the city, it's also really good for our city, so that we can continue to deliver on the services that people really depend upon.

So I think this is a great plan to really set us in the right direction and look forward to kind of executing on the first couple steps in the year ahead.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Heinz.

Uh Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

Um, and I just wanted to quickly say thank you to you, Debbie and um Deputy Mayor Daniels for your leadership on this.

Um, similarly to Archacoma 2035 plan.

I am so excited to have all of this in one place because I know a lot of it represents good work that's already been happening, but to have it all in one place so that we can have report outs both to the council but especially to the public and have something that we can clearly track um over time.

So uh really appreciate the work and very glad to support it tonight and get to work um getting done with it.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker.

Um dragging this out, so Mayor can make her comments on this one.

Thank you.

Before we move on.

Okay.

Um, I just want to take an opportunity to say um thank you.

Umic development in this city is the backbone of how we get everything done.

We talk about more programs, more projects, more staff.

Um it is it is the development of more businesses and more jobs in our city.

And so um, again, this this plan really shifts how we think about economic development.

It's data-driven, it's more specific, and it's clearer about the things that we have direct control over.

Um, but we also know that we don't we are not the only economic developers in the city.

Um, that it takes partnerships with other organizations like the chamber that we heard from the economic development board, our local businesses, both big and small.

That's what drives economic development in this community.

Um, but it it also is more intentional about Tacoma's story.

And it tells our story better.

And it shows to the community where we're focused and why we're focused there.

Focusing on key industries that work for Tacoma.

Making sure that that success is not just in downtown or just on the port, but is in every neighborhood across this city.

And so I'm grateful that we get to pass this tonight.

For making sure that we got this plan over the finish line and could take this vote tonight.

But I also want to thank staff from the Economic Development Department.

I want to thank our partners who made it work.

And I want to thank the many stakeholders who helped shape this plan.

And so I'm looking forward to watching it be implemented, watching new businesses come to Tacoma, and watching this city continue to grow because it truly is the best place to do business in the entire universe.

So thank you so much, Debbie, for all of your work.

Tanya, thank you for your work and to your whole department.

What a great night to celebrate this.

Thank you.

All right.

With that, Deputy Mayor, have you made your comments yet?

I sure did.

All right.

Well then, um, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41823 signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed?

The ayes have it.

The resolution is declared adopted.

All right.

Now we are going on to resolve to uh item nine.

This item will have a PowerPoint presentation as well.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41824, a resolution conferring the honorary street name Curtis E.

Montgomery Street for South G Street between South 19th Street and South 21st Street.

I move to adopt resolution number 4824.

Sorry.

He's gonna hate this, but he can't quit.

I'd like to call on the very dapper, Bakota Warren.

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

A pleasure to be here with you this evening.

I'm not usually let out of the back room very often, so this is quite an honor for the end of the year.

Uh I'm Bakota Warren, Chief Policy Analyst to the Mayor and the City Manager's Office, and I'm here tonight to present resolution 41824, a proposal to establish the honorary naming of Curtis E.

Montgomery Street along G Street in the Hilltop neighborhood.

The resolution before you tonight would confer the honorary name of uh Curtis E.

Montgomery Street on the superblock along G Street between 19th and 21st.

Uh which you can see on the map there.

Honorary renaming does not change the official name of the street, and all dressed addressing and existing street name signage will remain in place.

These naming proposals are governed by the city's street naming policy, which was adopted by Council Resolution 4109 in 2022.

This policy allows applications for the naming requests to be submitted to the mayor's office for initial vetting and progression if approved.

Applications that are progressed from the mayor's initial review are reviewed by multiple city departments and partner agencies, including public works, historic preservation, the city manager's office, office of equity and human rights, real property, and the city's attorney's office, planning development services, Tacoma Fire, South Sound 911, and Pierce Transit.

In accordance with the policy, the cost of manufacturing, installing, and maintaining the sign is paid by the applicants.

In addition to support from the ad hoc group of reviewers and staff, the property owners along the street support this naming effort and have indicated as such through signed petitions or letters of support, which are received as a part of the application.

On the next slide, there are a few of the many accomplishments of Curtis E.

Montgomery that demonstrate how his life impact to Tacoma fulfills the criteria for honorary naming.

Bishop Montgomery founded the Greater Christ Temple Church and led it for nearly 50 years, becoming a spiritual pillar of the Hilltop community.

He guided his congregation through major challenges, including the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and the gang and drug crises of the 1980s.

He's served thousands of people, mentoring youth, supporting families, and promoting unity, hope, and community strength.

In 2020, or 2004, he fulfilled his late Sun Phillips dream by completing the Oasis Hope Center, the largest privately funded building of its kind on Hilltop at the time, now a vital resource for child care events and family programs.

In 2007, he was honored by the University of Washington Tacoma through the creation of the Bishop Curtis E.

Montgomery Scholarship Fund and inducted as an honorary member of the Phi Alpha Honor Society.

He was also recognized by the City of Tacoma in 1979 by Mayor Mike Parker, and again in 2015, when we declared May 7th as Bishop Curtis E.

Montgomery Day here in the City of Tacoma.

These legacies and services that he has had on the City of Tacoma supports the proposal for renaming of South G Street between 19th and 21st to Curtis E.

Montgomery Street as a lasting tribute to his service.

With that, I'll take any questions if you have them.

Thank you very much, Bakota, for that presentation.

Are there any comments or questions?

Well, I'll take them.

And I um knew Bishop C.E.

Montgomery personally, as well as growing up with many of his kids.

And so it is great that we get to do this.

I did an honorary street naming a couple weeks ago, and I thought that was the last one, and then I remembered that we had this one.

And so it would it seemed fitting then, and it seems even more fitting now.

Um, that the first street naming that we did under this new policy was when we named the 34th Street Bridge, the Harold G.

Moss Bridge.

Um, and that was the first one we did, and that's the first one I got to do as mayor.

We are now bookending that with the legacy of Bishop CE Montgomery to be the last one that I get to do.

And I can't tell you as a little girl who grew up in this community and watched these leaders.

Not just heard about them, not just read about them, but watched them.

And I can't remember, it might have been Janice when someone talked about the big four.

And I'll never forget that article on the front page of the news tribune.

Bishop T.L.

Westbrook, Reverend Ernest S.

Brazil, Pastor J.A.

Bowles, and Bishop C.

E.

Montgomery.

All four of them talking about how they shaped this community and and the legacy that they left, each of them with close to 50 years of service.

200 years of service by those four individuals to this community.

I want to thank his family because it is it is it is it is um often a good thing to want it, but you all know city government does not always make it the easiest process.

Um, but you all worked hard and gathered all the signatures and everything you needed to make tonight possible.

I want to thank Councilmember Walker, um, chair of the infrastructure planning and sustainability committee for her thoughtful review and her willingness to support this legislation moving directly to the council rather than through the time span of the committee so that we could do this tonight at my last council meeting.

I also want to thank those people who provide a letters of support, like the Tacoma Housing Authority and the and Mercy Housing who operate units in the area, from community leaders such as former Congressman Derek Kilmer, former mayor and congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, Senator Tawana Nobles, retired civic leaders like Willie Stewart and former city manager Jim Walton, and the Tacoma Ministerial Alliance, and lots and lots of others.

This honorary naming is meaningful for the individual being recognized, but more importantly, it's important for us to educate our community about why that person was important and the legacy they left behind, and putting up a street sign for people to look at and go, who was that person changes the level of education that people have about people who made this community possible.

So thank you all so much for your work.

Um it's an honor to be able to do this tonight.

And seeing no further council questions or comments, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41824, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the resolution is declared adopted.

Congratulations, family.

All right.

We are gonna move on to item 10.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41825, a resolution establishing the Tacoma Quality Jobs Framework with characteristics and definitions for quality jobs, highlighting the city's role as a convenient investor and planner to create conditions where quality jobs flourish, and directing the city manager to use the draft framework as a guide for further research and bring back recommendations for implementation in 2027.

I move to adopt resolution number 41825.

Second, I move as a substitute, substitute resolution number 41825.

Second.

All right.

Um, as I mentioned earlier in the meeting, the version of the legislation published was a draft.

Um and the substitute is simply to replace the legislation with the final version.

Are there any council questions or comments?

Seeing no, the seeing none, the vote is on substitution of resolution number 41825.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The ayes have it.

The motion is declared adopted.

Resolution number 41825 is now before us.

This resolution introduces a draft to coma quality jobs framework as a shared definition of what call quality jobs mean in our city.

Jobs that provide stability, dignity, and opportunity for workers while supporting strong resilient businesses.

One of the most impactful initiatives I got to lead as mayor was the city's participation in the Good Jobs Great Cities program through the Department of Labor and the National League of Cities.

This program not only provided us with expert assistance and collaboration from cities across the country to address jobs in our communities, but gave us an opportunity locally to strengthen our partnerships with Workforce Central, our community colleges, job providers, and local unions to advance opportunities for our residents.

This framework is a direct result of our learning, our growth, and our participation in this initiative to advance and scale opportunities in Tacoma.

It reflects the city's role as a convener, an investor, and a planner, using tools we have to help create the conditions where quality jobs can flourish.

This is about aligning our values with our economic future as we passed earlier this evening and doing the work deliberately and in partnership with our community.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Seeing all those in in favor of adopting substitute resolution number 41825.

Before I say signify by saying I, I do want to take a moment to thank uh the Dapper Bakota Warren this evening for all of his work in getting this um this framework done.

He's been working on this for a very long time, and this is as much his win as it is mine tonight.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The substitute resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to item 11, Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41826, a resolution directing the city manager to bring a review of past charter reviews and facilitate a conversation on updates, timelines, and process with the city council at least two years prior to the 2034 charter review.

I move to adopt resolution number 41826.

I'm gonna lose my voice by the end of this meeting, but we're almost there.

Um, as noted last week, this resolution would direct the city manager to bring a review of past charter review processes and facilitate a conversation on updated timelines and processes with the city council at least two years ahead of the 2034 charter review.

And in conversations after our last charter review, we discussed what would be needed to ensure that staff, the charter review committee, and future councils were fully prepared to engage in the process and how and had planned to have this conversation this year.

However, in our OSAC meeting, um we decided that this conversation would be better served just before the next process as opposed to now.

So we wanted to make sure that we put a resolution in place that would trigger um in the future um to start the conversation sooner rather than later.

That's what we have before us tonight.

And if there are no further council questions or comments, I will ask for all those in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Did you have a comment?

No, no.

All those opposed, the ayes have it.

The resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to final reading of ordinances.

Item 12, Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance 29088, an ordinance amending chapter 12.09 of the municipal code by amending various sections to allow for the collection of safe disposal and safe disposal of hazardous materials from specific commercial customers and residents effective January 1st, 2026.

All right, this item was presented last week.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Seeing none, clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Bushnell?

Aye.

Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Aye.

Councilmember Diaz.

Aye.

Councilmember Hines.

Aye.

Councilmember Rumba.

Aye.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Aye.

Councilmember Scott?

Aye.

Councilmember Walker?

Aye.

Mayor Woodards.

Aye.

This ordinance is declared passed.

Moving on to item 13.

Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance 29089, an ordinance amending Title I of the Municipal Code by amend by adding a new chapter, Chapter 1.48 entitled Business Safety and Resiliency Program to provide policy direction for program development and allocation of business license revenues to fund this program.

All right.

This item was presented last week.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Deputy Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I didn't get to I um I chose to save my comments from last week, and I'm gonna do them right now, super quick.

Um, and just talk a little bit about uh why we're doing this now and and what it does.

Um, as the chair of the economic development committee, uh during my four years on council, it has become clear to me that our business community needs more support.

This is why I'm excited to bring forward this ordinance to create a new chapter in Title I of the Municipal Code.

This chapter would establish a business and safety resilience program.

It would also establish policy direction regarding the allocation of business license revenues with the biennial budget to fund this program.

Specifically, the ordinance proposes that the city manager include in the preliminary budget proposal for 2027 the use of 1.5% of the business license fees revenue to fund business safety and resiliency program and in 2028 increasing the fees increasing to 3% of the fees.

I believe that including this policy direction for our business license revenues will help our business community see the investment we want to make in them and showcase Tacoma as a business friendly city.

This ordinance gives us an opportunity to help our businesses thrive so that we can provide access to a diverse range of jobs, help create complete neighborhoods, and ensure safe, convenient access to the goods and services needed in daily life.

I want to check I want to thank the chamber for their letter of support in this program and for their partnership.

I also want to thank Mayor Woodards, Councilmember Scott, and Councilmember Walker for co-sponsoring this ordinance.

I hope you all will join me in support of this action to ensure our business community thrives.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Councilmember Bush Smell.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to just appreciate Deputy Mayor Daniels for her leadership on this and the leadership of the last four years.

I too have seen um the struggles that our businesses have been going through for the last four years and trying to recover from the pandemic.

And I really appreciate this because it really creates a direct correlation between the business license fees and the business support.

Um and the reason for that is the more business licenses we have, the more business support we'll be able to provide as well.

So it does create a direct correlation there that I think is really good.

And um all our programs and services need businesses uh to thrive and survive through this city in order for us to continue uh improving and expanding on that and fill fulfilling all the strategic plans and things that we're working on as a city.

So I think this is really good uh and I'm looking forward to supporting it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Voice Schnell.

All right, seeing no further comments.

I too just will say thank you, uh Deputy Mayor, for your leadership and for getting this done.

All right, clerk, will you please call the roll?

Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Aye, Councilmember Diaz.

Councilmember Heinz.

Aye.

Councilmember Rumba.

Aye.

Councilmember Sidalgay.

Aye.

Councilmember Scott.

Aye.

Councilmember Walker.

Aye.

Councilmember Bushnell?

Aye.

Mayor Woodard?

Aye.

The ordinance is declared passed.

Moving on to unfinished business.

We're almost done.

Is there any unfinished business?

Seeing none.

Interim city manager.

Do you have a report this evening?

Madam Mayor, uh, Deputy Mayor, Council.

Um, I'm gonna we're gonna wait next year.

We're gonna this has been a great night.

Um, my only report is from from the staff that have not had an opportunity to speak tonight.

Thank you for your service.

Deputy Mayor, thank you for your service uh from a staff perspective.

Genuinely from the bottom of our hearts, all the things that you've done over the course of your four and 15, 16, 17 years of service.

Thank you very much.

And that is my report.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, City Manager.

All right, Deputy Mayor.

Time for you to give your last economic development report.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'm really happy to be doing this, and thank you to Anna for writing these um for me.

These are have always been excellent, and I will try to get through this one really quickly.

The economic development committee has met four times since our last report out.

Our September 30th meeting was EDC's annual commissions, boards, and committee committees update here in the chambers.

CBC chairs and staff liaison share their accomplishments and challenges from the past year, which better equips my colleagues and I to support the CVCs we oversee.

On October 14th, staff provided an overview of the first draft of the 2026 through 2030 Community and Economic Development Strategic Plan.

The process to update this plan began in January of 2024, and I'm proud to leave the office with a new plan having been adopted by this body earlier this evening.

Staff also shared recommendation for refreshment refreshing the city's neighborhood business district program, which began in the 90s and has not been updated by council since 2008.

The program refresh timeline is estimated to align with the next biennial budget adoption process.

Partners from the Tacoma Public School District joined us for our October 28th meeting to discuss jobs 253 program and the city and district's ongoing efforts to expand youth workforce pipeline opportunities.

EDC previewed the Tacoma Creates annual report for the 2024-2025 program year ahead of its public release.

The committee met most recently last Tuesday, December 9th, when we conducted interviews to fill seats and vacancies on the Tacoma Arts Commission and Tacoma Creates Advisory Board.

Our recommendations will come before council for consideration early next year.

The committee will start 2026 strong as its next meeting on January 13th with an update to the former 72nd and Pacific Fred Meyer site.

It has been an honor to serve as the chair of economic development committee these past few years.

Working on and leading the committee has been challenging and at times heartbreaking, but always meaningful.

I had the opportunity to see people, families, and the entire community empower themselves and reach their full potential because of strategic, equitable, and transforming transformational partnerships with city programs and services.

Madam Mayor, Council Colleagues, staff, and the people of Tacoma, thank you again.

This concludes my final committee report.

Thank you very much, Deputy Mayor Daniels.

All right.

We are at the end of the agenda tonight.

Tonight it is my great honor to be uh honoring Deputy Mayor Daniels.

And I am I'm gonna read her proclamation first.

I'll make a few comments and then council, I'll open it up to you for comments, and then I will present her with her gifts, and then Deputy Mayor, you can then make your comments.

Got that all laid out.

Yes.

All right.

This is the last proclamation I'm gonna read.

And it gets to be yours.

Whereas Deputy Mayor Kiara Daniels began her first term first term as an at-large position sixth representative on the Tacoma City Council on January 1st, 2022, and the City Council elected her to serve as Deputy Mayor from January 7, 2025 to December 31st, 2025.

And whereas she has served a total of four years on the Tacoma City Council with one mayor, two city managers, and 11 different council members.

And whereas during her tenure of office, she also chaired the Economic Development Committee and served as a member of the Government Performance and Finance Committee and the Community Vitality and Safety Committee.

And whereas Deputy Mayor Daniels has also served on the Association of Washington City's Legislative Priorities Committee, the Cross District Association of Tacoma, Foundation for Tacoma Students, the Joint Municipal Action Committee, the Parks Policy Group, the Gang Reduction Project Executive Steering Committee, the Tacoma Pierce County Board of Health, and the Workforce Central Executive Board to name a few.

And whereas she has distinguished herself as a dedicated and highly capable council member and has worked diligently to serve the residents of Coma of Tacoma during her tenure in office, including sponsoring the creation and adoption of Tacoma's anti-depl anti-displacement strategy, as well as guiding discussions on downtown revitalization and adopt the McKinley Hill, Proctor, and South Tacoma neighborhood plans, which brought together community businesses, residents, and partner agencies to identify and implement a vision for their futures.

Securing funding to support the Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center's new facility construction and to expand the delivery of vital child care services.

Driving the reauthorization of the Tacoma Creates program to include opportunities for arts, cultural, heritage, and science organizations to apply for funding supporting capital expenditures to nurture community ownership of spaces where creativity is celebrated.

And whereas Deputy Mayor Daniels is known for being a powerful advocate for women, working tirelessly to represent historically marginalized communities in Tacoma, and for her fierce commitment to her beliefs.

And whereas she is known for always brightening up the room with her smile and contagious laughter, her heart of gold, and her endless love for Tacoma.

And whereas on December 31, 2025, she will complete her term of office on the Tacoma City Council.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Victoria R.

Woodards, Mayor of Tacoma, Washington, on behalf of the Tacoma City Council, the City Manager, the 225,000 residents who call Tacoma home and all employees.

Extend our best wishes to Chiara Daniels as she comes to the end of our term.

And I ask the residents of Tacoma to pause in recognition of her many contributions to the betterment of life in our community.

Please join me in a round of applause.

All right.

Councilmember Ramba.

Thank you, Mayor.

It seems fitting that I should go first.

I want to say to Chiara, um, to our deputy mayor that I really appreciate what you've meant for leadership in our city.

I really appreciate how you show up.

You have a lot of passion.

Um conviction.

Um we don't always agree on everything, and I think that's okay to not agree because at the end of the day we always hug and we're always laughing and having a good time.

Um I want to say you've added so much value to this city.

Some of the things I've really seen that I appreciate that you've done is that you saw this job as more important than just a part-time job, like other people saw, and you worked really hard to try to get us more pay.

And I think other people out there really believe that these jobs are full-time.

And I know you thought that too, and I want to thank you for that.

I appreciate your work on affordable housing.

I mean, it's something I'm looking forward to seeing you do in our community because that's something I really care about.

Um, I really appreciate the support you had for the Multicultural Help Center and helped with the funding.

And then I would just want to say that I hope that you and I still talk to each other and that you're getting a hold of me and yelling at me for things I did that you don't like.

Um we've had a lot of really great phone conversations that you might not want to hear, but I think that that's how you get work done.

It's not always that you get along, and the people out there who think that you're always like nine-zero on a vote, that is not how it starts out.

It starts out with like, why did you say that?

Why would you believe that?

What's wrong with you?

And then you kind of come to some agreement, and we get here and everything works out.

But it's not because we just one day just say, Oh, I'm just gonna support your thing.

No, I'm like, why are you why do you are you doing that?

And she has to tell me why.

And so it's always about questions and getting to the same place eventually.

And I want to say that I have done that with Chiara, and she has done that with me, and I just want everyone to know that this job is not an easy job.

I appreciate that you know four years is what worked for you.

I don't know why I signed up for four more, but here I am.

But um, I want, I just really I'm here for you.

If you need something, let me know.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Walker, followed by Councilmember Bush Schnell.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, Deputy Mayor, it has been such an honor to serve with you and get to know you over the last four years.

I feel like we um, especially this last year, got some really good good work done, and I'm I'm very sad to see you go.

Um, I think others have said this uh over the course of the day, as we've said um started saying goodbye to you, but I just so appreciate your um fierce commitment to your values, and I think as Councilmember Rumba said um so eloquently, um you're so good at asking questions and pushing and making us think harder and differently about issues, and I so appreciate that.

Um, and I also appreciate how you stand up for the people of Tacoma and especially the work that we've done this year at the Tacoma Rescue Mission, it's been really fun to um be a part of giving back to the community with you, and um I will echo please don't be a stranger and call us and tell us what you think.

And I know again, because you're working in housing, um, you have a very specific insight, and even more so now that you don't have to deal with us on a daily basis, you can really get to work and um call us and tell us how it works on the ground.

So um I I hope that we stay in communication and um you know where we are every Tuesday, so come see us.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker, Councilmember Bush now.

Thank you, Mayor, Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Um you have been a phenomenal thought partner with me on this council.

I feel like we're we're the same age.

We're just a few months apart.

And I I feel like there we definitely have had a kinship on this council, and you're I'm gonna sorely miss your presence here.

Um we didn't always see the eye to eye on things, um, but we always knew that we had each other's hearts and the Tacoma at the center of whatever it is we were doing.

Um, and I just really appreciate that because I always knew where you stood.

I always knew every time.

And you made me think harder, you made me think deeper, and um I'm really gonna miss having you here.

Um, and thank you.

Thank you for being such a great colleague, and more importantly, thank you for being such a great friend.

Thank you.

Councilmember Diaz.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um thank you, Deputy Mayor Daniels.

I wanted to thank you for all of your work, particularly as our economic development chair.

It's been a really great honor being your vice chair, being your thought partner in that work, diving into that plan um for the last two years has been a lot of work together, and we clearly got to a good place where um the community organically is coming in and telling us how good of a job that you did.

So I think that it has been an absolute pressure to work on some very important things here on Dais together, but I think we probably had some of our best times not on dais, and those are not um necessarily the best stories to share here, but I did want to share that um I just have such a deep appreciation for you and the communities that you represent, and I think it's really important that we not forget that you really do represent someone who is just homegrown Tacoma girl, went through all of the different kinds of services and programs and life experiences that the majority of Tacoma kids go through, and then you got to sit up here and make policies for them going forward, and I think that really matters, and it's really cool.

So I really appreciate all your service, all your work, and I'm really excited to see what you get to do outside of council when poverty is no longer holding you back, and you are able to thrive and um find new ways to serve our community, and I know um others are worried about you not coming around, but as an affordable housing developer, I have a certainty that you will be coming around, so I have no fear that we will continue to hear from you in your new capacity.

So congrats and thank you.

Councilmember Hines.

Ooh, thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I wrote some notes down so I wouldn't forget what I was gonna say.

Um, you know, Deputy Mayor Daniels, I really appreciate um partnering with you over the last four years.

Um we've done things around ADUs and MFTE and things that don't involve acronyms that have to do with housing too.

Um I it's been a real pleasure to kind of talk with you and have a thought partner around kind of how do we get more housing built in the city, how do we make sure it's affordable for people to live in the city?

How do we make sure that you know more people can call Tacoma home?

Um I'm gonna miss you know you not being ahead of the fund squad um and some of the you know fun things we did while you were there and leading our sunshine committee.

Um I'm gonna miss you know the times when we didn't agree, but I think we were always kind of worked towards the idea of even though you disagree, it doesn't mean you have to be disagreeable.

I thought we came to ways to really work through a lot of these things, and um, if we didn't come to agreement, I think we both in the end treat each other like we're professionals, and I I really appreciated that.

Um, you know, I deeply always valued you know the fact that you have a heart for our city, heart for your hilltop neighborhood that you care so much about.

We've talked about multiple times.

Um your heart for children and just a young children, which is something I've always deeply admired.

And then, you know, one thing I am happy about is I will no longer have to compete with you around who has the best Tacoma gear or is best repping the city when we're not on the council.

So um I think that will probably fall to either council member Scott or someone else on the council as we move forward.

We'll see.

Um, but thank you so much.

Um, you know, I think in our time together, I know you have a bright future, and I'll be looking forward to kind of following where you go, even though you're not sitting right next to me.

Thank you.

Councilmember Sidalgay.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

I'm gonna try to keep this really brief, believe it or not.

Um I just wanted to thank you.

I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to be up here on the dais.

I realized I am your 11th different uh council member according to the uh proclamation.

So that's that's a lot of people to deal with.

Um but from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for your presence.

I want to thank you for what I've learned from you.

I've uh learned how to collaborate with people, especially with you.

You all sensing a theme here.

Um your presence is gonna be missed.

And um, so I will just end it on the thank you.

Council member Scott.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I'm not gonna get too deep into it because a lot of folks are saying they hope they still see you.

You know you're gonna see me.

You don't have a choice.

So I'll just say thank you, and I appreciate that.

I got that my time here serving overlapped with your time serving and all the other stuff that we can talk about about this crazy journey that I joined you on two years into your work and at the beginning of mine, and we can talk about that some other place, but just thank you.

Thank you to all the council members.

My turn.

As a mayor, um, you get to lead an incredible council.

Um I'll say this now because this is my last meeting.

What's the worst they're gonna do?

Get mad at me.

Um but when you're the mayor, sometimes you feel like you have eight children.

And I could and and and I can say children because I'm the oldest member of the council.

Um, and and so um, and each of your children bring you heartache, and each of your children bring you joy.

Um, and each of them come for those of you who have children, each of them come with their own special gifts that they contribute to the family.

And and I I want you all to know what you heard tonight is that uh council member Deputy Mayor Daniels is the one, she's the one who challenges the family.

She is the one who pushes the family.

She is the one who's not settled with what we just came up with.

She pushes us to do more.

She is the one, you know, the one person in the family who says, Well, how come?

Well, why?

Well, how come?

Well, and then mom finally says, Because I said so.

But they still go, but why?

Um, that's council member, deputy mayor Daniels on this council.

And with a person like that in your family, your family is better because someone is always asking questions.

And Deputy Mayor, I hope that's what you heard tonight.

You made this council better because you pushed us.

Um, you pushed us to be better, and I think it was Councilmember Bush now who said to think more deeply.

Um, but but but you challenged us in a way that made us all a better council and made Tacoma a much better city.

Personally, um it is an honor to have you be elected to position number six at large as an African American woman because that's the position I held.

And the next council member coming as the position number six six is an African American woman.

I'm not making any predictions, I just want to acknowledge that that that has been a place, and and and it just shows this commitment from our city.

People talk about, I remember people said, and I don't know if I ever said this in the dais when Marilyn and I were running at the same time, she for mayor and me for At Large, they said, Can two black women get elected at the same time?

Can two black women serve on the city council at the same time?

And we can.

Two can three can.

Um, and it's not to take away from the rest of my colleagues and the work that we've got to share together, but it's to acknowledge that life is different for people of color, especially for black women.

And so thank you for your tenacity.

Um thank you for for not taking no as the final answer, and and and for going and pushing until you got where you needed to go.

It has been an honor to serve next to you, and I want to remind you of something you said with your very own words.

She said that her love for Tacoma has no limits, and I believe that to be something you didn't just say, but to be something that you lived out in this position.

Thank you so much for deciding to run, for wanting to serve, and I'm grateful for you.

She's got a lot of gifts.

Okay.

So first we have, well, okay.

There's a lot here, you guys.

So first, since this is your last meeting as deputy mayor, I'd like to present you with the world famous deputy mayor plaque, with your very own gap.

Oh my god.

So congratulations to you.

And then you have, so that you will not forget us, you have a lovely picture of all of your council members, and me in the very same dress that I'm wearing tonight.

Here is the actual proclamation that we that I read about you, and mind you, I didn't read the whole proclamation.

We would be here all night if I did.

Um, but you now have all of the words in the proclamation.

Um, and then finally, here is your plaque that lists not only your name but all of the names of the council members that you had the honor to serve with.

Congratulations, thank you.

So proud of you.

So proud.

Now it's your turn.

Uh I am a little bit blown away, and um, I had four years to put this down.

I had uh four years to prepare for this, and somehow I am I talked myself through so much policy tonight that I am not prepared.

Um, not mentally to um be done with this, but also not to speak.

I um I'm I'm really thankful for uh my colleagues' words tonight.

I know that um when we say we disagree up here and that we could get through it and we respect each other.

I know what that means.

It looks like we are fighting all the time, but really that means we are working our hardest to make sure that things are right for community.

Um, and a lot of times that only happens through us having those really, really, really hard conversations, and we've been having four years of them.

Thankful to me since I've been here.

Um, and I know that um it's not always easy to do the hard thing and to kind of open up the hard can of worms when we think we finished something and got it right.

Um, but I I've just really thankful to my colleagues for um being open and allowing me to be brave and to be safe enough to ask those questions and um push back when it didn't feel right um and to make better and um to really do so much work um on council.

I this has been the hardest work I've ever done in my life.

Um, but it has been the it's just it's been the best thing, the greatest thing I think I've ever done, and maybe will ever do.

Um I love my city so much.

Um yeah, and I have more comments for you because you've just been such a tremendous part of this, but I'll save that for later.

Um, I'm just really thankful for the city of Tacoma for supporting me and for um challenging me and and always honoring me and and making sure that I felt good about serving as a young person, as a black person, as a woman, as a real life Tacoma kid that didn't have much and is here now.

So um it's been an honor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, I get to take over this meeting.

Uh I am honored as you will hear um as one of 24 different council members that Mayor Woodards has served alongside to be the one to get to read this proclamation.

Whereas Victoria R.

Woodards was first elected to the Tacoma City Council in 2009 and began her service on January 1st, 2010 as a council member representing the city at large.

Whereas she was elected for another four-year term in 2013, and on January 7th, 2014 was elected by the city council to serve as deputy mayor through December 31st, 2014.

Whereas she went on to be elected to serve as mayor in 2017 and began her term in 2018, was elected for another four-year term in 2021, served the city of Tacoma for a total of 15 years, seven years as council member and eight years as mayor, alongside one mayor, five city council members, or sorry, five city managers, and 24 different council members.

Whereas during her tenure of office, she served on numerous boards, including the National League of Cities as Tacoma's first president since Harold Tullifson in 1967, the operational strategy and administrative committee, the community's police advisory committee is its first council representative, the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners, which she helped establish, and the Tide Flats Subarea Plan Steering Committee, which she led to recommendations adopted earlier this year.

Whereas she is an equity champion, bringing focus and resources to Tacoma while expanding her involvement in regional and national efforts related to homelessness and affordable housing, public safety, support for youth and families, growing local business, and the creation of family wage jobs.

Her many, many initiatives do not fit on the page, but a few of them.

Our grit program, Tacoma's guaranteed income pilot, among the first in the nation.

Good jobs, great cities, our NLC Department of Labor Partnership advancing quality jobs and supporting the Eastside Skills Center and Willard Early Learning Center.

The Robert Woods Johnson Culture of Health Prize, recognizing Tacoma's collective impact work, the pre-apprenticeship programs, pilots paying residents to train in health care and other fields, the mayor's youth commission, Tacoma's first youth commission, now a nationally recognized model, the Faith Audit, mapping and measuring the impact of faith communities and supporting residents.

Tacoma reads our annual program engaging the community through books and events on topics such as homelessness, immigration, and belonging.

Resolution number 4062.

Affirming Tacoma's commitment to anti-racism and transformation.

The year of belonging, connecting residents through immigration stories to foster bonds and safety, the accelerator for America Task Force, national leaders developing playbooks for local solutions, the tree equity collaborative, statewide efforts, expanding tree production and increasing tree canopy and just serve city, expanding volunteerism through the Just Serve platform and community events.

Whereas Mayor Woodards has distinguished herself over the years as a dedicated and highly capable convener of people and ideas, using her national influence and connections to bring attention, resources, and support to Tacoma.

And whereas her love for Tacoma shines brighter than the lights of the Tacoma Dome, and she has never missed an opportunity to bring joy, laughter, and energy into every room that she enters, proving that civic leadership pairs well with dance moves and contagious enthusiasm, and reminding us that pride in your city can be both a serious commitment and a whole lot of fun.

And whereas on December 31st, 2025, Mayor Victoria R.

Woodards will complete her term of office on the Tacoma City Council.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Christina Walker, Councilmember of the City of Tacoma, Washington, and the members of this city council, the city manager and all employees, extend our best wishes to Mayor Woodards as she comes to the end of her term and ask the residents of Tacoma to pause in recognition of her many contributions to the betterment of life in our community, all right.

We have some things for you, but I we have a lot of things to say first.

So council members, who wants to start?

Councilmember Sidalgay.

Thank you.

As the 24th council member you've worked with, I wanted to be the first.

Sorry, Mayor, I used the word gratitude because I felt the gratitude.

But I figured out a word that I think really embodies you.

And it's the reason why my wife and I, as transplants, really love this city because it truly has been the most welcoming city we've ever had a chance to live in.

And you're one of the most welcoming people I've ever met.

I think the proclamation listing that you bring joy, laughter, and energy was very appropriate and true.

And for me personally, uh I'm just grateful for uh the support that you've given me as someone who's never been in politics ever before, and understanding how to navigate that.

So uh I feel gratitude that we have a mayor that embodies the one of the best characteristics of this city.

Um, and I'm going to miss that a lot.

Thank you.

Councilmember Diaz.

Oh, thank you.

Um I thought I saw Councilmember Hines' light on first.

But I can go Councilmember Hines, would you like to go?

I know it's fine.

I I have a mic now.

Uh I just wasn't ready for the name.

Um Mayor Woodards, I don't know how to thank someone for being so gracious and humble, and just truly the whole package that one would want, not just in the mayor, but a public servant.

Um, and I have gotten the pleasure of getting to know you since being on this council, but I think I could be wrong, but I may have known you longer than everyone else on this council.

I I very likely have.

Um folks don't know.

I ran for office 10 years ago, and I met the mayor doing a lot of um outreach work before that, and I think probably helping on her first campaign for city council when I was just a little duckling.

And so I have been in the the trenches on the on the campaign side for a long time before I decided to serve.

And part of the reason I decided to serve was because of role models like Mayor Woodards, who's who set the bar so high and showed that we could do it as women of color and that we should do it.

Um and I think I wouldn't actually, I don't, I don't think I would be up here without the mayor.

Um, not just because I um saw her as a as a leader in our community, but because I think she might have been the swing vote in my appointment.

So thank you.

Um I don't know for certain I wasn't in the room, but I would guess.

Um I just think uh Councilmember Walker listed a lot of your accomplishments.

There's a hundred more that aren't on that page that aren't tangible but are still programs, are still impacts, and I think some of the biggest ones are the youth.

No one lights up for the youth like you do.

And I think there's gonna be hundreds of youth in this community who get to see you in the world and light up in new ways in whatever the next adventures are, and I think that's really exciting too.

So thank you for all your work for everything you do for Tacoma.

And I'm really excited to see see what's next.

Um, see what you get to do when you're free from a gavel.

Councilmember Hines.

Uh thank you, uh Councilor Walker.

You know, I Madam Mayor, I could, you know, spend a lot of time talking about things I think everybody knows about you.

Um, your wonderful heart, your care for the community, your love of children.

I I am I am sad that you're gonna leave me here as the only Lincoln alum on the council.

But we'll we'll I'll do my best.

Um these are all things I think people would probably um come to mind when they talk about you.

But I the thing I you've always impressed me with since I've been serving on the council, is your toughness.

That um I think you are someone who I've seen that's been hit many times, that's been beat up.

Um but you never back down, you never stopped fighting, you never stood up for what you believed in.

No matter how hard it was, no matter how much was coming at you, um, you are the um I think the best example of a leader I've seen who believes in the idea of turning the other cheek, of living by your values, and not letting anyone bring you down.

And I know that's been tough.

That's not easy, but I I would say, as another someone who aspires to be a leader in this community, I think that is the one thing that you have always impressed me.

That um, you know, you have always been there for us as a council to be out in front, um, even when I'm sure you didn't want to be, but you were there, and I think is a real inspiration for you know what we can expect from a servant leader and the kind of love the epitome of kind of toughness and grace under fire.

So thank you.

Councilmember Bushnell.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker, Mayor Woodards.

Uh man, there's so much to say.

Uh you have been a selfless, selfless, selfless, dedicated sir, public servant to the city of Tacoma.

And as Councilmember Hines mentioned, you've gotten so much flack.

Uh very unfairly.

Um, but you have consistently showed up for the city every single day, leading with compassion with heart, with love.

And I see that every single day.

I I pull up to City Hall very often, and I know when the mayor's mayor's in the office because I can see where her she parks every single day.

And it is there.

That car is there more often than not because you are out here working for our community, working for us.

And you know being mayor is not just being a leader of the city, it's also being a leader on this council.

And you've done so much to show that leadership by example.

Um even when we disagreed on things, you did your best to help me be successful as a council member.

And I if that's not selfless service, I don't know what is because it may have you maybe disagreed with what I was doing or what I wanted to do, right?

But you saw through and wanted to make sure that we were successful as a group, and there's not a lot of people that have that capability, the ability to do that, the ability to bring people together.

Um and you've brought so many people together, you know.

And I think that there's a reason why you became the NLC president is because this city, this council are not the only ones that recognize that it's that recognition is national.

And so thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a great friend, a mentor, a leader, and thank you for being my mayor for the city of Tacoma.

Thank you.

Councilmember Roomba.

Um thank you, um, council member oh Walker.

Um Mayor Woodards, I just want to say thank you so much for being a woman of faith.

Like that's really just the two of us, just the two of us.

Um and I really appreciate that we have met on so many things the same.

You're obviously my heart person.

You're gonna make me cry.

Um, but I said before that your word is love, and I I mean that because you care about our community so passionately.

I know you don't have any children, that's because you have all these other children in our community, and you care so much about the youth.

And it's honest, on I mean, your your youth commission, even though now it's gonna be somewhere else.

I think it's gonna be so successful.

Um, a young woman that's from my temple is joining it.

She's interested, and I'm so excited that she's gonna be a part of it.

Um, the way that children, kids come in here when they get older and they remember you from some other time.

That is such an amazing thing.

I just um appreciate having a leader like you because I know what good leadership is.

You've shown me what good leadership is.

I think that I'm a better person because I got to serve with you.

So I want to thank you.

And um, again, like I mentioned to Deputy Mayor, if there's anything I can do for you, let me know.

Thank you.

Councilmember Scott.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker.

Um, and again, I'm just gonna keep it short.

I I don't like to get too emotional or anything like that.

So um, and it's getting late, but I just really want to say thank you for um you know sticking through it and powering through the tough times and um really reveling in the good times and bringing people alongside you in moments when it might have been easier to to move forward with less people that you had to kind of reach back and and turn around to and try to tire being along.

So um I just want to say thank you again for the work that you've done, the care that you bring, and I can't wait to see how you continue to impact Tacoma going forward all right.

Um I have a couple quick comments before we close, um, and let you speak.

Um I it's so many things have already been said.

Do you wanted the last word?

No, no, no, I didn't want to have the last word.

I wasn't counting.

Okay, it's okay.

You can have go ahead.

I'm listening.

Okay.

I'm really sorry about this.

Um I was writing your speech in my head um to plan for January 3rd.

Um I just had so much that I uh wanted to say, and I just I feel like there's so many different lessons from different years and different pieces of this journey.

Um, and I there's just a couple of things that I've learned from you.

Um folks saw me passionate, but you helped me learn how to express compassion, even when I am passionate about a topic.

Um you taught me how to show up and to treat my colleagues and our staff and everyone here as family.

Um, and even in all of the things that you do, you never forget about the small trinkets and cards and this and that, and the small things that make people feel really, really special.

And that's why in any city you go, wherever you are, you always have a friend or a family member, and I just that I am just in awe of that.

And apologized and cried a scream and yelled again.

And making and trying to make this city a great place for people to live.

And I just can't imagine.

I I'm so tired after four years.

I can literally not imagine doing that for you've done this for half my life.

And I think you had to say that.

Every day I think I tell you I'm tired, and you're like the mom was like, you don't even know what tired is.

You've just been here for for this long, and I am quickly.

You know what?

You're right.

You're truly your right.

I I have nothing.

Um, and you just you show up and you smile and you sing, and you when we after two hours of public comment, and you just you show up and you keep showing up, even when there's nothing left, and you're just literally on fumes of a love, and or I don't know what else it is, but you just keep going for the love of the city and the love for all of us, and I truly I admire that so much about you.

Um the one thing that I I think about is that people know that you're really kind and they know that you are so bubbly and all of these things, but the kindness, the one thing that I've learned over the the last four years is the kindness that you've shown is actually your greatest tool, and that is how you get your work done, and you are so you are one of the greatest strategists I know quietly, and you just put things together, and you are like kind of like a uh TSA or like a CIA agent, in that you are like stopping bombs from exploding all the time, and there's so many things that we don't get to thank you for because those explosions never happen.

But I see them all of the time where I'm like, this could have gone really terribly, and there are just things that are just small things that you're always constantly doing to make sure that we are stable, and I just I just want to recognize you for that.

And the last thing that I'll say is just the grace that you have shown and that you have taught me.

Um, and a lot of the words that our staff and folks have used where they have given us the same word.

It is because I have literally learned how to do so many of those things in the last four years, and I'm so glad that you chose me to serve with you, and I am I am I'm truly in awe of you.

Thank you for your service to our city.

That was beautiful.

I feel like I should have let you have the last word.

Um, I I just I think want to echo so many things that have already been said.

Um I would not have run for office if I had not met you and knew that running for office and potentially winning men, I got to serve with you.

Um your leadership is as folks have said, um uh quietly brilliant, and um it's been said so many times your compassion for this city, your love for this city, but it it really is as others have said, too.

It's the combination of those things with the toughness that gets this why you've been here for 15 years.

It's not for the faint of heart, and it's been such an honor to be able to watch and learn from you.

Um it feels forever ago, but I started in 2020, and we were hit with the pandemic um almost immediately, and so I learned how to serve in a very interesting time, and I I think that um and we mentioned the the resolution the 40622 that we worked on that summer.

Um those were very, very, very difficult times, and we the city, um to deputy mayor's point, we would not the city would not look like it does today if it hadn't been for your leadership.

Uh I truly believe that that we're we're standing today because of the way you handled that work in in 2020, and you kept coming back.

Um and you continue to inspire others to lead and to run and to serve, whether it's on in an elected position or on a council or just in their community, and um I am very excited personally for you to have a little rest, but I also know that you won't sit down for long because we've tried to make you um so get some rest and then come see us, and I can't wait to see um how you serve next because I know you say you're done with elected office, but I know you're not done with leadership.

So get some rest and then come see us.

And I can't wait to see how you serve next.

Because I know you say you're done with elected office, but I know you're not done with leadership.

Thank you for being our leader here on the council, taking care of all your children.

And for the city, we're we're better because of you.

You don't get to speak quite yet.

We have to give you the items, but we're presenting you with the proclamation.

I don't know how we made it fit on one page.

Very small font.

I'll never be able to use it again.

And when we sat down, we all got the pictures of the 2025 council, and the mayor said, Why didn't I get one?

We got you a framed one.

And of course, um, a plaque, and we did fit all 24 council members that you've served with on there.

And now, mayor, you may have the last word.

I always get to have the last word because I control the microphone.

I'm trying to be funny and make a lot of jokes because if I didn't do that, um, I'd be in a puddle on the floor right now.

It is very uncomfortable for a person like me to sit back and hear people say um say such things that my council has said about me.

I want to start, and I'm gonna I'm gonna try to be brief.

Um, I'm not gonna be super long.

Do not time me, John Hines.

Um, but I I I do I do want to start by um I want to dedicate this moment that I'm experiencing right now to two people who have been incredibly important to me and are not in these chambers today.

Um that is my very good friend and our former colleague, council member Kath Vinushka, and then to the man I call my dad, the man whose shoulders um I stand on, um, and that's Harold G.

Moss.

I wouldn't be here without either one of them, and I wouldn't be the person that I am without either one of them.

Um there's so much, so much that I want to say and don't have time to say.

Um, but I do want to start by thanking three people who sat in my home office with me eight years ago or nine years ago in December, and helped me craft my first press release that announced I was running for mayor, and that is Latasha Wortham, Ryan Mellow, and Phil Gardner.

Um they were my first team for mayor, who sat down with me and helped me not only decide to run, but decide how to run.

I won't name anybody else after that because you all would never get home.

Um I do say it takes a village to raise a politician, and for me it takes a really big village.

Um but to anybody who ever worked on a campaign that I got to serve with, um, that I passed by in the hall, um, who gave me an encouraging word for those who showed up on Tuesdays and challenged me.

Um for everybody I got to even work on a small project or a big project.

Um and for all the other lists I didn't call.

Um, for I I just I want to say thank you to all of you.

I think my favorite word during this time is just gratefulness.

It it truly is gratefulness.

I want to specifically thank, and I I got to do it in more detail today, but um none of us do this work alone, and it's more than just the nine of us who sit here on this dais every day.

What makes the nine of us work is the over 3600 employees who show up to the city every single day and and put their lives on the line, um, who serve with their heart and with such commitment that some of you will never know because you just drive down the street and the traffic light changes.

Or you step off a curb.

And if you're in a wheelchair, you don't have to worry about going down that deep step that there's a cutout for you.

Those of us who get to experience life and take for granted the fact that everything that happens in the city happens because there's somebody else behind making sure that the work gets done.

To Chris and to Bill.

Chris is our legal counsel.

Bill was our legal counsel before Chris.

Thank you for keeping all of us out of jail, especially me.

And then thank you to the clerk's office for making every meeting happen.

And then I want to thank four incredibly hardworking people.

I'm going to start with the Dapper, Bakota Warren, who serves as my current chief policy analyst.

And to Paige Armstrong, who serve who serves as my current administrative support.

Thank you so much to the two of you for the opportunity to spend these last couple years with you all.

Bakoda, we've had the most fun traveling all over the world.

And it's been really great to watch you grow in this position.

You will be a city manager.

And I hope, no, not hope, I will be here to watch it.

To the lady to my left, who now bears the title of city clerk, who was my first administrative support person.

You know, you gotta feel pretty good about yourself when the person who supported you leaves your office to become the city clerk.

That doesn't say much about me, Nicole.

It says everything about you and who you are.

I am so incredibly proud of you and proud to say that you started.

You started in the clerk's office, but then you came upstairs to the 12th floor, and now you return as the clerk.

And I'm so proud of you and Penny and just the incredible human being that you are.

Lady in the back of the room, don't even think you're gonna get off.

Melanie Harding.

Both personally and professionally.

You are an incredible human being.

And I am so grateful that you decided to leave downstairs.

She never wanted to work for one elected official.

That was never her plan.

But you took the risk and you worked for me.

And I will forever be grateful to you for all that we got to do together.

We launched some incredible initiatives.

Shape is still here because of your hard work.

Know that I love you.

And I can't wait to spend more time with you when this is all over.

One is my mother.

But I want you to know that the kindness and care I have for others.

I come because I watched how you cared and were kind to others.

So, mom, thank you so incredibly much for being an example of what it means to put others first.

I love you.

Sitting next to her is the woman, I don't know how I would have gotten through life or gotten to this point without, and that is my best friend of I don't even what 550 some years, even though we're only 21.

Um my confidant, um, the person I call when things are going right and when things are going not so right, the person I call after I've sat here for hours taking all of that that you all think I'm so brave, and I get in the car and I go, I can't believe they called me this tonight.

Um, thank you so much for being there no matter what, coming to help me pack for every trip I took.

Um just just for everything that you've met with me, for still going to the stores with me when you didn't want to because it took way too long to get in and out of any store.

Um, just thank you for being my confidant and my closest friend.

I love you so much.

Um, and I'm just incredibly grateful for our friendship to my adopted children and my adopted family, um, to Jeannie, who is the the wife of Harold Moss, um, to Scott, who's been my partner, um, to all of you here to Aaron.

I don't want to start naming names because I'll forget, but I I do have to say, Tori, thank you so much for being here tonight, our former fire chief.

Um, but to all of you in this room tonight, thank you.

Thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for supporting me to TV Tacoma.

Andy, I want you to meet my mom tonight, who's from England too, because I've never got to connect the two of you.

But to Andy and Jeff and the whole TV Tacoma team, thank you for showing up every Tuesday.

To Brian and the whole, and and let me stop naming names.

The whole MCO team.

Thank you.

Um, okay, I gotta stop naming folks because I'm gonna forget something.

Um pieces of legislation that we ever passed, and the reason it is so meaningful, and the reason I know it's meaningful is out of 15 years, it's the only resolution number I know by heart.

Resolution 4062.

Unanimously passed by this council that said Tacoma will one day, we're not there yet, but Tacoma will one day be an anti-racist city, and we work on it every single day.

And for that is another reason why I am grateful to this community.

Serving as your mayor has been the greatest honor of my life.

Tacoma's strength has always come not from this council, not from all of the leaders in this community, but from all of you.

I am deeply proud and honored that you place trust in me for the last eight years, or the last 15 years, but the last eight years as your mayor to lead this community to my colleagues, my eight children.

Thank you for your dedication and for your collaboration.

We have faced some really difficult challenges from people calling up calling us out of our name to challenging not just our policy, but who we are as people.

Thank you for helping me to live out this creed which says five votes is politics, nine votes is leadership.

Nine votes is leadership.

Don't let anybody convince you that you have to vote against each other in order to be strong or to be a strong council member to prove that you don't have groupthink.

This council does not have group think.

They do not all think alike, trust me, I know.

But what I love about all of you is that you never compromise your values.

You never compromise what you believe in.

But you will compromise your position to make sure that every single voice is heard, and there's absolutely nothing wrong because when you all get to 9-0, it means that you heard one another, that you believed that everyone on this dais has something to contribute, and that we are better as a city and as a council when we listen to one another, and we take in each other's thoughts and positions in the final draft of anything that we put forward.

Do not let people scare you away from continuing to be 9 0 votes.

Consider that you're North Star and work hard to get there.

Doesn't mean we always will, but we'll be better for it when we bring more people's opinions and thoughts to the table.

Two.

So remember this.

You never know how.

Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

And you will never know the kind of impact that you can have on the life of anyone in this community.

Though my time in this role is ending.

Never will.

And making sure that you all are making sure that the next generation has this opportunity.

And finally, I've been asked a hundred times as I've gotten to a close.

Mayor, what's been your best moment?

Get ready, get ready, uh Andy.

What's been your most favorite moment?

What's been the best thing you've ever done?

What's the greatest thing you ever felt as a mayor?

And I'm going to take you back eight years ago to a moment.

And with all good endings, there has to be a great beginning.

And this was it.

I we've done everything purpose.

We haven't done everything.

Oh, sorry.

We haven't done anything perfectly.

But I think you can't build, you can't build by tearing down.

Okay, next Merald.

All of you made this campaign happen.

All of you made it about Tracoma.

And tonight, Paul is going to be.

And with that, Deputy Mayor, will you please make the final motion tonight?

Madam Mayor, I move to adjourn.

Second.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

I all those opposed, we stand adjourned.