I'd like to call to order the city council meeting of March twenty-fourth, two thousand twenty-six.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Deputy Mayor Bushnell.

Present.

Councilmember Diaz.

Councilmember Heinz.

If you could try again, Councilmember Hines.

Councilmember Hines appears to be here virtually, just having some microphone issues.

There we go.

I'm here.

All right.

Thank you, Councilmember.

There you go.

Councilmember Palmer.

Councilmember Rumba.

Here.

Councilmember Stadalgay?

Absent?

Councilmember Scott?

Here.

Councilmember Walker?

Here.

Mayor Ibsen.

Here.

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

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

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

We now have a motion before us for consideration.

Second.

Move and second.

Are there any council comments?

Say none.

All is in favor of adding this modification to tonight's agenda, signify by saying I.

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

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

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

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

Clerk, 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.

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

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

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

You will have 90 seconds to make your remarks.

So 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'll be given two warnings.

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

We have one in-person speaker, Michelle Reich.

I'm speaking to uh resolution 873 exemption.

Limited family tax exemption.

Um first of all, uh I don't think uh there should be any exemptions because uh that uh leads to revenue that the city would get to fund other projects.

Uh that people would build houses without the exemption, and that's uh what I believe uh the market would uh allow to take place.

I know um and another issue is uh uh the growth there uh I know uh the city likes high density growth.

And uh uh that should be against the environment high density growth.

Um I believe that uh uh encourage high density is is against the environment uh and uh it should be uh curtailed.

And uh so um in relation to that um speaking here in psyops, a person that doesn't speak has no advantage of a person that can't speak.

I close with that.

Thank you, Michelle.

We have one online speaker, Dylan Roof, followed by two others.

Hello, Mr.

Speaker.

What I want to basically talk about was basically um the godfather of the European Union, Richard Kutenhove Kalagi, basically talked about in practical idealism is plans for the afnocide of the European peoples by the Sir.

Are you speaking to an item on tonight's on tonight's published agenda?

This is the biggest genocide in human history.

Sir, are you speaking to a motion on an agenda item on tonight's agenda?

Since it appears you are not speaking on something relating to tonight's agenda, and this is not germane to public comment.

We are going to move on to the next speaker.

Our next um speaker is Ed Snow, followed by Bill Johnson.

Ed Snow.

Going once.

Okay, well, it appears um we are not able to connect with Ed Snow, so we're gonna move on to our last virtual speaker, and uh that is Bill Johnson, and there's uh there's a new in-person speaker.

Bill, go ahead.

Yeah, hello, council.

What I was hoping to address today involved the fact that the uh the entire community has been overrun by retarded niggers in third world ape.

All right, sir.

Are are you speaking to any items on tonight's agenda?

The white people I ended decided to destroy our nice sir.

I'm gonna ask you one more time.

Are you speaking to any agenda items on tonight's meeting?

Stupid.

Seeing none, we're going to close public comment virtually, and we have one more speaker in person, Ms.

Marilyn Kimbling.

Why don't you please come on up?

Good evening, counsel.

I had to search really hard to find something on the agenda that was even tangentially related to what I'm interested in.

But I want to speak tonight to the first resolution, resolution S41870, a resolution of uh budgeting for the stormwater, which I think is a wonderful idea.

But I wonder where the money is to protect all of our wetlands and to protect land from being paved over and warehouses and parking lots put on it.

I want to remind you that we are creatures of Earth too, and all of the living forms on this life on this planet, the frogs, the salamanders.

We need to do more to protect our wetlands and all of our open spaces and to protect our planet from climate chaos.

And so I just want to bring your attention to money going for this, which is a good start, so that I'm on topic.

But please remember that the planet needs your love, and we can do our part in Tacoma too.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Killing.

And with that, uh, we have no other speakers signed up.

So we're going to close public comment and move on to our regular agenda.

Item number six, this item will have a PowerPoint presentation.

Clerk, please read.

Resolution 41872, a resolution expressing support for the passage of proposition number one submitted by Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma at the April 28th, 2026 special election, which reads as follows.

The Board of Park Commissioners of the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma adopted resolution number RR426 concerning safety and improvement bonds for neighborhood parks and recreation facilities.

This proposition authorizes the district to improve, construct and/or expand parks, trails, community centers, playgrounds, water play areas, restrooms, ball fields, sports courts, state skate parks, and zoologic facilities, expand access to parks and open spaces, acquire new park property, update deteriorating infrastructure, funds sustainability projects to protect Puget Sound.

Issue 155 million dollars of general bonds maturing within a maximum of term of 21 years, and levy annual excess property taxes to repay the bonds as provided in resolution RR426.

I move to adopt resolution number 41872.

Moving second, I'd like to call on Park Board President Matt Mauer and Terry Youngman, district wide capital improvement program manager, Parks Tacoma.

Welcome.

Awesome.

Thank you, Mayor Ibsen, Deputy Mayor Bushnell, Council members.

Um my name is Matt Maurer.

As the mayor said, I am the president of the Parks Board, our Parks Tacoma Board of Commissioners, and I'm here today to talk to you all about our park bond that's coming before the voters uh on April 28th.

Go ahead next.

Um, really quick.

Uh this is a 155 million dollar bond.

Uh this will be over 100 projects and 40 parks, uh, community centers and zoos um that will be impacted by this bond.

It's a six-year bond.

Um, and uh one of the really cool things that we're excited about is that this will also not be raising uh taxes at this time.

And so uh we've got some bonds that are uh expiring.

The 2014 bonds are expiring, and so uh what we plan to do is to extend uh the current rate that people are paying to keep it uh keep the rate exactly the same, but fund these projects for the next six years, six years.

Um, really cool, exciting projects on there.

I'm excited by quite a few of them.

Um we're gonna do some renovation on Peck Field, the new people center.

Uh, we've got some design money for a new center in the South Tacoma neighborhood.

Um, and uh quite a few parks in and around all of the neighborhoods within the city of Tacoma.

Um we uh made it a really big effort for us to ensure that every neighborhood is touched by this.

Um, and so uh we're really looking forward to uh what we can accomplish with uh with this vote.

So um I'm gonna right now take it over and hand it over to my colleague Terry Youngman.

He is our Capitol Programs Director for Parks Tacoma, and he's gonna go a little bit more in depth for it.

Go ahead.

Thanks, President Maurer, and good evening, Mayor and Council members.

Thanks for having me here tonight.

Terry Youngman, district wide capital improvement program manager.

Um so we'll go to the next slide.

So, capital bonds, what are they?

Uh you all probably know this already, but just to capture it really quickly.

These are large long-term capital uh bond uh projects that are gonna be funded through the bond program.

So this is the 26 bond program.

They have about a 20-year repayment period that supports those bonds.

It's folding funding a multitude of projects, uh, high diversity of projects all over the city.

So these are hundreds of projects that are generally covered by these types of bond programs.

Um we have a high degree of leveraging within our our capital program.

Uh with the 2014 bond program, we're able to leverage an additional 40% of funding within that program.

So we're bringing a lot of different funding sources to the table to help support the bond funding.

So we go out for capital bonds to help support our capital program.

And that tax amount is based on evaluation of your property value.

So the last time we went out for a bond program was back in 2014.

This was the neighborhood parks and zoo improvements and safety upgrades bond.

It was for 198 million.

That was an investment over 10 years, and when compared to this current bond program that we're going out for, it's 155 million over six years.

So that explains the difference between the two dollar amounts.

This one is less, but because it has a shorter time horizon for implementation.

Through the course of that bond program, we're actually so I was stating a number from the last slide that we had the last time we did this.

It's actually 79 million that we uh leveraged in additional funding through the 2014 bond.

Um so we implemented hundreds of capital projects within that bond program.

If you want to know more about that, go to ParksTacoma.gov/slash 2014 bond update for all the information about that package.

Some highlights of the 2014 bond.

I won't go through every single one on this list, but to identify some of the ones that have an overlap and uh coordination with the city of Tacoma.

The People Center pool was a major investment in the 2014 bond program, bringing a new facility online for the hilltop community.

We built a new uh community center on the east side, another major partnership with the city of Tacoma.

We built a lot of uh uh signature facilities within our system as well.

Dune Peninsula, the uh Melanie's park down on the waterfront, these were major investments uh that we made in expanding our park system.

And that's something I would note is a major difference between the 2014 bond program and what we're putting forth in the 26 bond is the 2014 bond built a lot of signature projects, big regional destinations attractions.

The 26 bond is a bit of a pivot from that.

We are looking to also make investments in places like Point Defiance Park and the Reston Way Waterfront, but we heard very clearly through the community that there's a desire to see a more local investment, something close to home in their neighborhoods, their community parks, their community centers, and so we'll see that shift.

So, rounding out some of the projects that we have in the 2014 bond.

We also see point defiance loop trail phase two, that's work that's under construction right now.

Uh and then we've been doing a lot of playground upgrades all across the city.

Uh we just opened a park out Oakland Madrona, which is a great representation of the type of work we're doing right now, where we're taking these playgrounds and upgrading them to current day standard.

In the development of the 26 bond, uh we conducted a community advisory group process.

We called it the Parks Bond Advisory Committee.

Um, and and before we got to that park spond advisory process, we conducted about a six months of uh internal analysis that helped support the baseline package that went forward to the advisory group.

Um this process was informed by our long-range strategic plan, which uh included a very deep public engagement process where we went out to communities, this did statistically valid surveys to help support that package being developed, and all those priorities are rolling into the development of this 26 bond program.

Uh the Park Spond Advisory Committee uh consisted of 28 members from the community.

These are folks representing various interests and geographic areas of the city, uh, people from advisory councils, local government, nonprofits, businesses, and user groups.

So it was really a diverse group of people who uh came to this setting and helped us build a package that was represented of the broader community.

I also wanted to note we we used a lot of geospatial tools in the building of this 26 bond package.

Uh, the map that you see up here right now is the uh Tacoma City of Tacoma Equity Index is something that we overlaid with our project uh distribution to see how the projects that we had identified, both through our internal staff prioritization process and those that came through the Parks Bond Advisory Committee to see how they were connecting with neighborhoods that have a high degree of opportunity, uh, or or rather those that have a low opportunity, and seeing how we can serve those communities better with our park system.

Uh the Parks Bond Advisory Committee gave some really key recommendations.

The most important one that we heard from that group was that this is not the time for tax increases.

And as you heard President Maurer say, this is a package that does not increase uh the property taxes with this new bond package.

So, with all the economic uncertainty and looking at gas prices and spending time in a grocery store, there's not a lot of disposable income to be increasing taxes.

And so it was really important that we put a package out that is uh thoughtful and considerate of where people are right now.

Um they wanted to see an equitable investment across Tacoma.

So every neighborhood needed to feel an investment.

They needed to point at something in this package and be able to say that's the project that's in my neighborhood.

It's something that I will benefit from because of this package.

They also looked at some really key categories within the package.

Um, as I said, neighborhood identity, local park investment was very key.

Yes, we will make investments in our signature parks, but also people want that close to home, 10-minute walk type of a park investment, so that they don't have to travel all across the city to get their outdoor recreational needs met.

Connections to parks was important.

It's not just about the experience you have when you are in the park, but also that experience as you get to the park.

It's the right-of-way experience.

And so the package can carries a considerable amount of money for us to be able to partner with the city of Tacoma on greenway connections, using the right-of-way, building sidewalks, bringing in street trees, uh, investing in placemaking along these corridors so that as people are moving towards the park, they are having a safe and a pleasant experience as they get there.

We also heard through that group really quickly.

One last note.

We also heard through that group that land acquisition was important.

Uh, this is a very much a take care of what you have type of Amon program, not a big uh expansion uh system that we're we're uh proposing here.

Uh because of that, we needed to invest in land acquisition to capture uh some additional open space before it turns to private development.

And so we actually increased the amount that we had for land acquisition through the Parks Bond Advisory Committee process uh so that we can seize those opportunities now rather than lose out on them in the future.

This is a map that shows the work that we're proposing under the 26 bond.

All this is online.

So if you want to uh see it a little bit better and not squint your eyes at the image that you see up on the screen, um you can go to parkstacoma.gov/slash vote, and it has all this information there.

But it shows a distribution of projects that are all across the city.

Um we we've really tried to thread the needle on showing a high degree of detail on the types of investments that the public would see while still retaining some level of flexibility on the package uh such that we can adapt to a dynamic system through the course of the next six years.

As far as the financial details, um the ballot measure would invest 155 million dollars in over 40 parks and community centers with no increase to current taxes.

Uh the bond supported projects would uh cost property owners the same 45 cents per thousand dollars in assessed home value that they're paying now, and that translates to roughly 249 dollars per year based on the Tacoma's average home value of 553,000.

So I'm gonna pass it back to President Maurer here to close this out, and then I'll be available for any questions.

Thanks, Terry.

All right, next slide.

Um now that uh Terry has done all the work.

I'm gonna close this up here uh and let you guys know on um April 28th, uh, we do need a 60 plus 1% majority uh because it is a bond uh and the validation uh will be the 40% of the previous general election.

Uh and so we are here, obviously.

This was a facts and information request uh to give you guys an information on what we're doing uh with the bond, and so um happy to answer any questions you have uh about what's in the bond um moving forward.

Thank you, President Maurer.

Are there any council questions or comments?

All right.

Uh I uh Deputy Mayor followed by Councilmember Palmer.

Okay, thank you, Mayor.

I just I just want to say thank you for the presentation.

Um, and I really appreciate um uh all the facts and information.

I'm really really excited to see this, and um I'm hoping um we can the community also sees the benefit and the equitable distribution of resourcing and support across.

And I'm particularly looking forward to uh work in the south end around a potential community center as well.

So I'm just really excited about all this and um really looking forward to supporting us in near future.

Thank you.

All right, Councilmember Palmer.

I also have no questions, but wanted to express uh how excited I am for this as well.

I think you guys have done an amazing job listening to all of the community around Tacoma and listening to the needs, and um I really and also listening to the fact that everything's a little too expensive right now, and so a tax raise would be a lot, but um, you're able to do so much in what we're already using.

So um, I really hope community as well sees the benefit and and pushes this forward.

Um, something to remember, you know, parks can seem maybe a little lighthearted or maybe unnecessary to some, but I think the we have to look at them as public safety um mechanisms, and so um an investment in our parks is a is an investment in a public in our public safety.

Um, so please consider thinking about it like that when you're voting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Palmer.

Councilmember uh Rumbach, followed by Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I just wanted to say I already said during study session that I really support this, and I want to thank Matt Maurer because I know that he's the reason that we're gonna get a dog park in Northeast Tacoma.

I'm gonna take all the credit.

Yeah, and um, I just want to say it was at the last co-create to recreate.

It was really incredible to see so much of Northeast Tacoma out there.

And um, if you want to talk about more conservative parts of town, I would say that some of my neighbors are, and they are really supportive.

Um they see the benefit because we've been really conscientious about what's gonna benefit them.

And looking at North Point Community Center, which is I think over 30 years old for um some improvements is fabulous.

And I just want to give a call out and shout out to Parks Tacoma because you're not just within the city boundaries, you do have some areas that you um are control have control of, and one of them is Dash Point City Park, and um they're gonna get their dock fixed, and it's been like five or six years, and they're really excited about having that fixed.

So I want to just thank you so much.

It's exciting that with the not changing anything about the cost, it's gonna be um we're able to just go ahead and do this.

And so thank you, Matt, for all of your service on the parks commission, and thank you for staff.

I just I've heard this now three times, and I really appreciate every time I hear it.

Um, I think that we have a lot of support in this room and in the city for what parks mean to our community.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, the um dog park constituency is a very persistent constituency.

Um, but there was actually a gap.

There was a gap in Northeast Tacoma.

So we're happy to uh be able to provide uh the service over there that wasn't there before.

They they want their off leash area, so thank you.

Yep.

Thank you.

Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um thank you both for present presenting.

This is great.

And can you remind us and the public that how to get to that map so they can look at their neighborhood?

Is that that's parks Tacoma.gov slash vote.

Okay.

Great.

Love that tool.

I think that it and it's um we love that you're using our equity index um to look at the distribution of projects too.

So um so I don't have questions for you, but I am gonna speak briefly, Mayor, if it's okay to the resolution.

Um so we have a resolution before us that is in support of the proposition.

And um Councilmember Sidalgay, Councilmember Bush, Deputy Mayor Bushnell.

Sorry, I didn't update my talking points.

Um and Mayor Ibsen are bringing that forward tonight.

Um I gave a lot of comments today at study session, but just wanted to note again um Councilmember Sidalgi and I serve on the Parks Policy Board, and we're really grateful for the partnership, and that's part of why I'm really supportive of the work here, because so much of it is in partnership um between the parks and the city and um we also um highlighted earlier today, too.

And I saw that it was on your slide, Catherine Ushka's gas station park, which we're particularly proud of.

And just thank you for continuing to bring things like that forward to the community that not only serve a neighborhood but also honor people throughout the city.

So uh appreciate the work on this.

Um I think we answered all the questions we could about the resolution earlier, so excited to support that and move that forward.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker.

And just uh just a bit of a question myself, too.

So one of the one of the favorite things that I that I I love and that's near and dear to me about Tacoma is that we really play well with others when it comes to smart partnerships, especially when it comes to stretching scarce dollars.

And a certain brilliant local government uh person once talked to me about the notion of safe routes to parks.

About we have such a great track record working with our school partners and keeping our kids and families safe that um something that would be really interesting of interest to a lot of people in the community is that as the city has a conversation and fleshes out where our infrastructure dollars go and in areas that might be co-located, like between a park and a school.

Uh can you tell me uh President Maurer is uh if this um worse pass and and the parks has additional capital dollars, what might that mean for collaboration opportunities for keeping young people and their families safe as they try to enjoy our parks more?

Yeah, thank you for that.

That actually is one of the most exciting aspects of this um uh uh of this bond measure is our ability, it's called parks greenways or greenways.

Um, and the idea is that we'll have a pot of money uh that we can hopefully um be a value add to any kind of city infrastructure projects um that either coincide with work that we're doing at the parks or are a tangential or adjacent to some of our parks um so we can improve that city infrastructure so people have a safer route to our parks.

And so we have this goal of everyone being within a 10-minute walk of a park, but that's kind of silent on yeah, you can be 10 minutes from a park, but still that 10-minute walk could be a little hairy depending on where you live, right?

And so the idea is that having this pot of money to be that value add to be that um matching dollars for the city infrastructure improvements to add those bike lanes, add those crosswalks um where they uh intersect with um our walks to our parks to make make it safer for folks to get there, and so very excited about that.

There's no like particular projects that are identified, it's more of a pot of money, and so as things happen as grants become available as the city decides to expand their say our um vision zero program to different parts of the city.

We're hoping to be a partner in that to ensure that yay, you if you need a few extra dollars here, we can get this to park X or Park Y, right?

And so we can uh you know improve that infrastructure for folks walking.

So you're basically saying we could potentially do more to keep pedestrians, young people and their families safer without raising taxes.

Correct.

All right, wonderful.

And uh, my my own comments before we open up public comment for uh general members of the community is uh just be informed if you're uh voters watching this uh on uh April 28th.

That's uh the last time to get your ballot mailed out, be informed and do your diligence about this measure.

Uh I certainly uh second Councilmember Palmer's uh remark that parks are not just simply nice to have but public infrastructure, just like our streets.

Um they're just a vital component of public safety and infrastructure.

Uh and as a proud member of the dog park caucus, uh Councilmember Rumbaugh, uh, whatever we can do to advance that, I definitely a fan of.

Uh so thank you so much, President Maurer.

Thank you for all that you in Parks Tacoma do.

With that, we are going to open up public comment on this one item.

Uh if you wish to speak virtually under the public comment period just on this resolution, press the raise hand button near the bottom of your Zoom window or star nine on your phone now, so we can see the number of people wishing to testify this evening.

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.

So we have two in-person speakers, Michelle Reich, followed by Helen Harlow.

Michelle Rishum speaking on uh proposed uh proposition one for the parks.

A lot of nice things on this list here there for the parks here.

Umligations bonds that's almost like a loaning type.

And it's uh closing on this uh and levy annual excess property taxes to repay the bonds.

Uh that has some concern to me there since they already are taking 250 dollars in taxes from the parks department.

Uh another issue with all these nice things is uh as the mayor touched in uh the security of the parks and for people access to that, and because uh of the problem with the unhoused population uh using the parks as their camping ground.

Uh that is an issue to me and a lot of citizens at Tacoma, and it precludes a lot of people from enjoying the parks because of the safety issue.

And uh even though uh we touched on some of the safety issues, um, I think there should be a greater emphasis on the safety for the parks usage for people there.

And as uh former Deputy Mayor Daniels mentioned uh 11 million spent and the real cost was 50 million and you're what you're welcome to submit the rest of your remarks in writing too thank you so much for speaking.

I appreciate it.

Uh next speaker is Helen Harlow.

Hi, I'm Helen Harlow, and I'm here primarily regarding Ryan's Park, which is in the south end of Tacoma.

Um it is a park that uh was developed out of uh um hard for me to say.

My son's incident uh with the uh shriner attack, etc.

etc.

This park was developed right out of of nothing with the neighborhood.

And at this point, it has really become quite the the spectacular place to come to.

It is lacking one thing.

There is a creek and it needs a bridge across it.

The uh park department has uh set aside funds for this for some time, but COVID delayed.

I'd like you to consider going back to that, getting this bridge in and finalizing the safer entrance through uh from park avenue down.

This park is accessed by four different angles for which makes it uh wide range for a neighborhood.

Please get on it.

Thank you, Helen.

We have uh one speaker who signed up online, April.

Thank you.

April Smith, District Five.

I just want to say that I appreciate the parks and the city of Tacoma so much.

And so far this year have been to at least 20 of them, and looking forward to um experiencing some more.

There have been some unhoused in some of the parks, but I've never felt unsafe in them whenever I have been there.

So that has been great.

And I really appreciate that the parks board has decided to not raise uh taxes to cover this because it is awfully difficult out here.

So thank you for all that you do for the parts.

Thank you.

With that, there is no other speakers signed in.

So we're gonna close public comment.

And now we are going to have the actual vote on the resolution.

So we have resolution number 41872 before us.

All those in favor of adopting resolution number 41872, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to say nay.

Resolution is declared adopted.

Make sure and vote, everyone.

All right, item number seven.

This item will have a PowerPoint presentation.

Clerk, please read.

Resolution 41873, a resolution authorizing the execution of a multifamily housing 12-year-old property tax exemption agreement with South L Street Tacoma LLC for the development of seven multifamily market and regulated rate rental housing units located at 1701 South L Street.

I move to adopt resolution number 41873.

Second.

Moving second, I'd like to call on Paul Backer.

Good evening, Mayor Ibsen and City Council.

I'm Paul Bacher with the Community and Economic Development Department.

I'll be presenting on resolution 41873.

We have the next slide, Allison.

So for this project, South L Street Tacoma LLC is proposing to develop seven new market rate and affordable rental units in the UR3 expansion area.

And the project will also have two parking spaces.

Next slide, please.

Next slide, please.

Since this project is in an expansion area and not a typical mixed-use center, the map on the left provides a little more context for the location.

Project costs are estimated at 1.1 million dollars, and it's estimated to provide 5,000 labor hours of employment.

Next slide, please.

This table shows the tax implications.

The total taxes to be generated for the city over the life of this project is estimated at $88,000.

Projected property taxes to be exempted by the city are estimated at $24,000, leaving this project to provide a net positive impact to the city of $64,000.

And of course, when the exemption is over, full property taxes will be assessed annually.

That concludes the presentation, and I am happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Are there any council questions or comments?

Seeing none of those in favor of adopting resolution number 41873, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to say nay.

Resolution uh 41873 is declared passed.

Item number eight, clerk, please read.

Resolution 41874, a resolution authorizing the execution of a letter of agreement with the Smart T D conductor unit regarding a new classification of railway conductor trainee.

I move to adopt resolution number 41874.

Second.

Moving second, I'd like to call on Alan Matheson.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh good evening.

I'm Alan Matheson.

I'm superintendent for Tacoma Rail.

Uh as the clerk stated, this resolution seeks authorization of a letter of agreement negotiated with uh Smart TD labor union.

Historically, Rail has relied on lateral recruitment of certified conductors from other railroads.

Given the job specification, has a one-year prior experience provision and requires uh candidates to possess a federal railroad administration conductor certification as a baseline for uh employment.

Rail staff have identified the one-year prior experience requirement as a false barrier impeding our ability to recruit and train Tacoma residents to perform this work.

Smart TD members have engaged with Tacoma Rail Management on the development of an in-house training program to allow candidates with no railroad experience an opportunity to become a journey level uh railway conductor, and both parties have agreed to establish a new classification titled Railway Conductor Trainee, recognizing Smart T D as the exclusive bargaining representative.

These positions will be classified as category B overtime eligible with four-step pay range at 70 75 80 and 85% of journey level hourly range wage for railway conductors.

Progression through the pay range will be based on a trainee's successful completion through four stages of training curriculum consisting of both classroom and in-field on-the-job training designed to demonstrate understanding and provide an opportunity to hone skills with peer mentors.

Following completion of the nine-month training cycle, conductor trainees will be eligible to compete for promotion to a vacant railway conductor position.

The promotion for this is not guaranteed and will be determined by rail management in a manner that's consistent with civil service rules, the collective bargaining agreement, and based on business needs at the time.

With that, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Council members may have.

Thank you.

Are there any council questions or comments?

All right, seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41874, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to say nay, resolution is declared passed.

Thank you.

Moving on to final reading of ordinances.

Item nine, Clerk, please read.

Ordinance 29097, an ordinance amending chapter 1.12 of the municipal code relating to the compensation plan to implement rates of pay and compensation for employees represented by IBEW Local 483 Customer and Field Services and Human Resources Unit.

This item was presented on March 10th, 2026.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Seeing none, clerk please call the roll.

Deputy Mayor Bushnell.

Aye.

Councilmember Diaz.

Aye.

Councilmember Heinz.

Aye.

Councilmember Palmer.

Aye.

Councilmember Rumba.

Aye.

Councilmember Sidalgate absent.

Councilmember Scott?

Aye.

Councilmember Walker.

Aye.

Mayor Ibsen.

Aye.

The ordinance is declared passed.

Moving on to item number 10.

This presentation will also cover item 11.

Clerk, please read.

Ordinance 29098, an ordinance amending chapter 1.12 of the municipal code relating to the compensation plan to implement rates of pay and compensation for employees represented by Smart T D conductor unit.

I'd like to call on Kerry Lewis.

Good evening, Mayor Ibsen and members of the City Council.

I'm Carrie Lewey, Assistant Human Resources Director.

I have two ordinances to present this evening.

Ordinance 29098 provides for the implementation of provisions of the letter of agreement as negotiated with the sheet metal air rail and transportation transportation division, Smart T D conductors unit presented earlier this evening.

The ordinance provides for the creation of the classification of railway conductor trainee.

The classifications will be classified over time category B with a four-step pay range set at 70, 75, 80, 85 percent of the journey level hourly rate for railway conductor.

Railway conductor trainees will serve a nine-month probationary period and upon completion will be eligible to compete for a promotion to a vacant permanent railway conductor position.

Ordinance 29099 provides for the implementation of amendments to the Tacoma Municipal Code, personnel rules section 1.24971, 1.24974, 1.24976, and 1.24977.

The Civil Service Board has reviewed and approved support of these recommended changes at the Civil Service Board meeting on March 5th, 2026 and transmitted them to the city clerk.

The changes being made include revisions to job titles currently in use for classified positions within Tacoma Rail and to add language to provide for a nine-month probationary period for the new classification of railway conductor trainee.

And I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you, Carrie.

Are there any council questions or comments?

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

Thank you.

Item 11, Clerk, please read.

Ordinance 29099, an ordinance amending chapter 1.24 of the municipal code relating to the personnel rules by amending various sections to reflect current city policies, practices, and procedures, and provide a probationary period for the classification railway conductor trainee as approved by the civil service board.

Thank you.

This item was just presented.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

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

Is there any unfinished business?

Seeing none, city manager do have a report.

Thank you, Mayor Ipson.

Uh members of council deputy mayor.

Just uh two brief reports related to TPDE.

Um I would like to just preliminary give you some information that I received as of today.

Um the Tacoma Police Department has received notice of their award for their annual um actually it's not annual on a on a five-year basis, their Calia accreditation for police standards.

Um so I respect we will probably bring that back to you all.

Um I want to acknowledge the team at TPD that has worked through many years to get us back to uh reaccreditation with CLIA.

Um and I want to start with Eric and Erica Hagan, our past police administration support specialist, Sergeant Kelly uh Costis, our accreditation manager who has been um shepherding this effort, Lieutenant uh Jeff Katz, Captain Pat Patterson, uh AC Chief Carl, as well as uh Patty Jackson, our chief of police, and their efforts on this end.

Um additionally, Mayor, um, as you are aware and and and I'm hoping that council will become aware.

Uh, we've also received um uh a grant award uh related to uh uh DUI emphasis.

Um so starting on Monday, we have noticed the public at this point that we will be um looking to have emphasis patrols, increased patrols to reduce impaired driving related uh crashes through proactive data-driven enforcement and community engagement.

Um we will have actual emphasis patrols related to DUI.

This is made possible with a high visibility saturation patrol grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and the City of Tacoma.

Is hopeful that with these emphasis patrols, we will be able to prevent fatal and severe crashes across the city.

Uh pursuant to the city council's resolution 40559.

Uh the city has an admirable goal to eliminate uh the revision zero um severe and fatal crashes across the city.

And so with that, more information will be coming out.

A press release has gone out as of today.

Um and that's my report.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, City Manager.

Moving on to comments and committee reports of the city council.

I'd like to first call on Chair Rumbaugh from the Community Vitality and Safety Committee.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um the CVS committee has convened twice since the last report, and the and that's community vitality and safety committee.

The committee met on February 12th with an agenda featuring the review of City of Tacoma five-year homeless strategy.

At this meeting, CVS also interviewed interested parties to fill seats on the Human Rights Commission and the Human Services Commission.

The February 26th meeting was canceled.

The CVS committee met um on March 12th, 2026 with the International Property Maintenance Code implementation update, um, neighborhood and community services systems and strategy issue statement and building resilience against youth violence and exploitation update.

Our next meeting will be this Thursday, March 26th.

The committee plans to interview interested parties to fill seats on the Human Services Commission and to review the 2026 Annual Action Plan for Housing and Urban Development Grant Programs.

That meeting will occur in room 243 of the Tacoma Municipal Building.

Virtual attendance options will be available for the public.

Um Mayor Ibsen, that concludes my report.

Thank you, Chair Rumbaugh.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Deputy Mayor.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

I just wanted to uh take a moment of just time to really just talk about what we heard about earlier during public comment.

I really think it's uh reprehensible uh that we are hearing racist language in that way.

I know we do have First Amendment rights to say what we want to say in this country, but at least for me and for these chambers and and who we represent, that's not what I want to hear in these council chambers, and I did not want to let that um go untalked about.

So um I'm just very angry about it.

So thank you.

You're not the only one who feels that way, Deputy Mayor.

Thank you.

Any additional council uh comments?

All right, well, seeing uh seeing none, is there a motion to adjourn?

Uh well, I move to excuse Councilmember Sidalgi from the meeting tonight.

Second.

Moving second, all those in favor, uh, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those positions say nay.

Councilmember Sidalga is excused.

I move to adjourn.

Second.

Moving to second, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to say nay, we are adjourned.