I'd like to call to order the City Council meeting of May 5th, 2026.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Deputy Mayor Bushnell.

President.

Councilmember Diaz?

Councilmember Diaz?

Here.

Councilmember Hines?

Here.

Councilmember Palmer?

Councilmember Rumba?

Here.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Here.

Councilmember Scott.

Absent Councilmember Walker?

Here.

Mayor Ibsen?

Here.

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

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

If you so choose, please stand for the flag salute and remain standing for a moment of silence.

We have one modification to resolution number four one nine zero five, item number thirteen on the agenda tonight to consider a substitute to refine the language.

Are there any additional modifications to the agenda this evening?

I move to adopt a consent agenda, including resolutions number one four one nine zero one.

Second.

Moving second, are there any comments, questions, or corrections to the consent agenda?

Councilmember Walker.

Thank you.

I just really quickly want to say how excited I am about the South Cedar Street Active Transportation Enhancement Project, and this is the final step in getting that project going this summer to provide some north-south connections for people on uh bikes.

Thanks.

Wonderful.

Well noted.

All right, seeing no other comments, um, all those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say nay.

Consent agenda is declared adopted.

We have three ceremonials tonight for National Red Dress Proclamation Day.

I would like to invite Mallory Trujillo, Business Services Analyst to calm a fire to the podium as I read the proclamation.

Whereas uh May 5th is National Day of Awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and two spirit peoples in the United States and Canada, and whereas also known as Red Dress Day, this national observation was inspired by Metis artist Jamie Black, who displayed red dresses to address the disproportionate rates of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people.

And whereas today many indigenous people continue to experience systemic and individual discrimination and highly disproportionate levels of life-threatening and gender-based violence, trauma, and exploitation.

And whereas indigenous women across the nation and in our region are being murdered and are missing at epidemic rates, including in Washington State, which ranks second in the nation for unsolved cases.

And we need ongoing, respectful and responsive affiliation with tribal entities, regional and federal jurisdictions, and their law enforcement arms to solve these cases.

And whereas Red Dress Day is an opportunity to honor the memory of murdered women, girls, and two spirit people, to acknowledge those who are still missing, and to stand in solidarity with indigenous nations and families here in Tacoma and across the United States and Canada who've lost loved ones.

And whereas the City of Tacoma is committed to engaging with indigenous nations and peoples in the spirit of reconciliation.

Now therefore, I, Andrews Ibsen, Mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, May 5th, 2026, as missing and murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People Day in the City of Tacoma, and encourage our residents to reflect on this day with the many families, friends, neighbors, and communities that deserve diligence, resolution, and reconciliation.

Please say uh say a few words.

Thank you, Mayor Ibsen and Council members.

I prepared a little brief statement to speak.

Today, my heart and thoughts are with the survivors and families of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people.

Indigenous communities know too well the pain wrought by past and present injustices.

From the Trail of Tear to the era of residential schools.

The violence targeting indigenous women and girls is a stark reality we continue to face daily.

Red Dress Day is not just a day of remembrance, it is a day of action and reflection of the ongoing impact of a systemic injustices.

This day draws its inspiration from Atist artist Jamie Black's Red Dress Art Installation Project, which is an evocative symbol of the lives taken and the pervasive inequities faced by Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people.

The haunting visual of empty red dresses serves as a powerful reminder of the thousands who should be standing with us today.

This day raises awareness of this national crisis and offers us the opportunity to reflect on the efforts made as the well as the work still left to be done to address the deep-rooted systemic issues and help us build a safer, more equitable society.

Today, as we mark Red Dress Day, we stand united, giving voice to those who no longer have one.

We honor the lives lost and recognize the strength and courage of families, survivors, and communities who continue to advocate for the dignity and justice of their loved ones.

It is essential that we not only remember, but we act.

I urge everyone to educate yourselves, spread awareness, and help us build a community where no one is left vulnerable.

Together, we can help prevent violence and recommit to building a future where all Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people can live in safety and dignity.

Let us just take today to remember to learn and to support.

Our ancestors taught us the power of community and resilience.

Let us honor them today by doing the same.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Hill.

Thank you.

Other new council comments.

See none, thank you for all that you do and for your comments.

Uh let's uh please have a round of applause and please come forward to accept your proclamations.

Thank you.

Here you are.

Yes, yes, yay!

Thank you.

Okay.

I'm gonna have all of you just sweet down just a little bit so we can century up two more steps.

Yep, there we go.

Perfect.

All right, everybody this way.

One, two, three.

Let's do one more.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

Oh, wait, what more don't we?

Sorry, I like thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

For our second proclamation, um we're now going to uh proclaim Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 as City of Destiny Awards Day.

For the City of Destiny Awards Day proclamation, I'd like to invite Ashley Young, Special Events Coordinator for the Tacoma Venues Invents, and members of the city's Events and Recognitions Committee to the podium as I read the proclamation.

And you're right up there, great.

Whereas the City of Tacoma proudly celebrates civic engagement, volunteerism, and leadership through the City of Destiny Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations who embody the spirit of Tacoma through innovation, service, and dedication to the public good.

And whereas this annual celebration is made possible by the city's Events and Recognitions Committee, a council-appointed group charged with uplifting community changemakers who contribute to Tacoma's resilience, vitality, and progress according to neighbor across neighborhoods, cultures, and causes.

And whereas the City of Destiny Awards ceremony not only honors exceptional leaders and groups, but also provides a welcoming space for the community to gather, reflect, and celebrate through a showcase and reception that highlight the many partners working behind the scenes to unite and strengthen Tacoma.

And whereas the award categories leadership, service, advocacy, environmental stewardship, and economic development shine a light on the diverse and meaningful ways people contribute to Tacoma's growth, well-being, and sense of community.

And whereas since its inception in 1987, the City of Destiny Awards have recognized hundreds of individuals and groups whose efforts have strengthened Tacoma's social fabric and inspired others to step forward with compassion, creativity, and commitment to building a better future for all.

And now, therefore, I, Andrews Ibsen, mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim Wednesday, May 6, 2026 as City of Destiny Awards Day in the City of Tacoma, and encourage all residents to attend the celebration at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall, beginning with the community showcase at 5 30 p.m.

and the awards ceremony at 7 p.m.

to honor the spirit of volunteerism, leadership, and community pride in our city.

Please say a few words.

Thank you, Mayor Ibsen, Council Member, City Manager's Office.

My name is Ashley Young.

I'm the special event coordinator for City of Tacoma, and I work with Tacoma Venues and Events.

I am pleased to have join me today the chair, our chairmember Jacob Tice for Cert Cities Events and Recognition Committee, and our co-chair Tai Vow, who will be saying a few words about City of Destiny Awards.

Hi, good evening, Mayor Ibsen and our um fellow City Council members.

Just to reiterate a few things, on behalf of the City Events Recognition Committee, thank you for the opportunity to present this proclamation of recognizing the 2026 City of Destiny Awards.

Since 1987, this event has honored the individuals and organizations who shape Tacoma through service, leadership and commitment to our community.

These are the people solving problems, building connection, and investing in the long-term success of our city, often behind the scenes and without asking the recognition.

This year's event will take place on May 6th, tomorrow at the Tacoma Dome Expos, excuse me, exhibition hall.

This evening, the evening begins at 5 30 p.m.

with a free community showcase featuring local organizations and resources that directly serves our residents and light refreshments.

It will be followed by an award ceremony at 7 p.m., where we will recognize honores across categories, including youth and adult leadership, environmental sustainability, disability advocacy, economic development, and equity and empowerment.

This event is directed by the council through this committee, and we are intentional about delivering a program that reflects Tacoma's values while being responsible with the public resources.

This is done through partnership, sponsorships, and dedicated cultural programming and community grants, including the City of Destiny Awards.

This is how we are able to give back to the community programming and keep this event accessible to the public.

So tonight, our ask is simple.

Please join us, attend this event, help us amplify these stories, and continue supporting the programs and partnerships that makes this work possible.

Recognition matters.

And when we show up for the people doing the work, we strengthen the entire community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any council comments?

You want to go first, and I'll go out and sure.

Okay, wonderful.

I was going to say, we have to take like half a step this way.

Perfect.

And then we'll write in the window.

All right.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Okay, ready?

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

See you tomorrow.

Okay, moving on to our third and final proclamation, last but certainly not least.

Um, our next proclamation is proclaiming May 2026 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

And for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, for this proclamation, I'd like to invite Lewis Griffith, Deputy Director for the Environmental Services Department, Jennifer Camerzell, Division Manager for the Public Works Department, former Judge Art Wong, and all other attendees from the APCC organization to the podium as I read the proclamation.

Come on up.

The more the merrier.

Whereas each May, our nation celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander AAPI month to recognize and celebrate the historic achievements and contribution of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans to our country, state, and community.

And whereas the AAPI community encompasses a vast and diverse group of people with ancestral roots in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands, each with unique histories, cultures, languages, and traditions, bringing together community members from all professions who serve the community.

And whereas since 2021, the City of Tacoma's AAPI Affinity Group has been dedicated to building community and opportunities for Tacoma's AAPI employees.

And employees have since gone beyond Tacoma to lead the efforts to create the first regional board of the international network of AAPI public administrators, focused on the AAPI leaders in public service across Washington.

And whereas Tacoma is enriched by the presence of institutions like the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, which is committed to nurturing and serving our AEPI communities in Tacoma and beyond.

And whereas we give special recognition to Jennifer Camerzell, Public Works Division Manager, and Lewis Griffith, Environmental Services Deputy Director, whose dedication, professional uh professionalism, and forward-thinking leadership have made a meaningful and lasting impact on the City of Tacoma, and whose peers have recognized them as outstanding AAPI leaders for consistently exemplifying excellence in public service, fostering collaboration, and advancing initiatives that strengthen our community.

Now, therefore, I, Andrews Ibsen, Mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council to hereby proclaim May 2026 as Asia Pacific and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Tacoma, and encourage all residents to join me as we celebrate the achievements and the contributions of AAPI community members who enrich our history, society, and culture on the special observance.

Please say a few words.

Good evening, Mayor Ibsen, Deputy Mayor Bushnell, and members of City Council.

It's an honor to be nominated by this amazing group of people that I consider my mentors and friends.

I recognize that we are here to honor the rich history and contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

There's no better example of that diversity than the people who work and support the City of Tacoma.

We've got members on City Council in the executive leadership team, on our management team, on our API affinity group, and within our strong community partners.

Many of us have long recognized the value of our voices because at the core of it, we are a community of immigrants.

I am a second generation Philip Chinese Filipino that hopes to uplift and support those that came before me and those that come after.

Thank you for being here and recognizing the importance of diversity and contributions that the Asian Pacific Islander community and heritage provide.

I'll turn it over to Lewis.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the City Council.

My name is Lewis Griffith, and I serve as the Deputy Director for Environmental Services Department.

I thank you for this proclamation.

I don't take for granted the recognition of Asian and Pacific Islander culture.

I'm half Japanese, and in my own family's history, there were times when my heritage was not fully recognized or valued.

My Japanese American grandparents were incarcerated during World War II at the post and Arizona internment camp.

And I believe that that experience led them to try to assimilate culturally in order to survive and to distance themselves from the culture and identity that were rightfully theirs.

I grew up without a full appreciation of my family's Japanese culture, and without spaces and communities where I could feel like I could celebrate that heritage.

So thank you for this proclamation.

Thank you.

Your Honor.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor, City Council members.

My name is Zark Wong, and I'm here actually as a substitute for Lua Pritchard, so I'm I'll pretend I'm Lua.

I'll speak loudly.

We'll pretend you're Lua too.

And uh but we also have a number of people who are or prepared to speak to you, so I'll I'll be brief.

Actually, I'll I had planned to say a few things, but I'll I'll save them until later when uh Councilmember Sidalgi's uh uh uh resolution has come up, so I'll I'll save that for that.

But in the meantime, let me start by introducing um Kino and Emily Duldallocks.

Good morning.

Uh good morning, I mean, good evening, Mr.

Mayor and respected council members.

I am Naka McKino and I am seven years old.

I go to school.

I go to the city of Tacoma, I am proud to be Filipino, my community.

When I grow up, I am already volunteering Asia Pacific cultures and how my works.

Thank you for this honor today.

Hello, Asian Pacific people in Tacoma.

Hello, Mr.

Mayor, and hello, respected council members.

I'm Emily Dotala, and I am 11 years old.

I'm a proud Filipino American.

My family lives in Tacoma and I go to school here as well.

My goal is to do very well in school so I can be someone valuable in the future to help others, especially my Filipino community.

I know my Filipino people have been working hard to make the city and the state of Washington a better place for everyone.

It is very sad what our immigrant communities are going through today.

Thank you so much.

Next we'll have Alice Fong.

Oh, geez, I thought I was number five.

I did not want to follow the young people.

That's what I was thinking while I was standing there.

Um thank you so much for this proclamation.

My name is Alice Fong.

I am a born and raised Tacoma.

Uh and uh I grew up when we did not have an APCCC.

So seeing organizations like APCC and then seeing uh the work and the um and the um uh highlighting of the uh heritage month means a lot, uh, not just for me as an older person but for our next generation.

And so I really appreciate that.

Um recognizing our past history of uh the Tacoma method and then the um incarceration in terms of our Japanese neighbors and our other neighbors uh all around our um uh our city is very important for us to remember, not because it's you know old stuff, but to prevent it and to really create communities that we are proud of that are safe and that we're connected, and as a chair of the Pierce County Refugee and Immigrant Affairs Commission, um that is exactly what I have learned from Tacoma to do for um our whole um county as well.

And so I thank you all for recognizing and taking this time uh and really appreciate everybody for doing um what they're doing to make this uh city so awesome.

Thanks.

Bye.

And next we have Suzanne Park.

Thank you, Mayor Ibsen and uh Tacoma City Council members, City Manager Kim, and our community leaders Art Wine and Greg Tembera, who's like hiding over there.

I'm Suzanne Pack of Answers Counseling and formerly Korean Women's Association.

Lua Pritchard of APCC and I were previously invited to speak during your 2021 AAPI proclamation at the height of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic.

Since then, Deputy Mayor Joey Bushnell has become the first Cambodian American to be elected to office in Washington State.

And we are also joined by City Council Member Sadaj.

K-pop concerts are being held annually at Tacoma Dome for tens of thousands of fans across the country.

Asia Pacific Culture Center's Samoan Culture Week, whom I I've seen all of you there, and New Year's celebrations draw thousands of Washingtonians to Tacoma.

And Uwa Jimaya is returning to its founding roots in Tacoma for the first time since 1940.

These are not only moments of immense cultural pride for us as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, but innovative economic engines that bring in jobs to Tacoma.

We thank you for your commitment to making Tacoma stronger through diversity and inclusion.

Roddy Um.

That's what happened for been short.

Um good evening, honorable mayor, deputy mayor, and honorable city council member.

My name is Raddy Mayum.

Uh it is a true it is truly an honor to stand before you today and receive this proclamation on behalf of Asian American Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.

I wanted to begin expressing my sincere gratitude for this recognition and for the opportunity to share a small piece of my story and my community.

I am proud to be Asian and especially proud to be Cambodian.

I am also a refugee survivor of Kumai Ru Genocide.

My roots are deeply connected to a culture rich in history, resilience, and beauty.

It became my home.

It is where I have grown their relationships and found meaningful ways to get back to the community.

Living here has given me the opportunity to share who I am with others at time.

That means sharing my story as Cambodian American, a refugee survivor of the Khmeru genocide and Adam means it's time sharing beauty of my culture through traditional dance and community engagement.

I am the founder of the Cambodian Classicals and Folk Dance of the Northwest, a group that very close to my heart.

Through this organization, we preserve and pass on our tradition, telling story and connect our past to present.

It is our way of honoring our ancestor while also educating and inspiring younger generations.

And through spaces like APCC, a true culture hub for our community.

We continue to gather, celebrate, and stay connected to who we are.

Today, I stand here not only as individual, but as a representative of a community that has overcome many challenges and continues to contribute so much to this region.

I am grateful for the space that allow us to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Thank you so much for this incredible honor and opportunity to speak today.

It truly means a great deal to me and to our community.

Thank you.

I do want to apologize that Lua was not able to make it here.

She's in Spokane today, and so but it you can see it takes all of us to uh make up for it.

But uh I appreciate also just the fact that that this is a recognition both of community groups such as the Asian Pacific Cultural Center and of city employees and city staff who play a key role in doing things.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for all your comments.

It looks like we have some comments from uh council members uh Sadalgay and the Deputy Mayor.

Uh thank you, Mayor, and I do want to give TVE an opportunity to pan and see everyone over here, because I don't think everyone fits on uh on the camera uh while I'm talking because it is uh you know I'm just so proud to see so many people here, uh so many people that I've seen out in community uh over and over and over again.

Um I'm gonna echo some of the the words from the youngest people that talked over here, which is you know, now more than ever, right?

It feels like we we say that too often, but right now, now more than ever, it is so important that we share and celebrate our diversity, our heritage, our culture, and often at the APCC, our food with one another.

Um, we do have a history that needs to that we need to learn from.

And we shouldn't hide from it.

And the way we learn from that history is by what a lot of you did and that I really appreciate, which is share your stories with one another.

Because humans, when we share our stories and we have connections, we learn that we're just another person.

And and yes, we're gonna have some resolutions and ordinances that are coming.

And I'm realizing as I'm sitting here that a lot of what we end up saying can be surmised and summarized as just saying we don't want this federal government to shut us up and silence us.

So when I see a large group like this, it really makes me feel so much better because they're we're all allies here.

I want to especially thank um uh the city staff that shared their stories.

Uh I didn't appreciate until I was in this position how important it is to have reper representation at this level.

Um, I've I've gone to a few schools and I've had students um who are AAPI that have basically uh said, I didn't know you could be in a position of responsibility like this because it'd never seen anyone.

And you guys are all that.

You guys do that all the time, and that's one of the most important uh aspects and city city employees, right?

You're you're out there interacting, and representation matters because we want to be visible.

That's part of the issue we have with what's happening right now, is they want to make us invisible.

So and that ultimately is the reason why I asked TV to pan out to show everyone because we're not invisible.

Um I appreciate you all being here.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments, Deputy Mayor.

Uh thank you, Mayor, and uh I just ditto everything Councilmember Sidalga said.

Just thank you so much for all of you, everything you're doing out in the community.

Um everyone here is is serving our community in some form or fashion.

Uh and you know, I grew up being told you need to be a doctor or a lawyer and this, that, and the other.

But there are there are so many ways that our community shows up and so many ways that we can serve, whether it's in city government, whether it's at a nonprofit, whether it's mental health services and support.

Uh and each of you have played a vital role in supporting this community.

And and everybody's commun uh journey here, um, you know, me being uh first generation, second generation.

I'm the first of my mother to be here in the US.

So everyone's journey came here differently, but we all are unified in that we want to support one another, um, that we want to support uh our communities, um, and that we want to make sure that um we're all visible and that our stories are being shared, our cultures are being shared, and that we can work together to make sure everybody knows that very loudly, very clearly.

Um so thank you all so much for being here.

Um I'm I'm very proud to be Cambodian as well, as um Mingradi uh is as well.

Um and I'm as as Councilmember Sidal said, uh, you know, representation is super important.

And and that really hit home for me when I had a young lady uh when I first was elected drove all the way down from Bellingham.

She was Cambodian.

Uh I was doing uh a ceremony at uh uh what um Sumaki uh over in McKinley, and she drove all the way down uh just to say thank you, and and she felt seen, and I that really just was extremely impactful to me.

And so to our city manager, you know, uh making history here as well.

I just it it is so important to be seen, and I just really appreciate every single one of you helping to do that.

So thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

Councilmember Scott.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um thank you all for being here.

I won't take too much time.

I just wanted to speak specifically to uh the young the young girl that was talking.

Uh no, you yeah.

And you're saying that uh you want to be a world changer, change maker in the future, and I just want to let you know that you can do that right now, and you're doing it now by sitting here with people and and talking about your heritage and your culture and sharing that with us and and standing here today.

So anytime you think that uh you have to wait till later, just tell yourself that you can do it now too.

Thank you all.

Are there any additional council comments?

Well, what I'll summarize in saying is that we are so glad to have you all here.

You are not simply a value part of Tacoma, you are Tacoma.

And we are we are all so much richer for you having uh joined us and for all of your immense wonderful efforts.

So uh please, on behalf of the Tacoma City Council, accept one more round of applause and please come forward to accept your proclamations.

If anybody else is ANHPI and they want to come up and join us for this photo, please do so.

I want to take a picture.

I am.

Thank you.

Hi!

Yeah, I'm gonna score.

Yeah, I'm gonna sleep.

Okay.

Alright.

I can let's see.

Young.

If we can get everybody on this side, just come in like two or three more steps.

There we go.

All right.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Oh.

Okay.

Oh, that's much easier.

Okay.

One, two, three.

We're just taking everybody continue to smile.

Great job.

Okay.

Okay.

Everybody for papers.

One, two, three.

Okay.

Okay.

Now we can unlock at the other phone.

Oh my god.

Thank you so much, everyone.

We're gonna continue with the meeting.

Moving on to public comment.

Yep.

Moving on to public comment.

If folks can keep their voices down, please.

Thank you.

Moving on to public comment on tonight's agenda.

There is one opportunity for people to comment.

Under public comment tonight, you can 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 is not meant to be a back and forth.

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

If you want to speak under the public comment period, please 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's your turn to speak.

Clerk, please read.

This is a time set aside for public comments.

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

Okay, 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.

If you cannot remain on topic, you'll be given two warnings, and if you remain off topic, we'll have to move on and we'll end your time.

With that, I'm gonna call on to the people who signed in.

We're gonna start with John Scott, followed by Merrick's Castro.

Uh congratulations on your first sermon to the members of the city council.

My name is John Scott.

I first chose Tacoma when I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2024.

I am proud to still call Tacoma home today.

Even when my career required commuting to Olympia or Kent, I kept my home right here in Tacoma.

I am here to speak in support of resolution number four one nine zero four for the film task force.

As a film school graduate, I know the city has the character and stories to be a creative hub.

Investing in this task force is a vital step towards keeping creative professionals in our community.

I also want to speak to the hiring freeze.

I understand the fiscal constraints.

I don't own a car, and commuting outside of Tacoma meant expensive ride shares and unreliable transit.

But I managed because I had flexibility.

But I wanted to think about the college student or the parent who needs to work close to home.

If it's hard for me to serve the city I choose, I imagine how hard it is for them.

Tacoma is worth investing in.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Hi there.

Thank you so much, Honorable Mayor and City Council for recognizing Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

I just want to share a little bit of history on that.

That um the term Asian American is a political term that did not come about until the arrival of the term African American.

And so it's really born out of this term of us seeing what the black community has done to mobilize and drop strength in power, and that also mobilized us in our community.

So this month actually would not be around without fighting for these rights for African Americans as well.

So I wanted to share that, and I thank you.

And I also wanted to share that it is such a powerful thing to be here in the city of Tacoma, where we do have such a powerful representation.

We also had Chief Staling's Alaima come join us uh for that photo, who is the first Samoan ever to serve as fire chief, Deputy Mayor Bushnell, who's the first Khamae ever elected in Washington State history, our city manager Kim.

And um I just want to say that representation is not only something that we see, but something that we feel and something that heals.

Um it was mentioned earlier during the height of the pandemic, they received that proclamation.

Uh those aren't just words.

We were terrified to gather, but to still show up and to still say that we love ourselves and we love our people despite the hate is a powerful message to be sharing, especially in this climate today.

So thank you so much for your service and all that you do.

Thank you.

Deliva Green, followed by Art Wong.

Hi, I'm Delilah Green.

I attend Foss High School, and I would like to speak on the section 41902 services to be included for our community service.

Last week we had an incident at our school that uh made worldwide news where we had a mass stabbing in our hallway.

Um it was been really hard for students to come back to school, especially thinking about leaving school and thinking about going online now because they're too afraid for another incident to happen.

This week we had lots of support from our community, and I saw how comfortable it was for other students and how they felt better coming to school.

And I feel that we should have more support like that at our school to help students feel more safe.

Thank you.

And thank you for coming forward.

Art Wong.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor Council members.

My name is Art Wong.

Um I'm speaking on behalf of uh Councilmember Sidalga's uh resolution.

Originally I had planned to speak about things generally was as part of the uh Asian Heritage Month resolution, but it occurred to me that this might be a good time to share a personal story.

And the personal story is as I was preparing and thinking about what to say for the Asian Heritage Month, it finally occurred to me that I have a that uh there are personal effects of the different things that the federal government is doing.

One of the things that's under consideration now has been birthright citizenship, going back to the case of Yikwo and uh one of the Chinese who originally established the notion of birthright citizenship, being born in the U.S.

I've known all of you.

You've known me.

Uh I've been an American citizen for 77 years, and it finally occurred to me as I was preparing for this yesterday.

I was thinking, you know, my American citizenship could be under question because although I was born in the US, my parents, my father was counsel general uh in for the national the old nationalist government of China at the time.

So under the rationale used and being presented to the Supreme Court, I would not be considered a citizen potentially.

So that is in uh for those of you who know me, that's probably an incredible consideration.

I mean, it's just struck me as just being totally novel and something that frankly uh I had never considered before.

I would literally be a man without a country.

So just appreciate this restraints that are necessary to to curb some of the federal govern actions on immigration.

So thank you.

Thank you.

All right, we have two speakers uh who have uh signed in.

April, followed by Lydia Zapeta.

Hello, I'm speaking to resolution or no ordinance two nine one zero four amending Title 17.

And just want to thank you all again for clarifying the definitions and helping the animals that don't have voices for themselves.

So thank you, and I hope that this passes tonight.

Appreciate your comments.

Lydia.

Yes, thank you.

My name is Lydia Zapeta, District 3.

Um thank you.

Um I'm gonna be speaking on ordinance 29105 and also resolution 41905.

Um 29105 is one of the things that the Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, um SIRA has been advocating for.

Um I'd like to really urge you to vote for it.

And also on a question of clarification whether public schools are included in municipal property.

I also want to speak in support of resolution 41905.

I'm glad the city is reiterating its support of Washington state laws and calling on Congress to make changes in immigration funding and policies.

But I ask that the City Council also include in its resolution concrete support for immigrants that are within its power to provide.

Um some examples are things like putting a um a permanent line item in the budget for nonprofits to provide illegal services and phone calls to those who are detained at the detention facility.

Uh this is a concrete way to provide um support to defend the rights and permit communication by immigrants who are detained at the detention facility, who have no right to free counsel or free phone calls.

I also urge them to make really clear language and outreach about the guidance towards officers and communic and community about what we can expect from TPD when actual or supposed federal agents are harassing immigrants.

Both officers and community are confused, and we need clarification.

Again, thank you for the ordinance and the resolution, and thank you very much.

Appreciate your comments as well.

Thank you.

Alma Viegas.

Hello, thank you so much for uh having me speak.

I want to echo what Lydia just uh provide testimony.

I'm Alma Villagas, and I am in support of resolution 41905 and ordinance 29105 as well.

Uh I want to thank you all for uh listening to community, something we've been asking for quite some time now, uh, and move forward on both of these um positions.

Uh but I do want to stress that um that you know I attended the study session earlier today, heard a lot about you know what you can do that's within your control, how you are limited, and and some of the things that you cannot do.

Uh and two of the very, very uh things that is within your control are one is uh ensuring and making commitment that is a permanent, and I will stress permanent line item in the budget, in support of uh of uh detainees at the detention center, as we've been requesting, and then second, to please provide clarity uh for the Tacoma Police Department on what they will do in the event that I shows up in our communities and so that the community members can know what to expect.

Um we provided some information uh a couple months ago with uh uh language, suggested language, uh uh, and clearly asking for definition of what interference means.

And that's one example.

So we urge the council to follow up on those two asks uh as well.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

So with that, it looks like we have everyone who's signed in um uh who has spoken.

So we're gonna close public comment and move on to the meeting.

Thank you, everyone, for speaking.

Moving on to our regular agenda, item number 10 under resolutions.

This item will have a PowerPoint presentation.

Clerk, please read.

Resolution 41902, a resolution authorizing the submittal of the annual action plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and authorizing the execution of agreements to support housing, community, and economic development, and public service activities.

I move to adopt resolution number 41902.

Moved and seconded, I'd like to call on Felicia Midlin.

Uh good evening, Council.

Um good evening, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and City Council.

So I'm just gonna be before you briefly to go over the final steps of the annual action plan.

Uh next slide, please.

So this is our 2026 grant.

Um it's covering three programs our CDBG block grant, the home investment partnerships program, and emergency solutions grant.

And so the totals are on your screen.

We have about 2.4 million from CDBG, 208,000 for 200, yeah, 28,000 for emergency solutions grant, and then our home grant comes in at just over a million seven five.

Next slide, please.

So these programs are all going to serve households at 80 percent AMI and below.

However, our shelter programs do serve households that are usually between zero and thirty percent.

And then our other two categories, which are housing programs and economic development uh efforts across the city, those go up to 80 percent.

And we're looking at homeownership opportunities and also small bridges, small business uh and microenterprise business efforts, and then we have some set aside for admin as well, and this is all under the CDBG grant.

Uh next slide, please.

So our two programs, so ESG, again, that's going to be serving um shelter operations, and then we have some rapid rehousing dollars there, also a little bit of administration, and then under the home program, we're looking at um housing programs within the city of Tacoma and also housing programs in the city of Lakewood, and then we have an administrative set aside with that as well.

All of those programs are outlined in our annual action plan, which is the document that we have to submit to be eligible for these grants.

Next slide, please.

So the recommendation and the request of council tonight is that they approve the that you all approve the annual action plan so we can submit that document to HUD.

That also includes authorization for some sub-recipient agreements, which will allow us to implement and deploy those dollars uh once we receive them.

And so that's the third thing that we're looking for tonight.

Um this is all the culmination of a 30-day comment period as well that ended on this past Friday uh May 1st.

Um, and so we've done a lot of um external kind of outreach and engagement to get input on this plan as well as we moved it forward for your consideration of final action tonight.

Um that concludes my presentation.

I'm happy to answer any additional questions before you all.

Thank you, Ms.

Medlin.

Are there any council questions or comments?

Deputy Mayor.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Just wanted to uh clarify um we we're doing this jointly with the City of Lakewood because it helps us capture a lot more grant support uh for these programs, is that correct?

Correct.

That's um and it's specific to the home program, our partnership with Lakewood.

Great.

I just wanted to shade say that's a really great example of of us as a city working together with our other partners to really maximize the benefit to our region.

So I just wanted uh point that out.

Thank you.

All right.

Seeing no other council comments or questions.

Are there uh seeing that there are no further comments or questions?

All those in favor of adopting resolution number 41902, please signify by saying aye.

Those opposed to say nay.

Resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to item 11.

Quick, please read.

Resolution 41903, a resolution authorizing the execution of an amendment to the agreement with the Nisqually Indian tribe in the amount of four million eight hundred and thirty-one thousand one hundred and sixty-two dollars to extend jail housing and services for an amount not to exceed five million three hundred and thirty-one thousand one hundred and sixty-two dollars retroactive to April 1st, 2026 through April 1st, 2028, with the option to renew for up to five additional one-year periods.

I move to adopt resolution number 41903.

Second.

Moved and seconded, I'd like to call on City Attorney Chris Potchett.

Thank you, Mayor.

Deputy Mayor, members of the council, Chris Bochus, City Attorney.

Um, as the clerk indicated, this contract amendment would authorize an extension of the current agreement through April of 2028, and increase the compensation under that agreement for jail services from $500,000 to a total of $5,331,162, an increase of $4,831,162.

Tacoma has contracted with the Nisqually tribe for jail services since 2015 when the city ended its jail services agreement with the City of Fife and contracted with Pierce County Jail for primary jail services.

We contracted the same time with Nisqually Tribe because we had an agreement with the county that we can only have 75 beds or inmates in custody at any given time.

And so we needed a place to house uh inmates once we exceeded the bed capacity.

And so Nisqually Tribe was um available and willing to contract with the city for um those jail services.

Uh and so we were routinely transferring prisoners to Nisqually after arraignment uh because we were uh well over the 75 beds, usually we're around 115 to 120.

Um in 2019-2020, we experienced COVID, which significantly impacted the Pierce County jail's capacity to continue to house City of Tacoma inmates as well as felons and uh inmates from other jurisdictions.

And so the role that Nisqually had changed under our contract to providing overflow services uh to having a much more significant role in taking our inmates.

We also saw a significant reduction in the number of inmates in custody.

We're no longer meeting our 75 bed capacity requirements uh with Pierce County, and in fact, our agreement with Pierce County at the time was a take or pay agreement, meaning we paid for 75 beds whether we used it or not.

Um and we were able to um in the last few years negotiate a new agreement with Pierce County, they still suffer from staffing shortages.

Uh and so under our current agreement with Pierce County, all inmates, once they are arraigned, um and if they're still held in custody or transferred to Nisqually uh to be housed until um their next hearing date until uh their uh criminal charges are adjudicated by the court.

Um we have had an outstanding um relationship with Nisqually uh jail and the Nisqually tribe.

They've been very accommodating to all of the issues that have come up, in particular transportation, because moving inmates back and forth between Thurston County um and uh Tacoma has been a trying experience, um, and we are still working our way through that.

And we thank the tribe for being available and accommodating to us.

Um but we're also um need to amend the contract to increase uh the jail services compensation.

We're a little bit behind in our payments because we reached our maximum of a $500,000 quite some time ago, is actually last year.

Uh and so this amendment uh has been a long time in coming.

Uh we've tried to project what our future jail capacity needs would be so we could adjust the contract based upon those projections.

Uh it's really impossible to know with any level of certainty uh uh what our capacity needs are and what the maximum contract price should be.

This is our best effort and best guess at what um will cover us through a five-year term.

So happy to answer any questions if you have any.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Councilman Rumbaugh.

Um Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I um Chris, I'm just curious, did why did we end our contract with FIFE?

That's uh Is that is that like a question I can't ask?

It's okay.

Our city manager was actually uh uh knowledgeable uh about that.

All I would say is that it wasn't working out.

Okay, okay.

But I can turn it over to him.

Okay, actually, I I can I can speak to this without any discomfort, Councilmember Rumbaugh.

Um, the City of Fife at that time, uh we terminated our jail contract and we actually um contracted with SCORE jail in CTAC.

Um so the City of uh Fife eliminated that service.

Uh okay, thank you for answering that.

Okay, thanks.

Councilman Palmer.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I was just gonna note that I gonna vote no on this just mainly because I I'm sure Nisqually is doing a wonderful job at you know that these services, but um I haven't really heard as far as like uh alternatives to this service or um what our all of our options are here, and so um for a lack of knowledge around this area and and in information, um I'm going to be voting no.

Okay, Councilman Hans.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh Chris, the question would be so the the we're voting to it to authorize an amount to not exceed $5,331,000.

That we're not agreeing to spend that amount right now, correct?

That's correct.

So we we had in the past authorized $500,000.

And then now we're kind of coming in putting that in line and allocating the number we think is gonna may meet our needs in the future.

Correct.

Okay.

All right.

No, uh I you know thank you for explaining that, Chris.

I mean, just to go back in time a little bit.

I do remember during the COVID times where we had uh a lot of challenges with people who were cited and arrested for pretty serious misdemeanors that were unable to be booked into jail and were causing ongoing harm in the community.

Um is at the time during COVID that the jail basis said if you were not unless you were a violent felon, we weren't booking anybody.

Um I am I remembering that correctly.

That's correct.

The jail had to implement standards and was only accepting certain types of misdemeanor defenders like domestic violence and DUIs.

Yeah.

That hasn't changed an awful lot under the new contract.

Yeah, I I think that's just uh what so that just the reality of that situation was we had many people in the community where people had committed serious crimes against people and property that were instead of being you know held not only for the community safety, but probably for their own sake to kind of get connected to services and and have access to resources, uh, we're being out of turned back out into the community over and over again.

So um I uh this is while I'm not excited about us transporting people back and forth between Thurston County.

I do recognize this fills a gap that was clearly identified during COVID that is hasn't been yet filled.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

Uh thank you, Mayor, and thank you for for your explosion.

I was actually kind of my my next question from Councilmember Heinz's uh discussion here is is what does it look like to have our Pierce County jail meet the capacity needs for the City of Tacoma?

Uh and uh are we still under contract for 75 beds?

And it sounds like we've renegotiated.

But I I I want to know what what when when when do we know we've succeeded in in having our capacity needs met?

So our current agreement with Pierce County uh allows us to book offenders, misdemeanor offenders, people that have violated the Tacoma Municipal Code, allows them to be booked and held through arraignment.

And under that agreement, they will be released after arraignment, regardless of whether they're held on bail unless we have an alternate to take them to.

And that's why we have the contract with the Squally.

And I should mention that in 2015, uh, when we were contracting with FIFE, there was a certain there was FIFE was providing an electronic home monitoring service through a vendor.

We entered into, after an RFP, a contract with a vendor to provide electronic home monitoring services as an alternative to incarceration.

Um that's been used uh um uh successfully by the courts.

Um the data shows that it's being used more and more frequently as an alternative to uh bail or alternative to incarceration.

We also contracted with uh Yakima County uh as an alternate for um incarceration.

That was for long-term commitments.

Um we ended that relationship.

We just didn't use it very much in the squally's the reason we were using Yakima was it was a lot less expensive than either Nisqually or Pierce County.

Um but we just weren't using it enough, and that and it was hard for people uh for families to meet with their loved ones all the way over in Yacoma.

So uh our current relationship with Ms.

Qually works out pretty well, and we are working on the transport issues and hope to solve those at some point uh this year.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any further questions?

See none, all those in favor of adopting a resolution number 41903.

Please signify by saying aye.

I was supposed to say nay.

Nay.

Resolution is declared adopted.

Item number 12, Cork, please read.

Resolution 41904, a resolution authorizing the one-time use of council contingency funds and the amount of ten thousand dollars to sponsor the Tacoma Film Task Force.

I move to adopt resolution number four one nine zero four.

Movement seconded, I'd like to call on Councilmember Scott.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I'm excited to bring my proposal for a council contingency fund request to support the Grand Cinemas Task Film Task Force to a vote tonight.

Uh during the past couple of years, I've been meeting with people who are engaged in the filmmaking community and trying to find ways to expand and enhance the film industry here in Tacoma.

Filmmaking is not just an important part of the of our creative commun uh of the work our creative community is doing.

It's also a powerful economic development tool.

Filmmaking can foster a wide range of jobs, engagement with our local businesses, and even tourism.

However, uh Tacoma only issued 11 film permits last year.

Meanwhile, Seattle issued about 360, and even more importantly, the permitted projects in Seattle helped employ more than 4,000 local crew and cast members.

Tacoma should be attracting more film projects.

We have fantastic loc uh locations, great hotels and parking lots for film crews to use.

Plus, we have a great community of people who work in the industry living right here.

This proposal would provide 10,000 dollars in council contingency funds to help the grand cinema launch a film task force that can help elevate Tacoma as a film-friendly city.

The task force would have a diverse range of participants, and their scope of work would include developing recommendations for the City Council on code and permitting updates, enhancing connectivity, and much more.

I'm especially excited about this task force because one of the key themes I often hear is that our filmmaking community has a lot of energy and passion, uh, but it lacks organization and leadership.

I think we can help fix this.

And I want to thank my EDC colleagues uh for co-sponsoring this proposal, and I hope you will all join us in voting yes tonight.

Thank you, Councilmember Scott.

Are there any other council comments?

Thank you very much for bringing this forward.

All those in favor of adopting resolution number 41904, please signify by saying aye.

Those supposed to say nay.

Resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to item number thirteen.

Clerk, please read.

Resolution 41905, a resolution condemning the broader pattern of overzealous, unjust and dangerous enforcement actions carried out during recent Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions, reaffirming the city's long-standing opposition to private for-profit detention centers, supporting oversight of operations at the Northwest Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center, calling on Congress to take steps to ensure Federal Immigration Enforcement Agencies operate under clear standards and provide real accountability when those standards are violated, and calling on State Leaders to take further action to reaffirm the underlying principles of the Keep Washington Working Act.

I move to adopt resolution number 41905.

Moving second, I would like to call on Councilmember Sidalaga.

Thank you, uh Mayor.

And um I want to thank everyone on Council for considering what will become a substitute resolution in a second, I believe.

Um but I'll do my comments at this point.

Um I want to thank you for um basically our continued commitment to supporting uh Tacoma's immigrants and refugee community.

This Federal Administration continues to promote actions and policies that sow fear and anxiety in our community.

And I've said, and as I've said before, you know, as a foreign born immigrant myself, I understand those profound uh anxiety in our community, but I'm also so appreciative of all of us on this council who have been unanimous in our solidarity with our um uh immigrant and refugee uh neighbors in and in actions that we've done to protect um that community.

Uh this is a timely resolution given not only our recognition of the AAPI community, but it builds on over a decade of work uh that this council has done and showcases how the Tacoma City Council continues to research and investigate every opportunity to take action on behalf of our residents.

Last week, members of the City Council in Solidarity with Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown and scores of community leaders and residents stood in front of the Northwest Ice Processing Center as they announced their legal action against the geo group against Geo Group, the private company that owns and operates uh the uh NWIPC to ask the court order Geo Group to follow state law and to allow inspectors from the State Department of Health into the immigration detention facility to investigate the more than 3,500 complaints from detainees about conditions in that facility.

Through this resolution, we emphatically reiterate that the Tacoma City Council condemns the broader pattern of overzealous, unjust, and dangerous enforcement actions carried out during the recent Federal Immigration Enforcement Active.

This resolution also builds upon all the advocacy work we've done as a council and as a city during the last legislative session, when the state advanced four bills to strengthen protections for immigrants and refugees.

And it also shows our willingness to be partners with um our State and Federal uh delegation for further actions.

When we pass the resolution tonight, this the City Council will reiterate our calls for the United States Congress to include meaningful and significant guardrails on the U.S.

Department of Homeland Security and how it operates in our communities, including requiring DHS to obtain a judicial warrant prior to enforcement actions, ceasing the use of masked agents during immigration enforcement operations, and ensuring independent and transparent investigations are conducted at all federal agent and law enforcement involved deaths.

The City Council will also affirm our longstanding support for the Keep Washington Working Act and calls on state leaders to continue close monitoring and oversight of state agency data sharing agreements with federal agencies to perform a formal review to ensure that all state agencies are fully compliant with the provisions of the act and to provide additional training and guidance to local governments regard regarding local law enforcement responses to activities conducted by the U.S.

immigration and customs enforcement, particularly where concerns arise regarding legality of such actions.

And this is particularly important because this supports our our neighboring jurisdictions and municipalities in understanding what they can also do.

In conclusion, Tacomans have been loud and clear on these issues and their desire to see the city council take a stand on these issues.

This resolution is a targeted approach to call on our policymakers and state and federal government with the authority to take these actions and improve the quality of life for all residents in Tacoma.

And at the end, I also want to add, based on what we heard earlier, we do not want to be silenced.

We cannot make these people that are in our community invisible.

We believe in fundamental human rights.

And at the end of the day, we want to be able to share our stories with one another.

So I look for your support in this resolution.

Thank you.

Are there any other council comments?

Councilmember Dioz, followed by Councilmember Palmer.

Thank you.

Is now a good moment to speak to the substitute, or would you like me to hold that?

Okay.

Councilmember Palmer, and then we can hear your motion.

How about that?

Good.

Do you have a comment, Councilmember Palmer?

Yes, sorry.

I'm just hoping this is the right time to say it.

I wanted to thank Councilmember Sidalgay for allowing me to sign on to this.

We all know that this is a huge concern and a huge issue for folks in the community.

We are all horrified at what's happening around the nation and in our backyard with ICE enforcement.

And I wanted to be very clear that that is not something that any of us welcome in Tacoma.

And we know that our authority when it uh comes to ICE is very limited, but I want to make sure that folks know that I and I know my colleagues uh want to ensure that our city does not support or benefit from any actions that degrade or harm our community members.

Uh we celebrate our immigrant and and refugee community um by proclamations and and and other meaningful support as well.

Um I encourage everyone to learn about their rights and stand in solidarity with those who are being unfairly targeted.

I also include encourage all agencies and organizations in our city, including the Tacoma Police Department, to continue updating and clarifying their engagement with ICE and their services that support our immigrant community.

So while this is absolutely a step in the right direction, I know that none of us are going to be done looking for other opportunities to support our community members.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Diaz, you have a motion.

Yes.

Um move as a substitute substitute resolution number 41905.

Second.

All right.

Are there any council questions or comments?

All right, the vote is on the substitution of resolution.

I don't have comments on my substitute.

Yes, uh, I apologize.

I didn't see your comments.

That's okay.

You didn't look up.

That's why I was assist.

Um I wanted to speak to the substitute I just motioned or that we're voting on now.

Um I want to thank Councilmember Sidalgay first for his leadership on the entire resolution.

It was a team sport for sure, at least between the two of us, and definitely community members and council members were able to give some feedback, especially after it was posted in the packet.

Um, just because of quorum rules, that's usually the way that we're able to solicit the most feedback is once the public has good eyes on it.

With that in mind, we had a couple of um items that came forward from stakeholders, different council members that I wanted to highlight in the substitute and make sure that we incorporated, because we have been working on this resolution for months.

Um things have changed over that time, so there's been some additional work and just some work that um uh other council colleagues have been working on that we wanted to make sure was included.

So, with that said, um our my substitute speaks to the um the press conference that council colleagues and I attended last week that Councilmember Sidalgay mentioned, where we stood with Governor Bob Ferguson and attorney general Nick Brown to be in support of their legal action against the GEO group, the pirate private company that owns and operates the NWIPC and asked the court to order the geo group to allow inspectors from the State Health Department into the immigration detention facility to ensure that they are following state law in there and that they investigate those more than 3,500 complaints that folks have received from the detainees about the facility.

I know that those are just the complaints that the AG's office and the governor's office have compiled.

We have heard those complaints, several of them here at this council and in the community, so we know that they are they're active complaints, and we're really um grateful that this work is moving forward.

Um so we wanted to honor that in the resolution.

We also wanted to incorporate some feedback around the ongoing oversight the governor's office has done to monitor state data sharing agreements with ICE and Customs and Border Patrol and make sure that we're urging the governor to continue that important work.

Um and we lastly wanted to make sure that we do some grammatical edits and um make sure we honor the work that this council has done in the past to uh advocate for the passage of Senate bill or substitute substitute house bill 1470 and engrossed Senate substitute House Bill 1232 that both allowed the State Health Department to get into the facility, which is the subject of the lawsuit, and um the city has been working, um, particularly I think Councilmember Walker and staff have been working on collaborating on the rulemaking process to make sure that we get more folks into the facility and lay the groundwork for making sure that there is more oversight.

Um and that is very important work that we wanted to not miss the opportunity as we're working collaboratively in this entire resolution to really make the case and state all of the work that the city or I give a broad overview of all of the work the city has done over at least the past decade.

Um definitely pre-dating Councilmember Sidalgay and I and others on making sure that this detention center that it's in our area is held accountable, that they are treating our now residents, detainees in a way that is humane, and um making sure that the community knows that we have been leading on this issue and that we're gonna continue to lead on this issue, and particularly around not just what we do here at the council, but how we advocate with our state and federal leaders to make sure that they know how Tacoma feels and that we want to make sure that our communities are safe.

So those are some of the main highlights I wanted to highlight in the substitute.

I'll have other remarks on the final passage.

Thank you, Councilmember Diaz.

We have a comment from Councilmember Walker.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, thank you, Councilmember Diaz.

Thank you for including um my suggestions from study session today.

Um I think even with these small uh changes for the substitute.

We've um we of course with um more eyes on and the community weighing in, we have a better uh final product.

So very happy to support um councilmember Diaz and Councilmember Sidalga in this um resolution and my co-sponsor, Councilmember Palmer.

Um I think it I I will just repeat what uh council member Diaz said about this highlighting the work, all the work that's been done to date um and uh of absolutely before I got here, but before uh but at least for the past six and a half years since I've been here in working through the state legislature, working with our federal partners.

Um it is clear that this council's priority is being a welcoming city um to everyone who is here, and um it truly is part of Tacoma's identity.

Um so I think this is just one more way we can show that and be really public about that.

Um I also made a note earlier today about um just a big thank you to our federal delegation.

We're really lucky here in Pierce County to have great people working at the federal level, representative Randall, Representative Strickland, um, and of course our senators Murray and Cantwell, um, and I appreciate them being a partner in a in a tough environment.

Um the last thing I would just mention, because I know uh um some of the public comment mentioned it too is that we are working on um additional information on our website, and we talked about that a little bit at study session.

And even though that's not part of the resolution, it is work that is happening um at the council or sorry, at the city staff level, and we will make sure that that's public when um when it gets up on the website.

So um thanks again, uh councilmember Diaz, and thank you, Mayor, for the time.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

The vote is on the substitution of resolution number 41905.

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to saying.

Motion is declared adopted.

Substitute resolution number 41905 is now before us.

Are there any additional council comments or questions on the substituted resolution?

Council Murray's.

Thank you.

So and a couple more remarks I wanted to make just because the last one was more substantive, and this one is more um sort of opinion and and narrative, I guess I would call call it.

Um I didn't want to let the moment go by on how much work had gone into this resolution.

A lot of community feedback was incorporated, a lot of historical knowledge was put into it.

I'm sure there will be things that we miss.

There's also a lot of effort to try to make it evergreen so that when we need to eventually address this topic again.

This federal government is not changing anytime soon, and so we know that there's going to be new different attacks in the future, and so we're gonna keep our eyes on that, making sure that we're being proactive.

Um we also have another ordinance I'll speak to later today about how some of that ongoing work continues to happen.

Um but I I didn't want this resolution that really sort of states our history and and explains where we're at and where we want to go and keep keeping oversight without saying that um nationwide, one in five workers in the U.S.

wasn't born here.

Quite frankly, one of nine on our council wasn't born here, right?

Um in four kids in the U.S.

has an immigrant parent.

Three of your nine on this Tacoma City Council have immigrant parent.

Ummigrants are the fabric of our community here in Tacoma and our nation.

And we're the fabric and backbone of our economy.

We pay taxes, we take care of our elders, we take care of our youth, we do those in both our own families and in service through careers.

We are public servants, we are military professionals, we are all of the things that every other neighbor that you have in this community is and are.

And it is really important for this council to continue to iterate that because a lot of our neighboring jurisdictions, quite frankly, don't.

A lot of our neighboring states don't.

Um, and I think for us to be a city who has answered the calls from our community in this way is very critical and very important.

Um I, for example, am a queer person, individual woman with birthright citizenship.

It is not easy for me to be loud about how much I am disgusted with the federal government, the way that they treat us, the way that they treat my neighbors, but it is important, and I'm gonna continue to do that work, and this council is going to continue to do that work, whether or not the target is on us or not, because we know that at any given day the target can move.

And if it's not us today, it could be us tomorrow.

So I just wanted to make sure that I am very clear that this is not some little light rubber stamp resolution.

This is important, it's impactful, and it has been meaningful work to work on.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Diaz, and to all the co-sponsors for your bravery in moving this forward as well as your constancy.

We hear the frustration and the fear from so many of our neighbors in the community and as well as the the righteous, very good impatience about what more can we be doing.

Um, how much more can can we take before we take even further action?

And this that's exactly what this resolution represents is not just performative statements, but real concrete steps that the city has been taking and will continue to examine.

Um I, as well as my colleagues, have been in Olympia testifying on behalf of real actionable um policies as well as uh further directions that the state and local communities like Tacoma can do to protect your immigrant communities.

We are a si a city and a larger community and a nation of immigrants, and we'll continue to stand resolutely with all uh members of our community.

So with that, I'm very much in support of this and thank you once again to the to the sponsors for bringing this forward.

So, with that, all those in favor of adopting substitute resolution number 41905, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to say nay.

The substitute resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to final reading of ordinances.

Quick, please read.

Item number 14.

Ordinance 29104 and ordinance amending Title 17 of the municipal code relating to animal control by amending chapters 17.01 and 17.02 to clarify definitions and requirements for the adequate care, humane restraint and confinement of animals.

This item was presented last week.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

I have to call on Councilmember Heinz.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um just take some final comments about this.

I I talked about it at the study session two weeks ago and then presented the uh during first reading, but just really proud to bring this proposal forward for the animal control code.

Uh past few months, I've had to talk to several community members about concerns about how residents can restrain or confine animals.

Um it's not been multiple different instances of people asking and reaching out about you know what are we doing?

And as the speaker earlier you know said, the animals can't speak for themselves.

So we've had upon ourselves us as a city and the community to kind of set humane objective standards for our animals and their care.

Um of the concerns I are most about is that animals are being kept in vehicles without breaks for long for prolonged periods of time.

Um animals are left tethered outsides, particularly during adverse weather conditions.

So two of these um instances where animals are the care is not what we would like to see as a community.

Uh and I've worked closely with our animal control officers to examine our current code, and I think there are a couple of ways we can address these concerns.

Uh the first is our existing code has few protections for animals that are kept in a stationary vehicle.

And I'm recommending a couple changes to that, which would say no more than four animals can be combined to a stationary motor vehicle, no animal can be tethered inside a stationary motor vehicle.

There must be evidence of adequate care, which includes food, visible that you can see food, water, um, and proper shelter.

And the animal has to be let out every 30 minutes within any four-hour period in which they're confined.

This is the idea that you know animals being confined inside a vehicle, whether it's hot, cold, or any point in time, um, do need to be let out quite frequently.

Um, this is just kind of being really clear with our code to say that's adequate care for animals inside vehicles.

The second, I'm proposing that we clarify and strengthen requirements around tethering of animals.

So this tethering, also known as leashing an animal, but we use the term tether in our code, um, would ban tethering an animal outdoor during adverse weather conditions, and that would apply to anything below 32 degrees or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

So the idea that if you're tying up an animal outside, it's it has shelter, it has protection from the elements, especially when we see extreme weather, like very cold or very hot.

Um also recommending that we ban tethering animal to a vehicle while the animal is unsupervised.

So tying an animal up outside to a vehicle where somebody's not able to keep eyes on it.

Um there's a real risk of you know, animals being her harmed, and you know, we've seen instances of people driving away with vehicles being attached to their vehicle.

Animals being tethered to their vehicles unbeknownst to them and um leading to really kind of horrific consequences.

Uh finally, there's a couple other changes around ensuring that our code matches kind of the highest humane standards.

I want to thank our animal control officers for kind of helping me put this code together.

I want to thank Councilman Rumbaugh and Council Mr Diaz for co-sponsoring this with me.

Um I think this is the fourth amendment to the animal control code I've done to have been on council, so um pretty soon I think I'll touch almost every part of it.

But uh it just is a good reminder, and I I think what I would say both of the commenters are here and then the people in the community.

Uh we really do love our animals here in the city of Tacoma.

Um I hear people all the time about how much they care, and what we're really just trying to do is get our standards closer and closer to what we all know is humane treatment of animals.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Hines.

Seeing no further council comments, Clerk, please call the roll.

Deputy Mayor Bushnell.

Aye.

Councilmember Diaz.

Aye.

Councilmember Hines.

Aye.

Councilmember Palmer.

Aye.

Councilmember Rumba.

Aye.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Aye.

Councilmember Scott?

Aye.

Councilmember Walker.

Aye.

Mayor Ibsen?

Aye.

The ordinance is declared passed.

Moving on to first reading of ordinances, item number 15.

Clerk, please beat.

Ordinance 29105, an ordinance amending chapter 8.19 of the municipal code relating to use of public property to prohibit the use of municipal property for civil immigration enforcement and providing for civil remedies.

I'd like to call on Councilmember Dios.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um the ordinance here on first readings is ordinance two nine one zero five.

Um response or sort of the next step to a resolution the council adopted lat late last year.

I want to say second to last or last meeting in December, uh, resolution number 41817, which directed the city manager to clarify the use of city-owned property for federal immigration enforcement operations, as we had directed the um prior in resolution 41627, which was Councilmember Sidalga's resolution to expand the keep Washington Working Protection Act protections into city code.

Um this ordinance is the enacting part of getting the signs up on our um city resources that we do not want to have used as staging locations for civil immigration enforcement purposes.

Um this is an important next step because it builds on the city's leadership.

This is an important next step because it builds on the city's leadership.

We passed the first resolution, as I mentioned, the last meeting of December because of a direct conversation I had with the prior mayor and the prior council about the need to take action soon because we knew that the way that ICE was ramping up was going to continue to escalate.

And quite frankly, I was worried about what would happen over the holiday break while we were gone.

I was like, this is not something that can wait.

We have seen this happen in a couple of at that time in December.

We had seen only one or two other councils across the country adopt a similar resolution.

So Tacoma was a real leader in that effort.

This ordinance today is bringing that work to fruition on Tacoma's timeline and within our budget to make sure that staff has been able to do their due diligence around sign language, around prioritizing where the signage will go, and making sure that we have the important enforcement mechanisms that will be outlined in the ordinance in a way that will make us the most safe we can be.

So I want to first appreciate staff's due diligence and following through with this directive and carefully crafted approach to the ordinance in front of us today.

I also want to appreciate my colleagues, Deputy Mayor Bushnell and Council Members Rombaugh Sidalgay for co-sponsoring this ordinance.

Particularly Councilmember Rumba, a lot of the signage will go into District 2.

There will be signage throughout the city and further as we get more budget allotment and more progression going forward.

But a lot of this city-owned properties that will be addressed will be in district two, and so that's why we're we're focusing there.

This only applies to properties that the city owns.

The city of Tacoma does not own any school properties, so therefore we don't have jurisdiction there.

Something I would love to work with our partners.

Perhaps my colleagues on JMAC can bring that up with folks at that committee on what the schools in the park district are working on.

This ordinance here before us makes clear that property owned or controlled by the city should not be used without the permission or consent of the city of Tacoma by agents of federal government, including agents of ICE or Customs and Border Patrol for immigration enforcement purposes.

This ordinance also creates a civil enforcement process to allow the city to seek an injunction or declaratory relief in court.

The good stewardship of city resources, ensuring that city services, our taxpayers' fund are delivered effectively, safely, and without disruption remains incredibly important to us as a city, and that's why this ordinance matters.

Every building, park, and vehicle owned by this city exists to serve a specific public purpose for our residents here in Tacoma, not for federal civil immigration enforcement purposes.

At the end of the day, this ordinance is about preserving operational integrity for City of Tacoma resources.

It is vital that we distinguish between the city's local obligations and the operations of other jurisdictions as we continue our ongoing work to preserve Tacoma's community members, our safety, and our neighborhoods and properties.

So I look forward to having this item come for a final vote on May 12th and hope that my colleagues will join me in in that vote and welcome any questions you might have.

Thank you, Councilmember Diaz.

Are there any council questions or comments?

Councilmember Palmer.

I just wanted to thank Councilmember Diaz for continuing to follow this process and make sure it's moving along.

So thank you so much.

Thank you.

And I once again thank you for uh your and the co-sponsor's leadership on this issue.

I look forward to supporting it next week.

Okay.

Seeing no further comments or questions on this ordinance, um, it'll be settled for final reading next week at the next council meeting.

Is there any unfinished business?

Seeing none, city manager would have report this evening.

Mayor Ebson, no report for tonight.

Thank you.

Okay.

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

I'd like to call on Chair Walker from the Infrastructure Planning and Sustainability Committee.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I think this may be the last report that Anna Lee is writing for me, so I want to give a shout out and really embarrass Anna.

I hope she's listening somewhere.

Uh she's not leaving the city.

Um, but we're very sad that she will not be our IPS staff liaison anymore.

She's been amazing.

Um, so one last report out from Anna.

Um, the infrastructure planning and sustainability committee has met once since our last report out on April 22nd.

The committee voted to forward the draft six-year comprehensive transportation improvement program to the full council for consideration.

So coming to a dais near you that will likely come forward in June.

Staff also updated IPS on the Schuster Parkway Trail Project, which would fill one of the final gaps along the waterfront between the Tacoma Dome and Point Defiance.

The design team began mapping and analysis in March of last year, and they are approaching the 10% design milestone.

So we're getting closer to knowing our true costs of the project.

Since the last report out, the committee has received two policy letters on Sound Transit's investments here in the South Sound.

One from the Transportation Commission and the other from the Climate and Sustainability Commission.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, May 13th.

The committee will be briefed on an application for a public right-of-way to be added to the Tacoma Register of Historic Places, the 2025-26 Public Works Capital Improvement Program, and the Stormwater Management Manual Update that is nearing completion.

Mayor, that concludes my report.

Thank you, Chair Walker.

Looks like we have a comment from Councilmember Hines, followed by Councilmember Rumba.

All right.

Thank you, Mayor Ibsen.

And as many of you know, it is my favorite time of year.

It is pothole Palooza out there in the city of Tacoma.

Uh Pothole Palooza started on Monday in District 1, right near the Mayor and I's house on North 20.

Not related to the fact that we live there, just so it'll be that really clear.

It was on the list, guys.

In the neighborhood.

I did not.

So district one uh finished there and then is now slowly moving across the entire city.

Uh pothole Palooza is just an opportunity to not you know remind the public, one that we don't like potholes, two, the city is doing lots about potholes all the time, and three, sometimes you have to have fun because otherwise this job would drive you crazy or make you cry.

So with that, um I'm bringing back the fill the pothole theme song here for everyone.

So uh the refrain is it's fill the pothole.

So I will do my part of it and then I will point to you all and I want you all to say in a good voice, it's fill the pothole.

All right.

Here we go.

Uh driving around the block.

Feels like you just broke a shock.

Now you gotta stop and go to the shop.

It's it's Phil the pothole.

Driving down the street and you feel it in your feet, like you tripped on a wire, and now you got a flat tire.

It's Phil the pothole.

All right.

Driving down the road, and the lanes are full of holes.

That one Ryan was tough.

Anyways, uh, and you hear a loud crunch, and now you you're late for your lunch.

It's Phil.

The pothole.

It's Phil, the pothole.

Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, it's Phil, the pothole.

There we go.

Coming to a record studio near you.

Um, but again, I just want to take a minute to thank our public works department for all of their amazing work and getting out there and making this a fun event.

And um, I I just also would say uh my next brainstorm, just FYI, somebody is pitching the idea of adopt pothole.

I like that a lot.

I've also talked about the idea of creating a group of people called Phil Fighters.

So if you want to be a Phil Fighter and report the 311 every time you see a pothole, we'd love to have you join the team and help us stop Phil and his felt relatives, Penelope and Pablo and Pedro, and all the other P names that are because fit potholes are only named P names.

So uh thank you all for that and uh happy pothole Palooza.

That was beautiful.

Someone's clearly moonlighting is a public works theme DJ.

It is it is beautiful.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmember Rumbaugh.

Um I just wanted to say that I won't be at the City of Destiny Awards, which is like painful because I love coming to the City of Destiny Awards, but I'm getting an award from the Affordable Housing Consortium for work on affordable housing.

Um and if I wasn't gonna be doing that, I would be going to see my husband get Judge of the Year award from um the Washington State Association of Justice.

So there's so many things happening on Wednesday that are great for Tacoma, but I just wanted everyone to know why I wouldn't be at City of Destiny.

All right, thank you.

All right.

Uh are there any other council uh comments or any other reports?

Seeing on to we have a motion to adjourn.

I move to adjourn.

Second.

Moving second, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed to say nay.

We are adjourned.