Tacoma City Council Meeting - August 18, 2026

The Tacoma City Council met on August 18, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Deputy Mayor Bushnell, Councilmembers Diaz, Hines, Palmer, Sidalgay, Walker, and Mayor Ibsen were present. Councilmembers Rumba and Scott were absent. The meeting began with a land acknowledgement and flag salute led by Councilmember Walker, followed by a moment of silence for Kathy Pierce Al-Stipek, a former state representative, school board member, Pierce County Council member, and auditor. No public comments were offered. The consent agenda was approved after removing two resolutions for separate consideration.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution 41985: Set a hearing date of September 24, 2026, at 1:30 PM for the Hearing Examiner to consider vacating an 836-square-foot area of air rights over 735 North 2nd Street for balconies (A&A Property Holdings LLC).
• Resolution 41986: Authorized an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Port of Tacoma, reducing the amount to $17,412.24 for interpretive signage and a viewfinder at the McKinley Overlook.
• Resolution 41989: Awarded a contract to Baker Tilly US LLP for $1,541,000 (plus taxes) for annual utility audit services for a five-year initial term with two optional two-year renewals.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up to speak, and no virtual comments were received.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 41990 (Appointments to Tacoma Area Commission on Disabilities): Councilmember Scott reported that the Community Vitality and Safety Committee conducted interviews on July 23, 2026, and recommended appointing/reappointing Maya Ramos, Sherry Coleman, Haley Edick, Amin Tony Hester, and Billy Parriman. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
• Item 10 (Informational): The City Clerk transmitted the Commission on Elected Salaries’ decision regarding salaries for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Councilmembers. No action was taken.
• Resolution 41991: Awarded a contract to Dobbs Peterbilt LLC for $4,950,126 (plus 10% contingency, total $5,445,139) for eight compressed natural gas side-loader refuse trucks for solid waste, recycling, and yard waste collection. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41992: Awarded a contract to Systems Design West LLC for $2,056,005 (initial three-year term with two one-year renewals, total $3,334,616) for transport billing services for the Fire Department. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41993: Authorized a $1,200,000 increase to the contract with General Mechanical Inc. for on-call facility contracting services through July 1, 2027, for a projected total of $2,750,000. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41987 (8-Year Tax Exemption – 4517 S Union Ave): Authorized a Multi-Family Housing Limited Property Tax Exemption for six market-rate owner-occupied units at 4517 South Union Avenue in the Tacoma Mall Regional Growth Center. Deputy Mayor Bushnell expressed support for owner-occupied MFTE units, noting ongoing affordability through submarket purchase prices. The resolution passed with one dissenting vote (nay).
• Resolution 41988 (12-Year Tax Exemption – 1001 S 14th St): Authorized a 12-year tax exemption for ten mixed market-rate and regulated rental and owner-occupied units at 1001 South 14th Street in the Downtown Regional Growth Center. Paul Bakker clarified that the developer plans five duplexes: four sold as owner-occupied and one retained as an affordable rental unit. Councilmembers discussed the uniqueness of mixing rental and ownership, and Councilmember Palmer requested future data on housing needs by household type. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolutions 41994-41997 and Ordinance 29116 (Labor Agreements): Presented together by Dylan Carlson, Labor Relations Division Manager.
  • 41994: Authorized a three-year collective bargaining agreement with IBEW Local 483 Supervisors Unit (49 FTE), retroactive to Jan 1, 2026, with wage increases and market adjustments (4.7%–10.1%) for some classifications.
  • 41995: Authorized a three-year agreement with IBEW Local 483 Custodial and Building Maintenance Unit (22 FTE), retroactive to Jan 1, 2026, with general wage increases of 3% and market adjustments (custodian 3.5%, building maintenance worker 7.5%).
  • 41996: Authorized a letter of agreement with AFSCME Local 120 adding a pay step (Step 5) for Senior Buyer classification, effective Jan 1, 2026.
  • 41997: Authorized a letter of agreement with AFSCME Local 120 changing the titles of Buyer and Senior Buyer to Contracting and Procurement Specialist and Senior Contracting and Procurement Specialist.
  • Ordinance 29116: First reading of an ordinance amending the Compensation Plan to implement rates for the above unions and the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART) Conductor Unit; set over for final reading next week. All four resolutions were adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41998 (North Union Avenue Greenway Historic Landmark): Reuben McKnight, Historic Preservation Officer, presented the designation of the 18-block median corridor from North 9th to North 30th Street on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places. The Landmarks Preservation Commission recommended it after a public hearing in February 2026, where nearly all of over 50 commenters supported it. The designation exempts tree maintenance, ADA ramps, signals, utilities, and other routine work from design review. Councilmember Hines supported the balance between preservation and growth, citing examples like Wright Park and Wapato Park. Adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 29117 (Eminent Domain for Stormwater Trunk Main): Joseph Romero presented a first reading ordinance to acquire an 870-square-foot permanent easement at 102-106 Puyallup Avenue and 101 East 25th Street for the Puyallup Avenue Sewer Utility Replacement Project. The project involves relining approximately 5,000 linear feet of 48–72 inch pipe, roughly 100 years old, to alleviate flooding near 27th and Pacific Avenue. The city attempted negotiations since May 2025 but could not reach an agreement with the property owner (a Washington LLC). The ordinance was set over for final reading on August 25, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda (Resolutions 41985, 41986, 41989) was adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 41987 (8-year tax exemption) was adopted with one dissenting vote.
• Resolution 41988 (12-year tax exemption) and all other resolutions (41990–41998) were adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 29116 (Compensation Plan) and Ordinance 29117 (Eminent Domain) received first readings and will be considered for final adoption at the August 25, 2026 meeting.
• Councilmember Rumba was excused from the meeting by unanimous vote.
• The City Manager reported on the passage of the Connect Tacoma initiative and thanked the public for their trust.
• The Operational Strategy and Administrative Committee (OSAC) reported that it will return in September with findings on the Deputy Mayor role and governance models, and that a progress report on the City Manager’s work plan is expected in late September, including a revised housing and homelessness metric.
• Councilmember Walker announced the opening of Sheridan Avenue as a multimodal street on August 22, 2026, at noon, with a ribbon cutting at Fern Hill Elementary.
• Councilmember Hines highlighted the Tacoma Little League baseball team playing in the Little League World Series on August 19 at noon against Phoenix City, Alabama, and requested a future proclamation.