Tacoma City Council In-District Meeting - October 1, 2026

Note: The agenda and transcript list the meeting date as September 30, 2026, but the user-provided timestamp indicates October 1, 2026. This summary uses the provided date for the title and timeline.

The Tacoma City Council held its first in-district regular meeting at the STAR Center in South Tacoma (District 5) on October 1, 2026. The meeting featured a light formal agenda, a public comment period (with no speakers), and an extended community forum where residents raised a wide range of issues. The council also passed three items: two appointments and one ordinance. The meeting concluded with council comments, a committee report, and adjournment after excusing an absent member.

Consent Calendar

• No items were on the consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

No speakers signed up for the formal public comment period on agenda items.

Community Forum (General Public Testimony)

Residents spoke during the community forum on topics over which the city has jurisdiction. Key speakers and their positions:

• Andrea Haug (Andy): Criticized the removal of remote access (Zoom) for the meeting, arguing that the offered phone-in accommodation does not constitute meaningful access to the meeting for people with disabilities. She presented a poll showing 50+ respondents supporting restored remote access and urged the council to keep in-person outreach while not eliminating Zoom.
• Tammy (South Tacoma resident): Raised code enforcement failures under Planning & Development Services, citing overgrown properties, derelict vehicles, roosters, broken sidewalks, and poor air quality from nearby dirt piles. Requested improved enforcement and ADA-compliant curbs.
• Heidi Stevens: Opposed the lack of Zoom access, criticized the city’s slow action on groundwater protection and tree canopy loss in South Tacoma, and stated that the code for the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District is being ignored despite high equity disparities in the area.
• Kit Burns: Advocated for using a larger portion of a $9 million settlement from a warehouse project for tree planting to improve air quality, and called for revising TPU’s water rates for parks and schools to reduce irrigation costs and support urban forestry.
• Emily Duffy (District 4 resident, oncology nurse): Expressed strong support for the Hope Team, a mental health crisis response program, describing it as essential for managing mental health and substance abuse crises. Asked the council to fund and enhance the program.
• Anita Arnold: Supported the Hope Team, asking to preserve and increase its funding, and recounted a personal experience where the team helped a youth in psychosis. Noted the team’s ability to de-escalate crises nonviolently.
• Barb Church (Northeast Tacoma): Supported the Hope Team, urged Mayor Ibsen to join other mayors in opposing Puget Sound Energy rate hikes, and raised concerns about an LNG refinery permit that she said lacked proper government-to-government consultation with the Puyallup Tribe.
• Alma Villegas (District 2): Expressed frustration over the city’s lack of a public statement reaffirming protections for immigrant communities amid ICE activity. Requested a communication reiterating that Tacoma police will uphold city values and protect immigrants, noting eight ICE sightings and two apprehensions on the same day.
• Rob Cravel (District 5, Planning Commission member): Called for policies to address vacant buildings along Pacific Avenue, suggesting incentives for landlords to sell or rent vacant properties to reduce blight and free up space for housing and small businesses.
• Heidi White (District 5 resident): Praised the community liaison officers (Officers Snyder and Dominguez) and city staff for their responsiveness and problem-solving.
• Lazel (city employee): Announced participatory budgeting in District 5, encouraging residents to submit ideas by the end of the day.
• Mike Hatter (Hilltop resident): Complained that tall trees on adjacent low-income housing property block his view, lowering property values, and questioned why police respond faster to a woman walking naked than to drug activity outside his house. Asked for help with both issues.
• Venus Durgan (South Tacoma resident, District 5): Expressed concerns about a proposed family micro-shelter at 69th and Proctor, citing broken promises, security, and drug issues at a previous adult shelter on the same site. Also noted disrespectful behavior at council meetings and urged better decorum.

Discussion Items

• Appointments (Resolutions 42032 and 42033): The council unanimously adopted two resolutions: one appointing members to the Commission on Elected Salaries (Tanisha Suds for District 3 and Kristen Aki Knighton for District 4, terms through 2029) and another appointing/reappointing six individuals to the Human Services Commission. Councilmember Rumbaugh highlighted the commission’s critical work distributing human services funds.
• Final Reading of Ordinance 29119: The council passed an ordinance amending the municipal code to implement pay and compensation for employees represented by Teamsters Local 313 and Teamsters Local 117 (Tacoma Venues and Events Unit), with a unanimous roll call vote (Walker absent).
• Council Comments: Councilmembers addressed themes from the community forum:
  • Code enforcement: City Manager stated that Planning & Development Services lacks resources for proactive enforcement and that a robust conversation on funding and policy changes will occur in early 2025.
  • Trees and urban forestry: The city has a goal to increase tree canopy by 30%, and the council is leading on policy through the IPS committee and upcoming budget discussions.
  • Immigration: Councilmember Sidalga emphasized the council’s unanimous commitment to protecting immigrants within limited city authority, citing past actions like local “Keep Washington Working” policy, a resource website, and legislative testimony. City Manager noted Chief Jackson’s public statement on police protections.
  • Micro-shelter: Councilmember Hines and Diaz defended the family micro-shelter at 69th and Proctor, noting lessons learned from the previous adult shelter and that the new site will serve families.
  • Budget process: City Manager outlined the upcoming budget schedule, beginning October 6, 2026, with a proposed budget addressing a $40 million structural deficit, followed by departmental workshops and hearings through October and November. The Hope Team’s funding will be discussed during the October 27 community safety session.
• Committee Report: Councilmember Sidalga reported on the Infrastructure, Planning, and Sustainability Committee’s recent meetings covering tree code amendments, urban forestry action plan, solid waste fleet emission reductions (exceeded 25% goal), and upcoming topics including Connect Tacoma Safe Streets and the Planning Commission work program.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 42032: Adopted unanimously – appointments to the Commission on Elected Salaries.
• Resolution 42033: Adopted unanimously – appointments/reappointments to the Human Services Commission.
• Ordinance 29119: Passed unanimously (8-0 with Walker absent) – compensation plan amendments for Teamsters-represented employees.
• Councilmember Walker excused from the meeting (motion approved).
• Next in-district meeting: Scheduled approximately once every other month; the next will be in District 4.
• Budget process: Formal proposal presented October 6, with public hearings and council amendment opportunities through November. Community encouraged to participate via Tacoma 2035 strategic goals.