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Record of Proceedings

Joint City Council and Public Utility Board Study Session - September 29, 2026

City Council Study Session — Tuesday, September 29, 2026
BodyTacoma, Washington
SessionCity Council Study Session
DateTuesday, September 29, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:56:55

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

0:02

Good

Speaker 1

0:03

afternoon.

0:03

I'd like to call to order the joint city council Tacoma Public Utility Board study session of September 29th, 2026.

0:09

Quick, please call the roll.

Speaker 2

0:10

Deputy Mayor Blushnell.

Speaker 1

0:11

Present.

Speaker 2

0:12

Councilmember Diaz?

0:14

Councilmember Heinz.

0:15

Councilmember Palmer.

0:16

Councilmember Rumba.

0:17

Here.

0:18

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Speaker 3

0:19

Here.

Speaker 2

0:20

Councilmember Scott?

0:21

Here.

0:22

Councilmember Scott is virtual.

0:23

Councilmember Walker?

0:24

Here.

0:25

Mayor Ibsen?

Speaker 4

0:26

Here.

Speaker 2

0:26

Board Member Bridges.

Speaker 4

0:27

Here.

Speaker 2

0:28

Board Member Hampton is absent.

Unassigned speaker

0:30

Board

Speaker 2

0:30

Member O'Lochlin.

Speaker 4

0:32

Present.

Speaker 2

0:33

Vice Chair Gallagher.

Unassigned speaker

0:34

Here.

Unassigned speaker

0:35

Chair

Speaker 2

0:35

Klaus McGann.

0:36

Here.

Speaker 1

0:38

All right.

0:38

Welcome.

Unassigned speaker

0:40

I

Speaker 1

0:40

think that's everyone.

0:41

I'd like to call on our director of Tacoma Public Utilities, Jackie Flowers, to get to begin the presentation.

Speaker 5

0:46

Thank you, Mayor Ibsen.

0:48

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council, Board Chair Klaus McGann, and board members.

0:53

Today we're pleased to bring you an update on our bill credit assistance program and our utility assistance programs.

1:00

As you know, we we have been administering utility assistance programs for the five utility services that

Unassigned speaker

1:08

our

Speaker 5

1:09

team bills for.

1:10

So those would be five services in City of Tacoma and then outside City of Tacoma water or and or power, depending on location.

1:18

We do have a framework for bill assistance for those customers that are income constrained.

1:25

And we every biennial budget, we take a look at how we're performing with that service and also look to assess the birth utility burden on our income constrained customers and then bring forward adjustments to the funding to enhance the performance of that program, provide the assistance that will ease pressures as it relates to utility burden, and importantly also consider removing obstacles for those customers who need to apply and are already overburdened by you know multiple application processes.

2:02

So today the team is going to provide you an update on the items as it relates to the proposed biennial budget.

2:09

And with that, I'm going to be happy to turn it over to our team, Shana Williams, who's division manager for customer experience in external affairs.

2:18

Trina Cobe, who is manager for customer programs and strategy, who are also joined by Christina Curran, Deputy Director for Environment and Public Works,

Unassigned speaker

2:27

and

Speaker 5

2:28

Mark Westland, principal data analyst, rates and budget for environment and public works.

2:33

So we'll hand it to

Unassigned speaker

2:34

them.

Speaker 6

2:40

Oh, there it is.

2:41

Good afternoon, Mayor Ibsen, Council members, Public Utility Board Chair, Klaus McGann, and board members.

2:47

I'm Shayna Williams, Division Manager of Customer Service at TPU for Customer Experience and External Affairs.

2:54

Today we are presenting proposed changes to the bill credit assistance plan for 2027 and 2028.

3:01

Our focus is on reducing the barriers customers face when seeking utility assistance and making the support they receive clearer and more responsive to their income levels.

3:11

Joining me today are Trina Colby, Manager of Customer Strategy and Programs at Tacoma Public Utilities, CXCA, and Mark Westfield, Principal Data Analyst with environmental with environment and public works.

3:24

I'll cover our goals and the current BCAP structure.

3:28

Trina will explain TPU's proposed changes, and Mark will discuss the portion involving environment and public works.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural██████████████████████████████████34%
Code Enforcement████████████████████20%
Public Works████████████12%
Public Utilities███████7%
Public Finance███████7%
Budget Equity Analysis██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Homelessness██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Joint City Council and Public Utility Board Study Session - September 29, 2026

The City Council met jointly with the Public Utility Board for a study session on September 29, 2026. The meeting included updates on utility assistance programs, the City Manager’s mid-year workplan, and code enforcement modernization. A joint closed session on labor strategy was also held. No formal votes were taken, but council consensus was reached on the enforcement modernization direction.

Discussion Items

1. Utilities Assistance Program Update

  • Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) and Environmental Public Works (EPW) presented proposed changes to the Bill Credit Assistance Program (BCAP) for 2027-2028.
  • TPU proposed moving eligibility from 60% to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), creating three income tiers (0-45%, 46-60%, 61-80% AMI) with decreasing credit amounts, eliminating the earned credit that required on-time payment, and expanding auto-enrollment through DSHS, LIHEAP, and housing authority partnerships.
  • EPW (solid waste, surface water, wastewater) will keep eligibility at 60% AMI for now, doubling its annual budget to accommodate increased enrollment and the shift to a fully automatic credit. EPW will evaluate moving to 80% AMI at mid-biennium.
  • Council members expressed support for the tiered approach and auto-enrollment. Councilmember Heinz raised concerns about unintended consequences of removing the on-time payment incentive. Councilmember Palmer questioned whether tiers could be capped at 70% AMI to provide higher credits. Councilmember Sidalga asked about recertification frequency.
  • Board Member Gallagher requested messaging assistance to reach customers who may be reluctant to seek help.

2. City Manager Workplan

  • City Manager Hyun Kim presented a mid-year review of his workplan, organized under four strategic areas: Operational Excellence, Community Safety, Housing & Homelessness, and Jobs & Economy.
  • Highlights included $11.6 million in projected savings from a hiring freeze, successful passage of the Connect Tacoma levy, 1.3 million pounds of litter removed since May, police staffing at 359 sworn officers, launch of the fire incident response dashboard, and progress on shelter beds (Tacoma Rescue Mission expansion and emergency hotel program).
  • Council members praised the transparency and employee town halls. Councilmember Palmer urged attention to alternative response models despite budget constraints. Councilmember Hines asked for granular tracking of litter pickup trends. Deputy Mayor noted the importance of proactive business outreach and code enforcement. Mayor Ibsen suggested adding deferred maintenance to future workplans.

3. Enforcement Modernization Follow-Up

  • Planning and Development Services Director Peter Huffman and Code Compliance Manager Mindy Weber presented a follow-up from the July study session, recommending adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and a Tier 2 resourcing option: hire three additional inspectors and two administrative staff at $1.3 million annually, with $650,000 one-time startup.
  • The proposal includes a repeat offender framework with escalating penalties, responsibility screening for owner-caused vs. third-party issues, and 150-250 proactive cases per year.
  • Council consensus strongly supported Tier 2. Councilmember Sidalga questioned the 9-12 month implementation timeline and the two-step process (policy change first, budget later). Councilmember Heinz emphasized the need to back policy changes with resources to maintain trust. Councilmember Palmer raised the possibility of using drones and better monitoring of vacant properties. Deputy Mayor suggested proactive enforcement along safe routes to schools. Mayor Ibsen recommended using owner-occupied vs. investor status to guide enforcement balance.
  • Staff noted the first reading of the ordinance is tentatively scheduled for October 20, 2026, with resource decisions in Q1/Q2 2027.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent to proceed with Tier 2 enforcement modernization: Council members voiced support for adopting the IPMC and funding three new inspectors and two administrative staff, to be implemented after budget considerations.
  • No formal votes taken: All agenda items were briefings and discussions. The council did approve a motion to convene a joint closed session on labor strategy.
  • Next steps: The enforcement ordinance will have first reading on October 20, 2026. The city manager will continue periodic workplan updates. TPU will incorporate feedback on BCAP changes before finalizing 2027-2028 program details.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. I'd like to call to order the joint city council Tacoma Public Utility Board study session of September 29th, 2026. Quick, please call the roll. Deputy Mayor Blushnell. Present. Councilmember Diaz? Councilmember Heinz. Councilmember Palmer. Councilmember Rumba. Here. Councilmember Sidalgay? Here. Councilmember Scott? Here. Councilmember Scott is virtual. Councilmember Walker? Here. Mayor Ibsen? Here. Board Member Bridges. Here. Board Member Hampton is absent. Board Member O'Lochlin. Present. Vice Chair Gallagher. Here. Chair Klaus McGann. Here. All right. Welcome. I think that's everyone. I'd like to call on our director of Tacoma Public Utilities, Jackie Flowers, to get to begin the presentation. Thank you, Mayor Ibsen. Good afternoon, Mayor, Council, Board Chair Klaus McGann, and board members. Today we're pleased to bring you an update on our bill credit assistance program and our utility assistance programs. As you know, we we have been administering utility assistance programs for the five utility services that our team bills for. So those would be five services in City of Tacoma and then outside City of Tacoma water or and or power, depending on location. We do have a framework for bill assistance for those customers that are income constrained. And we every biennial budget, we take a look at how we're performing with that service and also look to assess the birth utility burden on our income constrained customers and then bring forward adjustments to the funding to enhance the performance of that program, provide the assistance that will ease pressures as it relates to utility burden, and importantly also consider removing obstacles for those customers who need to apply and are already overburdened by you know multiple application processes. So today the team is going to provide you an update on the items as it relates to the proposed biennial budget. And with that, I'm going to be happy to turn it over to our team, Shana Williams, who's division manager for customer experience in external affairs. Trina Cobe, who is manager for customer programs and strategy, who are also joined by Christina Curran, Deputy Director for Environment and Public Works, and Mark Westland, principal data analyst, rates and budget for environment and public works.

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