City of Tacoma News

1. City considers funding for Youth Building Tacoma job training

Members of the City Council are scheduled to consider a resolution April 12 that would authorize a $291,060 contract with the Tacoma/Pierce County Employment and Training Consortium for implementation of the Youth Building Tacoma job training and apprenticeship program. The program, which enters its eighth year in 2005, would train and employ young adults ages 18 to 24 with an emphasis on participants transitioning from welfare as well as women, minorities and those with limited English-speaking abilities. Funding for the program is included in the 2005-2006 biennial budget.

2. Counil to hold Town Hall meting in District 4

District 4 (Eastside) Council member Rick Talbert and the Tacoma City Council will host a Town Hall meeting April 12 at Stewart Middle School, 5010 Pacific Ave., beginning with a regular council meeting at 5 p.m. and a Town Hall meeting at 6 p.m. During the Town Hall portion of the meeting, the Council will hear a report on the City’s neighborhood enhancement programs, including code enforcement for chronic nuisance properties and dangerous buildings, community renewal and the new drug paraphernalia code. The Council will set aside the rest of the meeting to hear from neighborhood groups and citizens.

3. Ordinance would allow City to accept $750,000 for fireboat renovation

City Council members are scheduled to hear the first reading of an ordinance April 12 that would allow the City to accept $750,000 from the United States Department of Homeland Security for renovating one of the Tacoma Fire Department’s (TFD) fireboats. If approved, an additional $350,000 from TFD’s special revenue funds would be used as matching funds to help complete the fireboat refit project.

4. Study session to focus on state of Tacoma’s neighborhoods

The state of Tacoma’s neighborhoods and an update on the Neighborhood Councils are the highlights of the April 12 study session. The council will hear about neighborhood improvements that have been completed thanks to the work of the City’s eight Neighborhood Councils. The public may attend the noon study session in Room 16, Tacoma Municipal Building North, 733 Market St., but the Council will not take public comment. CityPost (Channel 85 on Click!, Channel 77 on Comcast) will air the audio portion of the session live.