1. Property sale could support Bates South Campus expansion
City Council members will consider a resolution Feb. 8 to allow the sale of surplus City-owned property at South 74th Street and Tacoma Mall Boulevard (adjacent to the Bates Technical College South Campus) to the state of Washington for $900,000. If approved, the sale would allow for the expansion of the Bates Technical College South Campus.
2. Council may assist in property transfer for Kroc Community Center
The City Council will consider a resolution to assist in the transfer of property currently owned by the Tacoma School District and Metro Parks Tacoma to the Salvation Army. The transfer of this property would help complete a competitive grant proposal for the construction of a Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center in South Tacoma. The site of the proposed Kroc Community Center is the old Mt. Tahoma High School and adjacent athletic fields. Because Tacoma is a first-class charter city, it has greater latitude under state law to convey property to private entities than either Metro Parks or the Tacoma School District. This resolution authorizing the City of Tacomas pass-through role would facilitate the transfer and enhance the grant proposal.
3. Resolution would hire architect for Pantages remodel project
A resolution on the Feb. 8 City Council agenda would authorize a $210,000 contract with Korth Sunseri Hagey Architects for schematic design development for the Pantages Theater lobby and restrooms remodel project. The City will fund $70,000 of this contract out of money set aside to match the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA) anonymous grant. The BCPA is responsible for the remaining $140,000, which will come from private donations and its anonymous grant.
4. Study session to hear first Breakthrough Change progress report
At the Feb. 8 City Council study session, City Manager Jim Walton and the four Breakthrough Change team chairs will present the first progress report on work to realign City services and policies with current and future revenues.
The Breakthrough Change teams currently are working on these priority initiatives: employee compensation and benefits; organizational restructuring and consolidation; vehicle and equipment costs; risk management. The public may attend the 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.
5. Government Leadership Institute brings it all home
On Feb. 7 the Government Leadership Institute will resume its series of free seminars intended to inform and educate students and citizens on the basics of accessing community programs and services, engaging in the public process and examining the challenges within the community. The fifth seminar, No Home in our Hometown: Social Equity and Inclusion, will be held from 6:45 to 9 p.m. in Carwein Auditorium (KEY 102) on the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) campus, 1900 Commerce St. Featured panelists will include John Briehl of Tacomas Human Rights and Human Services Department; Dean Wilson with the Pierce County Alliance; Sandy Burgess of the Metropolitan Development Council; Ellie Ottey with the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition for the Homeless; and Sally Perkins, Tacoma citizen, neighborhood activist and advocate in the field of social services. The Leadership Institute is a cooperative effort of the City of Tacoma and the UWTs Urban Studies Program. Various topics will be discussed over the next several weeks.
