City of Tacoma News: Tacoma City Council

Tacoma City Council
Study Session
Noon, Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Room 16
Tacoma Municipal Building North
728 St. Helens Ave.

BIP, Comprehensive Plan, curfew
Three topics are planned: The first agenda item is the Proposed Business Information Systems (BIS) Department. A presentation will be delivered that covers the Council concerns over the establishment of the proposed BIS Department. The presentation will specifically address the organization chart, staffing, the BIS 2004 budget, consulting budget and the benefits of SAP.

The Comprehensive Plan Amendment is the second topic. Staff will present the Planning Commission recommended changes to the Comprehensive Plan.

The third item on the agenda is a discussion on the Curfew Ordinance. In November 1994 the City Council adopted a Curfew Ordinance that established curfew hours from 12:01 to 6 a.m. for youth under age 18. The ordinance contained an expiration provision that was extended by Council in December 1997 and December 1999. The Curfew Advisory Committee will brief the council on a possible additional extension of the Curfew Ordinance.

Tacoma City Council
Regular Meeting
5 p.m., Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Council Chambers
Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market St.

BIS Dept. could replace ISD
The City Council will consider an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code to replace the existing Information Systems Department with a new reorganized department. Continued from the Sept. 30 City Council meeting, the reorganized department would be identified as the Business Information Systems (BIS) Department. The BIS Department will be responsible for core SAP, new SAP applications and existing technical services provided for by the current Information Systems Department. SAP is the city’s new computer system. The public can comment on the ordinance and the City Council plans to vote on the measure at its Dec. 2 meeting.

Refinancing Carlton building
What’s the future for the Carlton building? If approved, an ordinance before the council would result in the issuance of a Limited Tax General Obligation Line of Credit Note to refinance the Carlton building, 1552 Jefferson. The principal amount would not exceed $2.7 million and the proceeds would be used to repay and redeem the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 Program loan. The note is planned to be repaid through proceeds from the pending sale of the Carlton building to a private investor. The City Council reviewed the ordinance at its Nov. 4 meeting and plans to vote. The public can comment on the ordinance.

Property, EMS taxes
If approved, two proposals before the council would increase taxes by 1 percent. The 2004 Ad Valorem Property tax levy and the 2004 Tacoma Emergency Medical Service tax levy, by state law, can both be increased by the maximum of 1 percent over the previous year’s tax. Public comment was taken at the Nov. 4 Council meeting and the council plans to vote.

This is an incomplete agenda for the Nov. 18, 2003 meeting of the Tacoma City Council. The Index prints as much as space allows.