“Tacoma City CouncilStudy SessionNoon, Tuesday February 8Room 16, Municipal Bldg. N.728 St. Helens AvenueTacomaWater Rate PolicyA joint study session between the City Council and the Public Utility Board will review Tacoma’s water rate policies. The policies set guidelines for how Tacoma Water analyzes and adjusts water rates.Last year, the Public Utility Board asked Tacoma Water to conduct an in-depth review of the City’s water policies and processes for setting water rates. The Utility Board spent several months analyzing these issues, including how the utility sets rates for residential, industrial and types of other water users, whether rates should be designed to promote water conservation, and various options for allocating the costs of providing service and setting rates.The Utility Board and the Council would need to approve any changes to the water rate policies.Tacoma City CouncilCouncil Meeting5 p.m., Tuesday February 8Room 16, Municipal Bldg. N.728 St. Helens AvenueTacomaMountain Train SpottingThe key to getting the Train to the Mountain passenger rail service underway is getting more freight trains on the tracks now.That’s the recommendation in a marketing plan developed by Strategy Associates last year.An $81,000 contract up for comment and a vote by the Council would continue the work of that contract, focusing on attracting more freight operators to the City-owned freight train tracks between Tacoma and Chehalis.The consultant, working with the Tacoma Rail Mountain Division, penned an agreement with Spanaway Lumber to use the City’s rail line for product shipment last year. Freight shipment revenues will finance track repairs and other projects necessary to get the Train to the Mountain up to steam.Special Capital Projects MeetingThe Council will review and get an update on its list of primary capital projects this Saturday, February 12. The seven projects include the Convention Center; Foss Waterway; Harold E. LeMay Museum; Old City Hall District Cineplex; Parking system; Public safety facility; Tacoma Art Museum.During the session, Council members will receive status reports on these projects, look at other emerging capital projects in the community and reassess priorities. The Saturday workshop will take place from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the La Quinta Inn, 1425 East 27th Avenue.Foss Purchase ForumTeam Tacoma may move closer to buying and developing land along the Thea Foss Waterway if the Foss Waterway Development Authority approves a purchase and sale agreement at its meeting, Wednesday, February 9.The proposed sale agreement would allow Team Tacoma to purchase 4.8 acres of upland property on the south end of the Foss, land known as sites 1,3 and 4 – for $5.5 million. The 3.85 acres of shoreline along the sites will remain in public ownership for the waterway’s planned esplanade.If approved, the FWDA will send the agreement to the City Council for consideration.The FWDA will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the World Trade Center Tacoma, 3600 Port of Tacoma Road. The public is invited to the meeting to comment on the FWDA/Team Tacoma purchase and sale agreement.”