HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2015-12-07 Item 6C - Report - City AdministratorCity of Tukwila jim Haggerton, Mayor
6200 Southcenter Boulevard
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The City of opportunity, the community of choice
TO: Mayor Haggerton
Councilmembers
FROM: David Cline, City Administrator
DATE: December 2, 2015
SUBJECT: Report for December 7, 2015 Regular Council Meeting
The City Administrator Report is meant to provide the Council, staff and community an update on the
activities of the City and on issues that concern Tukwila. Please let me know if you have any questions
or need additional information about any of the following items.
Intergovernmental Update
• King County Sustainable Cities Equity and Social Justice Roundtable: On November 12 DCD
staff attended the King County Sustainable Cities Equity and Social Justice Roundtable. The
discussion highlighted the importance of a shift from "equality" to "equity" and emphasized
the importance for agencies to have ongoing conversations around race, privilege, and equity.
• King County Metro Long Range Plan — Technical Advisory Committee (TAQ: On November
17 Jaimie Reavis attended a King County Metro Technical Advisory Committee meeting. An
online tool was used to compare existing transit service to the preliminary transit network
concept that has been developed by Metro. The interdepartmental working group for this
project will meet to compile comments that will be sent to Metro prior to the Dec. 11th
deadline. This is the first round of comments on the transit network and there will be
additional opportunities for comment before the network is finalized in summer 2016.
• Economic Development Summit: Economic Development Administrator Derek Speck met
with other local economic development staff to help plan an economic development summit
for elected officials. The summit is being organized by Sound Cities Association, King County
and the City of Seattle and is scheduled for December 11.
• Meeting with Tukwila School District: City staff from several departments met with
administrators from the Tukwila School District to share priorities and explore opportunities to
work together on common issues affecting students and families.
• Southwest King County Chambers' Monthly Luncheon: Rachel Bianchi, Communications
and Government Relations Manager, attended the Southwest King County Chambers' monthly
luncheon, where Andrew K. Johnsen, Assistant Vice President of Community Affairs with BNSF
was the guest speaker and spoke about rail safety.
II. Community Events
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• Senior Adult Program Thanksgiving Luncheon: On November A, the 26 Annual Senior Adult
Program free Thanksgiving Luncheon was held at Tukwila Community Center. There were 166
registered guests, 4.7 registered volunteers and numerous City staff assisted with the event.
III. Staff Updates
Public Safety
• Fire Extinguisher Trainings: Staff from the City's Emergency Management /Public Education
division of the Fire Department provided two fire extinguisher training sessions at Hartung
Glass.
• Meeting with Abu Bakr: Chief Villa and Sergeant Boyd met with the outgoing Executive
Director, Mohammed Jama of the Abu Bakr and the incoming Executive Director, Abdirahman
Mohamed to discuss the development and progress of the Tukwila Police Department's
community outreach program.
Project Updates
• Saars Supersaver Grocery Store: Greg Saar, the owner of Saars Supersaver grocery store
located at Tukwila International Boulevard and South 144th Street has completed the
purchase of the property and intends to continue operating the grocery store. In early 2o16
Economic Development staff will meet with Mr. Saar to provide some suggestions based on
the grocery store survey the City completed last year.
• Community Connectors: Project Development Manager Joyce Trantina facilitated a year -end
celebration event with representatives from Forterra, Global to Local, and the City's
Community Connectors.
• Duwamish Hill Preserve Phase z: We have been awarded a $200,000 grant award from
4Culture for continued work on Phase 2. The work will include additional plantings, an
entrance kiosk, interpretive ethnobotanical signage, and bench block /etched bench backs.
• Sound Transit: Rachel Bianchi, Communications and Government Relations Manager
attended the Sound Transit board meeting to monitor ST3 and to meet the new CEO, Peter
Rogoff, former head of the Federal Transit Administration. She also gave a presentation at the
Southwest King County Chamber's quarterly business roundtable about the Boeing Access
Road stations and other ST3 issues.
• Urban Renewal Area — Motel Demolition: Mayor Haggerton, several City Councilmembers,
staff and residents attended a small "pre- demolition" event at the Spruce Motel. Actual
demolition of the vacant motels on Tukwila International Boulevard will begin early next year.
IV. Community Response
Housing Conditions: In response to citizen comments at the November 23 Council meeting
regarding steps the City has done in regard to housing conditions, here is a short summary of
activities:
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1) Adopted New Codes: The City Council adopted new Rental Housing standards in October,
which incorporated stricter Healthy Housing standards. These include requirements
regarding mold and for regular pest and rodent inspections of properties with four or more
units.
2) School District Outreach: City staff met with the Tukwila School District Superintendent
regarding these issues immediately following these initial concerns. City staff continues to
meet on a regular basis with School Administration staff to address housing concerns.
3) Community Outreach: City staff provided a full presentation at the TIBAC meeting in
November 2015 regarding these efforts. In addition, City staff is reviewing other ways to
inform tenants of their rights and responsibilities, such as the recent Hazelnut article, and is
willing to meet with other community groups as necessary. Code Enforcement remains
committed to responding to concerns brought to their attention by the community.
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