City Council

CITY OF UNIVERSITY PLACE MINUTES Special Meeting of the City Council Saturday, April 13, 2024 CALL SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER Mayor Worthington called the Special Meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Attendance was noted as follows: Mayor Figueroa, Mayor Pro Tem Wood, Councilmember Worthington, Councilmember Flemming, Councilmember McCluskey, Councilmember Boykin, and Councilmember Grassi. U Staff: City Manager Sugg, City Attorney Kaser, Executive Director/ACM Faison, Finance Director Blaisdell, Administrative Services Director Petorak, Community and Economic Development Director Briske, Public N Safety Administrator Hales, Public Works Director Ecklund, and City Clerk Genetia. O Facilitator: Michael Pendleton (Pendleton Consulting, LLC) MAYOR’S REMARKS FF Mayor Figueroa welcomed Council and explained the meeting’s objectives, process, and next steps to IA accomplish the development of Council’s 2025-2026 Goals. He indicated that additional discussions will be had with staff who will provide information on their analysis/assessment and associated funding and staffing IC needs to achieve/fine-tune those goals. This information will be incorporated in the upcoming budget cycle. Michael Pendleton, the facilitator for this retreat, commented on the behind the scenes work Mayor Figueroa and staff have done to prepare for this retreat. He gave his perspective on the process, went over the retreat ground rules with Council and highlighted the agenda. L 2023-2024 COUNCIL GOALS UPDATE D City Manager Sugg provided an update on the 2023-2024 Council Goals as follows: O  Public Safety – Voters approved hiring of eight officers; negotiations with Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for new Interlocal Agreement to include onboarding of four officers by the end of 2024 and C four officers by the end of 2025; hired new COO in March; increased visibility patrols; discussions with UP School District for school liaison officer agreement; and exploring jail options for misdemeanants. U  Economic Development – NE Business Plan completed in September 2023; OTAK currently working on 27th Street Business District; wayfinding signs anticipated for install in August/September 2024. M  Community Engagement – Council meeting promo to be completed in early summer 2024; individual councilmember promo videos to be completed by the end of 2024; audience data increase from 2023- 2024. EN  Regional Influence – Council’s participation in State, regional and local boards/commissions; participation in organizational associations; and lobbying and meetings with congressional, legislative, and federal representatives in Olympia and D.C. T  Infrastructure – Hired four staff for parks and streets; Inclusive Playground groundbreaking; Skate Park wall under construction; report on Cirque Park feasibility study; Chambers Creek Road (Bridgeport to Charles Wright) project completed; 35th Street/67th Street to Bridgeport projects under construction; contract awarded for 67th Avenue Phase 2 project; sewer prioritization completed; 67th expansion will be out to bid later this month; design of ARPA sewer areas underway.  Recreation – Youth recreation gap analysis; partnership discussions underway. At 10:40 a.m., Council took a 10-minute break. The meeting resumed at 10:50 a.m. 2025-2026 COUNCIL GOALS SETTING AND GOALS PAIRED COMPARISON RANKING Each council member was given the opportunity to present, explain and discuss their top two listed goals. Thereafter, a paired comparison ranking was done, placing the following goals in the top eight:  City Council Minutes of April 13, 2024 Page 2 1. Continue seeking recreation programs by contracting with recreation service providers. 2. Promote economic development by prioritizing stable businesses in our districts, aligning with amenities that enhance residents’ quality of life. Secure anchor tenants in each district by collaborating with private developers to drive sustained growth. 3. Integrate health considerations into policymaking through a “Health in all Policies” approach aligned with the GMA. Establish a checklist for staff and commissions to assess and report on legislative choices, utilizing defined health considerations to ensure comprehensive decision-making with a focus on University Place. (Tied with #4 below.) 4. Stimulate affordable housing development in U.P. by incentivizing developers to build condos, townhomes, and other alternative middle housing ownership opportunities. Prioritize the creation of Uattractive and accessible affordable housing options in the community. N 5. Develop a climate action plan, either standalone or as part of the comprehensive plan. Look at the intersection between climate action and public safety (wildland/urban interface, coastal properties) and O seek solutions. Apply for and seek grant funding to address these issues. FF 6. Enhance community livability: Financial support for grants through staffing or consultants to secure appropriate grants (full-time grants person). (Tied with #7 below.) 7. Achieve successful implementation of the Public Safety levy by promptly hiring all authorized officers IA and effectively measuring the outcomes to ensure community safety and satisfaction. IC 8. Enhance neighborhood and citizen safety through the implementation of online neighborhood watch programs and by organizing more City-sponsored safety events for residents and businesses. 2025-2026 COUNCIL GOAL REVIEW L Mayor Figueroa shared his appreciation for staff and councilmembers’ participation. He discussed the next D steps of the Council Goals setting process for the following meeting scheduled for May 13, 2024. Before adjourning, he provided an opportunity for staff and councilmembers to comment/communicate additional concerns, clarifications, or questions they may have. OC ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 2:52 p.m. No other action was taken. Transcribed by: U M EN Emy Genetia City Clerk T