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MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014
Vol. CXXIV, No. 41
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
City Council committee to discuss grafďŹ ti removal, code compliance Posted online Thurs., Feb. 27 File Photo By Todd Matthews, Editor Tacoma City Council's Neighborhoods and Housing Committee is scheduled to be briefed next week on two programs that aim to help meet the City of Tacoma's strategic goal of being a safe, clean, and attractive community. First, City of Tacoma staff will brief council committee members on an annual windshield survey of properties within Tacoma's business districts to gauge Tacoma Municipal Code compliance, with a particular interest in building and property conditions. According to City of Tacoma staff, advance letters were mailed to 1,594 business owners within Tacoma's 15 neighborhood business districts on Jan. 31 to inform them of the anticipated start date and process for the survey, as well as resources available to achieve compliance. The survey is scheduled to be completed in the middle of March. Second, City of Tacoma staff will brief council committee members on a pilot program under way that aims to remove graffiti from private property within 72 hours along key corridors. The goal of the program is to build property owner awareness around chronic and recurring graffiti and to increase their capacity to deal with the issue, according to City of Tacoma staff. The program offers property owners graffiti removal up to three times per property and information on effective graffiti prevention methods at no cost to the property owner. Tacoma City Council's Neighborhoods and Housing Committee is scheduled to discuss these items during a meeting on Mon., March 3, at 4:30 p.m. at Tacoma City Hall, 747 Market St., Conference Room 248, in downtown Tacoma. A copy of the agenda is available online at cityoftacoma. org.
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City seeks bids to stabilize historic Tacoma Totem Pole
Article By Todd Matthews, Editor Image Courtesy City of Tacoma The City of Tacoma announced Friday it will accept bids from select contractors to stabilize the 110-yearold historic Tacoma Totem Pole in Fireman's Park in downtown Tacoma. Last April, City of Tacoma engineers raised safety concerns over the structural integrity of the totem pole after two engineers with PCS Structural Solutions, a firm contracted by the City of Tacoma, found enough "soft wet deteriorated wood" and "significant deterioration" that the pole's seismic stability has been compromised by at least 50 per cent. As a result, Tacoma's public works director ordered the totem pole be stabilized immediately and the surrounding park area to be fenced off. The Tacoma Totem Pole, which stands 82-feet-sixinches tall, was carved by Alaskan Indians on Vashon Island and installed in Tacoma in 1903. According to Metro Parks Tacoma, it stood for decades near South 10th and A Streets, but was moved to Fireman's Park, located at South 9th and A Streets, in 1953. The pole includes carved images of an eagle, killer whale, raven, grizzly bear, and wolf. It was designated an historic landmark in 1975 and is now part of the city's collection of public art. The landmark nomination prepared nearly 40 years ago notes two wealthy Tacoma businessmen, William Sheard and Chester Thorne, paid $3,000 to commission the pole after Sheard grew irritated by articles touting Seattle's Totem Pole. "This is a historic structure and the work is extremely sensitive," wrote City of Tacoma staff in bid documents prepared and released on Fri., Feb. 28. "Caution will be required to avoid damaging the pole while trying to install bracing and a steel pole behind the existing Totem Pole. The pole is compromised due to natural aging, wet conditions, and past infestations of carpenter ants. The pole was treated and there are
currently no carpenter ants believed to be present. The pole has significant void spaces and wood rot in at least the first 15 feet (ground up). Additional void space and wood rot may be present at higher elevations as well. The work preformed should be by an experienced crane operator with maximum protection provided." The project budget is $40,000 to $50,000. Bids from Small Works Roster contractors notified directly by the City of Tacoma will be received until 11 a.m. on Mon., March 31. More information is available online at cityoftacoma.org.
Chambers Creek project contractors collect local food bank donations Posted online Thurs., Feb. 27 Mortenson Construction employees working on the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion project recently collected over 4,350 items of food that will be donated to the Families Unlimited Network Food Bank, which provides at least a three-day supply of food for Pierce County individuals and families. According to Tom Aura (pictured) at Mortenson Construction, the project team collected an average of 56 items per person thanks to the efforts of Pierce County employees, engineer part-
ners, and subcontractors working on the $353 million expansion project scheduled to be completed in fall 2016.