Ruston, Tacoma councils discuss service contracts

During its June 16 meeting, Ruston Town Council passed a resolution authorizing its desire to enter into an agreement in which the city of Tacoma would provide planning and building permit services. This amended a resolution passed last month, which authorized two council members to negotiate with Tacoma, by adding Ruston Mayor Bob Everding to the negotiating team.

There was some discussion about the legality of generating revenue from the permitting process.

The resolution passed 4-1, with Councilmember Jim Hedrick casting the dissenting vote.

The council also passed a resolution declaring a desire to discuss having Tacoma provide public services. Hedrick made a motion to specify that this would not include police or fire services. His amendment failed 3-2. The resolution passed 4-1, with Hedrick voting against it.

Tacoma City Council heard an update on the matter during its Committee of the Whole meeting June 17. They were briefed by Martha Anderson, assistant director of the Community and Economic Development Department, and Charlie Solverson from Building and Land Use Services.

Value of property for which permits were issued in Ruston was $2 million in 2004 and is expected to be $3 million this year. In contrast, the figure for Tacoma in 2004 was $323 million and an estimated $504 in 2008.

However, Solverson explained how permit values in Ruston will increase next year because of Point Ruston, a major mixed-use project that straddles the boundary between the cities. On Ruston’s side of the city limits, the project alone will account for $60 million in 2009 and the same amount in 2010 due to construction of a hotel, two restaurants and three mixed-use buildings.

“There will be a spike in activity,” Solverson observed.

Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma noted three elected officials are representing Ruston in the discussions. He asked who was representing Tacoma, and was told it was city staff.

“They don’t have any staff, so this has been a struggle to figure out how they do this,” Anderson remarked.

Councilmember Jake Fey said he wanted to ensure Tacoma would not lose money by providing the service.

City Manager Eric Anderson said if the two sides agree on a contract, it will be worded such that any additional costs incurred by Tacoma for services will be passed on to Ruston. “I hear your message loud and clear, full cost,” he remarked.

He added that such a deal might require Ruston to adopt Tacoma’s building codes.

Eric Anderson said he felt the city could provide the service for less than the previous supplier of planning and building permit services.

Baarsma mentioned several of the suburbs that receive services such as fire protection, electricity and water from the city. He feels entering into an interlocal agreement with Ruston for planning fits this general pattern.

Councilmember Connie Ladenburg had a different perspective. “I see the elephant in the room. At some point we are going to have to discuss annexation,” she commented.

There was some brief discussion on how much service Tacoma could or should provide to Ruston before the small town loses its independence.

Eric Anderson pointed out Tacoma could not annex Ruston if the smaller city did not consent. “I don’t know where the tipping point is,” he commented.

Mike Cohen, developer of Point Ruston, told the Tacoma body that he had requested Ruston Town Council to inquire about planning services. Ruston had been using a local office of engineering and architecture firm Huitt-Zollars until the council recently voted to terminate its dealings with the firm. Cohen said the firm was charging him 10 times what Tacoma would have for recent work on his Stack Hill project in Ruston.

Commenting rules