Downtown Tacoma Business Improvement Area

DRAFT Work Plan - 2010-2011

 

The Downtown Tacoma Business Improvement Area was approved on April 15, 1988 under Substitute Ordinance 24058, reestablished on March 10, 1998 under Ordinance 26205 and reestablished again on February 19, 2008 under Ordinance 27696.  The following is the twenty-third year work plan for the district, effective from May 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011, implementing the BIA program for 2010-2011.  It includes the administration of the program, appeals process, board and committees, and plans for maintenance, security and marketing.

 

PLAN OF ACTION

 

I.        CITY OF TACOMA

The City of Tacoma will collect funds and deposit those funds in an interest bearing account that will be reflected in a separate ledger.  The City will contract with the Downtown Tacoma BIA (Local Development Council) for management services, which contract is hereafter called the BIA Agreement.  No provision of this work plan shall relieve the BIA from carrying out the annual program in accordance with the terms and conditions of the BIA Agreement.

 

II.        DOWNTOWN TACOMA BIA

A.        The BIA membership consists of representatives designated by the owners of record of properties subject to paying assessments into the district.  This group elects a Board of Directors to review BIA programming and determine if the funds are being spent in a proper manner, and each year this representative body prepares a new budget and work program for the following year based on identified needs, recognition of problem areas and experience from the previous year.  The plan calls for an administrative team from the BIA to manage services, see that there is adequate insurance coverage, oversee all functions and report directly to the Board.  The BIA will make an annual report available to all ratepayers and will be ready to respond to any issue or emergency.

B.        The BIA will rent or purchase all equipment and materials needed to manage the district in accordance with City Ordinance 27696 and Chapter R.C.W. 35.87A.  It will provide all personnel or subcontract all services and personnel necessary for its operation.

  1. The BIA will enter into an agreement with the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber (Chamber) for use of office space and staff.
  2. All equipment purchased with funds generated from the BIA will be returned to the City should the district be discontinued.

E.        Appeals

        1.        The BIA will provide appeal forms and information to ratepayers relative to the process for correction or appeal of assessments pursuant to City Ordinance 27696. When requested by the City, BIA staff will provide administrative assistance in determining factual issues pertaining to application of the assessment to a particular property such as square footage, rates and building use.

  1. The BIA Maintenance Supervisor will inspect properties and turn in reports as requested.

 

III.        MANAGEMENT

The BIA will administer the basic program with staff from the Chamber as needed to implement the program, with an approved budget as established by Tacoma City Ordinance 27696.

 

IV.        COMMITTEES

  1. Advisory committees will be made up of ratepayers and other interested parties that will advise the BIA Board in its management of the district.
  2. Maintenance Advisory Committee
  1. The committee will review all aspects of BIA common area maintenance.
  2. It will meet on call and be ready to respond to any issue or request.

3.        The Advisory Committee may include the following:

                a.        City of Tacoma representative

                b.        Two board representatives

                c.        One or more additional ratepayer

C.        Security Advisory Committee

  1. The committee will review all aspects of the BIA security program.
  2. The committee will provide regular coordination for all security activities within the BIA.
  3. It will meet on a monthly basis and be ready to respond to any issue or request.
  4. The Advisory Committee may include the following:
  1. Sector one police lieutenant
  2. Contractor supervisor
  3. City Manager representative
  4. Two board representatives
  5. One or more other ratepayers
  6. Representatives from other agencies

D.        Community Relations Committee

  1. The committee will communicate with public agencies, ratepayers, business owners, residents, etc. on behalf of the BIA.
  2. The committee oversees all BIA streetscape beautification initiatives.
  3. It will meet on call and be ready to respond to any issue or request.

        4.        The Advisory Committee may include the following:

                a.        City of Tacoma representative

                b.        Two board representatives

                c.        One or more other ratepayers

        

 

V.        SECURITY PLAN

A.        Downtown Police

  1. Police officers may patrol a larger area than the BIA and are not funded with BIA assessments other than for maintenance, supplies and equipment for bicycles used by police officers in the BIA.
  2. The BIA will fund selected operations of Special Emphasis Teams (SET) when the Tacoma Police Department and the BIA mutually arrange such operations.

B.        Private Security

        1.        Service Standard:  To provide a community service representative (CSR) patrol, also known as BIA Security Patrol through every block of the BIA at least once per day.  Radio-directed patrols will be available on call most days from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. and respond to calls for service within five minutes.  Services will be coordinated with police and other public safety agencies to provide maximum flexibility in response to BIA needs.

        2.        The Tacoma Financial Center has agreed to provide (at no cost to the BIA) finished space for use by the BIA Security Program.

        3.        Downtown Security Patrol or CSR (Community Service Representatives)

  1. BIA Security Patrols will wear readily identifiable uniforms and will be trained as public relations representatives for the downtown area, assisting people with directions and providing related services.  Security personnel will not carry weapons, but will be equipped with a radio and cellular telephone for communication with the Tacoma Police Department.

                b.        The proposed coverage for the 2010-2011 year is:

                                        Hours        Days

                                 0600 – 0300        Monday - Thursday  

                                 0600 – 0400        Friday

                                 1900 - 0300   Saturday

                                 1300 – 0300        Sunday

                c.        BIA Security Patrols on bicycles allow for more frequent and effective coverage of the area.

  1. The hours may be adjusted to meet current district needs.
  2. The BIA will approve programming for training of the CSRs.
  3. Any security personnel objected to by the City or through the Tacoma Police Department will be removed from the program.

 

VI.        MAINTENANCE PLAN

A.        Service Standard:  To clean sidewalks and other common areas throughout the BIA at least once per week.  Higher traffic areas will be cleaned more frequently as conditions warrant.

B.        Proposed staffing levels for sidewalk cleaning call for continuation of a supervisor and three full-time employees, plus a temporary staff person to assist during peak times (up to 2 months) in order to meet the Service Standard.

C.        The City has agreed to provide (at no cost to the BIA) the finished space located at the foot of the Broadway hill climb (12th & Commerce) for use by the BIA Maintenance Program.  Staff will continue to do routine cleaning of the public rest rooms at 12th & Commerce as agreed with the Public Works Department.

D.        The crew will attempt to inform ratepayers or their representatives of any graffiti noticed on their property.  Educational information on removal procedures and organizations that will assist with graffiti removal will be given.  In the event that the business or property owner has been informed and does nothing about the graffiti, crews will offer to remove it as time and resources permit.  Crews will not clean any graffiti that cannot be reached from a standing position on street level.

E.        The supervisor will coordinate cleaning activities with the City Maintenance Supervisor and crews.

F.        The clean-up crew will respond as possible to calls from city officials, ratepayers, the general public or BIA Security for clean-up matters needing immediate attention.

G.        The clean-up crew is not able to clean snow off all sidewalks in the downtown area.  The crew will first shovel snow out of water drains and out into the street so that people will not have to step in water puddles created by trapped melting snow.  After that, the crew will remove snow to the best of their ability.

H.  The BIA will coordinate with the City and other downtown agencies to help install and/or maintain common area improvements.

 

VII.        COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN

  1. Service Standard:  To maintain regular, effective communication with district ratepayers and to support the ratepayers' goal of preserving and enhancing their property values by highlighting the BIA as a desirable area in which to work, shop, live and visit.
  2. Funds for general marketing may be expended on providing and disseminating information to ratepayers, as well as for brochures, print or electronic advertising, and websites for ratepayers and for more general audiences in order to promote the enhanced services provided through the BIA.
  3. Vertical street banners are incrementally purchased and installed on several arterials within the BIA.  Funds are budgeted for 2010-2011 for the purchase of replacement banners.
  4. The committee will collaborate with the City to identify opportunities use its resources judiciously to increase efficiencies and leverage existing opportunities among the various organizations promoting downtown in a manner benefitting all ratepayers.

 

VIII.        EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

  1. .Paid Retirement Plan

The BIA’s goal is to provide a retirement plan that provides maximum individual employee flexibility, while encouraging saving.  The BIA makes retirement contributions based on length of employment with the BIA after one continuous year of employment with the BIA.

  1. Paid Time Off (PTO)

PTO will replace paid vacation and paid sick leave. Full-time salaried employees working forty (40) hours per week will earn PTO accrued on a tiered scale depending on length of employment and capped at 1.5 times the annual entitlement.    

  1. PTO for Full-Time Employees

1.        First year:  eleven days

Second through fifth year:  16 days

Sixth through tenth year:  21 days

After eleven years:  26 days

  1. Short-term Disability

Short-term disability and paid time off will replace paid sick-leave. Employees will accrue short-term disability at the rate of one-half day per month with a maximum accumulation of 45 days.

  1. Paid Insurance

The BIA will provide medical, dental and life insurance to all full-time employees upon acceptance by the carrier.  Employees will be placed on the plans on the first of the month following 90 days of employment.  The employee's family can be placed on the medical and dental insurance plan at the employee's own expense; the Supervisor’s dependent coverage will be paid by the BIA.

F.        Staff

  1. Maintenance Supervisor
  2. Three Maintenance Crewmembers
  3. Temporary staff as outlined above.

G.        Under management contract with the Chamber, the following Chamber staff may be working on behalf of the BIA:

  1. President & CEO
  2. Metropolitan Development Manager
  3. Finance & Administration Manager
  4. Accounting Clerk
  5. Executive Assistant
  6. Visual Communications Specialist
  7. Program & Member Support Coordinator
  8. Information Specialist