You're invited -- Please join Deputy Mayor John Hines for a Coffee Chat on March 30
City of Tacoma Washington sent this bulletin at 03/19/2024 12:26 PM PDT
Dear Neighbors,
I'm excited to invite you to join me for an informal conversation at the Swasey Branch of the Tacoma Public Library on Saturday, March 30, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The quarterly Coffee Chats that I host are a chance for us to have a casual opportunity to chat about the issues that are important to you. This event is not a town hall (which I am planning for later this year) but a smaller gathering to sit down and talk with me this spring. I appreciate hearing your perspective and sharing the work I'm doing on the City Council. I hope to see you there!
Apply to Serve on the Tacoma Public Utilities Board
I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware that there is currently one open position on the Tacoma Public Utilities Board. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of the governing body that oversees the management and operation of Tacoma Public Utilities, which includes Tacoma Power, Tacoma Water, and Tacoma Rail. The Public Utility Board is comprised of five Tacoma residents who are nominated by the Government Performance and Finance Committee, which I chair, and appointed by a majority vote of the City Council. The membership term is five years.
Along with applying for the TPU Board, I am also excited to share that the City of Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department is offering Small Business Renewal grants totaling $250,000 to support local businesses. I have heard from many of you about your concerns for our small, local businesses in our city and these grants aim to help them offset costs related to damage repair and impact upgrades.
Businesses in Tacoma can apply for grants up to $5,000 for damage repair and up to $10,000 for impact upgrades.
Damage Repair grants, up to $5,000 per occurrence, cover storefront damages such as broken windows or doors.
Impact Upgrade grants, up to $10,000, support improvements like safety upgrades or ADA access.
Eligible applicants must submit their applications by April 2, 2024, with recipients notified by April 12, 2024. Virtual workshops will be held on March 19 and March 25 to provide guidance for applicants.
For more information and to access the application in multiple languages, visit makeittacoma.com.
Please be sure to check out cityoftacoma.org for City updates and resources and, as always, please feel free to share your thoughts and concerns with me directly at john.hines@cityoftacoma.org. You can also call me at (253) 312-5620 if you have questions.
I invite you to tune in to the City Council’s Study Session or Council meetings every week on Tuesdays via TV Tacoma, Facebook Live, or Zoom. Access information is available at cityoftacoma.org/councilmeetings.
Also, if you enjoy getting this newsletter and regular updates from me, please feel free to share it with others who you think might find it valuable and encourage them to subscribe.
