The Tukwila City Council will hold a workshop session Tuesday, March 22, on the city’s facilities needs, including fire stations and equipment.
The workshop is 6 p.m.-8 p.m. in council chambers, City Hall, 6200 Southcenter Blvd., Tukwila.
One of the issues under discussion is a public-safety ballot measure for November that would include financing for a new justice center to house police and Municipal Court and for fire facilities, apparatus and equipment.
The workshop follows a City Council decision in February not to move forward with review and public outreach for a potential annexation to the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority.
Council members still have unanswered questions about financing the fire authority and the benefits to residents and businesses of joining the authority. It’s possible the council could resume its review in the future.
The council had decided in December to separate the two issues, annexing to the RFA and the facilities planning, and to decide the fate of the RFA annexation first
“We are putting this RFA issue aside,” said council member Verna Seal, chair of the council’s Finance and Safety Committee, at the Feb. 22 meeting. “We will not be moving this forward to the next meeting, but don’t lose your notebooks.”
An initial timeline had the council voting at its March 14 meeting whether to move forward with the review and public outreach for annexing to the regional authority, which would have authority over Tukwila’s fire stations and operations.
Now, the City of Tukwila will move “full steam ahead” to address the needs of the fire department, Seal said.
The City Council will hold its regular meeting as usual on Monday, March 21, at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
