Daryl Tapin

i

City of SeaTac March 22, 2016
4300 s. 188"" Street
SeaTac, WA 98188 SENT VIA EMAIL

RE: City Manager Decision
Attn: Mayor and SeaTac City Council

I was informed by council members that the intent in their search for an interim city manager was to have
a manager they could trust and would cooperate in their effort to improve local government. Living in the
local area and having a first-hand understanding of the conditions in our neighborhoods and impact of
living near an international airport was also important.

One of the issued raised with hiring the most experienced traditional city manager who was a career city
manager is that there is a firewall between the city council and city staff/city departments, The manager
is the executive and is responsible for executing the council's vision and agenda, Ofien, councilmembers
are not even allowed to speak with stafi'withoul the manager's consent. I heard that our past city
manager instructed his staff to immediately alert him if a councilmember was in the building. Council
members are kept in the dark on many issues and projects. This would not be conducive to the new
council's objective of fully understanding the issues with local government and implementing necessary
changes This is a major problem in many cities.

Yesterday, the Interim City Manager shared with me an email from a local church that has been in the
process of trying to make improvements to their property and building. The email described the
excruciating experience they have experienced to date and the regulations and costs associated with
complying with the different government agencies and utility districts. The cumulative impact of all the
regulations for the project has become so cumbersome that the congregation is unable to proceed with
the project. Their email was a plea for help. have witnesses this same issue many times.

Several months ago a developer with decades of experience called me and asked if I could meet with
him and his staff to discuss the problems he was having completing a commercial project. For over an
hour I listened to his story of the painful experiences he had encountered by city engineers. planners and
inspectors I asked him how he planned to complete the project and he paused as tears flowed down his
cheek and then he said: don't know."

Last fall a person knocked on my door and asked if he could talk to me about a house he was planning to
build. He was at wits end and did not know where or who to turn to. He said that whatever he proposes
to the city he is blocked at every turn. It's as if the city is trying to prevent him building his project.

This is not only true for private property but also for government projecs. The regulations apply to road
and bridge projects and drive up the costs and time involved which impacts all citizens and taxpayers.

Large projects like Sound Transit's Light Rail is another example of problems with government. The
bureaucrats who profit off large projects or have hidden agendas are allowed to hide the real data and

Letter Topic to ScaTac -- City Manager 7 March 22, 20l6 -- Page i ot'Z

Daryl Tapio

 

P. 0. Box 69736, Seattle WA 98168,
Email: dtolvmpic@vahoo.c0m, Phone (206) 931?3 998

hire marketing consultants to put out propaganda in order to convince the voters to continue funding a
solution that does not relieve congestions and only serves 1% or 2% of the citizens Within the taxing
district.

The EPA by the authority of the Clean Water Act via the NPDES Municipal Stormwater Permit is now
mandating low impact development (LID) best management practices (BMP) on all new projects
starting January I, 2017. On small scale and many single-family projects there is no data to indicate that
the existing BMP solutions are contributing to polling our streams and Puget Sound. These are
regulations that will mandate expensive solutions to a problem that does not exist.

The cumulative effect of our government policies, processes and changing regulations is making it more
and more difficult for people to improve their property and community in a timely and cost effective
manner.

We, the citizens, have lost control of our government. The government is implementing constant and
changing regulations and requirements that have the cumulative effect of preventing us from improving
our communities and increasing taxes for solutions that do not solve problems.

Solving these issues will not be easy. It will take the cooperation of people inside and outside of
government united with a common goal. This goal needs to include looking at data objectively, talking
Openly about problems (both government employees and citizens), and identifying potential solutions. It
often leads to identifying requirements for complying with state or federal law. Rather than blindly
complying, in order to change the system, it will require an organized effort to push back on regulations
at the state and federal level.

This simply will not be done if we keep the traditional system of having an ?experienced? city manager
and senior staff that has a traditional govermnent employee mindset and will not speak out.

The city council found a good person that they could trust and would cooperate with the council in an

effort to provide transparency, improve processes, and push back against unreasonable regulations.
Many issues have been discussed in the past two months to make improvements.

In regards to the allegations, I have met with the Interim City Manager at length and I believe it is highly
likely that many if not all of the allegation are inaccurate or overblown.

We need to proceed with our work of improving the city by working together, speaking openly, sharing
information, pushing back on unreasonable demands and identifying good solutions with a city manager

that will provide transparency to projects and issues, and cooperate with the council.

Sincerely,

a2):

 

Daryl Tapio

Letter Tapio to SeaTac City Manager March 22, 2016 Page 2 of 2