This has been a week seemingly dedicated to public dialogue for the City of Tacoma. Although Tuesday's council meeting was cancelled to observe Monday's holiday, the Planning Commission invited citizens to share opinions during the recent moratorium on billboards adopted by the Tacoma City Council and also engage in a Q&A session regarding the 2011 Tacoma Shoreline Master Program.

There was a public meeting about parking pay stations and related issues in Room 527 of the Muni Building Thursday. Meetings of this nature are held on the first Thursday of every month and are hosted by the parking task force/advisory group - with all stakeholders welcome to join.

My barber, Fidel, is convinced the City's new Pay to Park system is a sham and the will of the people will soon result in its demise. I always point out that the implementation of the system was so expensive that it will take years for it to pay for itself, and therefore he shouldn't get his hopes up.

That said, Tacoma has been flexible with its paid parking regulations, recently making Saturdays $1.50 for all day parking after objections from the community. The system isn't perfect, but the good news is your voice seems to be welcomed.

Finally, a decision on e-cigarettes

Wednesday the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health passed two regulations that will, according the T/PC Health Department, "further protect the health of the people of Pierce County from the health risks associated with tobacco use." Wednesday's decisions concluded a month-long process in which citizens throughout Pierce County were invited to weigh in on the e-cigarettes and proposed restrictions.

The new regulation deems the sale of e-cigarettes to individuals under the age of 18 illegal, and also makes e-cigarettes legal only in public places where "minors are lawfully prohibited, places of employment that are not public places, and retail outlets that exclusively sell or promote electronic smoking devices."

Community building events in East Tacoma

Friday night the Lincoln High School drumline is holding a "Hip Hop Arts Showcase" to raise money in hopes the students can attend a drumline camp at Central Washington University. The showcase, which starts at 7 p.m. and costs $7 at the door, will feature rappers, step teams, singers, dance crews and, of course, the Lincoln drumline.

The Lincoln drumline was started two and half years ago by director Peter Briggs and has already grown large enough to support varsity and junior varsity lines that perform at school events, competitions and community events. I saw them recently at the Greater Tacoma Community Foundations "Be the Spark" event, and can personally attest to their dopeness.

The following day on the East Side members of the community will be participating in the fourth annual "Clean Sweep" project. Volunteers will be spread out around East Side schools picking up trash and beautifying campuses and surrounding neighborhoods.

Volunteers will be working from 9-11 a.m. and then gathering at First Creek Middle School afterward for a celebratory program. For more info contact Kate Frazier, assistant principal at Sheridan Elementary School, at 253.571.5974.

TPD's "bar blitz"

Finally, make sure you're not smoking too close to the front door of your favorite bar this Saturday night as Tacoma Police will be bar hopping throughout town in what the county describes as "an effort to raise awareness about drinking and driving." The evening is the launch of a month-long public awareness program near the locations of the county's frequent fatal impaired driving crashes. The county calls the event a "bar blitz," which alone ensures that I won't go out this particular Saturday.