>> OKAY.
YOU ARE NOW RECORDING.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
THE JULY 12, 2021 WILL COME TO
ORDER.
THE TIME IS 9:30 A.M.
>> SAWANT?
>> PRESENT.
>> STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> HERBOLD?
>> JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> MORALES?
>> PRESENT.
>> MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> EIGHT PRESENT.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES OF JULY 6, 2021 WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
WE ARE NOW JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD. WELCOME.
NO PRESIDENTS REPORT FOR ME
TODAY, SO WE WILL MOVE QUICKLY
INTO THE PREVIEW OF THE COUNCIL
ACTIONS.
AGAIN, THE ORDER FOR TODAY'S
SAWANT, STRAUSS, HERBOLD, WHILE
RISE, LEWIS, MORALES, MOSQUEDA,
PEDERSEN, AND I WILL CLOSE
DISCUSSION.
WITHOUT URTHER ADO, I WILL
HEADED BACK OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT. GOOD
MORNING.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
THE NEXT MEETING OF THE
COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR A
SPECIAL TIME THIS THURSDAY,
JULY 15th AT 2:00 P.M.
IN THURSDAY'S MEETING, WE WILL
DISCUSS WITH A COMMUNITY PANEL
OF RENTERS AND RENTER RIGHT
ADVOCATES AND STAFF MEMBERS
ABOUT THE THREE RENTERS RIGHTS
BILL FROM MY OFFICE THAT WE
BEGAN DISCUSSING LAST WEEK.
THE FIRST BILL REQUIRES
LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE SIX MONTHS
NOTICE FOR ANY RENT INCREASES.
CURRENTLY IN SEATTLE, ONLY TWO
MONTHS NOTICE IS REQUIRED.
THIS WAS ORIGINALLY REQUESTED
BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE RENTERS
COMMISSION.
THE NEXT BILL REQUIRES
LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE WHEN THEY ARE
DISPLACED DUE TO RENT
INCREASES.
IT HAS BECOME TO BE KNOWN AS
ECONOMIC EVICTIONS.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, THERE HAS
BEEN GENTRIFICATION OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS PRIMARILY DRIVEN
BY SKYROCKETING RENT FORCING
HOUSINGS FROM THEIR HOMES,
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ULTIMATELY
THE CITY.
MANY ACTUALLY INTO HOMELESSNESS.
ACCORDING TO NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED STUDIES, EVERY $100
INCREASE IN RENT IN THE CITY,
OR IN ANY REGION RESULT IN A
15% INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
INCREASE IN RENT AND INCREASE
IN HOMELESSNESS IS STAGGERING.
IN SEATTLE, RENTERS WERE
DISPLACED BY REDEVELOPMENT ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE ORDINANCE
. RENTERS WHO ARE FIRST TO MOVE
BY OUTRAGEOUS RENT INCREASES
WHO FACED EXACTLY THE SAME
BURDENS OF DISPLACEMENT GET
NOTHING. THE BILL FROM MY
OFFICE, THE ECONOMIC
DISPLACEMENT RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE ORDINANCE MAKES
RENTERS ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE
WHEN THEY ARE FORCED TO MOVE BY
A RENT INCREASE OF 10% OR MORE.
AT THE SAME TIME, RENTERS
CANNOT SIMPLY SIT BACK AND
ACCEPT THAT WASHINGTON STATE'S
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WILL
MANAGE CONTROL FOR THE NEXT 40
YEARS.
IT HAS ALREADY BEEN BANNED FOR
THE PREVIOUS 40 YEARS AND WE
HAVE SEEN THE CONSEQUENCES OF
THIS NOT ONLY IN SEATTLE BUT
STATEWIDE WITH SKYROCKETING
RENT.
THAT IS WHY MY OFFICE IS
PROPOSING NUMBER OFFENSIVE RENT
CONTROL TO LIMIT RENT INCREASES
TO NO MORE THAN THE RATE OF
INFLATION WITH NONE OF THE
CORPORATE LOOPHOLES, LIKE
VACANCY TO BE USED TO UNDERMINE
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RENT
CONTROL POLICIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
THE RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION
FROM MY OFFICE HAS WHAT IS
CALLED A CONDITIONAL EFFECTIVE
DATE.
GOES INTO EFFECT THE MOMENT
WASHINGTON STATE LIFT THE BAN
ON RENT CONTROL.
WEEN OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS,
STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE IGNORED
THE FACT THEY ARE STANDING IN
THE WAY OF RENTERS RIGHTS THAT
CAN STOP DISPLACEMENT ALONGSIDE
A MASSIVE EXPANSION STATEWIDE
OF PUBLICLY OWNED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
IF THIS COUNCIL POUNCES THE
LEGISLATION, LAWMAKERS WILL BE
UNDER TREMENDOUS PRESSURE TO
IGNORE THE ISSUE AND REPEAL THE
BAN. I URGE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE
COME PREPARED AND TO ASK
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TWO BILLS.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND MEETING
WHERE THESE BILLS WILL BE
DISCUSSED AND WE WANT THESE
DISCUSSIONS TO BE PRODUCTIVE.
ONE AFTER THE FACT OF MAKING
THEM PRODUCTIVE IS FOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO COME PREPARED WITH
COMMENTS. AS I MENTIONED, THE
CITY OF SEATTLE RENTERS
COMMISSION WROTE A PUBLIC
LETTER TO PROPOSE THE SIX
MONTHS NOTICE BILL AND THEY
ALSO TOOK A VOTE TO SUPPORT THE
ECONOMIC EVICTIONS WITH THIS
ASSISTANCE BILL.
THURSDAY'S MEETING WILL ALSO
HERE AND VOTE ON THE APPOINTMENT
OF FOUR MORE FROM THE OVERSIGHT
BOARD. AFTER THESE FOUR
APPOINTMENTS, THE BOARD WILL
HAVE FOUR MORE TO MAKE, ONE
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND
THREE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD
MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
THE APPOINTMENT WILL BE THE
ONLY VOTING ITEM ON THURSDAY'S
AGENDA.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, ABOUT A
YEAR AGO I STOOD AT AN AMAZON
PRESS CONFERENCE OUTSIDE
BAPTIST CHURCH WITH A DOZEN
CLERGY AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS
AND SOCIALISTS TO DEMAND THE
ESTABLISHMENT SUPPORT THE
CENTRAL AREA HOUSING PLAN WHICH
HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY REVEREND
JEFFREY AND OTHER AREA BLACK
CLERGY.
AS A RESULT OF THIS ADVOCACY
AND ADVOCACY OF HUNDREDS OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE WON AN
AMENDMENT IN THE FINAL BILL TO
DEDICATE A PORTION OF THE
AMAZON TAX EACH YEAR TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT
ACCOMPLISHMENT AND VICTORY FOR
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT.
WE NEED FAR MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT
AND CITYWIDE.
OVER THE YEARS, MY OFFICE HAS
SPOKEN WITH MANY FAITH LEADERS
THAT ARE EAGER TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THEIR
PROPERTIES AND AS PART OF THIS
MOVEMENT, THEY UNDERSTAND THE
URGENCY AND MANDATE FOR MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
REVEREND JEFFREY AND OTHER
BLACK MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY AND
EXPLAINED HOW 50 YEARS AGO THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY ESTABLISHMENT
AT THAT TIME ESSENTIALLY FORCED
THE CHURCH TO SELL ITS LAND.
THE SELLING PRICE UNDER THE
THREAT OF TAKING IT TO EMINENT
DOMAIN WAS $34,000. THIS WAS A
TRAVESTY AGAINST THE CHURCH
COMMUNITY AND AGAINST THE BLACK
WORKING CLASS. AND ALSO THE
CITY'S WORKING CLASS AS A WHOLE
WITH THE LOSS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IT REPRESENTED.
THAT LAND TODAY IS WORTH MORE
THAN $2 MILLION, MORE THAN 8
TIMES THE INFLATED SELLING
PRICE FROM 50 YEARS AGO.
AT LEAST PART OF THAT PROPERTY
CAN AND SHOULD BE DEVELOPED
INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE
CHURCH AND PARTNERSHIP WITH A
LOW INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE
HAS DEVELOPED A PLAN TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR 87
HOUSEHOLDS ON THE CITY'S STOLEN
PROPERTY WITH COMMUNITY
PREFERENCE FOR THOSE THAT WERE
DISPLACED FROM THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT.
OUTRAGEOUSLY THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING IS GOING TO BE PLANNING
TO OFFER ONLY $20 MILLION OF
FUNDING FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING
IN THE FALL NO FUNDING ABILITY.
THAT IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE
TECHNICAL PROCESS THE CITY USES
TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS, LIKE THE ONE PROPOSED
BY REVEREND JEFFREY AND OTHER
BLACK CLERGY.
AFTER IT IS ISSUED, PROJECT BID
AND SOME ARE SELECTED APPEARED
ONLY THEN DOES THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING START TO BE BUILT.
ULTIMATELY THEY DO NOT NEED TO
MAKE A PAYMENT FOR WELL OVER A
YEAR.
AT THAT POINT, THE AMAZON TAX
FUNDS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE.
THE ONLY REASON IT WOULD NOT BE
AVAILABLE AS IF THE MAYOR
REFUSED TO HONOR THE PROMISE OF
THE AMAZON TAX, WHICH OF COURSE
WOULD BE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
MY OFFICE IS COMMITTED
ALONGSIDE LEHIGH AND THE BLACK
CLERGY TO INCREASE THE FUNDING
FOR ANTI-GENTRIFICATION,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS,
AND COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE SEEN%
úTHE EMAIL EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE
MEMBERS AND MY OFFICE, WHICH
ALL OF YOU ARE COPIED ON.
WORKING WITH A WIDE RANGE OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND PALESTINIAN
RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, MY OFFICE IS
TAKING STEPS TO ADVANCE
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BAN THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM
ENGAGING IN TRAINING WITH
NATIONSTATES FOUND TO VIOLATE
HUMAN RIGHTS.
LAST WEEK I CIRCULATED THE
DRAFT LEGISLATION TO OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS INVITING YOUR
FEEDBACK AND ASKING YOU TO
CONTACT MY OFFICE IF YOU WISH
TO COSPONSOR THIS LEGISLATION,
WHICH I HOPE TO BE INTRODUCED
SHARPLY ALONGSIDE THE
ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRESSIVE
LABOR UNIONS THAT ARE PART OF
THIS STRUGGLE.
OUR LEGISLATION WOULD BAN
SEATTLE POLICE FROM TRAINING OR
HAVING ANY EXCHANGE WITH THE
MILITARY OR POLICE OF ANY
NATION VIOLATING THE
CONVENTIONS OF THE UNITED
NATIONS OR THE BILL OF HUMAN
RIGHTS WHICH TOGETHER FORM THE
BASIC HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS
THAT NEED TO BE ADHERED TO AND
HAVE BEEN INTERNATIONALLY
AGREED UPON BY NATIONSTATES
OVER THE LAST 70+ YEARS.
THIS FOLLOWS CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTIONS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS
IN ACCORDANCE TO THE
REVOLUTIONS THAT WERE PASSED
WITH THESE INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS, COMMITTED TO UPHOLD
CIVIL RIGHTS. IN FACT, NOT
PASSING THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
CONTRADICT THESE RESOLUTIONS
AND LONG-STANDING CITY POLICY.
SOME OF THE OPPONENTS OF THE
LEGISLATION HAVE CLAIMED THIS
ORDINANCE UNJUSTLY SINGLED OUT
THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
IT DOES NOT.
I URGE COUNCILMEMBERS AND YOUR
STAFF TO READ THE BILL PROPERLY.
THE BILL BANS TRAINING WITH THE
MILITARY OR POLICE OF ANY
NATION STATE IT HAS BEEN FOUND
TO VIOLATE THESE BASIC
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
STANDARDS.
OBVIOUSLY NEEDLESSLY TO SAY,
THE BAN WOULD APPLY TO THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
ENGAGING IN TRAINING WITH THESE
STATE FORCES WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THESE ARE THE STATE FORCES WHO
HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR
BRUTALIZING THE PALESTINIAN
PEOPLE FOR DECADES AND WHO HAVE
BEEN WRONGLY CONDEMNED
WORLDWIDE BY UNIONS, FAITH
COMMUNITIES, HUMAN RIGHTS
GROUPS, AND GOVERNMENTS THIS
PAST SPRING FOR THEIR BRUTAL
AND DISPROPORTIONATE MILITARY
ASSAULT ON THE PEOPLE OF GAZA.
THEIR ATTEMPTED INSTIGATION OF
A VIOLENCE. THE ISRAELI STATE
HAS BEEN FOUND OVER THE YEARS
BY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL AND ISRAELI
MAINSTREAM HUMAN RIGHTS
ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE
REPEATEDLY VIOLATED THE GENEVA
CONVENTIONS OF THE UNITED
NATIONS AND ITS AGGRESSIVE
ATTACKS ON PALESTINIANS AND THE
FORCED SEIZURE OF THEIR LANDS.
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF
JUSTICE HAS FOUND THE ISRAELI
STATE VIOLATED THE FOURTH
GENEVA CONVENTION RIGHTS OF
PALESTINIANS.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
REPEATEDLY HAS DETERMINED THE
ISRAELI STATE VIOLATED
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN AND CIVIL
RIGHTS LAWS AND COMMITTED WAR
CRIMES AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS
. IN JANUARY THE ISRAELI HUMAN
RIGHTS GROUPS DETAILED SYSTEMIC
HUMAN AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS BY THE ISRAELI STATE
IN THEIR REPORT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS
ORDINANCE APPLIES ACROSS THE
BOARD AND THERE ARE OTHER
NATIONSTATES THAT VIOLATE SUCH
BASIC INTERNATIONAL HUMAN
RIGHTS LAWS AS THE GENEVA
CONVENTIONS, SEATTLE POLICE
WILL BE BANNED FROM TRAINING
WITH THEM ALSO.
LAST WEEK, MY OFFICE CIRCULATED
IN THE COMMUNITY A PETITION
CALLING ON THIS POLICE TRAINING
AN OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS
AND THE RESPONSE WAS REMARKABLE
. WITHIN 48 HOURS, MORE THAN
800 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD
SIGNED.
EARLIER THIS MORNING, MY STAFF
HAD CIRCULATED A PETITION TO
ALL COUNCIL OFFICES SO YOU CAN
LOOK AT NOT ONLY THE SIGNATURES
BUT THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS THAT
HAVE COME IN, WHICH I REALLY
APPRECIATE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC OFFERING THESE COMMENTS.
JUST A FEW OF THEM, A UNION
MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL
ORDER OF MASTERS MADE SOME
PILOTS AND A CENTRAL DISTRICT
RESIDENT WROTE, QUOTE,
VIOLATORS HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
IS SEATTLE A POLICE STATE CITY?
WERE A CITY WITH STANDARDS AND
JUSTICE?
END QUOTE.
DANIEL FROM DISTRICT FIVE WROTE
, QUOTE, WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY
FROM VIOLENCE AND ALLOW SPD TO
TRAIN HIS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION.
WE SHOULD INVEST MONEY TO
INDIGENOUS RESIDENTS, NOT TO
TEACH OTHER STOUTS. 775 FROM
THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT WROTE
THESE KINDS OF TACTICS ARE
INEXCUSABLE.
POLICE ARE ALREADY TOO
MILITARIZED.
THEY HAVE AGGRESSIVE TACTICS.
CHRISTIAN, A MEMBER OF THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
AEROSPACE WORKERS WROTE SIMPLY
OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT A WAR
ZONE.
THE INCREASING LEVELS OF
MILITARIZATION OF OUR POLICE
FORCE HAVE BEEN ONGOING POST-
9/11 AND HAVE ONLY GOING TO
ENDANGER OUR PEOPLE AND CREATE
FEAR, MISTRUST, AND ANGER WITH
THE VERY PEOPLE WE ARE SUPPOSED
TO TRUST.
VIOLATORS HAVE COMMITTED
HEINOUS CRIMES. THERE IS NO
LOGICAL REASON WHY ANYONE IN
THIS COUNTRY SHOULD RECEIVE
HELP FROM A NATION WHO
BLATANTLY DENIES SUCH THINGS.
THIS IS ANOTHER BLARING LOOK.
SEATTLE COUNCILMEMBERS MUST
STAND UP AND LET THEIR VOICES
REFLECT THOSE. THERE IS POWER
AND DEMOCRACY. IF THEY CAN LEAD
IN ANY WAY, THEY MUST.
I URGE COUNCILMEMBERS TO READ
THE COMMENTS BY MORE THAN 300
SIGNERS THAT THEY HAVE ADDED
COMMENTS AND CONTACT MY OFFICE
IF YOU WISH TO COSPONSOR THE
BILL. LAST WEEK DURING THE CITY
COUNCIL BRIEFING, I TALKED
ABOUT THE LEGISLATION FROM MY
OFFICE AND INTRODUCTION TO THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S OFFICE A
FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT VARIOUS
PSYCHEDELICS, LIKE MAGIC
MUSHROOMS AND MDMA. LAST WEEK
AT THE BRIEFING, I RAISED
QUESTIONS FOR COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WHO WAS NOT THERE.
I WILL RAISE THE QUESTIONS
AGAIN NOW SO WE CAN HAVE
DISCUSSION ON THIS.
I HAVE PUBLICLY BEEN REPORTING
ON THIS LEGISLATION FOR OVER
THREE WEEKS AT REPORTED CITY
COUNCIL BRIEFINGS.
ON JUNE 25th, MY OFFICE DRAFTED
TO HERBOLD'S OFFICE.
WE SAID WE WOULD ASSUME THIS
WOULD BE REFERRED TO YOUR
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE GIVEN
THE SUBJECT MATTER, HOWEVER IF
YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY IN
YOUR COMITTEE MEETINGS, PLEASE
LET US KNOW AND WE WILL FIND
ANOTHER COMMITTEE OPTION.
ALEX, I TRY TO GIVE YOU A CALL.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS IN THERE FROM MY STAFF
MEMBER.
SINCE THEN, MY STAFF HAVE ALSO
FOLLOWED UP WITH LITERALLY
DOZENS OF PHONE CALLS, BUT WE
HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE
FROM COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
OFFICE ON WHETHER THEY WILL
ACCEPT THIS INTO THEIR
COMMITTEE OR NOT.
IF THEY DON'T WANT TO ACCEPT, I
AM HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE
LEGISLATION IN MY COMMITTEE, AS
I HAVE SAID REPEATEDLY.
I WANTED TO POSE THE QUESTION
HERE PUBLICLY.
WE MET LAST WEEK WITH
DECRIMINALIZED NATURE ACTIVISTS
AND THEY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH
THE UNNECESSARY DELAY.
AS I HAVE SAID, I AM FLEXIBLE
ON WHAT COMMITTEE THIS IS
REFERRED TO BUT I AM CONCERNED
BY THE ALREADY NOW NEARLY 3
WEEK DEALING INTERRUPTION AND I
AM PERPLEXED THAT
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE NOT
PROVIDED ANY PUBLIC OXYGENATION
FOR WHY THEY ARE REFUSING TO
ALLOW THE BILL TO BE
INTRODUCED.
IT IS NO LONGER A CONTROVERSIAL
POINT.
THERE IS RESEARCH ON HOW
DAMAGING THE WAR ON DRUGS HAS
BEEN FOR DECADES AND THIS IS
COMING ON THE HEELS OF ALL OF
THAT WELL-ESTABLISHED RESEARCH
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS, WHICH HAVE A
POWERFUL POTENTIAL TO BE USED
IN THE TREATMENT OF PTSD,
DEPRESSION, AND ADDICTION.
SOME HAVE LITTLE OR NO HARMFUL
EFFECTS.
WE KNOW THE HARMFUL EFFECTS ARE
ALMOST ALWAYS A RESULT OF OTHER
DRUGS, LIKE METHAMPHETAMINE
BEING PLACED IN WITHOUT THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONSUMER.
IN CANADA, THERE ARE INCREDIBLY
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. THERE IS A
TESTING TENT SET UP WERE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN BRING
THEIR DRUGS TO SEE IF WHAT THEY
ARE ABOUT TO CONSUME IS WHAT
THEY THINK THEY ARE ABOUT TO
CONSUME OR IF IT IS LACED WITH
SOMETHING HARMFUL.
THIS ALONE HAS SAVED MANY LIVES
BUT THIS PROGRAM ONLY WORKS
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO
USE IT AND PEOPLE ARE ONLY
WILLING TO USE IT BECAUSE THEY
KNOW THAT IT WILL NOT BE USED
TO ARREST THEM REGARDLESS OF
THE LEGALITY OF THEIR DRUG IN
THEIR POSSESSION.
THAT IS THE RESEARCH THAT HAS
SHOWN THE CAUSALITY FROM NOT
CRIMINALIZING THE DRUGS TO
ACTUALLY HAVING SAFE
CONSUMPTION AND REDUCED
CONSUMPTION OF THE DANGEROUS
DRUGS.
MY POINT, OF COURSE, EVEN IF
THE DRUGS CAN BE HARMFUL, SOME
OF THEM CAN BE HARMFUL AND WE
ARE AWARE OF THAT, AND THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS A
TERRIBLE RESPONSE THAT HAS BEEN
DOCUMENTED TO THE POINT OF
CONSENSUS AMONG THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY.
IT PREVENTS HARM REDUCTION
APPROACH THAT SAVES LIVES. IT
HAS BEEN PART OF THE FAILED WAR
ON DRUGS THAT HAS MASSIVELY
EXPANDED MASS INCARCERATION.
ONLY A SMALL PART OF THAT MASS
INCARCERATION SYSTEM, BUT THEY
ARE PART OF IT.
ONCE THE LEGISLATION IS PLACED
ON THE INTRODUCTION BEFORE
CALENDAR, AND MAKES IT
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE
AND COMMENT ON.
THAT SHOULD HAPPEN WITH NO
FURTHER DELAY. I ALSO JOINED
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS IN SIGNING
THE NEW OVERDOSE EMERGENCY
RECOVERY TASK FORCE ASKING THEM
TO REVIEW THIS ISSUE, BUT I
DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANY
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SHOW
THAT SHOULD BE USED AS A REASON
TO PREVENT ANYONE ELSE FROM
WEIGHING IN AND PREVENT
INTRODUCTION OF THIS BILL. SOME
OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK
FORCE OUR ACTIVISTS, WHOM I
HAVE SPOKEN WITH PERSONALLY
LAST WEEK.
THEY DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY
THERE SHOULD BE A DELAY IN
INTERVIEWS, SAYING THEY ARE
PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH THE
DELAYS AT THIS POINT.
THERE ARE NOT MANY MEETINGS
BEFORE THE BUDGET BEGINS. IF
THIS IS NOT DONE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE, IT'LL BE DELAYED
UNTIL AFTER THE BUDGET, WHICH
OFTEN MEANS IT WILL NOT BE
TAKEN UP THIS YEAR BECAUSE
COUNCILMEMBERS GET BUSY WITH
THE BUDGET AND EFFECTIVELY WE
WOULD NEED TO START ALL OVER
AGAIN NEXT YEAR AND THAT IS
SIMPLY NOT FAIR TO THE ACTIVISTS
OF SEATTLE AND THE MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WHO WANT THIS PAST.
AS I SAID, I AM HAPPY TO
DISCUSS FURTHER BUT I DON'T
AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY
FURTHER DELAY IN INTRODUCTION
OF THE BILL AND I HOPE
COUNCILMEMBERS WILL NOT BLOCK
THE INTRODUCTION.
FINALLY, BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT
TO THANK MEMBERS FOR THEIR WORK
ALONGSIDE OUR OFFICE IN
AGGREGATING FOR FULL FUNDING
FOR THEIR PROJECT TO RENOVATE,
IMPROVE, AND ADD ART AND
HISTORICAL DISPLAYS IN THE
HEART OF SEATTLE'S CENTRAL
DISTRICT.
THIS PROJECT STARTED 15 YEARS
AGO AND IT IS TIME TO FINISH
IT.
THIS MELDS THE ORIGINAL PLAN'S
VISION WITH CULTURALLY RELEVANT
ART INSTALLATIONS, IMPROVED
ACCESS, PLAY EQUIPMENT, AND AN
IMPROVED RESTROOM FACILITY.
WE KNOW THE GARFIELD AREA WILL
BE A GYM IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT
. I WILL BE ADDING THREE FUNDS
OF $500,000 INTO THE PROJECT
AND I URGE COUNCILMEMBERS TO
SUPPORT THIS.
I AM EXCITED TO JOIN COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THIS WEDNESDAY AT 5:00
P.M.
TO CELEBRATE THE PROJECT'S
PROGRESS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
REPORT.
ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S REPORT?
>> I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE
BILL.
JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF
BACKGROUND, THE BILL WAS ONLY
MADE AVAILABLE ON WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 30th.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE
WHOLE ISSUE OF CALLS MADE. I
DON'T HAVE A WAY OF KNOWING HOW
MANY CALLS WERE MADE, BUT MY
STAFF HAS RECEIVED FOUR
VOICEMAILS AND THREE OF THEM ON
THIS TOPIC. WHEN I RESPONDED IN
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S OFFICE A
COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN THEY
INFORMED US THIS BILL WAS
COMING, I LET THEM KNOW I WOULD
BE MEETING WITH DECRIMINALIZED
NATURE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
IDEAS ABOUT PROCESS AND THE
CONTENT OF THE BILL. WE
SUBSEQUENTLY, MYSELF AND
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS,
SUBSEQUENTLY ATTENDED ONE OF
THEIR BOARD MEETINGS.
IT TOOK THEM SOME TIME TO
CONSIDER CONVERSATION THAT WE
HAD AND GET BACK TO US.
WE ALL HAVE AN EMAIL FROM THEM
IN OUR INBOX THIS MORNING.
AGAIN, TO CLARIFY, THEY HAVE
NOT ASSIGNED THE BILL TO A
COMMITTEE YET.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ HAS,
AND I WILL LET COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ SPEAK FOR
HERSELF, BUT THE UNDERSTANDING
IS WE ALL HAVE AGREED, THE
COUNCIL, ASKING THAT THE
RECOVERY TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED
A PROCESS FOR CONSIDERING THIS
POLICY.
I BELIEVE REFERRING THE BILL TO
THE COMMITTEE PRIOR TO
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT
COMMITTEE IS PREMATURE. THE
LEGISLATION IS NOT RIGHT.
I APPRECIATE THAT THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT IS SUPPORTING THE
POSITION WE HAVE ALL TAKEN
REGARDING THAT POLICY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THE WORD OF IT
DECRIMINALIZED NATURE OF
SEATTLE EMAILED THIS WEEKEND
FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE TASK
FORCE AND WAITING FOR THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF
DECRIMINALIZED NATURE SEATTLE
ON THE TASK FORCE ITSELF.
AGAIN, THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT
INTRODUCTION OF THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD INDICATE A
SPECIFIC INTENT PRIOR TO
RECEIVING RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE IS A STRONG SUPPORT ON
THE COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING
THE USEFULNESS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
CONTEXT AND INTEREST IN THE
POLICY OBJECTIVES OF THE
LEGISLATION, BUT AGAIN, I AM
REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN
CONSIDER POLICY AT A TIME WHEN
WE HAVE ACTUALLY RECEIVED
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FOLKS
WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD. SORRY, IT TOOK ME A
SECOND TO FIND THE ON MUTE
BUTTON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FOR COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> I JUST FIND THIS RESPONSE TO
THE QUESTION OF PHONE CALLS AND
VOICEMAILS SOMEWHAT
DISINGENUOUS.
YES, IT IS TRUE THAT MY STAFF
MEMBER DID NOT LEAVE A
VOICEMAIL ON EVERY CALL HE
MADE, BUT HE MADE 23 CALLS.
HE PROBABLY LEFT FOUR
VOICEMAILS.
YOU ARE RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD. IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY
CRAZY FOR HIM TO LEAVE 23
VOICEMAILS. NOBODY IN THEIR
RIGHT MIND WOULD DO THAT.
FOUR VOICEMAILS SHOULD BE AMPLE
FOR STAFF MEMBERS.
YOU KNOW, IT IS YOUR OFFICE.
ULTIMATELY IT IS NOT ABOUT
STAFF MEMBERS, IT IS ABOUT THE
OFFICE AS A WHOLE.
WE CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND WE
ARE LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE.
I APPRECIATE YOU HAVE SPOKEN
OPENLY TODAY BUT THIS IS THE
RESPONSE WE WERE SEEKING WHEN
WE REACHED OUT TO YOUR OFFICE
SO MANY TIMES.
LEAVING THAT ASIDE, ON THE
QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE LETTER
THAT ALL OF US SIGNED SAYS,
THERE WAS NO COMMENT ABOUT A
PROCESS FOR THE LETTER.
THE LETTER DID NOT SAY ONE WORD
ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
MAYBE SOME OF YOU WERE THINKING
THAT WAS THE PROCESS THAT YOU
WERE AGREEING TO WHEN THAT
LETTER WAS SIGNED, BUT THAT IS
NOT WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS.
YES, I DID MENTION MYSELF JUST
A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT MEMBERS
-- SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
TASK FORCE AND ALSO ACTIVISTS
IN IT DECRIMINALIZED NATURE
SEATTLE, THEY HAVE INFORMED ME
THEY BELIEVE THE RESEARCH AND
THE SCIENTIFIC CONCLUSIONS TO
BE SO WELL-ESTABLISHED AT THIS
POINT THAT THEY DON'T EXPECT
THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE IS
GOING TO CHANGE THE SUBSTANCE
OF THE LEGISLATION IN ANY WAY
AND THEY, THEMSELVES, ARE
PERPLEXED AND FRUSTRATED AS TO
WHY THERE HAS BEEN A DELAY IN
INTRODUCTION.
THE LETTER DOES NOT SAY THE
TASK FORCE SHOULD FINISH PRIOR
TO PRODUCING THIS BILL.
I DO NOT AGREE THAT THE
LEGISLATION IS RIGHT HERE
INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION IS
THE FIRST STEP TO ALLOW FOR
DEMOCRATIC DEBATE.
>> OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FOR COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S SUPPORT? I'M SURE WE
WILL HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ALL
OVER AGAIN AT 2:00, SO WE WILL
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS
IT THERE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT AS
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, IT IS MY
RESPONSIBILITY TO IDENTIFY
WHICH COMMITTEE THIS PROPOSED
LEGISLATION WOULD GO TO.
IN THIS INSTANCE, I DO BELIEVE
IT IS APPROPRIATE TO REFER THIS
LEGISLATION TO THE PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HUMAN RESOURCE
COMMITTEE.
MY HOPE WAS THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND SAWANT COULD COME
TO AN AGREEMENT. I HAVE HEARD
VERY STRONGLY FROM A
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AS THE
CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE THAT SHE WOULD LIKE
FOR THE TASK FORCE PROCESS TO
RUN ITS COURSE PRIOR TO
INTRODUCTION RELATED TO THIS
PARTICULAR SUBJECT.
I AM DEFERRING TO HER AS THE
CHAIR AND SUPPORTING HER
DECISION IN TERMS OF THAT
PARTICULAR TIMELINE.
OBVIOUSLY COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
HAS THE RIGHT AS A
COUNCILMEMBER TO MAKE AN
AMENDMENT TO THE REFERRAL
CALENDAR TO INTRODUCE HER
PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN ADVANCE
OF THE TASK FORCE. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IS LIKELY
GOING TO HAPPEN THIS AFTERNOON
AT 2:00.
IF IT DOES, FOLKS WILL HAVE TO
MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER OR
NOT THEY AGREE WITH THE CHAIR
OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
AND MY SUPPORT OF THAT DECISION
AND SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S NOTION TO
AMEND THE CALENDAR.
THAT BEING SAID, LET'S GO AHEAD
AND MOVE DOWN THE LINE, UNLESS
WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS.
HEARING NONE, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND COLLEAGUES.
THERE IS ONE ITEM ON TODAY'S
INTRODUCTION REFERRAL CALENDAR,
120121, FLEX ABILITY FOR IT
STREET-LEVEL USES TO ADDRESS
VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC.
THERE ARE TWO APPOINTMENTS ON
THE AGENDA, WENT TO THE
HISTORIC SEATTLE GOVERNING
COUNCIL AND WENT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICT BOARD.
THE NEXT MEETING IS THIS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14th.
STARTING AT 9:30 A.M., THERE
ARE FOUR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
ONE IS A HEARING ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS
TO BE CONSIDERED IN 2022.
SECOND, A LONG-AWAITED BRIEFING
FROM THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. ON THE
URBAN GROWTH STRATEGY, A
PROGRESS REPORT FROM SEATTLE
INSTRUCTIONS.
AND FORTH, 120108 WHICH AMENDS
THE MASTER PLAN TO ALLOW FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF VACANT
SITES.
I WILL BE ATTENDING THE
COMMUNITY COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY
EVENING.
MY STAFF WILL BE MEETING WITH
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND
WE ARE VERY EXCITED THIS WEEK
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS
SIGNING THE DOCUMENTS TO
RECEIVE OFFICIALLY AND LEGALLY
THE SENIOR CENTER, WHICH WE
VOTED ON A FEW WEEKS AGO.
LASTLY I WILL BE ATTENDING THE
ASSOCIATION IN WASHINGTON THIS
THURSDAY.
HERE IN DISTRICT 6, I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO SPEAKING
WITH RESIDENTS DURING OFFICE
HOURS.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON FROM 2:00
UNTIL 6:00, AND NEXT WEEK AS
WELL.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THAT IS MY
REPORT.
>> THANKS SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR THAT
REPORT.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE, LET'S
GO AHEAD AND GO DOWN THE LINE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND THEN
AFTER HERBOLD IS COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
THE FULL COUNCIL AGENDA HAS NO
ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE ITSELF WILL BE
MEETING TOMORROW MORNING AND
THERE ARE THREE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA TOMORROW.
FIRST WE WILL HAVE A 2021
ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT FROM THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION AND
THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
AND POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION ON
THE DISCUSSIONS TO DATE AROUND
THE PAYOUT POLICY AND AN
OVERVIEW OF STAKEHOLDER
CONVERSATIONS HELD THE FAR.
FINALLY WE WILL BE HAVING A
POSSIBLE BOAT ON THE WEAPONS
BILL. IT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA
REGARDING ACTIONS AND PEPPER
BALL USE.
A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS I WANT
TO MENTION. AS WE ALL KNOW,
LAST WEEK THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY RELEASED ITS
REPORT ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF
POLICE OFFICERS IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. ON JANUARY 6th. THEY FOUND
COMPLAINTS AGAINST TWO OFFICERS
TO BE SUSTAINED. I BELIEVE THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE TO
TERMINATE TWO OFFICERS FOR
VIOLATION OF LAW WERE FOUND TO
BE NECESSARY.
I RECENTLY STATED NOTING MY
BELIEF THAT IF EMPLOYEES
KNOWINGLY TRAVEL TO A LOCATION
IN SUPPORT OF PEOPLE WHOM THEY
KNEW WERE TEMPTING AN
INSURRECTION, EVEN IF THEIR
PARTICIPATION WAS AS AN
OBSERVER, THAT IS A CLEAR
CONNECTION BETWEEN CONDUCT AND
DUTIES OR RESPONSIBILITIES AND
I BELIEVE IT IS AN OFFENSE THAT
MERITS TERMINATION.
THE WORD CLEAR CONNECTION
BETWEEN CONDUCT AND DUTIES OR
RESPONSIBILITIES IS A REFERENCE
TO THE SPD POLICY MANUAL THAT
SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE
DEPARTMENT DOES NOT WANT TO
UNDULY LIMIT THE LIBERTIES OR
RIGHTS OF OFFICERS, BUT
CLARIFIES WHEN THERE IS A CLEAR
CONNECTION BETWEEN CONDUCT AND
DUTIES OR RESPONSIBILITIES,
THAT IMPACTS THE ABILITY OF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO CREATE
COMMUNITY TRUST AND FAITH IN
THE ABILITY OF POLICE OFFICERS
TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS.
THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE ISSUES TO
TAKE A LOOK AT.
WE KNOW THAT RESEARCH FROM
NONPARTISAN GROUPS, LIKE
ADVANCED DEMOCRACY, SHOW THAT
BEFORE JANUARY 6th, THERE WERE
CALLS FOR VIOLENCE THAT
PROLIFERATED IN TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS ONLINE.
SINCE 2006, THE FBI HAS BEEN
WARNING US THAT EXTREMIST
GROUPS HAVE HAD STRONG TIES TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT. MY HOPE WOULD
HAVE BEEN THAT THE OPA
INVESTIGATION DID MORE THAN IT
DID TO LOOK INTO THE QUESTION OF
WHAT THE OFFICERS WHO ATTENDED
ON JANUARY 6th, WHAT SORT OF
EVENT THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE
ATTENDING.
DID THEY SEE THE CALL FOR
VIOLENCE ON TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF COMMENTS ON TWITTER, TIKTOK,
AND OTHER MESSAGE BOARDS?
DID THEY HEAR PRESIDENT TRUMP
SAY THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE
WILD?
WERE THERE INQUIRIES OR
INTERVIEWS WITH FOLKS WHO THE
OFFICERS HAD TALKED TO IN
ADVANCE ABOUT THEIR PLANS TO
ATTEND?
WAS THERE ANY ATTEMPT TO LOOK
AT MATERIALS THAT THE OFFICERS
MAY HAVE RECEIVED OR REVIEWED
IN ADVANCE OF ATTENDING?
I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE
REPORT ITSELF SUGGESTS THAT THE
PHONE RECORDS, SPECIFICALLY
TWEETS, WERE DELETED. OPA SAYS
THAT SEATTLE I.T.
ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER THOSE
PHONE RECORDS, BUT I DO HAVE
QUESTIONS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE
CONSULTED, OR WHETHER OR NOT OPA
CONSULTED WITH PROFESSIONAL I.T.
FORENSIC OUTFITS TO SEE WHETHER
OR NOT THOSE TEXTS COULD BE
RESTORED.
THE POLICE COMMISSION HAS ALSO
NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF
ADDRESSING EXTREMISM WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT AND IN THE WAKE OF
THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK,
STATED THAT SOON AFTER THE
ATTACK, CHIEF DIAZ WAS ASKED HOW
THEY PLAN TO INVESTIGATE AND
ADDRESS EXTREMISM WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT RANKS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE
HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND
OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE
PUBLICIZED PLANS TO ADDRESS
THIS ISSUE, SPD'S PLANS REMAIN
UNCLEAR. I HAVE ALSO ASKED THE
CHIEF ABOUT THIS, NOTING THAT
THE OFFICE OF THE EMPLOYEE ON
BUD IS WORKING WITH THE
AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES EXTREMISM
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION LAB,
KNOWN AS PAROL, TO PILATE IT
AMONG EMPLOYEES IN SEVERAL
DEPARTMENTS. A FEW MONTHS AGO
WHEN I INQUIRED WITH DR. KHAN
ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S
INVOLVEMENT IN THIS, DETAILS
ABOUT DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES WERE
STILL PENDING.
ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY COMMITMENTS
FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS
INCLUDING THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT WERE IN HAND AT THAT
TIME. AGAIN, THIS WAS PROBABLY
IN EARLY JUNE THAT I MADE THIS
INQUIRY.
I AM HOPING TO HEAR MORE FROM
CHIEF DIAZ ABOUT HIS
PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT
EFFORT BEING LED BY THE OFFICE
OF THE EMPLOYEE. LASTLY, JUST A
FEW WORDS AROUND THE WEEKLY HST
UPDATE THAT I SEEK TO PROVIDE
ON THE WORK OF THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
JUST WANTING TO LET FOLKS KNOW
THE HOSPITALITY WORK EMERGENCY
RELIEF FUND REPORTS DISTRIBUTING
CHECKS TOTALING AN ADDITIONAL
$14,600 IN CASH BY JUNE OF 2021
FOR THE HOSPITALITY WORKER
RELIEF FUND. THE ENTIRE FUND
HAS BEEN DISTORTED AND THE
CUMULATIVE TOTAL FOR THE FUND
IS 1650 CHECKS, TOTALING $2.17
MILLION IN CASH ASSISTANCE.
OTHER EVENTS COMING UP THIS
WEEK, WE HAVE THE REGIONAL
POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING THIS
WEEK AND ALSO I WANT TO NOTE
THAT ON WEDNESDAY AT NOON, THE
COMMUNITY TASK FORCE WILL MEET.
THAT IS IT FOR ME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD. ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT
REPORT?
ALL RIGHT, I AM NOT SEEING ANY
HANDS RAISED SO WE WILL GO DOWN
THE LINE HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS .
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
OKAY, SO I HAVE FIVE ITEMS TO
SPEAK TO AND I WILL BE BRIEF.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
COUNCIL AGENDA FROM THE PUBLIC
COMMITTEE. THE NEXT MEETING OF
OUR COMMITTEE WILL BE FRIDAY.
THIS FRIDAY AT 2:00. IN REGARDS
TO PARKS, LET'S SEE.
FROM JULY 2nd TO JULY 5th, THE
HIGHEST AVERAGE NUMBER WAS
REPORTED AT GOLDEN GARDENS,
GREEN LAKE, AND A STEWARD.
SECOND, MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
PARKS AND RECREATION'S BIG DAY
OF PLAY WILL BE SATURDAY,
AUGUST 21st. THE EVENT WILL BE
HELD FROM 1:00 UNTIL 4:00 AT
RANIER PLAYFIELD ON 37 00
ALASKA STREET. WILL SHOWCASE A
WELLNESS FAIR IN PERSON AND
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS, LIVE
PERFORMANCES, AND DETAILS CAN
BE FOUND ONLINE OR ON FACEBOOK.
IN REGARDS TO THE CLEAN CITY
INITIATIVE, LET'S SEE.
THE CREW IS FOCUSED AND THEY
DID AN EXTRA DEEP CLEAN. IN
REGARDS TO LIBRARIES, LIBRARY
BRANCHES CONTINUE TO REOPEN.
LAST WEEK, SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARIES REOPENED GREEN LAKE,
WESTGATE, AND WEST SEATTLE
BRANCH LIBRARIES.
ON SUNDAY, JULY 11, THE CAPITOL
HILL BRANCH WAS WELCOMED BACK
IN AS WELL.
ADDITIONAL BRANCHES ARE OPEN.
SEATTLE PUBLIC -- I'M SORRY,
SEATTLE PARKS HAS 22 OF THE 27
LOCATIONS REOPENED UNMODIFIED
SCHEDULES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE
BRANCHES REOPENING IN AUGUST.
NATIONAL CITY WELCOMED BRAD
SHELTON REGARDING THE INTERIOR
SECRETARY BETH HOLLAND ANNOUNCED
SEARCHES FOR GRAVES OF INDIAN
CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES.
MR. SHELDON CALLED THIS A HUGE
FIRST STEP AND REPORTED IT IS
ANTICIPATED THERE BE MORE
GRAVES IN THE UNITED STATES AND
CANADA DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER
OF SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES
THAT OPERATED FOR OVER A
CENTURY.
MR. SHELDON COMMENTED THAT THE
ANNOUNCEMENT IS THE FIRST TIME
THE UNITED STATES HAS EVER
TAKEN ON A NATIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO BECOME MORE
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND TRUTHFUL
ABOUT THIS DARK PAST.
THAT IS BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR
NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN IN THE
UNITED STATES.
LAST WEEK'S SUMMARY, I MET WITH
THE ADVISORS TO THE ECI TASK
FORCE. THEY WILL BE MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY
COUNCIL ON TUESDAY, JULY 20th.
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL FOCUS ON
NEEDED INVESTMENTS TO ADDRESS
SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES FACING
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. MORE
SPECIFICALLY THE TASK FORCE
WILL RECOMMEND BEST WAYS TO
INVEST $30 MILLION IN FOUR
CATEGORIES REFERRED TO AS THE
FOUR PILLARS. I
WENT OVER THESE BEFORE BUT I
WILL BRIEFLY STATE THEM AGAIN.
NUMBER ONE, BUILDING
OPPORTUNITY THROUGH SMALL-
BUSINESS SUPPORT.
NUMBER TWO, DEVELOPING DIVERSE
AND COMPTENT EDUCATORS AND
OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT WOULD BE INCLUDING CULTURE
EDUCATION FOR BY POCK YOUTH.
PROGRAMS FOR THE FORMERLY
INCARCERATED AND FUNDS.
NUMBER THREE, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND GENERATIONAL WEALTH
INCLUDING A HOME BY PROGRAM AND
A GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND
APPRENTICESHIP PIPELINE PROGRAMS
. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON AT NORTH
SEATTLE COLLEGE WITH THE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND WITH
DR. CRAWFORD. FINALLY NUMBER
FIVE, INCREASING POSITIVE
HEALTH OUTCOMES THAT WOULD
INCLUDE FOOD ACCESS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE,
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND
INCLUSIVE HEALTHCARE, WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE OF COLOR.
THE TASK FORCE IS ALLOCATING ONE
QUARTER OF THE $30 MILLION
AMONG EACH OF THE FOUR PILLARS.
MORE DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE
ON JULY 20th.
ON THE 18th, THE PS RC
TRANSPORTATION BOARD RECEIVED
UPDATES ON REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND HAS
A SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON
IMPACTS OF THE TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK AND WATER QUALITY.
FINALLY IN REGARDS TO TRANSIT,
WE WERE SET TO VOTE ON
REALIGNMENT ON THURSDAY, JULY
22nd. THE DATE HAS BEEN MOVED
TO AUGUST 5th, GIVING US SOME
TIME TO GET OUR AMENDMENTS IN
AND GIVING COUNCILMEMBERS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ADD MORE
COMMENTS AND CONCERNS AND
ADDRESS SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
IN THE RESOLUTION.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE
RESOLUTION OF BOARD MEMBER
BALDUCCI AND THE BOARD MEMBER
PROPOSED BY THE BOARD CHAIR.
THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU.
BACK TO YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ . ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT
REPORT?
HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO DOWN
THE LINE.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS FOLLOWED BY
MORALES. GOOD MORNING.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON THE
REFERRAL CALENDAR FROM MY
OFFICE.
WE ARE EXPECTED TO GO TO THE
COMMITTEE ON INVESTMENT.
THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE ITS
NEXT MEETING ON JULY 28th.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28th. WE WILL
AGAIN TAKE UP COUNCIL BILL
120109, THAT WILL ESTABLISH
PRIVATE GIFTS TO ASSIST IN
STRATEGIC EFFORTS TO ADDRESS
THE STATE OF EMERGENCY OF
HOMELESSNESS. WE WILL ALSO HAVE
A PRESENTATION FROM THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT REPORTING
BACK ON THEIR PROGRESS TO STAND
UP AT EMERGENCY SHELTER
INVESTMENTS AND PROGRESS ON THE
ATTACHED REHOUSING PROGRAM THAT
THE COUNCIL FUNDED AS PART OF
OUR BUDGET IN THE FALL OF LAST
YEARFOR 2021.
PLEASE FORWARD TO MY OFFICE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMUNICATE WITH
AGENCY DIRECTLY IF YOU HAVE
THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE THE
AGENCY TO BE PREPARED FOR FOR
THAT PRESENTATION.
I CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE
SHELTER ASPECT, AS I'M SURE MY
COLLEAGUES HERE DO AS WELL.
THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY WILL MEET THIS
THURSDAY.
I WILL BE ATTENDING THAT
MEETING ALONG WITH COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ AND THE
MAYOR AS PART OF THE DELEGATION
TO THAT BODY.
WE WILL HEAR AN UPDATE FROM THE
CEO ON THEIR STAFFING PLAN TO
STAFF UP THE NEW REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY.
WE WILL ALSO HEAR AN UPDATE ON
THE EARLY STAGES OF THE
STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS THE
HOMELESSNESS EMERGENCY HERE IN
KING COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, OBVIOUSLY, THROUGH
THIS COMBINED AUTHORITY.
I MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE WORK
EXPERIENCE COALITION ON FRIDAY,
WHO CONFIRMS THAT CEO HAS BEEN
MEETING WITH THEM ON A REGULAR
BASIS AND INCORPORATING THEIR
FEEDBACK AND CONCEPTS INTO
THEIR STRATEGIC PLANNING. I AM
ENCOURAGED AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING MORE DIRECTLY FROM
THE CEO AT THE KING COUNTY
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY ON HOW
THOSE CRITICAL PLANS ARE COMING
ALONG AND HOW HE PLANS ON
BRINGING THEM INTO REALITY.
FINALLY, I HAD THE GREAT
PRIVILEGE LAST WEEK TO VISIT
WITH MY CONSTITUENTS TIM AND
NANCY IN MAGNOLIA TO
CONGRATULATE THEM ON COMPLETING
A TINY HOUSE IN THEIR DRIVEWAY,
WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY BE
INSTALLED IN THE EXPANDED TINY
HOUSE VILLAGE IN DISTRICT 7.
NANCY ASKED FOR A TINY HOUSE TO
BE PAID FOR AND BUILT BY HER
AND HER HUSBAND AS A PRESENT TO
CELEBRATE HER 80th BIRTHDAY.
I DO HOPE THAT THEIR LEADERSHIP
IS A MODEL TO OTHER FOLKS IN
OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WE CAN
ALL PITCH IN AND DO OUR PART.
IT WAS REALLY QUITE A FUN
EXPERIENCE. IT WAS SORT OF A
LITTLE BIT OF AN IMPROMPTU
STREET PARTY.
THEY WERE JOINED BY EXTENDED
FAMILY, CHILDREN, AND
GRANDCHILDREN AS WELL AS THEIR
NEIGHBORS, WHO ASSISTED IN
PROVIDING MATERIAL AND LABOR
OVER THE COURSE OF A TWO WEEK
PERIOD TO BUILD A TINY HOUSE IN
COLLABORATION WITH A LOW INCOME
HOUSING INSTITUTE.
IT REALLY JUST SHOWS HOW THIS
KIND OF EFFORT CAN REALLY BRING
THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN AN
ACTION ORIENTED WAY WHERE WE
CAN ALL DO OUR OWN SMALL PART
TO CONTRIBUTE TO MOVING FORWARD
ON HOUSING AND SHELTER BASED
SOLUTIONS TO THE HOMELESSNESS
STATE OF EMERGENCY THAT PROVIDE
PEOPLE A SAFE AND QUIET PLACE
TO LIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO TIM AND
NANCY.
NANCY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
ASSISTANCE. YOU REALLY STEPPED
UP AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND
HELPED GET OUR TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES SCALED UP QUICKER. I
AM VERY PROUD TO REPRESENT YOU
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE
COLLABORATIONS ON HOW WE CAN
SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I
DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER THINGS TO
REPORT.
>> THANKS SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND FOR
SHARING THAT STORY AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS ON THAT REPORT?
HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO DOWN
THE LIST.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND THEN
MOSQUEDA.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS FROM THE
COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON. OUR
NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, JULY
20th.
I DO HAVE COUNCIL BILL 120123
ON THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WHICH WILL
EXTEND THE DELAY IN
IMPLEMENTING THE OIL TAX. THIS
WILL BE THE SECOND TIME WE
DELAY IT. I WILL BE HAPPY TO
TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
I DO HAVE RESOLUTION 32009
PROVIDING AN HONORARY
DESIGNATION OF SOUTH HILL
STREET AS CLARENCE A COX JUNIOR
WAY. THAT WILL BE ON THIS
AFTERNOON'S AGENDA.
LAST WEEK, I PARTICIPATED IN
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICT MEETING, WHERE WE
DISCUSSED REGIONAL WORKFORCE
RECOVERY PLANNING PROJECTS.
THIS IS BEING FUNDED BY
$400,000 GRANT THAT THEY
RECEIVED AS PART OF THE
C.A.R.E.S.
ACT TO IDENTIFY HIGH DEMAND
INDUSTRIES AND HELP CREATE AN
UNDERSTANDING OF REGIONAL
WORKFORCE NEEDS. AMONG THOSE
NEEDS ARE HOUSING. I'M SURE
EVERYONE SAW THE EDITORIAL IN
THIS MORNING'S PAPER, TALKING
ABOUT HOW WE REALLY NEED TO NOT
JUST TALK ABOUT ATTRACTING
INDUSTRY AND JOBS AND
SUPPORTING GROWTH AND RECOVERY
THERE, BUT ALSO REALLY MEETING
THE HOUSING NEEDS THE WORKERS
IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE A PLACE
TO LIVE.
THIS WILL ALL BE PART OF THE
WORK THAT WE ARE DOING THERE.
PS RC STAFF ARE DEVELOPING AN
ECONOMIC ELEMENT GUIDE TO
ASSIST JURISDICTIONS IN THE
UPCOMING 2024 UPDATE PROCESS.
IT INVITES INSTRUCTION ON HOW
TO CREATE PLACE SPECIFIC
POLICIES THAT STRENGTHEN AND
BUILD THE LOCAL ECONOMY WHILE
WORKING TOWARD COMMON REGIONAL
GOALS.
THE GOAL AREAS ARE INCLUDED IN
THE PLAN REVIEW MANUAL FOR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT IS
AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEBSITE.
I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TAKE A
LOOK AT THAT.
LATER THIS WEEK I HAVE A BOARD
OF HEALTH MEETING AS WELL.
MOVING ON TO DEPARTMENTS, LAST
WEEK I MET WITH THE INTERIM
DIRECTOR FOR THE ARTS
DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAD BEEN UNDER THE
IMPRESSION THAT A SEARCH FOR A
PERMANENT DIRECTOR WAS
UNDERWAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HAS
BEEN PUT ON HOLD.
THE ARTS COMMISSION WERE
COMMISSIONERS ARE INTERESTED IN
ENGAGING IN A STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO GET SOME HELP IDENTIFYING
PRIORITIES FOR WHAT THE CITY'S
NEXT ART DIRECTOR, LIKE WHAT
KIND OF QUALITIES AND
EXPERIENCE THAT DIRECTOR SHOULD
HAVE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE
PROCESS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE
ARTS COMMISSIONERS LEADING THAT.
THIS WEEKEND, JULY 17th AND 18th
WILL BE ONE OF THE WELCOME BACK
EVENTS IN THE CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT. THERE
WILL BE DEMONSTRATIONS,
CULTURAL PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS
SEVERAL LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES
AND A VACCINE POP-UP OFFERING
THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON AND
PFIZER VACCINES. I HOPE YOU ALL
WILL COME ON DOWN SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY FROM 11:00 UNTIL 7:00.
I ALSO MET WITH THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S INTERIM
DIRECTOR TO TALK ABOUT A FEW
DIFFERENT THINGS.
SHE INFORMED ME SHE HAS BRIEFED
THE FILM TASK FORCE AND
NOTIFIED THEM THAT OED WILL NOT
BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A FILM
COMMISSION AT THIS POINT.
I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A
DECISION TO REALLY FOCUS ON
RECOVERY AND THEY ARE WORKING
TO GET SOME PRIORITIES FOR THE
FILM TASK FORCE FOR 2021 AND
2022.
I AM HOPING TO RECEIVE
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OED ON HOW
TO PROCEED WITH THAT WORK.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY WILL MAKE
THAT PRESENTATION ONCE THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FINALIZED.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED SEPARATELY
WITH INTERIM DIRECTOR BANKS AND
WITH STEPHANIE BOWMAN THE
PROCESS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WHICH
WE JUST ADDED $1 MILLION TO
BEGIN THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH
THE MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING, I WILL KEEP YOU
ALL INFORMED WHERE WE ARE IN
THE PROCESS HERE AND FINALLY AS
IT RELATES TO OUR DEPARTMENT
ISSUES, IT SEEMS THERE HAS BEEN
A DELAY ON THE 15th AVENUE BIA.
THAT GROUP OF FOLKS IS BACK ON
TRACK WITH GETTING INFORMATION
AND DOCUMENTS TO US.
THEY HAVE ADJUSTED THE TIMELINE
A LITTLE BIT.
WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THE
DOCUMENTS BY THE END OF NEXT
WEEK. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
BEGIN HEARING IN MY JULY
COMMITTEE, BUT IF NOT, WE WILL
BEGIN THAT PROCESS IN AUGUST.
IT MAY REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE A
SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING TO
MEET THE PUBLIC HEARING TIMELINE
AND TO TRY TO GET THIS DONE
BEFORE WE BEGAN OUR BUDGET
CONVERSATIONS. IT IS LIKELY WE
WILL NEED A SPECIAL MEETING IN
EARLY SEPTEMBER. I JUST WANT TO
GIVE FOLKS A HEADS UP ABOUT
THAT.
LAST WEEK I MET WITH NEIGHBORS
IN THE CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT TO DISCUSS GRAFFITI
ISSUES AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
FOLKS ARE REALLY HOPING WE CAN
PRIORITIZE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN
TERMS OF GETTING FOLKS SHELTERED
. THERE IS A GROWING PRESENCE
ON KING STREET. THERE WAS A LOT
O█F GREAT WORK HAPPENING IN THA
NEIGHBORHOOD SEVERAL MONTHS AGO
. THE WORK MUST CONTINUE. I MET
WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
TOMORROW I WILL BE TOURING THE
ORCA BUSINESS PARK TO DISCUSS
SIMILAR ISSUES WITH FOLKS IN
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
ALSO TOMORROW I WILL BE
SPEAKING WITH THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING AS PART OF THE ONGOING
WORK THAT MY OFFICE IS DOING
WITH THE COMMUNITY.
ON WEDNESDAY, I WILL HAVE
OFFICE HOURS AT THE COLUMBIA
CITY FARMERS MARKET STARTING AT
3:00 P.M.
I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING MANY
CALLS AND EMAILS REGARDING THE
CLOSURE OF THE PARK BEACH DUE
TO A LACK OF LIFEGUARDS.
AS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
MENTIONED, THIS PARK HAS ONE
OF THE HIGHEST USES IN THE CITY
AND WE ARE STILL MOURNING THE
LOSS OF THE YOUNG MAN WHO
DROWNED IN THE BAY ON JUNE
26th.
SAFETY HAS BEEN AN ONGOING
ISSUE AND DROWNINGS ARE FAR TOO
FREQUENT IN THAT AREA. HAVING
NO LIFEGUARDS AT THAT SWIM
BEACH AND CLOSING THE BEACH FOR
THE REST OF THE SUMMER IS VERY
PROBLEMATIC. IT IS NOT GOING TO
DETER PEOPLE FROM SWIMMING THERE
, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE HAVING
THE RECORD-BREAKING HEAT WE
HAVE BEEN HAVING.
WILL ONLY PUT NEIGHBORS AT
GREATER RISK. MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT ALREADY TO LEARN
MORE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
ADVOCATE FOR OPENING THE BEACH
FOR PEOPLE OF SEATTLE. ON
FRIDAY, MY STAFF AND I WILL
JOIN REPRESENTATIVES TO TOUR
THE GREEN RIVER WATERSHED AND
TO LEARN ABOUT THIS AMAZING
ASSET IN SEATTLE'S
INFRASTRUCTURE.
FINALLY, COLLEAGUES I WANT TO
WELCOME OUR NEWEST STAFF
MEMBER, IMANI KERRY.
IMANI JOINED US LAST WEEKEND IS
ALREADY JUMPING IN WITH BOTH
FEET.
HER PORTFOLIO WILL INCLUDE
PARKS, OSC, AND SHE WILL BE
ASSISTING WITH OFFICERS OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
PLEASE CONTACT HER FOR
SCHEDULING REQUESTS.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE THIS MORNING.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT REPORT?
ALL RIGHT, I AM NOT SEEING ANY
HANDS RAISED SO WE WILL HEAR
NEXT FROM COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA AND AFTER MOSQUEDA IS
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS FROM THE
FINANCE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE
ON TODAY'S COUNCIL AGENDA.
THE FIRST IS 120117. THIS
LEGISLATION IS GOING STRAIGHT
TO FULL COUNCIL . WAS ON THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR ON TUESDAY, JULY 6th.
THIS LEGISLATION RELATES TO
LAST YEAR'S PAST LEGISLATION
WHICH WAS ORDINANCE 126161,
WHICH CREATED THE 2021 LT GEO
TAX COUPON FUND.
THAT WAS AUTHORIZATION TO
SUPPORT SPENDING ON THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE IN ANTICIPATION
OF THE 2021 PROCEEDS.
THIS WAS BEFORE THE 2021
ADOPTED BUDGET WAS PRESENTED
AND BEFORE THE DECISION FOR THE
REPAIR OF THE BRIDGE.
THE ANTICIPATED ADDITIONAL BOND
SALES FOR THE X AQUARIUM
EXPANSION PROJECT.
THEY HAVE SINCE DETERMINED WE
CAN SELL NONTAXABLE FOR THE
REPAIR EFFORT, BUT THESE
PROCEEDS WILL NEED TO BE HELD
IN A SEPARATE FUND.
THAT IS WHY IT IS COMING TO
COUNCIL . IT IS TECHNICAL IN
NATURE AND WE HOPE TO MOVE IT
THROUGH RATHER QUICKLY, GIVEN
THE TECHNICAL NATURE OF THE
BILL.
WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL BILL
120114, THE PARK PROPERTY
LEGISLATION ACQUISITION THAT WE
HEARD ON FRIDAY.
I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT AROUND THIS
LEGISLATION.
THIS WILL AUTHORIZE THE OFFICE
OF HOUSING TO ACQUIRE TWO IN
SOUTH PARK FOR AFFORDABLE
HOSING DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH
COMMUNITY GROUND WORKSPACE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING WILL BE
UTILIZING THE DIRECT AUTHORITY
THAT THE COUNCIL INCREASED IN
$2019-$30 MILLION THROUGH AN
AMENDMENT THAT WAS SPONSORED AT
THE TIME FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR
THAT AMENDMENT I BROUGHT
FORWARD.
WE MADE THE INCREASE OF THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING COULD ACT
QUICKLY ON THIS EXACT TYPE OF
LAND ACQUISITION. IN THE RECENT
UPDATE THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF
US SINCE 2001 IN JUNE, WE NOW
HAVE REMOVED THAT CAP.
FIRST WE EXPANDED IT TO $30
MILLION AND NOW WE HAVE REMOVED
THE CAP COMPLETELY SO WE CAN
OFFICE ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY
RECOGNIZING HERE MAY BE AN
INCREASE IN ACQUISITION
OPPORTUNITIES DUE TO MARKET
CHANGES ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE
OF COVID.
THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY TO
ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL PARCELS OF
PROPERTY EITHER FOR PUBLIC USE
OR TO BE PASSED ON DIRECTLY TO
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE SPECIFICALLY ROOTED IN
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY
EXPERIENCING DISPLACEMENT AND
FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LONG
UNABLE TO COMPETE IN THE MARKET
. THIS IS HOW WE DISRUPT MARKET
PRACTICES AND THIS IS WHY IT
WAS SO EXCITING FOR US TO BE
ABLE TO ENTER INTO THIS
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOLKS IN
SOUTH PARK AND FOLLOW THEIR
LEAD AND BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE
PROPERTY.
THIS BILL, 120114, WAS PASSED
FROM MY COMMITTEE ON FRIDAY AND
DUE TO THE TIMING OF THE
PURCHASE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR
US TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
THANKS SO MUCH TO THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT FOR HER WORK AS WELL
AS HER AGREEMENT TO MOVE THIS
ONTO MONDAY'S FULL COUNCIL
AGENDA.
THIS IS COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND
IT WILL UTILIZE TWO PROPERTIES
TO CREATE 70 TO 100 FAMILY
SIZED HOUSING UNIT.
60% OF THE AREA MEDIUM INCOME
AS WELL AS COMMUNITY SPACE ON
THE GROUND FLOOR, CREATING A
SENSE OF PLACE. THE COMMUNITY
HAS ASKED US TO ACQUIRE THE
SITE AND TO DO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITH
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES IN MIND,
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE
EXCITED TO DO WITH THEM AND IN
PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU TO THE SOUTH PARK
COMMUNITY FOR THEIR ADVOCACY
AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE
AND TO THE OFFICE OF HOUSING.
MY OFFICE HAS HELPED MOVE THIS
FORWARD FROM CENTRAL STAFF. IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE LEGISLATION, IT WAS ON THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR FOR A WHILE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY REMAINING
QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO
OUR OFFICE BEFORE 2:00 P.M.
I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF
THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
OF COURSE, SO IS AARON OR TRACY.
HOUSING COMMITTEE WILL BE
MEETING ON TUESDAY, JULY 20th
AT 9:30 A.M., OUR REGULAR
MEETING TIME. ANOTHER UPDATE, I
WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I
DID HAVE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK
WITH MEMBERS OF SCI U 1199 FROM
NORTHWEST HOSPITAL, WHO ARE
CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS. I
WANTED TO SEND THEM A NOTE OF
SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT.
WE KNOW OVER THE LAST YEAR,
THESE WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINE
HAVE TRULY BEEN PUTTING THEIR
LIVES AT RISK.
THEY HAVE BEEN RISKING THE
LIVES OF THEIR FAMILY AND
SAFETY AS WELL.
THEY TOLD ME STORY AFTER STORY
OF WORKERS WHO DIDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH SUPPORT STAFF WITH THEM
AND THEY HAD BEEN REDUCED TO A
SKELETON CREW.
THIS HAD COMPROMISED THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF THEIR PATIENTS
AND PUT EXTREME PRESSURE ON THEM
TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR
WORK AND THEIR ROUNDS. FOLKS
EXPRESSED THEY WERE STILL
EXPERIENCING BEING TOLD TO TAKE
THEIR INTERMITTENT BREAKS,
WHICH IS SOMETHING I HAVE SPENT
MANY YEARS FIGHTING AGAINST.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN
INTERMITTENT BREAK. IF YOU NEED
TO USE THE RESTROOM FOR THREE
MINUTES ONE HOUR AND USE THE
RESTROOM AGAIN AFTER TWO HOURS,
THAT DOES NOT ALLOW A SIX
MINUTE BREAK.
THEY ARE OWED FULL REST AND
MEAL BREAKS.
THAT AMONG OTHER ISSUES AROUND
HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS FOR
THE NUMBER OF STAFF THEY HAVE,
THE LACK OF RESPECT IN THE
WORKPLACE, AND THE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THEY ARE ADEQUATELY
CONSONANT COMPENSATED AND
MAKING SURE NEEDS INSTITUTIONS
ARE NOT BEING USED AS TRAINING
GROUNDS FOR PEOPLE TO GO ON A
YEAR OR TWO TO OTHER HEALTHCARE
INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE THERE IS
NO WAY THEY CAN COMPETE WITH
THOSE WAGES.
WE NEED TO BE PAYING THESE
WORKERS WHAT THEY ARE OWED AND
RESPECTING THEM IN THE
WORKPLACE AS WELL. I LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO STAND
IN SOLIDARITY WITH 1199
HEALTHCARE MEMBERS AND I HOPE
THERE IS A DAYLIGHT ON THE
ISSUES THEY'RE FACING AT THE
BARGAINING TABLE.
THESE MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY
FROM ELECTIVES AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WILL HELP TO MAKE SURE
THEY FEEL SUPPORTED AND
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL LEAD TO
RESOLUTIONS.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO MEMBERS OF
1199 FOR REACHING OUT AND
PLEASE NOTE WE ARE SENDING YOU
STRENGTHS AND MESSAGES OF
SOLIDARITY.
WE WILL BE HERE WITH YOU AS YOU
FINALIZE YOUR NEGOTIATIONS.
LATER THIS WEEK, I WILL BE
ATTENDING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
OF CITY TEAM AND DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE OF WHICH I AM A MEMBER
. THEY ARE STARTING THEIR
SUMMER BOARD AND LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM.
IT IS AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE THEY
USUALLY HOST AROUND THE NATION
AND UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO COVID,
THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR I WAS
NOT ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON.
WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO
PARTICIPATING IN THOSE
DISCUSSIONS.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A
CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT THE EFFORTS
SEATTLE HAS MADE WITH THE
RESCUE PLAN.
CITIES HAVE POINTED TO SEATTLE
AS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO
USE THOSE DOLLARS.
I WILL ALSO NOTE THE DEPARTMENT
OF EARLY LEARNING -- EXCUSE ME,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING HAS NOTED
SEATTLE IS ONE OF THE ONLY
CITIES THAT HAS DONE DIRECT
CASH INVESTMENT FOR CHILD CARE
PROVIDERS, WHICH IS GETTING A
LOT OF APPRECIATION.
THANKS, COLLEAGUES, FOR THE
SEATTLE RESCUE PLAN. THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT SEATTLE CAN BE
PROUD OF ACROSS OUR NATION.
LATER TODAY I WILL BE ATTENDING
THE KICKOFF OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH RECRUITMENT COMMUNITY
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT IS A MOUTHFUL TO BASICALLY
SAY THE BODY LOOKING FOR AN
INDIVIDUAL TO REPLACE PATTY
HAYES. AGAIN, A LONGTIME FRIEND
AND MENTOR OF MINE.
WE WISH HER LUCK.
THIS NATIONAL SEARCH BRINGS
TOGETHER MEMBERS FROM KING
COUNTY AND SEATTLE TO IDENTIFY
THE NEXT PUBLIC HEALTH LEADER.
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE
RECOMMENDATIONS THERE IS A
ROBUST PROCESS SO PLEASE LET ME
KNOW IF I CAN GET THAT
INFORMATION TO YOU. I WILL ALSO
BE ATTENDING OUR BOARD OF
HEALTH MEETING LATER THIS WEEK
WHERE WE WILL HAVE A PANEL
DISCUSSION ON DRUG USE AND
HEALTH AND CONTINUE OUR
CONVERSATION AND ROBUST
ENGAGEMENT AMONG BOARD MEMBERS
LOOKING AT THE SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND
EQUITY. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING
REGULAR MEETINGS OVER THE LAST
FEW MONTHS. LASTLY, JUST TWO
UPDATES FROM THE DEPARTMENTS
THAT REPORT TO OUR COMMITTEE,
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
HAS PRONOUNCED THEIR SECOND
ANNIVERSARY WORKING ON THE BILL
OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE.
THEY ARE MARKING THE SECOND
ANNIVERSARY WITH A MONTH-LONG
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN. ANYTHING
Y'ALL CAN DO TO HELP US
EMPHASIZE AND LIFT UP THESE
MESSAGES WILL BE EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. AS YOU KNOW, HIRING
ENTITIES ARE NOT NECESSARILY
USED TO EMPLOYERS. WHETHER IT
IS IN YOUR HOME TO CLEAN IT OR
TO TAKE CARE OF KIDDOS OR TAKE
CARE OF ELDERS OR TO TAKE CARE
OF YARDS, WE GET THE
INFORMATION TO ALL HIRING
ENTITIES ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE LAW
AND WORKERS AS DOMESTIC WORKERS
, WHETHER INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS OR EMPLOYEES OF A
FIRM, THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AS
WELL.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO DO OUTREACH
AS THE HIRING ENTITIES AND
WORKERS.
I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL 'S
EFFORTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS
TO HAVE INCREASED THE BUDGET TO
SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN TO GET
INFORMATION OUT AND TO HELP
FOLKS ON ALL SIDES KNOW THEIR
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE ISSUED A THIRD PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE ROLES ON
THE TEE AND SEE MINIMAL
COMPENSATION ORDINANCE. I WANT
TO LET YOU KNOW THE PUBLIC
COMMENT CLOSES THIS WEEK ON
JULY 14th.
AGAIN, THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD OPEN FOR TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK COMPANIES AND AGAIN, IT
CLOSES ON THE 14th. AND FINALLY,
FAS FINALIZE THEIR WHEELCHAIR
ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMER SURVEY,
WHICH IS BEING TRANSLATED TO
SEVEN TIER 1 LANGUAGE.
THIS SURVEY WILL BE AVAILABLE
ONLINE FOR THE WHEELCHAIR
ACCESSIBLE FRONT HIGHER FOR
CUSTOMERS TO FILL OUT.
WE COULD USE YOUR HELP TO PUSH
OUT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
I WILL PUT THIS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY
LIAISON HELPING TO RECRUIT AND
INTERVIEW RESPONDENTS BOTH IN
PERSON AND OVER THE PHONE.
THE DOWNTOWN RECOVERY AS FOR
TESTING AND VACCINATION SITES,
THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE
DOWNTOWN EVENT.
THE MAIN PHONE NUMBER YOU CAN
CALL FOR ACCESSING THIS
INFORMATION IS 206-684-2489 .
THIS WILL APPEAR ON CITY FLYERS
BEING PUBLISHED FOR THESE
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY EFFORTS TO
MAKE SURE THERE IS A.D.A.
ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE.
WE WILL ALSO LET YOU KNOW THE
SEATTLE ANIMAL SHELTER STAFF
COULD USE ADDITIONAL HELP IN
GETTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT
THE WAYS FOLKS CAN ADOPT FURRY
FRIENDS.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE
STATISTICS IN THE WAKE OF SO
MANY PEOPLE ADOPTING ANIMALS
AND PURCHASING NEW PETS NOW AS
MORE PEOPLE GO BACK INTO THE
WORKPLACE, NO LONGER AT HOME, A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GIVING UP
THEIR PETS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF
THESE FURRY FRIENDS HAVE A
PLACE TO CALL HOME.
I'M EXCITED THAT FAS HELPED AN
ANIMAL NAMED JEWEL, A FOUR
MONTH OLD PITBULL FOUND IN A
DUMPSTER WITH A FRACTURED LEG.
DR. BENNETT WAS ABLE TO FIX AN
UMBILICAL HERNIA AND AMPUTATE A
LIMB WHICH ALLOWED HER TO
QUICKLY HEAL AND BECOME
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.
JEWEL IS CONSIDERED A TRIPOD.
THEY TYPICALLY DO REALLY WELL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN VERY YOUNG.
WE EXPECT TO HELP FIND HER AN
ADOPTIVE HOME VERY SOON.
JEWEL IS ONE OF MANY PETS THAT
NEED A HOME.
THANKS FOR ALL OF THE WORK AT
FAS. WE APPRECIATE ALL THEY DO.
THAT IS IT FROM ME, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY REMARK
THAT I, TOO, HAD THE PRIVILEGE
OF MEETING WITH 1199 TO DISCUSS
THE ONGOING FRICTION THAT THEY
ARE FACING IN THEIR CURRENT
NEGOTIATIONS AND I, TOO, WANTED
TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO
COMMENT ON COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S REPORT TO ECHO THE
FAIR AND EQUITABLE CONTRACT TO
BE REACHED SOON TO MAKE SURE WE
CAN HAVE A LOT OF THE RHETORIC
THAT IS BEING USED AS PUBLIC
OFFICIALS TOWARD THE HEROES OF
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AND
OUR NURSES AND NURSE
PRACTITIONERS AND EVERYBODY THAT
1199 REPRESENTS, MAKING SURE WE
PUT OUR MONEY WHERE THAT
RHETORIC IS AND MAKING SURE WE
APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THE WORK
THEY DO BY GIVING A DIGNIFIED
CONTRACT.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT
TO RAISE UP THAT MEETING.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
WELL SAID ON THAT ISSUE.
I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL
OF THOSE WORKERS AND MEMBERS OF
ONE 199 NORTHWEST. YOU KNOW, IT
IS EASY FOR MANY EMPLOYERS TO
PUT UP SIGNS ABOUT HOW MUCH
THEY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK
OF OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WHO
BORE THE BRUNT OF THE PANDEMIC.
OF COURSE WE KNOW THEY HAD
REALLY DISPROPORTIONATE, YOU
KNOW, WORKING TERMS AND
CONDITIONS EVEN BEFORE COVID.
IT IS TIME NOW TO RECOGNIZE
THROUGH A FAIR AND EQUITABLE
CONTRACT THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND
SACRIFICES. IN SOME INSTANCES,
THE LOSS THAT MANY OF THOSE
FRONT-LINE ESSENTIAL WORKERS
EXPERIENCED LAST YEAR.
I TOO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH
THOSE WORKERS.
WE WILL HEAR GOOD NEWS VERY,
VERY SOON.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
ON THAT REPORT?
HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND HEAR NOW FROM COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN AND I WILL GIVE MY
SHORT REPORT AND WE WILL
CONCLUDE.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THIS
AFTERNOON'S FULL CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA.
THIS AFTERNOON WE WILL VOTE ON
RESOLUTION 32009 TO REFER THE
SOUTH HILL STREET BETWEEN 21st
AND 22nd AVENUE SOUTH TO CALL IT
CLARENCE A COX JUNIOR WAY.
THIS IS SPONSORED BY HERBOLD
AND MORALES.
AS YOU KNOW, HE IS AN AWARD-
WINNING DRUMMER AND BAND
DIRECTOR. OUR COMMUNITY
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED THIS BE
APPROVED. OUR TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE ALSO UNANIMOUSLY
RECOMMENDED ADOPTION OF 32007,
WHICH IS THE UPDATED STRATEGIC
PLAN FOR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
LAST WEEK OUR COMMITTEE HEARD
FROM THE CITY LIGHT REVIEW
PANEL ABOUT WHY THEY FULLY
ENDORSE THE PLAN. IT IS A MULTI-
YEAR PLAN FOR THE $1 MILLION
COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE WHICH
PROVIDES ENVIRONMENTALLY
RESPONSIBLE ELECTRICITY TO OVER
900,000 PEOPLE IN SEATTLE AND
SURROUNDING AREAS. DESPITE
SEVERAL COST PRESSURES
INCLUDING THE PANDEMIC, SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT HAS SURPASSED
EXPECTATIONS IN KEEPING THEIR
RATE INCREASES UNDER CONTROL.
THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED IN NOT
INCREASING THE BILL TO
ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS THIS YEAR
WHEN CUSTOMERS WERE THE MOST
VULNERABLE.
MOREOVER, CITY LIGHTS PROPOSED
A LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED RATE
INCREASE IN THE FUTURE AS
COMPARED TO THEIR PREVIOUS
STRATEGIC PLAN. THE NET RESULT
IS A SIX YEAR AVERAGE INCREASE
WILL BE LESS THAN 3.5% INSTEAD
OF THE ORIGINAL 4.5%.
ON JANUARY 16th, OUR COMMITTEE
HAD ITS FIRST PRESENTATION AND
DISCUSSION. ON JULY 17th, WE
HEARD FROM THE CUSTOMERS ABOUT
WHY THEY ENDORSE THE STRATEGIC
PLAN.
IKE I SAID, WE UNANIMOUSLY
RECOMMENDED THE APPROVAL. IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THIS, ERIC IS AVAILABLE BETWEEN
THIS COUNCIL BRIEFING AND THE
FULL COUNCIL MEETING THIS
AFTERNOON.
THIS AFTERNOON, WE WILL VOTED
TO ADOPT COUNCIL BILL 120103
TO AUTHORIZE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHTS TO ENTER INTO A LONG-
TERM LEASE WITH THE NONPROFIT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
TO TAKE CARE OF THE OLD
GEORGETOWN STEAM PLANT
STRUCTURE, A NATIONAL AND
HISTORIC LANDMARK.
FOR COUNCILMEMBERS NOT ON THE
COMMITTEE, OUR CENTRAL STAFF IS
AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS.
WE UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND AN
APPROVAL OF THAT. FINALLY OUR
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED COUNCIL
BILL 120115 AS AMENDED, WHICH
WILL ALLOW OUR SEATTLE PARTNERS
TO INCREASE ON STREET PARKING
RATES IN THE UPTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD DURING LARGE
EVENTS AT SEATTLE CENTER, SUCH
AS PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AT THE
NEWLY RENOVATED ARENA. WE
DECIDED TO HAVE THAT
LEGISLATION APPEAR ON THE FULL
CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY,
JULY 26th IN CASE THE PUBLIC
WANTED MORE TIME TO COMMENT.
OUR TRANSPORTATION AND
UTILITIES COMMITTEE MEETS ON
THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS
OF EACH MONTH AT 9:30 IN THE
MORNING.
THE NEXT MEETING IS WEDNESDAY,
JULY 21st.
úIN DISTRICT 4, I HAD MY OFFICE
HOURS WITH CONSTITUENTS OVER
THE PHONE AND LOOK FORWARD TO
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS THIS
COMING FRIDAY AFTERNOON. I
EXPECT TO HAVE OFFICE HOURS IN
PERSON AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN. ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT
REPORT?
HEARING NONE, I WILL GO AHEAD
AND GIVE MY BRIEF REPORT. WE
CAN CONCLUDE THIS MORNING'S
COUNCIL BRIEFING.
REAL QUICKLY, FOLKS, I HAVE AN
ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
úI HAVE ONE ITEM ON TODAY'S
REFERRAL CALENDAR THAT WE WILL
DISCUSS DURING OUR REGULARLY
SCHEDULED EDUCATION COMMITTEE
MEETING, WHICH IS SET TO OCCUR
TOMORROW, JULY 13th AT 2:00
P.M.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF THREE
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR
TOMORROW'S COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE FIRST, 120120, WHICH IS A
BILL RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT
RELATED ORDINANCES THAT WOULD
GIVE CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS TO
OFFICERS WHO PROCESSED THE
PUBLIC OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THEREBY
HOPEFULLY ENHANCING THE
PUBLIC'S TRUST IN OUR FULL
DISCLOSURE PROCESS. ONCE THOSE
REQUESTS ARE RECEIVED BY OFFICES
THAT INCLUDE ELECTIVE OFFICIALS.
120124 ESTABLISHES THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC REVENUE FORECAST.
THIS BILL WOULD BE CONSISTENT
WITH THE BUDGET ACTION THAT I
SPONSORED LAST FALL THAT WAS
SUPPORTED BY THE COUNCIL.
AS PROPOSED IN THIS LEGISLATION,
THE NEW ECONOMIC AND REVIEW
FORECAST PROCESS WOULD BE
INDEPENDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE
AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES OF
CITY GOVERNMENT AND WOULD
PERFORM FUNCTIONS VERY SIMILAR
TO THOSE WE SEE PERFORMED IN
THE KING COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATIONAL ANALYSIS AND THE
WASHINGTON STATE ECONOMIC AND
REVENUE FORECAST COUNCIL.
THIS NEW FORECAST OFFICE WOULD
PROVIDE INDEPENDENT FORECAST
AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS TO FULFILL
THE COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION THAT
WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2021
ADOPTED BUDGET.
THE OFFICE CONSISTED OF 3 1/2
FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS OF NEWLY
CREATED POSITIONS AND
TRANSFERRED POSITIONS FROM THE
CITY BUDGET OFFICE AND FROM
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES.
THE OFFICE WOULD BE HEADED BY A
DIRECTOR THAT WOULD BE HIRED TO
REPORT TO THE NEW COUNCIL,
WHICH WOULD BE COMPRISED OF THE
MAYOR , CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AND THE
COUNCIL BUDGET CHAIR OR THEIR
DESIGNEES. THEY WOULD BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING
OVERSIGHT AND FOR APPROVING THE
REVENUE FORECAST.
FOLKS, I BELIEVE THIS NEW
OFFICE WILL PROVIDE SEVERAL
BENEFITS FOR THE CITY.
THE FIRST TO BE TO CREATE A
MORE OPEN, TRANSPARENT, AND
ROBUST FORECASTING PROCESS THAT
WOULD ENHANCE THE REVENUE
PROTECTION, MODELING, AND
TRACKING FOR PURPOSES OF
CONSTRUCT THING AND
APPROPRIATING OUR BUDGET.
THROUGH THIS OFFICE, WE WILL
HAVE GREATER ACCESS AND
INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THE
FORECASTING PROCESS.
THIS WILL HELP LEVEL THE
PLAYING FIELD BETWEEN THE MAYOR
AND THE COUNCIL IN DETERMINING
WHAT BUDGET ACTIONS TO TAKE IN
REACTION TO THE CHANGES TO THE
CITY'S EXPECTED REVENUE. MY
OFFICE, CENTRAL STAFF, AND THE
FINANCE DIRECTOR HAVE SPENT
SEVERAL MONTHS NEGOTIATING AND
DEVELOPING THIS AND I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO LAUNCHING
THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR GOVERNANCE BILL IN
MY COMMITTEE MEETING TOMORROW.
THE THIRD AND FINAL ITEM ON THE
AGENDA FOR TOMORROW IS ANOTHER
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON
WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION AND EARLY LEARNING
WILL BE JOINING US TO PROVIDE
AN ANNUAL UPDATE ON THE
PRESCHOOL AND PROMISE
INVESTMENTS. WE WILL HAVE A
NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM
ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS.
THEY WILL SHARE THE POSITIVE
IMPACT ON SUPPORTING OUR YOUNG
SCHOLARS AND FAMILIES ACROSS
THE CITY AND THIS REALLY
IMPORTANT INVESTMENT.
LAST WEEK I ATTENDED THE
TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD
MEETING.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT TOUCHED ON.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS MENTIONED
THIS WEEK THERE WILL BE A
MEETING AT THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE
AND I WILL BE ATTENDING THAT
COMMITTEE WITH COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD
TO RECEIVING THE REPORT AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PROPOSED
STAFFING PLAN.
LASTLY THIS WEEK I WILL BE
JOINING MY COLLEAGUES FROM
ACROSS THE NATION AT OUR LOCAL
PROGRESS BOARD MEETING AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS AND LOCAL
ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM ACROSS
THE COUNTRY ON WORK THEY ARE
DOING AS WELL.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE ON MY REPORT
. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT
AND EXCITEMENT.
I AM A COSPONSOR FROM LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET. I THINK FOR THE
LAST FEW YEARS IT HAS BEEN
PRETTY SURPRISING TO NOT SEE
THE TYPE OF PARALLELED
STRUCTURE WE SAW AT THE STATE
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE WHERE THEY
HAD THE LEAP OFFICE, WE CAN
FIND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR
REVENUE FORECAST AND IT HAVE A
SEPARATE BODY THAT REPORTS OUT
ON A FREQUENT BASIS. I AM
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION MOVING FORWARD.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AND IT IS A
MATTER OF GOOD GOVERNANCE,
TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY
. I THINK AS YOU HAVE NOTED, IT
WILL REALLY SET US UP FOR
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSATION BOTH
AMONG BRANCHES AND GOING
FORWARD.
WHILE IT MIGHT SOUND MUNDANE TO
FOLKS, THIS IS VERY EXCITING
AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA. I
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. I'M
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE THE
FIRST PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT
THIS REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF
GOVERNANCE LEGISLATION THAT IS
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GRAB ANY
HEADLINES, BUT I FEEL PRETTY
GOOD ABOUT IT.
COLLEAGUES, IF THERE ARE NO
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS,
THAT DOES CONCLUDE BUSINESS ON
OUR AGENDA. I LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING YOU ALL AT 2:00.
WE ARE ADORNED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.