>>> CAN YOU GIVE US A REMINDER
WHAT CAMERA?
>> ON THE ZOOM CONTROL, LEFT OF
ANTHONY. THERE YOU GO.
>> WE ARE READY TO GO. LOOKS
LIKE WE ARE LIVE . THAT'S
GREAT. THE JULY 17th, 2024
FINANCE, NATIVE COMMUNITIES,
AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER. I
AM DAN STRAUSS. CLERK, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> VICE CHAIR RIVERA?
>> CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> WE HAVE THREE PRESENT.
>> THREE PRESENT. AS OTHER
MEMBERS JOIN US, WE WILL
WELCOME THEM IN. WE HAVE ONE,
TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE ITEMS .
BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE
VOTE ON JAMIE CARNELL'S
APPOINTMENT AND CONFIRMATION,
BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE
VOTE ON ROBERT HOWARD 'S
NOMINATION. BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL BILL --
THE LAST THREE ARE ACTUALLY A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON
120815 , WHICH MODIFIES THE
CITY PRIORITY PROGRAM AND
METHODOLOGY. AND THEN WE WILL
HAVE A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION
ON THREE ITEMS THAT MAKE UP THE
MIDYEAR 2024 SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGET . BEFORE WE BEGIN IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA HAS
BEEN ADOPTED. WE WILL MOVE INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL TAKE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS IN PERSON
FIRST, THEN TRANSFER ONLINE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE
HAVE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE SIX SPEAKERS IN
PERSON AND ONE VIRTUAL.
>> WONDERFUL. I WILL TAKE THAT
. THANK YOU. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. WE
WILL START WITH IN PICKERS IN
PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. PUBLIC
COMMENT IS UP TO 20 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER THEY REGISTERED. SPEAKERS
WILL ALTERNATE UNTIL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD HAS ENDED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR THE CHIME
WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF
THEIR TIME. THEIR MICROPHONE
WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT
END THEIR COMMENTS WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME. PUBLIC COMMENT
IS OPEN. WE WILL START WITH
VIVIAN, FOLLOWED BY LUCY
RIVERA, TIM WILD, MARIANA , AND
THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE
ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTERS. GOOD
MORNING, VIVIAN. WELCOME.
>> MY NAME IS VIVIAN AND I AM A
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO SUPPORT
THE IMPOSITION OF A PROVISO IN
JUMPSTART FUNDS FOR STUDENT
MENTAL HEALTH FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING . WHILE I AM IN
FAVOR OF THE $20 MILLION THAT
IS ALREADY REFLECTED IN 2024
ADOPTED BUDGET AND TAXES HAVE
ALREADY BEEN COLLECTED FROM
THIS PURPOSE I URGE YOU AT A
MINIMUM TO PASS A PROVISO . THE
GENESIS OF THE $20 MILLION IN
FUNDING HIS YEARS OF ADVOCACY
FROM STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
DURING MY TENURE AS SCHOOL
BOARD DIRECTOR I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT 40 OF OUR
100 PLUS SCHOOLS. I VISITED
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH
SCHOOLS, AND ALTERNATIVE
SCHOOLS IN ALL SEVEN CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICTS. STUDENTS,
EDUCATORS, AND PRINCIPALS TOLD
ME OUR STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING
ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE NEED TO
ADDRESS THE STUDENTS MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS HEAD-ON ISRAEL. I
URGE YOU TO REVIEW THE 20 PAGE
REPORT , A STUDENT LED APPROACH
TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES . IT
PROVIDES A DISTINCT PLAN ON HOW
THE SPENDING CAN BE SPENT
EFFECTIVELY, PULLING INSIGHTS
ON EARLY INTERVENTION AND
TREATMENT AND IDENTIFYING
SPECIFIC INVESTMENT STRATEGIES.
NOTABLY THE RECOMMENDATIONS
INCLUDE COMMUNITIES FROM INGRAM
HIGH SCHOOL, GARFIELD, RANIER
BEACH, AS WELL AS DENNING
MIDDLE SCHOOL AMONG OTHERS. WHY
DO I CALL THIS OUT? THESE ARE
COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY IMPACTED
BY GUN VIOLENCE NEAR AND AT
THESE SCHOOLS. WE ARE BEYOND
THE POINT OF HORRIBLE TRAGIC
LOSS OF LIFE AND TAKING ACTION
. ADDRESSING NONVIOLENCE IS NOT
NEARLY A SCHOOL DISTRICT
RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS A
COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY
SENSIBILITY AND I URGE YOU AS
OUR ELECTED CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS TO LEAD ON THIS. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION .
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT, LISA
RIVERA, FOLLOWED BY OLIVER AND
JIM. GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
LISA RIVERA. I AM ALSO A FORMER
SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR AND
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 5 AND I AM
ALSO A PARENT. EVERYTHING I
SAID TO YOU WAS UTTERLY CORRECT
. OUR STUDENTS WERE STRUGGLING
BEFORE COVID. THIS IS A REAL
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN SO MANY LIVES. I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH
WHEN TRAGEDY STRUCK INGRAM
NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO. WE ALL
STOOD UP AND WE MARCHED AND
LISTENED TO THEM AND THEY TOLD
US WHAT HE NEEDED AND THEY NEED
YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP . THIS IS
A CHANCE TO SEE THAT THROUGH
AND MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW THROUGH
WITH WHAT THEY NEED FROM US.
SCHOOLS CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH .
THEY NEED FUNDING AND SUPPORT
FROM OUTSIDE. SCHOOL DISTRICTS
DON'T MAKE MONEY. THEY NEED
SUPPORT FROM YOU, FROM THE
COUNTY, FROM THE RESIDENTS ,
BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE IN
DIRE, DIRE NEED . WE SEE THIS
IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE NEWS,
IN OUR HOMES, SO PLEASE, SEEK
THROUGH THAT PROMISE HE MADE
OUR STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE BEEN
JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
GOOD MORNING. UP NEXT IS
OLIVER, FOLLOWED BY JIM. AND
JESSE . I THINK THAT MIGHT BE
ON THE SAME LINE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL , AND
EVERYONE HERE. I AM OLIVER
MISKO. I DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING
QUITE WRITTEN OUT SO WELL, BUT
I AM A TEACHER IN SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS . A SUBSTITUTE
TEACHER THAT MOVES AROUND
MOSTLY THE SOUTH END. I HAVE
BEEN AN EDUCATOR EVER SINCE AND
ACTIVE IN THE WASHINGTON STATE
LEGISLATURE AND ALL POLICY. A
YEAR AGO IN 2023, THERE WERE
$20 MILLION PROMISED FOR
COMMUNITY LEAD SOLUTIONS FOR
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
AND DEALS HAVE EXPRESSED
CONCERNS AND STRUGGLES WITH
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR NEW
SERVICE. THAT MAKES SENSE. THEY
ARE PROVIDING SOMETHING NEW .
THEY ARE A NEW DEPARTMENT
PROVIDING A NEW SERVICE SO
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
ARGUMENT THERE HAS BEEN
DIFFICULTY FIGURING OUT HOW TO
SPEND BAFFLE $20 MILLION. YOU
KNOW, SCALING UP STILL AND WE
GET THIS ANSWERED A LOT AND IT
IS JUST KIND OF MIND-BOGGLING
THAT WE CAN'T FULFILL A
PROMISE OF SPENDING THE FULL
MONEY AND MORE, RIGHT? MORE
THAN THAT ORIGINAL MONEY FROM
2023 . ESPECIALLY AFTER
MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED
THIS YEAR, SO THERE IS A NUMBER
OF WAYS THIS MONEY COULD BE
SPENT AND THE REST OF THIS
MONEY AND MORE MONEY COULD BE
SPENT. THERE ARE COUNTLESS
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BOOTS
ON THE GROUND DOING THIS WORK
THAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS USER
ASKING FOR BUT EDUCATORS ARE
ASKING FOR THAT OUR COUNSELORS
NOT IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE HAVE
BEEN ASKING FOR COMMUNITY LEAD
SOLUTIONS TO BE INVESTED IN
SUSTAINABLY AND NOT HAVE TO
COME HERE OVER, AND OVER, AND
OVER AGAIN FIGHTING FOR
SUSTAINABLE FUNDS. JUST LIKE
WHAT HAPPENED WITH EDI FUNDS.
WE ARE HERE ASKING -- [ BELL
RINGING ] THERE ARE COMMUNITY
PASSAGEWAYS AND SO MANY FOLKS
THAT ARE SITTING HERE . MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT
DON'T HAVE JOBS BECAUSE THEY
DON'T HAVE FUNDING. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
COMING DOWN TODAY. UP NEXT, JIM
AND MARIANA AND JOE . ARE YOU
TOGETHER, OR SEPARATE? OKAY.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
>> EXCELLENT. MY NAME IS JIM
AND I AM A HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGER AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AND SO, I AM ASKING FOR THE
COUNCIL'S SUPPORT TODAY IN
INCREASING PRIORITY ZIP CODES.
A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE PRIORITY
ZIP CODES AND HAVE GONE ON TO
MOVE OUTSIDE THOSE AREAS INTO
THEIR OWN HOMES AND WHATNOT, SO
WE ARE ASKING FOR THE
COUNCIL'S SUPPORT IN OUR BILL.
WITH THE EXPANDING OF THE ZIP
CODES, WE ARE REACHING OUT TO
GET OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
OTHERS TO SUCCEED AND CREATE
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR
OTHER ZIP CODES . THANK YOU.
>> JUST FOR THE RECORD, P HAD
IS THE PRIORITY HIRING ADVISORY
COUNCIL. UP NEXT, MARIANA AND
JUST. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING .
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU CAN
EACH HAVE TWO MINUTES OR WHAT
YOU CAN SHARE TWO MINUTES.
>> I THOUGHT I HAD SOME TIME TO
SPARE. I AM WITH THE CARPENTERS
POLITICAL COORDINATOR. THIS IS
--
>> JESSE SANTOS .
>> I WANTED TO COME UP HERE TO
TALK ON BEHALF OF THE IRONY
HIRING ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND
AS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE
HITTING SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL TO
EXPAND THOSE AREAS . IN MY
PREVIOUS LIFE, I WAS AN OUTRAGE
COORDINATOR AND HAVING THAT
EXPANSION OF THOSE AREAS FOR
PRIORITY HIGHER REALLY HELPS US
BECAUSE WE GET TO GET OUT INTO
THE COMMUNITY AND WE DO A LOT
OF WORK IN SUPPORT OF OUR
SCHOOLS ON BUILDING THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INTO AN
APPRENTICESHIP THEY CAN OBTAIN
STRONG CAREERS, WAGES, AND
BENEFITS. IT DOES A LOT FOR OUR
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IT
DOES A LOT FOR OUR MEMBERS. WE
GET TO SEE INDIVIDUALS BE ABLE
TO NOT JUST HAVE TO COMMUTE TO
GET TO THE JOBS, BUT THEY CAN
ACTUALLY AFFORD AND HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THAT AREA
AS WELL. I WANTED TO BRING
JESSE UP HERE TOO. JESSE IS A
MEMBER WHO WORKED IN THE FIELD
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES WE GET TO EXPAND
ON IN THE COMMUNITY. ALSO I
KNOW FIRSTHAND THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF WORK AND HAS REALLY
PIONEERED THE WAY FOR OTHER
AREAS TO KIND OF ADOPT THE
PRIORITY HIGHER STANDARD
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND GIVE
THE SAME TYPE OF RESOURCES OUT
THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMITTEE
WE REPRESENT GETS TO BE PART
OF, SO I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT
COUNCIL CAN ADOPT AND SUPPORT
THE EXPANSION OF THE PRIORITY
HIRE ZIP CODES AS WELL AS
REGIONAL OWNERS BECAUSE, AGAIN,
IT DOES BRING A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITY TO OUR COMMUNITY. I
DON'T KNOW IF JESSE WANTS TO
SAY ANYTHING. I THREW HIM IN
HERE.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
APPRENTICESHIP. IT DID AFFORD
ME THE OPPORTUNITY COMING OUT
OF HIGH SCHOOL, PROVIDED ME A
GREAT CAREER AND A JOB AND
CAREER -- [ BELL RINGING ]
WE'RE HOPING THE SAME WITH THE
PRIORITY HIRE AND EXPANDING THE
ZIP CODES AS WELL.
>> YES. WELL, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR BUILDING OUR
CITY. UP NEXT WE HAVE OUR
ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTOR,
ALTHOUGH IT IS SHOWING AS NOT
PRESENT. MARK E? MARK E ? OKAY,
WE ARE SEEING PRESENT NOW. MARK
E IS PRESENT. MARK, YOU HAVE
TWO MINUTES. ONCE YOU ARE
PROMOTED, PRESS STAR SIX. I SEE
IT . THERE YOU ARE, MARK. TAKE
IT AWAY.
>> HIGH, AND GOOD MORNING,
COUNCIL PEOPLE AND OTHER
ATTENDEES. MY NAME IS MARK
EPSTEIN AND I AM A RETIRED
TEACHER FROM RANIER BEACH HIGH
SCHOOL . I TAUGHT FOR 24 YEARS.
I'VE HAD CLOSE PERSONAL
CONTACT . LAST MAY, MY WIFE AND
I WERE AT RANIER BEACH HIGH
SCHOOL ACTUALLY AND CAUGHT IN
THE MIDDLE OF A SHOOT OUT.
FORTUNATELY , THEY ONLY HIT OUR
CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES. SO I AM
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
STUDENTS ' $20 MILLION FOR
MENTAL HEALTH SPENDING. I SEE
THAT THE MAYOR'S PLAN
ALLOCATED SPECIFICALLY TO .4
FOR TELE-MENTAL HEALTH.
TELE-MENTAL HEALTH CAN HAVE ITS
PLACE. IT HELPED ME AND MY WIFE
GET OUT OF THE PTSD WE
EXPERIENCED FROM THAT SHOOTING
EXPERIENCE. BUT I THINK FOR THE
YOUNG PEOPLE THE IMPACT IS
GREATEST BY HAVING STAFF INSIDE
THE BUILDING. WE HEARD THERE
WAS $10 MILLION ALREADY
PLANNED. WE HAVEN'T HEARD
ABOUT THE OTHER $10 MILLION.
PEOPLE ARE BEING PAID $125,000
. THAT WOULD BE STAFF. IF WE
TARGET THOSE IN THE BUILDINGS,
I HAVE SEEN WHERE WE ARE MAKING
ADDITIONS. MAKE A TREMENDOUS
DIFFERENCE, NOT JUST FOR SOME ,
BUT FOR ALL. THE METRO PACT WAS
AN EXAMPLE , WHERE HE WON -- [
BELL RINGING ] THEN IT EXPANDED
TO ALL THE YOUTH. WE NEED STAFF
IN THE BUILDING THAT CAN
INSPIRE OUR YOUTH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. EPSTEIN .
THANK YOU FOR THE EDUCATION YOU
PROVIDED ME. HAS SHAPED MY
LIFE. SEEMS WE HAVE NO FURTHER
PUBLIC COMMENTOR'S CURRENTLY
PRESENT. THIS DOES CONCLUDE THE
PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF OUR
AGENDA. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT ITEM. THE FIRST ITEM ON
THE AGENDA, BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE
ON FINANCE DIRECTOR JAMIE
CARNELL'S APPOINTMENT. PLEASE
READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
>> APPOINTMENT 02897,
APPOINTMENT OF JAMIE CARNELL AS
FINANCE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE
OF CITY FINANCE, FOR A TERM TO
JUNE 1, 2028.
>> GOOD MORNING. WE ARE JOINED
BY INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR
JAMIE CARNELL. FOR THOSE WHO
USE MORE PLAIN LANGUAGE,
DIRECTOR JAMIE CARNELL IS THE
CITY'S COMPTROLLER . I SIT ON
MANY DIFFERENT BOARDS WITH
JAMIE. THE DEBT MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE
SEATTLE CITY EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT SERVICES BOARD. I
GET TO SEE JAMIE OFTEN AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE
WORK THAT YOU DO. THE INSIGHT
AND WHAT YOU PROVIDE TO THESE
MEETINGS. JAMIE, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO YOU AND I'VE GOT A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM YOUR
PACKET THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
READ ON THE RECORD BUT I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO FIRST.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU AND GOOD
MORNING TO ALL COUNCILMEMBERS
TODAY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER MY
APPOINTMENT AS CITY FINANCE
DIRECTOR. I APPRECIATE THE TIME
EACH OF YOU HAS TAKEN TO MEET
WITH ME AND LEARN ABOUT THE
VITAL ROLL OF CITY FINANCE AS
WELL AS PROVIDE ME WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM ALL OF
YOU. IN CONFIRMING ME, YOU
CONFIRM A SCHOOL EXECUTIVE WITH
THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE
CITY AND IDENTIFY THE MOST
EFFICIENT PROCESSES AND
APPROPRIATE SYSTEMS TO ACHIEVE
OUR COLLECTIVE POLICY GOALS. AS
WE WORK TOGETHER, I AM SURE WE
WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS ACROSS
THE AISLE THAT WILL WORK WITH
ALL OF OUR EXPECTATIONS AND
I'M EXCITED TO WORK AND SIT AT
THE TABLE WITH ALL OF YOU AND
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF AS WE
MOVE FORWARD .
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CARNELL.
I WILL REPEAT SOME OF WHAT I
SAID AT THE LAST MEETING
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A VERY UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE ON OUR CITY 'S
FINANCES, SEEING YOU HAVE
WORKED HERE FOR 30 YEARS. YOU
STARTED AS AN ADMIN SPEC ONE ,
ROSE TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND TO
INTERIM DIRECTOR. I CAN TELL
YOU , IN MY LIFE, I HAVE DONE
EVERY SINGLE JOB WITHIN A CITY
COUNCILMEMBER 'S OFFICE AND IT
HELPS ME DO MY JOB BETTER. I
KNOW EVERYTHING MY TEAM NEEDS
TO DO. IT HELPS OUR WHOLE TEAM
MOVES FORWARD AND I SEE THAT
WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL.
IN YOUR APPOINTMENT PACKET, WE
DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT --
THIS WOULD BE QUESTION NUMBER
10, HOW WILL YOU NAVIGATE AND
ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT
SUPPORT SEATTLE FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY AND SOUND
MINISTRATION?
>> IT STARTS WITH A STRONG
PARTNERSHIP THAT I MENTIONED.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE EXIT AND
CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE THAT
AWARENESS AND POTENTIAL
POLICIES OR PROBLEM -- PROGRAM
MEDIC CHANGES WITH FINANCIAL
IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE REVIEW
WITH MY TEAM TO CONTROL THE
ALIGNMENT OF OUR CITYWIDE
FINANCIAL POLICIES, PROCEDURES,
AND PRACTICES. BY DOING THIS,
WE MAKE SURE THERE IS
COMPLIANCE NOT ONLY WITH OUR
INTERNAL CONTROLS AND
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, BUT WITH
POLICY EXPECTATIONS AND IT'S A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SET AND
CONVERSE WITH YOU AND COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF AS YOU MOVE
FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR . I WILL
NOT READ ALL OF QUESTION 13. IT
COMES DOWN TO YOUR ROLE IN THE
SYSTEMS. HOW -- CAN YOU DISCUSS
THE BENEFITS OF FISCAL
TRANSPARENCY, WHAT YOU'VE DONE
TO IMPROVE THIS? WE DISCUSSED
THIS A LITTLE AT THE LAST
COMMITTEE BUT THERE IS A YEAR
END REPORT THAT IS REALLY TEXT
HEAVY AND I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN
MAKING EFFORTS TO MAKE IT MORE
READABLE AND FOR THE GENERAL
PUBLIC, THERE ARE OFTEN TIMES
CALLS PEOPLE WANT TO SEE A CITY
'S BUDGET BUT THE BUDGET IS
POSTED PUBLICLY TO THE WEBSITE
24 /7, 365 AND IT'S KIND OF
HARD TO READ, SO CAN YOU SPEAK
TO FISCAL TRANSPARENCY AND WORK
WITH THESE DIFFERENT
COMMITTEES?
>> SURE. WE PROVIDE REPORTS IN
MULTIPLE FORMATS TO ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC ON
FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF THE CITY.
IT DOES GIVE THAT TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK WITH THE SUCCESSFUL
INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE HAD AND
ARE CONTINUING WITH OUR
UPDATING OUR FINANCIAL
STANDARDS, IT REALLY DOES GIVE
MORE TRANSPARENCY AND YOU
REALLY WANT TO -- NOW THAT WE
HAVE OUR FINANCIAL STANDARDS IN
A GOOD PLACE IN OUR DATA
WAREHOUSES , WE WANT TO LOOK AT
OUR DATA AND UNDERSTAND AND
RETHINK HOW THAT DATA CAN BE
PRESENTED IN A MORE MEANINGFUL
WAY. SO WE ARE COLLABORATING
WITH CBO ON DEVELOPING FISCAL
MONITORING TOOLS. THAT IS THE
FIRST STEP FOR OUR FISCAL
REPORTS, OUR FINANCIAL DATA
WAREHOUSE AND SELF-SERVICE
REPORTING TOOLS. THESE REPORTS
WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN
2025 AS PART OF THE FISCAL
TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE AND WE
ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE AS WE
START TO ALLOW THOSE REPORTS.
MY GLASSES. SORRY. IT'S LIKE
30 YEARS OF BEING HERE AT THE
CITY. GLASSES ARE REQUIRED.
THOSE REPORTS WILL COMBINE KEY
INFORMATION BASED ON A LOT OF
INFORMATION FROM THE STATUS OF
INFORMATION OF OUR FISCAL
SYSTEM TO THE DATA THAT IS IN
OUR RETIREMENT SYSTEMS AND OUR
CASH. IT IS A WAY TO LOOK AT
THE DATA ACROSS THE CITY. THE
REPORT YOU ARE REFERRING TO IS
THE REPORT WE PROVIDE TO CITY
COUNCIL AND THERE IS ONE COMING
UP THIS YEAR. IT IS A
CULMINATION OF -- I WOULD SAY
EVERY SET OF FISCAL DATA THAT
IS AVAILABLE PUBLICLY. TO YOUR
POINT, IT HAS BEEN VERY TECH
SAVVY SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS
TO DO MORE DATA VISUALIZATION
AND TELL THE STORY ABOUT THE
CITY'S FISCAL HEALTH AND A
BETTER WAY THAN TEXT AND CHARTS
. THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE
CURRENTLY WORKING ON AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO PRESENTING TO YOU
THIS YEAR.
>> THANK YOU. BEFORE I TURN IT
OVER, COLLEAGUES, FAVORITE WORD
OF THE YEAR IS AUDIT. WE HAVE
AUDITS DONE EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
NOT PERFORMANCE AUDITS . THEY
ARE FISCAL AUDITS. WE RECENTLY
HAD OUR FISCAL YEAR 2023 AUDIT
COMPLETED . CAN YOU SHARE THE
FINDINGS?
>> SURE. WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN
GETTING OUR FINANCIAL REPORT
DONE ON TIME WHICH ALLOWED THE
STATE AUDITOR OFFICE TO AUDIT
IT AND WE HAD NO -- WE HAD A
VERY CLEAN AUDIT WITH NO
MATERIAL FINDINGS. THAT IS
TRULY A STRONG EFFORT FROM ALL
CITY FISCAL DIVISIONS WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENTS , AS WELL AS
THE CITYWIDE COUNTY STAFF. YOU
DID A TREMENDOUS EFFORT AND
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE
COLLABORATION ACROSS THE CITY.
>> JOB WELL DONE. COLLEAGUES,
ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
COMING. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO
SUPPORT YOUR NOMINATION . YOU
KNOW, IN A POSITION TO OVERSEE
OUR FINANCES AND THE LIKE. I
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT , YOU
KNOW, LOOKING AT THE Q& A,
QUESTION NUMBER 11 IN A LOT OF
WAYS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE
FOR ME AND THAT IS MAINTAINING
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE US
THE INFORMATION AND ANYTHING
YOU CAN SAY TO THAT , I JUST
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US HERE IN
COUNCIL AND YOU HAVE YOUR
ANSWER THERE, BUT IF YOU WANT
TO, LIKE , RESTATE IT IN
ANOTHER WAY OR CAN YOU RE-SPEAK
TO THE TOPIC?
>> SURE. I MOVED SOME QUESTIONS
AROUND, SO COULD YOU REMIND ME?
>> HOW DO YOU INTEND TO BALANCE
BEING A MEMBER OF THE MAHER'S
CABINET WITH THE VITAL ROLE OF
PROVIDING UNBIASED, COMPLETE,
AND TIMELY INFORMATION TO ALL
BRANCHES OF CITY GOVERNMENT?
>> WE ANCHOR THE CITY BY
PROVIDING CLEAR AND ACCURATE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY'S
FINANCIAL AFFAIRS TO ALL
ELECTED OFFICIALS IN A TIMELY
MANNER. I WANT TO STRIVE TO
PROVIDE A COMMON UNDERSTANDING
OF RELEVANT FISCAL INFORMATION
TO ALL BRANCHES. MY VISION FOR
THE OFFICE OF CITY FINANCE
INCLUDES THE PHRASE DATA-DRIVEN
DECISION-MAKING FOR THIS REASON
. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT MY TEAM
AND I PROVIDE YOU UNBIASED
FINANCIAL DATA IN A TIMELY
MANNER. WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY
DUTY TO ENSURE THE CITY'S
FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES ARE
TRACKED IN ACCORDANCE TO
APPLICABLE POLICIES AND
REGULATIONS. AND WE DO THIS
THROUGH UTILIZING SINGLE SOURCE
OF TRUTH, OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM
. THAT IS A CITYWIDE USE OF OUR
FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND USING
THOSE CITYWIDE FINANCIAL
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND
THIS REALLY DOES HELP CLARIFY
THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF
POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR POLICIES
YOU ARE CONSIDERING AND
SUPPORTS INFORMED DECISIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU FOR READING THAT AND BEING
ESSENTIALLY ON THE RECORD
TWICE. ON PAPER AND HEAR ON
VIDEO, SO THANK YOU. IF IT IS
ON SEATTLE CHANNEL, THEN YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS?
>> CHAIR, THANK YOU. I'VE HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHAT WITH
JAMIE ABOUT THE WORK AND I WILL
BE SUPPORTING YOUR APPOINTMENT
TODAY AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL AND
CRITICAL APPROACH THAT YOU TAKE
TO THE WORK. THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT . AS WE HAVE ALL
SAID, THIS IS TAXPAYER MONEY
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
ACCOUNTABLE AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED OUR CONVERSATION ON
ACCOUNTABILITY. I KNOW IT IS
SOMETHING YOU TAKE VERY
SERIOUSLY AS WELL, SO I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SIGNING
UP TO WANT TO DO THIS JOB
PERMANENTLY. IT IS NOT AN EASY
TASK AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING
YOU TODAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
ANYTHING HERE? NO? SATISFIED
WITH THE IN-DEPTH WRITTEN OR
VERBAL QUESTIONS? WITH THAT,
HEARING FOR THE QUESTIONS, I AM
GOING TO MOVE TO RECOMMEND
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT
2897 . SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED FOR
DIRECTOR CARNELL UNDER
APPOINTMENT 2897. CLERK, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> VICE CHAIR RIVERA?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
DIRECTOR CARNELL, IT IS AN
HONOR TO BRING YOUR APPOINTMENT
TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL NEXT
WEEK.
>> THANK YOU. IT IS HUMBLING TO
BE HERE FOR SO LONG AND HAVE
THIS APPOINTMENT. I REALLY DO
APPRECIATE IT AND AGAIN, CITY
EMPLOYEES DO TREMENDOUS EFFORT
AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
DOING ALMOST EVERY JOB. I CAN
CHANGE PRINTER CARTRIDGES, IF
ANYBODY NEEDS THAT. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO ME THAT EMPLOYEES
ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MOVE UP THE RANKS AND I HOPE I
AM A TESTAMENT TO THAT FOR THE
CITY EMPLOYEES. I WILL ALWAYS
PUT THE CITY IN THE FOREFRONT,
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE
TODAY.
>> WILL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND
AGENDA ITEM, AN APPOINTMENT TO
THE SEATTLE INDIAN SERVICE
COMMISSION. CLERK, PLEASE READ
THE SHORT TITLE OF ITEM 2 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> ITEM 2, SEATTLE INDIAN
SERVICES COMMISSION FOR ROBERT
HOWARD , FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> GREAT. APPOINTMENT 2920 IS
ROBERT HOWARD. THE FIRST PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES ,
SEATTLE INDIAN SERVICE DIVISION
HAS WORKED TO PRESERVE PROPERTY
ASSETS FROM LOCAL INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY TO CONNECT AND
REBUILD HOMES. THE COMMISSION
IS A NATIVE LED ORGANIZATION
DETERMINED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES
OF URBAN NATIVE PEOPLE WHO CALL
SEATTLE HOME. WE ARE JOINED BY
INDIAN SERVICES COMMISSION
LIAISON -- IF I GET YOUR NAME
WRONG, I AM SO SORRY. I WILL
CHANGE IT FOR THE FUTURE.
DEMERUS TEVUK . DEMERUS, PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR
COMMISSION TO THE COMMITTEE.
>> GOOD MORNING. YES, MY NAME
IS DEMERUS TEVUK. I WAS BORN
AND I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN
THE RESERVATION AND I HAVE A
DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON. I'VE LIVED IN THE
SEATTLE AREA FOR 28 YEARS AND I
AM THE DEPARTMENT LIAISON FOR
THE INDIAN SERVICES COMMISSION.
100% GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBERS
ARE NATIVE AMERICAN . THE
COMMISSION IS AMONG THE FIRST
THAT PERFORMED BY THE CITY IN
1972 AND THE COMMISSION OWNS
AND MANAGES THE BUILDING THAT
IS CURRENTLY BEING LEASED BY
THE CITY. CASEY RHA . THE
COMMISSION IS WORKING ON
REDEVELOPING THE BUILDING SITE
INTO THE GATEWAY PROJECT WHICH
WILL BE A MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING. WE ARE PURSUING THE
OPTION OF SIX FLOORS, 186
HOUSING UNITS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. OUR VISION IS TO
INCLUDE AFFORDABLE
HOMEOWNERSHIP CONDOS AND THE
COMMERCIAL SPACE WOULD INCLUDE
CHILDCARE FACILITY , ANCESTORS,
WHICH WILL BE AN EXHIBITION
HALL THAT HONORS THE LEGACY OF
OUR LOCAL NATIVE INITIATIVE AND
CULTURE. THERE WILL ALSO BE A
GATHERING SPACE WITH A
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN. AN ECONOMIC
EMPOWERMENT CENTER WILL CONNECT
TO ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL SPACES
TO PROVIDE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM
ALL AGE RANGES, FROM HIGH
SCHOOL TO RETIREMENT. I WANTED
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
ALICE -- MORALES . WE PURSUED
FUNDING FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND
ENGINEERING SERVICES FROM
SENATOR MURRAY AND I AM HAPPY
TO REPORT THAT OUT OF 600
APPLICATIONS , OUR APPLICATION
FOR FUNDING -- OUR
CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING
WAS SELECTED AND MOVED FORWARD
AND WE ALSO PURSUED FUNDING
FROM CONGRESSMAN SMITH AND WE
WERE ALSO SELECTED, SO WE'VE
GOT SOME REALLY GREAT MOMENTUM
RIGHT NOW FOR THE
PREDEVELOPMENT OF OUR BUILDING
. I WAS ALSO SELECTED THIS YEAR
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AMAZON
HOUSING EQUITY FUNDS PROGRAM,
THE HOUSING EQUITY ACCELERATOR
COALPORT , WHICH IS MANAGED BY
THE PUGET SOUND. THAT COHORT IS
TO UPLIFT NONPROFIT AND
FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PUGET
SOUND. SO WE'VE GOT SOME
REALLY GREAT NEWS TO SHARE ,
UPDATES ABOUT THE COMMISSION.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A CLEAN
FINANCIAL AUDIT THIS YEAR, SO I
THINK THAT IS EVERYTHING . IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
OUR VISION , I AM HAPPY TO HAVE
A MEETING AND SHARE WHERE WE
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
DEVELOPING .
>> THANK YOU, DEMERUS. I WILL
STATE FOR THE RECORD, IT IS A
UNIQUE PDA . NOT ONLY ONE OF
THE FIRST, BUT IN WORKING WITH
URBAN, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, THERE
IS A DIFFERENCE WORKING WITH
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THE URBAN
ENVIRONMENT COMPARED TO ON
RESERVATIONS WHERE THERE IS
LAND SOVEREIGNTY OR AT LEAST
COMMUNITY SHOWING UP IN A
DIFFERENT WAY. WITH THAT, WE
WILL TURN IT OVER TO ROBERT
HOWARD. ROBERT, WELCOME. WE ARE
EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE . I
WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU
AND THEN I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY. GOOD MORNING ,
COUNCILMEMBERS . ROBERT HOWARD
WITH THE APACHE TRIBE . I WILL
TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS AGO,
BUT I GREW UP AND WENT TO TT
MINOR BACK IN THE DAY . VERY
EXCITING NEIGHBORHOOD. GOD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A LOT. I
WENT TO THE EAST SIDE, WENT TO
INDIAN SCHOOL AND THEY LIVED IN
ELLSBERG AS MY DAD WENT TO
CENTRAL FOR A WHILE AS WELL, SO
I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE
AREA. CURRENTLY I SERVE AS THE
LIAISON FOR 29 TRIBES FROM
WASHINGTON. WE ARE ONE OF THE
FIVE FOR MANAGED CARE . I
REALLY ENJOY THAT WORK AND
CONNECTING WITH OUR TRIBES AND
OUR PEOPLE IN THE URBAN INDIAN
SETTING AS WELL AS THE RURAL
SETTING AS WELL. THE CAPACITY
OF MY -- I AM IN ARIZONA. I WAS
TOLD I WAS THE YOUNGEST ELECTED
CHAIRMAN SINCE 19 34 AND I WENT
ON TO RUN 10 TRIBAL ENTERPRISES
AS CEO FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
BROUGHT BACK HERE LOCALLY SIX
YEARS AGO, WENT ON TO RUN A
COUPLE OF LOCAL TRIBES AS CHIEF
OPERATING OFFICER GENERAL
MANAGER AND I STILL DO SOME
WORK ENDEAVORS WITH THEM, AND
HELPING TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IS
ALWAYS MY PASSION. IT WILL
ALWAYS BE MY PASSION THROUGHOUT
MY WHOLE CAREER . I ENJOY THE
WORK. I WENT TO ARIZONA STATE
UNIVERSITY AND I HAVE TWO
UNDERGRADS, ONE IN ACCOUNTING
AS WELL AS AN MBA . THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> THANK YOU, ROBERT. YOU
MENTIONED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU. YOU ARE
OUR STATE'S LIAISON TO THE 29
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES
WITHIN THE STATE. HOW DOES THAT
INFORM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND
YOUR ROLE WORKING WITH THE PDA
AND SPECIFICALLY WITH URBAN
NATIVE AMERICANS?
>> AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE 574
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES THE
UNITED STATES. OF WHICH, 221
ARE IN ALASKA . INTERESTINGLY
ENOUGH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
SEATTLE INDIAN BOARD, THEY
SERVE ABOUT 400 AND -- 15 ? IF
I AM REMEMBERING CORRECTLY. ONE
OF THE MOST POPULOUS PORTIONS
OF THIS COMMUNITY . HAVING THAT
OVERALL ROUNDABOUT KNOWLEDGE
REALLY HELPS, YOU KNOW,
ACCENTUATE OUR EVERYDAY
POPULATIONS. UNABLE TO DIRECT
TRIBES TO DIFFERENT RESOURCES
AND ENGAGEMENTS THAT REALLY
HELP GROW THAT PARTICULAR PART
AND SEGMENT OF THEIR
COMMUNITIES. A LOT OF THEM ARE
URBAN INDIANS AS IT IS NOW .
THEY GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH
UNITED INDIANS TOO AND WE GOT A
BIG POWWOW COMING UP THIS
WEEKEND, SO HOPEFULLY I WILL
GET A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE
COUNCILMEMBERS THERE. CHAIR,
THAT IS OUR PERSPECTIVE AS
INDIVIDUALS AND AS INDIAN
PEOPLE TO GAIN INSIGHT AND
KNOWLEDGE AND TO SEE WHAT COULD
BE APPLICABLE , ESPECIALLY WITH
THE PROJECTS WE ARE WORKING ON
NOW . HOW CAN WE BE BENEFICIAL,
BUT HOW CAN OUR PEOPLE BE MOST
SUCCESSFUL? THAT IS WHAT WE
WANT TO DO, TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WANT TO PUT CLOTHES ON OUR
BACK, FOOD ON OUR TABLE, AND
GAIN INSIGHT AND LONGEVITY FROM
THE URBAN SETTING.
>> THANK YOU. YOU MAY HAVE
ANSWERED THE QUESTION I WAS
ABOUT TO ASK . THE NEXT
QUESTION, IT SEEMS EVEN THOUGH
WE HAVEN'T MET, WE ARE ON A
PRETTY GOOD ROLE TOGETHER.
LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME, YOU'VE
BEEN THE GENERAL MANAGER OF
MANY DIFFERENT TRIBES. FROM SAN
CARLOS, SNOQUALMIE . HOW DOES
THIS PERSPECTIVE OF BEING THE
GENERAL MANAGER OF SOMEBODY
DIFFERENT TRIBES INFLUENCE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE HERE WITH URBAN
NATIVE AMERICANS ?
>> ABSOLUTELY . AS YOU KNOW,
SNOQUALMIE IS NOT EVEN 30
MINUTES UP THE HILL . A LOT OF
FOLKS AND PEOPLE LIVE IN THE
URBAN INDIAN SETTING ON
RESERVATION LANDS FOR A
PARTICULAR TRIBE . OR BASICALLY
THE CASINO ITSELF. THEY CHOSE
TO SUPPORT THEIR NATIVE
POPULATION IN THE AREAS THEY
RESIDE IN. AS COMPARED TO THE
MORE REMOTE AND MORE RURAL ,
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE. IN THE SAME
SENTENCE THOUGH , A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE IN TACOMA . A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE IN SEATTLE . A LOT
OF PEOPLE ARE ACROSS THE SOUND.
UNDERSTANDING AND GAINING THAT
PERSPECTIVE IS UNIQUE IN ITSELF
IN TERMS OF THE JOB FUNCTION
BUT KEEP IN MIND, AND --
WHETHER YOU ARE A SMALL TRIBE
OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND MEMBER
TRIBE, THE SAME RESTRICTIONS IN
TERMS OF FEDERAL FUNDING,
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND TO
STIR SPENDS ARE THE SAME AND AS
YOU MENTIONED, THE AUDIT
FUNCTION IS THE SAME AS WILL
THE EXECUTION OF A TRIBE IS
ALMOST UNIFORMLY ON-SITE EXCEPT
FOR WHAT THE COUNCILMEMBERS
DIRECT IN TERMS OF HOUSING OR
OTHER ENDEAVORS LIKE THAT.
OTHER THAN THAT , ALL THOSE
DIFFERENT THINGS, ALL SEEING
DIFFERENT BUT THEY ARE REALLY
THE SAME TO SOME DEGREE
DEPENDING ON THE FUNDING FROM
THE DIFFERENT TRIBES .
>> THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD . AND
ALSO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP
THE LEGACY CURRENTLY OPERATED
BY OUR GOOD FRIEND, MIKE , A
PRODUCT OF THE GANG OF FOUR.
FOR A ROLLERSKATING FIELD TRIP,
GROWING UP WITHIN EARSHOT, I'VE
HEARD POWWOW DRUMS THERE MY
ENTIRE LIFE AND I'M EXCITED TO
HEAR THEM THIS WEEKEND AS WELL.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT STANDS
OUT FOR ME ABOUT DAYBREAK STARS
. IT IS DESIGNED FOR URBAN
NATIVE AMERICANS, RATHER THAN A
SINGLE TRIBE. JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ
ALWAYS PUTS TOGETHER THE CROWN
FOR THIS POWWOW AT DAYBREAK
STARS I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT
SHE PUTS TOGETHER THIS YEAR AS
WELL. COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS
FOR MR. HOWARD? SEEING NONE,
MR. HOWARD , OR DEMERUS, DO YOU
HAVE CLOSING REMARKS? I THINK
WE ARE ALL EXCITED TO VOTE FOR
YOU.
>> HOPEFULLY I WILL SEE YOU AT
THE POWWOW. COUNCILMEMBERS
STRAUSS, I FORGOT TO MENTION
THAT MY POSITION AS A STAFF
MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE INDIAN
SERVICES COMMISSION IS FUNDED
BY AN EDI CAPACITY BUILDING
BRAND AND WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING
FORWARD TO BUILDING UP CAPACITY
SO WE CAN APPLY FOR EDI CAPITAL
GRANT FUNDING . WE ARE ALSO IN
THE MIDDLE OF ADVOCATING FOR
KING COUNTY TO CREATE AN EDI
PROGRAM. BUT I FORGOT TO
MENTION THAT .
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU. I DIDN'T GET MY
HAND UP LIKE ENOUGH. I JUST
WANTED TO SAY TO MR. HOWARD,
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO
SERVE. I THINK IT IS SO
IMPORTANT FOR MEMBERS OF
COMMUNITY, WHATEVER COMMUNITY
IT MAY BE, TO STAND UP . TAKE
THE TIME AND EFFORT BECAUSE
IT'S A LOT. WHATEVER ASPECT IN
THEIR COMMUNITY, IT TAKES A LOT
WHEN THE DEMANDS OF LIFE ARE
STILL THERE, SO I JUST WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR YOU STEPPING
UP TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE AND I
APPRECIATE THE EXAMPLE YOU SET
AS WELL, SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR . I WILL
JUST AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS
OF MY COLLEAGUE . I ALWAYS
APPRECIATE PEOPLE'S WILLINGNESS
TO SERVE IN THESE VOLUNTEER
ROLES . THEY ARE REALLY
CRITICAL IN THE CITY, SO I WANT
TO THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD. I
LOOK FORWARD TO THE VOTE .
>> WONDERFUL.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR .
>> MR. HOWARD, THE LAST WORD IS
YOURS. OTHERWISE WE WILL GO
STRAIGHT TO THE VOTE.
>> MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NO FURTHER
WORDS BUT I REALLY WANT TO
THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THE TIME
TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND KEEP IN
THE MINDS OF OUR PEOPLE AND
COMMUNITY THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR
URBAN INDIAN POPULATION .
WHENEVER YOU CAN LEND A HAND,
HELP GROW, SUSTAIN FOR
LONGEVITY PURPOSES FOR NOW AND
INTO THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>> WELL SAID. I MOVED TO
RECOMMEND A CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENT 2920, ROBERT E.
HOWARD TO THE SEATTLE INDIAN
SERVICES COMMISSION. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED TO
RECOMMEND ROBERT E. HOWARD,
APPOINTMENT 2920. CLERK, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> YES.
>> VICE CHAIR RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU. APPOINTMENT 2920,
ROBERT E. HOWARD TO THE SEATTLE
INDIAN SERVICES COMMISSION
PASSES. THIS WILL MOVE ON TO
FULL COUNCIL NEXT WEEK. MR.
HOWARD, YOU DO NOT NEED TO
ATTEND BUT MAYBE I WILL SEE YOU
AT THE POWWOW THIS WEEKEND.
THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO
THE THIRD ITEM ON THE AGENDA,
LEGISLATION REGARDING A
BRIEFING ON SEATTLE'S PRIORITY
HIRE PROGRAM. CLERK, PLEASE
READ THE SHORT TITLE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 120815,
PRIORITY HIRE FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> OUR NEXT MEETING IS A SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE, SO WE ARE
JOINED BY KIERSTEN GROVE,
PRESTLY PALMER , AND JEANNE
FULCHER. AS THE CITY IS GETTING
SET UP, I WILL SAY THE PROGRAM
IS A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
EFFORT THAT BEGAN OVER A DECADE
AGO. AT THAT TIME, SOUTH
SEATTLE RESIDENTS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE WAS BEING BUILT
IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, YET HAD
LIMITED ACCESS TO THE JOBS ON
THOSE PROJECTS. A COALITION
FORMED TO BRING A MESSAGE TO
CITY LEADERSHIP. SEATTLE'S
STRUGGLING COMMUNITIES COULD
HELP INVEST IN ITS OWN PEOPLE
AND INVEST IN CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS, SO IN 2013 OUR CITY
OF SEATTLE CREATED THE PRIORITY
HIRE PROGRAM FOR CITY PUBLIC
WORKS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF
$5 MILLION OR MORE . IN 2017,
THE PROGRAM EXPANDED TO THE
PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP
PROJECTS WITH SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT, SO USING CITY
PARTNERSHIPS , THE PRIORITY
HIRE PROGRAM PRIORITIZES THE
HIRING OF RESIDENTS THAT LIVE
IN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
AREAS, PARTICULARLY IN SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY. IN ADDITION,
CITY PROJECTS AND PRIVATE
PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
HAVE REQUIREMENTS AS WE HAVE
HEARD FROM JESSE, WHO PROVIDED
PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY. THE
APPRENTICESHIP UTILIZATION
PROJECTS AND WOMEN AND PEOPLE
OF COLOR ASPIRATIONAL GOALS
WITHIN THOSE PRIORITY HIRE
APPRENTICESHIPS. WITH THAT , I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO KIERSTEN
GROVE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE THE TABLE AND THEN
TAKE IT AWAY .
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS
KIERSTEN GROVE, ACTING DIRECTOR
OF THE FAS. I AM JOINED BY
PRESTLY PALMER, DIVISION
DIRECTOR AND JEANNE FULCHER,
MANAGER OF OUR EQUITY PROGRAM.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAM UPDATES .
FOR CONTEXT, FAS IS A
PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING
DIVISION ACROSS THE CITY. THIS
INCLUDES WORK TO ENSURE WOMEN
AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES
HAVE CONTRACTING EQUITY AS WELL
AS EQUITY ON OUR CITY
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THIS IS
THE PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAM . THE
PROPOSED UPDATES TODAY ARE
RESPONSIVE TO INPUT AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
PRIORITY HIRE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. YOU HEARD FROM SOME
OF THE MEMBERS EARLIER TODAY.
PHAC IS A BODY COMPOSED OF
COMMUNITY, LABOR, CONTRACTOR,
AND TRAINING EXPERTISE WHOSE
ROLE IS TO ADVISE ON PRIORITY
HIRE SUCCESS . I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO PRESTLY PALMER FOR A
MORE DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE
PROGRAM, FOLLOWED BY JEANNE,
GIVING AN UPDATE TODAY. OUR
PRESENTATION IS ABOUT 10
MINUTES LONG AND WE WILL TAKE
QUESTIONS FOLLOWING.
>> MY NAME IS PRESTLY PALMER,
DIVISION DIRECTOR FROM
PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING .
THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS
PRIORITY HIRE? I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBERS STRAUSS, YOU
KIND OF MENTIONED WHAT THAT
WAS. PRIORITY HIRE THROUGH THE
PROCESS, THE CITY PASSED A
PRIORITY HIRE ORDINANCE AND
WORKFORCE AGREEMENT. PRIORITY
HIRE IS A FAS PROGRAM THAT
SUPPORTS WORKERS THROUGHOUT
REACH , TRAINING, SUPPORT
SERVICES, AND JOB PLACEMENT
ASSISTANCE. THE PROGRAM
DEVELOPS A SUPPLY OF WORKERS
AND SETS HIRING REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE WORKERS FOR THE DEMAND
OF THOSE WORKERS. PRIORITY HIRE
PUTS PEOPLE LIVING IN
ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
COMMUNITIES , BIPOC WORKERS ,
AND WOMEN TO WORK ON CITY
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. MORE
SPECIFICALLY, PRIORITY HIRE
ENSURES COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE
ACCESS TO CONSTRUCTION CAREERS,
PROVIDES A DIVERSE TRAINED
WORKFORCE , CREATES FINANCIAL
GROWTH IN ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED AREAS, AND HELP
CLOSE THE WAY SCAT -- WAGE GAP
FOR WOMEN AND OUR BIPOC
COMMUNITY. THROUGH PRIORITY
HIRE, WORKFORCE REQUIREMENTS
ARE SET PER THE AGREEMENT ON
CITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF
$5 MILLION OR MORE. FOR
PRIORITY HIRE PROJECTS,
CONTRACTORS MUST HIRE WORKERS
LIVING IN ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED ZIP CODES IN SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY AS WELL AS HIRE
APPRENTICES AND GRADUATES OF
PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
PROGRAMS THAT WE WORK WITH.
JUST AS A REMINDER, AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION AT THE STATE LEVEL
PREVENTS CITY REQUIREMENTS
WITHIN PUBLIC CONTRACTING FOR
RACE AND GENDER. THEREFORE
PRIORITY HIRE SETS ASPIRATIONAL
GOALS FOR ATTRACTING AND HIRING
WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.
PRIORITY HIRE HAS IMPROVED
INCOME -- SORRY. PRIORITY HIRE
HAS IMPROVED INCOME FOR
WORKERS. WORKERS LIVING IN
ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS
OF THOUGHT 130% INCREASE IN
THEIR SHARE OF HOURS FROM 20%
TO 28%, WHERE WORKERS OF COLOR
HAVE SEEN A 50% INCREASE FROM
25% TO 58%. SO, WHAT DO THESE
IMPROVED RESULTS MEAN FOR
WORKERS? SINCE THE PROGRAM
BEGAN, PRIORITY HIRE WORKERS
HAVE EARNED OVER $100 MILLION
IN WAGES PLUS BENEFITS, MORE
THAN THE $46 MILLION THAT WOULD
HAVE EARNED WITHOUT PRIORITY
HIRE . THOUSANDS OF WORKERS
HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR
PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAM . FOR
CONTEXT , FROM 2021 TO 2023, WE
HAD OVER 13,000 TRENTON WORKERS
COME THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.
SORRY. 1300 . SORRY ABOUT THAT.
CONSTRUCTION CAREERS CLOSE THE
GAP, THE WAGE GAP IN OUR REGION
BY PROVIDING LIVING WAGES
STARTING AT AROUND $30 AN HOUR
, HEALTH BENEFITS, AND A
RETIREMENT PLAN. THIS ADVANCES
FINANCIAL EQUITY FOR PRIORITY
HIRE INDIVIDUALS, SO WITH THAT,
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO JEANNE
TO TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE
CHANGES FOR OUR PRIORITY HIRE
PROGRAM . THANK YOU.
>> THE PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAM
HAS EVOLVED BY APPLYING BEST
PRACTICES AND LIMITATION,
STRENGTHENING REGIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS AS OTHER AGENCIES
BEGIN THEIR OWN PRIORITY HIRE
PROGRAMS , AND RESPONDING TO
COMMUNITY NEEDS . THE PRIORITY
HIRE PROGRAM HAS REACHED THE
POINT IN WHICH CONTINUED
IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRE
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES. WE ARE
PROPOSING TWO UPDATES. THE
FIRST IS TO EXPAND OUR
ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREA OF
METHODOLOGY. THE SECOND IS TO
ALLOW FOR THE CONTINUED
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK REGIONALLY
WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT
HAVE PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAMS .
IN 2023, THE PRIORITY HIRE
COMMITTEE, PHAC, CONSIDERED
SEVERAL FACTORS FOR UPDATING
THE LIST OF ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED AREAS, WHICH IS ON
THE NEXT SLIDE . THEY SUPPORT
THE ORDINANCE CHANGE TO
MAXIMIZE COMMUNITY IMPACT. PHAC
HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST OVER THE
YEARS TO INCREASE COORDINATION
AND COLLABORATION AMONG
PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAMS
INCLUDING THOSE AT KING COUNTY
AND THE BOARD OF SEATTLE. WE
HAVE MADE JOINT COMMUNITY
INVESTMENTS AND OUTREACH IN
TRAINING AND ANTICIPATE
UPDATING THE ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED AREA METHODOLOGY
WILL PUT US IN CLOSER
ALIGNMENT. THE FIRST
RECOMMENDATION IS UPDATING THE
LIST OF ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
AREAS. THE WHY BEHIND THIS
RECOMMENDATION IS IT WILL
BETTER REFLECT THE CHANGING
DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR REGION,
REACH THE MOST PEOPLE WHO MEET
OUR CRITERIA, ENSURE INCLUSION
OF PRIORITY AREAS, AND IN
SUPPORT SEATTLE AREA RESIDENTS
IN ACCESSING LIVING WAGE
CONSTRUCTION JOBS. ANY CHANGES
TO THE METHODOLOGY REQUIRES
CHANGING THE ORDINANCE BEFORE
IT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. WE ARE
PROPOSING TO CHANGE HOW DENSITY
IS DEFINED. CHANGING THE
DENSITY DEFINITION FROM HIGH
DENSITY TO HIGH CONCENTRATION
WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WE REACH IN CRITERIA .
THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE IN
ADDITION TO HIGH DENSITY, WE
CAN ADD ZIP CODES WITH HIGH
RATES OR HIGH NUMBERS OF PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN POVERTY, ARE
UNEMPLOYED , OR ARE OVER 25
WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE. HIGH
DENSITY RATE AND NUMBER ARE ALL
FACETS OF HIGH CONCENTRATION.
BOTH EXISTING AND PROPOSED
METHODOLOGIES USE THIS
CRITERIA. LIVING AT 200% OF THE
FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL,
UNEMPLOYED, THOSE OVER 25
WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE. ZIP
CODES ARE INCLUDED IF TWO OF
THREE CRITERIA ARE MET. WE WILL
TALK IN MORE DETAIL ON THE NEXT
SLIDE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE
PROPOSED CHANGES BUT ON THE
WHOLE, THEY WILL INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE ARE ABLE TO
REACH, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
ZIP CODES BY 12, AND INCREASE
CONTRACTOR OPTIONS FOR HIRING
WORKERS. HERE IS A COMPARISON
OF THE TWO MAPS. IN THE
EXISTING LIST, AREAS WITH HIGH
DENSITY ARE SKEWING THE LIST ,
LEAVING OFF AREAS THAT HAVE
HIGH POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT ,
AND PEOPLE OVER 25 WITHOUT A
COLLEGE DEGREE. BUT THOSE AREAS
HAVE FEWER PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
AREA . UPDATING THE METHODOLOGY
TO INCLUDE HIGH NUMBER OR HIGH
RATE WITH HIGH DENSITY WILL
CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
FOR ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
AREAS BY REMOVING THE
PREFERENCE TOWARDS SMALL ZIP
CODES WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
>> JEANNE -- WHILE I HAVE YOU
THERE -- SORRY TO INTERRUPT
YOU. YOU TALK ABOUT DENSITY AND
CONCENTRATION, WHICH I
APPRECIATE. IS THIS AS SIMPLE
AS IT'S NOT ON THE CURRENT ZIP
CODE MAP BUT WOULD BE ADDED? IT
HAS LESS DENSITY THAN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, BUT STILL HAS A
HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT
QUALIFY ? IS THAT WHAT WE ARE
SEEING HERE?
>> YES.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.
>> AN UPDATED ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED AREA LIST WOULD GIVE
US 12 NEW ZIP CODES MAINLY IN
KING COUNTY. IN SEATTLE, THE
EXISTING ZIP CODES WOULD REMAIN
ON THE LIST INCLUDING AREAS
SUCH AS RANIER BEACH , BEACON
HILL, RANIER VALLEY, AND THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT. WE WOULD GAIN
THREE SEATTLE ZIP CODES IN
AURORA , THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT, AND THE INDUSTRIAL
DISTRICT. WE WOULD LOSE ONE ZIP
CODE IN EAST BELLEVUE .
CHANGING THE ORDINANCE TO HIGH
CONCENTRATION WILL INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE REACH WHO
MADE OUR ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED AREA CRITERIA ,
EXPANDING PRIORITY HIRE
OPPORTUNITIES TO NEARLY 14,000
MORE WORKERS . THE SECOND
RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALLOW
POTENTIAL FOR GREATER REGIONAL
COLLABORATION. THAT IS BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT NO ONE PROGRAM OR
AGENCY WILL SOLVE INEQUITIES ON
THEIR OWN. OUR STAKEHOLDERS
WANT TO EXPERIENCE CONSISTENCY
ACROSS PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAMS,
SUCH AS ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED
AREAS TO HIRE FROM AND WHICH
REQUIREMENTS THEY ARE HELD TO.
EACH PRIORITY HIRE PROGRAM
SOLICITS INPUT FROM THE SAME
STAKEHOLDERS ON THE SAME TOPICS
WHICH CAUSES FRUSTRATION AND
STAKEHOLDER BURNOUT. THE CITY
STARTED AS THE ONLY PROGRAM IN
THE REGION AND FOLLOWING A PHAC
RECOMMENDATION, STARTED THE
REGION PUBLIC OWNERS GROUP WITH
SOUND TRANSIT, PORT OF SEATTLE,
KING COUNTY, AND MORE . SINCE
THEN, SEVERAL AGENCIES HAVE
DEVELOPED THEIR OWN PRIORITY
HIRE PROGRAMS INCLUDING KING
COUNTY , THE PORT OF SEATTLE ,
AND SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
ADMINISTERED BY FAS, SO THERE
ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE
COLLABORATION. THIS GRAPH SHOWS
THE NEED FOR ALIGNMENT AND
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE
REGION. REGIONWIDE CONSTRUCTION
SUPPLY WAS PROJECTED TO FALL
SHORT OF DEMAND BY 6000 TO
12,000 WORKERS PER YEAR FROM
2023 TO 2026. THIS PROJECTED
GAP IS EVEN BEFORE THE FEDERAL
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET TAKEN
INTO ACCOUNT, WHICH WILL
INCREASE THE SHORTAGE. AGAIN,
NO ONE PROGRAM OR AGENCY CAN
SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS ON THEIR
OWN.
>> THANK YOU. THAT INCLUDES OUR
PRESENTATION FOR TODAY AND WE
ARE OPEN FOR ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, JEANNE. GREAT
PRESENTATION. PALMER. PRESTLY
PALMER , SORRY. I SHOULD READ
MY SCRIPT. I JUST TRY TO GO OFF
. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
HIGHLIGHT -- I KNOW WE HAVE A
COUPLE MORE MEETING SET UP AND
WE PLAN TO VOTE ON THIS ON
SEPTEMBER 7th, SO REMEMBER THIS
MOMENT AS I SAY ON SEPTEMBER
7th THAT WILL BE THE SECOND
TIME IT IS HEARD BEFORE
COMMITTEE. I WILL JUST TAKE A
MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE GOT REALLY GREAT PHOTOS
THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
IF FOLKS DIDN'T READ THE
CAPTIONS, WE'VE GOT ANITA WHO
WORKED ON THE SECOND SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING PROJECT. WE'VE GOT
AMELIA , WHO WORKED ON CLIMATE
PLEDGE. ACTUALLY, BOTH OF THOSE
PROJECTS -- ALL THREE ARE IN
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE'S WITH
THE THIRD BEING THE OVERLOOKED
WALK . DOWNTOWN IS ALL OF
SEATTLE THE . I WILL GIVE YOU
THAT ONE. HAVING WORKED ON TWO
PROJECTS NOT NECESSARILY
LISTED, BUT IT SHOWS THE SCOPE
OF SEATTLE'S INFRASTRUCTURE
AND HOW THIS PROGRAM HAS HELPED
IT. AND THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD
THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE WE
CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE
WORKERS WHO DO THE WORK AND THE
PEOPLE WHO BUILD OUR CITY.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ?
>> GOOD MORNING . THANK YOU.
SO, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED ,
PART OF THE ORIGINS OF THIS
PROGRAM WAS IT WAS A
SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE WORK HAPPENING
IN SOUTH SEATTLE AND NOT A
SINGLE RANIER BEACH RESIDENT
WAS HIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN
THAT , SO I AM GLAD WE ARE HERE
NOW AND HAVE THIS PROGRAM SET
UP. AS YOU MENTIONED, MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THE WORKER
FORWARDED IS SO SEVERE THAT WE
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS TO
BUILD ALL THE HOUSING WE NEED .
EVEN IF WE COULD BUILD A
HOUSING, THERE ARE NOT
SUFFICIENT WORKERS TO DO THAT,
LET ALONE TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS IN ALL OF THE OTHER
INFRASTRUCTURE WORK WE NEED, SO
I APPRECIATE HAVING THIS --
THESE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE
FORMING PARTICULARLY TO SUPPORT
THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. MY
QUESTION IS ABOUT THAT. CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT HOW WHEN ONE BECOMES
AN APPRENTICE, HOW THIS
WORKFORCE PROGRAM HELPS GET
PEOPLE INTO JOBS AND SORT OF
WHAT RECRUITMENT AND SORT OF
EDUCATION STRATEGIES YOU USE TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF
THESE OPPORTUNITIES?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I APPRECIATE THAT. I WILL TURN
TO JEANNE TO SPEAK ON THIS
PROCESS.
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION AND
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. I WILL GO
BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES BECAUSE
I THINK THE VISUAL WILL HELP ME
TALK THROUGH THIS. THE PRIORITY
HIRE PROGRAM IS A SUPPLY AND
DEMAND PROGRAM, WHICH MAKES IT
REALLY UNIQUE AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SO I WILL WALK
THROUGH WHAT WE DO ON THE
SUPPLY SIDE AND HOW IT ENDS UP
ON THE DEMAND. THE DEMAND BEING
OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS . WE
HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY
INVESTMENTS BOTH IN OUR
PROGRAMS AND IN OUR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PORT OF
SEATTLE, KING COUNTY, WSDOT ,
AND WITHIN OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT, AND OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO THIS
IS DEFINITELY A COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT. SO, HOW PEOPLE GET IN.
WE ARE FUNDING SEVERAL OUTREACH
PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY
INCLUDING URBAN LEAGUE OF
METROPOLITAN SEATTLE ,
APPRENTICESHIP AND
NONTRADITIONAL WOMEN AND YOUTH
AND RANIER BEACH ACTION
COALITION , SO WE HAVE ALL OF
THESE PROGRAMS DOING OUTREACH
AROUND OUR ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED AREAS TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF
CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES .
OFTEN TIMES HISTORICALLY HOW
YOU GET INTO CONSTRUCTION IS
YOU KNEW SOMEBODY WHO WAS
ALREADY THERE. IF YOU ARE GOING
UP IN THE CITY AND YOU DON'T
SEE PEOPLE PICKING UP HAMMERS,
YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITIES AND ABOUT
APPRENTICESHIP . THAT IS OUR
GOAL, TO EXPAND AWARENESS AND
WE CAN HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE
WHERE THEY SHOULD LAND TO GET
INTO CONSTRUCTION. THE NEXT
STEP PAST RECRUITMENT IS THE
TRAINING OF THE WORKERS, SO WE
FIND PRE-APPRENTICESHIP
TRAINING. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY
TRADES AWARENESS, BASIC SKILL
BUILDING AND SOFT SKILL
BUILDING SO PEOPLE CAN BE THE
MOST COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS
THEY CAN BE. YOU HEARD FROM ONE
OF OUR PHAC MEMBERS EARLIER,
MARIANA . WE PARTNER WITH
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM TO MAKE
SURE THERE ARE PATHWAYS IN. WE
WORK WITH SIX OR EIGHT RIGHT
NOW , I THINK, ACROSS THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY TO
MAKE SURE OPPORTUNITIES ARE
THERE FOR PEOPLE. AND THEN THEY
GET INTO APPRENTICESHIP AND
FROM THERE, WE MAKE SURE THEY
CAN STAY IN APPRENTICESHIP AND
WE DO THAT THROUGH DIFFERENT
STRATEGIES LIKE MENTORSHIP ,
FINANCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES SO
THEY CAN GET TRANSPORTATION ,
CLOTHES, WORKLOADS, TOOLS,
THINGS LIKE THAT. THOSE WORKERS
HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LAND.
>> A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS?
>> OF COURSE.
>> THAT'S GREAT. JUST TO BE
CLEAR, THESE ARE PAID
APPRENTICESHIP ONCE THEY GET
IN, RIGHT? THEY CAN BE 25, 30,
$40 AN HOUR . THIS IS PAID
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, WHICH IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING
SURE THEY HAVE A CAREER
PATHWAY. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE
RETENTION RATE IS FOR A
PRIORITY HIRE?
>> SURE . WE RECENTLY LEARNED
ALL OF OUR RETENTION EFFORTS IN
THE LAST THREE YEARS, THEY HAVE
RESULTED IN -- OH, OFF THE TOP
OF MY HEAD I THINK IT WAS 67%
WHICH IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL.
HISTORICALLY APPRENTICESHIP YOU
CAN SEE IS MORE LIKE 50% , SO
IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE A 10%
INCREASE FROM THOSE WHO DID NOT
RECEIVE PRIORITY HIRE
OPPORTUNITIES .
>> THAT'S GREAT. AND MY LAST
QUESTION, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT
WHY COMMUNITY WORKFORCE
AGREEMENT IS A GOOD TOOL FOR
ENFORCEMENT OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS
PROJECTS?
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.
THE COMMUNITY WORKFORCE
AGREEMENT IS ESSENTIALLY A
PREHIRE AGREEMENT THE CITY HAS
WITH THE CONSTRUCTION UNIONS IN
THE REGION. THE BIGGEST BENEFIT
THAT RELATES TO PRIORITY HIRE
IS THAT THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT
, THE UNIONS HAVE AGREED TO
DISPATCH TRAINED WORKERS TO OUR
PROJECTS THAT WORK IN THESE
ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS
BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE . THAT IS
THE BIGGEST KEY, BUT YOU ARE
ALSO LOOKING AT THAT THROUGH
MAKING SURE THE JOB SITE IS A
QUALITY JOB SITE. YOU ARE
LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THE PAY
IS RIGHT. THERE ARE ALL OF
THESE WRAPAROUND PIECES IN THE
WORKFORCE AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE
GAINING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU, CHAIR. COLLEAGUES , ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA ?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR . THANK YOU
FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE. I JUST
REALLY -- IT IS MORE OF A
COMMENT THAT I WANT TO MAKE
RATHER THAN A QUESTION AND THAT
IS TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW,
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT . ESPECIALLY
FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THESE ARE
GREAT PAYING JOBS AND TRADE
OPPORTUNITIES AND AN
ALTERNATIVE TO SOMEONE WHO FOR
WHATEVER REASON COLLEGE IS NOT
SOMETHING THEY ARE INTERESTED
IN, OR CAN ACHIEVE. I REALLY
SUPPORT THESE APPRENTICESHIP
TYPE PROGRAMS AND I KNOW THIS
IS ONE OF OTHER PROGRAMS WE
HAVE IN THE CITY,
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. I AM
SO APPRECIATIVE OF SEATTLE FOR
BEING SUCH A LEADER IN THIS
SPACE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING FURTHER CONVERSATIONS ,
CHAIR, ABOUT HOW WE CAN FURTHER
SUPPORT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
IN THE CITY. WE HAVE SEATTLE
PROMISE AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO STARTING THE
CONVERSATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
EARLY LEARNING ON HOW WE
SUPPORT APPRENTICESHIP IN THE
SPACE OF SEATTLE PROMISE AND
MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THE
AWARENESS PIECE TO YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT THIS IS ANOTHER
ALTERNATIVE THAT I THINK IS
REALLY TERRIFIC. I WILL SAY
THAT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT
, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE RAISING A
REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE. WE ARE
SEEING A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS IN
THE TRADES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
SO THIS ISN'T JUST A SEATTLE
SPECIFIC PROBLEM AND IT'S NOT
JUST RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE OTHER JOBS IN THE
TRADES AND SO I APPRECIATE THIS
APPROACH TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY
WITHIN THIS PARTICULAR
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM BY WAY
OF EXPANDING THESE ZIP CODES. I
ALSO -- DIRECTOR GROVE AND I
DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT , YOU
KNOW, SEATTLE IS GETTING REALLY
EXPENSIVE AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE
GETTING PRICED OUT AND HAVING
TO MOVE TO OTHER REGIONS
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. WE ARE
EXPANDING SOME ZIP CODES AND
KING COUNTY , OR THAT KING
COUNTY -- THE 10 KING COUNTY
ZIP CODES BEING ADDED ARE TO
ADDRESS THAT. THESE ARE FOLKS
THAT WERE ONCE SEATTLE
RESIDENTS. SOME OF THEM HAVE
GOTTEN PRICE OUT OF SEATTLE AND
HAVE HAD TO MOVE INTO OTHER
AREAS OF THE COUNTY, SO I VERY
MUCH APPRECIATE THE APPROACH
TAKEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND
TO CAPTURE FOLKS IN THE
SURROUNDING AREAS AND IN THIS
PROGRAM IN LIGHT OF THE FACT WE
HAVE A SHORTAGE AND IS REALLY
DOES EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES AND
PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND WOMEN, WHICH HAVE NOT
HAD OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PAST
OF THIS NATURE IN A ROBUST WAY,
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF
THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO
THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM . THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. JEANNE, THE FACT YOU
ARE ABLE TO PULL THOSE
STATISTICS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR
HEAD IS IMPRESSIVE. I COULDN'T
EVEN GET PRESTLY'S NAME
CORRECT, NOR CAN I GET THE
DATES IN SEPTEMBER CORRECT.
SEPTEMBER 7th IS A SATURDAY. WE
WILL NOT HAVE COMMITTEE ON A
SATURDAY. WE WILL BE BACK ON
SEPTEMBER 4th, WHICH IS A
WEDNESDAY. THANK YOU TO THE
STAFFERS AND THE AUDIENCE WHO
MADE SURE I STAYED ON TRACK. I
WILL TURN IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE TABLE FOR MORE
COMMENTS BEFORE WE HAVE YOU
BACK ON SEPTEMBER 4th, WHICH IS
A WEDNESDAY.
>> WE JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR SUPPORT AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU
ALL TODAY.
>> REALLY GOOD JOB. WITH THAT,
WE WILL MOVE INTO THE MEAT OF
THE AGENDA TODAY. THIS IS THE
MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGE,
MADE UP OF THREE DIFFERENT
BILLS. COLLEAGUES, AS I HAVE
SAID MULTIPLE TIMES, PLEASE
RECEIVE RHE THINGS BEFORE
BUDGET CONTENT BECAUSE OF
EVERYONE ASKS THEIR QUESTIONS,
WE WOULD BE HERE UNTIL
DECEMBER. AS WELL, BUDGET
PACKAGES ARE MADE UP OF
MULTIPLE BILLS, SO WHEN WE GET
INTO THE FALL BUDGET SESSION,
WE WILL HAVE 7 TO 10 BILLS WE
WILL BE VOTING ON. BEFORE US
TODAY, THREE BILLS . COUNCIL
BILL 120811 , ADOPTING THE 2024
BUDGET INCLUDING THE CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. COUNCIL
BILL 120812, REVISING -- I AM
SORRY. THESE NOTES ARE NOT
CORRECT. I AM GOING TO RETURN
BACK OVER SOME OTHER NOTES. I
WILL FIRST ASK THE CLERK TO
READ THE SHORT TITLE INTO THE
RECORD AND WE WILL GO FROM
THERE. SHORT TITLE OF ALL THREE
BILLS.
>> ITEMS 4 THROUGH 6, 2024
BUDGET ADJUSTMENT LEGISLATION
PACKAGE. COUNCIL BILL 120811,
ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE
APPROPRIATION. COUNCIL BILL
120812 , SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET,
AND COUNCIL BILL 120813, GRANT
ACCEPTANCE FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> WE HAVE AWI , THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, AND THE
GRANT ACCEPTANCE. WE WILL BE
GOING THROUGH THOSE THREE BILLS
HERE. WE WILL HAVE A BIT OF
MUSICAL CHAIRS WITH OUR
COMMITTEE TABLE. FIRST WE WILL
HEAR FROM THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS AND THE EXECUTIVE
OFFICE. THEN WE WILL BE HEARING
FROM CENTRAL STAFF. THEN ,
AGAIN , WELCOME, BEN NOBLE.
THESE BILLS WILL BE VOTED ON IN
THE SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE ON
AUGUST 7th . I KNEW I HAD A
SEVEN SOMEWHERE AROUND HERE.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL LET
THE COMMITTEE TABLE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES. I KNOW WE ARE
JOINED BY EMERY, WHOSE BIRTH
DATE IS TODAY, SO I WOULD LIKE
TO SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY. NO,
I'M KIDDING.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
>> OVER TO YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR .
>> THAT IS GOOD STUFF.
>> SURE. WE WILL DO A QUICK
INTRODUCTION . I AM DAN EDER,
ACTING BUDGET DIRECTOR .
>> GREEN BUTTON. THANK YOU.
>> I AM ADIAM EMERY, ACTING
CARE DEPARTMENT.
>> DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION AND
PERFORMANCE.
>> BEN NOBLE, DIRECTOR.
>> WITH THE CHAIR'S
PERMISSION, I WILL KICKOFF THE
PRESENTATION?
>> SURE. COUNCILMEMBER NELSON,
I SEE YOU HAVE A HAND . WE ARE
NOT IN COLLEAGUE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS. ARE YOU JUST NOTING
YOU ARE HERE?
>> I JUST WANTED TO NOTE MY
PRESENCE.
>> BACK TO YOU, MR. DAN EDER.
>> MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, I
AM PLEASED TO BE HERE TO
PRESENT THE PROPOSED MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGE AS THE
CHAIR NOTED . THERE ARE THREE
SEPARATE BILLS THAT COMPRISE
THE PACKAGE . COUNCIL BILL
120811 , THE ANNUAL WAGE
INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
THE SECOND BILL, COUNCIL BILL
120813 IS THE GRANT ACCEPTANCE
AND APPROPRIATIONS BILL . AND
THE THIRD, 120812 , THE MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET ORDINANCE,
WHICH SPENDS MONEY, IMPROVES
POSITIONS AND DOES OTHER THINGS
THAT I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH. I
AM GOING TO GO ONE BY ONE AND I
WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS DURING THE
PRESENTATION OR AT THE END. IF
WE CAN'T GET YOU ANSWERS RIGHT
AWAY, WE WILL GATHER UP THOSE
QUESTIONS AND HAVE ANSWERS TO
YOU BY THE NEXT TIME WE MEET.
SO THE FIRST BILL , THE ANNUAL
WAGE INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS
BILL. ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE ,
AWI , IS A CITY SPEAK FOR THE
COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE THAT
WE TYPICALLY DO EVERY YEAR FOR
CITY EMPLOYEES . I MAY REFER TO
IT AS AWI OR COLA , AS IT HAS
BEEN REFERRED TO OUTSIDE OF THE
CITY. CONSISTENT WITH ACTIONS
THAT WERE TAKEN BY THE MAYOR
AND THE COUNCIL EARLIER THIS
YEAR , THE ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE
BILL ALLOWS DEPARTMENTS TO
FULFILL PAST COMMITMENTS TO
INCREASED WAGES IN 2023 AND
2024 FOR MOST CITY EMPLOYEES.
AS YOU ARE CERTAINLY AWARE ,
THE PREVIOUS LEGISLATION
RATIFIED A NUMBER OF LABOR
AGREEMENTS THAT COVERED A
COALITION OF CITY EMPLOYEES .
THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS
KILLED AND SEVERAL OTHER
NEIGHBOR PARTNER AGREEMENTS.
PAST CITY ACTIONS ALSO
COMMITTED TO PROVIDE AN AWI FOR
MOST NON-REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES.
THE BILL BEFORE YOU TODAY WOULD
PROVIDE FUNDING TO DEPARTMENTS
THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO PAY FOR
THOSE OBLIGATIONS IN 2023 AND
2024 . AGAIN , GIVING EMPLOYEES
COST-OF-LIVING OR ANNUAL WAGE
INCREASE RAISES FOR 2023 AND
2024. WE EXPECT TO FULLY FUND
THE OBLIGATIONS INCLUDED IN THE
MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL THROUGH A
TRANSFER OF RESERVES THAT WERE
HELD FOR THIS PURPOSE. IT IS
POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY NEED
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR
THE FUTURE , THE SECOND HALF,
IF YOU WILL, OF THE 2024
APPROPRIATIONS WOULD COME
THROUGH COST SAVING MEASURES
UNDERWAY NOW AND IF THE COST
SAVING MEASURES ARE NOT
SUFFICIENT , THERE WOULD BE
ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS IN
THE YEAR END SUPPLEMENTAL. I
WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT PACKAGE.
SORRY, THE NEXT BILL, UNLESS
THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT
BILL?
>> COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS ON
AWI? AND WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AS WELL.
ALL COUNCILMEMBERS ARE WELCOME
TO FINANCE . SEEMS LIKE YOU
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HERE?
FEEL FREE TO CONTINUE .
>> OKAY. THE NEXT BILL, THE
MIDYEAR GRANT ACCEPTANCE AND
APPROPRIATIONS BILL. THE GIST
OF THIS SLIDE IS BASICALLY TO
COMMUNICATE THAT THE CITY'S
ANNUAL ADOPTION PROCESS, WHICH
HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR IN THE
FALL, GENERALLY REQUIRES
UPDATES DURING THE COURSE OF
THE YEAR TO CAPTURE THE CITY'S
MULTIPLE GRANT CYCLES THAT
EVOLVE AND WE HAVE NEWS ABOUT
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. DURING THE
BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS , WE
HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT GRANTS WE
WANT TO GET TO FUND OUR CAPITAL
PROJECTS, BUT WE DON'T YET
KNOW WHICH GRANTS WERE ACTUALLY
GOING TO RECEIVE OR IF IT
ALIGNS WITH OUR PLANNING. AS A
RESULT, THE CITY ROUTINELY
AMEND THE BUDGET TO MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON PROJECTS ,
ACTUAL GRANTS THAT ARE RECEIVED
AND UPDATED SPENDING
ACCORDINGLY. THIS TYPICALLY
HAPPENS AT LEAST THREE TIMES A
YEAR IN THE FIRST QUARTER AS A
SEPARATE STAND-ALONE BILL AS
PART OF MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL,
WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY, AND IN THE YEAR-END
SUPPLEMENTAL. BOTTOM LINE IS
THAT THE MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL
ORDINANCE PACKAGE INCLUDES $74
MILLION IN A VARIETY OF GRANTS.
WE ARE, OF COURSE, GRATEFUL FOR
ALL OF THE GRANTS WE HAVE
RECEIVED. THIS SLIDE IS
INTENDED TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BILL
BUT IT IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE
LIST, SO I WILL JUST CALL OUT
$19 MILLION FROM THE WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO
ASSIST LOW AND MODERATE
HOUSEHOLDS TO REDUCE ENERGY
CONSUMPTION AND $19 MILLION
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
GRANT FOR WORK ON EAST MARGINAL
WAY AND ROOSEVELT. $3 MILLION
FROM WASHINGTON STATE OFFICE OF
RECREATION AND CONSERVATION, A
GRANT FOR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE .
AND $2 MILLION FEDERAL BUREAU
OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR
THE CARE TEAM EXPANSION, WHICH
YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT LATER
IN THE PRESENTATION. AGAIN, I
WILL PAUSE IF THERE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS. OTHERWISE I WILL
MOVE ONTO THE NEXT BILL .
>> COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS ON THE
GRANT? COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA ?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. JUST A
CLARIFYING POINT THESE GRANTS,
ACCEPTANCES AND APPROPRIATIONS.
ARE THESE GRANTS ONCE WE ACCEPT
THEM THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO US
OR IS THERE A DELAY, OR HOW
DOES IT WORK WHEN WE ARE GIVEN
A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF OUR
BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE
GRANTS? THE ACTUAL FUNDING FOR
IT?
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THESE
GRANTS HAVE ALL BEEN RECEIVED
AND COMMITTED . THEY ARE NOT
ALL NECESSARILY IN HAND AND
READY TO BE SPENT, SO THE CARE
TEAM GRANT IS AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT. IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN
THE FEDERAL BUDGET AS AN
EARMARK AND WE ARE CERTAIN THAT
WE WILL HAVE THAT MONEY TO
SPEND AND WE ARE WORKING WITH
THE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL
AGENCIES TO HAVE AUTHORITY TO
BEGIN SPENDING AND THROUGH OUR
FEDERAL LOBBYIST WE HAVE
UNDERSTOOD THAT GREEN LIGHT ON
THE SPENDING SIDE WILL HAPPEN
IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER OF THIS
YEAR .
>> THIS YEAR? THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. OTHER
QUESTIONS ON GRANTS ,
APPROPRIATIONS, AND
ACCEPTANCES? MOVING INTO THE
MEAT -- JUST BY WAY OF
REFERENCE, WE'VE DONE AWI ,
GRANTS AND ACCEPTANCES, NOW WE
WILL MOVE INTO MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL BILL OF THE
PACKAGE. DIRECTOR?
>> GREAT. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING
US UP TO SPEED. WHILE MOST OF
THIS BILL , THE MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
BILL INCLUDES TECHNICAL
AMENDMENTS, THE APPROPRIATION
BILL ALSO INCLUDES SEVERAL
POLICY PROPOSALS THAT I WANT TO
CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AND I
WILL SPEAK TO ONE AT A TIME.
FIRST, THERE ARE LIMITED
INVESTMENTS IN NEW AREAS THAT
HAVE A TOTAL OF $1.7 MILLION IN
NEW SPENDING FOR EMERGENCY
PRIORITY INVESTMENTS. THE BILL
WOULD ALSO ADD A NUMBER OF NEW
POSITIONS TO ACCOMPLISH THE
WORK AND WOULD IMPOSE A PROVISO
THAT WILL SPEAK TO ALL OF THIS
ONE AT A TIME BUT IT WILL
PROVISO THAT WILL FREE UP
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX FUNDING TO
ALLOW FOR INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH
MENTAL HEALTH AND VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION DURING 2024 . I
WILL ADDRESS THOSE ONE AT A
TIME, IF THAT IS ALL RIGHT. SO,
AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS ABOUT
$1.7 MILLION IN TOTAL OF NEW
GENERAL FUND SPENDING THAT HAS
BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED
MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATIONS BILL . THIS
WOULD ALLOW SPENDING THIS YEAR
IN FOUR EMERGING PRIORITIES THE
MAYOR HAS DETERMINED ARE TOO
IMPORTANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE
BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR OR 2026
. I WILL PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF THESE
AREAS. SO , THE COMPONENTS OF
THE $1.7 MILLION, THE BOTTOM
LINE TOTAL OF ALL FOUR OF THESE
BULLETS. THE FIRST IS
RECRUITING FOR SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. THIS WOULD PROVIDE
AN INCREASE IN ADVERTISING AND
MARKETING TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL
NEW APPLICANTS FOR SPD'S
RECRUITING EFFORTS. IT IS
FLAGGED AS ONE TIME, SO
DECISIONS CAN BE MADE IN THE
FUTURE ON WHETHER AND HOW MUCH
TO FUND FOR 2025 AND BEYOND.
CHAIR, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO
PAUSE AT THE END OF EACH OF
THESE, OR PLOW THROUGH AND SEE
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS AT THE
END ?
>> I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY HANDS,
SO WE WILL KEEP ROLLING AND WE
CAN PAUSE AT THE END AND ASK IF
COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS.
>> VERY GOOD. THE SECOND,
INVESTMENTS IN THE SEXUAL
ASSAULT UNIT. IN THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS WOULD
ADDRESS NEEDS THAT RECOMMENDED
IN EXPERT REPORTS FROM EARLIER
THIS YEAR CONCERNING THE
INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU AND
SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT. IT WOULD
ALSO ADDRESS REFORMS THAT ARE
RESULTING FROM THOSE REPORTS
THAT ARE IN THE MAYOR'S
EXECUTIVE ORDER 2022 -05 .
INCLUDES DEVELOPING A TRAUMA
INFORMED TRAINING FOR ALL SPD
EMPLOYEES TAILORED TO THE NEEDS
OF THE DEPARTMENT, INSTITUTING
ONGOING ADVOCATE LED CASE
REVIEWS AND IMPLEMENTING OTHER
CHANGES TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL
FUNCTIONING OF THE SYSTEM.
THAT'S ABOUT IT $250,000 -- IT
IS A $250,000 ADD TO THE
BUDGET. MOVING ON, THE THIRD
CATEGORY, THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT. THIS IS REGARDING
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS ABATEMENT
COSTS . EARLIER THIS YEAR,
COUNCILMEMBERS WILL RECALL THE
CITY PASSED A BILL THAT ALLOWS
THE FIRE CHIEF TO DEMOLISH OR
OTHERWISE REMEDY UNSAFE
BUILDING CONDITIONS . THIS
ALLOWS SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
TO PLACE A LIEN AGAINST
PROPERTY TITLES TO MAKE SURE
SEATTLE TAXPAYERS ARE
REIMBURSED FOR THE CITY'S
COSTS, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE
NEED THE AUTHORITY TO SPEND THE
MONEY IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE
PROPOSAL WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING
TO SUPPORT THAT PREVIOUS
LEGISLATION AND IT WOULD ADD
THE BUDGET AUTHORITY AGAIN FOR
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO CONTRACT
WITH VENDORS TO PERFORM THE
DEMOLITION OR OTHER RELATED
SERVICES. AGAIN, THAT IS A
$350,000 PORTION OF THE $1.7
MILLION OVERALL. AND THE FOURTH
AND FINAL CATEGORY IS ADDING
FIVE PARAMEDIC TRAINEES TO THE
CLASS OF PARAMEDIC TRAINING
THAT IS ALREADY GOING TO
HAPPEN. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT TO REDUCE THE
OVERALL PARAMEDICS VACANCY RATE
. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 89
PARAMEDICS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED
IN THE BUDGET, BUT THERE ARE ON
THE ORDER OF 35 VACANCIES
CURRENTLY , SO THIS WOULD COVER
THE COST OF THE TRAINING FOR
FIVE ADDITIONAL PARAMEDIC
STUDENTS IN 2024. IT WOULD
DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PARAMEDIC
STUDENTS AND TRAINEES THAT ARE
AUTHORIZED IN THE BASE BUDGET
AND WOULD BRING THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF FUNDED PARAMEDIC
TRAINEES FROM 5 TO 10. I WOULD
NOTE THAT THIS IS A $250,000
COST IN 2024. TRAINING BEGINS
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024 AND
CONTINUES INTO -- I THINK SIX
MONTHS OF 2025 . THERE WOULD BE
ABOUT $600,000 OF COSTS TO
CONTINUE THAT TRAINING THAT WE
START IN 2024 AND FINISH UP IN
2025. THE EXTRA COST WILL BE
INCLUDED IN THE MAYOR OF
PROPOSED BUDGET. IT DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE TO START THIS
TRAINING UNLESS WE ARE PREPARED
TO PAY FOR THE COST IN 2025 FOR
THOSE TRAINEES TO FINISH THEIR
TRAINING .
>> I WILL PAUSE YOU THERE.
COLLEAGUES , QUESTIONS ON THIS?
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON? SEEING AS
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT IS NOT
COMING OFF MUTE, I WILL MOVE TO
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
TO ACT. IT IS ONE THING TO PASS
A BILL IN COUNCIL WITH VACANT
BUILDINGS ABATEMENT, BUT WE
NEED TO ACT AND THE WAY WE DO
THAT IS TO AFFECT THESE BUDGET
CHANGES AND I ASSURE YOU THE
NEED FOR PARAMEDICS FOR EXAMPLE
IS HUGE. THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS
ARE NEEDED TO BASICALLY
ACTUALIZE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT WE ARE
TRYING TO DO .
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PATIENCE . DO YOU HAVE ANY
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTUAL
CAMPAIGN FOR THE $800,000 AND
WHETHER ANY OF IT HAS BEEN
SPENT SO FAR THIS YEAR? WHAT
ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH THAT?
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE
RECRUITING ASPECT AND YOU ARE
REFERRING TO DIRECTOR DAN EDER,
CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> GREAT. THANKS.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THANK YOU
FOR THE QUESTION. THERE HAS
BEEN A SURGE IN THE BASE
FUWAS AUTHORIZED IN
THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE
PURPOSE OF POLICE RECRUITING,
SO WE HAVE STEPPED UP OUR
EFFORTS AND OUR ASSOCIATED
SPENDING IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF
THIS YEAR TO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF -- TO SPREAD THE WORD
ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS THAT BEING
A POLICE OFFICER NOW PAYS MORE
MONEY THAN IT USED TO THANKS TO
THE CONTRACT THE CITY RATIFIED
FOR 2021 THROUGH 2023 , WAGES
FOR POLICE OFFICERS. THAT HAS
BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN
THROUGH JUNE OF THIS YEAR , WE
HAVE SEEN A NEAR TRIPLING OF
THE DAILY NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME IN
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
THE CITY MORE GENERALLY FOR
APPLICANTS WHO ARE INTERESTED
IN BECOMING POLICE OFFICERS.
THAT IS GREAT NEWS. WE ARE NOW
RECEIVING ON THE ORDER OF 15
APPLICATIONS PER DAY AND IT HAD
BEEN CLOSER TO FIVE OR SIX PER
DAY THROUGH ALL OF THE MONTH OF
2023 , SO WE THINK THERE IS ,
YOU KNOW, A COMBINATION OF GOOD
NEWS IN TERMS OF A MORE
COMPETITIVE SALARY THAT WE ARE
OFFERING TWO POLICE OFFICERS
AND WE ALSO HAVE BEEN
INCREASING OUR OUTREACH TO
SPREAD THAT GOOD WORD AND
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR
THOSE NOW BETTER PAYING JOBS.
WE HAVE NOT SPENT THE $800,000
WE ARE ASKING FOR, BUT WE HAVE
SPENT MUCH OF THIS YEAR'S
OUTREACH AND RECRUITING BUDGET
DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE
YEAR. THIS $800,000 WOULD ALLOW
US TO CONTINUE SPENDING AT THAT
ELEVATED LEVEL SO WE CAN
CONTINUE THE UPWARD DIRECTION
OF NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS WE
ARE RECEIVING FOR SPD JOBS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> YEAH, IT DOES . I WAS JUST
-- WHENEVER THERE IS A NEW
EXPENSE IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL , I
LIKE TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND
WHETHER OR NOT IT IS BECAUSE
WORK HAS BEEN DONE THIS YEAR
AND SO THEREFORE IT IS NEEDED
IMMEDIATELY, OR IF IT IS FOR
FUTURE NEEDS. SO IT WILL BE
SPENT -- THE $800,000 WILL BE
MOSTLY SPENT NEXT YEAR AND I
CAN GET DETAIL ON THE OUTREACH
IT WILL PAY FOR, RIGHT? DOES
THAT SUM IT UP?
>> IT WILL BE SPENT IN THE
BALANCE OF THIS YEAR . THAT IS
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IN THE
SUPPLEMENTAL.
>> PERFECT . THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
. JUST TO SUMMARIZE WHAT I
HEARD DIRECTOR EDER STATES, THE
FUNDING APPROPRIATED FOR THIS
RECRUITING FOR THIS YEAR HAS
BEEN SPENT ALREADY THIS YEAR ,
WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE COMING
AND REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
DIRECTOR EDER, IS THAT
GENERALLY CORRECT?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> COLLEAGUES? COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES?
>> CAN YOU CONFIRM WHERE THE
MONEY COMES FROM FOR THAT?
>> YES. THE NEXT SLIDE
IDENTIFIES A PERFECTLY
REASONABLE QUESTION. WHERE WILL
WE GET THE BUDGET TO PAY FOR
THE ENTIRE $1.7 MILLION, NOT
JUST THE $800,000 , WHICH IS A
COMPONENT. IN A NUTSHELL , THE
CITY IMPOSED A HIRING FREEZE AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR ,
WHICH IS STILL IN EFFECT AND WE
EXPECT TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE
END OF THIS YEAR FOR NUMBER OF
REASONS. INCLUDING THE UPCOMING
NEEDED TO ADDRESS A PROTECTED
LARGE DEFICIT FROM THE GENERAL
FUND BEGINNING IN 2025 AND
BEYOND. THE HIRING FREEZE ALONE
IS EXPECTED TO SAVE WELL MORE
THAN $1.7 MILLION, SO THIS
EFFECTIVELY EATS INTO THE
SAVINGS THAT WE ARE GETTING
FROM THE HIRING FREEZE . WE
ALSO ANTICIPATE IT WILL BE
UNDER SPENT IN A VARIETY OF
APPROPRIATIONS MOVING FORWARD,
BUT WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS
POINT WHERE THOSE WILL BE OR
HOW MUCH THEY WILL ADD UP TO.
>> AND SO, IS THERE GOING TO BE
A REPEATED REQUEST FOR THIS
KIND OF MONEY FOR RECRUITMENT,
OR AT WHAT POINT DOES
RECRUITMENT HIT SUFFICIENT
LEVEL THAT WE CAN STOP SPENDING
ALMOST $1 MILLION A YEAR IN
RECRUITMENT?
>> FAIR QUESTION . I DON'T
HAVE A READY ANSWER. ALL I CAN
SAY IS THAT IS ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE GRAPPLING
WITH AND WE WILL HAVE OUR
ANSWER IN SEPTEMBER WHEN WE
PROPOSE THE MAYOR'S BUDGET
THAT BALANCES A NUMBER OF
COMPETING NEEDS, INCLUDING BUT
NOT LIMITED TO OF COURSE THIS
ONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COLLEAGUES , ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. I SAID IT
EARLIER , I AM SUPER GRATEFUL,
SO I AM SAYING IT AGAIN. THIS
PORTION OF THIS MIDYEAR, MOST
OF THIS LOOKS LIKE IT IS JUST
ONE TIME THAT YOU ARE
BACKFILLING WITH THE $1.7
MILLION SALARY SAVINGS, EXCEPT
FOR THE PARAMEDIC TRAINING
PIECE BECAUSE THAT WILL GO INTO
NEXT YEAR'S, IS THAT CORRECT?
DIRECTOR EDER, MY EXPERIENCE
FROM BEING OUT OF CITY
DEPARTMENT AND WORKING WITH
BUDGETS EVERY YEAR, TYPICALLY
MIDYEAR ARE FOR TECHNICAL
CHANGES, NOT ADDING NEW THINGS.
TYPICALLY WHEN WE ADD NEW
THINGS, WE WAIT FOR THE BUDGET
PROCESS BECAUSE WE CAN SHOW WE
ARE GOING TO ADD SOMETHING NEW,
SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY , YOU
KNOW, THE REASONS IF HE WILL
BEHIND MOVING THESE FORWARD AND
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS WAS ONE TIME
. MOST OF THIS WAS ONE TIME . A
ONE TIME COST.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT PARAMEDIC CLASS YOU
POINTED OUT IN YOUR QUESTION,
THAT WILL HAVE A TAIL THAT GOES
UNTIL -- IT GOES THROUGH THE
FIRST HALF OF 2025 AND
THEREFORE WE HAVE TO SUPPORT
THOSE COSTS IN THE PROPOSED
BUDGET. THE OTHER ITEM I'VE
CALLED OUT IS THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT'S DANGEROUS
BUILDING ABATEMENT PROGRAM .
THAT TOO IS AN ONGOING PROGRAM
THAT WAS MIDYEAR THIS YEAR
AFTER THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED
BUT WILL CONTINUE BEYOND 2024
AND THEREFORE WE WILL SEE THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET
INCLUDE AT LEAST THIS AMOUNT
AND PROBABLY MORE BECAUSE IT
WILL BE FOR A FULL YEAR OF
SPENDING AUTHORITY. THE OTHER
ITEMS ARE DISCRETIONARY AND
COULD BE ONE TIME. COULD BE
ONGOING . I JUST DON'T KNOW
THE ANSWER YET .
>> ON THE ABATEMENT ONE, I WILL
REITERATE WE ARE HOPING TO BE
REIMBURSED FOR THAT BY THE
PROPERTY OWNERS OF THESE
PROPERTIES THAT WERE ABATED?
>> THAT IS CORRECT AND IT'S
ALSO UNFORTUNATELY THE CASE
THAT IT COULD TAKE MORE THAN A
CALENDAR YEAR TO COLLECT ON THE
LIONS WE PUT TO THESE
BUILDINGS. THE REVENUES AND
EXPENDITURES MAY NOT ALIGN IN
THE SAME YEAR, BUT EVENTUALLY
THEY DO CATCH UP.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
>> ANYTHING FURTHER?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA , ANYTHING
FURTHER?
>> NO, THANK YOU.
>> ON THE ABATEMENT PROGRAM, WE
ARE ABLE TO PLACE A LIEN ON
THESE PROPERTIES BECAUSE OF A
BILL I PASSED LAST YEAR, WHICH
CHANGED IT FROM BEING A NICE
REQUEST TO BEING A LIEN , WHICH
IS A LITTLE STRONGER.
COLLEAGUES COME ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? OTHERWISE DIRECTOR
EDER, I THINK WE'VE GOT A
COUPLE MORE SUBJECTS TO JUMP
INTO.
>> YES, THANK YOU. SO, I WANTED
TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A
NUMBER OF POSITIONS AUTHORIZED
IN THE BILL WE ARE DISCUSSING.
I WILL JUST WALK THROUGH AT A
HIGH LEVEL THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS
WHERE THE POSITIONS ARE
AUTHORIZED . I WILL DESCRIBE
FOR WHAT PURPOSE. THE SEATTLE
CENTER HAS SIX NEW POSITIONS.
THIS IS FOR EFFECTIVELY
WATERFRONT SECURITY WORK .
THERE IS NO NEW FUNDING
INCLUDED IN THE MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL, NOR IS THERE ANY
FUNDING NEEDED BEYOND WHAT IS
ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED
BUDGET BUT THIS IS THE POSITION
THAT WOULD BE AUTHORIZED. THE
OVERLOOK WALK IS OPENING AHEAD
OF THE ORIGINAL 2025 SCHEDULE.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS. THE SIX
POSITIONS ARE FUNDED THROUGH A
CARRY-FORWARD FROM THE
METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT
FUNDING. FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE 21 NEW
POSITIONS. AGAIN, THERE IS NO
NEW FUNDING INCLUDED IN THE
MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL. THIS
AUTHORIZES THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM, YOU CT TO EXPAND TO SEVEN
DAY A WEEK SERVICE. THE ANNUAL
COST OF THE 21 NEW POSITIONS IS
ABOUT $3.5 MILLION . THE COST
OF THESE POSITIONS IS FULLY
FUNDED AND THE ADOPTED BUDGETS
, SO THE BASE BUDGET. WE WILL
BE REPURPOSE IN FUNDING THAT
HAD BEEN SPENT THROUGH THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY AND INSTEAD OF
SPENDING IT FOR THOSE PURPOSES
, WE ARE SPENDING IT FOR
SIMILAR PURPOSES ON CITY STAFF.
WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH
SAVINGS FROM THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY
SPENDING SAVINGS TO SUPPORT THE
COST OF A NEW POSITION AND WE
ARE ASKING THEREFORE FOR NO NEW
FUNDING, JUST THE POSITION
AUTHORIZATION. I HAVE ONE MORE
CATEGORY, THE CARE TEAM. THERE
ARE 21 POSITIONS THAT WILL PAY
FOR ONE TIME -- SORRY, $1.159
MILLION THAT I MENTIONED
EARLIER WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THE
ONE-TIME AND ONGOING STAFF
COSTS IN 2024. THIS ALLOWS THE
CARE TEAM TO EXPAND CITYWIDE.
THE ONGOING COST FOR 2025 WILL
BE ABOUT $3 MILLION AND THERE
ARE A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES ON
HOW TO PAY FOR THAT. CHIEF AMY
SMITH IS HERE TO TALK MORE
ABOUT THE CARE TEAM EXPANSION,
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. THERE
MAY BE SLIDES.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE OFF THIS
SLIDE, I SEE A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR THE PRESENTATION . I JUST
WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM AT THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT SLIDE. I
UNDERSTAND THE EXECUTIVE IS
STILL WORKING TO IDENTIFY A
SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCE WITHIN
THE OUTREACH AND PREVENTION
CONTRACT TRANSFER FOR THAT LAST
$1 MILLION , SO I JUST WANTED
TO REAFFIRM THAT OUTSIDE OF THE
STANDARD UP TO 10%
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT THE
HOUSING LEVY HOMELESSNESS
PREVENTION FUNDING IS NOT GOING
TO BE UTILIZED AS THE FUNDING
SOURCE FOR THAT LAST REMAINING
$1 MILLION.
>> I DO NOT HAVE A READY ANSWER
FOR YOU BUT PERHAPS BY THE END
OF THIS CONVERSATION, I WILL
HAVE AN ANSWER FROM MY TEAM.
SORRY.
>> OKAY . I WOULD APPRECIATE
THAT ANSWER AND TO MAKE IT
CLEAR I WOULD BE VERY MUCH
SUPPORTIVE AND VERY MUCH
OPPOSED TO TRANSFERRING HOUSING
LEVY MONEY TO DO IT , SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> FAIR QUESTION. COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE?
>> MR. EDER, I APPRECIATE YOUR
PRESENTATION. THE SLIDES ARE A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT
THE SEATTLE CENTER AND WHAT WE
ARE DOING IN THE WATERFRONT .
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT SO I WILL
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HIGHLIGHT WE HAVE TO GET IT
RIGHT AND THIS GOES TO CARRYING
FORWARD THE MAINTENANCE AND
WHAT WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
STEP FORWARD AND I RECOGNIZE
STAFF IS DOING GREAT WORK BUT
THERE ARE AREAS OF THE
WATERFRONT PROJECT THAT SHOULD
BE TRANSFERRED TO SEATTLE
CENTER INSTEAD OF PIECEMEAL
BETWEEN TWO DEPARTMENTS, SO I
WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT POINT . I
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING
TO DO WITH THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM. YESTERDAY I WALKED THIRD
AVENUE STARTING AT JAMES AND
KEPT GOING. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TO RUN INTO PROVIDERS ON THE
STREET AND IS IN HIS OWNERS AND
RESIDENTS AND IT IS KEY TO HAVE
A STRONG PROPERLY DONE TEAM
THAT IS SEVEN DAYS A WEEKEND
THIS IS WHERE THINGS CAN REALLY
MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IF
NOT, WE MAY LOSE ANOTHER
BUSINESS . I AM CONSTANTLY
BEING CONTACTED ON THAT POINT.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT
THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM. AND OF
COURSE, CARE AS WELL AND THERE
ARE A LOT OF PIECES TO THAT BUT
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
APPROACH, IF YOU WILL , IS
MOVING FORWARD AND I RECOGNIZE
IT IS COMPLICATED AND THERE ARE
THINGS WE CAN'T SPEAK TO HEAR,
BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
STEP FORWARD AND AS I MENTIONED
IN THE PREVIOUS COMMENT, TO
ACTUALIZE AND CARRY OUT WHAT WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. TALK
THE TALK IS FINE, BUT WE HAVE
TO WALK THE WALK. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY MY TEAM
TO CORRECT MY SPEAKING NOTES.
IT WAS USED TO ESTABLISH UCT
FUNDING IS NOT TO EXPAND IT TO
SEVEN DAYS. MY APOLOGIES FOR
THE MISSTATEMENT .
>> YOU KNOW MY POSITION THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE SEVEN-DAY COVERAGE.
>> CHAIR, THANK YOU.
>> IF YOU RECEIVED THE ANSWER
TO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE MONTHLY
QUESTION, I'M HAPPY TO PIPE
BRADEN . IF NOT, I WILL
FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU OFF-LINE . I
BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COUPLE MORE
SUBJECT AREAS TO JUMP INTO?
CHIEF AMY SMITH?
>> IT IS FUN TO BE BEFORE A NEW
COMMITTEE, SO THANK YOU. I AM
AMY SMITH, ACTING CHIEF OF
SEATTLE CARE DEPARTMENT. FOR
MOST OF MY CAREER, WHICH IS
NONPROFIT, I HAVE WORKED TO
STRESS WE SHOULD DO THE RIGHT
THING FOR SOMEONE EVEN IF IT
MAY BE MORE EXPENSIVE. THE TEAM
REPRESENT PUBLICLY THE FIRST
MOMENT IN MY CAREER BUT I CAN
RECOMMEND DOING THE RIGHT THING
FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
IS ALSO DRAMATICALLY MORE
FINANCIALLY EFFICIENT. EVERY
DOLLAR WE HAVE SPENT IN THE
FIRST RESPONSE SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED SACRED NOT JUST
BECAUSE OF BUDGET SCARCITY BUT
BECAUSE WE ARE TASKED TO HELP
PEOPLE AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
CAN YOU ADVANCE THE SLIDES FOR
ME? GO FORWARD. YEAH. GO ONE
MORE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I AM
REQUIRED TO DISPATCH A RESPONSE
TO CRISIS CALLS AND FROM THE
OUTSIDE , I AM DESIGNING THE
FIRST RESPONSE AND I MEAN NOT
THE MOST APPROPRIATE
PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE BUT THE
MOST FINANCIALLY PRUDENT
RESPONSE. THERE HAS BEEN AND
CONTINUES TO BE EXTRAORDINARY
FINANCIAL WASTE IN PUBLIC
SAFETY WHEN WE DISPATCH THE
SAME EXPENSIVE UNIT AGAIN, AND
AGAIN , AND AGAIN TO THE SAME
PERSON , SAME LOCATION WITHOUT
GETTING SOMEONE HELP OR
CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT IN
SOME WAY . JUST THIS YEAR WITH
ONLY TWO CARE TEAM RESPONDERS
WORKING DOWNTOWN, I'VE SAVED
POLICE MORE THAN 1000 SERVICE
HOURS AND I CANNOT STRESS
ENOUGH THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT
SAVINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF
STAFFING SHORTAGES. I SOMETIMES
HAVE ONLY 58 PATROL OFFICERS TO
COVER THE ENTIRE CITY OF
SEATTLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHEN I SEND
CARE INSTEAD OF POLICE OR FIRE,
IF YOU LOOK AT HOURLY WAGES,
I'M SAVING A MINIMUM OF $.30
ON THE DOLLAR . I FREQUENTLY DO
HAVE POLICE WORKING EVERY TIME
BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING
SHORTAGES. NOW TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT TACTICAL GEAR
EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES,
DEPARTMENTAL OVERHEAD AND IT'S
CLOSER TO HALF THE EXPENSE TO
SEND CARE INSTEAD OF POLICE .
FURTHER, CARE PROFESSIONALS ARE
MORE LIKELY TO SWIFTLY IDENTIFY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS OR
ISSUES OR CONNECT TO SERVICES
WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET
HELP AND I DON'T WIND UP
SENDING ANOTHER UNIT THE NEXT
DAY. IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED PROOF OF CONCEPT,
DISPATCHING CALLS IS A GOOD
STRATEGY. WE ESTABLISHED THIS
IN THE '90s WITH METRICS IN
EUGENE, HOWEVER AS YOU KNOW,
DR. ALBUQUERQUE INTERIM HELD
THE LINE ON A LEGISLATIVE THIRD
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT WHICH
WORKS IN AN INTEGRATED WAY WITH
FIRE AND POLICE AND NATIONAL
EXPERTS AND NATIONAL VENDORS
ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE IT IS A TRUE
REIMAGINING OF FIRST RESPONSE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ALBUQUERQUE
POLICE CHIEF MEDINA AND
ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY SAFETY
AND HEALTH PRESENTED AT A
CONFERENCE LAST YEAR AND THEY
WERE SHARING THEIR RESULTS
THREE YEARS INTO THE PROGRAM,
HAVING SCALED TO 96 CARE TEAM
RESPONDERS. CHIEF MEDINA
REPORTED A DRAMATIC IMPACT TO
POLICE STAFFING, MORALE, AND
RESPONSE TIMES . THE DEPARTMENT
HAD ALREADY RESPONDED TO NEARLY
50,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE. IN
THESE GRAPHICS ON THE LEFT, YOU
CAN SEE A PRECIPITOUS DROP IN
PROPERTY CRIME AND ALBUQUERQUE
FROM 41,000 INCIDENTS AT ITS
INCEPTION TO 24,000 IN YEAR
THREE OF THE PROGRAM. CALL TIME
RESPONSE CUMULATIVELY HAS BEEN
MORE THAN CUT IN HALF.
ALBUQUERQUE LEADERS HAVE A
CONVICTION TO ACTUALLY INVEST
LONG ENOUGH TO EVALUATE WHETHER
THIS IS WORKING AND TO START TO
REAP FINANCIAL REWARDS OF
PATIENTS AND COMMITMENT THAT IS
MORE THAN PERFORMATIVE. ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, ANY WAY YOU LOOK,
HALF OF THE 911 CALLS FOR
SERVICE FUNDAMENTALLY DO NOT
HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH POLICE
OR FIRE . I IMAGINE WE SHOULD
HAVE TAKEN A STEP TO SET UP THE
SAFETY DEPARTMENT YEARS AGO AND
I IMAGINE THE REASON I DIDN'T
DO THAT, BODY OF WORK ISSUES.
HOWEVER BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING THE
GROUP TO HAVE BOTH THE MORAL
CONVICTION AND THE FINANCIAL
COMMON SENSE TO BE COMMITTED TO
GROWING THIS DEPARTMENT AND
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> AND YOU GO BACK TO THE LAST
SLIDE? IN THAT GRAPHIC, YOU
MENTIONED VERBALLY THOSE ARE
YEARS, BOTH YELLOW AND BLUE
REPRESENT THE FULL YEAR OF
DATA, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT
THERE, IT IS FASCINATING . IT
WAS THE POLICE CHIEF MAKING THE
CASE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY
DEPARTMENT SUGGESTING THERE IS
A CLEAR CORRELATION BETWEEN THE
GROWTH OF DEPARTMENT AND THE
REDUCTION IN CRIME AND YOU CAN
SEE ONE OF THEM, THE YELLOW
REPRESENTS VIOLENT CRIME ,
WHICH IS ALSO REDUCED BUT NOT
PRECIPITOUSLY AND PROPERTY
CRIME HAD A DRAMATIC REDUCTION.
THE OTHER DEPARTMENT FREED
POLICE UP TO DO POLICE WORK ,
RIGHT? THERE ARE MANY, MANY
MORE RESPONDERS AND WHAT THEY
CHOSE TO DO, THEY HAD THE SAME
STAFFING SHORTAGES. THEY WERE
DOWN 400 OFFICERS AND DOING
EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO STAFF
BUT FROM THE CARE DEPARTMENT,
IT WAS EASY TO HIRE THE SAME
WAY IT IS TO INCREASE EVERY
SINGLE DAY. I'VE LEARNED A LOT
FROM HER. THE PAY FOR THE FIRST
RESPONDERS ARE GOOD PAYING
JOBS. SHE COULD STAFF UP AND
MAINTAIN PEOPLE AND THAT IS
WHAT HAPPENED . THEY STARTED
WITH 12 AND IN THE FIRST 2 1/2
YEARS, THEY SCALED TO 96 AND
NOW THEY HAVE 198 PEOPLE AND
AGAIN YOU CAN SEE THE POSITIVE
IMPACT ACROSS THE BOARD TO
EVERY PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND
COMMUNITY.
>> I WILL VERBALLY WALK THROUGH
THE OTHER GRAPH AND I DO SEE
SOME COUNCILMEMBERS HANS.
COUNCILMEMBERS , IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS, RAISE YOUR HANDS.
WITH APD RESPONSE TIMES OF
CALLS ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR,
FIVE CUMULATIVE, RED GRAPH
BEING JULY, 2022 . BLUE BARS
ARE A YEAR LATER . NOT EVEN A
YEAR LATER. 2023. CAN YOU TALK
WITH ME ABOUT WHY YOU BELIEVE
THOSE CALL TYPE OR RESPONSE
TIMES WERE ABLE TO INCREASE SO
MUCH?
>> I AM ALREADY SEEING THIS
WITH 911 . WHEN IT HAPPENED, WE
WERE PRIORITIZING ONE AND TWO
BECAUSE WE WERE NOT GETTING
THOSE CALLS AND TO DISPATCH, WE
ARE SCARED OF PRIORITY THREE.
CARE IS DESIGNED PRIMARILY TO
GO TO PRIORITY THREE AND
PRIORITY FOUR CALLS. WE
SOMETIMES GO TO HIRE PRIORITY
CALLS WHICH HAVE BEEN
DISPATCHED TO POLICE. THEY SAY
THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE CARE.
YOU CAN SEE ONCE ACS STARTED TO
SCALE, THEY WERE GETTING TO
THOSE LOWER PRIORITY GENERALLY
SOCIAL WORK TYPE CALLS. THREE
AND FOUR. LOOK AT THE REDUCTION
FROM 180 MINUTES DOWN OVER AN
HOUR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
CRISIS CALLS BUT CUMULATIVELY
IT'S BETTER THAN CUTTING IN
HALF THAT RESPONSE TIME IS SO
SIGNIFICANT. WE HAVE REALLY
POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES IN THE
CITY BECAUSE IT TAKES US SO
LONG TO GET THE PEOPLE OR
BECAUSE WE DISPATCH
INAPPROPRIATE TEAMS FIRST. WE
CHECK WITH POLICE AND POLICE
CALL FIRE. WE ARE REALLY
WORKING ON THAT .
>> I WILL HOLD MY OTHER
QUESTIONS BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE FINALLY COME TO ATTENTION.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ?
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I
AM RECALLING WHEN YOU WERE HERE
LAST YEAR AND WE SET THIS UP .
OR WAS THAT 2022 ? I'VE LOST
TRACK OF TIME.
>> I WAS HERE.
>> I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF
CONVERSATION ON WHETHER THIS
SHOULD BE SINGLE DISPATCH OR
DUAL DISPATCH. WITH YOUR
GUIDANCE, WE DECIDED THIS WAS
GOING TO BE A PILOT PROGRAM TO
SEE HOW IT WORKED , HOW WE DO
THE DUAL DISPATCH, AND AT WHAT
POINT POLICE CAN SORT OF STEP
BACK AND THIS REALLY CAN
TRANSITION TO BECOMING A SINGLE
DISPATCH. I'M INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING SORT OF WHERE WE
ARE AND THAT PROGRESS , IF
THERE ARE OPERATIONAL
CHALLENGES THAT PREVENT US FROM
MOVING TOWARDS THE SINGLE
DISPATCH SYSTEM BECAUSE AS YOU
ARE POINTING OUT WITH THESE
CHARTS, IT MAKES A DRAMATIC
DIFFERENCE AND FREEZE UP THE
POLICE TO DO OTHER WORK, SO
THAT IS ONE QUESTION. AND THEN
-- AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER
QUESTION, JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
19,000 -- THOUSANDS OF
RESPONSES FROM OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND WE'VE ONLY
BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE ABOUT 500 .
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD
ADDRESS THOSE TWO ISSUES AND
WHAT SOME OF THE BARRIERS MIGHT
BE.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I
INHERITED THE DUAL DISPATCH
DESIGN. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD
BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT
BECAUSE THE IDEA REALLY HADN'T
BEEN SOCIALIZED OR INTRODUCED
AT ALL, REALLY, THE WHOLE THING
WAS DESIGNED IN AN OFFICE
SOMEWHERE. 911 DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS GOING ON. POLICE
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THE NEWS REPRESENTED THE
PROGRAM IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO IN
A PERFECT WORLD I WOULD HAVE
HAD A YEAR TO GO OUT TO
NEIGHBORHOODS, TO INTRODUCE THE
BRAND . THIS IS WHAT THESE
PEOPLE LOOK LIKE. THIS IS WHAT
THEIR SKILL SET IS HERE I WOULD
HAVE TRAINED ALL POLICE
OFFICERS REALLY WELL TO
UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSE BECAUSE
WE HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER IN A
CAR WITH A BALLISTIC VEST WITH
A POLICE OFFICER . THAT IS NOT
HOW IT WENT . YOU KNOW, I
ARRIVED IN APRIL . I HAD THIS
THING LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER BUT
THE BRAND WAS CREATED IN
SEPTEMBER. I WAS SHOCKED POLICE
USED IT RIGHT AWAY. I
INTENTIONALLY DIDN'T PRIMARILY
DISPATCH EVEN WHEN I COULD SO
THERE ARE REALLY THREE
SCENARIOS. FROM 911, I CAN SEND
CARE . WE ARE ON POLICE
CHANNELS AND THE SERGEANT SAYS,
YES, TAKE IT. WE WERE THERE
THREE HOURS AGO, SO YOU ARE
FINE. I HAD THE OPTION BUT I
KNEW IN THE PUBLIC WHAT I WAS
HEARING WAS THEY DON'T LIKE
IT. WHAT THE OFFICERS WERE
TELLING ME WAS WE LOVE THIS,
PLEASE DO THIS. THERE WAS THIS
HUGE DISCONNECT AND I THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE MORE USEFUL TO SET
IT UP FOR THE FIRST 500 CALLS
TO MANAGE PHYSICAL RISK AND
THREAT AS WELL. AND IN ROLL
CALLS AND IN POLICE COMMAND,
PLEASE JUST SEND AN OFFICER .
YOU KNOW, 10 SECONDS, SEE THAT
EVERYTHING IS OKAY AND MOVE ON.
BUT IT WILL MANAGE THE RISK FOR
US AND ALSO I NEED THESE TEAMS
TO KNOW EACH OTHER SO IT HAS
BEEN INTERESTING TO WATCH
OFFICERS REMAIN ON SCENE AT
TIMES AND HONESTLY, I THINK
THEY'RE GETTING TO KNOW THE
CARE TEAM. IT IS SOCIAL, NOT
FOR ANY OTHER REASON. YOU KNOW,
THERE IS SO MUCH MUTUAL RESPECT
AND CAMARADERIE NOW AND IT IS
JUST VITAL. YOU KNOW, I WASN'T
TRYING TO DO THIS HASTILY . I
WAS TRYING TO DO THIS WELL AND
MAKE SURE TRUST WAS FORGED. THE
OTHER NOTE I WILL MAKE ABOUT
THE 500 CALLS, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE EACH DAY
. MY MANDATE WAS TO GET TO KNOW
EVERY SINGLE RESOURCE DOWNTOWN,
THE BUSINESSES , THE SECURITY
TEAMS, THE HUMAN SERVICE
AGENCIES . MY OBJECTIVE ISN'T
TO TRIAGE ALL THE TIME . IT IS
TO GET PEOPLE HELD . I'VE GOT
200 PEOPLE IN THE CITY
CHRONICALLY IN CRISIS AND I'VE
SEEN SO MANY UNNECESSARY DEATHS
IN YEAR ONE WHEN I KNEW SOMEONE
WOULD DIE BUT WE KEEP TRIAGING
. WE ARE NOT INVESTING LONG
ENOUGH TO GET SOMEONE INTO
SERVICES AND TO FOLLOW-UP TO
MAKE SURE THEY REMAIN IN
SERVICES AND YOU SEE THE SAME
THING ON THE POLICE SIDE,
RIGHT? WE ARE NOT REALLY MAKING
AN ARREST . MAYBE SOMEONE WILL
NOT BE BOOKED. IF THEY ARE
BOOKED, MAYBE THEY WILL NOT BE
PROSECUTED. I WANT TO GET
PEOPLE HELP. ANYBODY CAN
CHANGE. YOU KNOW OF, WE'VE GOT
TO INTERRUPT CYCLES AND GET
REHABILITATED SO THAT IS MY
CAUTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO
THIS COUNCIL . THINK ABOUT IT
THAT WAY. THE CARE TEAM
UNIQUELY RIGHT NOW IS THE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE. I MEAN ,
THERE IS ALMOST NOBODY
PROVIDING HUMAN SERVICE THAT I
DON'T KNOW . I KNOW THE
DIFFERENT OUTREACH TEAMS. WE
DELIVER CARE IS EXCEPTIONAL.
EXCEPTIONAL . I MEAN, I CAN
WALK DOWN THE STREET WITHOUT
STOPPING TO ASSIST BECAUSE
SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING AN
OVERDOSE AND THE CARE TEAM CAN
TAKE THE PERSON AND PROVIDE
THEM WITH THE NEXT STEPS. I
SOMETIMES HEAR SPECULATION
ABOUT OUTREACH. IT IS SO VITAL.
I THINK OF IT AS AN EXTENSION
OF MY TEAM. TELL ME THE SECOND
PART AGAIN, THE 500 CALLS? I
THINK I JUST ANSWERED IT KIND
OF.
>> THE ANTICIPATED SHIFT TO
SINGLE DISPATCH.
>> THE SOLUTION TO GOING TO
MORE CALLS IS ACTUALLY NOT AS
PD. IT IS ME MANAGING MY OWN
DISPATCH TEAM . YOU KNOW,
STRENGTHENING THEIR DISCRETION
AND ABILITY TO ACT . THEY
SHOULD BE THE MAESTRO . THEY
SHOULD BE CONDUCTING THIS
SYSTEM SAYING OUR PROTOCOLS ARE
GOOD. WE TESTED IT. 600 CALLS
AND ONLY 1 TIME WERE POLICE
CALLED BACK. SO THAT TELLS ME A
LOT. YOU KNOW, WE ARE ADDING
ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS USING
MACHINE LEARNING TO BETTER
PREDICT THE POLICE NEEDED BUT
THAT IS NOT HOW DISPATCH HAS
BEEN IN THE PAST. IT WAS
TREATED LIKE A SECRETARY TUCKED
AWAY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DRIVING CHANGED. WE ARE A
LEARNING ORGANIZATION. YOU ARE
SMART . YOU ARE CAREER
PROFESSIONALS. YOU KNOW WHAT
YOU ARE DOING AND I WILL
PROTECT YOU. YOU HAVE THE SAME
PROTECTIONS EVERYONE DOES .
THEY FEEL SCARED. WHAT IF
SOMEBODY HAS A GUN? THAT IS
VERY HUMAN AND I REALLY DO
UNDERSTAND IT BUT I'M TALKING
ABOUT DRAMATIC CULTURAL CHANGE
IN 911 SO THAT WOULD BE A
SOLUTION. IT IS ALREADY
TRENDING UP . ON FRIDAY, A TEAM
OF TWO WENT TO NINE CALLS.
SATURDAY, SIX CALLS . WE
EXPANDED TO THE EAST PRECINCT
THAT DAY. WE WERE STILL
DOWNTOWN, EAST AND WEST. I
ALREADY SAW A DOUBLING. AND THE
FINAL THING THAT IS NOT
UNDERSTOOD, THE POLICE TRAINING
VIDEO HAD NOT GONE OUT. IT WAS
PREPARED IN THE FALL. THAT WAS
NOT THE PART -- ON THE PART OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT . THAT
WAS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
AGAIN, OFFICERS HADN'T BEEN
TRAINED ON HOW TO USE THIS.
>> THANK YOU. THAT IS HELPFUL.
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET
AT IS IF WE ARE TO END THE
PRACTICE OF SENDING THE POLICE
OUT WITH A RESPONDER, WHAT WILL
IT TAKE TO GET THERE? MY
UNDERSTANDING IS -- I
UNDERSTAND THERE IS, YOU KNOW,
SCOPE OF WORK ISSUES. IT SEEMS
LIKE IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
IS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS APPROACH
AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS APPROACH ,
THEN IT SHOULD BE SORT OF AN
EASY WIN FOR US TO MOVE IN THAT
DIRECTION AND I'M TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS AN
OPERATIONAL CHALLENGE WE NEED
TO FIX.
>> IT REQUIRES ME TO BE A
LEADER. WE HOLD PEOPLE TO
ACCOUNT FOR OUR EXPECTATION. IT
IS IDEAL TO HAVE THAT
CONTINUATION WITH POLICE AND
WITH THE POLICE RESPONSE AND I
HAVE DUAL DISPATCH IN TWO
VEHICLES AND I HAVE CARE
DISPATCH, THEN FIRE RESPONSE.
THAT IS AN IDEAL CONTINUE ON
BUT 911 IS NOT USED TO HAVING
IT . I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 30
YEARS AND THEY SEND THE POLICE.
THAT IS MUSCLE MEMORY. THAT IS
ON ME AND THERE IS NO LIMITING
FACTOR IN MY ABILITY TO DO THAT
RIGHT NOW AND YOU SHOULD HOLD
ME TO ACCOUNT.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL DO A TIME
CHECK. I GAVE EVERYONE A FAIR
WARNING WE WILL BE RUNNING
UNTIL NOON, POSSIBLY 12:30. IT
IS STILL A PRETTY DENSE OBJECT
TO GET THERE AFTER THIS. I
WELCOME EVERYONE'S COMMENTS
AND QUESTIONS NOW SO THEY ARE
ON THE RECORD . THERE IS TIME
FOR THIS DISCUSSION, BUT IF WE
HAVE MULTIPLE FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS, I MIGHT ASK YOU TO
KEEP THEM OFF-LINE. UP NEXT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, RIVERA,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK
YOU, CHIEF SMITH. JUST MORE OF
A COMMENT, WHICH IS I HAD THE
PLEASURE OF BEING AT THE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY AND I WAS ABLE TO TALK
TO THEIR CHIEF OF POLICE. YOU
KNOW, THEY HAVE THE PROGRAM AND
THERE WAS ALSO AN ARTICLE IN
THE PAPER ABOUT SORT OF NORTH
END CRISIS FIRST RESPONSE AND
HOW THEY ARE WORKING AND IT
SEEMS TO ME A REALLY MARVELOUS
EXAMPLE OF A REGIONAL APPROACH
AND A REGIONAL APPROACH THAT
WORKS . ANYWAY, MY DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE CHIEF, SHE HAD NOTHING
BUT REALLY GOOD THINGS TO SAY
ABOUT HOW THEY TOO HAVE A DUAL
DISPATCH PROGRAM AND HOW IT HAS
BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY AND THEIR POLICE
OFFICERS VERY MUCH VALUE THAT
PARTNERSHIP. I THINK THERE ARE
OTHER MODELS EVEN CLOSER TO
HOME THAT SHOW IT IS
SUCCESSFUL, BUT ONE THING I
NOTED THAT WAS INTERESTING IN
MY CONVERSATION AND THEN I WILL
WRAP UP WAS THE FACT THEY HAD
BUY-IN FROM THEIR POLICE
DEPARTMENT FROM THE TOP TO THE
BOTTOM AND THEY DIDN'T
NECESSARILY HAVE LABOR RELATION
ISSUES BEING AN OPERATIONAL
CHALLENGE AND SO, JUST PUTTING
THAT OUT THERE THAT WE DO NEED
TO -- YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS HEAR
THE RANK AND FILE ARE VERY
SUPPORTIVE PARTICULARLY AS WE
BEGIN TO HAVE THOSE
INTERACTIONS AND ESTABLISH
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BUT SOMEHOW
WE'VE GOT TO MOVE THEM UP THE
CHAIN SO WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS IS IN EVERYONE'S BEST
INTEREST. IT IS NOT ABOUT
TAKING AWAY . IT IS ABOUT
EXPANDING RESPONSIBILITY AND
THE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT
ON THE RECORD. THAT IS A GOOD
FRIEND AND ONE OF THE BEST
LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY AND IN
THIS SPACE AND IT IS DIFFERENT.
THE WAY THE CITY WENT ABOUT IT
PERHAPS NOT CONSULTING LABOR
FOR DEFENSE UNIONS PRETTY
DRAMATICALLY INCLUDING MY OWN
DISPATCHERS GUILD ANYTHING THAT
IS A SIGNIFICANT POINT . YOU
KNOW, THERE WAS FRUSTRATION
FROM THE START THAT I HAD TO
REMEDIATE , SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WILL ASK
ONE QUESTION AND I KNOW
DIRECTOR SMITH, YOU AND I WILL
HAVE A MEETING AND I WILL ASK
FURTHER QUESTIONS WHY DON'T
TAKE UP ALL OF THE TIME HERE. I
APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK
YOU'VE DONE TO SET UP THIS
PROGRAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE . I THINK MOST OF US
HAVE SAID ANYWAY AT ONE POINT
OR ANOTHER HOW SUPPORTIVE WE
ARE OF AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE
PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE
FACT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO
ALL OF THESE CALLS IN ADDITION
TO THE FACT MANY OF THESE CALLS
DON'T REQUIRE A UNIFORMED
OFFICER . THEY REQUIRE SOME
KIND OF SOCIAL RESPONSE CRISIS
RESPONSE, SO I APPRECIATE ALL
OF THE WORK THERE. THE QUESTION
I WILL ASK, YOU MENTIONED
DISPATCH. WHEN YOU ARE
DISPATCHING OUT , I AM CONFUSED
ABOUT HOW HEALTHONE, NOT SO
MUCH HEALTH 99 BECAUSE THAT IS
SPECIFIC TO FENTANYL, BUT
HEALTHONE -- HOW IS HEALTHONE
-- HOW IS CARE DIFFERENT THAN
THE SERVICE HEALTHONE IS
ALREADY PROVIDING? AND FOR THAT
MATTER, I KNOW WE FIND OTHER
OUTSIDE AGENCIES LIKE WE
DELIVER CARE AND THE
AMBASSADORS AT THE DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE ASSOCIATION AND OTHER
HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HELP
WITH THIS WORK AND AS YOU SAID,
THEY ARE DOING GREAT WORK. I
AGREE. HOW -- YOU KNOW, HOW IS
THIS DIFFERENT ? I KNOW I'VE
HEARD FROM PEOPLE SAY, YOU
KNOW, I NOTICED THERE WAS AN
AMBASSADOR WITH CARE AND
HEALTHONE AND SPD TO DEAL WITH
ONE INCIDENT AT THE SAME TIME
AND SO THAT SEEMS INEFFICIENT
TO ME AND I DON'T HAVE ALL OF
THE DETAILS. ARE YOU ABLE TO?
IF NOT, WE CAN FOLLOW UP DURING
OUR MEETING.
>> GREAT QUESTION TO PUT ON THE
RECORD SO I CAN REMIND PEOPLE.
FIRST, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN FIRST RESPONSE. THINK
OF IT THAT WAY. THE PRIMARY
RESPONDER SHOULD BE SO UPSCALED
. I WANT MY CARE TEAM TO
RECEIVE THE SAME AS POLICE AND
FIRE AND TO BE SUPPORTED AND
GROW THAT WAY. THEY NEED
LIABILITY PROTECTIONS AND
PROVISIONS AND I NEED QUALITY
ASSURANCE, SHARED RECORDS
MANAGEMENT. OH, FIRE HAD FIVE
ENCOUNTERS WITH THIS PERSON
LAST WEEK. HERE IS THE NOTE .
NOW POLICE AND FIRE ARE
INTEGRATED . PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
OUTSOURCE TO A NONPROFIT OR
THIRD-PARTY . FIRST OF ALL, YOU
LOSE QUALITY ASSURANCE. IT'S
KIND OF LIKE OVERSIGHT BUT IT
NEVER GOES WELL AND IT'S NOT
THE SAME THING AS THE DIRECT
REPORTS BUT ALSO THERE IS TOO
MUCH VOLATILITY AND
INCONSISTENCY AND SERVICE
DELIVERY . TWO OF MY TOP CALLS
ARE SUICIDE AND OVERDOSE AND
PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
. WHO BEST THEN APPROACH
SOMEBODY ON THE PRECIPICE OF
JUMPING, RIGHT? WHO BEST TO
RESPOND TO OVERDOSE? NOT JUST
OVERDOSE BUT SEVERE SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER. HEALTHONE IS MY
-- I CAN'T SAY MY FAVORITE
TEAM IN TOWN BECAUSE I WILL GET
IN TROUBLE BUT THEY ARE AN
AMAZING TEAM AND IT IS DESIGNED
FOR HIGH ACUITY NEEDS. IT'S
FIVE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. SIX
PEOPLE. THAT IS WOEFULLY
INADEQUATE . IT IS THE SAME
WITH POLICE RESPONSE AND FIVE
SOCIAL WORKERS. IT SHOULD BE 10
TIMES AS BIG AND I'M QUICK TO
SAY THAT BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
CALLS IN THE MIDDLE THAT DON'T
REQUIRE THAT EXPENSIVE RIG AND
SET UP THAT DON'T HAVE THE
ABILITY TO WIND UP IN HARBOR
VIEW. I WILL GET 900,000 CALLS
THIS YEAR. 300,000 DON'T
REQUIRE THAT EXPENSE. BACK TO
THE FINANCIAL CASE, RIGHT? I
WANT TO DESIGN A FISCALLY
PRUDENT RESPONSE THAT IS ALSO
USEFUL FOR LOWER PRIORITY
CALLS. PERSON DOWN ONE WOULD BE
HEALTHONE. PERSON DOWN TWO,
THAT'S LIKE SOMEONE COULD DIE
IF WE DON'T GET THEM OUT RIGHT
NOW. CARE IS NOT DESIGNED TO GO
TO MEDICAL CALLS. WE DO BASIC
FIRST AID. EVERYONE IN TOWN IS
ENGAGED IN OVERDOSE BECAUSE WE
ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY BUT
THERE IS PRIMARY RESPONSE,
FIRST RESPONSE, SECONDARY
RESPONSE, AND PREVENTION TEAMS
SO IT IS THAT BEFORE AND AFTER
SECONDARY WE DELIVER CARE AND
WE NEED ALL OF THAT STUFF. THEY
ARE NOT FIRST RESPONDERS AND
THEY SHOULDN'T BE.
>> AGAIN, WE CAN TAKE THIS
OFF-LINE, HOW WE ASSESS BECAUSE
I DON'T THING WE NEED ALL OF
THOSE FOLKS THERE AT THE SAME
TIME, SO HOW IS ALL OF THIS
WORKING TOGETHER SO WE ARE NOT
DUPLICATING EFFORTS? I HEAR
WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IN TERMS OF
LEVELS AND ALSO HOW WE ASSESS
THE PROGRAM MEETING FORWARD .
WHAT ARE THE ASSESSMENTS THAT
WILL HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
MITIGATING FOR THESE THINGS?
EVERY PROGRAM HAS IMPROVEMENTS,
RIGHT? WHAT YOU MENTIONED
EARLIER, AND I APPRECIATE IN
TERMS OF HOLDING YOU
ACCOUNTABLE, BUT YOU KNOW I AM
INTERESTED IN KNOWING THE
PROGRAM EVALUATION SO WE ARE
MITIGATING FOR SPENDING MONEY ,
YOU KNOW, IN THIS WAY IF IT'S
NOT, YOU KNOW, FOR EFFICIENCIES
IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY.
>> IT IS CHAOTIC OUT THERE AND
IT'S BIZARRE TO SEE HOW MANY
LITTLE THINGS HAVE BEEN SET UP
. EVEN IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR,
I HAVE HAD AN ADVANTAGE AND I
KNOW PEOPLE. YOU ARE STILL
SERVING THE SAME TYPES OF
PEOPLE . IT IS DIFFERENT AND
COMPLETELY DISORGANIZED . IT
REALLY IS. THE COUNTY HAS
DIFFERENT RESOURCES, DIFFERENT
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND THAT
HAS BEEN A JOKE THAT I HAVE A
FULL-TIME JOB AND 40 HOURS, AT
LEAST 30 HOURS A WEEK I'M OUT
IN COMMUNITY WORKING TO FORGE
RELATIONSHIPS SO I CAN
COORDINATE WHO IS SERVING THIS
DEMOGRAPHIC, THIS DEMOGRAPHIC,
IF I HAVE A MOM AND KIDS, WHERE
DO THEY GO? I MEAN, I DO IT
ORGANICALLY . I TALK TO PEOPLE
ALL THE TIME. WE NEED TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE WE SET AND NOT
DUPLICATE BECAUSE WE HAVE
TREMENDOUS OVERLAPS AND I WANT
TO KNOW IF SOMEONE IS SURVIVING
HUMAN TRAFFICKING. WHO SERVES
THAT PERSON? WHERE DO THEY GO?
DO THEY HAVE OPTIONS? THERE ARE
FOUR POPULATIONS THAT ARE VERY,
VERY VULNERABLE AND WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THE RIGHT INVESTMENTS
ARE BEING MADE. NOW I
PERSONALLY AM NOT OF THE MIND
THE PUBLIC SECTOR SHOULD PAY
FOR THE INTERVENTIONS. I JUST
DON'T THINK THAT WAY. I LIKE
THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN DESIGN SO
I THINK OF PUBLIC SAFETY AS
FIRST RESPONSE. LATE STAGE
DIVERSION BUMPING UP AGAINST
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AT A
SEVERE CRISIS. AND RESPONSE TO
THAT 911 CALL. AND BEYOND THAT,
THE CITY SHOULDN'T BE IN THE
CASE MANAGEMENT BUSINESS IN MY
OPINION. THAT IS NOT VIABLE.
THAT SHOULD BE A NONPROFIT
VENTURE PHILANTHROPY . THERE
ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO FUND
ONGOING SUPPORT FOR SOMEBODY.
AS A VOLUNTEER, I WORKED HARD
MAKING SURE WE HAD PEOPLE WITH
ASSETS AND A PHILANTHROPIC
LINING WITH ACTUAL COMMUNITY
NEED AND INTERVENTIONS THAT
WORK. AS FAR AS WHETHER OR NOT
CARE WORKS, IT DOES. THIS IS A
BETTER FINANCIAL MODEL. I'VE
TALKED TO THE JURISDICTIONS
WITH BIG PROGRAMS. I WAS ON THE
PHONE WITH THE NEW MANAGER IN
DENVER AND THE CITIES THAT HAVE
DONE OUTSOURCING FOR CRISIS
RESPONSE ARE STRUGGLING FOR ALL
DIFFERENT REASONS. I CAN TELL
YOU MORE ABOUT THAT. CITIES
THAT ARE GOING WELL, SEATTLE,
ALBUQUERQUE, AND WE ARE WORKING
WITH POLICE AND FIRE AND IT IS
DRAMATICALLY MORE EFFICIENT .
WE CAN PASS IT OFF TO EACH
OTHER EASILY AS WELL, SO IT
SHOULD LOOK MUCH BETTER IN A
YEAR. IF I DO MY JOB WELL, IT
SHOULD LOOK MUCH LESS CONFUSED
.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. WE CAN DIG
MORE INTO EVALUATION OF THE
PROGRAM WHEN WE CHAT BUT I
REALLY WANTED FOR THE RECORD TO
SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE ARE
ASKING THESE QUESTIONS SO I
WANTED IT REFLECTED IN THE
RECORD .
>> I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
UNLESS THIS BECOMES A PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE OR EDUCATION
COMMITTEE I WILL ASK COLLEAGUES
TO KEEP THE QUESTIONS FOCUSED
ON THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF
WHAT IS BEFORE US TODAY, SINCE
THIS IS THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, NOTING WE
ARE 23 MINUTES UNTIL NOON AND
STILL HAVE ANOTHER SECTION OF
THIS PANEL AND ANOTHER PANEL ,
OVER TO YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS A
QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR EDER. MY
QUESTION IS -- THE SHORT
QUESTION, WHY THE MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET AND NOT THE
2025 -2026 PROPOSED FINANCIAL
BUDGET? I RECOGNIZED THAT THIS
PROPOSAL DOES IDENTIFY SEVERAL
ONE-TIME FUNDING SOURCES TO
ADDRESS THE NEAR-TERM STARTUP
AND HIGHER IN COST POSITIONS
BUT NONE OF THOSE WILL MEET
ONGOING COSTS. YOU KNOW, IN THE
LONG TERM. OVER 4 MILLION OF
PROGRAM EXPANSION . THERE IS NO
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCE THAT
IS IDENTIFIED TO MATCH THOSE
ADDITIONAL COSTS AND I'M JUST
WONDERING , USUALLY IN THE FALL
BUDGET, THERE IS A NARRATIVE
ABOUT WHERE THE COSTS WILL COME
FROM . I MEAN, WHERE THE MONEY
WILL COME FROM TO PAY FOR THIS
SO I AM ASSUMING IT WILL BE
GENERAL FUND BUT , YOU KNOW,
THAT DETAIL IS USUALLY PROVIDED
IN THE FALL BUDGET DOCUMENT SO
CAN YOU TELL IT -- CAN YOU
IDENTIFY WHAT SERVICES WILL BE
CUT TO PAY FOR THE $4 MILLION
BECAUSE WE ARE IN A DEFICIT
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL NOT BE
NEW MONEY PAYING FOR THIS THE
WHAT IS ANTICIPATED TO CUT AND
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS NOW IF WE
ARE SEEING THAT DETAIL , WE ARE
APPROVING POSITIONS BUT THE
FINANCIAL SIDE OF IT IS
INCOMPLETE?
>> THANK YOU.
>> MAYBE YOU KNOW AND I DON'T
BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT
INFORMATION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I THINK YOU
ARE RIGHT. THIS IS THE KIND OF
THING THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE
INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL PROPOSED
BUDGET AND I CAN ASSURE YOU IT
WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL
PROPOSED BUDGET. THIS IS THE
CASE FOR EXPANDING THE CARE
TEAM AND THE WORK OF THE CARE
TEAM HAS BEEN MADE COMPELLINGLY
CONVINCINGLY BY CHIEF SMITH.
THE MAYOR VIEWS THIS AS A CORE
PUBLIC SAFETY MOVE THAT CAN'T
WAIT AND SO RATHER THAN INCLUDE
THIS ONLY IN THE FALL BUDGET
PROPOSAL, THE MAYOR WANTS TO
MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR TO DO
THE WORK THAT WAS AUTHORIZED ,
AN EXPANSION OF THIS KIND OF
CIVILIAN FORCE WAS AUTHORIZED
IN THE LABOR AGREEMENT THAT WAS
ARRIVED AT WITH OUR LABOR
PARTNERS THAT ALLOWS US TO MOVE
TO 24 ACTIVE CARE TEAM NUMBERS,
PLUS THE SUPERVISING STAFF .
THE WAY WE ARE PAYING FOR THIS
AS I DESCRIBED EARLIER IN THE
PRESENTATION IS THROUGH THE
SAVINGS THAT COME FROM THE
HIRING FREEZE IMPLEMENTED
DURING ALL OF 2024 AND WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE BALANCE
AND THAT PROVIDES MORE THAN
ENOUGH SAVINGS TO PAY FOR NOT
ONLY THE FOUR ITEMS THAT I'VE
MENTIONED IN THE EARMARK WE ARE
PAYING FOR ALL OF THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY
INVESTMENTS INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO THE CARE TEAM
EXPANSION.
>> MAY I ADD A NOTE? I AM
SORRY, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THE
WAY I LOOK AT IT IS I HAVE TO
RESPOND TO 900,000 CALLS, SO I
CAN USE A UNIT THAT COSTS HALF
AS MUCH TO RESPOND TO A THIRD
OF THOSE CALLS SO IT IS A FALSE
NARRATIVE TO SAY THE CARE TEAM
GOES AWAY IN TWO YEARS THAT
MEANS I WILL DISPATCH A UNIT
THAT COSTS TWICE AS MUCH TO
THAT CALL. THAT'S WHY I'VE
WORKED TO TRY TO LOOK AT THE
BUDGET AS ONE BUDGET AND FIGURE
OUT HOW BEST TO USE OUR
RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I AM
ASKING A QUESTION I OFTEN
REPEAT . THE SUPPLEMENTAL IS
SUPPOSED TO BE TECHNICAL
CHANGES BASICALLY AND THIS IS
21 POSITIONS . I'M NOT ARGUING
THE MERITS OF THIS OR THE COST
SAVINGS OF USING CARE TEAM
MEMBERS AND UNIFORMED OFFICERS
FOR THIS WORK, SO I'M NOT
GETTING INTO THAT. I AM JUST
SAYING IF THERE WAS -- IF IT
WAS ANTICIPATED THERE WAS --
THE MONEY THAT YOU MENTIONED,
DIRECTOR EDER, WE ARE SHORT
FUNDING SOURCES, THE GRANT, ET
CETERA AND THE VACANCY FOR THE
NON-HIRED POSITIONS. WILL THAT
GO ON FOR THE CLASS OF 2021?
>> NO, FOR 2024 ONLY.
>> RIGHT. GOT IT.
>> I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE
CONGRESSIONAL EARMARK MONEY
BACK. I WOULD RATHER USE IT FOR
ITS INTENDED PURPOSE BUT I ALSO
IN MY BACK POCKET HAVE A LOT OF
FUNDING SOURCES RIGHT NOW. SO
FAR I HAVE NOT BEEN DECLINED
WHEN I HAVE REQUESTED FROM ANY
AGENCY . I'VE GOT LOTS OF
VENTURE PHILANTHROPISTS TALKING
ABOUT THIS TOO , SO I WOULD
LIKE THE CITY TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR BALANCING
THE BUDGET AND USING THE MONEY
WELL BUT I'M FULLY COMMITTED
TO MAKING SURE THIS IS FUNDED
AND I'M HAPPY TO USE OTHER
AVENUES AND I'M TOLD AT A
FEDERAL LEVEL IF I CAN PROVIDE
A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW THE WORK IS
DONE, LIABILITY, LEGAL
PROVISIONS, ALL OF THESE
THINGS, THERE WILL BE MONEY
THERE FOR IT SO I KNOW IT'S
BIG BUT THAT IS HOW I THINK
ABOUT IT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I HAVE IN
THE PAST SEEN THE BUDGET USED
IN THESE WAYS FOR EXPANDING
TEAMS OR EXPANDING PROJECTS,
EXPANDING PROGRAMS. I HAVE SEEN
MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE THE AVENUE
STREET CAFE WAS EXPANDED
THROUGH THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
HERE, SO THIS IS CONSISTENT
WITH PAST PRACTICES AS WELL AS
THE QUESTION YOU ARE ASKING
REGARDING THE 2025 BUDGET,
WHICH WE WILL BE TAKING UP IN
THE FALL AND THE QUESTION HAS
BEEN ASKED ABOUT HOW ARE THE
FUNDS BEING FOUND TO PAY FOR
THE SERVICES BEING REQUESTED
THIS YEAR? I HAVE RECEIVED AN
ANSWER THERE BUT I JUST WANT TO
DO ONE --
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT --
>> PLEASE DON'T INTERRUPT ME.
I WAS ABOUT TO PASS IT BACK TO
YOU TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, THIS YEAR
DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGETS, WE HAD A
$250 MILLION OPERATING DEFICIT
SO THAT IS THE CONTEXT THAT
I'M ASKING AND IF WE CREATE
AND APPROVE POSITIONS NOW THAT
-- AND WE FIND OUT THE FUNDING
SOURCE LATER IN THE PROPOSED
BUDGET, THAT IS WHY I WAS
ASKING IS THERE SOMETHING
HAPPENING NOW THAT I'M NOT
UNDERSTANDING WHY THIS HAS TO
BE IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL INSTEAD
OF THE FALL BUDGET WHEN WE WILL
KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WILL COME
FROM? BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE
APPROVING POSITIONS THAT WE
CAN'T THEN PAY FOR . THAT IS
THE GIST OF MY QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I WILL ASK YOU TO
HAVE AN OFF-LINE ONE.
>> YEAH, I WILL TAKE IT
OFF-LINE.
>> IN SHORT, I BELIEVE WE
CAN'T WAIT TO EXPAND THIS
PROGRAM BEYOND BEING THE RIGHT
RESPONSE FOR MANY 911 CALLS,
THIS PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHES THREE
IMPORTANT THINGS. IT FOCUSES
POLICE TIME ON CRIME, REDUCES
THE RESPONSE TIME FOR 911
CALLS, AND IT SAVES US MONEY .
I WILL NOTE FOR THE RECORD,
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST YEAR A
STRUCTURAL DEFICIT HAS BEEN
IDENTIFIED . IDENTIFICATION OF
THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT IN THE
GENERAL FUND IS MANY YEARS OLD
AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT
EVERYONE'S KEEN ATTENTION IS
PAYING TO IT TODAY. I WILL PASS
IT BACK TO YOU, DIRECTOR EDER,
CHIEF SMITH , AND I THINK WE
HAVE LIMITED TIME FOR THE
BIRTHDAY PRESENTATION.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO
FOLLOW-UP ON WHAT YOU SAID.
I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS IN
THE CONTENT OF BEING ASKED
ABOUT THESE POSITIONS AND IT IS
VERY MUCH A FINANCIAL REASON
I'M ASKING SINCE I'M BEING
ASKED TO APPROVE POSITIONS IN
THE MIDYEAR . I'M ASKING
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM, SO
IT IS RELATED. THANK YOU.
>> YES, MY QUESTIONS ARE MORE
ON THE ESSENCE OF TIME THEN
ANYTHING ELSE .
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> BACK TO YOU, DIRECTOR EDER .
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS . I
WILL TEE UP THIS CONVERSATION
ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION SPENDING.
THERE IS AN UNUSUAL PROVISO
THAT WE ARE INSERTING IN OUR
OWN BUDGET . USUALLY A PROVISO
IS A SPENDING RESTRICTION. IN
THIS CASE, IT IS A DEGREE OF
FREEDOM . THE 2024 BUDGET
INCLUDES -- INCLUDED A $20
MILLION IN PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX
FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. UNDER CURRENT LAW,
HOWEVER, MENTAL HEALTH SPENDING
AND VIOLENCE INTERVENTION
SPENDING FROM THIS PARTICULAR
FUNDING SOURCE ISN'T PART OF
THE ALLOWABLE FUNDING
ALLOCATIONS AND SO, A PROVISO
IS NEEDED ON A ONE-TIME BASIS
TO ALLOW THE FUNDS TO BE
DEPLOYED IN 2024 . I WILL TURN
THE MICROPHONE OVER TO OUR
DEPUTY MAYOR WHO CAN TALK TO
YOU MORE ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OF
THE PLANNED SPENDING.
>> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THANK
YOU, CHAIR, FOR INVITING US AND
SHARING THIS IMPORTANT
INITIATIVE AND IMPORTANT
INVESTMENT ON MY BIRTHDAY . AND
I WILL MAKE THIS PRESENTATION
TIGHT SO YOU CAN MEET YOUR
TIMELINE , ALL RIGHT? MAKE SURE
TO MAKE SPACE FOR EVERYONE. WE
ALL UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE HERE.
USE MENTAL HEALTH , SUPER
IMPORTANT. STUDIES ARE SHOWING
RATES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
IS GOING UP AND IT'S GOING TO
BE IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS
PRIORITIZING EARLY INTERVENTION
AND MENTAL HEALTH AND PROVIDING
RESOURCES FOR OUR CHILDREN. TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUE. SO, THIS
YEAR WE WILL BE ASKING FOR $10
MILLION FOR 2024. OUR AN
OVATION PERFORMANCE TEAM LED BY
LEAH HAD DONE A GREAT JOB
CONVENING SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS. PARENTS ARE PARTNERING
AGENCIES SUCH AS SPS AND
STUDENT PROVIDERS TO HELP SHAPE
THE INVESTMENT PACKAGE, SO I
WILL PASS IT ON TO HER TO
QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS
THEY HAVE TAKEN AND WHERE WE
HAVE LANDED IN THE INVESTMENT
STRATEGY.
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.
GOOD MORNING. ALMOST AFTERNOON
. SO, WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT
MENTAL HEALTH? WELL, THERE IS A
CONCERNING LEVEL OF ANXIETY AND
DEPRESSION AMONG TEENS ACROSS
THE NATION AND LOCALLY. WE HAVE
26,000 TEENS IN OUR SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND AS YOU
CAN SEE THE LEVELS ON THE CHART
GROW FROM EIGHTH GRADE TO THE
12th GRADE YEAR. UNTREATED
MENTAL HEALTH RESULTS IN POOR
GRADES, NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL,
SUBSTANCE USE, AND DISCIPLINARY
ISSUES. ABSENTEEISM CONTINUES
TO BE A PROBLEM AND HASN'T
RECOVERED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
SO, GIVEN THE IMPLICATIONS, MY
TEAM WAS REQUESTED TO PULL
TOGETHER AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY
FOR MENTAL HEALTH THAT WAS
EVIDENCE-BASED , SCALABLE, AND
SUSTAINABLE . MY TEAM ARE
SPECIALIZED IN DATA SCIENCE,
EVALUATION, PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT. WE ARE NOT EXPERTS
IN MENTAL HEALTH WHICH IS WHY
WE DID THIS WORK IN CLOSE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION AND EARLY
LEARNING, SEATTLE PARKS AND
RECREATION HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT. WE TALKED TO OVER
40 STAFF AT SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS TO SEE WHAT WAS
AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN THE
BUILDINGS . COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS. WHAT
WE LEARNED, THERE ARE REAL
CHALLENGES STUDENTS ARE FACING.
ACTUALLY, GOING BACK ONE SLIDE,
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION IN THE
FIRST COLUMN WE TALKED TO OVER
150 STUDENTS. MOVING TO THE
NEXT SLIDE -- WHAT WE LEARNED,
THERE IS TRULY NO CURE FOR
MENTAL HEALTH AND WE NEED A
TIERED RESPONSE OF TREATMENTS.
THIS GRAPH ALIGNS VERY WELL
WITH THE RESEARCH WE HEARD FROM
EXPERTS AT UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON AND CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL THAT WHAT KINDS OF
SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO STUDENTS
FOLLOW A TIERED SYSTEM
INCLUDING PREVENTION, EARLY
INTERVENTION, AND TREATMENT AND
I WILL VERY BRIEFLY GO THROUGH
THE RESEARCH INSIGHTS BEFORE I
PASS IT BACK TO THE DEPUTY
MAYOR TO TALK ABOUT
INVESTMENTS. STARTING IN THE
AREA OF PREVENTIONS, WHAT WE
LEARNED , STUDENTS ARE NOT
ALWAYS AWARE OF THE EXISTING
RESOURCES AND WE SEE THIS
ACROSS GOVERNMENT SERVICES. IT
IS TRULY VERY DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IN THE
SYSTEM AND HOW WE CAN BETTER
CONNECT STUDENTS TO WHAT IS
ALREADY AVAILABLE TO THEM ,
WHETHER IT'S OUR SERVICES, THE
SCHOOL SERVICES, OR OTHERS AND
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT
WAYS WE CAN BUILD UP SERVICES
FOR STUDENTS. ONE STUDENT SAID
I DID NOT KNOW MY ACADEMIC
COUNSELOR UNTIL THERE WAS A
SCHOOL SHOOTING. SECONDLY,
STIGMA. STIGMAS ARE BARRIERS TO
STUDENT ASKING FOR HELP AND WE
NEED TO NORMALIZE MENTAL HEALTH
AND GIVE PARENTS, TEACHERS,
TRUSTED ADULTS, YOUNG STUDENTS
LANGUAGE TO COMMUNICATE WHEN
THINGS ARE NEEDED. AND THIRD,
STUDENTS WANT MORE ENRICHMENT
PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY GET TO
THE ROOT CAUSES OF STUDENTS
STRESS SUCH AS ACADEMIC STRESS,
FAMILY STRESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE
, GETTING TO BE IN SPORTS AND
OTHER ACTIVITIES IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT . MOVING INTO TIER 2
, EARLY INTERVENTION. THIS IS
WHERE WE LEARN STUDENTS SPEND
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME
TRYING TO GET HELP WHEN THEY
NEED IT AND WHEN THEY ARE
FEELING LOW, THEY MAY NOT WANT
TO REACH OUT SO THERE IS
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO GET
STUDENTS HELP EARLIER AND MORE
UPSTREAM BEFORE WE START SEEING
PHYSICAL THINGS, SUCH AS
GRADES, DISCIPLINARY ACTION,
ABSENTEEISM BECAUSE BY THAT
TIME IT IS FAR TOO LATE , SO
HOW WE PUT INTERVENTIONS IN
PLACE EARLY ON TO MAKE SURE
STUDENTS GET HELP SOONER WILL
IMPROVE THEIR OUTCOMES. AND
LASTLY, TIER 3 , THERE IS A
TRUE GAP IN THE SYSTEM WHEN IT
COMES TO THE SUPPLY OF THERAPY.
PARENTS, STUDENTS ALIKE, THEY
WILL SPEND THREE TO SIX MONTHS
LOOKING FOR A THERAPIST AND WE
HEARD OVER AND OVER HOW MUCH
FIT IS IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF
GETTING GOOD CARE AND
CULTURALLY RELEVANT CARE.
EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT A MIX OF
TELEHEALTH AND IN PERSON CAN
REALLY MEET THAT NEED BECAUSE
THIS ENABLES A MUCH WIDER
GEOGRAPHIC REACH AS WELL AS
PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND
SEEKING THAT BALANCE. I WILL
PASS IT OVER TO THE DEPUTY
MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU, LEAH. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. I WILL START WITH TIER
3. INVESTMENT WILL BE
INCREASING IN PERSON THERAPY
AND ALSO INTRODUCING TELEHEALTH
THERAPY . WE HAVE CURRENTLY --
NEXT SLIDE. 29 SCHOOL-BASED
HEALTH CENTERS , PRIMARILY ALL
HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE THEM. WE HAVE
ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS BUT FIVE
DON'T HAVE THEM IN THERE ARE
SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE
PROPOSAL WOULD BE CURRENTLY WE
HAVE ONE COUNSELOR AT EACH
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER . WE
WILL BE ADDING ANOTHER ONE, SO
TWO COUNSELORS FOR EACH, UP TO
29. WE WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCING
WHAT WE CALL A HEALTHCARE
COORDINATOR . BASICALLY WE WILL
FUNCTION AS A TRIAGE. FIRST
POINT TRIAGE FOR KIDS TO HELP
NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM AND THE
ACCESS TO THE SERVICES THAT WE
WILL BE PROVIDING . FOR
INSTANCE, IF A KID IS MATCHED
WITH THE COUNSELOR THAT IS NOT
A GOOD MATCH , THE COORDINATOR
CAN HELP NAVIGATE THAT SPACE
FOR THE KID TO PAIR THEM WITH
ANOTHER COUNSELOR AND EVEN FOR
THE FIVE THAT ARE MIDDLE
SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE THE
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS, WE
WILL HELP NAVIGATE LINKING THEM
TO THE CLOSEST SCHOOLS THAT
HAVE THE SERVICES. SO, GOING
BACK INTO THE PREVENTION AND
INTERVENTION, NEXT SLIDE .
>> OH, SORRY.
>> YOU ARE GOING BACKWARDS.
DON'T GO BACKWARDS. YES,
THAT'S IT. MAYOR HARRELL
LAUNCHED A REACHOUT INITIATIVE
WHICH CONSISTS OF WE PARTNERED
WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
CALLED ERIKA'S LIGHTHOUSE AND
THE CONCEPT IS WE ARE MODELING
A CONCEPT WE LAUNCHED IN THE
'70s TO BRING AWARENESS OF
MENTAL HEALTH , THE TRIGGERS,
THE INDICATORS FOR KIDS, AND
ALSO INTERVENTION , SO THE IDEA
IS TO CREATE THIS LIGHTHOUSE .
IT HAS A MODULE THAT FOLKS CAN
TAKE HOME AND IN TERMS OF
TRAINING, IT IS ONLINE. WE ARE
LOOKING INTO INCORPORATING WITH
SPS . THERE IS A YOUTH
CURRICULUM AND HAVING STAFF TO
BE TRAINED IN THIS. WE ARE ALSO
WORKING WITH THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT AND HAVING OUR
COMMUNITY CENTER EMPLOYEES TO
TAKE THE TRAINING AS WE ARE
LOOKING AT SCALING THE SERVICE
IS NOT JUST FOR THE 10 MONTHS
KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL, BUT LOOKING
AT THE 12 MONTH AND THE SUMMER
TIME. SERVICES ARE ALSO
ACCESSIBLE AT THE COMMUNITY
CENTERS. SO, LET'S DIVE INTO
THE INVESTMENT AND THE AMOUNT
FOR 2024. REACHOUT DOES NOT
HAVE ANY COST BUT YOU WILL SEE
A LOT OF BUSES AND SO FORTH AS
WE HAVE LAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN.
THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN LAST
MONTH. JUST BRINGING AWARENESS
AND TO THE CURRICULUM, SO
PEOPLE CAN TAP INTO IT AND
ACTIVATE THOSE RESOURCES. WE
WILL BE -- AGAIN, A
NON-PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH, KING COUNTY PUBLIC
HEALTH WHO ADMINISTERS THE
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS .
$5.6 MILLION TO GET THAT
INCREASED CAPACITY , ADDING THE
COUNSELOR'S , AND THE
COORDINATORS IN THE CENTERS .
$5.6 MILLION COST. AND WE WILL
BE INTRODUCING TELEHEALTH.
TELEHEALTH -- AND I CAN
PERSONALLY TALK ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE I HAVE TWO KIDS. FOR
YEARS, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING
FOR MY KIDS TO FIND A COUNSELOR
WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM BUT BOTH OF
MY KIDS ARE UTILIZING
TELEHEALTH WHICH GIVES THEM A
NATIONAL NETWORK AND BE ABLE TO
PAIR THEMSELVES WITH SOMEONE
THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM AND CAN
HELP NAVIGATE THE SPACE . THIS
WILL BRIDGE THE CULTURAL
BARRIERS THAT FOLKS ENCOUNTER
AS MY KIDS DID . BUT IT ALSO
GIVES US A WHOLE NETWORK TO
SUPPLEMENT AND THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE WOULD LIMIT
PROVIDERS HERE IN OUR REGION.
AND LET ME TALK ABOUT ONE MORE.
SO, THERE IS A ONE-TIME
INVESTMENT, THE $2 MILLION IN
VIOLENCE PREVENTION LED BY HST
. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE
HAVE BEEN INVESTING ON SCHOOL
SAFE PASSAGE FOR KIDS AND IT IS
TESTING BASED ON DATA SELECTING
A HANDFUL OF SCHOOLS TO
DEMONSTRATE THIS. ALL RIGHT.
OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE COMING
IN. NOT IN 2024, BUT YOU WILL
SEE IT IN THE 2025 BUDGET.
YOUTH CONNECTORS . LEO TALKED
ABOUT THE 24 MILLION PROGRAM
THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE
CITY BUT KIDS ARE NOT ACCESSING
IT BECAUSE OUR PLATFORMS ARE
IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE. IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO NAVIGATE,
SO WE WILL WANT TO DEVELOP A
PLATFORM THAT RESONATES WITH
KIDS SO THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF ALL OF THOSE INVESTMENTS
THAT WE PROVIDE. THE OTHER
PIECE IS PARTNERING WITH SPS .
CURRENTLY THERE IS A SCREENING
SURVEY DONE IN EIGHTH GRADE .
WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A
10th GRADE MILESTONE IN THAT TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE CAPTURING
PEOPLE AND HELP NAVIGATE THE
SERVICES THAT WE WILL BE
PROVIDING. THERE IT IS.
QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR . I
APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. I ALSO
WANT TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY AND TO OTHERS WHO
ARE SAYING WE NEED TO BE
SPENDING THE $20 MILLION
IMMEDIATELY . $10 MILLION
ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH, ET CETERA,
ET CETERA . TO SAY THIS PROGRAM
HAS BEEN BUILT IN A VERY
DIFFERENT FASHION THAN ALMOST
EVERY OTHER PROGRAM THAT WE
HAVE BUILT IN THE CITY. THE
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IS THAT
THIS FUNDING PASSED BEFORE THE
PROGRAM WAS SET UP. TYPICALLY
HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IS WE
BUILD THE PROGRAM . WE DO COST
ASSESSMENTS. WE GET THIRD-PARTY
OPINIONS. WE COORDINATE AS
CHIEF SMITH WAS MENTIONING WITH
THE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS ON ALL
OF THE DIFFERENT LEVELS TO COME
UP WITH AN EFFICIENT PROGRAM
THAT WE KNOW WILL CREATE A GOOD
OUTCOME. FROM THAT FRAMEWORK ,
WE MAKE A COST ASSESSMENT AND
PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET . THIS
PROCESS DID GO THE OPPOSITE WAY
, WHERE WE PUT MONEY IN THE
BUDGET AND THEN ASKED TO BUILD
A PROGRAM. AND SO, WITHIN SIX
MONTHS , YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A
VERY ROBUST PROGRAM THAT I
BELIEVE WILL CREATE GOOD
OUTCOMES AND I JUST WANT TO
TAKE THAT MOMENT TO COMPLEMENT
YOU BECAUSE IT IS NOT
NECESSARILY EASY TO DO IT THAT
QUICKLY AND , YES, I WOULD LOVE
TO HAVE $20 MILLION WORTH OF
SPENDING TO BE HERE AND READY
BUT THIS IS NOT AN EXPERIENCE
OF GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE
AND PICKING PROGRAMS OFF OF
SHELVES. THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE
OF MAKING SURE OUR PROGRAMS ARE
WELL TUNED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTS
AND THE STUDENTS FOR WHOM THEY
ARE SERVING.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THAT RECOGNITION. I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK IP WHO HAS DONE A LOT
OF WORK IN THE SIX MONTHS TO
SHAPE THIS. YES, WE NEED TO BE
JUDICIAL ABOUT , LIKE, THE
PROVIDERS THAT ARE THERE AND
WHAT WE WERE LIKE EMBARKING AND
SPENDING $10 MILLION RELATIVE
TO THE RESOURCES WE HAVE . WE
HAVE LEARNED A LOT, AS WE
OPERATIONALIZE THIS AND
UTILIZATION RATE AND SO FORTH,
SO THIS IS NOT THE END OF IT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO TWEAK AND
ADJUST AS WE LEARN MORE. SO
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I SEE WE HAVE
MANY HANDS. COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, KETTLE, RIVERA, THEN
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON .
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME , I WILL GO
THROUGH MY OTHER COMMENTS I
WANTED TO GET ON THE RECORD.
>> PLEASE .
>> I APPRECIATE THIS WORK. IT
IS IMPORTANT . WE HAVE SOME
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS
ALREADY. THERE WAS AN
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT , AN
EARLIER INVESTMENT SO THAT WORK
IS HAPPENING . WE HAVE BEEN
INVESTING SORT OF ONE OFF IN
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMING
AND LEADERSHIP FOR BLACK GIRLS
AT LEAST SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON
COUNCIL SINCE I PUT THAT MONEY
IN THE BUDGET SO I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT WE CONTINUE THOSE
INVESTMENTS AND I THINK THE
DEAL IS NOT ABLE TO DEPLOY THE
FULL $20 MILLION FOR THESE
PROGRAMS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND
THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO TRY
TO GET OUT THE DOOR. I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN WHETHER THERE ARE
OTHER WAYS FOR US TO DEVELOP
WITH SMALL BUSINESSES OR WITH ,
YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS DIRECTLY,
WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS
ALREADY PROVIDING THIS SUPPORT
SO WE CAN GET THAT MONEY OUT
THE DOOR. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN
FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY
NEED THIRD PLACES TO BE THAT
ARE SAFE , WHERE THERE ARE
ACTIVITIES AND THINGS TO DO .
PLACES FOR THEM TO HANG OUT.
THAT ARE FREE. I'M INTERESTED
IN WHETHER THERE ARE OTHER WAYS
FOR US TO USE THAT MONEY TO
HELP SKILL BUILDING OR
CONNECTING TO JOBS OR
INTERNSHIPS OR SOME OTHER WAYS
SO WE ARE STILL MOVING THAT
MONEY OUT THE DOOR TO SUPPORT
YOUNG PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT
SPECIFICALLY FOR MENTAL HEALTH
. THAT IS WHAT I WILL SAY ABOUT
THAT. AND JUST IN GENERAL WITH
REGARD TO ALL OF THESE
DOCUMENTS , I WILL SHARE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S CONCERNED
ABOUT USING ONE-TIME FUNDING
FOR ONGOING EXPENSES. WE HEAR
THAT CONCERN A LOT ON COUNCIL
AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS
UNIQUE TO THESE BILLS . THAT IS
SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED A LOT
ABOUT THIS YEAR. AND BEING
ASKED TO APPROVE ONGOING
EXPENSES BEFORE WE KNOW THE
PLAN TO PAY FOR THEM IS A
PROBLEM. BEFORE WE REALLY KNOW
WHAT POLICIES WILL BE WRAPPED
AROUND THIS FUNDING IS ALSO A
PROBLEM, SO I'M INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING WHAT CONTROLS YOU
MIGHT PUT IN PLACE FOR THESE
FUNDS, SHOULD WE DECIDE TO
APPROVE THESE DOCUMENTS . AND
THEN TO THE CHAIR'S POINT
ABOUT THIS BEING A
LONG-STANDING STRUCTURAL
DEFICIT IN OUR BUDGET, YES. WE
KNOW THAT. IT IS TIME FOR US TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT SO WE
DON'T HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS
EVERY YEAR. I AM INTERESTED IN
EXPLORING WHAT THE WAYS ARE
FROM THE MAYOR OR FROM THIS
COUNCIL TO REALLY ADDRESS WHAT
THAT STRUCTURAL GAP IS. AND HOW
WE START TO MOVE TOWARD A REAL
SOLUTION INSTEAD OF HAVING, YOU
KNOW, ONE OFF CONVERSATIONS
EVERY YEAR. AND THE LAST THING
I WILL SAY, I APPRECIATE WHAT
CHIEF SMITH SAID ABOUT THE
EXPENSE OF SENDING THE SAME
RESPONSE TO THE SAME PEOPLE
WITHOUT OFFERING ANY REAL
CONNECTION TO SERVICES. I
COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I THINK
REPEATED EXPENSES THAT DON'T
REALLY ADDRESS THE CRISIS THAT
WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE IS
FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE. I DO
NOT THINK THAT IS A PRUDENT WAY
FOR US TO SPEND CITY RESOURCES
AND THAT IS WHY I HISTORICALLY
AND WILL CONTINUE TO OPPOSE
SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON
ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS THAT DON'T
OFFER REAL CONNECTION TO
SERVICES AND DON'T REALLY HELP
PEOPLE IN CRISIS. I'M NOT EVEN
SURE YOU CAN CALL THAT TRIAGING
BECAUSE ALL IT DOES IS MOVE
PEOPLE FROM ONE BLOCK TO THE
NEXT AND WE DON'T CONNECT
PEOPLE TO MEANINGFUL SERVICES,
SO THAT IS ANOTHER PLACE I WILL
BE DIVING INTO WHAT IS BEING
PROPOSED IN THE MIDYEAR
SUPPLEMENTAL. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. SLIDE 27.
FIRST I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
THE PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, I
REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING TO DO HERE WITH
STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH. VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. TWO
POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
ONE, FIRST A PICTURE IS WORTH A
THOUSAND WORDS. YOU CAN SEE THE
CURRENT DISTRICT SEVEN AND
ACTUALLY EVEN THE OLD DISTRICT
SEVEN HAS NO DOTS LOCATED IN
IT. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
AS WE DISCUSSED THE NEED TO
ENSURE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS
COVERED AS WE LOOK TO MOVE
FORWARD AND THE OTHER THING
TOO, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE %ND
SUPPORT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO
DO WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR
STUDENTS BUT REALLY, THIS
SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BACK OF
YEARS AND YEARS OF ADVOCACY AND
RAISING THE ALARM. MY ASK IS
THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND IN
WHAT WE ARE DOING, YOU KNOW,
THE TOP OF THE LIST RIGHT NEXT
TO PUBLIC SAFETY TO BE
CLAMORING FOR THE STATE TO
FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES
REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH AND
EDUCATION. YOU KNOW, MENTAL
HEALTH AS CHIEF SMITH KNOWS,
AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN
FEELINGS REGARDING MENTAL
HEALTH IMPACTING OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY BUT IT IS ALSO IMPACTING
OUR SCHOOLS AND SO , THE CITY
IN SEATTLE NEEDS TO BE HEADING
THE STATE HARD ON MENTAL HEALTH
SPENDING AND THE EDUCATION SIDE
TOO. JUST TWO POINTS.
>> I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU
AND WE AGREE, IT IS ON OUR
AGENDA. OUR LEGISLATION AGENDA.
FOR SURE.
>> THANK YOU. AND ONE LAST
THING, HAPPY BIRTHDAY .
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. I JUST WANT TO SAY I
AGREE MENTAL HEALTH, STUDENTS
NEED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH. I
AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
. IT IS A STATE RESPONSIBILITY
TO DO EDUCATION AND SAFETY IN
THE SCHOOLS. BECOMES A STATE
RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AND I
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE -- I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE POSITION YOU ALL
ARE IN WHEN YOU ARE REACTING TO
THESE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT
HAPPENED AT THE SCHOOLS IN
SEATTLE AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE HOW QUICKLY THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS HAVE COME TOGETHER
TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN
BEST SUPPORT STUDENTS DURING
THIS TIME AND AS A PARENT OF
TWO IN SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL
TEENAGERS, I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE IT AND I KNOW HOW
HARD IT IS TO COME UP WITH A
PLAN THAT WILL TOUCH UPON HOW
WE DEAL WITH AN ISSUE THAT THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH.
THAT IS NOT JUST RELATED TO
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH ,
ALTHOUGH THAT IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT PIECE. IT IS AND JUST
TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE. IT IS
POST-PANDEMIC. STUDENTS HAVE
SUFFERED IN THE AFTERMATH OF
THE PANDEMIC WHEN THEY WEREN'T
ABLE TO BE TOGETHER AND BE A
SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR EACH OTHER
WHICH IS WHAT TEENAGERS TEND TO
DO. NOTWITHSTANDING ALL THE
DRAMA THAT HAPPENS, THE DRAMA
AS PART OF THE GROWTH AND THAT
DIDN'T HAPPEN DURING THE
PANDEMIC SO I REALLY WANT TO
UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE MENTAL HEALTH INVESTMENTS,
NOT JUST RELATED TO THE SCHOOL
VIOLENCE , THOUGH THAT IS
ADDRESSING THAT NEED AS WELL. I
WANTED TO POINT OUT TWO THINGS.
ONE IS A QUESTION ACTUALLY .
THERE ARE -- I KNOW WE FIND OUR
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS VIA
THE LEVY AND EVERY TIME WE'VE
HAD A LEVY AND WE'VE HAD ONE
SINCE 1990, WE HAVE ADDED MORE
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS AND
THAT IS HOW WE GOT TO THE 29 WE
HAVE TODAY . RECOGNIZING THERE
ARE FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT
DON'T HAVE SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH
CENTERS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO
ENSURE THOSE KIDS HAVE ACCESS
TO BOTH THE TELEHEALTH AND THE
IN PERSON THERAPY INVESTMENT ?
I DO UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT PART
OF THE REASON WE ARE DOING THE
TELEHEALTH IS BECAUSE THERE IS
ANOTHER ISSUE HERE, WHICH IS WE
DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH THERAPISTS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THERE IS A
SHORTAGE OF THERAPISTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. THAT IS VERY REAL
AND THAT IS WHY IT HELPS TO
HAVE TELEHEALTH SERVICES
BECAUSE THESE ARE THERAPISTS
THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE
STATE BUT ABLE TO PROVIDE AND
IT REALLY EXPANDS ACCESS SO I
APPRECIATE THAT AND I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR WHAT THE PLAN IS
FOR THOSE FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS
AND ACCESS FOR THOSE STUDENTS,
AND I WANTED TO MAKE A
STATEMENT ABOUT THE FACT THAT,
YOU KNOW, THE MENTAL HEALTH
PIECE IS ONE PIECE . I ALSO
RECOGNIZE THE VIOLENCE
PREVENTION PROGRAMS WHICH I
VERY MUCH SUPPORT IN THE
LONG-TERM . THEY REALLY HAVE
IMPACTS PARTICULARLY WITH THE
ADDED RISK YOUTH LONG-TERM BUT
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TODAY
TO ADDRESS THE VIOLENCE IN THE
SCHOOLS BEYOND PROVIDING THE
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS THAT ARE
OFTEN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT
IS DONE AFTER SOMETHING OCCURS?
AND THE KIDS NEED THAT SUPPORT
? WHAT DO WE DO TO TRY TO KEEP
KIDS SAFE? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
ANY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THAT
AND I KNOW WE CAN CONTINUE THIS
CONVERSATION .
>> I APPRECIATE THAT . GOING
BACK ON THE FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS
THAT DON'T HAVE SCHOOL-BASED
HEALTH CENTERS RIGHT NOW, WE
ARE UP FOR RENEWAL FOR OUR
FIFTH LEVY , SO THAT WILL BE
CONSIDERED IN THAT PROCESS TO
CONSIDER THE ADDITION OF THOSE
FIVE . IN TERMS OF SCHOOL
SAFETY , WE ARE A STRONG
PARTNER WITH SPS . THEY HAVE A
STRATEGIC PLAN OF SAFETY, SO
HST WOULD BE WORKING IN THIS
PILOT PROGRAM CREATING A NEXUS
OF AN ECOSYSTEM TO CREATE AN
ECOSYSTEM FOR YOUTH . YOU KNOW,
OUTSIDE OF THE FOUR WALLS OF
THESE SCHOOLS . YOU KNOW, HOME
, AFTERSCHOOL, AND BEFORE, EVEN
COMMUNITY CENTERS. YOU KNOW,
HOW DO WE FORMULATE A UNIFIED
STRATEGY AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR
STUDENTS SAFETY? THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FIGURED
OUT BUT WE WILL CONTINUE WITH
THIS DIALOGUE. THIS IS NOT THE
END OF IT . IT IS A STRONG
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE BUILT
WITH SPS SO THESE DISCUSSIONS
OCCUR A LOT AND I ALSO WANT TO
KIND OF AS WE THINK ABOUT THE
ECOSYSTEM, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE
OFFER, THE PARTNERSHIP -- YOU
KNOW, IT IS A WAY IN WHICH TO
THINK ABOUT PROVIDING ACCESS
FOR OUR YOUTH TO DO THOSE
ENRICHMENT THINGS. YOU KNOW, TO
GET THEM RICH AND OTHER THINGS
TO WHERE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH --
YOU THINK ABOUT FOR INSTANCE
THE DEFICIT . KIDS ARE IN FRONT
OF TV AND PLAYING GAMES IN
FRONT OF THEIR PHONE, YOU KNOW?
APPRECIATING THE NORTHWEST
OUTDOORS . YOU KNOW, JUST
HAVING THAT STRATEGY AND PEER
SUPPORT, THOSE ARE THE THINGS
WE THINK ABOUT ELEVATING THAT
ECOSYSTEM FOR OUR YOUNG ONES .
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR .
AND AS FAR AS -- AND I
APPRECIATE THE PROPOSAL TO ADD
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS,
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS IN
THOSE SCHOOLS NOW? IS THERE A
PLAN TO HELP ENSURE ACCESS TO
THOSE STUDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE
ACCESS? YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO A
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER AT
THE MOMENT?
>> PART OF THE PROPOSAL WITH
KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH , IT
IS FOR THEM TO THINK ABOUT A
MODEL. REALLY LEANING ON THAT
COORDINATOR PIECE TO KIND OF
SHEPHERD AND CONNECT THOSE
RESOURCES FOR THOSE KIDS THAT
DON'T HAVE THEM. THERE ARE,
YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORING
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND SO FORTH
THAT CAN BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF
SO THAT IS THE MODEL WE ARE
HAVING THEM DEVELOP . IT IS
UNDERWAY, SO I WILL DEFINITELY
SHARE WITH YOU ONCE WE FINISH
THAT STRATEGY.
>> GREAT TO HEAR THEY CAN
UTILIZE RESOURCES AT THE OTHER
COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH CENTERS
WHICH IS WHAT I'M HEARING, SO
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT .
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. COLLEAGUES, YOU KNEW I
HAD A LIST , A LONG LIST OF
QUESTIONS TO ASK ON THE RECORD
. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I
WILL SAVE THAT FOR OUR NEXT
TIME TOGETHER. COLLEAGUES, I
SEE COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAS HER
HAND UP. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WE
ARE 12 : 15 AND STILL HAVE
ANOTHER PANEL. JUST A TIME
CHECK .
>> YES, MY HAND WAS UP AND I
GUESS I MUST HAVE BUMPED THE
BUTTON BUT A QUICK QUESTION
ABOUT THE $2 MILLION FOR
COMMUNITY SAFETY. LAST WEEK IN
THE HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE WE GOT A PRESENTATION
FROM HSD ON THE FORTHCOMING RFP
FOR THE COMMUNITY SAFETY
INITIATIVE PROGRAMS. IS THAT $2
MILLION GOING TO FUND THE
PROGRAMS THAT ARE APPROVED OR
THAT GET THE CONTRACTS? IS THAT
THE CONNECTION, OR IS THERE NO
CONNECTION?
>> THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
>> YES, THAT IS THE CONNECTION.
THOSE $2 MILLION ARE WHAT WERE
DESCRIBED IN THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER THAT WENT OUT ON JUNE
14th AND THOSE PROVIDERS ARE
MEETING THIS MONTH.
>> GOT IT AND REALLY QUICK , ON
THE SECOND TO LAST PAGE, THERE
WAS A -- IT WAS -- IT WAS AN
IDEA . IT WAS AN EXPLORING
IDEA. COULD YOU PUT THAT UP
THERE? MY QUESTION IS IS THAT
$24 MILLION , IS THAT SORT OF A
SUMMARY OF WHAT WE ARE ALREADY
SPENDING NOW, OR YOU MENTIONED
WILL THAT BE A PROPOSAL IN THE
FALL BUDGET?
>> EXISTING INVESTMENT.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. I WILL LET THIS
PANEL GO . CHIEF SMITH, GREAT
WORK. DEPUTY MAYOR, THANK YOU
FOR ALL YOU DO. I APPRECIATE
EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING FOR
THE CITY. DAN EDER, I SEE YOU
SO OFTEN. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
YOU AGAIN. BEN NOBLE, IF YOU
COULD STAY AT THE TABLE. I WILL
ASK CENTRAL STAFF TO COME ON
UP, MOVING INTO THE THIRD ROUND
OF THE BILLS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
COLLEAGUES, I WILL ASK YOU HOLD
ALL QUESTIONS DURING THIS
PRESENTATION UNTIL THE END AND
POSSIBLY FOR A ONE-ON-ONE
MEETING . I DID NOT MAKE THAT
REQUEST AS EXPLICIT IN THE LAST
PANEL BECAUSE OF THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT WITHIN THE
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. OUR
CENTRAL STAFF ANALYSTS ARE .
EVERY WORKDAY OF THE WEEK. I
WILL ASK COLLEAGUES TO HOLD
QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END AND
POSSIBLY FOR ONE-ON-ONE BECAUSE
WE HAVE 13 MINUTES UNTIL MY
EXTENDED REQUEST . WE'VE GOT
ANOTHER CHAIR DOWN HERE. WE
WERE ABLE TO GET ALL NINE
APPOINTEE CANDIDATES AT THAT
TABLE , SOMETHING WE CAN DO IT
WITH CENTRAL STAFF TOO. BEN, I
WILL -- HERE WE HAVE JENNIFER
LABRECQUE, BEN NOBLE, TOM
MIKESELL. I DIDN'T READ MY
SCRIPT THAT TIME, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN. CENTRAL STAFF WILL
BE FOCUSING ON TWO OF THE THREE
BILLS, NOT ON THE AWI. WE WILL
BE FOCUSED ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGET AND THE GRAND ACCEPTANCE
ORDINANCE. I AM GOING TO STOP
TALKING UNTIL THE VERY END. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE CHART
THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER AND THE
COMMENTS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY.
WE CONTINUE TO ASK WHAT ARE THE
ONGOING FUNDING IMPLICATIONS?
WHAT ARE THE GRAND
IMPLICATIONS? THANK YOU FOR
PUTTING TOGETHER THOSE
DOCUMENTS . WITH THAT, I WILL
BE QUIET UNTIL THE END. OVER TO
YOU, DIRECTOR NOBLE.
>> IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I
WILL MOVE THIS TO MY
COLLEAGUES. WITH COUNCIL'S
DELIBERATIONS THAT YOU'VE HEARD
DESCRIBED TODAY, WE WANT TO
TAKE A FEW MOMENTS, ONLY A FEW,
TO RAISE POTENTIAL POLICY
CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOU. WE HAVE
REVIEWED THE OVERALL PROPOSAL
AND HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL
POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT YOU MIGHT
WANT TO CONSIDER THAT WE THINK
AFFECTS THE POLICY LEVEL. IN
PARTICULAR, SUMMARIZED HERE,
ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AT HSD .
ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AT THE
CARE DEPARTMENT AND THE
APPROPRIATIONS YOU WERE
DISCUSSING, THE $10 MILLION FOR
NEW STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH
PROGRAMMING. WE WILL TAKE THOSE
IN WATER AND I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO JEN TO TALK ABOUT THE
POSITIONS AT HSD RELATED TO
HOMELESSNESS .
>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON.
IN THE MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL,
THERE ARE 21 POSITIONS THAT ARE
BEING ADDED TO THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT. 19 OF
THOSE ARE TO SUPPORT THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM AND TWO ARE
TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
CONTRACTING SUPPORT . THESE NEW
POSITION ADS ARE RELATED TO THE
DECISION OF THE EXECUTIVE
EARLIER IN THE YEAR TO TRANSFER
ABOUT $11.4 MILLION OF
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND
OUTREACH FUNDING FROM HSD WITH
CONTRACTS STARTING TO TRANSFER
IN 2024 . ALL $11.4 MILLION IS
GENERAL FUNDING BEING
TRANSFERRED FROM -- I'M SORRY,
TO HSD . THE TOTAL COST OF THE
POSITION ADS IS $3.2 MILLION .
ONGOING FUNDING WILL BE
PROVIDED . I'M SORRY, ONGOING
FUNDING FOR $2.2 MILLION HAS
BEEN IDENTIFIED FROM EXISTING
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES WITHIN
HSD , PARKS , AND THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING. FOR THE 14 -- LET ME
TAKE A STEP BACK AND EXPLAIN
WHAT THE NEW POSITIONS ARE THAT
ARE BEING ADDED. THERE ARE 14
NEW COUNSELOR POSITIONS TO DO
OUTREACH FOR THE UNIFIED CARE
TEAM. THERE ARE FIVE REGIONAL
COORDINATOR POSITIONS TO ALSO
SUPPORT THE UNIFIED CARE TEAM
AND THOSE -- FUNDING FOR THOSE
REGIONAL COORDINATOR POSITIONS
WAS PROVIDED IN THE 2023
ADOPTED BUDGET FOR -- FOUR OUT
OF FIVE HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH
THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
ON THE EXECUTIVE'S PART AND
THIS MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL
REQUEST IS REALLY OFFICIALLY
ASKING FOR A POSITION OF
AUTHORITY FOR THOSE FIVE
POSITIONS FUNDED IN AN EARLIER
BUDGET AND TWO OF THE POSITIONS
ARE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING
SPECIALISTS AND AN EXECUTIVE
ASSISTANT TO SUPPORT THE
ADDITIONAL NEEDS HSD HAS NOW
THAT THEY HAVE TRANSFERRED
FUNDING BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, FOR THE 14 NEW COUNSELOR
POSITIONS , THOSE OF THE
OUTREACH POSITIONS ADDED TO THE
UNIFIED CARE TEAM . $1 MILLION
WILL COME FROM THE TRANSFERRED
FUNDING BUT IT IS NOT YET KNOWN
IF THOSE FUNDS WILL COME FROM
OUTREACH OR PREVENTION DOLLARS
, SO THERE IS NOT YET TOTAL
CLARITY ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACTS
OR TRADE-OFFS WOULD BE IN ORDER
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT $1
MILLION OF FUNDING FOR THE 14
NEW COUNSELOR POSITIONS. I WILL
SAY THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS PUT
THESE POSITION REQUESTS IN THE
MIDYEAR SUPPLEMENTAL RATHER
THAN WAITING UNTIL THE Q3
SUPPLEMENTAL OR THE BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS IN ORDER TO BEGIN
THE HIRING PROCESS SOONER . HSD
HAS INDICATED THEY HAVE THEIR
PAPERWORK COMPLETED AND READY
TO SUBMIT TO THE HR DEPARTMENT
, SO THEY ARE REALLY READY TO
GO AS SOON AS THEY GET BUDGET
APPROVAL . I WILL STOP THERE
FOR QUESTIONS.
>> NO QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END.
THANK YOU. MOVING ON.
>> I WILL TURN IT OVER TO GIVE
YOU SOME ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND.
>> AS DESCRIBED BY EXECUTIVE
STAFF, THE EXECUTIVE IS
REQUESTING 21 NEW POSITIONS TO
EXPAND THE CARE CRISIS RESPONSE
OPERATIONS AND TO HIRE IT
GRADUALLY INTO ALL OF THOSE
POSITIONS SO THEY ARE ALL OLD
AND CARE QUEST RESPONSE IS
AVAILABLE CITYWIDE AND
AVAILABLE BY 2025. THAT IS FOR
THE SUPPLEMENTAL RATHER THAN
THE PROPOSED BUDGET SO THEY ARE
AVAILABLE AND FILLED CORRECTLY
OVER THAT TIME. THE EXECUTIVE
HAS IDENTIFIED SUFFICIENT
FUNDING FOR THE 2024 COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXPANSION .
THE ONGOING ANNUAL COST OF THE
EXPANSION WE HAVE CALCULATED AT
$4.3 MILLION , HIGHER THAN THE
$3 MILLION FIGURE DIRECTOR EDER
SHARED AND WE WILL WORK ON
RECONCILING THOSE FIGURES . THE
EXECUTIVE HAS NOT IDENTIFIED AN
ONGOING FUNDING SOURCE TO
OFFSET THE ONGOING FUNDING
COSTS FOR THE EXPANSION AND
THESE NEW COSTS WILL INCREASE
THE CITY'S PROJECTED BUDGET
DEFICIT BEGINNING IN 2025. AS A
REFRESHER, THE CARE CRISIS
RESPONSE PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER
A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
WITH THE SEATTLE POLICE
OFFICERS GUILD WHICH REPRESENTS
POLICE OFFICERS AND SERGEANTS
AND DISPATCH OF CARE ON THE
BASIS OF A 911 CALL THAT OCCURS
IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES. IN A
JUNE 26th PRESS CONFERENCE
ANNOUNCING THE PLANNED
EXPANSION , MAYOR HARRELL
EXPLAINED THAT 12% OF THE TIME
, CARE IS DULY DISPATCHED WITH
AN SPD RESPONSE UNIT AND 88% OF
THE TIME THEY ARE CALLED TO THE
SCENE BY AN SPD RESPONSE UNIT
THAT IS ALREADY THERE. THIS 500
CALL FIGURE IS FROM THE JUNE
26th PRESS CONFERENCE AS CHIEF
SMITH EXPLAINS THAT FIGURE IS
HIGHER. I THINK SHE MENTIONED
IT IS ABOUT 600 BY NOW.
SEEMINGLY SUCCESSFUL THE CRISIS
RESPONSE PROGRAMS AND OTHER
CITIES USE FULL DISPATCH AND
RESPOND TO MORE CALL TYPES. THE
CARE 911 DISPATCH CAN ONLY
OCCUR IN RESPONSE TO TWO CALL
TYPES AND EVEN THEN, ONLY IN
LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES. PROGRAMS
IN CITIES LIKE DURHAM AND
ALBUQUERQUE RESPONDED TO
HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF
CALLS PER MONTH, AS CHIEF SMITH
'S SLIDES SHOWED. WHEN THE
COUNCIL AGREED TO A DUAL
DISPATCH PILOT, THEY AGREED IT
MADE SENSE EVENTUALLY TO HAVE
AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF
THE PILOT CONSISTENT WITH FOUR
GOALS LAID OUT IN AN AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
COUNCIL. THAT EVALUATION HAS
NOT BEEN COMPLETED . THE CARE
DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT
A $500,000 BUDGET INCREMENT
THAT IS INTENDED TO FUND THE
EVALUATION AND THE EXECUTIVE IS
PROPOSING TO REDIRECT THAT
INCREMENT TO PAY FOR THE COSTS
OF THE PROGRAM EXPANSION.
HOWEVER GIVEN THAT CARE IS A
NEW PROGRAM AND DISPATCH
PROTOCOLS MAY NOT OFFER
MEANINGFUL INSIGHTS AT THIS
TIME. THERE ARE A LIMITED
NUMBER OF DATA POINTS WITH
THOSE APPROXIMATELY 600 CALLS.
HOWEVER, CENTRAL STAFF COULD
DEVELOP OPTIONS FOR A LATER
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION AT A
TIME THAT MAKES SENSE AND/OR TO
SLOW THE PACE OF HIRING. AS
DESCRIBED IN THE MAHER'S
EXPANSION PLANS SO THAT THE
CITY DOES NOT MAKE A FULL
FUNDING COMMITMENT UNTIL
COUNCIL HAS MORE AWARENESS OF
THE OVERALL BUDGET IMPLICATIONS
OF THE ADDITIONAL OPERATING
COSTS. OF COURSE, THAT WOULD
DELAY PROGRAM EXPANSION
CITYWIDE CONSISTENT WITH THE
MAHER'S PLAN .
>> THANK YOU. AND WE WILL MOVE
ON TO TALK ABOUT -- IF I CAN
GET DOWN THERE. I AM GOING THE
WRONG WAY HERE. LET ME
JUMPSTART MENTAL HEALTH AND
VIOLENCE PREVENTION. THANK YOU,
BRIAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. THIS WAS
DESCRIBED BY THE EXECUTIVE BUT
I WILL TOUCH ON A FEW POINTS.
COUNCIL RAISED VIA JUMPSTART
PAYROLL TAX TO RAISE AN
ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION WITH THE
ADDITION OF FUNDING MENTAL
HEALTH. COUNCIL INCREASED
APPROPRIATIONS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UNDER
LEARNING THEIR BUDGET BUT THEY
ARE NOT ABLE TO SPEND IT DUE TO
THE RESTRICTIONS SO THE
SUPPLEMENTAL IN CRUDES A
PROVISO THAT WOULD ALLOW BACK
SPENDING AND 2024. JUST A QUICK
NOTE , IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO
SPEND MONEY IN 2025 OR BEYOND,
WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A SIMILAR
PROVISO FOR FUTURE YEARS OR
WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE TO MAKE THAT AN
ELIGIBLE EXPENSE SO IT JUST
APPLIES TO THE 2024 BUDGET
YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS
SLIDE BREAKS DOWN THE $2
MILLION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION
, $5.6 MILLION FOR IN PERSON
MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS. ON THE
NEXT SLIDE , JUST A FEW
OBSERVATIONS. AS COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE NOTED, MENTAL HEALTH IS
NOT TYPICALLY A CITY FUNDED
ACTIVITY. IT IS A STATE-FUNDED
ONE. COUNCIL DECIDED TO FUND IT
LAST YEAR, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS
BEFORE YOU AND FINAL NOTE ,
GIVEN THE $20 MILLION IS WHAT
WAS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IF
THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE
PROVISO AS IT IS CURRENTLY
WRITTEN FOR $10 MILLION, IT
WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE
EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNCIL TO
DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS IN 2025 AND
BEYOND. THAT CONCLUDES IT.
>> THOSE SLIDES HAVE SUMMARIZED
THE OBSERVATIONS ON SIGNIFICANT
POLICIES AND SUPPLEMENTAL. A
COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THE GRANT
ACCEPTANCE, WE HAVEN'T
IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT ISSUES .
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. THIS IS THE
SECOND COMPREHENSIVE GRANT
ORDINANCE SUBMITTED BY THE
EXECUTIVE THIS YEAR AND IT'S
AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT FOR
$73 MILLION AND $53 MILLION
FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES. IF
YOU'RE WONDERING THE
DIFFERENCE, IT IS MOSTLY
BECAUSE AS.IS ACCEPTING GRANTS
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDING IN
THE OUT YEARS BECAUSE THAT IS
WHEN THEY WILL NEED THAT
FUNDING. OVER HALF OF THE TOTAL
ACCEPTANCE AMOUNT IS RELATED TO
TWO GRANTS, ONE IN SDOT AND ONE
FROM CITY LIGHTS. THE $18.7
MILLION WOULD COVER THE PAVING,
INSTALLATION, AND CROSSING FOR
EAST MARGINALS SOUTH SEATTLE.
>>> AND IN THE MEMO, THAT IS
HIGHLIGHTED AS WELL IN THAT
LAST CALL ON -- I BELIEVE
STARTS PAGE 2 OF THE MEMO.
>> AND THAT WRAPS UP OUR
COMMENTS ABOUT THE LEGISLATION
THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
HIGHLIGHTING NEXT STEPS IF YOU
WILL. PLANNING THE NEXT
MEETING. AUGUST 7th. THAT WILL
BE A BUDGET MEETING. INTERNAL
LET STAFF KNOW WHAT YOUR GOALS
ARE. AND WE CAN WORK WITH YOU
ON THE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE
TAX. A COMMITTEE IN THE 7th,
WOULD LEAD TO FINAL COUNCIL ON
THE 13th. AND MAYOR WILL SUBMIT
TO PROPOSED BUDGET FOR '25-'26.
AND LAST SUPPLEMENTAL FOR END
OF SEPTEMBER 2024. AND THAT
CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR NOBLE.
BRIAN, TOM, EDEN AND JEN. I'M
NOT GOING TO TAKE COMMENTS FROM
THE COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE WE ARE
AT 12:31 P.M. AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING WITH US FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
9:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. AND
SOMETIMES MORE OFTEN. ALTHOUGH
YOU SHOULDN'T BE. I WILL DO
THIS THING THAT DIRECTOR NOBLE
STATED. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING
AMENDMENTS, THE DEADLINE IS
THURSDAY JULY 25th. YOU CAN
SAY, I HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT X, Y,
Z. IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING
TO DO SOMETHING, IT MIGHT BE
WORTH PUTTING IT ON THE RECORD
SO YOU CAN PUT IT BACK LATER. I
WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ADVANCED
WARNINGS. SO IF YOU ARE
SUBMITTING AMENDMENTS, I WOULD
LOVE TO KNOW. AND THE AMENDMENT
DEADLINE IS REAL. I'VE
PROVIDED A MONTH NOTICE. I
PROVIDED IT THE DAY THAT THE
BILL WAS TRANSMITTED. NEXT
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING
WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY
AUGUST 7th. NEXT IS THE
WEDNESDAY ECONOMIC FORECAST
RECAP. AND THEN WE WILL BE
HAVING THE MIDYEAR BUDGET
ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE. DIRECTOR
NOBLE WILL RETURN TO THE
PRESENTATION TABLE TO GIVE US A
BUDGET PRESENTATION PROCESS
PREVIEW ON WHAT WE CAN EXPECT
FOR THE FALL. WITH THAT, THE
NEXT FINANCE NATIVE COMMUNITIES
AND TRAVEL GOVERNMENTS
COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4th.
AND THIS DOES CONCLUDE THE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17th, FINANCE
AND TRIBAL MEETING. THANK YOU.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.