>>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. HEY,
COLLEAGUES. THIS IS EXCITING.
THIS IS THE FIRST COMMITTEE OF
THE GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY,
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE AND IT IS FEBRUARY
8th, 2024. THE FIRST MEETING
WILL START AT 2:01. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE. [
ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE
ARE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION TODAY,
WHICH IS THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE
ECONOMY 2024 FROM THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
ALSO A SEATTLE ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS COMMISSION FROM
DIRECTOR WAYNE BARNETT. I WILL
NOW OPEN IT TO PUBLIC COMMENT
AND AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, I
WILL PROVIDE SOME INTRODUCTORY
REMARKS ABOUT WHAT I HOPE TO
GET DONE THIS YEAR OR THE MAIN
COMPONENTS OF THIS COMMITTEE
AND WE WILL PROCEED TO
PRESENTATION. WITH THAT, WE
HAVE THREE PEOPLE SIGNED UP IN
PERSON. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
SIGNED UP REMOTELY, PLEASE.
>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENTARY .
>> OKAY. GOT IT. THAT'S FOUR
ALTOGETHER. I WANT TO KNOW IF
YOU ARE WATCHING ALONG, THE
PRESENTATION THAT OED HAS
PROVIDED HAS BEEN UPDATED AND
YOU WILL HAVE THE UPDATED
PHYSICAL COPIES HERE AND
FINALLY, I WANT TO INTRODUCE
THE PUBLIC AND MY COLLEAGUES TO
THE COMMITTEE CLERK, WHO
STARTED OUT AS MY COMMITTEE
CLERK FROM THE GET GO A LONG
TIME AGO. A VERY EXPERIENCED
AND WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS.
PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL CALL ON
SPEAKERS IN THE ORDER THAT THEY
ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK STARTING
WITH IN PERSON COMMENTERS AND
AS I SAID, YOU WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE
CHIME, YOU WILL HAVE 10 SECONDS
REMAINING IN YOUR TIME AND IF
YOU EXCEED THAT TIME, YOUR
MICROPHONE WILL BE CUT OFF SO
THAT WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER AND IF YOU ARE OFFERING
REMOTE COMMENT, PLEASE MAKE
SURE TO PRESS STAR 6 TWO
UNMUTE YOURSELF. THE FIRST
PERSON THAT SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT IS ALEX
ZIMMERMAN. PLEASE COME TO THE
MIKE.
>> I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT AGENDA
NUMBER 2, SEATTLE ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS COMMISSION .
>> PLEASE PAUSE . THAT COUNTS
AS ABUSIVE LANGUAGE AND
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. THIS IS
GOING TO BE YOUR FIRST WARNING
IN THIS COMMITTEE TO NOT DO
THAT ANYMORE. PLEASE DO NOT
ADDRESS US THAT WAY AND TRY TO
KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THE ITEM
ON THE AGENDA.
>> GUYS, FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND
FOR THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS,
MAKE A DOZEN COMPLAINTS. IT'S
VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE TWO
YEARS AGO, THEY STOPPED
ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT. WHY
DID THEY STOP DOING THIS ?
BECAUSE I COME EVERY MEETING
AND THAT YOU HAVE MY OPINION
ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED. THIS
IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. THE
GOVERNMENT AND YOU KNOW WHAT
THIS MEANS. EVERYBODY IN EVERY
COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT. THEY DO
NOT CARE ABOUT THE RULES. THEY
DON'T PLAY BY LAW. THEY DO NOT
PLAY THE RULES. THEY PLAYED BY
PERSONAL OPINION AND THEY
BELONG TO THE SAME
ORGANIZATION. WHAT IS THAT
CALLED? FASCISM. THIS IS A BIG
PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE AND
NOTHING HAS CHANGED. CAN YOU
APPOINTMENT WITH SOMEBODY? NO,
YOU CANNOT. YOU KNOW WHAT THIS
MEANS. FOR 15 YEARS, GUYS. YOU
HAVE ONE-PARTY SYSTEM. THIS IS
PURE FASCISM. YOU ARE SO
STRANGE. YOU ARE ACTING SO
STUPID. NO, YOU'RE NOT STUPID.
YOU ARE SMART. STAND UP
AMERICA. VOTE FOR THEM AGAIN.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE
FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY WOLF.
>> HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS NEW AND OLD.
>> SPEAKING TO THE BANK.
>> NO, I TALK LOUD.
>> I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT THE PAY ORDINANCE.
OBVIOUSLY I'M VERY AWARE OF
THE ATTENTION AND CHAOS AROUND
IT. DESPITE WHAT'S BEING
REPORTED, WORKERS OVERALL HAVE
BENEFITED TO THIS NEW CASE
STANDARD . THE WAGES INCREASING
HAVE HELPED THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS IN SEATTLE, WHICH IS
POSITIVE FOR OUR CITY AND
ECONOMY AND IT MEANS MORE
PEOPLE CAN AVOID HOMELESSNESS,
WHICH LET'S FACE IT, IT'S A
PROBLEM AROUND HERE. AM I ABLE
TO RECOGNIZE THE BACKLASH FROM
IT? OF COURSE. HOWEVER, ANY AND
ALL BACKLASH HAS BEEN THE
RESULT OF THE COMPANY. THE
RESISTANCE TO PLAYING MORE
ADEQUATELY, BEING ACCOUNTABLE
AND BEING HONEST. IT SADDENS
AND FRUSTRATES ME THAT THE
CUSTOMERS THE ULTIMATE SUFFERER
HERE. ANYONE IN THIS ROOM IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. WE ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING WHAT'S
BEST FOR OUR CITY. WHAT'S BEST
IS TO KEEP THIS ON PLACE AS IT
IS WITH THE GOAL OF RETURNING
TO THE TABLE TOGETHER TO
ESTABLISH A MORE EQUITABLE
SOLUTION. PREVIOUSLY WE WERE ON
ONE-SIDED THE PENDULUM AND NOW
WE ARE SUDDENLY ON THE OTHER
SIDE AND WE NEED TO BE MORE
CENTERED. WE HAVE EXPERIENCE
CHANGED THAT WAS SWIFT AND
DRASTIC AND OFTEN WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT WE WILL WORKING TO
CHANGE OCCURS AND THAT'S WHERE
WE ARE NOW. I BELIEVE THERE IS
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT . GET
COMPANIES HAVE OPERATED THROUGH
LOOPHOLES AT THE WORKER'S
EXPENSE. THIS LAW HAS HELPED
SHIFT THAT. THE GIG ECONOMY HAS
GROWN IMMENSELY AND WILL
CONTINUE TO DO SO AND THEY HAVE
OPERATED WITH LITTLE TO NO
OVERSIGHT. THIS ORDINANCE GOT
THE BALL ROLLING ON SHIFTING
THAT AND WHAT THEY DID WAS
GROUNDBREAKING. TURN THE TV,
OPEN THE NEWSPAPER. ALL CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS STARTING
TO ADDRESS THIS VERY ISSUE. HOW
TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF
THEIR COMMUNITIES AND WORKERS.
>> ONE MOMENT PLEASE BEFORE YOU
BEGIN SPEAKING. SO I FAILED TO
READ WHAT I NORMALLY READ AT
THE BEGINNING OF MY COMMITTEE
BECAUSE I DIDN'T TRANSFER THIS
FOR MY LAST YEAR'S SCRIPTS BUT
OUR COUNSEL RULES FOR FULL
COUNCIL MEETINGS ON TUESDAYS
REQUIRING US TO ALLOW COMMENT
ON THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND
MATTERS THAT FALL UNDER THE
PURVIEW OF COUNSEL'S WORK PLAN
AS DESCRIBED IN THE RESOLUTIONS
THAT WE ADOPTED EARLIER THIS
YEAR. FOR COMMITTEES, IT'S
DIFFERENT AND EACH COMMITTEE
CHAIR CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
THEY WANT TO RESTRICT THEIR
PUBLIC COMMENT TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA WERE OPEN IT UP TO ALL
MATTERS ON THE PURVIEW OF THE
COMMITTEE. I CHOSE THE FORMER
FOR REASONS THAT I CAN EXPLAIN
LATER BUT UNDER COUNSEL RULE 11
C 3, HE REACHED FOR COMMITTEES
THAT CHOOSE THIS , PUBLIC
COMMENT MUST BE DIRECTED AT
MATTERS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THE COMMITTEE OR ITEMS LISTED
ON THE AGENDA AND WE HAVE A
CHOICE ON WHICH OF THOSE WE
WOULD LIKE TO ENFORCE AND THE
ISSUE IS, I NEED TO ENFORCE
THAT AND APPLY THAT
CONSISTENTLY FROM MEETING TO
MEETING. BECAUSE I DID NOT READ
THAT EARLIER AND MAKE THAT
CLEAR IN THE BEGINNING, I AM
LETTING FOLKS KNOW THAT THAT IS
WHAT I EXPECT FROM PUBLIC
COMMENTERS AND WHY DO I DO
THAT? HE KEEPS THE TIME DOWN SO
THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE
GET THROUGH ALL THE ITEMS ON
OUR AGENDA. JUST FOR THE
FUTURE, IF YOU ARE WATCHING OUT
THERE AND THINKING ABOUT MAKING
PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE FUTURE, I
WILL MAKE SURE THAT COMMENT IS
RESTRICTED TO THE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA. GO AHEAD. LET'S SEE.
KIMBERLY WOLF, PLEASE APPROACH
THE MICROPHONE AND GO AHEAD AND
GIVE COMMENT.
>> IT AFTERNOON. I'M TALKING
ABOUT GIG WORKERS LAW THAT WE
PASSED AND I KNOW THAT SOME
PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR REPEAL
AND SAYING THAT IT'S HURTING
GIG WORKERS. IT'S NOT. THIS IS
JUST THE LAST COMPANIES TRY TO
MAKE IT BETTER FOR EVERYONE AND
MAKING IT HURT, PITCH FOR THE
GIG WORKERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T
WANT THIS FALL PROPAGATED TO
OTHER PLACES AND I THINK IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU STAND
FIRM. WE NEED AT LEAST A YEAR
TO SEE HOW THIS IS WORKING. I
MEAN, REALLY WORKING. THIS IS A
WAY TO TALK ABOUT BACKING OFF
ANYWAY AND THE LONGER WE GET
IT, THE MORE THEY LOSE BY
PLAYING THESE GAMES AND THE
SOONER THEY WILL FALL IN LINE
AND DO IT RIGHT LIKE WE
EXPECTED AND WE INTENDED WITH
THAT LAW. PLEASE DON'T LISTEN
TO THE NAYSAYERS ON THIS ONE.
IT'S WAY TOO SOON. THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL THAT
SIGNED UP TO GIVE COMMENT IN
PERSON. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
THE REMOTE SPEAKERS. WE HAVE
HAROLD AND DAVID HAYNES.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO BE
UNNEEDED. OKAY. I'M NOT
HEARING AND DAVID HAYNES IS
MARKED AS NOT PRESENT. I WILL
GIVE IT ABOUT 30 SECONDS MORE
AND IF NOBODY IS ABLE TO SHOW
UP, THEN WE WILL MOVE ON.
>> HELLO?
>> HELLO.
>> HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU FOR
BEING PATIENT. HIGH
COUNCILMEMBERS AND WELCOME TO
THOSE NEW TO YOUR POSITIONS. WE
ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU. I AM A
GOOD WORKER ON THE INSTACART
APP AND I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY
PRIDE FOR BEING PART OF THE
CAMPAIGN THAT CREATED FAIR PAY
2000 OF GIG WORKERS IN OUR
CITY. EVERY DAY WE PROVIDE A
SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE AND I CAN SAY
PERSONALLY SINCE THE PAYOFF
POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED A MONTH
AGO, I'M ALREADY SEEING IT IN
MY LIFE AND THE BIGGEST BEING,
THAT I PAID MY RENT ON TIME
THIS MONTH AND THAT SOMETHING
THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR
SOME TIME. THAT'S BEEN A
CHALLENGE FOR SOME TIME AND
MAYBE YOU HAVE HAD THIS
EXPERIENCE YOURSELF OR YOU KNOW
SOMEONE PERSONALLY WHO HAS.
IT'S INCREDIBLE STRESSFUL AND
UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT UNIQUE,
BUT OUT AND I CAN TELL YOU
THAT THIS POLICY IS MAKING OUR
CITY BETTER BECAUSE TO BEGIN
WITH, IT IS HELPING TO KEEP
FOOD IN THE HOME. TRULY IS AND
I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU ARE
INHERITING THIS POLICY, YET I
DO KNOW AND I FEEL CONFIDENT
THAT THE POLICY DOES OUTLINE
WITH YOUR GOALS TO THE CITY AND
YOU CAN BE PROUD OF THIS POLICY
AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME AND ENERGY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY OF
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT,
SO I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
>> DAVID HAYES IS ON THE LINE
ERIC
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON
CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
GO AHEAD DAVID HAYNES.
>> HI. THANK YOU. DAVID HAYNES.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE
REALLY NEED A 21st CENTURY
FIRST WORLD QUALITY
REDEVELOPMENT OF HOMES,
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS
AND LIBRARIES FOR OUR ROBUST
FLOORPLAN THAT GIVES US AN
INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION AND A
BETTER -- IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO BE A SMALL BUSINESS WHEN ALL
OF YOUR STUFF IS BEING STOLEN
AND YOU HAVE TO PAY A DOUBLE,
TRIPLE, THREE MORTGAGE RENTAL
LEASE THAT I DARESAY, THE BANKS
COULD CONSIDER RETIRING SOME OF
THE DEBT THAT IS ON SOME OF
THIS RUN DOWN REAL ESTATE THAT
HAD TO BE CLOSED DOWN DURING
THE PANDEMIC THAT IS NOW
BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE IN THE
ROAD. WE NEED A MORE
QUALITATIVE THE BUILDOUT THAT
DOESN'T ACCOMMODATE THE ROAD,
BUS OR TRAIN DRIVING RIGHT UP
TO THE FRONT DOOR MAKING A
BUNCH OF NOISE, BOTHERING
WORKERS, STUDENTS AND CUSTOMERS
AND RESIDENTS, SO I'M HOPING
THAT EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT HAS
A PROPER INTERPRETATION OF
EQUITY WHERE COUNSEL WOULD
CONSIDER WRITING A LAW THAT
ENCOURAGES AND INCENTIVIZES THE
BANKS AND DEVELOPERS TO
ROBUSTLY FINANCE AND PRIORITIZE
NEW HOMES AND BUILDINGS THAT,
PERHAPS, YOU ALL COULD SHUT
DOWN THE ROAD AND LET THEM
BUILD ACROSS THE ROAD TO STOP
THE DRIVE THROUGH SO WE DON'T
HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT SO
MANY EXTREMELY HOT ROAD RAGE
AREAS WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO
LIVE A QUALITATIVE LIFE, BUT
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT HAS TO
COME FROM NEW REAL ESTATE, NOT
JUST GIVING PEOPLE MONEY TO BUY
RUN DOWN THE STATE TO PROP UP A
BANK IS ALREADY MADE THEIR
MONEY OFF OF IT THAT ARE
OPPRESSING THE SMALL BUSINESSES
WHO ARE FORCED TO PAY THE TAX
BASE AND TURN AGAINST THE
WORKERS TO MAKE ENDS MEET FOR A
BUNCH OF MIDDLEMEN IN THE
FINANCIAL SYSTEM THAT HAS TO
HAVE OUR TRUE DEMOCRACIES
DISCIPLINE THE GRADE SO IT
BENEFITS THE COMMONWEALTH. IT
IS A SHAKEDOWN THE SMALL
BUSINESS BEING FORCED TO PAY
THREE AND FOUR TIMES THE
ORIGINAL COST ON SOME RUN DOWN
DILAPIDATED INFLATED REAL
ESTATE. GOOD LUCK.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST A
PUBLIC REMINDER, GOING FORWARD,
I WILL EXERCISE MY DISCUSSION
AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE TO
CONFINE PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE
ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA PER
COUNSEL RULE 11 C THREE. MOVING
ON. LET'S APPROVE THE AGENDA
AND GET DOWN TO THE ITEMS OF
BUSINESS. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. SEEING NONE, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED. ALL RIGHT.
SO SPEAKING OF DISCRETION , THE
COMMITTEES CHANGE NAME AND
GROUPINGS WITH EVERY MAJOR
CHANGE OF COUNCILMEMBERS IN
TERMS. SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT A
NEW COUNCILMEMBERS AS THERE WAS
THIS PAST YEAR AND MOST OF THE
COMMITTEE CHANGE AND SOMETIMES
WHEN THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE, VERY
FEW OF THEM DO. THIS COMMITTEE
IS CALLED AT THE GOVERNANCE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE
ITEMS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE
GOVERNMENT ARE TRADITIONALLY
ASSIGNED IT TO THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I WILL READ THE
OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS THAT
REPORT TO THE GOVERNANCE
COMMITTEE AND THEY ARE THE
OFFICE OF CITY AUDITORS, CIVIL
SERVICE COMMISSION, HEARING
EXAMINER. I'M ALSO RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE LEGISLATION DEPARTMENT,
MAYOR'S OFFICE, OFFICE OF
EMPLOYEE ON BUT, OFFICE OF
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, SADDLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES,
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS. I AM NOT
SAYING THAT WE WILL BE HAVING
BRIEFINGS FROM ALL OF, BUT THAT
IS WHAT THE GOVERNANCE
COMMITTEE TRADITIONALLY
OVERSEAS. NOW FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY, THIS IS A NEW
COMPONENT TO THIS COMMITTEE AND
I ADDED IT BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND WHAT
I WAS SAYING BEFORE I GOT
ELECTED IS THE COUNCILMEMBERS
ARE COMMITTED TO BEING
ACCOUNTABLE TO HOW WE SPEND
RESOURCES AND HOW ALSO WE
CONDUCT OURSELVES AS PUBLIC
OFFICIALS. I THOUGHT THAT IT
WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEPLACE
IN THE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE TO
EXAMINE THE PERFORMANCE OF
EXISTING PROGRAMS OR POLICY,
BRING EMERGING ISSUES TO THE
ATTENTION OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER
THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE
AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS . IT'S A
PLACE TO CONSIDER NEW POLICIES,
PROCEDURES OR LEGISLATION THAT
WILL ENHANCE THE TRANSPARENCY
AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF CITY
GOVERNMENT AND POLICYMAKING AS
A WHOLE. STAY TUNED FOR ITEMS
THAT FALL INTO THAT ONE AND
THEN, OF COURSE, THERE IS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> I CONSIDER IT A PARTNERSHIP
FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND THAT
WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
SOME OF THE CONTINUATION OF THE
WORK THAT WAS STARTED LAST
YEAR. BEFORE TALKING ABOUT JUST
GIVING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME
OF THE THINGS WE WILL BE DOING
THIS YEAR, I WANTED TO RECAP
WHAT I CONSIDER HIGHLIGHTS AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS
COMMITTEE IN THE PAST COUPLE
YEARS. MY SECOND COMMITTEE
MEETING -- I CAME INTO OFFICE
WITH ALL OF THESE IDEAS ABOUT
HOW I WAS GOING TO HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES, WAYS TO PREVENT THE
DISPLACEMENT OF BUSINESSES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS UNDERGOING
GENTRIFICATION. HOW TO HELP
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZE. ALL OF
THESE IDEAS AND WHEN I STARTED
PROBABLY DOING WHAT YOU ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW, TALKING TO
STAKEHOLDERS, BUT I KEPT
HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS
SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF,
THOSE ARE GREAT IDEAS AND MY
PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS CRIME.
I'VE BEEN BROKEN INTO FIVE
TIMES FOR MY EMPLOYEES DON'T
FEEL SAFE OR WE'VE HAD ANOTHER
ROBBERY. OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
MY SECOND COMMITTEE MEETING
AFTER A NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR OF
THE U DISTRICT AND ALSO,
COLUMBIA CITY. I RECOGNIZED
THAT THERE IS NO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND VERY DIFFICULT
ECONOMIC RECOVERY WITHOUT A
VERY STRONG FOUNDATION OF
PUBLIC SAFETY. IN FACT, PUBLIC
SAFETY IS OUR CORE
RESPONSIBILITY AND IF
BUSINESSES ARE NOT ABLE TO
FUNCTION BECAUSE OF THEIR
EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS OR
THEMSELVES FEELING SAFE OR IF
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY LOSING
MERCHANDISE, ET CETERA, THEN WE
CAN'T GO FORWARD. THE POINT
IS, THAT I GATHERED SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS AND
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
CITIES'S IMPROVEMENT AREAS TO
THE TABLE AND WE TALKED ABOUT
AND TO GIVE THEM A SENSE FOR
THEM TO ADDRESS WHAT WAS GOING
ON OUT THERE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND, ALSO, PRESENT
SOME PRAGMATIC STEPS THAT WE
CAN TAKE THAT WOULD BE MUCH
EASIER -- THEY COULD EASILY BE
DONE WHILE WE ARE WAITING TO TO
STAFF UP OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE POINT IS THAT , THAT WAS A
VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION IN
A COUPLE CONVERSATIONS THAT
GREW OUT OF THAT THAT I'M VERY
PROUD OF THE STILL EXIST TODAY
IS THE STOREFRONT REPAIR FUND,
WHICH HAS A VITAMIN A STANDARD
FOR DAMAGE TO THEIR EXTERIORS
AND THEN, ALSO, CASE
CONFERENCING AND THAT IS A
COOPERATION STARTED IN BALLARD.
I BELIEVE WE ARE EXPANDING INTO
OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY BUT IT
BRINGS TOGETHER THE BI LETTER A
DIRECTOR AND BUSINESS OWNERS,
MEMBERS OF SOME OF OUR
DIVERSION PARTNERS AND MEMBERS
OF THE LEAD TEAM, POLICE AND I
BELIEVE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE TO REALLY DIG INTO SOME
OF THE ONGOING, PROBLEMATIC
INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY COULD
USE SOME FOCUS AND USUALLY
THAT HAS WORKED OUT WELL. THAT
IS ONGOING IN BALLARD AND
CONTINUING AND I THINK THAT IS
A POSITION IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO HEAD UP THAT EFFORT.
THE POINT IS, IT'S ALWAYS
IMPORTANT TO BRING SMALL
BUSINESS TO THE TABLE. IT'S
ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO BRING
STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE TO
HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM ABOUT
WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TO USE
THAT AS WE DEVELOP OUR POLICY
PRIORITIES. THAT WAS ONE THING
THAT KICKED OFF MY WHOLE WORK
AS THE CHAIR OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND I'VE CONTINUED
WITH THE FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DID
IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE,
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT THE TWO GO HAND-IN-HAND.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC
SAFETY ALWAYS. ALL RIGHT.
ANOTHER ITEM THAT I WANT TO
NOTE WAS THE CREATION OF THE
SEATTLE FILM COMMISSION. WHY A
FILM COMMISSION? BECAUSE FILM
IS A SECTION OF OUR CREATIVE
ECONOMY THAT DRIVES ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND IT EMPLOYS MORE
PEOPLE IN A GREATER DIVERSITY
OF DISCIPLINES THAN ANY OTHER
ARTISTIC OR PART OF OUR
CREATIVE ECONOMY WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT ALL THE TALENT THAT GOES
INTO MAKING A FILM OR A VIDEO
AND ALSO BECAUSE THE FILM
COMMUNITY WANTED TO PUT --
WELL, THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR
IT FOR A LONG TIME, AND ACTUAL
COMMISSION HAS SEATTLE IS A
GREAT FILM HIM AND ALWAYS HAS
BEEN A GREAT FILM TOWN AND IT
HAD BEEN RECENTLY BEEN A CLIPS
BY OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE
MONETARY INCENTIVES THAT THEY
CAN OFFER TO ATTRACT
PRODUCTION. WELL, THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A FILM
COMMISSION IS A WAY TO TELL
POLICYMAKERS HOW WE CAN HELP
FACILITATE MOVIEMAKING HERE IN
THE CITY FOR NOT JUST FROM BIG
PRODUCTION COMPANIES, BUT FROM
OUR OWN FILM COMMUNITY TALENT
THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THOSE
INCENTIVES, BUT WE CAN BETTER
SUPPORT THAT WORK THROUGH OTHER
MEANS AND WHAT OF THE THINGS
THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR.
THE -- WE ESTABLISHED A FILM
COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022
AND WE IMPANELED IT IN THE
FIRST QUARTER OF 2023 AND THEY
HAVE BEEN MEETING ALL YEAR AND
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
YEAR HEARING WHAT SOME OF THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR HOW THE
CITY OF SEATTLE CAN HELP THE
COMMUNITY DRIVE. ALL RIGHT.
FINALLY, I HAD A SIMILAR
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH A
SMALL HOUSING PROVIDERS BECAUSE
I WANTED TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
THEM HOW SOME OF THE
REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN
POSTING QUICK SUCCESSION OVER
THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAD
IMPACTED THEM AND SEATTLE'S
OVERALL HOUSING SUPPLY BECAUSE
THOSE ARE THE UNITS THAT ARE
SUPPLIED BY SMALLER HOUSING
PROVIDERS WERE GENERALLY UNDER
MARKET RATE RENT AND QUITE
DIVERSE. AS FOR MANY OF THE
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES FOR LOWER
INCOME FAMILIES AND ALSO
STUDENTS CAN BE FOUND. I MEAN
-- THERE WAS A LONG DISCUSSION.
THAT WAS IN MARCH AND I'M
HOPING TO USE SOME OF THE
WISDOM THAT WAS GENERATED THERE
IN THAT DISCUSSION GOING
FORWARD AND WE RENEWED, LET'S
SEE. I THINK THAT WE HAVE
FIVE'S IMPROVEMENT RENTALS. WE
WOULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT WHAT A BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREA IS, BUT THAT
WAS THE SEATTLE TOURISM
IMPROVEMENT AREA, THE
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT AREA,
THE -- WE REDID THE SEATTLE
IMPROVEMENT AREA AND THEN
FINALLY WE RENEWED THE BALLARD
ALLIANCE. THE BALLARD
IMPROVEMENT AREA. SO THAT IS --
THAT WAS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AGAIN, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. PROPERTY
OWNERS TAX THEMSELVES TO
PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO
THE BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH
ENDS UP MAKING THE CITY GREATER
FOR EVERYBODY AND THEN ONE OF
THE LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR
WAS TO PASS RESOLUTION 32099
ADOPTING AND ENDORSING THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
FUTURE OF SEATTLE ECONOMY
INVESTMENT AGENDA AND THAT FED
INTO SOME OF THE BUDGET
ALLOCATIONS THAT WERE MADE AND
WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT LATER ON TODAY AND THAT
WAS SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE
DID AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE
OFFICE AND OTHER ISSUES --
OTHER ITEMS AND TOPICS OF
DISCUSSION NOT NECESSARILY
LEGISLATION THAT I ANTICIPATE
COMING ON DECK AND INCLUDE
INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT
BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. I WOULD
LIKE AN UPDATE ON THE MAYOR'S
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS IDIP.
LOOKING AT ENGAGING THE ART,
CULTURAL AND HERITAGE
INSTITUTIONS IS VERY POWERFUL
DRIVERS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
TOURISM AS WELL. LIFTING UP THE
GROWING CLUSTER OF NUCLEAR
FISSION AND FUSION STARTUPS IN
SEATTLE OF WHICH THERE ARE TWO
OF THE FORMER AND FOUR OF THE
LATTER AND, BY THE WAY, DID
YOU KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY'S PACIFIC NORTHWEST
NATIONAL LABORATORY IS LOCATED
IN SOUTH LAKE UNION? I ONLY
FOUND THAT OUT RECENTLY AND WE
WERE ABLE TO HAVE -- THEY
INCLUDE AN ITEM IN OUR
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THIS IS
SEATTLE SUPPORT CITING ADVANCED
NUCLEAR REACTION TECHNOLOGY TO
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE
WASHINGTON STATE ENERGY
STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE REDUCING
THE STATES DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL
FUEL ENERGY SOURCES. WHY AM I
FOCUSED ON NUCLEAR? BECAUSE WE
DO HAVE TO EXPAND OUR OPTIONS
FOR ENERGY SOURCES GIVEN OUR
REALLY CHAOTIC WEATHER CAUSED
BY CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER
SHORTAGES AND ALSO THE FACT
THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADHERE TO
THE MANDATE TO ONLY USE
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN SEATTLE.
OKAY. OTHER ISSUES. LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE FILM COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATIONS. LOOKING
FORWARD TO S START COMING
FORWARD FOR VEHICLE PARKING
PERMIT FOR PERFORMANCE AT
NIGHTLIFE ESTABLISHMENTS. THIS
WAS A REQUEST BY THE NIGHTLIFE
COMMUNITY AND IT IS SOMETHING
THAT I'VE ASKED ASKED NOT TO
WORK ON. IT SOUNDS SIMPLE. WHY
CAN'T WE GIVE A PASS TO PEOPLE
WHO PULL UP WITH A VAN WITH A
BUNCH OF INSTRUMENTS BECAUSE
IT'S DIFFICULT TO LUG THAT FAR
DISTANCES IN A HILLY SEATTLE
DOWNTOWN AREA. IT'S MORE
COMPLICATED THAN YOU THINK.
THEY'VE BEEN AT HARD WORK
WITH THAT. AS WE GET CLOSER TO
BUDGET SEASON, I WILL BE PAYING
CLOSE ATTENTION TO OED'S
BUDGET AND ITS STATUS GOING
INTO THE BUDGET SEASON.
REGARDING THE OTHER THINGS
UNDER OUR PURVIEW HERE, JUST
SOME IDEAS. I WOULD LIKE TO
UNDERSTAND MORE WHAT THE OTHER
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER DIES,
WHICH IS THE CITY AUDITOR. I
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THEY
TRACK WHAT'S GOING ON WITH --
HOW DO THEY ENFORCE THE CITY'S
LOBBYING LAW. I'M INTERESTING
DAY SHOW HER PRETTY MUCH EVERY
PERSON HEARSAY, WILL WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR INVESTMENTS
ARE PRODUCING OUTCOMES AND MANY
OF THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE INTO
OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO DO
ESSENTIAL WORK OUT THERE TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, HOUSED,
HEALTHY. IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME
WHEN WE SAY TRACK THE
PERFORMANCE OR WHATEVER, HOW IS
THAT DONE. I WOULD LIKE TO
UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT THEY
SATURDAY THEY DO THAT AND HOW
CAN THEY BE IMPROVED IF AT ALL.
ET CETERA ET CETERA. THOSE GIVE
YOU A FLAVOR OF SOME OF THE
THINGS I'M HOPING TO FOCUS ON,
BUT THERE IS ALSO COMMITTEE
COLLEAGUES, THINGS THAT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD,
LET ME KNOW AND WE WILL TALK
ABOUT IT. WITH THAT, LET'S
MOVE ON TO THE FIRST ITEM ON
THE AGENDA. COULD YOU PLEASE
READ THE FIRST ITEM INTO THE
AGENDA?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE,
FUTURE OF SEATTLE ECONOMY 2024
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> I WANT TO INTRODUCE THIS
ITEM. MARKHAM McINTYRE, WHO IS
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GOING
TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE
TOP PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR
AND THAT MANY OF THOSE ARE
GUIDED BY THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE
ECONOMY INVESTMENT AGENDA,
WHICH WAS ENDORSED BY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION 32099. WHY AM I
TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW? BECAUSE
THE 2024 BUDGET APPROPRIATES
MORE THAN $31 MILLION IN THE
ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION
SPENDING CATEGORY OF THE
PAYROLL EXPENSE TAX JUMPSTART
FUND AND THOSE $31 MILLION TO
SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION PLAN AND NEW FUNDING
FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMIC
RECOVERY, WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, SMALL BUSINESS
SERVICES, COMMERCIAL
AFFORDABILITY, COMMUNITY,
WEALTH BUILDING AND SO MUCH
MORE. WE WILL GET A TASTE OF
SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT WILL
BE A FOCUS OR DETAIL ON HOW
THAT MONEY WILL BE SPENT AND
ALSO, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY
FOR YOU TO KNOW -- FOR YOU TO
LEARN WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
WHEN WE SAY THE FUTURE OF
SEATTLE ECONOMY. WE WOULD BE
JOINED BY THE DIRECTOR, JUSTIN
FARRELL, BECAUSE SHE AND
MARKHAM ARE GOING TO BE TALKING
ABOUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN
THE TWO PARTNERS, OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
AND THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. WHAT ARE THEY
DOING TOGETHER FOR THE GREEN
ECONOMY BECAUSE -- IS IMPORTANT
TO HAVE PEOPLE TALK TOGETHER
AND TALK ABOUT HOW THEIR WORKS
ARE COMPLEMENT RE-BECAUSE WE
DON'T WANT TO SILO THE
IMPORTANT CLIMATE PROTECTION
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK
THAT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE
DOING TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY
FEED OFF OF EACH OTHER AND
FINALLY, AS PART OF OUR
PRESENTATION , TAKIYAH WARD,
WHO IS THE FOUNDER, WILL TALK
ABOUT THE REAL-LIFE BENEFITS
OF CONFERRED UPON COMMUNITY
BUSINESSES BY THE COMMUNITY
WEALTH BUILDING COMPONENT
WITHIN THE FSD. WITH THAT LONG
PREAMBLE, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. HI, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MARKHAM McINTYRE.
VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU TODAY . AS
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
MENTIONED, I'M GOING TO GIVE
AN OVERVIEW OF OED. A LITTLE
BIT OF OED ONE-ON-ONE AND SPENT
THE BULK OF THE TIME GOING
THROUGH THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE
ECONOMY AGENDA, WHICH THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT MENTIONED WAS
ADOPTED IN A RESOLUTION AS THE
FRAMEWORK FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY
AND THEN I WILL CLOSE BY
TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER AS PARTNERS. AS THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT THEY SHOULD
>> I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT
WHEN OF MY GREATEST
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE PAST TWO
YEARS DIRECTOR McINTYRE.
>> THAT'S VERY KIND.
>> WE WILL HAVE SPECIAL GUEST
TO GIVE YOU EXTRA FLAVOR ABOUT
THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING
BECAUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND I
THINK THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT
PARTICULARLY DURING THE
PANDEMIC, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
HAS A STRONG ROLE TO PLAY IN
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR
ECONOMY, BUT IT'S NOT JUST IN
OED THING. CERTAINLY WE ARE THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND WE CAN HELP YOU QUARTERBACK
BUT IT REQUIRES THE ONE SEATTLE
APPROACH. EVERYBODY WORKING
TOGETHER ON IT. THAT IS PART OF
THE REASON WHY WE WANTED TO
HAVE OAC HERE AND ENSURE THE
IMPACT WE WERE HAVING ON THE
COMMUNITY. OUR GUIDING
FRAMEWORK AS WE THINK ABOUT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS IN A
INCLUSIVE ECONOMY, IT'S A MORE
COMPETITIVE AND PROSPEROUS
ECONOMY AND OED AND THE CITY'S
ROLE IS TO HELP SHAPE AND
ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS,
DIVERSE, JUST A RESILIENT CITY.
TO DO THAT, WE REALLY NEED TO
BE MULTIFACETED. WE NEED TO
BOTH SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY,
AS WELL AS THINK ABOUT HOW WE
ARE PARTICIPATING IN
POSITIONING OURSELVES TO BE
COMPETITIVE IN THE GLOBAL
ECONOMY. OED WORKS BOTH FROM
THE HYPER LOCAL TO THE GLOBAL
STAGE. THAT IS REALLY TRUE AS
YOU LOOK AT THE ROLE OF OED AND
A LOT OF THIS IS INFORMED BY
WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR
BUSINESSES AND WORKERS AND FROM
OUR PARTNERS ON THE COMMUNITY
ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED US TO DO.
WE NEED TO RESPOND AND
IMPLEMENT. WE NEED TO BE
RESPONSIVE TO BUSINESSES THAT
NEED HELP WITH PERMITTING AND
CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION AND
WITH ON THE GRANT ISSUES AND
GETTING CONNECTED TO RESOURCES,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE IN
NEED OR IN CRISIS. WE NEED TO
TAKE A SYSTEMS APPROACH IN
ABOUT HOW WE ARE ORGANIZING A
BUILDING A REAL ECOSYSTEM THAT
SUPPORTS A GROWING AND THRIVING
ECONOMY BUT ALSO INCLUDES THOSE
THAT ARE LOCKED OUT OF
OPPORTUNITY AND THEN WE NEED TO
HAVE A PERSPECTIVE ON WHERE WE
ARE GOING IN THE FUTURE. WE
NEED TO ENVISION AND TRANSFORM
A FUTURE OF SEATTLE ECONOMY
THAT IS MORE INCLUSIVE AND MORE
PROSPEROUS. WE HAVE TO PLAY ALL
OF THOSE ROLES EVERY DAY, WHICH
IS HARD. HER TO BE
MULTIDIMENSIONAL, BUT IT REALLY
IS WHAT WE ARE EXCITED TO DO
AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SUCH A
GREAT TEAM. WE HAVE REALLY BEEN
TRYING TO GROW THE TEAM TO MEET
THE COMMUNITY NEED. WE HAVE
FANTASTIC FOLKS OVER AT OED
SERVING IN A VARIETY OF ROLES
AND WE HAVE REORGANIZED
OURSELVES INTO THESE THREE
LINES OF BUSINESS. WE HAVE OUR
SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILM
PERMITTING, WHICH IS REALLY IN
ORGANIZING DEPARTMENT WORKING
WITH ALL OF THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE CAN PUT ON SPECIAL EVENTS
AND AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
MENTIONED, THINKING ABOUT OUR
FILM INDUSTRY AND HOW WE ARE
PERMITTING FOR HIM SHOOT THE
FILM LOCATIONS AND WE HAVE TWO
OF OUR PROGRAMMATIC DIVISIONS.
WE HAVE OUR SMALL BUSINESS
DIVISION, WHICH OF US IS OUR
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING, OUR
SMALL BUSINESS, NAVIGATION TEAM
AND OUR CAPACITY BUILDING TEAMS
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR KEY
INDUSTRIES AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT DIVISION. SERVICES
SUPPORTING OUR MULTIPLE KEY
INDUSTRIES AND THINKING ABOUT
WHAT THEY NEED, AS WELL AS OUR
WORKFORCE TALENT DEVELOPMENTS.
WITHIN THAT, WE HAVE TWO
CROSSCUTTING CLUSTERS. WE HAVE
OUR CREATIVE ECONOMY CLUSTER
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR GREEN
ECONOMY CLUSTER AND I WILL TALK
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE
LATER BUT WE ARE ORGANIZED TO
TRY TO MEET THE NEED OF BOTH
THAT LOCAL ECONOMY LEVEL, AS
WELL AS POSITIONING OURSELVES
TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE GLOBAL
ECONOMY. WHEN WE TRY TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO
POSITION SEATTLE IN THE FUTURE,
WE WILL LISTEN FIRST TO WHAT
OUR PARTNERS AND BUSINESSES AND
WORKERS HAVE PARTY SAID. WE
WENT AROUND IN THE FALL OF 2022
AND BASICALLY READ EVERYBODY
STRATEGIC PLAN FROM ALL THE
PARTNERS, ALL THE DIFFERENT
GROUPS TO TRY TO SEE WITH HARDY
OUT THERE AS FAR AS IDEAS AND
WE HIT A GIANT DIAGRAMMING
EXERCISE TO SEE WHERE THE
POINTS OF ALIGNMENT AND
AGREEMENT AND THESE ARE THE
FIVE PILLARS THAT SPRING OUT OF
THOSE. THIS IS WHAT EVERYONE
WORKING IN THAT ECONOMIC AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM
AGREED ON AND WERE PRIORITIES.
WE HAVE INVESTING IN TALENT IN
BUILDING OUR WORKFORCE,
SUPPORTING SMALL WOMEN AND
MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES,
BUILDING BY POP COMMUNITY
WEALTH, INVESTING IN
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS
AND GROWING BUSINESS IN KEY
INDUSTRIES. WE READ THE PLANTS,
CAME UP WITH THESE FIVE PILLARS
AS MOMENTS OF ALIGNMENT AND
THEN WE GOT EVERYONE TOGETHER.
WE BUILT WORKING GROUPS FOR
EACH OF THESE TO HELP CO-CREATE
THE IDEAS AND INVESTMENT AGENDA
THAT WE WANTED THE CITY TO
EMBODY TO BUILD THAT INCLUSIVE
ECONOMY. HERE'S A QUICK
SNAPSHOT OF WHO SAT ON THOSE
WORKGROUPS. YOU WILL GET MUCH
MORE DETAIL ABOUT THIS LATER,
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT
HOW THE PROCESS HAPPENED, BUT
DECEMBER MEDIC OF THE NUMBER OF
BRAINS AND TALENTS INVOLVED IN
CREATING THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE
ECONOMY AGENDA. NOW I'M GOING
TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THE
PILLARS AND GIVE YOU SOME
HIGHLIGHTS AND GIVE SOME
CONTEXT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING
THERE AND THEN I WILL CLOSE
WITH OVER 2024 WORKPLAN AND
SOME NEXT STEPS. TALENT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. IT'S
WHAT OF THE REASONS WHY SEATTLE
HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL
HISTORICALLY. WITHOUT
INCREDIBLE WORKFORCE AND A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS FROM
TIMBER TO AEROSPACE TO SOFTWARE
TO e-COMMERCE AND EVERYTHING IN
BETWEEN AND AT WHAT IS ALLOWS
US TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO
RUN A BUSINESS AND YOU WE HAVE
AN INCREDIBLY FIVE-MINUTE WORK
FOR SYSTEM AND WE HAVE A ROLE
TO PLAY TO TRY AND MAKE IT
EASIER FOR JOBSEEKERS TO GET
INTO THOSE CAREER PATHWAYS THAT
ARE REALLY GOING TO GIVE THEM
ECONOMIC MOBILITY NOW AND IN
THE FUTURE WE DO A LOT OF WORK
SYSTEM BUILDING AROUND THE
REGION TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO
CREATE THOSE CAREER PATHWAYS
AND HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH YOU
TO THINK ABOUT SCHOOL TRAINING
AND SKILL TRANSFER ACROSS
DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES. I WILL
NOTE THAT WE HAVE OUR BLACK
TECH NIGHT, WHICH IS SOMETHING
WE ARE DOING WITH LOCAL TECH
COMPANIES TO TRY AND SUPPORT
BLACK WORKERS IN THE TECH
ECONOMY. IF YOU'RE LOOKING
SOMETHING TO DO FROM FIVE AT
8:00, YOU CAN HAD THERE.
>> THE TRADITION NOW.
>> GREAT EVENT. GREAT EVENT. WE
HAVE OUR CAREER CREATIVE
ECONOMY DAY. OUR VERY FIRST
EVER CREATIVE ECONOMY DAY
TOMORROW AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF
WORKFORCE EVENTS. WE ALSO, AS
YOU SEE YOUR, HEALTHCARE IS
WHEN OF OUR KEY INDUSTRIES AND
REALLY THINK ABOUT A HUGE
TALENT NEED AND HOW ARE WE HELP
AND SUPPORT FOLKS GETTING INTO
THOSE JOBS AND COULD USE
ADDITIONAL TRAINING. PARTNERING
WITH FOLKS IN THE HEALTHCARE
INDUSTRY AND WE BUILT THIS
INTRO TO HEALTHCARE AND IT
REALLY IS WIDENING THAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR HOW PEOPLE ARE
GETTING INTO HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONS. I KEEP ARTISTS
THINKING ABOUT THE GREEN
ECONOMY. WE HAVE HEARD VERY
CLEARLY THAT WE ARE NOT READY
FOR THE WORKFORCE LEVEL FOR ALL
OF THE GREEN ECONOMY
OPPORTUNITIES WE GOT IN FRONT
OF US. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE
BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE OFFICE
OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT TO THINK ABOUT HOW
DO WE HAVE A GREEN WORKFORCE
PLAN AND HOW DO WE REALLY GET
HAD THIS VERY HIGH GROWTH
POTENTIAL INDUSTRY FOSTER.
THAT INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A
CLEAN INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE,
WHICH IS GOING TO HELP US
ORGANIZE THE SYSTEM AND
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BUSINESSES
ARE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
CURRENT SYSTEM IS , WHERE IS
GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND
REALLY INFORM OUR
DECISION-MAKING ABOUT NOT JUST
OUR INVESTMENTS, BUT IDEALLY
OUR PARTNER INVESTMENTS WITH
PORT OF SEATTLE, WORKFORCE AND
OTHER PLAYERS IN THE WORKFORCE
SYSTEM. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE
PILOTING A RESIDENT CLEAN
ENERGY SMALL BUSINESS
EXCELERATOR PROGRAM. THIS IS
ALL ABOUT HOW WE ARE DEPLOYING
CLEANTECH ENERGY AND MAKING
SURE THAT THERE IS EQUITABLE
ACCESS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO BE
COMING ONLINE. WE ARE LOOKING
AT AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM
THAT'S GOING TO GO THE NUMBER
OF BUSINESS CONTRACTORS. THIS
THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE CREATING
ACCESS TO THIS NEW POTENTIAL,
AS WELL AS FOSTERING NEW
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. AT THIS
POINT, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE
TO CALL UP MY COLLEAGUE,
DIRECTOR FERRELL. WE'VE HAD A
LOVELY WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND
YOU WILL EXPAND A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW OSC AND OEE DO BEEN
WORKING TOGETHER ON OUR CLEAN
ENERGY WORKFORCE.
>> GREAT. AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. FOR THE RECORD,
MY NAME IS JESSYN FARRELL AND
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME
AND THANK YOU MARKHAM McINTYRE
FOR INVITING ME TODAY. WHY
DON'T WE JUMP TO THE NEXT
SLIDE. BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION,
I'M GOING TO JUST SAY 30
SECONDS ABOUT WHAT OSC DOES AND
HOW THEN WE PARTNERED WITH OED
TO BUILD AN INCLUSIVE GREEN
ECONOMY . OSC BASICS MANDATE IS
TO FOSTER A COULDN'T HELP THE
ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY SINGLE
PERSON IN OUR CITY AND AS WE
KNOW, THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS
GROWING WORSE IN THE FACE OF
SMOKE AND FLOODS AND HEAT
PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY FEELING
THE EFFECTS OF WE ALSO KNOW THE
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO NOT
EVERYONE FEELS THE HARMONY SAME
WAY . BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE
OF COLOR, LOW INCOME PEOPLE,
YOUNG PEOPLE, ELDERLY PEOPLE
SUFFER MORE IN CERTAIN CLIMATE
CRISIS EVENTS AND SO OUR WORK
IS DATA DRIVEN AND EQUITY
DRIVEN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CRISIS
HOLISTICALLY AND THAT IS WHERE
THE MAYORS JUSTICE AGENDA COMES
IN AND THIS IS A THREE-PRONGED
APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE
CRISIS. IT INCLUDES REDUCING
CLIMATE POLLUTION, WHICH IS
ABOUT DECOLONIZING OUR
BUILDINGS AND TRANSPORTATION AS
FAST AS WE CAN. IT'S ABOUT
BUILDING HEALTHY RESILIENT
COMMUNITIES , CLIMATE CHANGE IS
HAPPENING AND HOW DO WE MAKE
SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO TREE
CANOPY, ACCESS TO CHORAL HOMES
AND SPACES TO BE IN AND
FINALLY, AS DIRECTOR McINTYRE
DISCUSSED, THERE IS THIS HUGE
ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AND
OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A CLIMATE OF A
FOSSIL FUEL FREE ECONOMY AND
HOW ARE WE CREATING PATHWAYS
TO THE GREEN WORKFORCE. THAT IS
WHERE WE REALLY FOCUS OUR
EFFORTS RELATED TO WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. I'M GOING TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE THAT. OSCE, BECAUSE
WE FOCUS ON POLICIES RELATED TO
CLIMATE CHANGE, OUR WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT WORK IS TIGHTLY
ALIGNED WITH THAT AND I WILL
GIVE AN EXAMPLE. MANY OF YOU
MAY KNOW THAT AT THE END OF
2023, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR
SIGNED INTO LAW A GROUND
BREAKING LEGISLATION TO THE
CARBONIZED 4000 OF OUR LARGEST
BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND THIS IS A BIG
EFFORT AND THE IDEA IS TO GET
TO NET ZERO BY 2050 AND WE NEED
THE WORKFORCE TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT DECARBONIZATION WORK, THAT
HVAC CHANGES, THE HEAT PUMP,
THE SOLAR INSTALLATION AND WE
PARTNER WITH OED. WE PARTNER
WITH FAS AND WE WORK TO INVEST
IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
CREATING ACCESS TO THOSE
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. WE
PARTNER WITH SOUTH SEATTLE
COLLEGE TO PROVIDE INTERNSHIPS
AND SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO
ALIGN BOTH OUR POLICYMAKING
WITH THE INVESTMENT THAT
WORKFORCE SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO
NEED TO BE DOING THIS. OSC ALSO
WORKS MORE BROADLY TO BUILD AN
INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL
WORKFORCE AND SO THEY ARE
UNDERREPRESENTED FOLKS IN THIS
PARTICULAR SECTOR AND WE
PARTNER WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR
LIKE THE CRACKEN TO DO
INTERNSHIPS WE PARTNER WITH
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE URBAN
LEAGUE AND TO PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG PEOPLE
WITH RESPECT TO NATURAL
RESOURCES AND URBAN FORESTRY
AND WE REALLY FOCUS ON THAT
SLICED WHILE OED PROVIDES THE
OVERALL STRATEGY FOR THE CITY.
WE REALLY FOCUS IN DEEPLY ON
THAT PIECE AROUND CLIMATE AND
ENVIRONMENT AND THAT'S A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND
I WILL FINALLY SAY THAT OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH OED DOESN'T
JUST MEAN THAT WE ARE WORKING
ON ALIGNING OUR CLIMATE
STRATEGIES BUT WE DO THINGS
LIKE SHARE RESOURCES AROUND
SEEKING FEDERAL FUNDING,
MESSAGING AND WORK THAT WE MAY
BE DOING IN OLYMPIA AND OTHER
VENUES. WE ARE REALLY TIGHTLY
ALIGNED AND COLLABORATING AND
SHARING RESOURCES AND SMALL
OFFICES.
>> IT'S GREAT. THIS IS A
MASSIVE, MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY
WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE
OUT THERE AND THINKING ABOUT
THE BALANCE OF SUPPORTING OUR
LOCAL ECONOMY AND THAT CAN
INCLUDE MAKING SURE WE HAVE
ENOUGH ELECTRICIANS TO INSTALL
THE HEAT PUMPS THAT WE ARE
WANTING TO DO ON HOUSES WAS
ALSO THINKING ABOUT, AS COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON MENTIONED,
WHAT ARE WE DOING AROUND FUSION
AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE
EXPORTING THAT TECHNOLOGY
AROUND THE GLOBE AND THIS IS A
REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE
ECONOMY TO BALANCE THOSE TWO
KEY IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT
HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF AND
HAVING BALANCE AROUND AND I
THINK I SAID BALANCE TOO MANY
TIMES BUT THERE YOU GO.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. THERE'S A LOT
GOING ON.
>> JUST A PLUG. THE PERFECT
PLACE TO PROMOTE SUPPORT
BECAUSE THE BREWERIES AND MAKE
A WHOLE BUNCH OF SPIT GREEN AND
THAT CAN BE CONVERTED INTO GAS
AND ELECTRICITY. ALWAYS WANTING
TO INCENTIVIZE THE PRODUCTION
OF THOSE SMALLER UNITS. SORRY
TO INTERRUPT.
>> IS A GOOD INTERRUPTION.
IT'S VERY ON THEME. THE NEXT
PILLAR I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS
HOW WE SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS
AND WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED
BUSINESSES. I THINK THAT WE
ALSO DURING THE PANDEMIC HOW
DEVASTATING THE IMPACT WAS TO
SMALL BUSINESSES AND TO
PARTICULARLY BUSINESSES OWNED
BY PEOPLE IN COLOR WE HAVE TO
HAVE A SPECIAL INTENSITY AND
FOCUS AROUND HOW WE ARE
SUPPORTING THEM TO THRIVE ON IN
THE FUTURE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
PROGRAMS AT OED FOCUSED ON THIS
AND THINKING ABOUT OUR ROLE.
SOME ARE RESPONSIVE. OUR CITY
RESOURCE OR CITY NAVIGATION
TEAM . YOU CAUGHT UP THE
STOREFRONT REPAIR FUND, WHICH
HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM. I THINK THAT WE HAVE
DOMINIQUE IN THE OFFICE WHO
RUNS THE PROGRAM. THAT IS WENT
ASPECT, BUT WE WANT TO DIG
ABOUT HOW WE ARE HELPING THESE
BUSINESSES GROW AND THRIVE AND
SO GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT IS OUR
TENANT IMPROVEMENT FIND WHERE
WE ARE PROVIDING GRANTS TO HELP
BUSINESSES IMPROVE THEIR SPACE
AND IN SOME CASES, EXPANDER
SPACE AND OPEN UP A NEW SPACE
AND I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED TO
WELCOME, TAKIYAH WARD , WHO I
THINK IS ON THE LINE TO TALK
ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE WITH OUR
TENANT IMPROVEMENT FIND. AS
MENTIONED, SHE RUNS THIS IN
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND CHAD
OUT TO DISTRICT 3. IF YOU WHAT
AM I TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
YOUR STORY. THANK YOU, MARKHAM.
I AM TAKIYAH WARD. WE ARE THE
FIRST RECORDS FOR SNEAKERS. WE
CUSTOMIZE YOUR FAVORITE BUT
WHERE AND I AM ONE OF THE
IMPROVEMENT GRANT RECIPIENTS
FROM OED. I COULDN'T SAY FOR
MY OWN EXPERIENCE THAT THIS
PARTICULAR CHUNK OF FUNDING WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN ME BEING ABLE
TO BUILD OUT MY STORE AND
CREATE WHAT WE WANTED TO
CREATE, WHICH IS THE
STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY FOR
THIS INDUSTRY. I CAN TALK ABOUT
THE NEED OF WHAT WE HAVE
BROUGHT HERE. SNEAKER CARE
COMES THE QUARTER IS ON THE
RISE AND THERE ARE SOME
PROBLEMS WITH THAT ECONOMY IN
THE SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS. SAY FOR EXAMPLE, THERE
WERE OVER 300 MILLION SHOES
THROWN AWAY IN LONELY IN THE
U.S. IN MY BUSINESSES AND
BUSINESSES LIKE IT SEEK TO
IMPEDE THOSE ISSUES AND I HAVE
SEEN INCREDIBLE RESPONSES TO
OUR BUSINESS BEING HERE,
SPECIFICALLY IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT. FUN FACT, MY FAMILY
MIGRATED HERE FROM TEXAS IN THE
60s, SO WE HAVE FOUR
GENERATIONS IN SEATTLE NOW AND
CENTRAL DISTRICT HAS ALWAYS
BEEN OUR HOME. ALSO, THE NEW
MIDDLETOWN SQUARE, WHICH IS
WHERE OUR SURE IS LOCATED. MY
GRANDFATHER ALSO OWNED A
STOREFRONT IN THE SPACE THIS IS
A LEGACY MOMENT FOR ME AND MY
FAMILY AND THE GRANT WAS A HUGE
PART OF US BEING ABLE TO OPEN
OUR DOORS. I HAVE TO GIVE A
HUGE SHOUT OUT TO JIM, WHO HAS
BEEN MY CONTRACT MANAGER AND MY
RIGHT HAND EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY FROM OED. EVERY SORT OF
DELIVERABLE THAT WE HAD TO COME
ACROSS, WHETHER IT BE WORKING
WITH WAGER THINGS I'VE NEVER
EXPERIENCED BEFORE, BEING A
FIRST-TIME BRICK-AND-MORTAR
BUSINESS OWNER. JEN WAS WITH ME
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WE FOUND
THE PEOPLE NECESSARY TO BE ABLE
TO EXPLAIN THOSE ASPECTS OF
OPENING THE STOREFRONT TO ME
AND MY CONTRACTORS, WHICH MADE
A PROCESS VERY LOW BARRIER,
WHICH WAS REALLY GREAT. I
DEFINITELY FELT REALLY
SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT EVERY
PROCESS , FROM CONTRACTING TO
NOW, WE JUST COMPLETED OUR
NOTICE OF COMPLETION ON THE
CONTRACTING HERE IN MY STORE
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
WHAT OED DOES THE FUTURE AND I
KNOW THIS IS A FIRST OF ITS
KIND AND I'M SO GLAD THAT I
GOT TO BE A PART OF IT. I KNOW
THAT SNEAKER CARE IS NOT
PARTICULARLY POPULAR INDUSTRY
BUT IT IS A BIG WIN. IT'S A
MULTIBILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY
AND NIKE HAS BEAVERTON AND
SEATTLE HAS 206 AND WORKING
WITH THE CITY MORE AND
SOMEWHERE BRINGS TAKING CARE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK
THAT IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
RIGHT THERE AND I DO HAVE A
PAIR OF SCUFFED JORDANS THAT I
WILL BE BRINGING OVER TO YOU TO
SEE IF YOU CAN'T HELP ME OUT A
LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MR. McINTYRE, I'VE BEEN
TOLD THAT TAKIYAH WARD -- DO
YOU HAVE TO LEAVE RIGHT AWAY
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT YOU HAVE
LIMITED TIME AND IF THAT IS
THE CASE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT, IF NOT I
CAN WAIT UNTIL THE END.
>> I THINK SHE DOES HAVE TO GO.
WHY DON'T YOU JUMP THEM.
>> WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR
SPACE? WHAT KIND OF
IMPROVEMENTS.
>> YES, WE HAD COMPLETELY EMPTY
SHELVES WHEN I REQUIRED THE
SPACE AND WE BUILT OUT THE
STOREFRONT AND I'M HERE NOW
AND I CAN SHOW YOU BEHIND ME
SOME OF THE THINGS. WE DID SOME
BUILDOUT OF SOME CUBICLES AND
FURNITURE. I GOT MY POINT OF
SALE THERE AS WELL. WE HAVE
SOME MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT
BACK HERE . WE ARE STILL IN THE
PROCESS OF BUILDOUT AND TAKING
IT DAY BY DAY, WHICH IS ALSO
BEEN GREAT THAT THERE HASN'T
BEEN ANY RESTRICTIONS ON WHEN
THINGS GET DONE. BEING ABLE TO
BUILD AS I GO. A LOT OF THE
FUNDING I RECEIVED FROM THE
GRANT WOULD TO THE PHYSICAL
CONSTRUCTION WITH THE
CONTRACTORS, AS WELL AS SOME OF
THE LARGER MACHINERY AND THINGS
PERTINENT TO THE BUSINESS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YEAH.
>> I THINK THAT COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I KNOW YOU HAVE TO
GO AND YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN
THE BLACK TECH NIGHT TONIGHT.
>> YES, I WILL BE THERE. I'M
HEADED THERE NOW. I CAN STAY
FOR A FEW MINUTES IF YOU HAVE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME
THOUGH.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS. THE NEXT
PILLAR IS HIGHLY CORRELATED
WITH THE WIND THAT WE JUST
TALKED ABOUT. BUILDING BY PAUL
COMMUNITY WEALTH. I'M GOING TO
QUOTE DOCTOR RAFAEL, WHO IS THE
CHAIR OF THE ATLANTA FED THAT
SAID, WE HAVE A MORAL AND
ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE TO IN
SYSTEMIC RACISM. WE TAKE THAT
TO HEART. AS PART OF WHY WE
HAVE THAT GUIDING THE PRINCIPLE
OF AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY. WE
HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO
CLOSE THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP
HERE IN SEATTLE AND THIS
REGION. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY
FOCUSED ON THIS. WE'VE MOSTLY
INVESTED, RECENTLY, IN
COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY AND
ACCESS TO CAPITAL BECAUSE THOSE
ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE HEARD
VERY LOUD AND CLEAR FROM
BUSINESSES WHERE THEY NEED
SUPPORT AND HEALTH. HOPEFULLY
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT OUR SEATTLE
RESORT PROGRAM, WHICH IS
HELPING CONNECT ENTRE NOUS AS
AN ARTIST WITH VACANT
STOREFRONTS AND IT'S BEEN
REALLY SUCCESSFUL GETTING
POP-UPS IN THERE BUT WE WANT TO
EAT OFF IT BEYOND POP-UPS TO
LONGER-TERM LEASES. I'M VERY
PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE 10 OF
OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT HAVE
SIGNED LONG-TERM LEASES, BUT WE
KNOW THERE IS A LOT MORE TO
LEARN AND A LOT MORE WE CAN DO
WITH THAT MATCHMAKING TO BUILD
IT OUT AND I'M REALLY PLEASED
TO ANNOUNCE THAT J.P. MORGAN
CHASE HAS ANNOUNCED A 2000 OF
THE CONTRITION TO THE SEATTLE
RESORT PROGRAM TO HELP US WITH
THAT EVOLUTION AND REALLY THINK
ABOUT LONGER-TERM LEASES. THAT
SHE SHOWING HOW, BY THE PUBLIC
SECTOR, LEADING WITH INNOVATIVE
IDEAS, WE CAN ATTRACT PRIVATE
SECTOR PARTICIPATION REALLY
START TO STACK THOSE FUNDS THAT
HAVE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP. I'M REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
>> CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD NEWS.
THE HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> WE WILL BE HAVING A SEATTLE
RESTORED VALENTINE'S NIGHT
MARKET NEXT WEEK ON
VALENTINE'S DAY AT FIFTH AND
PIKE. ANOTHER LEVEL EVEN IF YOU
WANT TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND ACTIVATE
DOWNTOWN. SO RELATED TO ALL OF
THIS, AS YOU HEARD FROM TAKIYAH
WARD, IT'S NOT JUST THE
FUNDING AND IS THINKING ABOUT
THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT THAT
BUSINESSES NEED . THAT IS
REALLY HOW YOU CREATE ACCESS.
IT'S NOT JUST A PILE OF
MONEY. THINKING ABOUT, HOW DO
YOU AND WHAT IS YOUR SPECIFIC
BUSINESS NEED AND HOW CAN WE
TAILOR SOME SUPPORT FOR YOU. WE
HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT
DO THAT AND WE WILL GROW AND
LISTEN TO THE BUSINESSES AND
WORKERS AND UNDERSTAND EXACTLY
WHAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE GOOD RESOURCES FOR
THEM. HERE IS A GREAT MAP, BUT
IT JUST SHOWS THE GEOGRAPHIC
BREATH OF OUR COMMUNITY WEALTH
BUILDING PROGRAMS. IT IS HIGHLY
CORRELATED TO THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING EQUITY INDEX , SO THIS
IS THINKING ABOUT HIGH RISK OF
DISPLACEMENT AND THAT IS WHERE
WE WANT TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS
AND FOCUS OUR INVESTMENTS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ASSURING
THAT UP. THE NEXT PILLAR IS
THINKING ABOUT PLACE MAKING.
INVESTING IN NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICTS. MANY OF YOU ARE
DISTRICT COUNCILMEMBERS, SO WE
ARE EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE
THERE WE THINK OF THIS AS PART
OF OUR CAPACITY BUILDING
EFFORTS. HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE
THAT THERE IS AN ECOSYSTEM THAT
MAKES THE NEIGHBORHOODS VIBRANT
AND THE HEART AND SOUL OF
SEATTLE. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC
VISION ON DOWNTOWN . IT NEEDS
SOME TLC. WE WILL BE BACK TO
TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION PLAN SOON BUT OED IS
MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND WE HAVE A
FOCUS IN DOWNTOWN AND WE ARE
STILL DOING A LOT OF WORK IN
MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND
THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS AROUND
THE CITY. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON MENTIONED BIAS. WE WANT
TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREAS AND WE HAVE
11 OF THEM ACROSS THE CITY. WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE. WE WILL
HAVE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR
ECONOMIC DETERMINATION IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO WE WANT TO
THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE SETTING
NEIGHBORHOODS UP AND HOW WE ARE
ADAPTING AND TAILORING THAT
TOLD TO THE SPECIFIC
NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT
SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO BE
EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
THE THE FINAL PILLAR IS GOING
BUSINESSES IN KEY INDUSTRIES.
WE MENTIONED TALENT AND
WORKFORCE TO BEING A HUGE OVER
FOR THIS. WE ARE ALSO INVOLVED
IN THE POLICY EFFORTS AND WE DO
A LOT OF WORK WITH INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATIONS, SO IT'S A REALLY
MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO HOW WE
ARE SUPPORTING OUR KEY
INDUSTRIES AND MAKING SURE
BUSINESSES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GROW AND EXPAND HERE. WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
GREEN ECONOMY AND THAT BEING A
CROSSCUTTING CLUSTER. THERE IS
ALSO THE
>>> WE ALSO OVER SEE AND STAFF
THE MUSIC COMMISSION. WE ARE
TALKING TO YOU ABOUT BOTH OF
THOSE IN THE FUTURE. SO I WANT
TO FINISH WITH OUR QUICK SNAP
OF OUR WORK PLAN. BEING
MULTIDIMENSIONAL, YOU COULD DO
A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF AND
PEANUT BUTTER YOURSELF ALL
AROUND AND NOT ACTUALLY SHOW
ANY OUTCOMES. BUT WE ARE REALLY
KEEN ON MAKING SURE THAT WE
DEMONSTRATE IMPACT WITH
INVESTMENTS. YOU HEARD FROM KIA
A CASE EXAMPLE OF THAT BUT WOE
WANT MORE AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE
SMART AND IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS
ROUTINELY, THAT THAT IS OUR
M.O. SO OUR TOP PRIORITIES, AND
WE DID THIS FOR EACH OF OUR
TEAMS, WHERE WE SET OUT
PRIORITIES, THICKS WE WANT TO
ACCOMPLISH IN THE YEAR. AND
THEN THE STRATEGIES WE WILL USE
UNIQUE TO THIS YEAR . SO OUR
TOP PRIORITIES, CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP A TEAM CULTURE. IT
DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE
TREMENDOUS TALENTED STAFF. YOU
CAN HAVE ALL OF THE MONEY IN
THE WORLD BUT IF YOU DON'T
HAVE GREAT PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T
MATTER. WE WANT TO HAVE AN
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM FOR ALL
OF THE INVESTMENTS WE WALK
ABOUT. WOE WANT CLEAR
STRATEGIES FOR THE SMALL
BUSINESS, FUTURE EVENTS, AND
DOWNTOWN BOGUE A PRIORITY AREA.
FOR SOME OF THE MOON SHOTS,
THINKING ABOUT SOUTH DOWNTOWN,
THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS. WASH
DOT HAS A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS.
KIPG COUNTY IS TALKING ABOUT
CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT. THERE IS
A LOT OF ACTION DOWNTOWN. WE
WANT TO EXPAND EOD'S PRESENCE
IN THE GROUND SPACE, HOW ARE WE
BEING RESPONSIVE TO FOLKS IN
REALTIME. THINKING ABOUT AI AND
THE FUTURE OF WORK AND THEN I
MENTIONED SPECIAL EVENTS, IT
HAS FRAGMENTED FUNCTIONS. WE
NEED TO CONSOLIDATE THAT INTO A
PRAGMATIC SPECIAL EVENTS
APPROACH.
>> SOME OF OUR STRATAEMGS, WE
WANT TO BRING HOME THE STATE
AND FEDERAL BACON. IT IS OUT
THERE AT A STATE AND FEDERAL
LEVEL. WE WANT TO -- WE HAVE
SOME GREAT STRATEGIES HERE. WE
WANT TO LEVERAGE OUR
INVESTMENTS WITH OTHER PUBLIC
SECTOR INVESTMENTS. WE THINK
THAT IS A STRATEGY. SCALING UP
WHAT IS WORKING OR GETTING RID
OF OR REWORKING WHAT IS NOT IS
GOING TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE
BUDGET CONTEXT. WE NEED TO DO A
BETTER JOB OF TELLING OUR
STORY. WE HAVE GREAT IMPACT
WITH THE WORK WE DO. WE WANT TO
GET THAT OUT MORE. HOPEFULLY
THAT WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
COME TO US, AND SEE US AS A
RESOURCE. AND THEN I'LL HARP
ON IT AGAIN BUT WE WANT TO
BUILD AND DEVELOP OUR TEAMS,
HAVING PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS THAT
FOST FOSTER THAT IS A KEY FOR
US THIS YEAR.
>> SO I KNOW I THREW A LOT AT
YOU AND WENT THROUGH A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS. I KNOW IT IS
A LOT IN ONE SETTING. BUT I
WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW WE ARE
WUSHING ON A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT
STRATEGIES. WE WILL SET UP
INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH EACH
OF YOU. WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT
YOUR PRIORITIES ARE IN THE
REALM OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE WANT TO DIVE DEEPER INTO
YOUR SPECIFIC DISTRICTS AND ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE HERE.
AND THEN WE WANT YOU TO SEE US
AS A PARTNER AND RESOURCE. SO
ENGAGE WITH US. WE HAVE ALISSA
TEAL HERE WHO IS OUR COUNCIL
LIAISON. ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN
ROUTE THROUGH ALISSA. GET TO
KNOW OUR PROGRAM SO THAT IF YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS, YOU
SEE US AS A PARTNER IN TRYING
TO RESOLVE THEM. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THE TIME. AND I WILL
STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>> MAY I?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I JUST HAD A COUPLE
COMMENTS, NO QUESTIONS AT ALL.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I'M A
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF.
I'M EXCITED TO BE SERVING ON
THE XHOET WITH ANOTHER SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER AS WELL. I
WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO
THE STORE FRONT REPAIR PROGRAM.
I FREQUENT A RESTAURANT CALLED
SUSHI SAMURAI, THEY ARE A VEGAN
SUSHI, I KNOW YOU ARE LIKE
WHAT? BUT THEIR WINDOW WAS
BROKEN AND THEY RECENTLY
REACHED OUT TO YOUR OFFICE AND
GOT THEIR STORE FRONT FIXED
WHICH WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE PROGRAM
EXISTED. THEY HEARD THROUGH THE
GRAPE VINE AND IT IS A TRUE
TESTAMENT OF HOW GOVERNMENT
WORKS AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE
TO ENHANCE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES
AS WELL. SO I WANTED TO POINT
THAT OUT. AND THEN I CAN'T
BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY
PEOPLE IN DISTRICT THREE THAT I
TALK TO, AND I WOULDMINATION
SOMETHING IN THE RESTAURANT AND
THEY WOULD SAY OED BOUGHT THAT
FOR US, WE GOT A GRANT. THAT IS
SPREADING THROUGHOUT.
DEFINITELY WORD OF MOUTH AND
LOVE TO HEAR YOUR STORY AS
WELL. IT IS REALLY KEY AND
PIVOTAL. I WANTED TO SHARE
THAT.
>> LOVE THAT FEEDBACK. THANK
YOU.
>> MADAM COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
THANK YOU. FIRST I WANT TO GIVE
A SHOUTOUT TO MY D3 COLLEAGUE
FOR PROMOTING DISTRICT 7 QUEEN
ANNE BUSINESSES ROIT THERE ON
THE F, I LIKE THAT VERY MUCH.
AND SPEAKING OF SUPPORTING
BUSINESSES, I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU HAVE SEEN, I WAS ALWAYS
ACTIVATING DOWNTOWN ONE COFFEE
OR A DONUT OR WHATEVER IT MAY
BE AT A TIME. I THINK THAT IS
PORPT FOR PEOPLE TO COME DOWN.
AND AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT NOTED,
IT STARTS WITH A SAFE BASE.
THAT HAS TO BE A KEY THING. I
KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU
ARE AWARE OF IN TERMS OF ARTS
AND CULTURE AVENUE. WE WERE AT
AN EVENT NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ARTS
AND CULTURE AND DSA. MANY TIMES
IN THE PRESENTATION, PUBLIC
SAFETY CAME UP. WE REALLY NEED
TO WORK THAT. AND AS CHAIR OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE,
THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO ME
AND THE MAIN DRIVER OF WHAT WE
DO WITH THE COMMITTEE. AND
ANOTHER AREA, JUST AS A
FOREWARNING FOR EVERYONE, WE DO
MEET. AS A RETIRED NAVAL
OFFICER, I'M VERY INTERESTED
IN TERMS OF THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE CITY AND PORT AND
HOW THAT PLAYS INTO ECONOMY,
GOES TO GLOBAL ECONOMY,
MARITIME TRADE, INTERNATIONAL
TRADE. AND THESE PIECES LIKE
SOUTH DOWNTOWN. HOW CAN WE DO
THINGS BETTER BY REALLY TAKING
THE MARITIME INDUSTRIAL LINES
AND GOING THE NEXT STEP AND
CREATING A PARTNERSHIP TO FIND
OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN MOVE
FORWARD. I THINK THAT WOULD BE
FANTASTIC ENDEAVOR FOR THIS
COMMITTEE. I THINK IT WOULD BE
SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED
IN. THANK YOU FOR COMING. I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU ON THOSE AREAS. THAT IS
VERY IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT THE
DISTRICT 7.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH FOR SUPPORTING
DISTRICT 7 BUSINESSES.
>> ALWAYS.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? GO
AHEAD.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU
DIRECTOR MCINTYRE. I APPRECIATE
THE INSIGHTFUL PRESENTATION. SO
I COME FROM A BACKGROUND OF
BUSINESS AND THE PAST TEN YEARS
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND
BEFORE THAT LAW SCHOOL AND
BEFORE THAT MILITARY. BUT I'M
NOT A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. BUT
I DO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE,
HAVING REPRESENTED AS A LAWYER,
BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES FROM
SOLE ENTREPRENEUR, SOMEONE
STARTING THEIR OWN, JANITORIAL
SERVICES, FORTUNE 500
COMPANIES, I RECOGNIZE THE
VALUE THAT BUSINESSES,
ESPECIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES
HAVE TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. SO I
APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO TO
SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES
ESPECIALLY AND MAKE SURE THEY
ARE EMPOWERED, AND WE ARE
POSITIONED TO PURSUE AND GO
AFTER THE NEXT BIG THING. AND
DURING THE CAMPAIGN, AS SOME
MAY KNOW, I DOOR BELLED AND
SPOKE TO THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. IT WAS
OVER 16,000 PERSONALLY, DOORS,
NOT AN EXAGGERATION, A NUMBER
THAT I PERSONALLY KNOCKED ON.
AMONGST THAT WAS MANY SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE
WORKERS. AND AGAIN, FOR ME IT
WAS A REALLY EMPOWERING
EXPERIENCE TO HEAR THEIR
CONCERNS. THERE IS A GREAT --
WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS. MORE
PROGRESS TO GO. I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU,
THE COLLEAGUES TO BRING ABOUT
THE KIND OF CHANGE THAT WE WANT
TO SEE IN SEATTLE. AND ALSO THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMALL
BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I
HAVE HAD WORKERS. I HAVE HAD
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TELLING
ME, HEY, HAVE A SHOP DOWNTOWN,
I IDEALLY LIKE MY WORKERS TO
COME INTO THE OFFICE MORE BUT
THEY TELL ME, I DON'T FEEL
SAFE. AND HOW DO I RESPOND TO
THAT? I CAN'T. SO THE WORK YOU
ALL DO, PLUS THE IMPORTANT
PUBLIC SAFETY OVERLAY IS
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL
CLEAR ON THAT. ALSO, IN YOUR
WORK, AND I'M REALLY DELIGHTED
TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE
FUTURE OF SEATTLE ECONOMY
AGENDA AND WE ARE LOOKING AT
THAT AND STUDYING THAT.
SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO REALLY,
REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE NEXT BIG THING IS FROM AN
INNOVATION AND INDUSTRY
STANDPOINT AND WHETHER A
SPECIFIC SECTOR OR IMPLICATION
OF ANY TECHNOLOGY LIKE AI OR
WHATEVER IT IS, WE ARE CLOSELY
TRACKING AND MONITORING THAT,
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE SORT OF
UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION THAT
SEATTLE HAS AND HOW SEATTLE IS
BEST POSITIONED, RELATIVE TO
OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO HELP
DRIVE AND GROW THAT THING IN
SEATTLE AS OPPOSED TO
ELSEWHERE. AND ALSO
UNDERSTANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SEATTLE TO CONTINUE TO GET
BETTER IN THAT AREA. LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT SEATTLE
CONTINUES TO HAVE A DIVERSE AND
THRIVING ECONOMY. SO THAT WAS
SOME COMMENTS. QUICK QUESTION
ON SLIDE 11, WHICH WAS THE
CLIMATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT
PIECE. I NOTICED THERE WERE A
FEW EXAMPLES OF THE SOUTH
SEATTLE COLLEGE PROGRAM AND THE
DEWAMAH VALUE YOUTH PROGRAM
WHICH ARE BOTH IN MY DISTRICT,
DISTRICT 1. SO JUST CURIOUS TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT ARE THERE ANY
WAYS THAT I CAN PERSONALLY
SUPPORT THAT EFFORT AND
COLLABORATE WITH YOU WITH THE
YOUTH TRAINING? IT IS VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT TO NEE ME.
>> YEAH, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE
YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THOSE. DID
YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THOSE
PROGRAMS?
>> YEAH. YOU SHOWED THE MAP OF
WHERE THE OFFICE OF INVESTMENTS
ARE. WE HAVE A SIMILAR MAP THAT
SHOWS INVESTMENTS IN RSGI
NEIGHBORHOODS. SOUTH PARK,
GEORGETOWN, SOUTHWEST SEATTING,
THOSE ARE PLACES WE INVEST IN.
SO WE WOULD LOVE TO BRING YOU
TO SEE THOSE PLACES. THEY ARE
REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIPS.
>> AWESOME.
>> WE WILL GET YOU BRIEFED UP
AND THEN IT IS FIGURING OUT
WHAT ROLES DO WE PLAY AND HOW
CAN YOU SUPPORT BUT WE WOULD
LOVE TO DO IT.
>> AWESOME, LET'S GO.
>> GREAT.
>> THANK YOU BOTH DIRECTORS FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. I ECHO
MY COLLEAGUES APPRECIATION OF
OED FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU DO.
THE STUFF I SEE BACK THERE ON
BEHALF OF SMALL BUSINESSES
ACROSS THE CITY. IN PARTICULAR
IN DISTRICT 4, WE HAVE HAD A
VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS WITH
SMALL BUSINESSES EXPERIENCING
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES. I WAS
TALKING WITH A SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER YESTERDAY WHO HAS BEEN IN
THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS FOR
OVER 20 YEARS WHO WAS TELLING
MOW THAT BETWEEN 2006 AND 2020,
THERE WAS ONE BREAK IN IN THE
RESTAURANT. AND THEN 2020 TO
2023, THEY HAVE HAD OVER 20
BREAK-INS. THAT'S NOT -- THERE
WERE OBVIOUSLY SOME ACTIONS
THAT HAPPENED ON THE PUBLIC
SAFETY FRONT THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS. BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS
A REALITY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
AND SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE
STORE FRONT PROGRAM. I WILL SAY
I BELIEVE THE PROGRAM IS BEING
FUNDED WITH ONE TIME FEDERAL
FUNDING WHICH IS GOING TO COME
TO AN END SOON HERE. SO I KNOW
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WILL
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR
BUSINESSES, GIVEN THAT THE
FUNDING WILL EXPIRE SOON. SO WE
WILL HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
ALSO, I WANTED TO GIVE A
SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO PHILIP
SID WHO I DID NOT SEE HERE
TODAY. HIS OED STAFF HAS BEEN
VERY RESPONSIVE TO MY DISTRICT.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HIS
PARTNERSHIP. PHILIP AND I
WORKED TOGETHER DURING COVID
ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT SMALL BUSINESSES WERE
EXPERIENCING AT THAT TIME. THAT
IS REALLY A TESTAMENT TO THE
WORK THAT OED IS DOING AND
PHILIP IN PARTICULAR. SO WANTED
TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO RECOGNIZE STAFF. WHEN THEY
REALLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE OUR CITY STAFF. THAT
SAID, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO
DO. I WILL SAY THAT ON THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN, I
LOOK FORWARD TO AN OPPORTUNITY,
HOPEFULLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO
HAVE A PRESENTATION JUST ON
THAT. I WILL SAY I'M VERY
APPRECIATIVE AND I THINK THE
MAYOR IS DOING A GREAT JOB WITH
ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY
DOWNTOWN. I HAVE HUGE CONCERNS
AS I WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN AS I
DID DURING LUNCH. THERE ARE A
LOT OF EMPTY STORE FRONTS,
THERE IS A LOT OF GRAFFITI.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES AND
BUSINESSES I USED TO GO TO THAT
ARE NO LONGER THERE. IT IS VERY
UPSETTING TO SAY THE LEAST. I
HAVE NOT SEEN ANY PROGRESS IN
THAT FRONT. I HAVE NOT TO SAY
THERE WERE NOT THINGS HAPPENING
NAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT BUT
THERE ARE NOT THINGS THAT WE
KNOW ABOUT. THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
FINDING OUT MORE. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE SUPPORTING THE
EFFORTS ON THE GROUND TO MAKE
SOME HEAD WAY IN SPACE. I
REPRESENT DISTRICT 4, DISTRICT
4 RESIDENTS. RESIDENTS ARE VERY
INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING
DOWNTOWN. THEY DON'T WANT TO
COME DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES. SO WE
NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE AS WELL.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE
VIBRANT BUSINESSES FOR THEM TO
COME TO. WITHOUT THOSE
BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, THEY ARE
NOT GOING TO COME EVEN IF WE
TRY TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES. I DON'T
WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT BUT
REALLY DO WANT TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT PLANNING ON THIS FRONT,
HOPEFULLY SOON.
>> YEAH, LOOKING FORWARD TO
GIVING YOU THAT PRESENTATION,
AND THE QUICK THING, WE ARE ON
THE RIGHT TRAJECTORY. BUT WE
HAVE A LOT LEFT TO DO. THE GOOD
NEWS IS WE HAVE SOME IDEAS AND
WELCOME YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON
THAT.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR
MCINTYRE. IDEAS ARE IMPORTANT
BUT WE NEED TO SEE SOME
PROGRESS BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO
TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND
CONVINCE THEM TO COME DOWNTOWN
IF WE DON'T SEE PROGRESS. AND
THAT'S ALL OF US WORKING
TOGETHER. SO THAT'S YOU KNOW,
NOT ON ONE ENTITY OR ONE
PERSON. BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE
HARD CONVERSATIONS AND WHAT WE
CAN DO TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE
COMMENTS. THERE WAS A TIME,
LAST TWO YEARS WHEN I WAS THE
GO TO PERSON FOR REPORTERS TO
COME TO TO COMMENT ON THE
LATEST BREAK-INS. CEREMINA WAS
GROEKEN INTO 19 TIMES OR
WHATEVER, A COLLECTION OF SMALL
BUSINESSES. AND TO REALLY --
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR LIFE'S
SAVINGS, WHEN YOU HAVE TO PUT
YOUR HOUSE UP FOR COLLATERAL TO
GET THE BANK LOAN, PEOPLE FEEL
-- SMALL BUSINESSES ARE
EXTREMELY INVESTED AND THERE IS
A LOT OF RISK INVOLVED. THEY
FEEL IN MANY WAYS ABANDONED BY
THE CITY FOR NOT BEING MORE
RESPONSIVE TO BASICALLY THEIR
REPEAT BREAK-INS BUT ALSO THE
POTENTIAL FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD
TO BE TAKEN AWAY AND THEIR NEST
EGG AND THE GENERATIONAL WEALTH
THEY WERE HOPING TO PASS ALONG.
I THINK WE KNOW THAT SPD
STAFFING SHORTAGE IS A BIG
REASON. I'M INTERESTED IN
WORKING WITH MOY COLLEAGUE HERE
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON
WITH STAFFING, WHAT IS GOING ON
WITH HOW IS THE DRUG ORDINANCE
PLAYING OUT, ET CETERA AND IF
THAT'S WHAT AYOU ARE GETTING,
IDEAS. BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF
INFORMATION SHARING TO DO FOR
NEW MEMBERS. CLEARLY, WE ARE
ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS
BECAUSE THIS IS A DIFFERENT
MAKE-UP. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
IS A TOP PRIORITY TO ALL OF US.
IT MAY SOUND LIKE WE ARE MAKING
A LOT OF DEMANDS BUT THAT IS
BECAUSE PEOPLE HERE CAMPAIGNED
ON THIS ISSUE AND THAT'S WHAT
OUR VOTERS WANT US TO DO.
>> MADAM COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I
HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE TO
NOTICE THAT THE FIRST PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL
BE NEXT TUESDAY MORNING. I'M
SURE A LOT OF ATTENTION WILL BE
GIVEN TO THAT COMMITTEE
MEETING.
>> LET ME JUST SAY WITH
MARKHAM, I HAVE BEEN REALLY
OPTIMISTIC WITH YOU AND MAYOR
HARRELL THAT WE ARE TURNING A
CORNER IN BRIDGING THE DIVIDE
THAT HAS BEEN TOO WIDE, TOO
DEEP BETWEEN CITY HALL AND THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THAT WAS
ONE OF MY MISSIONS AS A
BUSINESS OWNER WAS TO TRY TO
MAKE AMENDS AND WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP MORE AND TO
RECOGNIZE THAT WE REALIZE THAT
PART OF OUR GOVERNMENT FUNCTION
IS TO HELP AND SUPPORT THE
BUSINESSES THAT GENERATE 50% OF
THE TAX REVENUE JUST DOWNTOWN.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
FIGURE IS CITY WIDE, TO SAY
NOTHING FOR CREATING JOBS AND
MAKING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
VIBRANT PLACES AND SEATTLE MORE
FUN. WE ARE SO -- I JUST WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. YOUR ONGOING
WORK. FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T
KNOW WHAT O.E.D. USED TO BE
LIKE, MARKHAM HAS IN TWO SHORT
YEARS STAFFED UP WITH EXTREMELY
TALENTED, COMMITTED PEOPLE, AND
HAS PUT AN ORGANIZED STRUCTURE
AROUND YOUR LINES OF BUSINESS
THAT ARE INFORMED BY HOURS AND
HOURS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
STEAK HOLDERING AND MANY YEARS
AT THE CHAMBER, REALLY
UNDERSTANDING THEESHUS THAT
BUSINESSES FACE. I DO SAY THAT
I THINK WITH US, AND WITH THE
MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION, WE CAN
MAKE SOME POSITIVE STRIDES. AND
MY LAST PLUG WILL BE, WHEN I
ALLUDED TO YOUR BUDGET, I ROLLY
TAKE -- I'M ATTRACTED TO THE
MODEL THAT SAN FRANCISCO'S
LONDON BREED PUT FORWARD.
FACING SOME OF THE SAME DRASTIC
BUDGET NEEDS DOWN THERE, SHE
DIRECTED DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE 5%
CUTS AND 8% CUTS BUT SHE
EXCLUDED THE PUBLIC SAFETY,
FIRST RESPONDERS, ET CETERA.
AND THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, WHATEVER THE
EQUIVALENT IS DOWN THERE.
BECAUSE WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO?
WE WANT TO GROW REVENUE. WE
WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN,
SUPPORT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO
KEEP THE TAXES ROLLING IN TO
FUND GOVERNMENT. SO THAT'S
WHERE MY HEART IS GOING
FORWARD. JUST WANTED TO NOTE
THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
COMING. LET'S BE IN TOUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME. LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU
INDIVIDUALLY AND TALKING MORE
ABOUT THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
THE NEXT ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2,
SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION OVER VIEW BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> WHILE YOU ARE GETTING
SETTLED, I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THAT BECAUSE I ADDED
ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE TITLE OF
THE COMMITTEE, I THOUGHT I
SHOULD CALL OUR FIRST MOST --
WELL, HERE'S HOW I SEE
ACCOUNTABILITY OPERATIONALIZED
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
PRIMARILY THROUGH TWO OFFICES.
WELL, THE CITY AUDITOR AND ALSO
YOUR SHOT, SIR. AND IT IS A
SIGNAL TO THE IMPORTANCE I SEE
IN WHAT YOU DO AND ALSO THE
IMPORTANCE OF THAT FUNCTION AS
WE CARRY OUT OUR DUTIES AS
ELECTED OFFICIALS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR AGREEING TO COME TALK
TO US TODAY. I DON'T KNOW THE
LAST TIME YOU MADE A BRIEFING
IN CHAMBERS BUT THANK YOU FOR
ACCEPTING THE INVITATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND
HELLO NEW COUNCILMEMBERS,
PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL. I HAVE
NEVER LOOKED UP AND SEEN SO
MANY NEW FACES. IT IS VERY
JARRING. I WAS LOOKING FOR ONE
NEW FACE AND NOW IT IS ONE OLD
FACE. THAT WOULD BE MINE.
>> MY NAME IS WAYNE BARNETT,
DIRECTOR OF THE ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS COMMISSION. I'M
GOING TO GIVE YOU A BROADEST
POSSIBLE OVERVIEW. SO INDULGE
ME AND ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO
ALONG AS THEY OCCUR TO YOU. WE
HAVE BEEN AROUND IN ONE FORM OR
ANOTHER FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
IN 1971, THE CITY CREATED A
FAIR CAMPAIGN POLITICAL
PRACTICES COMMISSION TO ENFORCE
THE ELECTIONS CODE. REALLY THE
ELECTIONS CODE, I WOULD LIKE TO
THINK OF THIS AS THE FCC. WE
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
ADMINISTERING ELECTIONS. WE
DON'T COUNT VOTES OR
ADMINISTER BALLOTS. WE REALLY
JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY. SO WE
COUNT WHO IS GETTING
CONTRIBUTIONS AND WHERE THE
MONEY IS GOING. THAT IS OUR
ONLY INTEREST IN ELECTIONS. SO
CALLING US THE ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE IS A LITTLE
BIT OF A MISNOMER. THE BOARD OF
ETHICS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1971.
THE BOARD OF ETHICS WAS
DESIGNED TO ADMINISTER THE
CITY'S ETHICS CODE WHICH IS
ONE OF OUR HALLMARK CODES. I
THINK SEATTLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
PROUD OF ITS ETHICS CODE AND
CULTURE. THAT IS ONE OF THE
THINGS I INHERITED WHEN I CAME
HERE AND I HOPE TO PASS ALONG
TO MY SUCCESSOR. AND THEN 20
YEARS LATER IN 1991, THEY
COMBINED THE TWO COMMISSIONS
INTO THE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION. THAT'S THE JOB I
HAVE. AND WHAT WE DO, HERE'S
THE BIGGEST PICTURE. I LIKE TO
THINK OF THIS AS THE REASON WE
EXIST. WE EXIST TO FOSTER
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN
GOVERNMENT. WE CAN'T CREATE
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN
GOVERNMENT. WE CAN'T PROMOTE
IT. WE CAN'T GUARANTEE IT. ALL
WE CAN REALLY DO IS FOSTER IT.
WE EXIST SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW
THERE IS AN AGENCY THAT THEIR
TAX DOLLARS SUPPORT WHICH IS
DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE
GOVERNMENT OPERATES AS
EFFECTIVELY AS IT CAN AND AS
ETHICILY AS IT CAN. THAT IS OUR
ROLE. THIS LANGUAGE FROM THE
ENABLING ORDINANCE WHICH GOES
BACK 50 YEARS SAYS THE CITY
FINDS THAT THE PROPER OPERATION
OF DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THE PUBLIC
OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES BE
INDEPENDENT, IMPARTIAL, AND
RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE. THE
GOVERNMENT DECISIONS AND POLICY
BE MADE IN THE PROPER CHANNELS
OF THE GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE,
THE OFFICE NOT BE USED FOR
PERSONAL GAME AND THAT THE
PUBLIC HAVE CONFIDENT IN THE
INTEGRITY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
NOW EVERY DAY I SHOW UP AND I
LOVE MY JOB. ALL I HAVE TO DO
IS MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS
FULFILLED. THAT IS WHAT I
STRIVE FOR. IT'S A GREAT JOB.
WHO IS THE COMMISSION? WE ARE A
SEVEN MEMBER COMMISSION. I WORK
FOR THEM. THEY HIRE AND FIRE
ME. THREE OF THOSE MEMBERS ARE
APPOINTED BY THE MEMBER. THREE
ARE APPOINTED BY YOU. AND THOSE
SIX TOGETHER CHOOSE THE
SEVENTH. THAT IS THE STRUCTURE
OF THE COMMISSION. I THINK THAT
GOES TO SHOW THE WAY OUR
GOVERNMENT IS ORGANIZED. THE
TENSION IS NOT BETWEEN PARTIES
BECAUSE WE ARE NONPARTISAN. IT
IS NOT BETWEEN AREAS, IT IS
BETWEEN THE LEGISLATIVE AND
EXECUTIVE BRANCHES. ANY TENSION
THERE IS IS INHERENT IN THAT
RELATIONSHIP. I'M SAYING THERE
IS SOME NATURAL TENSION THERE.
YOU ARE THE LEGISLATIVE AND THE
MAYOR IS THE EXECUTIVE SO WE
KIND OF DIVIDE THE OTHER FOR
THE COMMISSION BETWEEN THOSE
TWO OFFICES. AND THEY TOGETHER
CHOOSE A SEVEN SNCHLTH NONE OF
MY COMMISSIONERS CAN BE ACTIVE
POLITICALLY IN THE CITY WHILE
THEY ARE ON THE COMMISSION. I
WOULD HATE TO HAVE A MATTER
INVOLVING A COUNCILMEMBER AND
THEN IT TURNS OUT I HAVE A
COMMISSIONER WHO HAS TO RECUSE
THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY WERE
SUPPORTING THAT COUNCILMEMBER
OR OPPONENT. SO THAT'S A PART
OF MY JOB. THIS IS WHERE WE GET
INTHE NITY DPRITY. WE ENFORCE
THE ETHICS CODE. IT IS THE
MINIMUM YOU HAVE TO DO TO DO
YOUR JOB. YOU CAN'T HAVE A
CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN A
MATTER BEFORE YOU. YOU CAN'T
MISUSE YOUR POSITION FOR A
PRIVATE BENEFIT. THAT IS THE
PURPOSE STATEMENT THERE. YOU
CAN'T ACCEPT GIFTS THAT
SOMEONE WOULD THINK WAS GIVEN
TO YOU TO INFLUENCE YOUR
OFFICIAL JUDGMENT. THAT IS THE
ETHICS CODE, THOSE THREE
THINGS. MOST OF MY JOB IS
ADVISING ON THAT. I THINK OF
MYSELF AS AN ADVISOR THAN AS A
COP WALKING THE BEAT. MY JOB IS
TO HELP PEOPLE COMPLY WITH THE
ETHICS CODE. I THINK PEOPLE
WANT TO COMPLY PLY.
OCCASIONALLY, SOMEONE DOES NOT
WANT TO COMPLY. OCCASIONALLY AN
EMPLOYEE WILL ROW IN THE OTHER
DIRECTION AND IT IS MY JOB FOR
PEOPLE WHO NOTICE THAT AND
REPORT IT. IN THAT CASE, I TURN
IT INENFORCEMENT AND WE CAN GO
AGAINST THEM AND FINE THEM AND
TAKE WHATEVER ACTIONS WE THINK
ARE APPROPRIATE. WE ALSO
ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE THE
ELECTION CODES. THE RULES WE
PUT IN ABOUT MAKING SURE YOUR
REPORTS ARE FILED TIMELY AND
THEY ARE ACCURATE. WE NEED TO
KNOW WHO IS GIVING YOU MONEY
AND WHERE YOU ARE SPENDING THE
MONEY. THAT'S THE WHOLE THING
UNDER THE ELECTIONS CODE. SO
THAT'S GOOD. WE ADMINISTER THE
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION CODE.
IT IS NOT A HUGE PART BUT IT IS
AN IMPORTANT THING WE DO. WE
ARE A PLACE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES,
PRIMARILY TO COME AND SAY, THIS
THING GOING ON IN MY OFFICE, I
DON'T THINK IT IS RIGHT. IF IT
VIOLATES THE LAW OR CREATES A
PUBLIC DANGER TO SAFETY OR
GROSSLY WASTES PUBLIC MONEY, WE
CAN ENFORCE THAT. WE PUT OUT A
REPORT AND THERE WERE MESSAGES
MISSING AND IT WAS CONCEALED
FROM THE PUBLIC, THAT'S WHAT
WE DO IN THE WHISTLEBLOWER
PROTECTION CODE.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? WHAT
HAPPENS IF SOMEONE BLOWS THE
WHISTLE ON SOMETHING THAT IS
ILLEGAL AND NOT JUST UNETHICAL?
>> I WORK WITH THE CIO WHEN I
HAVE TO HIRE AN EXPERT. UNDER
THE WHISTLEBLOWER CODE, A LOT
OF TIMES I GET COMPLAINTS LIKE
THE MAYOR'S TEXT MESSAGE CASE,
I HAD TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND
GIVE ME AN EXPERT IN THE
PUBLICATION RECORDS ACT THAT
COULD HELP SORT THROUGH THAT.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I WILL
OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO CALL THE
POLICE. BUT FOR THE MOST PART,
I DON'T GET THOSE KINDS OF
COMPLAINTS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WOE ALSO ADMINISTER AND
ENFORCE THE LOBBYING CODE. THAT
IS ONE OF THE NEWER ORDINANCES
WE HAVE ADOPTED. IT GOES BACK
TO 2008, 15 YEARS AGO YOU
ADOPTED A LOBBYING CODE. THAT
IS MAKING SURE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PAID TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATIVE
ACTION HAS TO REGISTER. WE
DON'T BAR THEM. WE JUST
REQUIRE THAT IT BE DONE IN THE
OPEN. SUNSHINE AND TRANSPARENCY
IS THE KEY ROLE THERE. AND WITH
THE KING COUNTY ELECTIONS, WE
PRODUCE THE VIDEO VOTERS GUIDE.
YOU KNOW BECAUSE FOUR OF THE
FIVE OF YOU DID ONE RECENTLY.
IT IS A VIDEO STATEMENT, TWO
MINUTES FOR YOU TO MAKE A CASE
TO VOTERS ON WHY YOU DESERVE
THEIR VOTE. SINCE YOU ARE AT
THE TABLE, YOU SUCCEEDED IN
THAT, CONGRATULATIONS. WE
PRODUCE THAT WITH KING COUNTY
ELECTIONS WHICH DOES THE
WRITTEN VOTERS PAMPPHLETS. JUST
AS ANOTHER WAY TO GET THE
INFORMATION OUT TO VOTERS. THE
LAST THING WE DO IS ADMINISTER
THE CITY'S DEMOCRACY PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE NEWEST THING WE
HAVE. THAT IS NOT RELATED TO
THE ACCOUNTABILITY ROLE BUT IT
IS THE ROLE OF MAKING SURE THAT
EVERYONE HAS A SAY IN WHO GETS
ELECTED. IT IS REALLY
DEMOCRATIZING THE ELECTION
PROCESS. EVERYONE GETS A VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SAY IN
DIRECTING DOLLARS TO WHO IS ON
THE BALLOT, YOUR VOTE DOESN'T
IN THE END MATTER THAT MUCH. IT
IS REALLY WHO SETS THE TABLE.
THAT WE DO AS WELL. HOW WE DO
IT, WE ARE A VERY LEAN
OPERATION. I SAY THAT TO YOU
PROUDLY. I HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE
DEDICATED TO THE ELECTIONS
CODE. SHE WAS THE ELECTIONS
AUDITOR BEFORE SHOW TOOK ON A
LARGER ROLE. SHE IS NOW A
STRATEGIC ADVISOR. SHE JUST
AUDITS ALL OF THE REPORTS FILED
AND ALSO ADVISES, CAMPAIGNS ON
COMPLYING WITH THE LAW. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THE
RULES. EVERYONE HAS TO KNOW
THEM AND WE MAKE SURE EVERYONE
DOES. WE HAVE AN 80% EMPLOYEE
WHO IS DEDICATED TO THE ETHICS
CODE. HE HAS BEEN WITH US FOR
35 YEARS, NOT WITH MY OFFICE
BUT WITH THE CITY FOR 35 YEARS.
HE WAS LEGAL COUNCIL TO MAYOR
ROYER A LONG TIME AGO. HE HELPS
ME TO ADVICE PEOPLE ON WHAT THE
LAW REQUIRES. AND ALSO TRAINS
ON IT AND THEN HE DOES ALSO
FILL AN INVESTIGATIVE ROLE AT
TIMES. I HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE
DEVOTED TO THE LOBBYING CODE,
GETTING THAT UP AND RUNNING. IT
HAS ONLY BEEN 13 YEARS NOW BUT
IT IS STILL KIND OF A WORK IN
PROGRESS. JUST MAKING SURE THAT
IT IS ALL TRANSPARENT.
>> HOW IS THAT ENFORCED?
>> WELL, IT IS ENFORCED REALLY
RIGHT NOW, IT IS MORE CAJOLING.
WE HAVE YET TO ISSUE A FINE
UNDER IT. WE ASK THEM TO FILE A
REPORT AND THEN THEY FILE. IT
IS JUST ELECTRONIC FILING. SO
LOBBYIST JUST HAVE TO GO IN AND
REPORT HOW MUCH THEY HAVE
EARNED AND WHO PAID THEM AND
WHO THEY CONTACTED. THAT IS THE
OTHER THING. IT INCLUDES WHO
THEY HAVE CONTACTED. THAT HAS
TO BE PUBLIC. AS LONG AS IT IS
PUBLIC, IT'S FINE. WE HAVE
NEVER DONE AN ENFORCEMENT
ACTION. IT HAS JUST BEEN
CAJOLING SO FAR, LIKE WE NEED
THIS AND IT DETS DONE. I HAVE
TWO EMPLOYEES WHO DO THE TECH
WORK FOR THE OFFICE WHICH IS
SOMETHING THAT I NEVER THOUGHT
I HAD BUT SO MUCH OF THE WORK
IS TECHNOLOGY. IT IS GETTING
ALL OF THIS ONLINE, THAT IT IS
SEAMLESS, AS SOON AS YOU FILE
THE CAMPAIGN REPORTS, IT IS
PUBLIC INFORMATION TO THE WIDER
WORLD. SO I HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO
WORK ALMOST FULL-TIME. THEY ARE
ALL GETTING IT OUT THERE AND
MAKING SURE THAT OUR SYSTEM IS
VIBRANT. THE THREE EMPLOYEES
DEDICATED TO THE DEMOCRACY
PROGRAM ARE FUNDED BY THE
DEMOCRACY VOUCHER LEVY THAT
PASSED. I OVERSEE EVERYTHING.
I'M KIND OF THE BACK STOP OR
THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS ON THE
DOOR. OUR ANNUAL GENERAL FUND
BUDGET IS ONLY $1.3 MILLION.
WITH THAT, I THINK WE DELIVER
YOU A GOOD PRODUCT. I HOPE YOU
THINK SO. THE DEMOCRACY FUND
BUDGET IS $3 MILLION A YEAR.
THAT IS REALLY US. I JUST TOLD
YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT US. ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> I DO. ON THE DEMOCRACY
VOUCHER PROGRAM. THAT HAS TO BE
RENEWED NEXT YEAR, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> SO WILL IT JUST -- IT HAS TO
GO BACK TO THE VOTERS? OR ARE
WE MAKING CHANGES TO IT, TO THE
PROGRAM OR TO THE RULES OR
ANYTHING? TELL ME HOW IT WORKS.
>> SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTS
CHANGES. SO WE WILL LOOK IN THE
NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, LOOKING
AT WHAT PEOPLE SUGGEST AND HOW
THE PROGRAM WORKS AND IF WE CAN
REFINE IT AT ALL. THEN WE WILL
BE PUTTING IT BACK BEFORE THE
VOTERS AND ASKING THEM TO RENEW
IT.
>> IS A TAX INCREASE ALSO ON
THE TABLE OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE
A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OR THAT
FIXED AMOUNT?
>> IT IT HAS BEEN $3 MILLION A
YEAR FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THAT IS ON THE TABLE.
>> WILL IT COMMITTEE LOOK AT
WHATEVER -- WHAT IS THE ROLE OF
-- WHAT DOES THIS COMMITTEE DO
AS YOU ARE PLANNING TO MAKE ANY
CHANGES OR PUT IT BACK ON THE
BALLOT?
>> I THINK YOU WOULD BE THE
ONES TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. I
WOULD HAVE NO ROLE OF PUTTING
IT ON THE BALLOT. THIS WOULD BE
THE FIRST COMMITTEE TO ARRIVE
AND YOU WOULD SAY, WE WILL PUT
IT ON THE BALLOT OR NO, WE
WON'T. IT WILL BE A
COLLABORATION. SO THE RULE IS
TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT,
MAKE CHANGES WITH INITIATIVES
DRIVEN BY THE PEOPLE. WE HAVE A
CHIS OF SENDING IT STRAIGHT TO
KING COUNTY, MAKING CHANGES
ORPUTTING IN AN ALTERNATE. SO I
DIDN'T KNOW IF ANY CHANGES
WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN
ALTERNATE TO THE ORIGINAL OR
HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
>> I THINK RIGHT NOW THE PLAN
WOULD BE THAT IT IS THE CITY
THAT PUTS IT ON THE BALLOT.
>> RIGHT.
>> FRANKLY, EIGHT OF YOU HAVE
BEEN ELECTED OR APPOINTED. I
THINK THE CITY OUGHT TO BE THE
ONE WHO PUTS IT OUT AND NOT
ANOTHER SIGNATURE GATHERING
MOVE ON THE PUBLIC'S PART. IT
WILL COME TO YOU TO POTENTIALLY
LOOK AT AND PUT ON THE BALLOT.
>> MAYBE WE WILL ASK THE
COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT
WHATEVER CHANGES THEY ARE
CONSIDERING.
>> OF COURSE, WE CAN BE
AVAILABLE.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK IF THERE
WOULD BE AN ANALYSIS YOUR
OFFICE IS DOING ABOUT HOW WELL
THE PROGRAM IS WORKING AND
WHETHER IT WILL BE ON THE
BALLOT? I KNOW IT WAS DRIVEN BY
VOTERS SO I DON'T KNOW EVEN
KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
WE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY HAVE TO
PUT PACK ON THE BALLOT? OR IS
THERE AN ANALYSIS WE ARE ABLE
TO DO AND THEN PUT IT ON THE
BALLOT?
>> EVERY YEAR, WE DO AN
ANALYSIS. WE HAVE DONE
INTERVIEWS AND GATHERED ALL OF
THE DATA AND DONE A REPORT.
THAT WAS REQUIRED UNDER THE
INITIAL LANGUAGE. EVERY TWO
YEARS, STUDY THIS AND TELL US
HOW IT IS WORKING. I THINK WE
WILL BE DOING THAT AGAIN THIS
YEAR. AND THEN I THINK
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD HOPE TO PUT
SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR YOU TO
LOOK AT IN THE END.
>> WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PACK
THAT UP AND INTO ONE MASSIVE
REPORT AS PART OF THE BROADER
SET OF ANALYSIS IF ANY ON ANY
TWEAKS NEEDED AND PRESENT THAT
AS PART OF THE PROCESS WHEN WE
DECIDE TO PUT THAT BEFORE
VOTERS AGAIN?
>> I BELIEVE SO, YES. I CAN'T
IMAGINE A WORLD IN WHICH I
WOULD SAY NO TO THAT.
>> I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED
IN MAKING SURE WE HAVE A FULL
ACCOUNTING ON THE PERFORMANCE
AND A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE
PERFORMANCE TO DO AND WHETHER
IT HAS LIVED UP TO ITS INTENDED
GOALS AND HOW IT IS DRIVING
PARTICIPATION WHICH I
UNDERSTAND ARE THE STATED GOALS
BEFORE WE ASK VOTERS TO DO
ANYTHING. NEXT YEAR, SO 25?
>> MONEY RUNS OUT, LAST TAXES
ARE COLLECTED ON IT IN DECEMBER
OF 2025.
>> WILL YOU ALSO RECOMMEND A
TERM FOR THAT RENEWAL IF IT
COMES UP?
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE PART
OF IT, YES.
>> HOW LONG WAS THE ORIGINAL?
TEN YEARS.
>> WOW.
>> TEN YEAR LEVY.
>> AND REMIND US, THIS WAS A
PROPERTY TAX INCREASE?
>> IT WAS A PROPERTY TAX.
>> THANK YOU. CENTRAL STAFF,
THANK YOU. WE HAVE A LOT OF
LIVED EXPERIENCE HERE AS PEOPLE
WHO HAVE JUST GOTTEN DONE BEING
CANDIDATES. HAPPY TO BE A FOCUS
GROUP OR TWO FOR WHATEVER
CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING HAD TO
THINK ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS,
CHANGES, ET CETERA. ANOTHER
QUESTION, THIS MAY SEEM VERY
BASIC TO YOU BUT YOU TALKED
ABOUT SEATTLE'S ETHICS CODE
BEING A MODEL OF THE COUNTRY OR
THAT IS WHAT I INFERRED FROM
WHAT YOU SAID. WE ARE ABOVE
AVERAGE. SO HOW DO NEW CODES
GET ADDED? WHAT IS THE PROCESS
FOR MODIFYING AN ETHICS CODE?
OR NOW THAT WE ARE IN A
COMPUTER AGE, MAYBE THAT
CHANGES THING. DOES THE
COMMITTEE GET TOGETHER TO RENEW
THE ETHICS CODE OR HOW DOES
THAT WORK?
>> IN 2009 IS THE LAST TIME WE
TOOK A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF
THE ETHICS CODE. I JOINED IN
2004 AND IN 2009, I LED ON A
REVIEW OF THE ETHICS CODE TO
SEE IF WE WERE STILL DOING BEST
PRACTICES, WERE WE STILL WHERE
WE NEEDED TO BE, ABOVE AVERAGE.
SO I DID THAT REVIEW OR THE
WHOLE OFFICE DID THE REVIEW. WE
DID MAKE SOME CHANGES IN 2009.
I THINK THE KEY THING WE DID IS
WE CREATED A DISCLOSURE METHOD
FOR SOME THINGS. WE SAID IT WAS
THE REASONABLE APPEARANCE
STUFF. PEOPLE ALWAYS SAID WE
ARE A GREAT ETHICS CODE, YOU
CAN'T DO ANYTHING IF IT
APPEARS THAT IT WOULD BE IN
YOUR OWN INTEREST OR APPEARS
THERE IS A VIOLATION. SO
APPEARANCE PROBLEMS WERE THE
SAME AS IMMEDIATE FAMILY
MEMBER. YOU COULDN'T ACT ON AN
A MATTER IN WHICH YOU HAD AN
APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT. WHAT
I FOUND IS WE FOUND SO LITTLE
TO VIOLATE THE APPEARANCE
BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE DRASTIC
RESULTS. IF YOU HAD AN
APPEARANCE PROBLEM, YOU HAD TO
RECUSE YOURSELF. LOW AND
BEHOLD, THE CITY STARTS
NARROWLY LOOKING AT THE MATTER.
I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING
WHERE SOMEONE'S BOYFRIEND OR
GIRLFRIEND WAS INVOLVED AND I
DON'T THINK THAT IS AN
APPEARANCE PROBLEM. WELL, WE
WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING
TO DECIDE ON HIRING YOUR
ROMANTIC PARTNER. SO WE CHANGED
IT TO DISCLOSURE. THAT WAS THE
KEY THING WE DID BACK THEN. I
DON'T REALLY THINK ETHICS
CHANGES MUCH THOUGH. WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT THE CODE HAVING TO
CHANGE, I HAVE NOT SEEN
ANYTHING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
YOURS TO THINK WE NEED TO
UPDATE THE CODE BECAUSE THIS IS
HAPPENING. I THINK MOST OF THEM
ARE FIXED. WE DON'T HAVE MUCH
IN THE WAY OF EVOLVING ETHICAL
NORMS.
>> I'M GOING TO LOOK IN THAT
DIRECTION AND YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO ASK A QUESTION IF YOU ARE
SIGNALLING ME, BUT IF AN
EMPLOYEE THINKS THAT SOMETHING
IS FISHY IN THEIR DEPARTMENT OR
WHATEVER, AND THEY THINK THERE
IS AN ETHICS VIOLATION GOING
ON, THEY CALL YOU AND THEN WHAT
DO YOU DO? DO YOU THINK -- DO
YOU DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT IS
SENT TO THE COMMISSION TO
DISCUSS AND THEN FIGURE OUT IF
IT DESERVES A FINE? WHAT IS THE
WORK FLOW FOR AUTHORITY FROM
COMPLAINT OR DECISION?
>> IF THEY JUST SAY THIS IS
FISHY, I WANT TO TALK TO THEM,
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING, WHAT ARE
YOU THINKING. IF IT DOESN'T
STRIKE ME AS MUCH, I MAY SAY I
DON'T THINK THIS IS AN
ENFORCEMENT MATTER. I DOHEAR
YOU AND THIS SOUNDS NOT THE
BEST BUT COULD YOU MAYBE HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THATPERSON,
COULD I TRUST YOU TO TAKE SOME
ACTION THAT WOULD VINDICATE
YOUR FEELINGS BUT STILL ALLOW
THE WORK TO GO ON. BUT IF
SOMEONE CALLS ME AND SOMETHING
DRASTIC, I DON'T KNOW, THIS
PERSON IS ISSUING PERMITS IS
PREPARING PERMIT APPLICATIONS
AND SUBMITTING THEM, THAT WOULD
BE LIKE I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
THERE IS A JUDGMENT CALL FOR
WHETHER IT IS ENFORCEMENT OR
ADVICE. IF I THINK SOMEONE IS
PREPARING PERMIT APPLICATIONS
AND SUBMITTING THEM TO THEIR
DEPARTMENT AND WALKING DOWN THE
HALL, LIKE, HEY, THIS IS MINE,
PUSH THIS ALONG, THAT IS ONE
WHERE I WOULD FILE CHARGES. I
WOULD DO THE INVESTIGATION,
MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS -- THAT
THERE WAS EVIDENCE IT WAS GOING
ON. AND THEN I WOULD FILE
CHARGES. THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO
THE PERSON TO COME IN AND
DEFEND THEMSELVES OR SETTLE.
MOST PEOPLE SETTLE. IT IS NOT
THAT DIFFERENT FROM COURT. MOST
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A
HEARING AND HAVE THEIR
REPUTATION DRAGGED THROUGH THE
MUD. SO THEY WILL USUALLY
SETTLE. SO I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
ON NOT ABUSING THAT FACT.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PLAY WITH
US. I KIND OF FIGHT WITH MYSELF
ON THEIR BEHALF I GUESS. IS
THAT CLEAR OR NO?
>> I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHO
MAKES THE ULTIMATE DECISIONS. I
HAVE CALLED YOU FOR ADVICE OR
QUESTIONS BEFORE BUT I DON'T
KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CAMPAIGN
VIOLATION, SOMEONE WOULD CALL
YOU AND YOU KICK IT TO THE
COMMISSION? I DON'T KNOW WHEN
IT GETS ELEVATED.
>> IT GETS ELEVATED IF THERE IS
A DISPUTE BETWEEN ME AND THE
PERSON AND THEY ARE ARE NOT
WILLING TO RESOLVE IT. THAT'S
WHEN IT GETS TO THE COMMISSION.
>> ANY QUESTIONS?
>> ONE QUESTION. AND IT MAKES
SENSE THAT I AM PLACED ON THIS
COMMITTEE FROM THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE BECAUSE OF
THE NINE DEPARTMENTS THAT FALL
UNDER MY COMMITTEE, PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE, THREE ARE
BASICALLYATHIABILITY BASED. AND
THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL. I WAS
CURIOUS GIVEN THE ETHICS PIECE,
IS THERE ANY OVERLAP OR HESTORY
THAT PREDATES THE CONSENT
DECREE AND SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THAT?
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER
ENTITIES THAT HAVE THE
ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR MISSION
SET AND IF THERE HAS BEEN
ANYTHING IN THE PAST OR IF IT
HAS CHANGED RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK OCCASIONALLY I HAVE
DISCUSSED THINGS WITH
COLLEAGUES. THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY REFERRED
TOMATTER TO US BECAUSE THE
COMPLAINT WAS ABOUT MS. OLSEN
WHO WAS THE AUDITOR AT THE TIME
OR THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY STAFFER. SO I
STEPPED INTO HER ROLE FOR THAT
AND I DID THE INVESTIGATION AND
REPORTED THAT THROUGH TO MS.
LEVENSON. THERE IS NO REAL --
THERE'S NOT A FORMAL STRUCTURE
TO THE RELATIONSHIP THERE. IT
IS KIND OF LIKE, HEY, WE HEARD
THIS AND WHAT ARE ARE YOU
HEARING AND YEAH. I WOULD SAY A
FORMAL CONSULTING ROLE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
WAYNE, DIRECTOR. I HAVE ASKEDIA
SO MANY QUESTIONS OVER THE
YEAR, I FEEL THAT WE ARE NAR.
IN ANY CASE, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I WANTED TO -- IF YOU
HAVE AN ORG CHART -- I'LL JUST
ASK THE QUESTION. IS MS. GROW
ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU
MENTIONED HAVING LEFT?
>> OH, NO SHE IS WITH US.
>> OKAY, GREAT, APPRECIATE IT.
>> OKAY. THIS CONCLUDES THE
FEBRUARY 8th MEETING OF THE
GOVERNANCE ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
IT IS 3:47. IF THERE IS NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING
WILL ADJOURN. NO? OKAY, THERE
IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS. ALL
RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
FOLKS. SEE YOU IN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS.