>>> HELLO, EVERYONE. GOOD
AFTERNOON. IT IS APRIL 11,
2024, AND WE ARE HERE TO MEET
WITH THE GOVERNANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. WE WILL
NOW COME TO ORDER. IT IS 2:01.
I AM SARA NELSON, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
AND RIVERA ARE EXCUSED FROM
THIS COMMITTEE MEETING AND I
APOLOGIZE FOR JOINING REMOTELY
ON ZOOM TO A NECESSARY TRIP
BACK TO THE EAST COAST. SO WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMAN KETTLE .
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> CHAIR NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> THREE PRESENT, TWO EXCUSED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WE
HAVE SEVEN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
FOR BRIEFING AND IS RUSSIAN AND
POSSIBLE VOTE. ALTHOUGH ONLY --
WELL, SIX OF THOSE ARE FOR
BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE VOTE, AND WHAT IS A
DISCUSSION. THE FIRST FIVE
ITEMS ARE REAPPOINTMENTS TO
THE DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS
BOARD, AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS
AND POSSIBLY VOTE ON THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES FIRST QUARTER 2024
EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE. SO LET ME
JUST NOTE THAT I WILL SPEAK
MORE TO THAT, AS TO WHY WE ARE
HAVING THAT IN OUR COMMITTEE.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, I WANTED TO
SAY THAT I AM VERY EXCITED TO
DISCUSS THESE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION AND PARTICULARLY
THE LAST ITEM, WHICH
CONTEMPLATES CHANGES TO OUR
POLICE HIRING PROCESSES. SO
WITH THAT, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO AGENDA
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. SO GIVEN THE CONTINUED
FOCUS ON THE AT FACE WORKER
MINIMUM WAGE STANDARD, I JUST
WANT TO SAY FOR THE THIRD TIME
ON THE RECORD THIS WEEK THAT
THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY
FOR DISCUSSION, OR FOR
ADVANCEMENT. AND SO I WILL NOT
BE CONSIDERING OR ALLOWING
COMMENTS ON THAT ITEM, BECAUSE
THIS COMMITTEE TAKES COMMENT ON
ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
IF YOU ARE LISTENING AND
CONSIDERING SIGNING UP, PLEASE
DO NOT. WE WILL BE ADDRESSING
THAT AT THE NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING ON APRIL 25th. ALL
RIGHT. SO WITH THAT, WE WILL
MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. THE ITEMS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA, WITH THE CLERK PLEASE
LET ME KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
SIGNED UP IN PERSON AND
REMOTELY?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WE HAVE
TWO IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO VIRTUAL
COMMENTERS AS WELL.
>> ALL RIGHT. I WILL GIVE EACH
PERSON TWO MINUTES, AND WE WILL
START WITH THE IN PERSON
COMMENTERS. WOULD YOU PLEASE
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND THEN
CALL ON THE NAMES ?
>> YES. THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE SIGNED
UP TO BE, STARTING WITH THE IN
PERSON COMMENTERS. THERE'S AN
ALLOTMENT OF TWO MINUTES. WHEN
YOU HEAR THE CHIME, YOU WILL
HAVE 10 SECONDS LEFT. IF YOU
EXCEED THAT TIME, YOUR
MICROPHONE MAY BE CUT OFF SO WE
CAN MOVE ONTO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
IF YOU'RE OFFERING REMOTE
COMMENT, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU
PRESS STAR 6 YOU UNMUTE YOUR
SELF. WE WILL BE STARTING WITH
THE FIRST TWO IN PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTERS. THE FIRST WILL BE
ALEX ZIMMERMAN. ALEX.
>> HI.
MY NAME, ALEX ZIMMERMAN.
>> WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP THE
CLOCK?
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, CLOCK IS
STOPPED.
>> MR. ZIMMERMAN, I ASK THAT
YOU NOT ENGAGE WITH THIS
ABUSIVE LANGUAGE WHICH
CONSTITUTES A DISRUPTION TO OUR
PROCEEDINGS. I AM NOT IN
CHAMBERS RIGHT NOW TO LOOK YOU
IN THE EYE DIRECTLY AND DEAL
WITH ANY SECURITY CAN EARNS, SO
I AM ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE
REFRAIN FROM SUCH LANGUAGE AND
SPEAK TO AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
GO AHEAD.
>> YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO KNOW
LOCAL LAW. SO I WANT TO SPEAK
ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM ABOUT
POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE
PROBLEM WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR MANY YEARS. EVEN U.S.
SUPREME COURT INVOLVED IN THIS.
IT'S COME TO NIGHTMARE. IT HAS
BEEN HOW WE CAN FIX THIS
PROBLEM, BECAUSE TODAY, HAVE
STANDARD OF LIVING, IT LOOK
LIKE BANANA REPUBLIC. TALKING
ABOUT POLICE, BECAUSE POLICE IS
A CRITICAL POINT THAT WE NEED.
MY EXPERIENCE FOR 40 YEARS,
THIS TIME RIGHT NOW, CLASSIC
EXAMPLE -- DEFENDER MINISTER,
FROM GOVERNMENT. SO IS THIS
EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT RIGHT NOW?
IT MAY CHANGE FUNDAMENTALLY.
FUNDAMENTALLY CAN BE CHANGED
ONLY WHEN WE BRING NEW POLICE
CHIEF. FOR TALKING ABOUT POLICE
DEPARTMENT, WE NEED TO OPEN
CITY HALL ONE DAY PER WEEK. AND
I TALK ABOUT THIS A DOZEN TIMES
IN ALL MY ELECTIONS. WE NEED TO
GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO SPEAK
OPENLY, WITHOUT LIMITATION,
BECAUSE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW ACT
WITH LIMITATION IS NOT GOOD .
FOR CITY, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR
AMERICA, NOT GOOD FOR PEOPLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COLLEEN FONTANA, YOU ARE UP
NEXT.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS COLLEEN FONTANA. I'M THE
BASE BUILDING DIRECTORATE BEAR
WORKS CENTER, AND I'M HERE
TODAY TO CONGRATULATE THE
APPOINTMENT FOR THE DOMESTIC
WORKER STANDARDS BOARD AND TO
UPLIFT THE IMPORTANCE OF
CONTINUING TO PROTECT THE LABOR
STANDARDS AND ENFORCEMENT OF
THOSE STANDARDS IN OUR CITY.
THE BERWICK CENTER HAS BEEN
ORGANIZING DOMESTIC WORKERS
SINCE 2018 WHEN SEATTLE PASSED
THE HISTORIC DOMESTIC WORKER
BILL OF RIGHTS BRINGING BASIC
PROTECTIONS TO THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS IN THE CITY THAT HAD
PREVIOUSLY BEEN LEFT OUT OF
LABOR LAWS TO THE LEGACY OF
LABRIE AND ONGOING X DICTATION
OF THE LABOR OF PEOPLE OF
COLOR, WOMEN, AND IMMIGRANTS OF
THE U.S.. ACCORDING TO THE 2022
REPORT, THE MYSTIC WORKERS ON
AVERAGE MAKE $.75 TO THE
DOLLAR THAT THEIR PEERS MAKE.
OVER 90% OF DOMESTIC WORKERS IN
THIS COUNTRY ARE WOMEN, AND
WORKERS IN THIS INDUSTRY ARE
TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE A FROM
OUTSIDE THE U.S. THEY ARE THREE
TIMES MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN
POVERTY THAN OTHER WORKERS. THE
DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS BOARD
USHERS ROOM AT THE TABLE FOR
DOMESTIC WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS
TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT
THEIR INDUSTRY. ADDITIONALLY,
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
IS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN MAKING
SURE THESE PROTECTIONS ARE
ENFORCED. CONTINUED SUPPORT OF
THE DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS
BOARD WILL ENSURE WE ARE
PRIORITIZING THIS INDISPENSABLE
INDUSTRY. LET'S CONTINUE TO BE
THE CITY TO PIONEER PROTECTIONS
FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS AND ALL
WORKERS IN THE FUTURE. THANK
YOU.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THAT IS
THE LAST IN PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTOR. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO
REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT. INDIGO?
SORRY, THERE ARE TWO VIRTUAL
PUBLIC COMMENTERS. INDIGO,
FOLLOWED BY MATT CASSOCK.
INDIGO. PRESS START 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> HI. I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT
THE MARKERS STANDARDS WORK IS
HAPPENING. IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT THESE WORKERS IN
THE INDUSTRY HAVE A VOICE.
WORKERS HAVE ALSO BEEN
EXPLOITED FOR YEARS, AND THIS
YEAR, THEY FINALLY RECEIVED A
GUARANTEED MINIMUM PAY. I
TALKED TO A BUNCH OF WORKERS
ABOUT THIS, AND PEOPLE ARE
SAYING THEY ARE NOW ABLE TO
TAKE EVERY JOB THAT IS OFFERED
TO THEM. WORKERS ARE FINALLY
TAKING THEM UP ON EACH JOB AND
DON'T HAVE TO RELY TO MAKE
ENDS MEET. I URGE THE CITY
COUNCIL TO NOT ON DO THESE NEW
PROTECTIONS AND STANDARDS.
PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING BY
ALL WORKERS IN SEATTLE, WHETHER
WE ARE DOMESTIC WORKERS OR NOT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS NOT
CASSOCK.
PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
PRESS START 6 TO UNMUTE YOUR
SELF.
>> CAN YOU HEAR US?
>> HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES.
>> SORRY. FROM DISTRICT ONE
HERE TO COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF
THE APPOINTMENT TO THE DOMESTIC
WORKER STANDARDS WARD. IT'S AN
IMPORTANT STEP GIVEN THE LONG
UGLY HISTORY GIVING BASIC LABOR
STANDARDS LIKE MINIMUM WAGE.
THAT'S WHY THE DOMESTIC
WORKERS ALLIANCE HAVE ALLIED
WITH THE ORIGINAL GIG WORKERS.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT
COMPARISON. IT'S IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE KNOW SOME MEMBERS OF
THIS COMMUNITY ARE DESPERATE TO
CUT A FOR GIG DELIVERY WORKERS.
WILL DOMESTIC WORKERS BE NEXT?
AFTER ALL, PEOPLE WHO EMPLOY
THEM ARE A LOT RICHER AND MORE
POWERFUL THAN THEY ARE, A LOT
LIKE DELIVERY WORKERS. CONSIDER
ALSO THAT A LOT OF DOMESTIC
WORKERS PROVIDE CHILDCARE. IS
THIS COMMITTEE GOING TO TRY TO
ROLL BACK THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR
DOMESTIC WORKERS FOR EXECUTIVES
SPENDING MONEY ON THEIR
NANNIES? EXCLUDING WORKERS FROM
LABOR STANDARDS HAS A UGLY,
RACIST HISTORY. THAT'S NOT A
HISTORY BOOK YOU WANT TO SEE
YOURSELVES AND. SUPPORT GIG
WORKERS, TOO. DON'T CUT PAY
FOR ANY WORKERS IN SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, IT
APPEARS THAT WE'VE COME TO THE
END OF THE LIST OF PEOPLE
SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT,
SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW CLOSED, AND WE WILL PROCEED
TO OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS,
STARTING WITH THE FIVE
REAPPOINTMENTS. SO HERE IS HOW
WE ARE GOING TO WORK THIS. WE
WILL CONSIDER THESE FIVE
APPOINTMENT -- REAPPOINTMENTS,
AS A GROUP. FIRST THE CLERK
WILL READ ITEMS ONE THROUGH
FIVE INTO THE RECORD, AND THEN
DIANA SALAZAR, WHO HEADS THE
STAFF OF LABOR STANDARDS WILL
TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE BOARD
DOES AND ALSO PROVIDE SOME
INFORMATION ABOUT THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SEEKING
REAPPOINTMENTS. AND THEN I WILL
FIELD QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
FROM MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT ALL
FIVE, AND THEN PROCEED TO MOVE
THE FIVE PIECES OF LEGISLATION,
AND CALL FOR A VOTE. CLERK, CAN
YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST FIVE
ITEMS INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH
FIVE. APPOINTMENT 02828 THROUGH
02832 TO THE DOMESTIC WORKER
STANDARDS BOARD. REAPPOINTMENTS
OF BAYLIE FREEMAN, JORDAN N.
GOLDWARG , ETELBINA HAUSER AS
MEMBERS WITH TERMS TO FAIRBURY
28, 2025. REAPPOINTMENTS OF
SYLVIA GONZALES AND ELIZABETH
LEIGH HUNTER AS MEMBERS WITH
TERMS TRUE 2027. BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> OKAY. THESE ARE, AGAIN, FIVE
REAPPOINTMENTS FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND BEGIN
YOUR PRESENTATION. I BELIEVE WE
ONLY HAVE ONE, SO GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. GOOD
AFTERNOON, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS DIANA
SALAZAR. I'M A POLICY ANALYST
AT THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS AND ALSO SERVE AS THE
BOARD LIAISON FOR THE SEATTLE
DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS
BOARD. I WANTED TO START OFF
FIRST BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR
TAKING THE TIME TO CAN ENTER
THE FIVE MAYORAL
RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY. I AM
GOING TO START OFF BY GIVING A
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE DOMESTIC
WORKER STANDARDS BOARD ARE, AND
IN PARTICULAR, 5 REAPPOINTMENTS
ILLUMINATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN
FRONT OF YOU TODAY. SO JUST A
LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT
THE DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS
BOARD. THE BOARD WAS CREATED
THROUGH THE DOMESTIC WORKERS
ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BY
COUNCIL IN 2018 AND WENT INTO
EFFECT IN 2019. IT ORIGINALLY
STARTED WITH 9 SEATS ON THE
BOARD, BUT PER ORDINANCE, AS OF
2020, IT IS NOW 13 SEATS, AND
IT IS A MIX OF REPRESENTATION
OF DOMESTIC WORKERS, WORKER
ORGANIZATIONS, HIRING ENTITIES,
INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTRACT,
DOMESTIC WORKERS, AND
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE A PART OF
THE COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AT LARGE. THE PRIMARY
FUNCTION OF THE BOARD IS TO
CONVENE AND DISCUSS WORKERS
STANDARDS. FOR DOMESTIC
WORKERS, AND TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL
FOR ANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT THEY HAVE DISCUSSED AND
DECIDED ARE NECESSARY FOR
INCREASING PROTECTIONS AND
LABOR STANDARDS. THESE CAN BE
ARRANGED FROM LEGAL
PROTECTIONS, EXPLORING
BENEFITS, AND OVERALL, WORKING
CONDITIONS. THEY ARE ALSO ABLE
TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK TO OUR
OFFICE AROUND OUR OUTREACH AND
ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. SO NOW
I CAN GO AHEAD AND JUST GIVE A
QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE FIVE
MEMBERS IN FRONT OF -- FOR THE
CONSIDERATION. SO I'M GOING TO
START OFF BY POSITION NUMBER,
STARTING OFF WITH POSITION ONE,
WHICH IS SILVIA GONZALEZ.
SILVIA GONZALEZ HAS BEEN PART
OF THE BOARD SINCE THE VERY
BEGINNING. SHE HAS BOTH
DIRECTED VARIANCE AS A DOMESTIC
WORKER WITH OVER 15 YEARS AS A
DOMESTIC WORKER AS WELL AS, YOU
KNOW, ORGANIZATION EXPERIENCE.
SHE IS THE ORGANIZING MANAGER.
SHE ALSO HAS TREMENDOUS
LEADERSHIP ACROSS THE STATE AND
THE COUNTRY, CONTINUING TO
ADVOCATE FOR BROAD DOMESTIC
WORKER POLICY, BOTH AS A STATE
AND NATIONAL LEVEL. AND SHE IS
CURRENTLY ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS
FOR THE BOARD. NEXT, WE HAVE
BAYLIE FREEMAN FOR POSITION
TWO. HALEY IS ALSO A CO-CHAIR
FOR THE DOMESTIC WORKER
STANDARDS BOARD. SHE HAS
EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
X.. PART OF HER BACKGROUND
INCLUDES COFOUNDING THE SEATTLE
NANNY COLLECTIVE THAT CONTINUES
TO WORK TODAY. AND SHE IS A
MEMBER OF -- EXCUSE ME. SHE IS
CURRENTLY A YOU CAN ORGANIZER
IN THE NURSING HOME DEPARTMENT.
SO SHE ALSO BRINGS A WEALTH OF
KNOWLEDGE AND ORGANIZING. SHE
BRINGS EXCITEMENT TO THE WORK,
AND LEADERSHIP AS THE CO-CHAIR.
NEXT FOR POSITION THREE, WE
HAVE ELIZABETH LEIGH HUNTER.
LIZ IS A HIRING ENTITY. SHE
EMPLOYS BOTH NANNIES AND A
HOUSEKEEPER IN HER HOME. WITH A
BACKGROUND IN COMMUNICATIONS
AND MARKETING PROFESSIONAL, AS
WELL AS HER EMPLOYER ASKED.,
SHE BRINGS UNIQUE LEADERSHIP TO
THE BOARD. SHE LOVES TO TELL
THE STORY OF THE BOARD. THAT'S
HER COMMUNICATIONS BACKGROUND
COMING OUT, AND EXCITEMENT AND
RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AS WELL AS
MENTORING EMPLOYERS, PROVIDING
THAT MENTORSHIP FOR NEW
EMPLOYERS TO THE BOARD. FOR
POSITION 10, WE HAVE JORDAN N.
GOLDWARG . JORDAN IS A DOMESTIC
WORKER HIRING ENTITY. HE HIRES
HOUSECLEANERS IN HIS HOME,
COMBINING BOTH HIS EXPERIENCE
AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
ONEWORLD NOW, AND AS AN
EMPLOYER, JORDAN BRINGS
IMPORTANT OR DEVELOPMENT
SKILLS, OFTEN TIMES PROVIDING
SOME LEADERSHIP AND POLICY
DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS CITY
PROCESSES. AND THEN LASTLY, FOR
POSITION 11, WE HAVE ETELBINA
HAUSER. SHE IS A LEADER FOR AN
ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
BUILDING LEADERSHIP AMONG BLACK
CARIBBEAN WORKERS. SHE HAS BEEN
A DOMESTIC WORKER FOR OVER 20
YEARS. MOST RECENTLY, CARING
FOR THE ELDERLY. AND SHE HAS
BEEN INVOLVED ALSO WITH THE
DOMESTIC WORKERS ORDINANCE
SINCE DAY ONE. IT WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING WHAT
ENDED UP BEING THE ORDINANCE
AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THAT
OUTREACH TO DOMESTIC WORKER
EXPERTISE FOR THE BOARD. THAT
CONCLUDES THE INFORMATION ABOUT
EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE
THESE -- ARE THESE MEMBERS --
ARE THESE ALL SECOND TERMS? ARE
THEY THIRD TERMS, OR HOW MANY
TERMS DO FOLKS GET TO SERVE ON
THE BOARD, PLEASE? DO THE YEARS
VARY PER POSITION? AS SOME
BOARDS DO?
>> YES. SO IT VARIES. THERE ARE
SOME THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING
THEIR SECOND TERM. FOR EXAMPLE,
JORDAN AND -- YOU SHOULD HAVE
THE ROSTER IN FRONT OF YOU, AS
WELL. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE
ENTERING INTO THEIR SECOND
TERM, AND THEN POSITIONS LIKE
LIZ, THIS WOULD BE GOING INTO
THE THIRD TERM.
>> THANK YOU. GOT IT. AND I
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE TWO
POSITIONS THAT ARE DUE FOR, I
THINK, FOR APPOINTMENT FROM THE
COUNCIL, AND I BELIEVE ONE OF
THEM HAS TURNED OUT. SO WE ARE
WORKING ON OUR END TO PRODUCE
NOMINATIONS AS WELL, SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR BEING ON THE BALL
HERE. WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF
WORK FOR THE BOARD GOING
FORWARD? ARE THERE SPECIFIC
POLICY AREAS THAT THEY ARE
LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW?
>> YES. SO THE BOARD IS
ACTUALLY PLANNING ON HAVING A
RETREAT AT THE END OF THIS
MONTH. IT WILL BE AN ALL DAY
RETREAT WHERE THAT WILL BE A
MAJOR COMPONENT OF DEVELOPING
THEIR ALREADY FOR THIS YEAR AND
THEIR WORK PLAN FOR THE NEXT
TWO YEARS. I CAN SAY THAT SOME
OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT THE
BOARD HAS HAD INCLUDE, YOU
KNOW, THE -- THE PTO RESEARCH,
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PTO
RESEARCH. AS WELL AS HOLDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOU ALL AS A
NEW COUNCIL. THEY ARE
INTERESTED IN GETTING TO KNOW
YOU, AND FOR YOU ALL TO ALSO
GET TO KNOW MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD.
>> GOT IT. OKAY. I LOOK FORWARD
TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT'S
COMING FORWARD. I DID INDICATE
THAT THERE IS ONE POLICY AREA,
WHICH IS THE CREATION OF A
MOBILE BENEFITS PROGRAM THAT
WAS INITIATED BY, I BELIEVE IT
WAS COUNCILMEMBER TERESA
MOSQUEDA, BUT IT COULD'VE BEEN
LORENA GONZALEZ. ANYWAY, THAT
IS BEEN ONGOING FOR A LONG
TIME, AND THERE IS A
SIGNIFICANT BUDGET IMPACT TO
THAT, SO HAVE HAD INITIAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH OLS
LEADERSHIP ABOUT -- ABOUT THE
FACT THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE
CONTINUING WITH THAT. THAT'S A
SEPARATE DISCUSSION, BECAUSE IT
APPEARS THAT THE BOARD HAS
OTHER ITEMS ON THEIR AGENDA,
AND WILL FURTHER REFINE THOSE.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM
MY COLLEAGUES? FROM OUR
PRESENTERS, FOR WE PROCEED? GO
AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND ON
THE SCREEN, BECAUSE I CAN SEE
THAT EASIER. GO AHEAD.
>> NO QUESTIONS FOR ME, CHAIR.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT
SEEING ANY OTHER -- ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OR HANDS UP, SO IF
THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION,
I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDED CONFIRMATION OF UP
OINTMENT 0282 THROUGH 02832. IS
THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO CONFIRM THESE UP
OINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
CONFIRMATION OF THE
APPOINTMENTS?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE .
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
CHAIR NELSON. THREE IN FAVOR,
NONE OPPOSED.
>> ALL RIGHT. THE APPOINTMENTS
HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL, AND YOU WILL -- WE
WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THESE IN
FULL COUNCIL. NOT THIS COMING
TUESDAY, BUT THE FOLLOWING ONE,
BECAUSE THAT IS THE WAY HIS
WORK WITH THURSDAY AFTERNOON
LEGISLATION. SO WITH THAT, WE
WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON
THE AGENDA. YOU VERY MUCH,
DIANA. AND WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ THE AGENDA ITEM 6
INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.
COUNCIL BILL 120763 ON AN
ORDINANCE RELATED TO CITY
APPOINTMENT, COMMONLY REFERRED
TO AS A FIRST QUARTER 2024
EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE EXEMPTING
POSITIONS FOR A CIVIL SERVICE
SYSTEM AND RETURNING POSITIONS
TO THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM.
ALL BY A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE
CITY COUNCIL. BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU. JUST BY WAY OF
EXPLANATION, FOR THE FIRST TWO
YEARS IN OFFICE, THE QUARTERLY
EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE WENT
STRAIGHT TO FULL COUNCIL AND
WAS TREATED AS A PROCEDURAL
MATTER, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I
INHERITED GOVERNANCE AS THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND STARTED
DIGGING INTO THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION WHEN I WAS BRIEFED
ON ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS
PERFORMED BY THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
THAT I BECAME AWARE -- I DUG A
LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THESE
QUARTERLY ORDINANCES. AND I
STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD FISCAL
IMPACT, ET CETERA. AND SO
BEHIND WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE
HEARING TODAY, THERE IS A LOT
MORE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE
AND I BELIEVE CENTRAL STAFF HAS
ON THE PROCESSES THAT GET THESE
APPOINTMENTS BEFORE US AND ALSO
POTENTIAL FISCAL IMPACT, IF NOT
THE CURRENT YEAR, THEN LATER ON
AS PART OF THE BASE ONGOING. WE
MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT HAVE TIME TO
TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT
TODAY, BUT I THINK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR BEING HERE TO SPEAK ON
THIS ON KARINA'S BEHALF,
BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN MOSTLY
WORKING THIS ISSUE, SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> IT AFTERNOON, CHAIR NELSON,
AND MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING
COMMITTEE. I AM ALY PENNUCCI OF
YOUR STAFF. I'M GOING TO SHARE
MY SCREEN HERE. I'M HERE TO
REVIEW, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED,
12706 THREE, THE FIRST
ORDINANCE. AND I WILL JUST
REITERATE WHAT THE CHAIR JUST
SAID, WHICH IS, TYPICALLY THIS
WOULD BE PRESENTED TO MY
COLLEAGUE, WHO DID THE TWO OF
THE WORK IN REVIEWING THIS
LEGISLATION AND PREPARING THE
MEMO AND REALLY IS YOUR POLICY
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE ON
YOUR CENTRAL STAFF. LET'S SEE.
SO THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZES
CERTAIN PERSONNEL ACTIONS,
CHANGES TO CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS
FOR RECLASSIFIED POSITIONS,
CREATION OF NEW JOB TITLES TO
QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT
ORDINANCES. THE LEGISLATION
BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE FIRST
OF THE SERIES FOR 2024. BEFORE
DESCRIBING WHAT'S IN THE
PROPOSED BILL, I THOUGHT I
WOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF
BACKGROUND ON CIVIL-SERVICE
STATUS AND CREATING NEW JOB
TITLES. SO THE CITY CHARTER
REQUIRES CIVIL-SERVICE
MEMBERSHIP FROM ALL CITY
EMPLOYEES, EXCEPT FOR THOSE
POSITIONS SPECIFICALLY EXEMPT
FROM CIVIL-SERVICE THAT ARE
LISTED IN THE CHARTER, AND
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS
IDENTIFIED IN THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 4.13.
CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS PROVIDES A
RANGE OF JOB PROTECTIONS FOR
CITY EMPLOYEES. IT INCLUDES
THINGS LIKE MERIT-BASED HIRING
AND PROMOTIONS AND FOR CAUSE
TERMINATION. THAT IS
TERMINATION BASED ONLY ON
UNSATISFACTORY JOB PERFORMANCE.
EMPLOYEES THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM
CIVIL SERVICE CAN BE APPOINTED
WITHOUT A COMPETITIVE HIRING
AND ARE SUBJECT TO AT WILL
EMPLOYMENT, WHICH MEANS THEY
CAN BE TERMINATED AT ANY TIME
FOR ANY REASON, NOT PROHIBITED
BY LAW. ANY POSITION MAY BE
EXEMPTED FROM THE CLASSIFIEDS
SERVICE I STATE LAW, THE CITY
CHARTER, THE CODE, OR BY A TWO
THIRDS VOTE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL. TYPICALLY, THE COUNCIL
RELIES ON THE REVIEW AND
RECOMMENDATION OF THE SEATTLE
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR IN
DETERMINING DOUBLE SERVICE THAT
IS FOR POSITIONS. AND
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
POSITIONS A CIVIL STATUS OF
WORDS SOME OF THE CITY'S
COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATING
RACIAL DISPARITIES AND
ACHIEVING WORKFORCE EQUITY.
THERE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS
STUDIES THAT HAVE LOOKED AT OUR
WORKFORCE AND FOUND THAT BLACK,
INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR, AND ESPECIALLY BY POC
WOMEN ARE UNDERREPRESENTED AT
THE TOP LEVELS OF CIVIL SO
INCREASING CIVIL-SERVICE
PROTECTIONS CAN ACHIEVE MORE
EQUITY BY REQUIRING A
COMPETITIVE HIRING PROCESS AND
REMOVING SOME OF THE BARRIERS
THAT CREATE RISK AND
UNCERTAINTY FOR EMPLOYEES
SEEKING A CAREER GROWTH.
EXEMPTING POSITIONS DOES CREATE
GREATER RISK FOR EMPLOYEES.
WITH THAT IN MIND, IN
RECOGNITION OF THIS, THE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
AS IN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE AND
FINANCED MANAGERS FOR
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND
REALLY PRIORITIZING DOUBLE
SERVICE FOR CREATING NEW
POSITIONS AND ARE REALLY
FOCUSED ON DECREASING THE
NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS. THEY ARE
ALSO -- THAT DEPARTMENT IS ALSO
INITIATING A COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW OF THE CITY'S
CONSULTATION PROGRAM THAT
INCLUDES LOOKING AT WAYS TO
ENSURE EQUITY. THE OTHER
ACTION THAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED
IN THE QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT
ORDINANCE RELATES TO ACCRETION.
THIS OCCURS WHEN THERE IS A
BODY OF WORK THAT DOES NOT FIT
WITHIN A CURRENT JOB TITLE. SO
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOUR JOB TITLE
IS A WIDGET WASHER, TODAY, AND
IT ENDS -- OVER TIME, YOUR JOB
HAS BECOME WIDGET FIXER, WE
MIGHT CREATE A NEW JOB
CLASSIFICATION. BUT IT ISN'T
NECESSARILY ABOUT RECLASSIFYING
AN INDIVIDUAL POSITION, BUT
RATHER A CHANGE IN THE OVERALL
PROGRAM. THE BILL BEFORE YOU
TODAY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE
CREATION OF ANY NEW JOB TITLES,
BUT FUTURE LEGISLATION MAY
INCLUDE THAT TYPE OF CHANGE. SO
WHAT DOES COUNCIL BILL 127063
DO? IT WOULD RETURN TWO
POSITIONS TO CIVIL-SERVICE
SYSTEM AND EXEMPT ONE POSITION
FROM THE SYSTEM. THE HR
DIRECTOR CAN DETERMINE THAT THE
BODY OF WORK FOR 2 POSITIONS,
ONE IN THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND ONE FOR THE
OFFICE OF THE ACTOR GENERAL NO
LONGER MEET THE CRITERIA FOR
CIVIL-SERVICE EXEMPTION AND
RECOMMENDED RETURNING THOSE
POSITIONS TO CIVIL-SERVICE. AND
THEN FOR ONE POSITION IN THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE
DIRECTOR DETERMINED THAT THEY
NEED THE CRITERIA FOR
CIVIL-SERVICE EXEMPTION DUE TO
A BROAD EXEMPTION, INCLUDING --
EXCUSE ME, INCLUDED IN THE
MUNICIPAL CODE FOR ALL
POSITIONS IN THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EXCEPT FOR
THOSE THAT ARE IN THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND
ACCOUNTINGS OF WORK SERIES.
CENTRAL STAFF DID NOT IDENTIFY
ANY ISSUES WITH THESE PROPOSED
RECOMMENDATIONS. HOWEVER, AS
PART OF OUR REVIEW, AND IN
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WE DID
ENGAGE IN A DETAILED DISCUSSION
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES AND THE CITY BUDGET
OFFICE ABOUT THE FISCAL IMPACT
OF THIS LEGISLATION. THE
DECISION BEFORE YOU TODAY HAS
NO DIRECT FISCAL IMPACT OR
COST, HOWEVER, THERE ARE
ASSOCIATED ADMINISTRATIVE
ACTIONS RELATED TO THESE
POSITIONS THAT COULD, IN THE
FUTURE, HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT.
THAT IS DESCRIBED IN MORE
DETAIL IN THE MEMO, BUT I WILL
JUST FLAG THAT AS A RESULT OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE HAVE
HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
CITY BUDGET OFFICE AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES,
AND THEY HAVE BEGUN ONGOING
WORK TO BETTER DETAIL
ASSOCIATED FISCAL IMPACT --
IMPACT ON -- RELATED TO
QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCES
AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE
RECLASSIFICATION SECTION. AND
SO MOVING FORWARD, THERE WILL
BE MORE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO
THE COUNCIL AS THESE DECISIONS
ARE IN FRONT OF YOU. WITH THAT,
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. ON THAT
SLIGHT PREVIOUS, WHEN YOU SAID
THE DIRECTOR DETERMINED THAT
THERE WERE NO IMPACT, I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
UNDERSTAND WHICH DIRECTOR WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE
THESE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, RIGHT?
THAT THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
HR REVIEWED AND AGREED TO. IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. LET ME JUST
CLARIFY. I MAY HAVE MISSPOKE.
IT IS THE DEPARTMENT -- THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN RESOURCES WHO MAKES A
RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL
ABOUT A CHANGE IN THE
CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS. I HAD
MEANT TO SAY CENTRAL STAFF
HADN'T IDENTIFIED ISSUES WITH
THAT RECOMMENDATION, BUT THE
REVIEW BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN RESOURCES DOES COME OUT
OF A REQUEST FROM THE
DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW THE
POSITIONS AND THROUGH THAT
REVIEW, THEY BOTH LOOKED AT THE
CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS AS WELL AS
THE BODY OF WORKS FOR THESE
POSITIONS AS PART OF AN
ADMINISTRATIVE RECLASSIFICATION
REVIEW. THROUGH THAT REVIEW,
THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
DETERMINED THAT TWO OF THOSE
POSITIONS NO LONGER MET THE
CRITERIA TO BE TEMPED.
>> GOT IT. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. I WAS CURIOUS AS
TO THE NEW COUNCIL ON
APPARENTLY DAY 100 OF THE NEW
COUNCIL . HOW OFTEN -- IS THIS
PART OF A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW? OR
DOES IT BUBBLE UP FROM THE
DEPARTMENT TO THE DIRECTOR OF
HR? IS THERE A REGULARLY
SCHEDULED KIND OF REVIEW THAT
CATCHES THINGS THAT NEED TO BE
CHANGED? OR DOES IT RELY SLOWLY
ON THE SELF REPORTING?
>> IT CAN HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF
WAYS. THIS DOES HAPPEN
REGULARLY. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,
THE CLASSIFICATION IN THE HUMAN
RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, THE
REVIEW POSITION BECAUSE A NEW
POSITION IS ADDED, LIKE THE
COUNCIL MADE THROUGH
LEGISLATION A POSITION AND THAT
WILL NEED TO BE REVIEWED.
POSITIONS, BODYWORK, GRADUALLY
CHANGES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
A DEPARTMENT OR EMPLOYEE MAY
REQUEST A CHANGE, OR A
DEPARTMENT WANTS TO CHANGE THE
BODYWORK AND ASK FOR
RECLASSIFICATION. IT DOES SORT
OF HAPPEN PERIODICALLY
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND IT
COMES BEFORE YOU ABOUT FOUR
TIMES A YEAR. THROUGH THAT
REVIEW, IT RESULTS IN A CHANGE
IN CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS OR A
NEW JOB TITLE. OVERALL REVIEW
OF THE WHOLE CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM TO TRY TO BETTER
>> YOUR POINT ABOUT POSITIONS
BY ORDINANCE IS A GREAT SEGUE
TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
>> IT MAY HAVE A VERY SMALL
FISCAL IMPACT. IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
DEPARTMENT ARE ACCOMMODATING
FOR THAT, IF IT'S AN INCREASE,
FOR THAT CHANGE IN THE EXISTING
FISCAL YEAR, BUT THAT THERE ARE
IMPACTS THAT ARE ONGOING, AND
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO
TALK WITH THE CBO ABOUT. IF
IT'S AN INCREASE, IT'S BUILT
INTO THE BASE GOING FORWARD, SO
THERE IS AN ONGOING FISCAL
IMPACT, AND IT IS WITHIN THE
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND EVERY
CHANGE IN OUR BUDGET, BECAUSE
WE ARE THE OVERSIGHT BODY AND
WE USUALLY ADDRESS FISCAL
IMPACT AND BUDGETARY CHANGES
WITHIN THE SUPPLEMENTAL AND THE
FALL BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
IT'S SMALL, BUT THEY ARE
SOMETIMES THE FOURTH QUARTER
SUPPLEMENT, FOURTH QUARTER
EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE DID HAVE
POSITIONS THAT WE ARE NOT JUST
MOVING INTO OR OUT OF SEVERAL
CIVIL-SERVICE. THERE WERE
CHANGES TO PAY SCALE, AND SO
THAT'S WHAT LED US ON THIS
EXAMINATION. COULD YOU TALK
ABOUT THE OTHER CHANGES THAT
ARE MADE TO CLASSIFICATIONS
ROUTE THE YEAR THAT DO NOT
APPEAR AT ALL IN THE QUARTERLY
EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE? IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT LAST YEAR,
THE DEPARTMENTS REQUESTED A
TOTAL OF ABOUT 570
CLASSIFICATION CHANGES AND 530
OF THOSE WERE APPROVED. JUST
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT,
MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT
WE ARE DEALING WITH IN THIS
LEGISLATION AND ALL THE OTHER
ONES.
>> THE POTENTIAL FISCAL IMPACT
IS MORE RELATED TO THE
RECLASSIFICATION PIECE. THE
DECISION OF WHETHER IT IS OR IS
NOT IN DOUBLE SERVICE ISN'T
REALLY MATERIAL TO WHETHER OR
NOT THE POSITION WILL COST
MORE. HOWEVER, LIKE YOU SAID,
THERE ARE ASSOCIATED DECISIONS
THAT HAVE SOME POTENTIAL COSTS.
SO THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF
REQUESTS AND DECISIONS MADE
THAT DON'T REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE
ACTION. HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN,
AGAIN, WORKING WITH THE BUDGET
OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS
POTENTIAL IMPACT. IT IS
GENERALLY THE EXPECTATION OF
THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT WHEN A
DEPARTMENT REQUESTED
RECLASSIFICATION FOR A POSITION
OR THE EMPLOYEE DOES, THAT IF
THERE ARE ASSOCIATED INCREASED
COST, LIKE AT THE NEW POSITION
WILL -- OR RECLASSIFICATION
WILL INCLUDE A RAISE, OR IN THE
LONG-TERM, THAT POSITION COULD
COST THE CITY MORE, THE
DEPARTMENT IS EXPECTED TO
ABSORB THOSE COSTS WITHIN THEIR
EXISTING BUDGET AUTHORITY. THE
DEPARTMENT MAY BE ABLE TO
ABSORB THOSE COSTS, BUT
EVENTUALLY THEY WILL COME TO
YOU FOR AN INCREASE IN YOUR
PERSONAL BUDGET. THROUGH
CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AND THE
BUDGET OFFICE AND OTHERS IN THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH, WE ARE
LOOKING AT WAYS, AND REALLY,
THIS IS THE WORK OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
TO MORE SYSTEMATICALLY LOOK AT
THE POTENTIAL -- NOT JUST THE
IMMEDIATE, POTENTIAL FUTURE
IMPACT OF CLASSIFICATION
EFFECTS. MY GOAL WOULD BE THAT,
YOU RECEIVE THE BUDGET IN THE
FALL, AND THEY REQUEST TO
INCREASE THE PERSONNEL COSTS
DUE TO PERSONNEL COSTS, THAT
IT'S NOT A SURPRISE. AND IT'S
BASED ON DECISIONS THAT YOU
UNDERSTAND AND WORSE BOND TO
THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND THOSE
POSITIONS, BUT JUST TO PROVIDE
MORE INFORMATION UP FRONT. CBO
AND HR ARE TAKING THAT
SERIOUSLY, AND THE WORK IS
UNDERWAY TO MAKE THAT MORE
SYSTEMATIC OF A CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU. WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT A RACE MALL
CHANGES, BUT THEY SURE DO ADD
UP. AND WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT
AN OPERATING DEFICIT, AS
SIGNIFICANT AS WE ARE, THAT IS
WHY WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO
THIS. I AM NEW IN THIS ROLE AND
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW
COUNCILMEMBERS, SO IT BEHOOVES
EVERYONE TO HAVE A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE
SYSTEM IS RIGHT NOW AND WHAT
POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS COULD
KEEP US OUT OF OPERATING
DEFICIT JAIL GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT,
AND I WISH THAT KARINA --
PERHAPS SHE IS LISTENING, BUT
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HER
WORK AND FOR TEEING THIS ALL UP
FOR YOU IN THE BACKGROUND,
POSSIBLY WORKING ON THIS FOR
YEARS AND YEARS. INC. YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. IT
IS WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED PASSAGE
OF COUNCIL BILL 12076 THREE.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF THE BILL. IF THERE ARE NO
FURTHER COMMENTS -- NOT SEEING
ANY HANDS UP. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL COUNCIL
BILL 120763.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
CHAIR NELSON. THREE IN FAVOR,
NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
RECOMMENDATION WILL BE SENT TO
THE APRIL 30th CITY COUNCIL
MEETING. AND SO WITH NO FURTHER
ADO, WE WILL PROCEED TO THE
SEVENTH ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THAT
ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> MY APOLOGIES. SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION ORDINANCE
PRE-INTRODUCTION DISCUSSION.
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT. THIS MIGHT
REQUIRE A BIT OF A LENGTHY
PREAMBLE, SO PLEASE INDULGE ME
ON THAT. SO I WILL TALK ABOUT
THE INTRODUCTION SCHEDULE
LATER, BUT JUST SO EVERYBODY
KNOWS, CHAPTER 6, SECTION 1 OF
THE SEATTLE CITY CHARTER SAYS
THERE SHALL BE MAINTAINED
ADEQUATE LEASE PRESENCE IN
EVERY DISTRICT OF OUR CITY. I
LEARNED THAT EARLY ON IN MY
FIRST TERM, AND IT WAS --
BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN IN A
LETTER THAT WAS SENT BY
REVEREND HARRIET WALDEN AS
FOUNDER OF MOTHERS FOR POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE IN FEBRUARY
2022. AND SHE BROUGHT IT -- SHE
SENT IT BECAUSE SHE WAS VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEVASTATING
IMPACTS OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH
BLACK OFFICERS IN THE
COMMUNITY. SPD LOST ALMOST 350
OFFICERS IN 2020, AND THE
RECRUITING SINCE THEN HAS
REPLACED ONLY A SMALL
PERCENTAGE. NOT ENOUGH OFFICERS
ARE AVAILABLE TO ADEQUATELY
RESPOND TO 911 CALLS FOR HELP.
WHEN OFFICER COUNTS ARE TOO
LOW, SPD HAS TO RESORT TO
EMERGENCY MOBILIZATIONS, SUCH
AS HOMICIDE DETECTIVES, TO
RESPOND TO 911 CALLS. THIS
MEANS THAT EVEN MORE HOMICIDE
CASES WILL REMAIN UNSOLVED, A
CATEGORY WHICH INCLUDES FAR
MORE BLACK VICTIMS THAN ANY
OTHER RACIAL GROUP. THAT
TRANSLATES INTO LESS HEARING
AND LESS JUSTICE FOR THE MANY
FAMILIES OF BLACK VICTIMS WHOSE
CASES REMAIN UNSOLVED. WE NEED
MORE TRAINED POLICE
INVESTIGATORS ON THE JOB
FULL-TIME, NOT LESS. SO I
MENTION THIS BECAUSE THIS
LEGISLATION WE ARE GOING TO
DISCUSS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND
PIECE OF LEGISLATION I HAVE
SPONSORED SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN
OFFICE AND THE ACCELERATED
HIRING OF NEW OFFICERS, AND THE
FIRST WAS RESOLUTION 325050,
AND THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO
REVEREND WALDEN'S LETTER AND
THE ENSUING DISCUSSION IN THE
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE. THIS IS A
STAFFING INCENTIVE PROGRAM OR
HIRING BONUSES. AND TO PAY FOR
IT, IT CALLED FOR THE LIFTING
OF THE BUDGET REVISABLE THAT
COUNCIL HAD REPOSED ON THE
SALARY SAVINGS FOR OFFICERS,
BECAUSE THERE WERE VACANT
POSITIONS. THAT MONEY CAN BE
USED FOR THESE BONUSES. THAT
LEGISLATION PASSED, AND IT WAS
FOLLOWED BY EXECUTIVE GENERATED
COUNCIL BILL 120-6654, WHICH
LIFTED THAT PROVISO AND ALSO
FUNDED THREE RECRUITING
POSITIONS WITHIN THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES,
AND WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT
THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE HIRING
BONUSES -- IT TOOK A YEAR FOR
THE WORD TO GET OUT THAT WE
EVEN HAD HIRING BONUSES, AND
THAT WAS A POINT OF
FRUSTRATION. YOU MIGHT AS WELL
GET THE WORD OUT. IN ANY CASE,
IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS TO
THE DAY SINCE THAT RESOLUTION,
32050, WAS INTRODUCED. I LOOKED
IT UP. IN FACT, THE DATE WAS
APRIL 12, 2022. VERY LITTLE HAS
CHANGED SINCE THEN. SPD
CONTINUES TO LOSE MORE OFFICERS
THAN IT IS ABLE TO HIRE, AND
2023 WAS NO EXCEPTION. 97 SWORN
OFFICERS LEFT THE FORCE , AND
OUT OF 1498 APPLICANTS, ONLY
61, OR 3%, WERE HIRED. AS A NET
NEGATIVE OF 36 OFFICERS. SO --
ON MARCH 12, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, WHO IS CHAIR OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE HELD A
MEETING ON SPD STAFFING AND
RECRUITMENT WITH PRESENTERS
FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SPD,
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES, AND THE DIRECTOR OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY -- PUBLIC
SAFETY CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION. AND I BELIEVE ONE
OF HER STAFF MEMBERS. THAT
MEETING WAS HELD IN PART AS A
FOLLOW-UP ON INFORMATION THAT I
RECEIVED IN JANUARY AND SHARED
WITH COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE THAT
SHEDS LIGHT ON SOME OF THE
REASONS WHY WE ARE NOT MAKING
THE PROGRESS THAT WAS
ANTICIPATED IN THE MAYOR'S
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PLAN
THAT WAS MOVED FORWARD IN THE
SUMMER OF -- I THINK IT WAS
JULY OR AUGUST OF 2022. AND WE
LEARNED THAT THERE WERE -- THAT
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THOSE
POSITIONS WERE STAFFED AND
HOUSED IN HR, AND THAT THEY HAD
COME UP WITH CHANGES OR
INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR
RECRUITMENT, AND ALSO
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOW HANGING
FRUIT FOR THE HIRING PROCESS,
THEY WERE NEVER IMPLEMENTED.
THIS LEGISLATION SEEKS TO GET
AT SOLVING FOR THAT, AND I HAVE
TO SAY THAT SINCE THAT MEETING,
WE'VE BEEN ENCLOSED IN MY
OFFICE AND ALSO IN
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE'S OFFICE
AND GREG DOSS HAS BEEN IN
CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE. I WOULD SAY WE ARE 90%
ALIGNED ON WHAT YOU WILL SEE
TODAY, BUT THERE ARE STILL --
THERE MAY STILL BE SOME
DIFFERENCES OF OPINION WHEN IT
COMES TO SOME RESTRUCTURING
ITEMS IN THIS LEGISLATION. LONG
STORY SHORT, IN 2023, THERE
WERE, AS WE SAID, 97
SEPARATIONS. BUT THE REAL
PROBLEM IS IN HIRING. SO WE'VE
GOT -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
STAFFING AT SPD, THERE'S
RETENTION, AND THERE'S HIRING
NEW OFFICERS. MY APPROACH IS TO
FIX WHAT IS NOT WORKING. DATA
SHOWS THAT WE ARE MAKING
PROGRESS ON RETENTION AND LESS
SO IN HIRING. THERE WERE 159
SEPARATIONS AND 58 HIRES WITH
A NET TOTAL NEGATIVE OF 191
OFFICERS. WE WERE DOWN 101
OFFICERS AT THE END OF 2022.
THERE WERE 97 SEPARATIONS, BUT
ONLY 61 HIRES, DESPITE THE
GOALS OF THE PLAN THAT I HAVE
ALREADY MENTIONED. AND SO THIS
IS WHY THIS LEGISLATION FOCUSES
ON THE HIRING PIECE, AND ALSO
MAKES SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES
SO THAT THE RECRUITMENT TEAM
WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER PRESENT
AND SERVICE THE INNOVATIONS
THAT THEY ARE HOPING THE CITY
MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADOPT. THAT
WILL BE AN OUTREACH TO MORE
PEOPLE, AND GETS PEOPLE EXCITED
ABOUT APPLYING TO SPD. SO
ANYWAY, THAT'S A LONG WAY OF
SORT OF GIVING YOU THE
BACKGROUND OF WHAT LED TO THIS,
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION,
WHICH AGAIN, IS A DRAFT PIECE
OF LEGISLATION. THERE COULD BE
SOME CHANGES, BUT IT FOCUSES ON
HIRING PRACTICES, AND THEY
INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, PERHAPS
ALLOWING FOR THE ABILITY TO USE
A SECOND OR A DIFFERENT TEST OR
ENTRY LEVEL OFFICERS, MAKING IT
POSSIBLE TO HAVE MORE DIRECT
CONTACT WITH PEOPLE THAT APPLY
TO THE DEPARTMENT. THE
APPLICANT'S GET A PERSONALIZED
RESPONSE WITHIN 48 HOURS. WE
ARE A BIG DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A
LOT MORE PEOPLE APPLYING. SO WE
ARE ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE FOR
THOSE DIFFICULTIES SO THAT WE
CAN COMPETE WITH NEIGHBORING
JURISDICTIONS FOR HIGH
QUALIFIED RECRUITS TO WORK FOR
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WITHOUT LONG PREAMBLE, GREG,
WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GREG
DOSS, COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF. I
JOINED TODAY WITH MY COLLEAGUE,
WHO HAS BEEN CLOSELY WORKING
THIS ISSUE WITH ME. JUST WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT, I'M
GOING TO CALL IT TMP, OR JUST A
BILL, BECAUSE AS A COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NOTED, IT IS A DRAFT
BILL THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING
RESEARCHED MORE BEFORE ITS
ULTIMATE INTRODUCTION. AND SO
I'M GOING TO LAUNCH INTO A BIT
OF BACKGROUND THAT WILL ALSO BE
PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LENGTHIER
THAN I NORMALLY DO, BUT IT WILL
COVER SOME OF THE SAME POINTS
THAT THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT MADE
AND SOME DIFFERENT ONES. AND
THAT IS, AS SHE POINTED OUT,
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR KETTLE,
THAT YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE
RECEIVED ON MARCH 12, 2024, A
BRIEFING ON THE RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION INITIATIVE. THAT
BRIEFING WAS PROVIDED BY
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN RESOURCES, AND THE PUBLIC
SAFETY CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION. MEMBERS WERE GIVEN
AN UPDATE ON THE INITIATIVE,
WHICH WAS INITIALLY CREATED IN
JULY OF 2022 IN ORDINANCE
1266524. AMONG OTHER THINGS,
THE PRESENTERS TALKED ABOUT THE
MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT STARTED
IN 2023, THE RELOCATION OF TWO
RECRUITMENT DAFT FROM SDH ARE
TO SPD, AND STEPS THAT WERE
BEING TAKEN TO MAKE THE HIRING
PROCESS AT SPD FASTER, EASIER,
AND MORE EFFICIENT. THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE INDICATED THAT
THEY WERE WORKING TO SHORTEN
THE HIRING PROCESS FROM FIVE TO
NINE MONTHS, WHICH USED TO TAKE
DOWN TO THREE OR FOUR MONTHS,
WHICH THEY ARE HOPING TO
ACHIEVE. MUCH OF THEIR FOCUS IN
THIS AREA HAS BEEN ON THE SPD
PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS AND THE
PS CSC TESTING PROCESS. EACH OF
WHICH CAN TAKE UP TO TWO MONTHS
TO COMPLETE. REGARDING THE
PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHASE,
PRESENTERS TALKED ABOUT
CREATING EFFICIENCIES, SUCH AS
ALLOTTING OUT-OF-STATE
CANDIDATES TO TAKE PHYSICAL
AGILITY TEST IN THEIR LOCAL
HOSPITALS, AS WELL AS A NEW
SYSTEM, A DIGITAL SYSTEM THAT
IS SPED UP THE BACK RUNNING
PROCESS. MEMBERS ALSO HEARD THE
DIRECTOR SAY THAT THE
COMMISSION IS WORKING TO
INCREASE THE SPEED WITH WHICH
INCENTIVES TO SPD LIST ELIGIBLE
CANDIDATES. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SHEALY SAID THAT THAT PROCESS
USED TO TAKE TWO WEEKS, AND
THAT IT NOW TAKES SIX TO EIGHT
WEEKS. SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT
SHE WAS GIVEN ANOTHER STAFF
MEMBER ON HER STAFF, AND THEY
WOULD BE ABLE TO CUT DOWN THAT
TIME, CERTIFY CANDIDATES, AND
PUBLISH REGISTERS WITHIN TWO
WEEKS OF THE EXAM. AS YOU ARE
ALL AWARE, THE COMMITTEE WAS
RECEPTIVE TO THE POSITIVE
CHANGES THAT ARE UNDERWAY. AT
THE SAME TIME, MEMBERS
EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION THE
CHANGES WERE HAPPENING TOO
SLOWLY, GIVEN THE RATE AT WHICH
SPD IS LOSING OFFICERS. AMONG
OTHER THINGS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ASKED WHY THEY ARE NOT USING
THE SAME ENTRY-LEVEL POLICE
OFFICER EXAM THAT IS CURRENTLY
USED BY SEATTLE'S NEIGHBORING
JURISDICTION AROUND THE PUGET
SOUND AREA. NUMBERS ALSO
EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION THAT THE
PSC TESTING PROCESS TAKES SIX
TO EIGHT WEEKS. THEN IT TOOK
ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE THE CITY
LAUNCHED ITS MARKETING AND
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN. THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT SPOKE TO MOST
OF THOSE THINGS. COMMITTEE
MEMBERS ASKED THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR TO REPORT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE ON THE RESOURCES THAT
IT WOULD TAKE THAT WOULD BE
NECESSARY TO SHORTEN THE
REGISTER PUBLICATION DEADLINE
OR PROCESS TO TWO WEEKS. THAT
REQUEST WAS SOON THEREAFTER
FORMALIZED IN AN EMAIL MADE BY
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR KETTLE ON
THE COMMITTEE'S BEHALF.
DIRECTOR SHEALY PROVIDED A
RESPONSE ON APRIL 8th, IN A
MEMO THAT IS ATTACHED TO MY
STAFF REPORT ONLINE. THAT WAS A
RESPONSE TO THE COMMITTEE'S
QUESTIONS, AND I'M GOING TO
TALK MORE ABOUT THAT MEMO LATER
IN MY PRESENTATION. THAT WAS
KIND OF A LENGTHY BACKGROUND. I
APOLOGIZE, BUT I WILL NOW MOVE
INTO TALKING ABOUT THE BILL
BEFORE YOU. SO AS THE PRIME
SPONSOR THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
INDICATED, THE SPONSORS OF THIS
LEGISLATION HAVE FOR A COUPLE
OF MONTHS NOW BEEN ENGAGED WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE
PSCSC ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS
LEGISLATION. BEFORE I GO INTO
THAT --
>> IS THAT PAGE -- ARE YOU
ADVANCING THE PAGES AS YOU BE?
>> THIS IS MY STAFF REPORT.
I'M GOING TO GO TO THE TABLE.
I CAN JUST PUT IT UP THERE.
WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD,
LIKE I SAID, AND SAY THAT THE
DRAFT IS STILL UNDER RESEARCH,
AND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT
MAY CHANGE BEFORE INTRODUCTION.
AND THE BILL WOULD DO A NUMBER
OF THINGS. IT WOULD LEGALLY
CREATE A PERMANENT AND MAKE
PERMANENT THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM
WILL BE STAFFED BY THE THREE
POSITIONS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY
CREATED IN ORDINANCE 126654.
THAT ORDINANCE CREATED A
THREE-PERSON RECRUITMENT UNIT
THAT HAD A MANAGER AND TWO
RECRUITERS. THIS DRAFT BILL
WOULD LEGALLY MOVE ALL OF THOSE
POSITIONS FROM SDH ARE, WHERE
THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PUT INTO
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE BILL WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE
THE PUBLIC SAFETY CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION, THE PSCSC, TO
CONSIDER THE USE OF AN
ENTRY-LEVEL POLICE OFFICER EXAM
THAT IS USED BY MULTIPLE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE
PUGET SOUND REGION. IT ASKS THE
PSCSC TO MAKE WITHIN TWO
BUSINESS DAYS PERSONAL CONTACTS
WITH CANDIDATES REGISTERED FOR
THE EXAM OR SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETED THE EXAM. FINALLY, IT
REQUIRES THAT THE PSCSC
INCREASE THEIR FREQUENCY WITH
WHICH -- I SHOULD SAY REQUEST
THAT THE PSCSC INCREASE THE
FREQUENCY WITH WHICH IT CREATES
ELIGIBILITY ROSTERS SUCH AS
THEY ARE CREATED EVERY TWO
MONTHS. FINALLY, THE BILL WOULD
-- THE DRAFT BILL WOULD ADD TO
THE POLICE EXAMS UNIT IN SD HR,
THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT,
A NEW PERSONNEL ANALYST SENIOR
POSITION TO SUPPORT FASTER
REGISTRY PUBLICATION AND TO
PROVIDE MORE ROBUST CANDIDATE
SUPPORT. THIS POSITION IS PAID
FOR IN 2024 THROUGH VACANCY
SAVINGS THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED
BECAUSE OF VACANCIES WITHIN THE
SPD RECRUITMENT UNIT. GOING
FORWARD, THE POSITION COST IN
THE 2025 BUDGET, A GENERAL FUND
INCREASE OF 146,000 PER YEAR.
SO I'M NOW GOING TO MOVE TO
THIS TABLE. ACTUALLY, I'M GOING
TO START WITH -- THE ORG
CHART. I'M GOING TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS
LEGISLATION FITS IN WITH WHAT
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS DOING
THROUGH M.O. YOU. THEY ARE
UNDERGOING A REORG THEMSELVES.
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE, AND IN
MANY WAYS, THESE CHANGES ARE
SIMILAR. THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE DRAFT LEGISLATION
AND THE ACTION UNDERWAY BY THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IS THAT THIS
MANAGER UNIT HERE, THIS MANAGER
HERE -- I WILL TRY TO USE THIS.
THIS MANAGER HERE, FOR THE
POLICE RECRUITMENT PROGRAM, IS
GOING TO BE MOVED OUT TO THE
PSCSC TO MANAGE A NEW TESTING
UNIT THAT IS CREATED IN THE
PSCSC. THAT TESTING UNIT IS
GOING TO BE COMPRISED OF THESE
FOUR POLICE EXAMS POSITIONS
THAT CURRENTLY RESIDE -- ALL OF
THESE POSITIONS -- WITHIN SD
HR. AND SO THAT MANAGER WILL NO
LONGER SERVE A POLICE
RECRUITING FUNCTION. INSTEAD,
IT WILL OVERSEE THE EXAMS UNIT,
AND THEN THE TWO RECRUITMENT
POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED IN
ORDINANCE 126654, ALONG WITH
THIS MANAGER POSITION, THOSE
TWO RECRUITMENT POSITIONS UNDER
THE MAYOR'S M.O. YOU WOULD BE
MOVED TO SPD. UNDER THIS
LEGISLATION, THE REORG WITH THE
EXAM DOES NOT -- IT DOESN'T
HAPPEN. THESE THREE POSITIONS
THAT WERE ORIGINALLY CREATED
FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
ALL MOVE TO SPD AND BECOME PART
OF THE NEW SPD RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION PROGRAM. YOU AS AN
LEGALLY CREATED AND FORMALIZED.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO MOVE BACK
TO THE OLD TABLE HERE, AND THIS
OTHER TABLE SHOWS SORT OF A
POSITION BY POSITION
DESCRIPTION OF HOW THESE
REORG'S ARE HAPPENING. THE
FIRST COLUMN HERE IS THE
POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED IN
THE ORIGINAL RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION ORDINANCE. THE SECOND
COLUMN IS THE DRAFT BILL THAT
IS BEFORE YOU NOW. AND THE
THIRD COLUMN IS UNDER
CONSIDERATION BY THE EXECUTIVE
OF THOSE REORG'S I TALKED
ABOUT. IN THIS FIRST POSITION,
THE MANAGER THAT WAS CREATED,
AS I SAID BEFORE, UNDER THE
DRAFT LEGISLATION THAT MOVES TO
THE SPD, AND WOULD MANAGE THE
TWO RECRUITERS IN THAT POSITION
WOULD HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING
RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES AND
CONSULTATION WITH CONTRACTED
MARKETING OR MEDIA CONSULTANTS.
IT WOULD ENSURE THAT A PERSONAL
CONTACT IS MADE AVAILABLE TO
ALL POLICE OFFICER APPLICANTS
FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXAM. IT
WOULD ALSO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND
TO ENCOURAGE AGENCY STRATEGIES
THAT REFLECT BEST PRACTICES.
UNDER BOTH PLANS, THE RECRUITER
POSITIONS, AS I MENTIONED
BEFORE, WOULD MOVE TO SPD AND
WOULD REPORT TO THIS MANAGER
POSITION. AS I MENTIONED, THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED REORG IS A
LITTLE DIFFERENT. UNDER THE
PROPOSED MAYOR'S PROPOSED
REORG, THIS MANAGER POSITION
WOULD TAKE CHARGE OF THE EXAMS
UNIT AND WOULD NOT RECEIVE THE
EQUIPMENT UNIT. THE RECRUITMENT
UNIT WOULD REPORT TO SPD'S
HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR. AND IT
IS THE CASE THAT IT IS NOT
ENTIRELY CLEAR IF THE HR
DIRECTOR OF SPD WOULD BE
PROVIDING THE STRATEGIC
GUIDANCE FOR THE UNIT, OR IF
THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AS IT IS NOW.
AND BOTH OF THESE, THE LAST
THING I SHOULD SAY, AND BOTH OF
THESE REORG'S, THERE'S A
POSITION ADDED. A NEW PERSONNEL
ANALYST SENIOR POSITION, A NEW
POSITION THAT IS ADDED TO HELP
SPEED UP REGISTERED PUBLICATION
AND MAKE MORE CONTACTS WITH
CANDIDATES DURING THE TESTING
PROCESS. IT'S JUST ADDED A
LITTLE DIFFERENTLY IN THIS
DRAFT BILL. IT WOULD BE ADDED
TO SD HR, AND THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED REORG. SO WITH THAT,
I'M GOING TO STOP AND ASK IF
THERE ARE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I
THINK SOME OF THIS REORG STUFF
MAY HAVE BEEN -- I MAYBE DID
INTO THE GREATEST JOB
EXPLAINING IT. I GOT MORE
LATER.
>> OKAY. YEAH. HERE'S THE
THING. UNDER THE 2022 RETENTION
AND RECRUITMENT PLAN, THESE
THREE POSITIONS ARE ALL
SUPPOSED TO BE FOCUSED ON
IMPROVING RETENTION AND
RECRUITMENT WITHIN SPD. THEY
WERE LOCATED WITHIN HR. I THINK
IT'S SAFE TO SAY BECAUSE THERE
WAS RESISTANCE ON THE PART OF
THE PAST COMMITTEE, TO CREATE
MORE POSITIONS WITHIN SPD. SO
THEY WERE PUT IN HR. ONE OF THE
PROBLEMS WAS THAT SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS -- THERE WERE A
LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND CAME
FORWARD -- WERE JUST NOT TAKEN
UP, AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN
ISSUE WITH BANDWIDTH, OR IT
MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE FACT THAT
THERE WAS LESS THE SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERTISE IN HR ABOUT
SPECIFIC SPD BEST PRACTICES OR
LESS EXPERTISE AROUND NATIONAL
AND REGIONAL BEST PURPOSES AND
DIFFERENT INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS
THAT WERE TAKING PLACE
ELSEWHERE. I BELIEVE THAT THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE MOVED TO THE
POSITIONS OVER TO SPD FOR GOOD
REASON. SO THAT THEY COULD BE
IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR
COLLEAGUES WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE
DIRECTOR OF HR WITHIN SPD. MIKE
FIELDS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT
THE FINAL POSITION, WHICH IS
THE HIGHEST POSITION, NEEDS TO
MOVE OVER TO SPD AND LEAD THIS
WHOLE PROGRAM. SO THERE'S ONE
PERSON IN CHARGE AND
ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING SURE
THAT INNOVATIONS ARE EXPLORED
AND HAVE A CHANCE OF BEING
IMPLEMENTED, AND ALSO SOMEONE
WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE
RESULTS. THE RESULTS IN
RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS, AND ALSO
IMPROVEMENTS IN HIRING
PRACTICES THAT ARE PROCESSED
PERHAPS IN THE COMMISSION, BUT
THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACT THE MAIN
MISSION, WHICH IS STAFFING UP
SPD RIGHT. AND SO THE REASONING
-- I JUST WANTED THE REASONING
UNDERSTOOD, MOVING THAT LAST
POSITION IS SO THAT THERE IS,
FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, A
CHAIN OF COMMAND AND A STRONGER
SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO
ADVANCE THE NEW STRATEGIES. YOU
KNOW, I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT
WITH SPD'S HR DIRECTOR, MIKE
FIELDS. YOU HAVE, TOO. HE HAS
EXPRESSED IN CONVERSATIONS THAT
THAT WOULD BE A WELCOME CHANGE,
BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY GOT A LOT
GOING ON, AND THIS IS LOOKING
AT IMPROVING AND LOOKING TO
OTHER JURISDICTIONS FOR THINGS
THAT ARE WORKING IN OTHER
PLACES. SO THAT IS THE
RATIONALE FOR KEEPING THOSE
THREE POSITIONS THAT WERE
ORIGINALLY TOGETHER TOGETHER.
BUT IN SPD, SO THAT THERE CAN
BE A COORDINATED EFFORT WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT, AND SOMEONE
THAT COUNCIL CAN REALLY LOOK TO
TO ENSURE THAT -- THAT THE
RECOMMENDED CHANGES ARE HAVING
THE INTENDED EFFECT. AND SO
THAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO
THAT, GREG? OR COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE ?
>> I WILL JUST ADD ONE THING
MORE TO SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS
QUESTIONS. AND THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT THING. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AS YOU KNOW, YOU
HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS RECENTLY
INDICATED THAT THEY ARE
CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE
REORGANIZATION AND LOOKING TO
SEE IF THEY MIGHT BE IN LINE
WITH THIS LEGISLATION. I WANT
TO BRING UP THAT THE COUNCIL
AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ARE
LOOKING AT THEIR REORG AND THIS
REORG AND SEEING HOW THIS MIGHT
BE RELATED.
>> IS A LEARNING PROCESS FOR
EVERYBODY INVOLVED. I WANTED TO
RETURN TO THE ISSUE, I THINK
THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER
PAGE IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT
YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT.
WOULD NOW BE A GOOD TIME TO
TALK, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO THE
BEST OF THAT LATER? OH, I'M
SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
I'M SORRY. I INVITED YOU TO
SPEAK IN THE DIDN'T CALL. GO
AHEAD.
>> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE NEED
TO SIMPLIFY THINGS. HAVING TOO
MANY ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVELY
INVOLVED, IT CREATES ITS OWN
CHALLENGES. SIMPLIFYING THE
PROCESS, SIMPLIFY THE
ORGANIZATION, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE CIVIL
SERVICE COMMISSION ENGAGED.
AND THEN HAVE THESE POSITIONS
WITHIN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND NOT INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS
DIRECTLY INVOLVED FROM AN
ACTION OFFICER PERSPECTIVE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE OVERSIGHT
PIECES, THE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE, OR COUNCIL, AND THIS
COMMITTEES AS WELL IN ADDITION
TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
HAS ITS RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT
WE REALLY SHOULD LOOK TO
SIMPLIFY, AND IT BRINGS UP SO
MANY THINGS. THE CLARITY
PIECES. YOU TALK ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE LIKE, I
THINK IT'S A WAY FORWARD. SO I
SUPPORT THAT PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU. OKAY. SO YOU
MENTIONED THE TESTING, AND I DO
WANT TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT
THIS, BECAUSE THIS WAS --
ROBUSTLY DISCUSSED IN THE MARCH
3rd MEETING IN YOUR COMMITTEE,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE . HERE IS
THE SITUATION. THERE ARE FIVE
JURISDICTIONS WITHIN -- WITHIN
WASHINGTON STATE THAT ARE
CURRENTLY TESTING CANDIDATES
USING THE NTN TEST. IN
CONTRAST, THERE ARE -- I DON'T
KNOW. OVER 100 SMALL, MEDIUM,
AND LARGE SIZED JURISDICTIONS
THAT ARE USING THE PST TEST.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT'S
IMPORTANT, AS OFTEN, APPLICANTS
APPLY TO MULTIPLE
JURISDICTIONS, AND SO WHEN THEY
TAKE THE PST TEST, ONCE IT'S
ON FILE AND THEY CAN DESIGNATE
WHICH AGENCIES GET THAT SCORE,
AND IF THEY HAVE TO USE ANOTHER
TEST THAT NOBODY ELSE IS USING,
THAT IS -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S A
DISINCENTIVE TO INCLUDE SEATTLE
IN THEIR APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO THAT IS ONE THING. IF
ANYBODY HAS KIDS, I SAID THIS
BEFORE, IF YOU HAVE -- THE
S.A.T. SCORES ON FILE IN ONE
PLACE, YOU CAN HAVE IT SENT TO
ANOTHER, WHEREVER YOU WANT.
THAT'S A BENEFIT. THEY CAN
VERY WELL CUT DOWN ON THE
TESTING TIME HORIZON, BECAUSE
WE OFFER OUR TEST IN -- I THINK
IT'S FOUR CYCLES OVER THE
COURSE OF THE YEAR. AND THAT
CAN SLOW DOWN THE EXAM PROCESS
AS WELL. WHEN WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT ALL THIS, THE DIRECTOR OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION DID EXPRESS CONCERN
THAT USING THIS TEST WOULD
LOWER STANDARDS. AND I HAVE TO
REALLY STRONGLY PUSHED BACK ON
THAT. IN FACT, I THINK THE
OPPOSITE IS TRUE. WE ARE NOT
TALKING ABOUT USING A TESTING
SERVICE THAT'S GOING TO GIVE
US A TEST RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.
IN FACT, THE PST EXAM IS
CUSTOMIZED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
JURISDICTIONS. IT IS NOT
ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL. THE
QUESTIONS ARE INFORMED BY A
VALIDITY STUDY THAT IS
CONNECTED BY STAFF OF THE
PARENT COMPANY OF PST, AND WITH
PARTICIPATION OF THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND PERHAPS
OTHER AGENTS CAN HAVE INPUT ON
THAT. BUT THIS PROCESS, IT'S
CALLED A VALIDITY STUDY. IT CAN
TAKE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TWO
MONTHS, LITTLE BIT LONGER,
DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH BANDWIDTH
OUR STAFF HAD TO PUT INTO THIS
PROCESS. BUT THE POINT IS THAT
THE QUESTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO
ACCOUNT FOR THE THINGS THAT WE
ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT .
BIAS, ABILITY TO USE JUDGMENT
TO DE-ESCALATE. ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT SINCE THE CONSENT DECREE
WAS IMPOSED, AND WHAT WE ARE
VERY INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING
-- TO GET OUT FROM UNDERNEATH
THE CONSENT DECREE. SO WHEN IT
COMES TO WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE
LOWING DANDER, THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE FOR THAT. IN FACT, WE
HAVE HEARD FROM A RECRUITER
THAT IS IN SPD, PART OF THIS
THREE-PERSON UNIT, WHO HAS
RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS WITH
THE NTN EXAM, WHICH WAS
DEVELOPED WITH PARTICIPATION
FROM HR SPECIALISTS, PUBLIC
SAFETY HR SPECIALIST FROM
BELLEVUE, SEATTLE, AND AURORA,
COLORADO, IN 2012. I DON'T KNOW
IF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN
UPDATED SINCE THEN, BUT THE
POINT IS IS THAT, TO SAY THAT
THE -- A NEW EXAM CANNOT
ACCOUNT FOR NEW REALITIES THAT
COME TO OUR ATTENTION IS JUST
NOT THE CASE. AND THERE ARE
SOME PUBLIC -- THERE ARE SOME
CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES WITH
THE NTN EXAM THAT WERE BROUGHT
TO OUR -- BROUGHT TO OUR
ATTENTION. I WON'T GO INTO
DETAIL, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN
AN APPLICANT GOES TO REGISTER
FOR THE TEST, THEY ARE TOLD
THAT THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT A --
A PRETTY DETAILED -- WHAT IS IT
CALLED? PERSONAL HISTORY
QUESTIONNAIRE, AND I CAN TAKE A
LONG TIME. FIVE TO 10 HOURS.
BUT THE SPD DOESN'T LOOK AT
THAT. THAT IS LANGUAGE THAT IS
ON THE TEST THAT, BECAUSE IT'S
ON THE TEST FOR EVERY JURIST
DICTION, BUT NOT EVERY
JURISDICTION USES THAT. AND WE
ARE TOLD -- THIS RECRUITER WAS
TOLD FROM SOMEONE IN THE
TESTING UNIT THAT THAT LANGUAGE
CANNOT BE -- CAN BE REMOVED
FROM THE LANDING PAGE OF THAT
EXAM. SO -- IT REALLY DOES
DEPEND, HOW GOOD IS THE
CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND HOW AGILE
IS THE TESTING SERVICE, AND HOW
ARE THEY ABLE TO MODIFY THE
INSTRUCTIONS AND THE QUESTIONS
FOR THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL
JURISDICTIONS? AND WHEN IT
COMES -- WE USE THE SAME
TESTING SERVICE FOR THE
PHYSICAL EXAM AS WELL, AND
THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES
THERE. APPARENTLY, -- LET'S
SEE. PST HAS 18 PHYSICAL
TESTING LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT
WASHINGTON COMPARED TO NTN'S
FIVE LOCATIONS, TAKING IT
EASIER AND LESS EXPENSIVE FOR
AN APPLICANT TO TAKE AN EXAM IN
PERSON IF THEY PREFER. IN
ADDITION TO THEIR 18 TESTING
LOCATIONS, DST HAS A
PARTNERSHIP WITH ANYTIME
FITNESS FOR APPLICANTS TO
INTAKE THE PHYSICAL AGILITY
TEST AND ANY OTHER HUNDREDS OF
LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED
STATES, AND NTN ONLY HAS FOUR
LOCATIONS WITHIN WASHINGTON
WERE AN APPLICANT CAN TAKE THE
PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST. THAT
MATTERS ALSO, AND THAT CAN SLOW
THINGS DOWN IF AN APPLICANT
FAILS THE PHYSICAL TEST AT THE
FIRST ROUND. AND SO THERE ARE
MANY ADVANTAGES TO USING, IN
ADDITION TO USING PST IN
ADDITION TO NTN OR INSTEAD OF
-- I AM BELABORING THIS POINT
BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY
REASON WHY USING THIS TEST
WOULD RESULT IN A LOWERING OF
STANDARDS. SO I JUST WANTED TO
BRING THAT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION,
BECAUSE AS THE DIRECTOR HAS
BEEN DOING HER DUE DILIGENCE BY
QUESTIONING THE LEADERSHIP OF
PST, THEY DID -- THEY DID --
THEY DID SEES PARTICIPATION IN
THAT DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE OF A
LIST OF 40 QUESTIONS, AND MANY
OF THEM WERE PROPRIETARY. AND
SO WE SHOULD NOT DEDUCE FROM
THE -- THE DECLINING OF
CONTINUING IN THAT DUE
DILIGENCE PROCESS THAT THERE IS
AN UNWILLING MISS TO ENGAGE
WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE MBA
SERVICE PROVIDER HERE. GO
AHEAD. THAT'S MY POINT ON THE
EXAMS. PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE MUCH
MORE TO ADD. I WOULD JUST
SIMPLY SAY THAT WE HEARD FROM
THE PSCSC , AND ACTUALLY, WE
HEARD FROM THE MANAGER LAST
MARCH ON THE 12th THAT THERE
ARE 100 -- I'M SORRY. THAT
THERE ARE 27 CITIES IN
WASHINGTON THAT USE THE NTN,
AND THAT IT USED BY THE WEST
COAST SEVEN AND SOME OTHER
LARGE CITIES. THAT IS, I
SUPPOSE -- WHAT THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT MAY BE RIGHT ABOUT,
IS THE FIVE BEING REGIONAL,
WHEREAS THE PST USES 100 -- OR
IS AVAILABLE TO 160 AGENCIES IN
WASHINGTON STATE. AS I LOOKED
ON THEIR PAGE, JUST ABOUT EVERY
SINGLE NEIGHBORING JURISDICTION
THAT SEATTLE HAS. THE ADVANTAGE
OF USING THE PST, OR USING
BOTH, WOULD BE THAT WHEN A
CANDIDATE IS APPLYING, THEY CAN
SEND THEIR APPLICATION TO
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, AND
THEN IF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT
THOSE JURISDICTIONS IS BEADY
ENOUGH, THEN PERSONAL
RECRUITMENT COULD COMMENCE
AFTER THEY PASSED THE TEST. SO
THAT IS -- ACTUALLY, I THINK
YOU COVERED A LOT OF WHAT I
HAD, AND I WILL JUST ASK IF
THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY AT THE
TOP THAT -- ACCOUNTABILITY IS
VERY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE
CONSIDER OURSELVES PART OF THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
REGARDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, AND MORE GENERALLY,
THE FAMILY GOVERNANCE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
AND THE COUNCIL OVERALL, AND WE
PARTNERED -- I'VE HAD MEETINGS
JUST TODAY WITH THE OIG. WE
WORKED WITH THE OPA AND THE
CPC, AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY
PIECE, AND PARTICULARLY FOR ALL
THE REASONS THAT YOU MENTIONED,
TO THE CONSENT DECREE, AND
HOLDING UP THE BEST FORCE IN
THIS EDDIE AND IN THE NATION,
USING ALL THOSE REFORMS AND
PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, AND
CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING AND
MOVING FORWARD. AND THAT -- I
HOLD THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. AND
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY -- I
UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE NATIONAL TESTING BOARD
MEMBER IN ITS ROLE, AND THAT
NEEDS TO BE, IN MY MIND,
MAINTAINED. MY UNDERSTANDING,
MR. DOSS, IS THAT THERE'S
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS THAT USE
BOTH TEST. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES. I SPOKE WITH THE PST
COMPANY PRESIDENT TODAY, AND HE
INDICATED THAT THERE ARE 3 IN
WASHINGTON. KENNEWICK, FOREST
PARK, AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY THAT
USE BOTH EXAMS. HE INDICATED
THAT IT CAN BE A BIT TRICKY
USING BOTH EXAMS IN A MERIT
CIVIL SERVICE -- PUBLIC CIVIL
SERVICE SAFETY ENVIRONMENT,
SUCH THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT CANDIDATES THAT ARE
BROUGHT INTO YOUR SYSTEM ARE
TREATED EQUALLY, AND SO HE HAD
MENTIONED THAT THE WAY THAT
THESE JURISDICTIONS HANDLE IT
IS THAT THE TEST IS SORT OF A
PRECURSOR TO INCLUDE
PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS THAT
THEY USE, THAT THEY BRING ALL
CANDIDATES INTO, AND THAT THEY
JUDGE THE CANDIDATES MARRIAGE
BASED ON THAT EXPERIENCE. IT
MAY BE A LITTLE LEGALLY TRICKY,
AND CERTAINLY WOULD REQUIRE
MORE RESEARCH BY STAFF TO GIVE
YOU MORE INFORMATION ON IT, BUT
THERE ARE CURRENTLY THREE THAT
DO IT.
>> THANK YOU. ANY FOLLOW-UP,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE ?
>> YES. THE FACT THAT YOU SAID
THREE IN WASHINGTON STATE, THE
WAY THAT WAS SAID, MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE MAY
BE MORE. AS I SAY THAT THERE'S
POTENTIALLY SOME OUT OF
WASHINGTON STATE THAT USE BOTH?
>> THAT MAY BE THE CASE. I
DON'T HAVE INFORMATION, BUT I
WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON IT.
>> DOESN'T THE OVERALL
RECRUITMENT PROCESS -- WE GO --
YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT BRIEFINGS
JUST A WEEK OR SO AGO THAT WE
HAD ALL THE HR TALENT
ACQUISITION PROFESSIONALS FROM
INDUSTRY THAT WERE MEETING WITH
US, THE MAYOR, THE DEPUTY
MAYOR, AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
MYSELF, AND OTHERS. YOU KNOW,
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT --
THERE ARE PIECES TO THIS, AND
YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING --
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG -- IS
THAT IT DOESN'T JUST STOP WITH
THE TESTING ON PSCSC, BUT IF
THERE'S A NUMBER OF PIECES
THAT GO THROUGH THAT SPD AND
THE CITY OF SEATTLE GO THROUGH
TO GET TO THAT FINAL POINT
WHERE MAKING A DECISION ON THE
APPLICANT. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THERE ARE
NUMEROUS PHASES IN THAT
MULTIPLE MONTH PROCESS. JUST TO
GO THROUGH THE PHASES THAT HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR ME, YOU GOT
SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION, A
REGISTER AND COMPLETION OF THE
EXAM, A PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST,
ORAL BOARD INTERVIEW,
BACKGROUND IN, MEDICAL
EVALUATION, A PSYCHOLOGICAL
EXAM, AND A POLYGRAPH TEST.
>> SO THERE'S A LONG LIST,
WHICH IS NOT VERY DIFFERENT, I
SHOULD ADD, MY EXPERIENCE IN
TERMS OF JOINING THE NAVY,
PARTICULARLY AS AN INTELLIGENCE
OFFICER WITH THAT LEVEL OF
REVIEW BEING VERY HIGH. I HAVE
MY OWN EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE TO
THAT PROCESS. IT STRIKES ME
THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THIS CAME
UP IN THE MEETING WITH THE
MAYOR, AND THE REPRESENTATIVES
FROM INDUSTRY IS THAT -- AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT MENTIONED
THIS IN TERMS OF THE
APPLICATION ASPECT TO IT. WE
WERE TOLD IN THAT MEETING THAT
ONE OF THESE HR INDIVIDUALS AND
PROFESSIONALS NEW A PERSON WHO
WAS TAKING THE PST, THAT THEY
WOULD NOT DO THE NTN, BECAUSE
THEY WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
THE FACT THAT THE COMMON
APPLICATION, WHERE IT GOES, IT
COULD BE DESIGNATED TO GO TO
VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS. THAT
PERSON DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE
EXTRA STEP TO APPLY TO SEATTLE.
APPARENTLY, THERE'S
OPPORTUNITIES -- OR MISSED
OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF
HAVING AN APPLICANT COME INTO
OUR SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT
PART OF THE COMMON APPLICATION
PROCESS THAT THE PST OFFERS. IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> YES. THAT IS CERTAINLY
CORRECT. I WOULD NOTE THAT THE
LANGUAGE OF THE DRAFT BILL
REQUESTS THAT THE PS CSC TAKE
THOSE ISSUES INTO CONSIDERATION
AS THEY DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE
WITH PST AS A POTENTIAL EXAM
VENDOR OR NTN AS THEIR
EVALUATION OF BOTH OF THESE
COMPANIES CONTINUES.
>> AND IT'S QUITE CLEAR, I'VE
HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH
POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH, BY THE
WAY, WENT TO MAINTAINED
STANDARDS. I SHOULD SAY THAT
FIRST. I'VE SPOKEN TO
OFFICERS, AND THEY ARE KEENLY
WANTING TO HAVE ANY NEW
OFFICERS COMING ON BOARD THAT
ARE OF THE STANDARD THAT IS
REQUIRED FOR THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. I SHOULD SAY THAT,
AND I KNOW THAT DIRECTLY. BUT
ALSO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH
OTHER OFFICERS, WE LOSE
OFFICERS TO NEIGHBORING
JURISDICTIONS. AND OUR
COMPETITION, IF YOU WILL, ARE
THOSE JURISDICTIONS WITHIN THE
THREE COUNTIES? IS THAT YOUR
UNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF WHERE
WE ARE -- IT'S NOT COLORADO,
OR THE WEST COAST SEVEN. IT'S
REALLY THESE THREE COUNTIES?
>> I'M NOT A RECRUITMENT
EXPERT, BUT I HAVE HEARD THAT
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND SPD SAY
THAT THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
ARE THE COMPETITORS THAT
MATTER. DURING THE MARCH 12th
COMMITTEE MEETING, THERE WAS
DISCUSSION ABOUT PAY RATES IN
THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND HOW
THAT WAS POTENTIALLY DRIVING
SOME OF THE RECRUITMENT
CHALLENGES THAT SPD HAS BEEN
HAVING. SO CERTAINLY, THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS BEEN MAKING
THAT COMPARISON.
>> I UNDERSTAND, AND WE WON'T
GO INTO THAT OBVIOUSLY. SO THE
LAST PIECE ON THAT HAS BEEN --
TO COME BACK TO YOUR POINT --
IS THAT SNOHOMISH COUNTY IS
ABLE TO PRESS FORWARD WITH
BOTH. AND I WOULD THINK GOING
THROUGH THE PROCESS, THAT YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL THOSE
LEVELS LIPS THIS WHETHER IT'S
PHYSICAL, THE POLYGRAPH,
WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THAT THERE
IS A CHANCE TO ENSURE THAT WE
ARE LEVELING UP AND WE ARE
ENSURING THAT THE LEVEL -- THE
STANDARDS THAT ARE BEING
MAINTAINED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
ARE LOOKING FOR FOR THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO YOU CAN
GO ONTO THE NEXT STEP. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, CHAIR.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO -- THE NEXT
STAGE IS TO TALK ABOUT THE
PROCESSES, BUT I WILL SAY THAT
-- HERE'S WHAT IS HAPPENING.
SOMEBODY MIGHT NOT APPLY TO SPD
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO
TAKE A WHOLLY SEPARATE TEST.
THE PROCESS TO BE HIRED AT SPD
IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS. AND SO
THAT IS AN ALREADY LONG
PROCESS. THERE ARE MANY STEPS
ALONG THE WAY TO TEST FOR THE
QUALITIES THAT WE -- THAT ARE
ATTRACTIVE TO WORK HERE, BUT
THE BOTTOM LINE IS, DURING THIS
WHOLE TIME, OTHER JURISDICTIONS
ARE ABLE TO MAKE AN OFFER
BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE AN
OFFER FOR MANY REASONS. IF WE
ARE NOT MAKING THAT PERSONAL
TOUCH WITHIN 48 HOURS AND DOING
A LOT OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT
IMPROVE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE,
THAT IS A DISADVANTAGE TO US.
AND SO THE TEST IS ONE PIECE.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE, BUT
THERE ARE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO
THE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE THAT
THIS LEGISLATION ALSO
CONTEMPLATES, AND THAT WILL, WE
ARE ASSURED BY THE DIRECTOR OF
THE COMMISSION, THEY WILL BE
ABLE TO DO WITH THIS ADDITIONAL
FTE, WHICH BOTH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND WE AGREE IS A
REASONABLE THING RIGHT NOW THAT
IS ALREADY PAID FOR. SO
CONTINUE, GREG, WITH YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'M DONE. THAT
WAS IT.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO I WANT TO
ADDRESS WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM
VERSION 1 TO THIS VERSION, THIS
DRAFT VERSION. THE FIRST
VERSION OF THIS THAT WE SHARED
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
THE PUBLIC SAFETY CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION, AND AN ACTIVE
TRANSPARENCY, DID DIRECT
CHANGES AND DID DIRECT THAT THE
DIRECTORATE OF THE COMMISSION
MAKE CHANGES. THAT WAS PUSHED
BACK ON, AND WE DID MAKE A
DECISION AND GOT SOME INPUT
FROM LAW THAT, IN FACT, COUNCIL
MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT. SO
THIS VERSION DOES HAVE -- IT
HAS DISCRETIONARY LANGUAGE.
SHALL CONSIDER, IS ENCOURAGED
TO CONSIDER. HOWEVER, A CLOSE
READING BY ME OF THE CODE, IT
IS LESS CLEAR WHO MAKES THE
DECISION WHICH TEST AND WHICH
BODY IS EMPOWERED TO SELECT THE
TEST. FOR EXAMPLE, THE --
LET'S SEE. CHAPTER 4.0 8.070,
THE MUNICIPAL SUPPORT CODE
SECTION C AND D GIVE THE
COMMISSION THE POWER TO, QUOTE,
PREPARE AND ADMINISTER THE
EXAMINATION. BUT IT SAYS
NOTHING ABOUT WHO SELECT IT. I
BRING THIS UP, BECAUSE IN
BELLEVUE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
BELLEVUE POLICE DEPARTMENT
CAPTAIN IN CHARGE OF
RECRUITMENT AND HIRING,
SELECTED THE EXAM, AND THE
COMMISSION ADMINISTERED IT. SO
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE
ARE DIGGING IN DEEPER WHEN IT
COMES TO WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY,
WHAT THEY SHOULD BE USING WHEN
IT COMES TO EXPRESSING OUR
DESIRE FOR SOME OF THESE
CHANGES TO OCCUR. WE WILL BE
PUSHING THAT OUT A LITTLE MORE
DEEPLY IN THE COMING WEEKS. BUT
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT -- WE
HAVE ALLUDED TO THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
OCCURRING AT A BREAKNECK PACE
BETWEEN ME, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE, AND DEPUTY MAYOR
BURGESS. AND I BELIEVE IT IS
SAFE TO SAY THAT WE ARE IN
ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT HAS TO
HAPPEN. AND I THINK THAT THE
WAY THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED THE
REORGANIZATION OF THE NTE'S
THAT THE EXECUTIVE IS AMENABLE
TO THESE THINGS. BUT WERE GOING
TO MAKE DARN SURE BEFORE WE
COME OUT WITH THAT LEGISLATION
THAT WE DO INTRODUCE. COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD
ESSENTIALLY ENCLOSING THAT WITH
OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK COMING
OUT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE, WE IDENTIFIED SIX
BUILDERS AND ARE WORKING IN TWO
OTHER AREAS WITH OTHER
COMMITTEES. PILLAR NUMBER ONE
IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION,
AND IT IS THE -- THEY ARE ALL
EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN A LOT OF
WAYS, BUT WITHIN THIS ISSUE,
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT
PLAY WITHIN SPD STAFF. THIS IS
CLEARLY AN AREA WHERE WE NEEDED
TO ADDRESS THE SHORTFALLS AND
BRING MORE CLARITY AND PURPOSE
TO THIS TO IMPROVE OUR
PERFORMANCE. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE THAT IMPROVEMENT. I
THINK MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS
ORDINANCE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SPD, AND
THE PSCSC WILL HELP US DO THAT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE
NEED TO DO, ALONG WITH MANY
OTHERS. THERE'S A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT PIECES THAT ARE IN
MOTION RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT OUR
EFFORTS AND OUR GOALS WITHIN
SPD STAFFING, AND WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO LOOK AT ALL OF
THOSE . BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT
THOSE BASIC KIND OF FUNCTIONS,
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN
AREA -- I APPRECIATE MR. DOSS
COMING IN AND BRIEFING WITH HIS
WORK AND LOOKING AT THIS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU ARE
TAKING THE LEAD BASED ON YOUR
EXPERIENCE WITH THE PREVIOUS
ORDINANCE, AND ESSENTIALLY,
YOUR TWO YEAR HEAD START. BUT
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
PARTNERING WITH THE
GOVERNMENT'S ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE IS LOOKING TO ADDRESS
THESE FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES,
AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> GOOD POINT. I AM WORRIED
ABOUT THE PUBLIC'S EYES
GLAZING OVER WITH ALL OF THIS
MINUTIA. THAT IT MATTERS. WE
CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO DO
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. AND SO
WHEN IT COMES TO THESE PICKY
LITTLE DETAILS AND WERE THESE
FTEs GO AND WHO DOES WHAT AND
WHICH EXAM, THAT MIGHT SOUND
MINOR. BUT WE CAN'T NOT DO
THAT. BECAUSE EVERYTHING
MATTERS WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT I
CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING TO IMPROVING
PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS MAKING
SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS TO
RESPOND TO NEW CONSTITUENTS
NEEDS, AND THAT IS CLEARLY WHAT
OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECTED FROM
US. WITH THAT, I WILL ASK --
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GREG. I
ALSO WANT TO CREDIT MY POLICY
DIRECTOR STEPHEN ELLIS IN MY
OFFICE, WHO HAS BEEN WORKING
VERY CLOSELY WITH GREG AS WELL.
TO BE CONTINUED. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, EVERYBODY. I WILL ASK IF
THERE ARE ANY ITEMS OF BUSINESS
BEFORE WE ADJOURN. I AM NOT
SEEING ANY. ANY OTHER ITEMS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE APRIL 11th
MEETING OF THE GOVERNANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. OUR NEXT
MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL
25th AT 2:00 P.M. SINCE THERE
IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE
TIME IS -- NO. I'M LOOKING AT
-- THE TIME IS 3:28, AND THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK
YOU. BYE-BYE.