THIS MEETING WILL COME TO
ORDER. IT IS 2:0 3 PM. I AM
SARA NELSON, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER TRAN 21?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> SEVEN PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE
ARE NO PRESENTATIONS TODAY SO
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ON
TODAY'S AGENDA IN THE
INTRODUCTION TO REFERRALS
CALENDAR AND COUNCIL WORK
PROGRAM. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
SIGNED UP?
>> WE HAVE THREE IN PERSON AND
TWO REMOTE.
>> LET'S GIVE EVERYONE TWO
MINUTES AND START WITH THE IN
PERSON COMMENTERS.
>> SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER THEY ARE REGISTERED.
SPIEGEL'S WHERE TASHA SPEAKERS
WILL HEAR THE CHIME AT THE END
OF THEIR TIME. WE WILL NOW
BEGIN WITH OUR IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS.
>> OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS DENNIS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
THIS LAST TIME I WAS HERE, YOU
WILL KNOW CHEAP ADRIANA DIAZ
GOT FIRED FOR ALLEGEDLY
PROMOTING SOMEONE IN HIS
DEPARTMENT HE WAS HAVING AN
AFFAIR WITH. I THINK IT IS
INSTRUCTIVE TO COMPARE THAT
SITUATION TO THE ISSUE I KEEP
BRINGING UP ABOUT HOW THE CITY
ATTORNEY IS HEARING CASES ON
THE BASIS FOR ALLEGED
INCOMPETENCE. I TALKED WITH
THIS BEFORE, LET'S GO OVER IT
AGAIN. THEY HAVE IMPROPERLY
FOUND THAT A DEFENDANT WAS IN
COMPLIANCE WITH TREATMENT
REQUIREMENTS EVEN THOUGH THE
DEFENDANT NEVER GOT ONTO A
TRANSPORT -- THE LAWYER CLEARLY
SAID THE DEFENDANT WAS IN A
WHEELCHAIR. SHE MADE
ARRANGEMENTS TO GET ON THE
TRANSPORT VAN BUT SHE COULDN'T
BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED
TO TOUCH HER TO HELP HER ONTO
THE VAN AND SHE ALSO HAD
UPCOMING SURGERIES ARE BEING
SHOT IN THE LEGS OF THE
TREATMENT CENTER COULD NOT TAKE
HER FOR THAT REASON. BESIDES
THAT, THE JUDGE DID NOT DISMISS
THE CASE AND ACTUALLY DEFERRED
MAKING A DECISION ABOUT
COMPLIANCE. IN BOTH CASES,
EVERY PART OF THE CITY'S
ATTORNEY STATEMENT ABOUT HOW
SHE HANDLED THE STATEMENT WAS
FALSE. REMEMBER WHEN BRUCE
HARRELL FIRED ADRIAN DIAZ? HE
SAID HONESTY AND INTEGRITY WERE
FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR
ALL CITY EMPLOYEES. IF YOU
LIKE, YOU CANNOT SERVE THE
COMMITTEE AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER. THE PERSON WHO WROTE
THAT MEMO WITH THE FALSE
ACCUSATIONS AGAINST A JUDGE WAS
NATALIE ANDERSON WHO, AS YOU
KNOW, IS NOW BRUCE HARRELL'S
PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR. WHAT
ARE WE DOING? IF YOU DO APPLES
TO APPLES COMPARISONS OF WHAT
THE CITY ATTORNEY DID VERSUS
WHAT CHIEF DIAZ DID, I THINK
WHAT HE DID WAS NOT THAT BAD.
WHY IS IT BAD TO PROMOTE
SOMEBODY OR HAVING AN AFFAIR
WITH? THE PERSON MIGHT BE LESS
EFFECTIVE AND YOU ARE DEPRIVING
ANOTHER PERSON ABOUT JOB. THE
CITY ATTORNEY TO DIRECTLY
PROVIDE -- DEPRIVE SOMEBODY OF
THEIR JOB, REDUCE THEIR
EFFECTIVENESS 20 AND THE OTHER
JUDGES HAD TO PICK UP THE
SLACK. WHAT I THINK THE CITY
ATTORNEY DID WAS WORSE. I WILL
BE ASKING FOR OFFICE HOURS WITH
THE COUNCILMEMBER TO PUT OUT A
RESOLUTION ASKING THE CITY
ATTORNEY TO ANSWER THESE
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> HOWARD?
>> HELLO MY. HOWARD DALE,
DISTRICT 7. I WANT TO ADDRESS
THE ISSUE OF THE IMPENDING
CROWD CONTROL LEGISLATION.
FIRST OFF, I DO WANT TO THINK
WAS COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE FOR
BRINGING UP THE MOST CENTRAL
QUESTION HERE, WHICH IS, IN
AUGUST 2021, THE COUNCIL VOTED
UNANIMOUSLY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION,
TO PASS THAT WEAPONS BAN. TO
NOW MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME KIND
OF NEW LEGISLATION WITHOUT
TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT SEEMS
RATHER ABSURD BUT THE MOST
IMPORTANT CONCERN IS THAT THERE
HAS BEEN NO REAL COMMUNITY
INPUT. VERY LITTLE COMMUNITY
INPUT, ABSOLUTELY ZERO INPUT
FROM THE PEOPLE MOST AT RISK OF
BEING HARMED. THIS WOULD BE
LIKE HAVING LEGISLATION OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DECIDING
WE CAN JUST HOLD THE CITIZENS
OF SEATTLE AND SEE HOW THEY
FEEL ABOUT IT. NO. YOU HAVE TO
ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND THE
ISSUES OF THOSE MOST AFFECTED.
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY,
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A REPORT
DONE BY THE UNIVERSITY IN 2011,
14 YEARS AGO. THERE IS A
PICTURE THAT I WILL BE SENDING
TO YOU GUYS. THERE IS A PICTURE
HERE WHEN THE BLAST BALLS THAT
ARE USED IN SEATTLE ARE THROWN,
IT EXPLODES INTO ANYWHERE FROM
7 1093 SHARP, HEART FRAGMENTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THEY DON'T
TELL YOU ABOUT. THE FINAL
RESTING POSITION WHEN, IN THIS
STUDY THEY THREW THE BLAST A
BALL AT A TARGETED PLACE, IT
ENDED UP BOUNCING AND GOING
ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO TO 200
INCHES AWAY. THIS NOTION THAT
YOU COULD AVOID HURTING PEOPLE
BY NOT THROWING BLAST BALLS AT
PEOPLE IS ABSURD. FINALLY,
THERE IS A LOT OF IGNORANCE
HERE. BACK IN 2018, THE
EXISTING SPD POLICY WAS NOT TO
THROW BLAST BALLS AT PEOPLE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, I HEARD YOU
TALK ABOUT THAT. THIS HAS
ALWAYS BEEN THE POLICY AND IT
LED TO THE DISASTER OF 2020.
MUST YOU TAKE THAT INTO
ACCOUNT, WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK
WHERE WE WERE. THANK YOU.
>> ALEX?
>> BEFORE HE BEGINS, I WOULD
LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH IS
WITH US.
>> ARE YOU A PERSON WHO DON'T
LIKE ME? I ASK YOU, YOU DON'T
LIKE ME PERSONAL
>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
DEMOCRATS NOW. IT HAS NEVER
HAPPENED BEFORE. I COME TO THIS
PLACE FOR 20 YEARS. I SUPPORT
TRUMP FROM BEGINNING, FIRST
DAY. THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW,
VERY SIMPLE. HOW WE CAN CHANGE
IT. HOW WE CAN BRING TRUMP'S
RESOLUTION. RIGHT NOW -- YOU
ALL KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS. YOU
ARE EXACTLY SAME. I COME HERE
EVERY DAY. THIS ROOM IS EMPTY
RIGHT NOW. SOMETHING HAPPENED
RIGHT NOW. I HAVE NEVER SEEN
THIS BEFORE IN MY LIFE. ALMOST
IN MY LIFE. WHEN PEOPLE DON'T
COME, THEY NOT RESPECT YOU.
WHEN THEY NOT RESPECT YOU --
YOU DESTROY THIS UNDER MY EYES.
LOOK WHAT HAS HAPPENED NOW.
CITY HALL, THREE MINUTE,
WITHOUT YOUR CONTROL. NO ONE.
VIVA TRUMP. VIVA NEW AMERICAN
REVOLUTION. STOP DOING THIS.
>> ALEX ZIMMERMAN, I WAS HOPING
TO START THE NEW YEAR ON A
POSITIVE NOTE. I WILL REMIND
YOU THAT THAT IS ABUSIVE
LANGUAGE WHICH CONSTITUTES
DISRUPTION AGAINST OUR RULES.
THIS IS A WARNING. PLEASE STOP
THAT.
>> WE HAVE ONE LAST IN-PERSON
SPEAKER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
KATHLEEN. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW,
I LIVE IN DOWNTOWN BALLARD,
DISTRICT 6. AS WE BEGIN THIS
NEW YEAR, I URGE YOU TO
REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE
LEGISLATING LAWS THAT AFFECT
ALMOST 800,000 CITIZENS AND NOT
JUST THE NOISY REBEL THAT OFTEN
SHOWS UP IN THESE CHAMBERS,
ALTHOUGH IT IS QUIET TODAY. YOU
ALL HAVE BIG HEARTS AND YOU
WANT TO HELP EVERYONE AND
ADDRESS -- I ASK THAT YOU STAY
FOCUSED ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
SEATTLE TODAY. FIRST OF ALL,
STOP CREATING AND RAISING MORE
TAXES AND INTERFERING WITH THE
FREE MARKET ECONOMY. FOCUS ON
CUTTING EXPENSES, PLEASE . THE
MIDDLE CLASS, THEY ARE HURTING.
I AM TRYING TO REMAIN A MEMBER
OF THE MIDDLE CLASS AND IT IS
DIFFICULT. THE INCREASE OF THE
MINIMUM WAGE HAS LED TO EVEN
MORE SMALL BUSINESS CLOSURES,
DECREASED CUSTOMER VOLUME
UNLESS JOBS, ESPECIALLY IN
RESTAURANTS. THE INCREASING
TAXES IN THIS CITY, ON TOP OF
THE HIGH COSTS OF LIVING ARE
CHASING THE MIDDLE-CLASS AND
BUSINESSES OUT OF THE CITY. YOU
NEED BOTH OF THESE GROUPS TO
PROVIDE THE TAX REVENUE TO FUND
THE SERVICES TO KEEP THE CITY
RUNNING. CONTINUING TO ATTACK
SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS AND
HIGH WAGE EARNERS, WHICH I AM
NOT -- I AM A SENIOR NOW -- AND
EXPECTING THEM TO BAIL THE CITY
OUT FOR FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY
IS NOT PRUDENT. THEY CAN EASILY
GET UP AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WHAT WILL YOU DO THEN? MY
GREATEST FEAR IS THAT YOU WILL
RAISE THE TAXES ON THOSE STILL
TRYING TO LIVE IN THIS CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ONLINE
SPEAKERS. THANK YOU.
>> FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER WILL BE
ALBERTO FOLLOWED BY DAVID. A
REMINDER TO OUR REMOTE SPEAKERS
TO PRESS *6 AFTER YOU HAVE
HEARD THE MESSAGE THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED. GO AHEAD,
ALBERTO.
>> HOW DO TREES IN MOSS LAKE
HELP A NEWLYWED COUPLE BUY
THEIR FIRST HOME IN SOUTHPARK?
HOW DO TREES IN NORTH QUEEN AND
HELP A BLACK FAMILY REDLINE BUY
HISTORY BACK INTO THE HOME
WHERE THEIR GRANDPARENTS LIVE?
HOW DO TREES IN MADRONA HELP A
YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENT GET TO
WORK FROM WHITE CENTER TO THEIR
BARISTA JOB IN CAPITOL HILL?
THE WEALTHIEST COMMUNITIES
LOBBY TO FIGHT MUCH-NEEDED
ENTITIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IRONIC. THEY BRAZENLY TAKE UP
THE MANTLE OF NATURE PROTECTORS
WHILE HAVING NO PROBLEM
SQUATTING ON STOLEN LAND FROM
THE DUWAMISH AND SNOQUALMIE
PEOPLE. IT IS LAUGHABLE AND
SHAMEFUL. THEY WANT TO KEEP
THEIR PARKING SPACES LINED WITH
TREES AND PEOPLE THAT, QUOTE,
DON'T BELONG WERE TO STROLL
THOSE VERY SAME STREETS, THE
PHONES COME OUT, THE CALLS ARE
MADE AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO,
QUOTE, DON'T BELONG, ARE NOW
MADE SUSPECT. THIS WAS NEVER
ABOUT TREES. THIS IS ABOUT
KEEPING, QUOTE, THOSE PEOPLE
OUT. KEEP THAT IN MIND. THANK
YOU AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS
DAVID.
>> MY NAME IS DAVID. I JUST
WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IF YOU
WANT TO KEEP USING THE BLAST
BALLS, YOU NEED TO USE IT ON
THE OPEN AIR DRUG MARKET. WE
NEED SOME PUBLIC SAFETY LAWS
THAT SPECIFICALLY POINT OUT TO
ALL OF THESE COPS THAT NEED TO
BE DEPLOYABLE, CRIMINAL
FIGHTERS, TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE
TO SURROUND 20 JUNKIE HEAVING
LOWLIFES AND STOP THEIR
PREDATORY DRUG PUSHERS ON THEIR
BIKES AND SCOOTERS AND
TRESPASSING LAWS AND BRING THEM
TO THE QUESTIONING ROOM TO FIND
OUT WHERE THEY KEEP GETTING IT
AND THEN YOU TAKE A DRONE AND
FOLLOW SOME OF THEM BACK TO
FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE
STASHING, WHERE THE HOUSES. YOU
HAVE A NEED FOR A 21ST-CENTURY
FIRST WORLD QUALITY HOUSING
BUILDOUT AND I DON'T THINK IT
IS FAIR THAT WE ACCOMMODATE
PEOPLE WHO ARE SPECULATING IN
THE HOUSING MARKET AS OPPOSED
TO YOUNGER GENERATIONS THAT
NEED A ROBUST BUILDOUT OF HOMES
ARE MORE ENJOYABLE LIVING
SPACES INSTEAD OF WATCHING YOUR
BACK ABOUT THESE JUNKIE THIEVES
THAT ARE ROAMING AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND POWERING THE
METHADONE CLINIC FOR 23 HOURS
FOR SOME NARCOTIC ALTERNATIVES
THAT LEAVE YOU DROOLING THAT
JUST BOTHER PEOPLE IN A
DIFFERENT PART OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, ACTING LIKE YOU
ARE SOLVING A PROBLEM WHERE THE
ROOT CAUSE IS STILL THE
EXEMPTION OF THE DRUG PUSHERS.
THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO REALIZE
THAT YOU'VE GOT TO STOP
FOLLOWING THE MAYOR'S SABOTAGE
OF THE INTEGRITY OF POLICE
REFORM WHERE HE HAS BEEN
RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR HIS
CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD FRIENDS
SINCE HE WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER
WHO VOTED AND CONVINCED THE
REST OF THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE
EXEMPTING, AND I QUOTE,
LOW-LEVEL DRUG PUSHERS EXEMPTED
FROM JAIL. HE IS THE ORIGINAL
BOAT TO SABOTAGED THE INTEGRITY
OF POLICE REFORM AND PEOPLE
HAVE GONE ALONG WITH THE
MAYOR'S CHOICE OF EVERY SINGLE
POLICE CHIEF WHO HAS BEEN
TRAINED TO PERSONALLY --
PURPOSELY EXEMPT DRUG PUSHERS.
THEY NEED TO HAVE OVERTIME --
>> THANK YOU. THAT IS OUR LAST
REMOTE SPEAKER. OKAY, FOLKS, WE
HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
CLOSED. IF THERE WAS NO
OBJECTION, INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. IF THERE
IS NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING NONE,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. NOW WE
WILL CONSIDER THE PROPOSED
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS WHICH
ARE THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 17,
2024 AND COUNCIL BILL 120928 ,
929 AND 930. ARE THERE ANY
ITEMS COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE
TO REMOVE FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR?
>> SEEING NONE, I MOVED TO
ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION
OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> THERE ARE NO COMMITTEE
REPORTS. THE CONSENT CALENDAR
HAS BEEN ADOPTED. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE
TO THE MINUTES AND LEGISLATION
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ON MY
BEHALF? NO COMMITTEE REPORTS
FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY AND
THERE WERE NO ITEMS REMOVED
FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THERE IS NO RESOLUTION FOR
INTRODUCTION AND ADOPTION
TODAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
ITEMS OF BUSINESS BEFORE US?
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA AND OUR NEXT REGULARLY
SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING
IS ON JANUARY 14. IT IS 2:19.
THIS IS NOT THE SHORTEST
COUNCIL MEETING THAT I HAVE
ATTENDED BUT IT IS CLOSE.
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE
ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.