OF THE COUNCIL.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> HERE.
>> CON SILL MEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION
PUBLIC COMMENT AT TODAY'S
SPECIAL CITY
COUNCIL MEETING.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULES THEY'RE
SUSPENDED AND WE WILL PROCEED
WITH THE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HAS
JOINED US.
PARDON?
OH,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU'RE
RAISING YOUR HAND.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
COLLEAGUES, APOLOGIES I CAN'T
BE WITH YOU
IN CHAMBER IN PERSON TODAY.
I WILL BE JOINING -- I PLAN
TO JOIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS
MEETING.
KIDDO LOGISTICS FOR 9:30 A.M.
MEETING.
I DID WANT TO TAKE A QUICK
MOMENT, A PERSONAL PRIVILEGE,
TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF OUR
SISTER CITY MEMBERS WHO ARE IN
CHAMBER TODAY AND ARE OFTEN
ABOUT TO
DO A NUMBER OF
THINGS SHORTLY LIKE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THIS
MEETING, BUT I DO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE
THEM AND INCLUDING ONE OF THE
LEADERS OF THE GROUP, A
DELEGATION
THAT IS IN CHAMBER TODAY.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF
THIS ESTEEMED DELEGATION.
I AM, AS THE COUNCIL LIAISON
FOR KOBE, OUR SISTER CITY, I'M
HONORED TO WELCOME THEM HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
[ APPLAUSE ] AND WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I'LL JUST REPEAT WHAT I JUST
SAID RECENTLY.
HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE COUNCIL RULES ARE SUSPENDED
AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH PUBLIC
COMMENT.
COLLEAGUES, AT THIS TIME
WE'LL OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT
PERIOD.
PLEASE NOTE THAT BECAUSE THIS
IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL COMMENT
MUST
RELATE TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
CLERK, HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE
18 IN PERSON AND 12 REMOTE.
>> OKAY.
WE WILL GIVE EVERYBODY
TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND WE'LL
DO THE 10 AND 10 THING
STARTING WITH IN PERSON.
>> OKAY, THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS UP
TO 20 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER REGISTERED AND
WILL BETWEEN IN- PERSON AND
REMOTE UNTIL THE COMMENT PERIOD
HAS
ENDED.
BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME
AND THE ITEM YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THEIR
TIME.
SPEAKER'S MICS WILL BE MUTED
TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
>> WE HAVE KATHERINE GIBSON
AND THEN KATHERINE KING AND
THEN SHANNON WILSON.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KATHERINE GIBSON, AND
I JOIN YOU TODAY TO REQUEST YOUR
VOTE FOR DR. JULIE KANG FOR THE
OPEN COUNCIL SEAT IN DISTRICT 5.
AS A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 1
FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS, I CARE
ABOUT THE OVERALL COMPOSITION OF
OUR CITY COUNCIL AND THE ABILITY
TO
ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES CONFRONTING OUR
CITY. I BELIEVE JULIE WILL NOT
ONLY
RESPONSIBLY REPRESENT DISTRICT 5
CONSTITUENTS, SHE WILL WORK
WITH EACH OF YOU TO CHAMPION
PROGRESS, SOLUTIONS AND
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL
SEATTLEITES.
I'VE SEEN JULIE IN ACTION.
AS AN ACADEMIC LEADER AT SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY AND AS A
COMMITTED AND ENERGETIC
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AT SEATTLE
ROTARY.
I KNOW HER BROAD, HOPEFUL
AND INCLUSIVE APPROACH WILL
SERVE
US ALL WELL.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SELECT DR.
JULIE KANG TO JOIN YOU ON THE
COUNCIL. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KATHERINE KANG,
AND I'M HONORED TO RETURN AS
THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF JULIE
KANG.
THE FIRST THING I LEARNED
IN POLITICS IS THIS.
IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE
TABLE, YOU'RE ON THE MENU.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE
NOT PART OF THE DECISION MAKING
PROCESS, THEN CHOICES WILL BE
MADE FOR YOU.
REPRESENTATION MATTERS,
AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS
I'VE WATCHED MY MOM NOT ONLY
CONTINUE TO SHOW UP AT TABLES
SHE'S
BEEN AT FOR 20 PLUS YEARS BUT
ALSO TAKEN HER SEAT AT NEW
TABLES SHE'S BEEN INVITED TO.
SHE'S BROUGHT IN NEW VOICES
FROM
DISTRICT 5, ENGAGING WITH
SMALL BUSINESSES TO RESEARCHING
EVERY ISSUE BROUGHT FORWARD.
SHE'S SHOWN UP AGAIN AND AGAIN
FOR DISTRICT 5.
WE NEED SOMEONE WHO SHOWS UP
NOT ONLY WHEN IT'S REQUIRED
BUT BECAUSE THEY CARE.
THAT'S WHY LAST WEEK I WALKED
UPHILL DURING MY LUNCH
BREAK FROM MY INTERNSHIP TO
STAND
BESIDE HER, AND I KNOW I WASN'T
ALONE.
TO EVERYONE HERE TODAY AND
THE 30 PLUS WHO HAVE COME OUT
OR CALLED IN, THANK YOU FOR
MAKING THE TIME.
BEFORE LAST WEEK'S MEETING,
SOME
MEMBERS OF THE LABOR UNION WERE
OUTSIDE THIS VERY CHAMBER
CELEBRATING WITH CUPCAKES
AS IF THE DECISION HAD ALREADY
BEEN
MADE.
BUT COUNCILMEMBERS, I CHOOSE
TO BELIEVE IN THIS PROCESS.
I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE
THAT DEMOCRACY STILL MATTERS,
THAT EACH CANDIDATE DESERVES A
FAIR AND THOUGHTFUL EVALUATION,
AND THAT OUR CONTINUED PRESENCE
IN
SUPPORT OF JULIE KANG IS
A STATEMENT OF WHAT THIS
DISTRICT
TRULY VALUES.
BECAUSE THIS DECISION
MATTERS, NOT JUST PROCEDURALLY
BUT
SYMBOLICALLY, AND I TRUST
THE EIGHT OF YOU TO LEAD WITH
VISION.
NEARLY 1,000 PETITION SIGNATURES
RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE LIGHT THAT
MY MOM BRINGS TOTO TABLE.
I HOPE YOU'LL DEMONSTRATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP BY SELECTING
A CANDIDATE WHO FOCUSES ON
THE FUTURE NOT JUST REPEATING
WHAT'S BEEN DONE.
PLEASE DON'T
DISAPPOINT US BY
CHOOSING ANYTHING LESS. THANK
YOU.
>> AND SHANNON WILSON AND
THEN WE'LL HAVE ERICA CHANG
AND MATTHEW -- GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS SHANNON WILSON,
AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT ROBERT
WILSON FOR THE DISTRICT 5
APPOINTMENT.
I'VE KNOWN ROB SINCE 2006.
WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 16
YEARS,
AS YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS BY
THE LAST NAME.
AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO
YOU TODAY ABOUT JUST HIS
CURIOSITY AND HIS ABILITY TO
LEARN.
I'VE ALWAYS INTRODUCED HIM
AS ONE OF THE FASTEST LEARNERS
I'VE
EVER MET, AND I THINK HE'S
JUST LIVED HIS LIFE
DEMONSTRATING
THAT.
STARTED AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF NOTRE DAME WHERE HE
STUDIED HISTORY AND CHINESE AND
TOOK HIMSELF OUT OF HIS COMFORT
ZONE TO STUDY IN CHINA AND
IMMERSE HIMSELF FOR THE BEST
LEARNING
EXPERIENCE. THEN WHEN HE STARTED
HIS NAVY
CAREER, HE TOURED, YOU KNOW,
DID A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS,
AND DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO
CHOOSE SUBMARINES BECAUSE IT WAS
THE MOST ACADEMICALLY
CHALLENGING AND RIGOROUS
ASSIGNMENT OF
ALL OF THE THINGS HE DID.
SO HE CHOSE THAT PATH, PURSUED
IT, SERVED HIS TIME.
AND THEN TO ROUND OUT, LET'S
GO TO BUSINESS SCHOOL.
SO IN BETWEEN HIS DEPLOYMENTS
AND HIS SERVICE, HE PASSED HIS
EXAMS, APPLIED FOR
BUSINESS SCHOOL, AND THEN WAS
ABLE TO
GO TO DARTMOUTH BUSINESS SCHOOL
BEFORE STARTING HIS AMAZON
CAREER.
WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR US
TO CHOOSE WHERE WE COULD
LIVE, DISTRICT 5 FELT LIKE HOME.
SO WE BROUGHT OUR FAMILY HERE IN
2016 AND DOVE RIGHT IN.
WE'VE RAISED OUR KIDS
KNOWING THE VALUE OF TAKING
PUBLIC
TRANSIT, USING THE
LIBRARIES, USING ALL OF THE
PUBLIC SERVICES
AVAILABLE FOR US HERE IN
SEATTLE.
AND THEN, ALSO, DOVE
INTO VOLUNTEER SERVICE.
SO YOU'LL FIND US ON SATURDAY
MORNINGS BRINGING THE FAMILY
TO NORTH HELP LINE WHICH
SERVES BOTH OUR NEIGHBORS IN
LAKE
CITY AS WELL AS BITTER LAKE, AND
YOU'LL ALSO SEE US SUPER
INVOLVED IN OUR TITLE ONE
SCHOOL OLYMPIC ELEMENTARY WHERE
YOU'LL
SEE HE'S ON THE PTA
BOARD RUNNING THE FESTIVITIES
AND AS
WELL AS TEACHING KIDS HOW TO ICE
SKATE AND HELPING WITH
THE SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR ROBERT
WILSON TODAY.
>> ERICA CHANG AND THEN I
BELIEVE IT'S MATTHEW BENCHIA --
I'M SORRY IF I
MISPRONOUNCED YOUR LAST NAME.
TRYING TO READ YOUR HANDWRITING.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, MADAM
PRESIDENT, COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PROVIDE INPUT AGAIN.
I'M HERE TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY
ASK FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT FOR DR.
KANG. SEATTLE IS FACING MANY
PRESSING
ISSUES, A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET
SHORTFALL, THE NEED
FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
ONGOING PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS,
AND THIS
CRITICAL TIME WE NEED AT
THAT COMMITTED COUNCILMEMBER WHO
WILL ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS
OF BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE
CITY FOR THE LONG
HAUL, SOMEONE WHO IS
COLLABORATIVE, PRINCIPLED AND
FOCUSED
ON EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS. OVER THE
PAST FEW WEEKS
YOU'VE HEARD FROM MANY
COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ABOUT
JULIE'S EXCEPTIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS.
SHE IS A LEADER WHO LISTENS
DEEPLY AND PUTS THE NEEDS OF
OTHERS ABOVE HER OWN PERSONAL
OR POLITICAL INTERESTS.
JULIE HAS A STRONG FOUNDATION OF
PUBLIC SERVICE AND HAS
A COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.
WE WILL BRING LIVED
EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND
PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO THE
TABLE
MAKING HER UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO
HELP
GUIDE SEATTLE THROUGH ITS
DIFFICULT, CHALLENGING TIMES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, JULIE IS A
NATURAL BRIDGE BUILDER.
SHE THRIVES IN BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS
GENERATIONS,
CULTURES, AND PERSPECTIVES TO
ADVANCE SHARED GOALS.
SHE WILL ALSO BRING A
DIVERSE VOICE TO THE COUNCIL
THAT IS
CURRENTLY
UNDERREPRESENTED PARTICULARLY
GIVEN THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF DISTRICT 5 AND
THE BROADER SEATTLE COMMUNITY.
HER PRESENCE ON THE COUNCIL
WILL BE A MEANINGFUL STEP
TOWARDS ENSURING OUR LEADERSHIP
BETTER REFLECTS THE PEOPLE IT
SERVES.
FOR THE REASONS MENTIONED, I
ASK FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL AND
SERIOUS
CONSIDERATION OF HER
APPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS
MATTHEW. I'M HERE TO ASK FOR
THE APPOINTMENT FOR JULIE KANG
FOR THE DISTRICT 5 VACANCY.
I'M A BUDGET ANALYST FOR A
LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OVER THE PAST NEARLY 30
YEARS I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC
SERVICE
I'VE SERVED ON NONPROFIT BOARDS
AS AN
OFFICER AS WELL.
I KNOW JULIE SINCE 2010,
AND SHE'S A WORKER BEE AS
PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING A
DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW THE 80/20
PERCENT
RULE, RIGHT, THAT 20% OF YOUR
BOARD
MEMBERS DO 80% OF THE WORK.
WELL, JULIE IS ONE OF
THOSE WORKER BEES.
I'VE BEEN PROUD TO WORK WITH
HER ON A LOT OF ISSUES AND
PROJECTS,
AND SHE'S ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT
COMMUNITY.
THAT'S THE BIGGER PICTURE
SHE WORKS FOR.
I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT
SHE STEPS UP TO PUBLIC OFFICE,
AND TODAY IS THAT DAY.
WHILE SHE MAY BE A NOVICE WITH
RESPECT TO PUBLIC POLICY,
SHE'LL WORK HARD TO EDUCATE
HERSELF
AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE
COMMUNITY. I'M CONFIDENT IN HER
LEADERSHIP AND PROUD TO
SUPPORT HER TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY TO
SPEAK.
>> WE NOW HAVE JULIE KANG
AND
THEN ROBIN PEZ AND DAVID
WOODWARD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS JULIE KANG, AND
TODAY I ASK PRESIDENT NELSON AND
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR AN EQUITABLE
OPPORTUNITY TO
REPRESENT DISTRICT 5 AND SEATTLE
CITY
COUNCIL.
AND HERE'S MY WHY.
I'M RUNNING FOR THE PEOPLE,
FOR MY NEIGHBORS.
WHEN I MAKE COMMITMENT,
I'M COMMITTED LONG TERM.
I'M SEEKING YOUR APPOINTMENT
TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF
IMMIGRANTS
AND REFUGEES, TO SUPPORT OUR
NEIGHBORS AND SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS.
THOSE WHO CAN'T ALWAYS COME
TO THE CITY HALL AT 9:30 IN
THE MORNING TO SHARE THEIR
CONCERNS.
I WILL GO TO THEM.
I HEAR THEIR ISSUES.
I ALSO BRING NEW ENERGY.
I HAVE DECADES OF PROVEN
SERVICE IN EDUCATION AS WELL AS
IN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PAIRED
WITH
A FRESH NEW PERSPECTIVE.
I'VE DONE MY HOMEWORK TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEEN DONE
BY OUR CURRENT
TALENTED COUNCILMEMBERS AS WELL
AS WHAT'S
AHEAD, AND I'M READY TO ROLL UP
MY SLEEVES OR, IN FACT, I HAVE
ALREADY DONE THAT, TO WORK HARD
TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM
CANDIDATES TALKING ABOUT SHOWING
UP.
I MODEL THIS BEHAVIOR EVERY
DAY FOR MY
NEIGHBORS, STUDENTS, AND
OUR DAUGHTER. I WAS THE ONLY
CANDIDATE
WHO CAME BOTH TO THE LD- 46 AND
32nd COMMUNITY SUMMER EVENTS.
I WAS PRESENT BECAUSE DISTRICT
5 SPANS BOTH LEGISLATIVE
DISTRICTS AND
I WANTED TO HEAR THE CONCERNS OF
OUR
CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS THEIR
IDEAS.
I WAS THE ONLY CANDIDATE AT THE
AANHPI CANDIDATE FORUM
WHERE DISTRICT 9, 8, AS WELL AS
D2 CANDIDATES WERE SPEAKING.
AANHPI REPRESENTS ALL 20% OF
OUR SEATTLE RESIDENTS, AND I ASK
FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN
CONSIDERING REPRESENTATION AT
THISTHIS
SEATTLE LEVEL.
THANK YOU.
>> IS IT ROBIN?
>> MY HANDWRITING HAS NOT
IMPROVED FROM LAST WEEK.
IT'S P-E-E-L.
GOOD MORNING COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND
COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M ROBIN PEEL IN SUPPORT
OF JULIE KANG AND ASKING FOR HER
APPOINTMENT.
I'M A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND I
STRONGLY BELIEVE SHE IS WHAT
THE CITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW.
JULIE'S VALUES AND
EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP IS WHAT
WE NEED NOW.
I TOLD YOU JULIE WAS
AN ENERGIZER BUNNY.
SHE BRINGS A NEW ENERGY AND
A PROVEN COMMITMENT AND DECADES
OF SHOWING UP FOR PEOPLE
BUILDING
COALITIONS AND DELIVERING
SMART COMMUNITY DECISIONS.
MY PARTNER IS ASIAN AMERICAN
AND SHE RECOGNIZES THE VALUE
JULIE BRINGS TO BE INCLUSIVE FOR
OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND SEATTLE.
SHE'S NOT HERE TO PLAY
POLITICS.
SHE'S HERE TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND RIGHT NOW WE NEED LEADERS AT
CITY HALL WHO
UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY SMALL
BUSINESSES AND
FAMILIES NEED.
WE DO NOT NEED A PLACE HOLDER.
JULIE HAS A VISION OF THE
FUTURE THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US,
A
STEADY, TRUSTWORTHY VOICE AT THE
COUNCIL TABLE, ONE THAT
CENTERS PEOPLE IN PROGRESS
THAT'S
ROOTED IN COMMUNITY.
I URGE YOU TO APPOINT JULIE
KANG. SEATTLE WILL BE MUCH
STRONGER FROM HER
ADDITION TO THE CITY
COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> WE HAVE JACKIE AND THEN
ELISE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
ME TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY.
THE REASON IS THAT I JUST
WANTED TO SAY I AM SUPPORTING
DR.
JULIE KANG BUT I'VE ALREADY
SAID
IN THE PRIOR COMMENT PERIOD
ABOUT THE GENERAL CONNECTION WE
HAVE THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION
SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY, I MENTIONED MY ROLE
CHAIRING THE BOARD.
SHE'S A SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS.
I MENTIONED MY ROLE ON
THE SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
ADVISORY BOARD WHICH YOU
OVERSEE AND I WANT TO MENTION
THAT
SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WHAT I AM
NOT HEARING YET WITH DR. KANG'S
CONNECTIONS GLOBALLY, HER
GLOBAL COMPETENCY, HER
SOPHISTICATION
AROUND NATIONAL EDUCATION
WHICH HAS BEEN MY CAREER FOR 45
YEARS.
WE'RE IN A TIME WHERE HIGHER ED
IS ININ MAJOR
CRISIS PARTICULARLY IN
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION FIELD
AND WE
NEED SOMEBODY LIKE DR. KANG WHO
HAS
WORKED WITH THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON AND MANY
OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE
OUR
CITY THE EXPERTISE AND I'M
CHAIR
OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL OF THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON.
SAME THING, I'M WORKING WITH
PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE ON
EXPORTING.
IT'S A VERY
DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT TO DO
EXPORTING
AND SMALL BUSINESSES FOR
MINORITY
OWNED BUSINESSES.
WE NEED SOMEONE WHO
REPRESENTS THE ASIAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY.
I HAVE SEVEN FAMILY MEMBERS
WHO ARE ASIAN AMERICAN
FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF ASIA, SO
I REALLY WANT TO SEE OUR CITY
COUNCIL HAVE THAT GLOBAL XE
COMPETENCY AND SHE'S WAY
BEYOND THAT HAS COMPETENCE IN
MANY
DIFFERENT SECTORS.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING HER
SERIOUSLY FOR THIS ROLE.
I WOULD BE EXCITED TO WORK WITH
HER IN ANY WAY I CAN. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> JACK AND THEN ELISE AND WE'LL
GO TO REMOTE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JACK.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 6.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TO THE
CHOICE OF WHO YOU APPOINT, BUT
I WANT THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR
TO HELP THE NEW APPOINTEE AND
THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 5 IN A
PARTICULAR WAY.
THERE ARE HUGE
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES ALL OVER
THE CITY, BUT
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THREE OF
THEM IN DISTRICT 5.
ONE IS THAT KING COUNTY
METRO HAS ADOPTED THE LINWOOD
LINK
ORDINANCE ADOPTED IN 2024, AND
IT DOES NOT COMPLEMENT THE NEW
LINK STATION THAT WILL OPEN IN
2026 THAT COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ GOT FOR US.
SO I REALLY HOPE THAT THE MAYOR
AND THE COUNCIL WILL LOBBY
THE COUNTY TO CHANGE THAT
NETWORK AS
SECOND AURORA IS A HUGE ISSUE IN
DISTRICT 5, AND THE
STATE LEGISLATURE HAS ALLOCATED
$50 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT BUT
THE
PHASING IS STILL DISTANT
AND IT WAS POORLY TARGETED.
IT'S TARGETED FOR A PART
OF
AURORA THAT ALREADY HAS
SIDEWALKS.
IT'S CLEAR THE PART OF AURORA
NART OF 150 STREET SHOULD
HAVE THE MONEY FIRST.
THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS THERE.
THERE'S NO ACCESS MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S THE PART OF DISTRICT
5
THAT NEEDS THE HELP FIRST AND
MOST.
THE THIRD ISSUE IS THAT DISTRICT
5 LACKS SIDEWALKS MORE THAN
ANY OTHER DISTRICT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TARGET
ITS LIMITED RESOURCES CAREFULLY,
AND I RECOMMEND THAT IT GO FIRST
TO THE RAILS THAT LACK
SIDEWALKS.
HALF OF 30th
NORTHEAST, AURORA,
THOSE ARE THE EXAMPLES. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ELISE. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL,
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME
THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I AM ELISE ORLICK, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF FAIR VOTE
WASHINGTON, AND I WORK
ALONGSIDE NILU JENKS IN THAT
ROLE.
WHILE IT WOULD BE VERY
DIFFICULT TO LOSE HER FROM OUR
TEAM
ALL SEATTLE VOTERS WOULD BE
LUCKY
TO HAVE HER ON CITY COUNCIL.
NILU IS INCREDIBLY SMART
AND HARD WORKING, AND SHE'S
DEDICATED TO MAKING LIFE
BETTER FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS
OUR CITY.
WHEN THE MAJORITY OF YOU ARE
UP FOR RE- ELECTION IN 2027, THE
RACE WILL BE CONDUCTED USING
RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
AND AS WE'VE LEARNED FROM
CITIES LIKE PORTLAND, THE
SUCCESS
OF THAT ELECTION WILL DEPEND
ON VOTER UNDERSTANDING AND TRUST
IN
THIS CHANGE.
NILU IS THE PERSON FOR THAT JOB.
SHE'S BEEN INVOLVED
IN IMPLEMENTATION DISCUSSIONS
FOR
OVER A YEAR AND BRINGS A
DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE
POLICY,
THE RELATIONSHIPS INVOLVED, AND
POTENTIAL OBSTACLES.
SHE COULD LEAD THIS PROCESS
IF ON COUNCIL INCLUDING SECURING
NECESSARY FUNDING FOR VOTER
EDUCATION WORK AND LOOKING FOR
OPPORTUNITIES TO UTILIZE RANK
CHOICE IN COUNCIL MATTERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THIS APPOINTMENT
COULD BE MADE USING
RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
OUR CITY'S NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
AS A DEFENDER, AN INNOVATOR
FOR A STRONG DEMOCRACY IS GOING
TO
BE AT STAKE WITH NATIONAL
EYES ON US.
SO IT'S CRITICAL THAT
THIS ELECTION GOES SMOOTHLY.
FOR THAT REASON AND MANY
OTHERS, I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT
NILU
JENKS FOR THIS POSITION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION, AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
NEW
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> WE'LL NOW MOVE TO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> OUR FIRST REMOTE
SPEAKER, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6
WHEN YOU
HEAR THE PROMPT YOU
HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED. GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M SPEAKING TO SUPPORT DR.
JULIE KANG FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
DISTRICT 5 APPOINTMENT.
I'M A LONG- TERM SEATTLE
RESIDENT AND ALSO A FIRST
GENERATION KOREAN AMERICAN
IMMIGRANT AND A
FORMER SOCIAL WORKER.
I GOT TO KNOW JULIE KANG AS
A COLLEAGUE AT SEATTLE U AND AS
A
MEMBER OF
SEATTLE'S ASIAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE 160,000 ASIAN
AMERICANS IN SEATTLE.
THAT IS ALMOST 18% OF
SEATTLE-ITES.
JULIE KANG REALLY KNOWS
THE COMMUNITY AND SERVES
EXTENSIVELY
TO PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
THERE. I WOULDN'T BE SUPPORTING
JULIE IF I THOUGHT SHE COULD
REPRESENT
JUST OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I KNOW SHE'S
A BRIDGE BUILDER WHO
WILL COLLABORATE ACROSS
COMMUNITIES TO FIND INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS FOR
ALL SEATTLE-ITES.
FOR INSTANCE AS A
KOREAN AMERICAN COALITION
WASHINGTON BOARD MEMBER, JULIE
KANG COLLABORATED WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROVIDE
KOREAN AND
SPANISH- SPEAKING
VOTER REGISTRATION THAT
ENHANCED OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH
KOREAN
AND SPANISH SPEAKING VOTERS.
ALSO AS A CHAIR AND FOUNDER OF
PACIFIC BANK, JULIE HELPED
CREATE A COMMUNITY BANK
TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES
RIGHT
THERE.
JULIE KANG HAS A STRONG SENSE OF
ETHICS BUT HAS
DEMONSTRATED AGAIN AND AGAIN
THAT SHE
WILL ALWAYS SHOW UP, LISTEN TO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
REACH ACROSS DINSS TO FIND
PRACTICAL
AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THROUGH
COMPLICATED AND TOUGH
ISSUES.
SHE DOESN'T WALK AWAY FROM TOUGH
ISSUES.
SHE SOLVES THEM.
I BELIEVE THESE ARE LEADERSHIP
QUALITIES THAT OUR CITY
LEADS RIGHT NOW, SO I HOPE THAT
YOU
WILL APPOINT JULIE KANG.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT JULIE
KANG.
>> OKAY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRYNN
FRIST FOLLOWED BY MAYA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT
AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BRYAN FRIST.
I'M IN THE AUBURN SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND I LOVE SEATTLE.
MY COMMENTS TODAY ARE TO
FULLY ENDORSE DR. JULIE KANG
FOR SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
DISTRICT 5.
JULIE IS AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER,
INTELLIGENT, DRIVEN, AND, ABOVE
ALL, DEEPLY COMPASSIONATE AND
SELFLESS.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, JULIE
PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN MY
JOURNEY TO BECOMING AN EDUCATOR.
I WOULD NOT BE
A TEACHER TODAY WITHOUT JULIE'S
EFFORTS.
DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE
COVID- 19 PANDEMIC, SHE SERVED
AS
THE DIRECTOR OF THE
TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AT
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY.
DESPITE THE IMMENSE
CHALLENGES AT THAT TIME JULIE
WENT
ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE I
WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM
AND ACHIEVE MY GOAL.
SHE ALSO MADE
INTENTIONAL EFFORTS TO ENSURE
OUR COHORT
WAS NOT ONLY EXCELLENT BUT
REPRESENTED THOSE WE SERVED.
JULIE LIVES BY WHAT SHE TEACHES.
SHE REPRESENTS.
SHE ACTIVELY CHAMPIONED
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
DIVERSE MULTILINGUAL TEACHING
FORCE,
AND
SHE DID THE WORK TO MAKE THAT
VISION REAL.
THAT SAME COMMITMENT DID EXACTLY
WHAT WE NEED IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
WE NEED COUNCILMEMBERS WHO
ARE BOTH EXCELLENT AND
REFLECTIVE
OF SEATTLE'S
RICH DIVERSITY
INCLUDING GREATER ASIAN AMERICAN
REPRESENTATION.
YEARS LATER JULIE AND I REMAIN
CONNECTED, SHE STILL MAKES
THE EFFORT TO REACH OUT, MEET IN
PERSON, OFFER MENTORSHIP
AND CHECK IN ON HOW WE'RE ALL
DOING
IN THE FIELD.
THAT CONSISTENCY AND CARE
SPEAKS
VOLUMES ABOUT HER CHARACTER. I
HAVE NO DOUBT JULIE WILL
BRING THAT SAME DEDICATION AND
HEARTHEART
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
THE CITY WILL BE
FORTUNATE TO
HAVE HER ON THE COUNCIL. THANK
YOU.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MAYA
MAGARATI.
AFTER WILL BE WILLIAM PAGE JR.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6, MAYA.
>> MY NAME IS MAYA -- GOOD
MORNING, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS
MAYA .
I'M CALLING FROM DISTRICT
5. I AM ACTUALLY A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 5 IN SEATTLE.
I HAVE
LIVED HERE FOR MORE THAN 15
YEARS, AND I LOVE
MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT 5.
I AM NEAR THE MOSQUE. WE HAVE
ONLY ONE MOSQUE IN THIS
AREA.
AND NEAR THE LIGHT RAIL
NATION IN NORTH GATE.
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
COUNCILMEMBERS, I'M HERE TO
ASK YOU TO SUPPORT AND SELECT
AND APPOINT DR. JULIE KANG TO
THE
COUNCILMEMBER.
I ASK YOU TO INVITE HER TO JOIN
YOUR TEAM BECAUSE JULIE IS NOT
ONLY A COMPASSIONATE LEADER BUT
ALSO HAS MANY, MANY
INNOVATIVE IDEAS HOW TO SUPPORT
THE
RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 5.
I AM NEPALI AMERICAN.
I USED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF
NEPAL SOCIETY AND I VOLUNTEER
IN DISTRICT 5 IN MANY, MANY
ASPECTS. RIGHT NOW WHERE I LIVE
IN
DISTRICT 5 THERE ARE LOTS OF
NEW HOUSING PROJECTS GOING ON
WITH
A LOT OF OLD TREES BEING REMOVED
FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DO WANT TO ASK THE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO SUPPORT
AND APPOINT JULIE KANG FOR THAT,
YOU CAN ALL TOGETHER SERVE OUR
COMMUNITY BETTER
THAN WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SERIOUSLY
CONSIDER JULIE KANG TO JOIN
YOUR TEAM.
AND IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD HAVE
A LOT OF GOOD
TIMES WORKING WITH
JULIE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM
PAGE TO BE FOLLOWED BY BECKY
SCHROEDER.
WILLIAM, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> GOOD MORNING,
MADAM PRESIDENT AND
COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF DR. JULIE KANG'S
APPOINTMENT.
I'M A COUNCILMEMBER IN
MOUNT LAKE TERRACE, AN EXECUTIVE
BOARD FOR THE 32nd DEMOCRATS AND
CHAIR
OF THE ENDORSEMENT COMMITTEE
ON WHICH I SERVE WITH JULIE
KANG.
AS I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW
JULIE, SHE IMPRESSES ME WITH THE
ENERGY AND COMMITMENT SHE HAS
BROUGHT TO HER COMMUNITY FOR THE
LAST
30
YEARS. AS AN ADVOCATE FOR
PROGRESS
ROOTED IN COMMUNITY.
AS A LEADER THAT HER COMMUNITY
TRUSTS AS WELL AS HER WORK
ON THE COMMITTEE WITH HER FRESH
APPROACH.
JULIE HAS DELIVERED ON HER
PROMISE.
HER INSIGHT AND
THOUGHTFULNESS HAS BROUGHT
ANOTHER LEVELLEVEL
COMMITMENT TO THE COMMITTEE THAT
HAS ENABLED US TO BE BETTER
AT WHAT WE
DO.
THAT SHE WILL BRING WORKING WITH
YOU.
AS THE FIRST BLACK
AMERICAN CHAIR OF THE
ENDORSEMENT
COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE ONLY
THIRD BLACK AMERICAN ON COUNCIL,
I AM TRULY INSPIRED BY JULIE'S
ABILITY, WILLINGNESS AND
COMMITMENT TO SERVICE TO ALL.
SHE'S COMMITTED TO A
FUTURE THAT WORKS FOR ALL
SEATTLEITES.
I KNOW SHE WILL SHOW
UP. SHE WILL REPRESENT.
SHE WILL ALWAYS LISTEN
AND SHE WILL DELIVER.
SO I URGE YOU TO APPOINT DR.
JULIE
KANG TO THE DISTRICT 5
SEAT. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS
BECKY SCHROEDER FOLLOWED BY
ROBERTO
ALVAREZ.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BECKY SCHROEDER
AND I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 5.
I'M CALLING IN HERE TODAY TO
VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR DR.
JULIE KANG AND ASK THAT
YOU SERIOUSLY CONSIDER HER FOR
THE
OPEN COUNCIL SEAT POSITION.
JULIE IS MY NEIGHBOR AND MY
FRIEND, BUT, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, SHE IS SOMEONE I'VE
SEEN
WORK TIRELESSLY IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
SHE SHOWS UP WHETHER
THAT'S MEETING WITH SMALL
BUSINESS
OWNERS, ORGANIZING LOCAL
EVENTS, OR LISTENING TO WHAT
PEOPLE ARE
GOING THROUGH.
JULIE IS PRESENT AND SHE HAS A
STRONG COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW
THROUGH. WHAT REALLY STANDS OUT
TO ME
ABOUT JULIE IS SHE DOESN'T
JUST TALK ABOUT CHANGE, SHE
MAKES THINGS HAPPEN.
SHE'S SOMEONE WHO CONNECTS THE
DOTS.
SHE BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
SHE INSPIRES OTHERS TO TAKE
ACTION AND SHE GETS THINGS
DONE. SHE'S THE KIND OF PERSON
WHO
SEES A NEED AND SHE
MOVES QUICKLY AND WITH PURPOSE.
I HAVE SEEN HER BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS ALL KINDS
OF COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY
WITH FOLKS WHO DON'T ALWAYS
FEEL HEARD BY CITY OFFICIALS.
SHE'S EARNED A LOT OF TRUST,
AND
THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
AT A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE FEEL DISCONNECTED FROM
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, I BELIEVE JULIE
WOULD BRING NOT ONLY COMPETENCE
BUT INTEGRITY AND ENERGY TO
THIS
ROLE. I KNOW SHE WOULD SERVE
WITH HEART AND WITH THE
COMMUNITY FRONT AND CENTER.
SO I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT DR. JULIE KANG TO YOUR
COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS ALBERTO
ALVAREZ
ALVAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
WEALTHY PEOPLE BRING GREED AND
ARROGANCE.
IT WAS HURTFUL TO HEAR A
POLITICIAN SAY THAT
PUBLIC TRANSIT WAS A LUXURY TO
PEOPLE
WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.
WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, MY
GRANDMOTHER DIED WHEN HER BODY
ATROPHIED FROM ISSUES WITH M.S.
IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO HER
PASSING, WHEN SHE WAS WHEELCHAIR
BOUND, I HELPED HER GET TO
HER MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS ON
PUBLIC
TRANSIT.
IT WAS DIFFICULT BUT OUR
FAMILY COULDN'T AFFORD ANOTHER
CAR.
I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO HELP AT
LEAST.
PUBLIC TRANSIT IS NOT A LUXURY.
IT IS A LIFE LINE FOR WORKING
FAMILIES.
PARENTS WITH STROLLERS, ELDERLY
PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY
ISSUES DEPEND DAILY ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT.
IT SEEMS BACK ROOM DEALS HAVE
ALREADY BEEN MADE BRINGING MORE
WEALTH, MORE GREED,
MORE ARROGANCE TO THE COUNCIL.
I PRAY YOU ALL
DO THE RIGHT THING.÷÷HAVE A GOOD
DAY.
>>
NEXT SPEAKER IS FOLLOWED BY
KAREN PARK.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
ARE YOU THERE?
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON
TO KAREN PARK NOW
AND WILL COME BACK IF AVAILABLE.
KAREN, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT ABLE
TO HEAR FROM EITHER OF OUR
REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> WE CAN GO BACK TO THEM,
PHIL, SO WE'LL GO BACK AND DO
IN
PERSON. BACK TO IN- PERSON WITH
ARIANA --
I'M SORRY IT'S ARAYA AND THEN
DAVID AND THEN GRACE.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME.
CLOSER?
HELLO, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
I'M ARAYA AND I'M ADVOCATING
FOR
NILU÷÷NILU FOR CITY COUNCIL
DISTRICT 5.
AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN
MENTAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, I KNOW THE VALUE OF
HAVING REPRESENTATIVES
AND POLICY LEADERS WHO
UNDERSTAND THEIR COMMUNITY'S
NEEDS WHO WANT
TO STAND ALONGSIDE ACTIVISTS,
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
EVERYDAY SEATTLEITES ALIKE TO
BUILD THE
WORLD WE WANT TO SEE AND THRIVE
IN. WE DESERVE TO HAVE
SOMEONE LISTEN TO US, HELP US
CREATE
THE WORLD WE WANT TO LIVE IN AND
BE A MODEL FOR OTHERS TO
FOLLOW INSTEAD OF RUNNING A
CAMPAIGN
ON ONE THING AND ENDING
UP SUPPORTING CORPORATIONS
AND PROFITS OVER PEOPLE.
SOME POLICIES AND PLATFORMS I
LOVE THAT NILU JENKS ADVOCATES
FOR ARE EDUCATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF RANKED CHOICE
VOTING, SAFE SIDEWALKS
AND PEOPLE OVER CARS THOUGHT
PROCESS, ENCOURAGES CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AS WELL
AS PRIORITIZING HOW TO PREPARE
FOR CLIMATE REFUGEES THAT WILL
BE LIVING WITH US AND WILL
BECOME
OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE CAN FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, STAND
UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
WHERE IMMIGRANT LIVES MATTER,
WHERE HOUSINGHOUSING
A HUMAN RIGHT AND WHERE WE KNOW
WE ARE ALL SMART ENOUGH, FOCUSED
ENOUGH AND POWERFUL ENOUGH
TO CREATE A FUTURE WHERE WE ALL
CAN
THRIVE.
WE'RE ALL CONNECTED.
NO ONE IS ALONE.
NO ONE POLICY STANDS
ALONE. THE CLIMATE,
HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY OF
LIVING, HEALTH
CARE, THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA
ARE ALL CONNECTED AND WE, AS
PEOPLE LIVING AND WITNESSING
THESE
STRUGGLES, KNOW THIS WELL, AND
WE DESERVE TO HAVE
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO
ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS, AND I
BELIEVE
JENKS WILL DO JUST THAT.
AND SOMETHING I PERSONALLY
LOVE ABOUT JENKS IS SHE'S AN
ADVOCACY COMMITTEE MEMBER
FOR THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
AND AS PBS
TAUGHT MY GENERATION AND MANY
OTHERS HAVING FUN ISN'T HARD
WHEN YOU
HAVE A LIBRARY CARD.
SO IT STARTS WITH SAFE
AND ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS AND
ENDS WITH A HEALTHY ABUNDANT
AND HOPEFUL WORLD WHERE WE ALL,
OUR YOUTH AND EVERYONE IN THE
FUTURE, NO LONGER HAS TO
JUST
SURVIVE BUT CAN THRIVE. SO THANK
YOU ALL SO MUCH.
>> IS THERE A DAVID?
DAVID
SCO AND AFTER DAVID WILL BE
GRACE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
>> GET REALLY CLOSE.
>> MY NAME IS DAVID.
I'M HERE FOR JULIE KANG,
BUT EVERYBODY IS SAYING GOOD
THINGS ABOUT HER, BUT I COME
HERE FOR
SPEAKING WITH WHY WE NEED
TO HAVE JULIE KANG ON CITY
COUNCIL
IN DISTRICT 5.
I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN
SEATTLE, AND LATELY WE HAVE TWO
BREAK- INS AND COST OF
WINDOWS ABOUT $10,000 AND
INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE IS ABOUT
$2,000.
IF WE GIVE
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THE NAME
OF THE PERSON,
ADDRESS AND EVERYTHING, THEY
SAID THERE'S NOT ENOUGH
MANPOWER,
AND THEY CANNOT REALLY GET
INTO FINDING THAT PERSON.
AND WE GOT SECOND TIME
BREAKING IN÷÷IN THE SAME PERSON.
WE CALL THEM
AND POLICE DEPARTMENT KNOW WHO
HE IS.
SO BASICALLY WE NEED -- DEAR
COUNCIL, YOU HAVE A NICE
JOB, BUT WE MINORITY PEOPLE HAVE
A
PERSON WHO CAN TALK
REGARDING ABOUT THE STRUGGLING
OF THE
BUSINESS IN THE SODO AREA OF
SEATTLE. 20% OF MINORITY PEOPLE
RUNNING BUSINESS IN SEATTLE AND
WE WANT
TO HAVE SOMEBODY WE CAN TALK,
HELP THE COUNCIL, THE CITY
OF SEATTLE THAT CAN SPEAK
FOR MINORITY PEOPLE.
I THINK JULIE KANG IS THE
PERSON. THANK YOU.
>> AFTER GRACE, IT WILL BE
BENNETT.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR DR. JULIE
KANG'S APPOINTMENT.
MY NAME IS GRACE JONES AND I'M
A GRADUATE STUDENT, AND
I'M FINISHING OUT MY MSBA
PROGRAM
AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY.
I HAVE WORKED IN DR. JULIE
KANG'S OFFICE, BUT NOT
DIRECTLY REPORTING TO HER.
SHE BRINGS OUR UNIT JOY,
LITERALLY. SHE FOUND THE JOY
CLUB TO
BRING
JOY TO OUR OFFICE. DURING LUNCH,
SHE HOSTS MONTHLY
TEA PARTIES TO GATHER COMMUNITY.
SHE BROUGHT CHINA AND
CHANGED OUR LUNCH ROOM TO BUILD
COMMUNITY.
SHE CELEBRATES CULTURES AND
IT'S
INCLUSIVE. EVEN THOUGH I'M A
STUDENT
WORKER, SHE DOES NOT HAVE
HIERARCHY.
SHE TREATS EACH PERSON WITH
RESPECT AND KINDNESS.
I THINK SHE MODELS
LEADERSHIP WITH RESPECT,
KINDNESS
AND GENUINE CONNECTIONS.
I'M STILL LEARNING
ABOUT POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT.
WITH SOMEONE LIKE DR. KANG IN
POLITICS, I WILL STAY ENGAGED
AND KEEP HOPE FOR A
BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR
STUDENTS.
I KNOW OUR PUBLIC SAFETY,
TRANSPORTATION AND
AFFORDABILITY
WILL IMPROVE. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING.
>> AFTER BENNETT WE'LL GO TO
JENNIFER
DUNE AND THEN KELLY BROWN.
>> I YIELD MY TIME SO
YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE
APPOINTMENT,
THANKS.
>> JENNIFER?
AND THEN AFTER JENNIFER WILL
BE KELLY BROWN AND
THEN IT'S LUKA HOWARD.
>> HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL.
PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
IT'S FAR EASIER TO SING IN
FRONT OF A CLASSROOM WITH
FIRST GRADERS THAN FOR ME TO
SPEAK IN
FRONT OF A ROOM OF ADULTS.
I'M JENNIFER DUNN SPEAKING AS
A VETERAN TEACHER AT OLYMPIC
VIEW
ELEMENTARY, A BOARD OF
DIRECTORS LEADER AND POLITICAL
ENDORSEMENT TEAM FOR THE SEATTLE
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION.
A FELLOW MAPLE LEAF
RESIDENT, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS
HAD
THE JOY OF KNOWING ROB WILSON
AS A PARENT, VOLUNTEER AND A
TIRELESS
ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE
OF TEACHING ROB'S YOUNGEST
CHILD
AND COACHING HIS MIDDLE
CHILD THROUGH THE GIRLS ON THE
RUN PROGRAM AND IF THERE'S ONE
THING I CAN SAY FOR CERTAINTY,
IT'S
THAT ROB SHOWS UP
CONSISTENTLY, HUMBLY AND WITH
HEART.
HE'S ONE OF THE RARE PEOPLE
WHO MAKES THINGS BETTER BY NOT
ONLY BEING PART OF THEM, WHETHER
HE'S
HELPING ORGANIZE A SCHOOL EVENT
OR JUMPING IN TO VOLUNTEER AT A
MOMENT'S NOTICE, ROB BRINGS
ENERGY, THOUGHTFULNESS AND A
REAL SPIRIT OF SERVICE.
OUR SCHOOL EVENTS HAVE BECOME
NOT JUST MORE ORGANIZED BUT
MORE FUN THANKS TO HIS
LEADERSHIP AND
CREATIVITY. NOW ROB IS STEPPING
UP TO BE
A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE FOR CITY
COUNCILOR AND I CAN'T THINK OF
ANYONE BETTER
SUITED. HE KNOWS HOW TO LISTEN,
HOW
TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND GET
THINGS DONE WITHOUT NEEDING THE
SPOTLIGHT. HE DOESN'T JUST CARE
ABOUT OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, HE INVESTS IN IT.
SO IF YOU WANT SOMEONE ON
CITY COUNCIL WHO ALREADY WALKS
THE
WALK AND LEADS WITH KINDNESS AND
PURPOSE, N ME IN
SUPPORTING ROB WILSON.
THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE KELLY BROWN THEN
LUKA HOWARD AND JALISSA.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS
AND MADAM PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
5, AND I WORK IN THE SOCIAL
SERVICE
SECTOR IN DISTRICT 5.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
THANK ALL THE CANDIDATES COMING
FORWARD. IT'S BEEN SO LOVELY TO
SEE ALL THE PASSION AND IDEAS
THAT WE
HAVE FOR THIS DISTRICT, AND
I THANK YOU AND I REALLY
LOOK FORWARD TO THE
ELECTION IN 2026. I'M HERE TODAY
TO SUPPORT THE
NOMINATION OF DEBORA JUAREZ.
HER PAST REPRESENTATION
AND ADVOCACY FOR SOCIAL SERVICE
ORGANIZATIONS IN HER DISTRICTS
RESULTED IN INCREASED
INVESTMENTS FROM THE CITY, FOCUS
ON GEOGRAPHIC PARITY,
MAKING SURE THEY RECEIVED THE
AMOUNT OF
SUPPORT FOLKS IN OTHER
DISTRICTS WERE, AND WE'RE
EXTREMELY
GRATEFUL FOR
THAT. THAT HAS EXPANDED SERVICES
FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
HER PRIOR EXPERIENCE ON
COUNCIL MAKES HER UNIQUELY
QUALIFIED FORFOR
OPPORTUNITY, AND WITH THE
ABILITY TO HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING, ESPECIALLY AS WE
ENTER INTO A BUDGET PROCESS THIS
YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. I'M GOING TO
KEEP IT
SUPER
BRIEF. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY,
EVERYBODY.
>> HELLO,
COUNCIL. IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE
TO SPEAK
HERE TODAY, AND I JUST WANT
TO SAY THAT NILU JENKS IS THE
ONLY PERSON HERE WITH A PROVEN
TRACK
RECORD OF PEOPLE-
FOCUSED ADVOCACY IN DISTRICT 5.
I THINK THAT NILU JENKS IS THE
ONLY PERSON HERE WITH A
TRACK RECORD OF PEOPLE FIRST
ADVOCACY IN DISTRICT 5, AND I
THINK
THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALIFICATION
THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE IN
THE TIME BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN
THE NEXT ELECTION IS GOING TO
HAPPEN FOR COUNCIL WILL BE THE
EXTENT
TO WHICH THE COUNCILMEMBER THE
COMMUNITY,
AND I THINK THAT NILU JENKS IS
THE PERSON THAT IS GOING TO
ENGAGE WITH ADVOCATES AS WELL AS
WORK WITH IMPLEMENTATION FOR
RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
AND THIS IS WHY I THINK
YOU SHOULD NOMINATE
HER FOR THE
DISTRICT 5 POSITION. THANK YOU.
>> AND JALISSA?
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
CAN YOU HEAR
ME? GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JULISSA AND IT'S
AN HONOR TO BE PRESENT HERE
TODAY IN SUPPORT OF DR. JULIE
KANG.
I MET JULIE WHEN I MOVED
TO WASHINGTON ABOUT 25 YEARS
AGO, AND SHE WAS SO WELCOMING TO
ME.
WE'VE OBVIOUSLY REMAINED
REALLY GOOD FRIENDS.
I WAS A TRANSPLANT FROM
CALIFORNIA, AND I'VE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE TO SEE HER GROW AS
A COMMUNITY LEADER, AN
EDUCATOR, WHICH I FEEL EDUCATORS
ARE PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AS
A MOTHER TO BEAUTIFUL
KATHERINE KANG WHO ALSO GREW UP
WITH
MY SON AND I'M HERE MORE ON A
PERSONAL FRIEND LEVEL TO SEE
ACCOUNT THAT SHE ALWAYS
WAS SO GOOD IN INVITING US
TO KOREAN EDUCATION AND AS A
LATINA
MYSELF, IT'S NICE TO
SEE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES KIND
OF COME TOGETHER
AND LEARN ALL THE CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES.
THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WILL
ALWAYS STAY WITH ME WHEN MY
SON WAS YOUNG AND LEARNED ABOUT
THE
KOREAN CULTURE.
I WAS ALSO A SEATTLE SMALL
OWNER, AND HAVING
JULIE'S SUPPORT FOR OUR
BUSINESS
WAS INCREDIBLE.
SHE IS DEFINITELY A PERSON THAT
IS GOING TO BRIDGE
COMMUNITIES AND I THINK IT'S
EVIDENT TODAY
IN THE NUMBER OF SUPPORTERS
THAT SHE WILL BE A VERY STRONG
LEADER
FOR DISTRICT 5. SO THANK YOU.
>> WE'LL MOVE BACK TO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> OKAY.
WE'LL TRY AGAIN WITH OUR
REMAINING REMOTE SPEAKERS, AND
AS A REMINDER, PLEASE PRESS
STAR 6 WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT
I
HAVE BEEN UNCOMMUTED.
WE'LL START WITH SUJUNG CHOY
AND
KAREN PARK.
>> HI.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO
EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR SOMEONE
I DEEPLY RESPECT, DR. JULIE
KANG, A CANDIDATE FOR SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL IN DISTRICT 5.
I SPEAK NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF
BUT FOR MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN
TODAY.
I'M ASKING FOR
REPRESENTATION THAT REFLECTS
MANY FACES OF THE
CITY.
OVER THE PAST DECADE I HAVE
KNOWN JULIE KANG, I WITNESSED
HER DEDICATION TO SEATTLE
COMMUNITY. A STANDOUT EXAMPLE IS
KOREAN AMERICAN DAY 2024.
AS A PRESIDENT OF THE EVENT, DR.
KANG WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BRING
THE KOREAN COMMUNITY
TOGETHER AND GROW THE AUDIENCE
ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE.
SHE REACHED OUT TO NUMEROUS
CITYCITY SUCCESSFULLY SECURED
PROCLAMATION IN 13
CITIES INCLUDING SEATTLE.
FORMING A GRASSROOTS EFFORT
INTO A PUBLIC CIVIC MILESTONE.
I ENDORSE DR. KANG'S CANDIDACY
NOT
ONLY FOR EVERYTHING SHE HAS
ACHIEVED BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY
FOR WHO SHE IS.
SHE GREW UP FROM A SINGLE
IMMIGRANT MOTHER WHO
EXPERIENCED POVERTY.
SHE UNDERSTANDS
THE DAILY CHALLENGES MANY
RESIDENTS FACE.
IN A CITY WHERE ASIAN
AMERICAN VOTERS REMAIN
UNDERREPRESENTED, HER PRESENCE
WOULD BRING
MUCH- NEEDED DIVERSITY TO
THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION.
>> AND THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS KAREN PARK FOLLOWED BY DAVID
HAYNES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS KAREN PARK AND I'M
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT ALONG WITH
SO MANY OTHERS THIS MORNING
FOR DR. JULIE KANG, AND I GUESS
I
WOULD JUST BE ADDING TO
EVERYONE ELSE'S VOICES THIS
MORNING AROUND HOW JULIE'S A
BORN
LEADER.
SHE'S AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON
WHO IS WILLING TO
LISTEN, TO SUPPORT THE UNDERDOG.
SHE BRINGS HOPE AND LIGHT AND
LAUGHTER TO EVERY SPACE SHE'S
IN.
I REALLY ADMIRE HOW SHE DOESN'T
COME IN WITH HER MIND MADE UP
ON ISSUES.
SHE OFTEN WILL TRY TO UNDERSTAND
ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON AN
ISSUE.
ALTHOUGH, IN THE END, SHE DOES
STAY TRUE TO HER VALUES,
WHICH REALLY ARE AT THE CORE,
ALL ABOUT EQUITY AND ABOUT
FAIRNESS.
I JUST ADMIRE HER SO MUCH, AND I
THINK WE REALLY IN SEATTLE
NEED A BORN LEADER WHO ALSO HAS
THE OF A PUBLIC SERVANT.
HER ENERGY IS SIMPLY
UNMATCHED, AND SO IS HER
COMMITMENT TO OUR
COMMUNITY AND TO OUR BELOVED
CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS
MORNING.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAYNES.
GO AHEAD, DAVID.
>> DAVID HAYNES.
TODAY IS PROOF THAT
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS ARE THE
ONES CIRCUMVENTING OUR DEMOCRACY
AND STACKING THE DAIS WITH
UNELECTED LANDLORDS AND
CORPORATE WALL
STREET LAWYERS WHO SELL OUT THE
WORKING CLASS.
DISTRICT 5 HAS SUFFERED
BAD LEADERSHIP FOR TOO LONG.
YET COUNCIL WANTS TO REPEAT
THE PAST WHILE REGURGITATING
THE SAME RACE- BAITING WHITE-
MAN AGENDA TO MISJUDGE SKIN
COLOR
FOR REPEAT
OFFENDERS EXACERBATING XLIK
SAFETY
CRISIS, CAUSING A BUDGET CRISIS,
STEADY AND PROGRESSIVE DECLINE.
WE'VE WITNESSED DISTRICT 5 THE
LAST NINE YEARS, SUFFERING
BAD PRIORITIES STILL IN THE
BUDGET,
UNDERMINING SOCIETY.
THE BUDGET CRISIS, PUBLIC
SAFETY, THE HOMELESS CRISIS.
YET OVER EIGHT YEARS ONLY
SEVEN SHELTER BEDS FOR
TRAFFICKED WOMEN WITH THE AURORA
COMMONS,
WHICH IS CLOSED ON
FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND
ONLY
OPEN FOR THREE HOURS
BETWEEN 10:00 AND 1:00 AND THEN
THEY
CLOSE.
AND THEN MAYBE THEY OPEN FOR
ANOTHER THREE HOURS.
THIS IS LIKE WORKING THE THE
PLAN. THIS IS THE LEVEL OF
COMMITMENT ON THE COUNCIL'S
PARTNERSHIPS AND EFFORTS.
A TELLTALE SIGN THERE IS
IMPAIRED JUDGMENT COMING OUT
OF CITY HALL.
THE REAL STOLEN PROGRESS.
YOU KNOW, SEATTLE WON'T EVEN
GET AN NBA FRANCHISE BECAUSE
BRUCE
HARRELL AND DEBORA JUAREZ
ALLOWED FOR THE MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING TO BE VIOLATED
AT CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA WITH A
1960s ERA CRACKED ROOFTOP AS
IF THERE'S SOMETHING ICONIC
ABOUT COLD WAR CONCRETE, YET
THANKS
TO DEBORA JUAREZ AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AT THE TIME
BRUCE
HARRELL, THEY CIRCUMVENTED
THE SCIENCE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
AND BUILT IT FROM THE COUNCIL TO
BYPASS THE SCRUTINY AND
IMPROVE -- EXCUSE ME, AND
APPROVED PERMITS TO HOLD UP THE
UNSTABLE WALL THAT CRACKED, AKA
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA.
WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE
CITY CHAPTER THAT NEVER HAD THE
--
>> THANK YOU.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REMOTE SPEAKERS PRESENT.
>> WE HAVE ONE MORE IN- PERSON
SPEAKER, SO WE'RE GOING TO
BE GOING BACK TO IN- PERSON
SPEAKERS
AND WE HAVE NICHOLAS JEFFIRES.
>> I HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING AA
GOOD MORNING.
I'M TESTIFYING AS A
COMMUNITY MEMBER AND FORMER
EDUCATOR.
I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE
AMAZING DISTRICT 3.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
AND PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH NILU,
AND, LET ME TELL YOU, SHE IS
SIMPLY AMAZING.
SHE'S THE REAL DEAL.
WHEN I'M HAVING A HARD TIME
UNDERSTANDING, WHEN I'M HAVING
A
ROUGH DAY, SHE'S A
COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT I CALL ON
TO
HELP EDUCATE ME ON WHAT WE'RE
DOING
CIVICALLY.
I SAW HER AT BLACK ART DAY.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMEBODY
JUMP FOR JOY ABOUT CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMEBODY
JUMP WHILE TALKING ABOUT RANKED
CHOICE VOTING, WHILE
TALKING ABOUT VOUCHERS IN A WAY
THAT GETS PEOPLE WHO AREN'T
TRADITIONALLY ENGAGED CIVICALLY
ENGAGED, EXCITED AND
INVIGORATED.
SHE TRULY SHOWS UP FOR THIS
COMMUNITY.
SHE TRULY LOVES THIS
COMMUNITY, AND SHE TRULY LOVES
ALL
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EVEN IF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AREN'T ALWAYS
SHOWING THE MOST LOVE BACK TO
HER. SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE
INDIVIDUAL
AND I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO
SEE HER APPOINTMENT TO THIS
COUNCIL.
SHE IS SIMPLY AMAZING
AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS
OPPORTUNITY, AND I
THINK EVERYBODY IS DOING
A GREAT JOB. HAVE AN AMAZING
DAY.
>> WE ARE NOW AT THE END OF
OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT AND I BELIEVE
WE'LL BE AT EASE.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS NOW CLOSED.
AND IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION,
THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
SEEING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I MOVE TO ADOPT A
VOTING PROCEDURE FOR THE
APPOINTMENT OF
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
POSITION TO BE AS FOLLOWS.
AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT I WILL
MOVE TO NOMINATE ALL SIX
FINALISTS
AS CANDIDATE TO FILL
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION
UNTIL
A CANDIDATE IN THE NOVEMBER 2026
GENERAL ELECTION FOR DISTRICT 5
IS ELECTED AND QUALIFIED.
AFTER THE MOTION IS
SECONDED, COUNCILMEMBERS WILL BE
GIVEN
AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE
FACTORS OR CRITERIA THEY USED IN
DECIDING WHOM TO SUPPORT
AND OTHER INFORMATION THEY WISH
TOTO BEFORE VOTING BEGINS.
WHEN IT'S TIME TO VOTE
ON APPOINTING ONE NOMINEE TO
FILL
THE VACANCY, THE CLERK WILL CALL
THE ROLL.
COUNCILMEMBERS WILL RESPOND
BY STATING ONE NOMINEE THEY WISH
TO
APPOINT.
COUNCILMEMBERS WILL NOT
BE ABLE TO CHANGE THEIR NOMINEE
UNTIL THE NEXT ROUND OF VOTING
SHOULD THERE BE ONE.
IF ONE NOMINEE RECEIVES FIVE
OR MORE VOTES, THEY WILL FILL
THE
DISTRICT 5 POSITION AND WILL
ASSUME IMMEDIATELY AFTER
TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE.
IF ONE DOES NOT RECEIVE FIVE
VOTES, THEN WE WILL REPEAT
THE VOTING PROCESS UNTIL ONE
NOMINEE RECEIVES FIVE OR MORE
VOTES.
THIS IS THE SAME PROCEDURE WE
HAVE DONE THE FIRST COUPLE
TIMES, THE FIRST TWO TIMES
IN FILLING A VACANCY, AND YOU
RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT THIS
PRIOR TO THIS MEETING TODAY.
IS THERE A SECOND TO
THE PROPOSED VOTING PROCEDURE TO
NOMINATE AND APPOINT THE CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED TO
ADOPT THE VOTING PROCEDURE TO
NOMINATE AND APPOINT THE CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION.
ALL RIGHT.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON
THE VOTING PROCEDURE?
ALL RIGHT.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY.
WILL THE -- JUST A SECOND.
ONE MORE GLANCE.
NOPE. ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE VOTING PROCEDURE
FOR
APPOINTING THE CITY COUNCIL
DISTRICT 5 POSITION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> I'M GOING TO BE COMING
OFF
MUTE RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> PARDON ME?
OKAY. GO ON.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND
THE VOTING PROCEDURE TO APPOINT
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION
HAS
BEEN ESTABLISHED.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT WAS THE EASY PART.
OKAY.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW VOTE
TO FILL THE VACANT CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION.
I MOVE TO NOMINATE ALL SIX
FINALISTS AS CANDIDATES TO
FILL COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
POSITION UNTIL A CANDIDATE IN
THE NOVEMBER 2026 GENERAL
ELECTION
FOR DISTRICT 5 IS ELECTED AND
QUALIFIED.
THE NOMINEES ARE AS FOLLOWS.
JAMES BOUREY, KATY HAIMA, NILU
JENKS, DEBORA JUAREZ, JULIE KANG
AND ROBERT WILSON.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO NOMINATE THE SIX FINALISTS
AS CANDIDATES TO FILL THE
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION
UNTIL
A CANDIDATE IN THE NOVEMBER
2026 GENERAL ELECTION IS ELECTED
AND
QUALIFIED. ALL RIGHT.
NOW I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR TO
COMMENTS AND AFTER
COMMENTS WE'LL VOTE TO FILL THE
VACANCY.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THESE
SIX NOMINEES?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
WHO CAME OUT HERE TO GIVE US
FEEDBACK ON THIS APPOINTMENT.
THIS IS MY THIRD TIME DOING
THIS, AND EVERY TIME IT IS
A DIFFICULT
DECISION BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH
GREAT CANDIDATES
AND PEOPLE JUST WILLING TO STEP
UP,
AND I'M ALWAYS HUMBLED BY THAT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME I KNOW
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN THESE
ARE
DISTRICT POSITIONS TO
REALLY ALLOW FOR THE DISTRICT
MEMBERS TO DECIDE WHO THEY WANT
TO
REPRESENT THEM HERE SO THIS
IS AN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT
CHOICE,
BUT I KNOW THAT IN 2026
>> JUST FOR
CLARIFICATION, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THIS IS OUR
ADDRESSING FOLKS BEFORE WE
DO OUR VOTE?
>> RIGHT.
AND IF YOU'RE WONDERING WILL WE
SPEECHIFY IN BETWEEN ROUNDS IF
THERE'S MORE THAN ONE ROUND,
NO.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND IF
THERE'S MORE THAN ONE ROUND WE
WILL
GO AHEAD AND VOTE ONCE AND
THEN WE'LL VOTE AGAIN.
THE LAST TIME IT WAS AFTER THE
THIRD ROUND THAT PEOPLE WERE
ABLE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
OKAY.
SO I WILL GO JUST SO WE'RE NOT
KEEPING FOLKS IN SUSPENSE --
IS IT THE RIGHT WORD?
SUSPENSE.
OKAY. ONE THING I DON'T DO IS I
DON'T
TRY TO ACT LIKE I'M SMART UP
HERE, AND SO, LIKE, I WILL
BE VULNERABLE AND ASK, HEY, IS
THAT THE RIGHT WORD?
I'LL THROW THAT OUT THERE.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR
PEOPLE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE FOR PUTTING YOURSELF
OUT
THERE, AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT A
LOT.
IT'S A LOT ON YOUR NERVOUS
SYSTEM. IT'S A LOT EMOTIONALLY.
IT'S A LOT FOR YOUR FAMILY,
AND IT'S ALSO A LOT
JUST TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS,
AND ESPECIALLY A NEW PROCESS.
AND SO I JUST, LITERALLY
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, BECAUSE
I JUST KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO
HAVE,
LIKE, THAT NERVOUSNESS AND
STUFF.
I ENJOYED TALKING TO
EVERYONE, AND I DID WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT
SOME THINGS THAT I HEARD
FROM DISTRICT 5 AND FROM YOU
ALL.
JAMES -- AND I'M GOING TO
WALK THROUGH THIS.
AFTER GETTING TO TALK TO
YOU, I HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE
DETAILS AND GOT TO KNOW FOLKS
AND JUST
YOUR UNDERSTANDING FOR
THIS POSITION AND WHAT YOU
WOULD BRING TO THETHE TABLE.
JAMES, YOUR EXPERTISE IN
TRANSPORTATION, IT
WAS JUST OFF THE CHARTS, AND IT
WAS
REALLY GREAT TO HEAR WHAT, LIKE,
YOU WANTED TO BRING TO THE TABLE
ON
THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE AND
THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE WAS
PHENOMENAL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
AND EDUCATING ME ON THAT PIECE.
KATY, THE KID- FRIENDLY PIECE
WAS THE VIBES THAT I GOT, AND
NOT
JUST, LIKE, YOU KNOW -- YOU
HELPED ME UNDERSTAND AND OPEN MY
TO TALK ABOUT JUST,
LIKE, THE DESIGN PIECE OF A
KID-FRIENDLY CITY BUT ALSO,
TOO, HEY, WE NEED MORE HOUSING
WHERE
YOU CAN BE ABLE TO SEE
YOUR COURT YARD SO YOU CAN SEE
YOUR KIDS PLAY AND THINKING
ABOUT THAT PIECE, WHICH IT JUST
UNLOCKED MY MIND.
I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN THE HOUSING, I
TALKED ABOUT THE HOUSING VIBE
THAT YOU
ALWAYS WORE AND TALKED ABOUT
THAT, TOO, AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
NILU, THANK YOU FOR THE --
OBVIOUSLY I'VE KNOWN YOU
SINCE YOU RAN IN ALL OF THE
FLAGS THAT
YOU HAVE WORN BUT PARTICULARLY
THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE
AND THE YOUTH COMPONENT OF
GETTING OUR YOUTH AND OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE RANKED
CHOICE VOTING THAT YOU ADVOCATED
FOR AND THAT IS GOING TO START
HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE, WHICH
IS PHENOMENAL AND SOME STUFF
WE AGREED ON.
SOME STUFF THAT, YOU KNOW,
OUR VALUES WERE SUPER ALIGNED
AND
OPENED MY MIND TO DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THINGS,
ABOUT HOW WE CAN OPERATE AS A
CITY AND
YOUR PASSION IN SEEING HOW
YOU WANT TO LEAD THE CITY, I
THOUGHT, WAS TREMENDOUS.
SO THANK YOU.
DEBORA, I LEARNED A LOT FROM
YOU JUST SITTING DOWN AND
TALKING
TO YOU AND WHAT YOU BRING TO THE
TABLE.
OBVIOUSLY YOUR EXPERIENCE AND
THEN, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
JUST YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE
HISTORICAL COMPONENT TO
THINGS AND HOW TO NAVIGATE
THINGS,
AND I THOUGHT HAS JUST BEEN VERY
UPLIFTING AND EYE OPENING AND
HEALING PIECE,
CALMING NERVOUS SYSTEMS
IS GREAT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
ALSO, DR. KANG, JULIE, I
GET THAT MOTHERLY FIGURE, THAT
CARING, THAT NURTURING COMPONENT
FROM YOU, HOW YOU ALWAYS
TALKED ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS.
AND YOU INVITED ME OVER FOR
SOME MEALS, AND THE COOKING THAT
YOU DO FOR PEOPLE.
IT REALLY STARTS -- WHEN
YOU WANT TO GET TO SOMEONE'S
HEART, IT STARTS THROUGH THEIR
STOMACH.
WE ALL KNOW THAT.
GOOD FOOD, THOUGH.
CAN'T BE BAD.
IT HAS TO BE GOOD FOOD.
AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LEAD
AND JUST BEING EVERYWHERE.
I'VE BEEN SEEING YOU
EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER, ON
FACEBOOK, BUT
JUST IN PERSON, AT EVENTS
AND CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE A SMILING FACE
AND YOUR PRESENCE IS REALLY
WELCOME AND GREAT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
AND, ALSO, LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
ROBERT.
BY FAR, THE FUNNIEST
CONVERSATION I HAD ON THE PHONE.
THE FOLKS -- LITERALLY
THE LEVITY THAT YOU BROUGHT TO
THE
CONVERSATION BUT ALSO THE
LOGISTICS AND HOW YOU ARE
ABLE TO CONNECT DOTS THAT I
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW COULD BE
CONNECTED
BUT BROUGHT THE JOKING PIECE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT,
AND I THINK THAT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT DURING THIS
TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND
UNDERSTANDING YOUR BACKGROUND,
TOO, IN THE MILITARY AND
WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU LEARNED
FROM THAT PIECE AND HOW YOU
WOULD APPLY IT TO HERE AND
YOU'RE A
FAMILY MAN.
I THINK IT SPEAKS HIGHLY OF
YOUR WIFE COMING TO SPEAK
IN SUPPORT OF YOU FOR THIS JOB.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU
AS WELL.
AND JUST THANK ALL THE
CANDIDATES FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO LEAD AND REALLY, REALLY,
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IN TOUGH
TIMES. I THANK YOU
FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
PROCESS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY
VOICE FOLLOWING OUR
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
AND
HOLLINGSWORTH, TO NOTE THAT
WE HAD 22 GOOD CANDIDATES,
VERY GOOD CANDIDATES, AND I
BELIEVE FIVE CANDIDATES THAT I
THINK COULD STEP UP AND
CONTRIBUTE TO
THE COUNCIL, A STRONG SLATE FROM
TOP TO BOTTOM AS I NOTED LAST
WEEK AND STRONGER THAN THE
OTHER RACES, AS I ALSO NOTED.
AND I FIND IT INTERESTING
AND THE REASONS WHY ARE
WORTHWORTH
EXAMINING BECAUSE THEY'RE
A STRONGER SLATE THAN PAST
RACES AS WELL.
FOR THE FOUR CANDIDATES -- THE
FIVE CANDIDATES THAT ARE NOT
SELECTED TODAY, I ENCOURAGE
YOU TO RUN ININ '26 --
ACTUALLY, '27.
I ACTUALLY ASK THAT YOU PLEASE
LOOK TO VOLUNTEER.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMUNITY COUNCILS WHICH
PROVIDE SUCH GOOD INSIGHT ON
ISSUES CITYWIDE BUT ALSO THE
DISTRICT
PERSPECTIVE, TOO.
IN THE END I BELIEVE WE
NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN STEP UP.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND
WHEN WE HAVE AN EXTRA HIGH
UPTEMPO WHICH IS HIGHER THIS
YEAR
THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.
BETWEEN OUR COMMITTEES,
OUR EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION
REQUIREMENTS TO INCLUDE EXTERNAL
CHALLENGES FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ALSO THE
VARIOUS
SPECIAL SELECT COMMITTEES
THAT WE'VE HAD AND THE
UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON WHICH
WILL BE MORE
DIFFICULT.
I SHOULD NOTE,
TOO, REPRESENTATION IS
ALSO IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S COME
OUT
IN DIFFERENT WAYS OVER
THE COURSE OF THIS.
AND WITH THAT I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE.
INITIALLY THE 22 WHO PUT
THEIR NAMES FORWARD, THAT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT BUT, ALSO, FOR
THE
SIX OF YOU THERE TODAY I WISH
YOU
ALL THE BEST OF LUCK. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
AGAIN, ECHOING THOUGHTS
THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE TO
STEP UP,
TO BE WILLING TO PUT YOURSELF
THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
KNOWING THAT YOU'RE STEPPING IN
AT A TIME WHERE WE'VE GOT A
LOT GOING ON
LOCALLY, FEDERALLY, THAT WE'RE
ALL DEALING WITH.
THE ONE THING THAT I FOUND
SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IS
THAT THERE IS NEVER NOT A FULL
PLATE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'LL BE
WALKING INTO.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK WITH A LOT OF YOU CAN
DIRECTLY AND LEARNED A LOT ABOUT
YOU. LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU.
SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS, GREAT
INSIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, MR. WILSON, IF YOU
ARE SELECTED TO BE UP HERE, WE
WOULD
MAKE HISTORY FOR THE SECOND
TIME BY HAVING FOUR VETERANS
SEATED ON THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL,
ALTHOUGH
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO
BALANCE ANOTHER
NAVY GUY ON HERE OR NOT, BUT
THAT'S OKAY.
I THINK, KATY, THE CONVERSATIONS
WE'VE HAD ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD
PLANNING AND THE WHOLE BIT, AND
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS
I WANT TO PICK YOUR BRAIN
IMMENSELY.
JIM, YOU GAVE US HOMEWORK LAST
WEEK TO TAKE WITH US, A
THUMB DRIVE WITH A DOCUMENT THAT
HAD
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEGABYTES
IT WAS, HERE'S SOME LIGHT
READING ABOUT NEWPORT NEWS.
YEAH, THANKS, MAN.
AND DR. KING, YOU HAD ME
AT SEATTLE U, A SEATTLE U ALUM.
THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE IN
COMMUNITY AND, WHAT CAN I
SAY ABOUT YOU?
YOU SPEAK FOR YOURSELF.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
I ASKED THAT QUESTION, WHAT'S
YOUR WHY?
WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?
AND WHAT BECAME CLEAR TO ME
IS THAT YOU WANT TO BE HERE
BECAUSE
YOU CARE ABOUT THE CITY AND YOU
CARE
ABOUT ITS PEOPLE. THAT'S WHY
WE'RE HERE.
I'M NOT LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW,
USE THIS AS A STEPPING
STONE TO GO ANYWHERE.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOVE THIS
CITY AND I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF
IT AND I GET THE SAME SENSE
FROM YOU ALL, AND I THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR HEART. AND REGARDLESS OF
HOW THE
VOTE SHAKES OUT TODAY, I
KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO CARE,
AND
I KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO
SERVE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK
EACH AND
EVERY FINALIST WHO
HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO APPLY.
I REALLY APPRECIATED GETTING
TO KNOW EACH OF YOU OVER OVER
PAST
FEW WEEKS, OVER THE COURSE
OF THIS JOURNEY AND
SPECIFICALLY MEETING WITH EACH
OF YOU LAST
WEEK.
WE HAVE BEFORE US AN
OUTSTANDING GROUP OF NOMINEES
FOR THIS
POSITION, AND I THINK EACH
OF YOU OFFERS VITAL PERSPECTIVE
AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED ON
THIS COUNCIL NOW MORE THAN
EVER AT THIS PIVOTAL MOMENT IN
TIME.
AGAIN, I SINCERELY THANK EACH OF
YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND
DESIRE TO SERVE NO MATTER WHO
WAS SELECTED TODAY.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU WILL
CONTINUE LEADING OUR
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SHARE OF
WORK ACROSS
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
BE LEADERS IN DISTRICT 5.
UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY ONE PERSON
WILL BE SUSPECTED TODAY.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT SELECTED
TODAY, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE
YOU TO RUN FOR THE PERMANENT
SEAT NEXT YEAR.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, JAMES
BOUREY, YOU BRING A RARE
EXPERIENCE HAVING
READ AND WORKED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY
FROM NEWPORT AND SOUTH CAROLINA
TO
MINNEAPOLIS, MY BIRTH CITY,
PHOENIX, CALIFORNIA, AND
PROBABLY MORE.
YOU'VE TACKLED COMPREHENSIVE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC
SAFETY AND
SOMEHOW YOU'VE ALSO FOUND
TIME TO PUBLISH THREE BOOKS AND
OVER 40 ARTICLES TO SHARE YOUR
INSIGHTS AND EXPERTISE.
AND STILL SOMEHOW FOUND
TIME TO BE AN EXPERT IN PUTTING
THINGS DRIVES.
I DIDN'T KNOW THUMB DRIVES WERE
A THING ANYMORE, BUT THANK YOU
FOR THAT.
KATY HAIMA, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR ALL
YOU DO.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I LOVE THAT
YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER,
WITH REAL- WORLD
PERSPECTIVES THAT ADDS A VITAL
VOICE
TO ECONOMIC -- I THINK
YOUR BACKGROUND IN URBAN
PLANNING AND
DESIGN SHINES THROUGH AND
YOUR PASSION FOR WALKABLE
NEIGHBORHOODS, MORE SIDEWALKS,
YES, AND YOUR VISION
FOR COLLABORATIVE VISION FOR
AURORA
AND D5 IS THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP
WE NEED.
I THINK PERSPECTIVE MATTERS
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ONE OF
THE MOST VALUABLE PERSPECTIVES
THAT I THINK YOU WOULD BRING TO
THE TABLE IN THIS POSITION ISIS
FACT THAT YOU HAVE YOUNG KIDS
AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
AGED CHILDREN AND YOUNGER.
THERE'S A REASON WHY NOT MANY
PEOPLE WITH ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL AGED KIDS AND YOUNGER END
UP
RUNNING AND SERVING IN THESE
ROLES. IT'S CHALLENGING.
BUT YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS A
PARENT WHO IS DOING THEIR BEST
AND
HAS BEEN DOING THEIR BEST AND
WILL
CONTINUE FOR A CHILD FRIENDLY
CITY FOR ALL IS A VERY
IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE
PERSPECTIVE.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT AND
SO MUCH MORE.
NILU, YOUR LEADERSHIP,
GRASSROOTS PASSION AND
RELENTLESS ENERGY ARE TRULY
UNMATCHED. YOU'VE CONSISTENTLY
SHOWN UP
FOR D5 NEIGHBORHOODS, THE BIG,
THE SMALL, AND REALLY EVERYTHING
IN
BETWEEN WITH HAIR INTACT, IN MY
VIEW, WHAT SETS YOU APART IS
HOW DEEPLY PERSONAL YOUR
ADVOCACY
IS.
WHETHER IT'S TUTORING IMMIGRANT
REFUGEE YOUTH, FROM YOUR
OWN EXPERIENCE AS AN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER,
COLLABORATING WITH EDUCATORS OR
CHAMPIONING --
YOU UPLIFTING VOICES THAT ARE
TOO OFTEN GO UNHEARD IS
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT,
VALUABLE. MOVING ON NOW TO
DEBORA JUAREZ.
YOUR LEGACY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
YOU'VE BEEN AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC
SERVANT.
IN YOUR DECISION TO STEP
UP AGAIN IN THIS CAPACITY
FULLY MINDFUL AND AWARE OF THE
UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT WE ALL
FACE, LIKE ANY OF THE OTHER FIVE
CANDIDATES, SAYS
EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR
THE CITY.
AND YOU'VE BEEN BACKED BY LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS AS PART OF
THE PROCESS INCLUDING MLK LABOR
AND SEATTLE BILLING TRADES, BUT
YOUR PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE,
LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE AND
JUDGMENT ARE SOME OF WHAT THE
CITY NEEDS ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW.
DR. JULIE KANG, YOUR FOCUS ON
THE BASICS RESONATES WITH ME
PERSONALLY.
YOUR UNIQUE UNDERSTANDING OF
THE SITUATION IN DISTRICT 5 FROM
MISSING SIDEWALKS,
WALKABILITY, SAFETY FOR
FAMILIES,
AND COMPASSIONATE SERVICES, MOST
CHALLENGES REQUIRE NUANCE AND
NONBINARY THINKING AND ALL
THESE ISSUES ARE HIGHLY COMPLEX,
WE NEED TO MOVE BEYOND THE
BINARY
THINKING, THAT IS A
TREMENDOUSLY VALUABLE AND
IMPORTANT
PERSPECTIVE.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED ABOUT
HOW WELL RESEARCHED AND QUICKLY
UP TO SPEED YOU GOT ON ALL
THE ISSUES FACING DISTRICT 5 AND
THE
ENTIRE CITY.
AN ESSENTIAL QUALITY FOR
SERVING ON A COUNCIL WITH A
CONSTANT LEARNING CURVE.
I THINK THIS ROLE, THE WORD ON
COUNCIL IS SORT OF LIKE A
PIE EATING CONTEST.
THE LOSERS OR RUNNERS- UP,
THE CONSOLATION IS MORE PIE.
AND THE WINNERS, MORE PIE.
AND I THINK YOU ARE READY
TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE
NOW OR NEXT YEAR OR BEYOND.
MR. ROBERT WILSON.
ROB, AS MY NOMINEE I RECOGNIZE
THE MANY IMPORTANT
PERSPECTIVES THAT YOU BRING -- A
VETERAN,
A FAMILY MAN, BEING A FATHER OF
THREE, A PRIVATE SECTOR TECH
MANAGER, LEADER, JUST AS
IMPORTANT A DEDICATED COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEER.
YOU BRING A FRESH FACE
AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES.
YOUR RESPONSES BOTH IN
WRITING AND AT THE FORUM, IN MY
OFFICE WHEN WE MET ONE-ON- ONE,
SHOWED, IN MY VIEW,
THOUGHTFULNESS,
DEPTH, NEVER FALLING BACK
ON EASIER OR SCRIPTED ANSWERS,
AND
ONE STANDOUT EXAMPLE WAS YOUR
SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING THE
COUNCIL'S PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS
INCLUDING THE
CAREFUL, INTENTIONAL EXPANSION
OF CCTV.
ALL ARE IMPORTANT.
THE VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES THAT
YOU REPRESENT ALL MATTER AND,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN
ONLY INCLUDE ONE.
I DO WANT TO THANK EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR
COMMITMENT AND WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE IN THIS MANNER.
THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY
OTHER HANDS UP?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF.
COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS, YOU ALL
KNOW I WILL NOT WAX POETIC
TODAY ABOUT MY CONNECTION AND
LOVE
FOR D5.
WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS TO
DO.
D5, DISTRICT 5 HAS BEEN LONG
UNDERINVESTED FOR DECADES.
WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING
TODAY IS NOT A PRODUCT OF
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVERNIGHT
AND BEFORE COUNCIL DISTRICTS
WERE IN
PLACE, I FOUND IT WAS THAT
THE STATE LEGISLATORS WERE THE
ONES
DOING THE CONSTITUENT CASE
WORK FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN
THE NORTH END OF SEATTLE
BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO GET
THE ATTENTION OF CITY HALL IN
LAKE CITY.
WHEN I WENT TO COOL IN LAKE
CITY IN DISTRICT 5, WE WALKED
TO SCHOOL -- WHEN WE WALKED TO
SCHOOL, WE KICKED ROCKS BECAUSE
WE WERE WALKING ON
GRAVEL THAT WAS ON THE SIDE OF
THE ROAD.
THERE ARE SIDEWALKS THERE TODAY.
CATCHING THE BUS, WE
WERE LITERALLY ON THE SIDE OF A
HIGHWAY, STATE ROUTE 522 WITH A
3- INCH PAINT STRIP THE
ONLY THING SEPARATING THE
SPEEDING CARS FROM WHERE WE SAT
WAITING
FOR THE BUS.
TODAY THERE ARE SIDEWALKS.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE
SINCE COUNCIL DISTRICTS BECAME A
PART OF OUR CITY FABRIC,
MORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
RESOURCES HAVE BEEN DEDICATED.
MORE CONSTITUENTS HAVE
BEEN RESPONDED TO, AND ATTENTION
TO
NEIGHBORHOOD
SPECIFICS, PINEHURST IS VERY
DIFFERENT THAN
MEADOWBROOK OR WEDGWOOD BUT
MATTHEWS BEACH IS RIGHT THERE.
AND THERE'S STILL SO MUCH MORE
TO DO FOR DISTRICT 5 WHICH
IS WHY I'M SO THANKFUL FOR ALL
OF THE APPLICANTS AND FOR THOSE
THAT APPLIED THAT AREN'T HERE
AS FINALISTS TODAY.
BRANDON, JED, SO MANY LEADERS IN
D5 THAT DIDN'T APPLY.
WHAT I FOUND WHEN INTERVIEWING
THE FINALISTS BEFORE ME TODAY,
ROB, YOUR LIFELONG LEARNING
AND HUMBLE INTELLIGENCE INVITED
ME
TO WANT TO WORK WITH YOU MORE
DEEPLY.
GETTING TO SEE YOUR
DRIVE, PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO
DISTRICT 5 GAVE ME HOPE AND GAVE
ME
INSPIRATION.
JIM, YOUR PERFORMANCE
METRICS FOR NEWPORT NEWS ARE
ASTONISHING AND AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR THAT THUMB
DRIVE. I'VE STILL GOT IT AND
I'M GOING
TO KEEP IT FOR A LONG TIME,
BECAUSE IT REALLY
DEMONSTRATED HOW YOU WEREWERE TO
TELL
THE STORY OF NEWPORT NEWS
THROUGH BOTH THE STORY BUT ALSO
THE
NUMBERS AND THEN TRACKING THAT
YEAR OVER YEAR.
NILU, YOUR CONNECTION TO D5
RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY I'VE
SEEN AT WORK FOR YEARS AND IT'S
THIS AGGRESSIVE
TENACITY FOR THE MICRO
COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE UP
DISTRICT 5.
JULIE, IF I GOT ONE THING OUT OF
THIS PROCESS, IT WAS GETTING
TO KNOW YOU BETTER AND GETTING
TO
BE WHAT I CONSIDER A FRIEND.
YOU HAVE SUPPORTERS ALL
ACROSS D5.
I LIKE WILLIE A LOT AND WHEN I
WAS SPEAKING WITH YOU
I IMMEDIATELY FELT LIKE WE COULD
TACKLE ANYTHING THIS WORLD HAS
THROWN AT FUSS WE WORK TOGETHER.
I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU.
DEBORA JUAREZ, I THINK
THAT'S THE TITLE WE USE TODAY,
WHICH
IS THE BEST PARTS ABOUT GETTING
TO WORK AROUND YOU WAS GETTING
TO WATCH LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE
AND
THIS STARTED BEFORE I WAS
ACTUALLY ELECTED.
FOLKS, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW,
I DO OFFICE HOURS EVERY WEEK IN
MY DISTRICT OFFICE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING I TOOK OUT OF
YOUR BOOK.
YOU HAD OFFICE HOURS AT NORTH
SEATTLE COLLEGE AND YOU FOUND
AN OFFICE SPACE AND SO THAT
HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT I
RELATE TO
DISTRICT 6 IN SO MANY WAYS.
FOLKS, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE
SECRET TO NAVIGATING THE BUDGET
PROCESS, GO BACK AND WATCH THE
CANDIDATE FORUM AT NORTH
SEATTLE COLLEGE, DEBORA JUAREZ
SHARES
IT WITH EVERYONE.
I'M NOT GOING TO SHARE
IT HERE. YOU HAVE TO GO DO YOUR
HOMEWORK.
THERE ARE STILL THREE
THINGS THAT I -- YOU KNOW, WHEN
I
TALKED ABOUT THOSE
RESOURCES, IT WAS WHEN I GOT TO
WORK FOR
THE 46th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT,
IT'S STILL NOT DESPITE
EVERYTHING YOU
DID TO GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH
LINE, NOW WE JUST HAVE TO
GET THE THING BUILT.
THE NORTH GATE COMMONS, THE
HOUSING THERE AT THE
SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND
THE SIMON
REDEVELOPMENT, BEYOND WHAT OTHER
POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES WE
HAVE TO GET TO MAKE D5 THE
GEM OF THE CITY THAT IT DESERVES
TO BE.
I DID NOT WRITE A CLOSING BEYOND
THAT.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LOOKING AGAIN TO SEE IF
ANYBODY HAS A SECOND THOUGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
NO OTHER -- NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS. I WILL -- JUST A
SECOND.
MY SCRIPT WENT AWAY.
I'LL JUST BRIEFLY SAY AS
WELL THANK YOU TO, FIRST OF ALL,
TO ALL 22 CANDIDATES WHO STEPPED
UP.
NOT AN EASY TASK TO THROW
YOUR HAT IN THE RING AND
ESPECIALLY
TO THE SIX FINALIST WHO IS STUCK
IT OUT TO THE VERY END.
I AM GOING INTO THIS
DECISION WITH THE SAME MIND- SET
I'VE HAD
THE LAST TWO VACANCY FILLING
PROCESSES WHICH IS KEEP
AN OPEN MIND BUT ALSO FOCUS ON
WHAT
YOU BELIEVE THE DISTRICT 5 -- OR
THE CONSTITUENTS OF THAT
DISTRICT WANT MOST OF ALL.
SO I AM, AFTER SPEAKING
WITH MOST OF THE CANDIDATES AND
ALSO
HEARING WHAT THE DISTRICT
5 CONSTITUENTS AND COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN
SAYING, NOT JUST THIS PAST FOUR
WEEKS BUT ALSO SINCE I'VE TAKEN
OFFICE, THAT IS WHAT IS
DRIVING MY DECISION.
AND HERE IS WHAT I HAVE HEARD.
HELP THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO
LOOKING AT YOU, GABE, WHEREVER
YOU ARE.
WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THAT THE
SMALL BUSINESSES,
PARTICULARLY ALONG LAKE CITY,
THE LAKE
CITY CORRIDOR AND ALSO 35th
AVENUE
NORTHEAST, WHICH BRIDGES 4th
AND 5th, A LOT OF THESE SMALL
BUSINESSES FEEL CUT OFF FROM
THE REST OF THE CITY.
IT'S SO FAR NORTH ALREADY.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO FEEL
CONNECTED TO THE FOCUS ON
PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN IT COMES --
BECAUSE WE
TALK A LOT ABOUT DOWNTOWN, THE
CIV,
ET CETERA, BUT THEY ARE REALLY
STRUGGLING WITH SOME REPEATED
BREAK-INS AND REALLY WANT
SOMEONE WHO IS AWARE OF
AND WILLING TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT
THAT. AND WHAT I ALWAYS HEAR IS,
CAN YOU PLEASE COMMUNICATE TO
THE
EXECUTIVE THAT WE NEEDNEED
PATROLS, MORE ATTENTION
FOCUSED ON THE THINGS WE'RE
GOING THROUGH OVER AND OVER AND
OVER AGAIN UP HERE.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM
THE SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE.
AND THEN HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, HOW DO WE
GET AT THAT?
THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF
ADDRESSING HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY THROUGH INCREASED
SUPPLY, THROUGH INCREASED
INVESTMENTS INTO OUR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
PARTNERS, ET CETERA, BUT
I'VE TAKEN ALL OF THE ABOVE
APPROACH AND SAY WE NEED TO
ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
THROUGH
ZONING, THROUGH MAKING
HOUSING CHEAPER AND EASIER TO
BUILD
AND, ALSO, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT
WAYS OF SUPPORTING WORKFORCE
HOUSING,
HOME OWNERSHIP, A BIG TOPIC UP
THERE AND, OF COURSE,
THINKING ABOUT HOW THE CANDIDATE
THAT
DOES GET THIS
APPOINTMENT REALLY DOES HAVE TO
FOCUS ON THAT.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT
THIS COUNCIL HAS ALSO BEEN
TALKING
A LOT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THAT
ISSUE.
AND THEN FINALLY THERE ARE A
LOT OF SERVICES FOR LOW- INCOME
AND
HOMELESSNESS
ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS UP THERE
AND
WHAT I HEAR FROM DISTRICT
5 CONSTITUENTS AND BUSINESSES
BUT
CONSTITUENTS IS, YES, WE ARE
A COMPASSIONATE DISTRICT, AND
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
ACTUAL SOLUTIONS OR OUR
APPROACH TO DEALING WITH CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS AND IT'S TIED
TO HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BUT
IT'S ALSO JUST -- WHAT I HEAR
IS --
I'LL BE FRANK.
WE'VE BEEN CALLING HOMELESSNESS
AN EMERGENCY FOR YEARS AND
YEARS AND YEARS, OVER TEN YEARS,
ET
CETERA, AND THE PROBLEM DOESN'T
SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER.
IT STAYS THE SAME OR GETS
WORSE, AND SO WHAT IS THE CITY
GOING
TO DO ABOUT THAT?
AND I HEAR WHAT I HAVE ALSO SAID
WHICH IS LOOK AT SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER, THE FENTANYL EPIDEMIC.
CAN WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?
I HAVE ALWAYS -- THIS IS
CONVENIENT FOR ME BECAUSE
OF COURSE I BELIEVE THAT
ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE --
SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER AND THE FENTANYL
CRISIS ARE DRIVERS OF SO MANY OF
OUR
OTHER ISSUES, CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS, PUBLIC SAFETY, ET
CETERA. I AGREE WITH THE
CONSTITUENTS THAT WANT SOMEBODY
WHOWHO
FULLY AWARE OF THOSE -- OF THAT
ISSUE AND IS WILLING TO LOOK AT
WHAT
WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, AND
IF IT'S NOT WORKING THEN
DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT OR REALLY DOUBLE DOWN
ON THIS PROBLEM.
THIS IS NOT -- THOSE AREN'T THE
ONLY THINGS THAT I HEAR ABOUT.
THERE'S
ALSO TRANSPORTATION, OF COURSE,
WHAT'S GOING ON ON
AURORA WAY.
WE WENT WITH AURORA REIMAGINED.
I WON'T GO DOWN THE LAUNDRY
LIST BUT DISTRICT 5 BECAUSE OF
ITS
DISTANCE FROM CITY HALL
DOES HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL
CHALLENGES, AND WE REALLY DO
NEED, AS A
BODY, TO FOCUS ON THEIR
CONCERNS AND PERSPECTIVES.
SO THAT IS WHERE I'M
COMING FROM.
SO NOT ONLY DO I THANK THE
CANDIDATES, I ALSO WANT TO
THANK THE CONSTITUENTS THAT TOOK
THE
TIME TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT
THEYTHEY EXPERIENCING AND WHAT
THEY
WANT TO SEE IN A LEADER.
ALL RIGHT. SO, WITH THAT, LET'S
MOVE ON.
AS A REMINDER ON THE VOTING
PROCESS, THE CLERK WILL CALL THE
ROLL AND COUNCILMEMBERS
WILL RESPOND BY STATING ONE OF
THE
SIX NOMINEES' NAMES.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL TO APPOINT A NOMINEE
TO FILL COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
POSITION UNTIL A CANDIDATE IN
THE
NOVEMBER 2026 GENERAL ELECTION
FOR DISTRICT 5 IS ELECTED AND
QUALIFIED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> NILU JENKS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ, DISTRICT 5.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ, DISTRICT 5.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ.
>> AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON.
>> DEBORA JUAREZ.
>> THAT IS ONE IN FAVOR OF
JENKS AND SEVEN IN FAVOR OF
JUAREZ.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THERE IS A SELECTION.
OKAY.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
DEBORA JUAREZ HAS BEEN APPOINTED
TO FILL COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
UNTIL A CANDIDATE IN THE
NOVEMBER
2026 GENERAL ELECTION FOR
DISTRICT
5 IS ELECTED AND QUALIFIED.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE
DEBORA JUAREZ TO COME ON UP TO
THE
PODIUM. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, POINT OF
INFORMATION.
>> YOU HAVE TO ASK HER TO
ACCEPT THE POSITION.
>> WOULD YOU
LIKE --
>> I'VE GOT. HOLD ON A SECOND.
I HAVE TO FORMALLY -- WAIT A
MINUTE, PLEASE.
NO, GO AHEAD.
I JUST HAVE -- THE
CITY COUNCIL -- SO THE CITY
COUNCIL
HAS APPOINTED YOU
AS COUNCILMEMBER TO THE CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 POSITION
UNTIL A CANDIDATE IN THE
NOVEMBER 2026 GENERAL
ELECTION IS ELECTED AND
QUALIFIED.
DO YOU ACCEPT THIS POSITION?
>> YES, I DO.
>> EXCELLENT.
CONGRATULATIONS, DEBORA.
CONGRATULATIONS, DEBORA, ON
BEING APPOINTED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
POSITION.
YOU ARE NOW -- WOULD YOU PLEASE
JOIN US AT THE DAIS AND THE
CITY CLERK WILL ADMINISTER YOUR
YOUR
OF OFFICE.
AFTER THE OATH OF OFFICE IS
ADMINISTERED YOU CAN MAKE YOUR
COMMENT.
SO WE WILL BE AT EASE TO PREPARE
FOR THE
OATH OF OFFICE AT THE DAIS.
>>> WILL YOU PLEASE RAISE
YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER
ME.
I DEBORA JUAREZ SWEAR THAT I
POSSESS ALL OF
THE QUALIFICATIONS --
>> SWEAR THAT I POSSESS ALL
OF THE QUALIFICATIONS --
>> PRESCRIBED IN THE SEATTLE
CITY CHARTER AND THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE FOR THE
POSITION OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER.
>> FOR THE POSITION OF CITY
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES.
>> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES.
>> THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON.
>> THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON.
>> AND THE CHARTER
AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
>> AND THE CHARTER
AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
>> AND THAT I WILL
FAITHFULLY CONDUCT MYSELF AS
SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL.
>> AND THAT I WILL
FAITHFULLY CONDUCT MYSELF AS A
SEATTLE CITY
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
[ INAUDIBLE ].
>> IT'S A MAGNET, RIGHT?
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> YOU SPELLED MY NAME RIGHT.
>> THANK YOU.
OH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
BEFORE I BEGIN I WANT TO THANK
CHIEF SEATTLE, WHAT THIS CITY
IS NAMED FROM.
I THINK PEOPLE THOUGHT I WALKED
INTO THIS ROOM THINKING THIS WAS
MINE. I'VE NEVER WALKED INTO A
ROOM THINKING ANYTHING IS MINE.
AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO
THANK JAMES AND ROB, DR. JULIE
KANG,
KATY AND NILU.
I KNOW IT WAS REALLY
NERVE- RACKING AND DIFFICULT,
AND I ENJOYED MEETING EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE 2026 YEAR WHEN
SOMEBODY
RUNS, HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU, FOR
THIS OFFICE FOR FOUR YEARS TO
GET THINGS DONE, BUT THIS IS
DEMOCRACY.
I HAD ONE GOAL, AND I MEANT IT
WHEN I SAID IT, THAT I DID
NOT WANT TO FEEL LIKE AA COWARD,
THAT
I TOOK THE EMOTION TO FEEL BRAVE
AND HAVE CONFIDENCE BECAUSE OF
THE CALIFORNIA SENATOR ALEX
PADILLA, WHEN HE WAS THROWN
ON THE GROUND AND HANDCUFFED
AND HE WAS SCREAMING, I'M A
SENATOR, BECAUSE THAT'S THE
WORLD
WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW.
SO, WITH THAT, I WANT TO
THANK THE TRIBES, TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP, AND THE ELDERS, ALL
THE INDIGENOUS LED ORGANIZATIONS
IN THIS CITY.
I WANT TO THANK BUSINESS.
I WANT TO THANK LABOR.
I WANT TO THANK ALL
THE NONPROFIT BUSINESSES THAT
I WORKED WITH AND FOR AND
REPRESENTED.
AND, AGAIN, I WILL SHARE WHAT MY
MOTHER ALWAYS USED TO SAY, I'M
NOT THE SMARTEST PERSON.
I'VE JUST LIVED LONGER.
AND THERE IS A LOT OF WISDOM
IN GOING THROUGH ADVERSITY,
CHALLENGES, AND
SOMETIMES GROWING UP WITHOUT
PRIVILEGE
GIVES YOU POWER BECAUSE YOU
LEARN STRATEGIES TO SUCCEED.
AND ONE LAST NOTE I WANT TO
SHARE, WHICH I'VE LEARNED
FROM MY ELDERS IS THERE ISN'T
ONE
LEADER.
IT'S LIKE A FLOCK OF BIRDS.
LEADERSHIP IS SHARED.
EVERYONE UP HERE IS A LEADER.
ALL OF YOU ARE LEADERS, AND I'VE
GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU AND
TALK TO YOU AND IT'S BEEN
WONDERFUL
AND REPRESENTING DISTRICT 5 WAS
A GREAT HONOR WHEN I WAS ELECTED
TWICE, AND FOR SOME REASON,
THIS FEELS MUCH MORE EMOTIONAL
THAN
THE OTHER TWO HARD- FOUGHT
CAMPAIGNS.
AND FOR
THAT, THANK YOU. I RAISE MY
HANDS, THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> I'M GETTING THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
WE HAVE FINISHED OUR
NOMINATION PROCESS FOR THE
DISTRICT 5 SEAT.
AND NOW I WILL ASK IF THERE IS
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL?
I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S GOOD TO
HAVE YOU BACK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, WE HAVE REACHED THE
END OF
OUR AGENDA TODAY.
IT IS 11:11.
I HAD TO SAY THAT BEFORE IT
CHANGED.
IT'S 11:11 AND THE CITY
COUNCIL WILL MEET AGAIN
TOMORROW, JULY
29, AT 2:00 P.M. AND
STILL HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, WE
ARE ADJOURNED, EVERYONE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.