ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON,
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY WHO
IS JUST TUNING IN TO COUNCIL
MEETINGS TODAY. IT'S THURSDAY,
JANUARY 9, AND THE GOVERNANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL COME
TO ORDER. IT IS 2:02 P.M. I'M
SARA NELSON, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FULL
HOUSE. ALL RIGHT, TODAY WE'LL
HAVE A CONTINUED DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE ON COUNCIL BILL
120925, HUMAN SERVICES FOURTH
QUARTER EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. SEEING
NONE, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
ALL RIGHT, NOW IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE COUNCIL WILL NOW
GO INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD, HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY?
>> WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC VIRTUAL
COMMENTERS.
>> OKAY, LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY
TWO MINUTES, AND GO AHEAD AND
BEGIN.
>> FIRST PERSON WILL BE ALBERTO
ALVAREZ.
>> ALBERTO, ARE YOU THERE?
PRESS STAR SIX. GO TO THE NEXT
PERSON, PLEASE. WE'LL COME
BACK TO YOU, ALBERTO.
>> ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE WILL HAVE
DAVID HAINES. DAVID, YOU'RE ON
THE LINE.
>> HI, THANK YOU. DAVID HAINES.
REALLY GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY. ALL OF THE CONFLICT
OF INTEREST FROM THE COUNCIL
SEEM TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE
OF. YET YOU CAN SEE THEM COMING
OUT OF THE SIX-FIGURE SALARIES
ARE ALL OF THESE GUARANTEES OF
THE SERVICE PROVIDERS BEING
PAID. NOW THE PROBLEM IS
THEY'RE NOT KEEPING THE
SERVICE PROVIDERS HONEST OR
FORTHRIGHT. AND IT IS THE
UNNECESSARY SUFFERING FROM
INNOCENT HOUSEHOLDS. IF YOU
APPLY THE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVE, WHERE YOU
WOULD LOOK THROUGH THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE IGNORANT PAST
AND FILL IN THE BLANKS OF
RACISM AND DISCRIMINATE AGAINST
INNOCENT WHITE HOMELESSNESS,
AND THEN YOU PRIORITIZE BLACK
AND BROWN DESTRUCTIVES TO GIVE
ALL OF THE MORE PROFITABLE
HOUSING THAT IS CONNECTED TO
THE POLITICAL RE-ELECTION
APPARATUS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY THAT WATERS DOWN THE
INTEGRITY OF THE OVERSIGHT. YOU
HAVE A SOCIETAL INFLATION
THAT'S CALLED BY THE LACK OF
PROPER INTERPRETATION OF WHAT
INSTITUTES A CRIME AND WHO WE
ARE SUPPOSE TO PUT FORTH, THAT
COMPASSIONATE OFFERING OF A
CHANCE. INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING
OH, YOU GOT WHITE PRIVILEGE,
AND YOU SEEM TO BE OKAY, SO
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP YOU IN THE
STREETS WITH YOUR BOOT STRAPS,
PULLING YOURSELF UP, BUT WE'RE
NOT GOING TO HELP YOU AT ALL.
SELF-DESTRUCTIVE, LIKE YOU'RE
TRYING TO TRICK AND BELIEVE IN
YOURSELF. AND THE B PRO, THEY
WILL GET THE HOUSING AND THEY
WILL SELF-DESTRUCT AND MAKE
EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE CONCERNS
THAT DON'T GET ADDRESSED
BECAUSE ALL THEY'RE DOING IS
GETTING THE ALTERNATIVES. LIKE
IT SEEMS LIKE WE WILL HAVE A
LESS THAN STELLAR INFLUENCE
FROM THE COUNCIL TO KEEP ALL OF
THESE UNION EMPLOYEES HONEST,
FORTHRIGHT, WITHOUT BEING
RACIST. YOU'VE GOT TO GET RID
OF THE RACIST IN THE
GOVERNMENT.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
>> NEXT, WE'VE GOT ALBERTO
ALVAREZ. AALBERTO?
>> HELLO, HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO? OKAY. SO I'M CALLING
TO SUPPORT THE MOVE OF
RETURNING THE CIVIL SERVICE
POSITIONS MENTIONED IN THE
MEMO, ESPECIALLY THE THREE
VACANT POSITIONS FOR THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MAYBE
TO HAVE SOME INFO ON HOW LONG
THEY HAVE BEEN VACANT OR --
AND/OR AN ESTIMATE OF WHEN THEY
MIGHT BE FILLED. A COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST AND TWO
ADVISER POSITIONS ARE OPEN.
THESE POSITIONS IN THE OED ARE
MUCH NEEDED. IN A TIME WHEN
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE SUFFERING
FROM COMMERCIAL RENTS AND
TARIFFS FROM THE INCOMING
ADMINISTRATION. HOPEFULLY IT
WILL BRING A PERSPECTIVE. MOST
CITY BUSINESS GROUPS ARE NOT
FAIRLY REPRESENTING THESE
GROUPS. THANK YOU, HAVE A GOOD
DAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AND THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE REACHED THE
END OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD, WHICH IS NOW CLOSED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
1 INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA NUMBER ONE, COUNCIL
BILL 120925, AN ORDINANCE
RELATING TO CITY EMPLOYMENT,
COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE
FOURTH QUARTER 2024 EMPLOYMENT
ORDINANCE, EXEMPTING POSITIONS
FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM,
RETURNING POSITIONS TO THE
CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM, RETITLING
EXISTING TITLES, ESTABLISHING
NEW TITLES, AND ADJUSTING
SALARIES FOR EXISTING TITLES,
ALL BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE
CITY COUNCIL. FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE DO
HAVE A PRESENTER. WHY DON'T
YOU GO AHEAD AND PRESENT
YOURSELF, AND THEN I'LL SAY AN
INTRODUCTION, AND YOU CAN GO
AHEAD WITH YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> BEN NOBLE, DIRECTOR.
>> THANK YOU, BEN, FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY. IT'S BEEN A
YEAR SINCE WE HAVE PROCESSED A
QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
SO JUST FOR BACKGROUND, COUNCIL
AUTHORIZES CERTAIN CITY
PERSONNEL ACTIONS THROUGH
QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
THIS FOURTH QUARTER 2024
IMPLEMENT ORDINANCE PROPOSES
CHANGES TO CIVIL SERVICE
CLASSIFICATIONS, JOB TITLES,
AND RATES OF PAY. IN OTHER
WORDS, COMPENSATION SCHEDULES.
WE HAD OUR FIRST DISCUSSION
ABOUT THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING
ON DECEMBER 12. SO THIS IS IN
MY COMMITTEE BECAUSE GOVERNANCE
IS ALSO OVERSEEN -- I
SHOULDN'T SAY ALWAYS, BUT THE
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE OVERSEES
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES, WHICH I CALL SPHR.
AND THAT IS WHY IT IS BEFORE
US. I HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT
OF A BACKGROUND, SO YOU
UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING
FROM, IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER
THE DISCUSSION LAST YEAR. SO
BASICALLY THE QUARTERLY
EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE USED TO GO
STRAIGHT TO FULL COUNCIL. WE
WOULD JUST VOTE ON IT. I DON'T
REMEMBER THERE BEING MUCH
DISCUSSION FROM QUARTER TO
QUARTER. THAT SEEMED ODD TO ME
BECAUSE I BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT
HAS TO DO WITH MONEY, WHICH,
YOU KNOW, EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCES
BY NATURE OF THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE SOME CHANGES IN
CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION
SCHEDULES DOES. SO I BELIEVE IT
NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE ROBUST
OVERSIGHT. SO I SCHEDULED THE
FIRST QUARTER ORDINANCE IN 2024
IN MY COMMITTEE FOR TWO
MEETINGS. TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF
WITH THE CONTENT OF THE
LEGISLATION, WHICH BEEN
TRANSMITTED, THE Q1 ORDINANCE
HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED ALREADY,
SO I STARTED LOOKING INTO THE
CONTENT BY ALSO FAMILIARIZING
MYSELF WITH THE ONE THAT WE HAD
PASSED IN FULL COUNCIL
PREVIOUSLY, WHICH WAS THE
FOURTH QUARTER EMPLOYMENT
ORDINANCE FROM 2023. AND JUST
TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF SOME OF
MY QUESTIONS. I WAS ALSO
READING THE -- THE CENTRAL
STAFF MEMO AND THE FISCAL NOTE.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD HAVE
ABOUT THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO.
UNDER SECTION THREE, FIVE
TITLES, RESPONDING RATES OF THE
RATES OF PAY. I SEE THE
RECOMMENDED CHANGES COME FROM
SDHR, BUT WHO INITIATES THOSE
CHANGES? THE DEPARTMENT? OR THE
DIVISION DIRECTOR? AND SO ON. I
ALSO ASKED IN YOUR MEMOS,
FINANCIAL IMPACTS AND ALSO IN
THE FISCAL NOTE SECTION. YOU
SAY THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT
ARE ABSORBED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF
THESE CHANGES AND WHERE IN THE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET DID THEY
COME FROM? HOW IS IT POSSIBLE
THAT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE EXTRA
RESOURCES TO PAY FOR THE
POSITION CHANGES IN
CORRESPONDING RATES FOR THE PAY
ADJUSTMENTS? AND BASICALLY I
COULD GO ON AND ON, AND I ENDED
UP SAYING WHILE THE PAY
INCREASES IN THE Q4 2023
ORDINANCE MAY BE INSIGNIFICANT,
COUNCIL ADOPTS THESE ORDINANCES
FOUR TIMES A YEAR, CONSTITUTING
A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SALARY
INCREASES IN POSITION CHANGES
THAT WILL OCCUR OUTSIDE OUR MID
YEAR SUPPLEMENTAL AND FALL
BUDGET PROCESSES. I'M ONLY NOW
CLUEING IN TO IT THIS, AND I'M
ASKING THE ABOVE QUESTIONS
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO GET A
SENSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
BUDGET IMPACTS OF THESE
QUARTERLY ORDINANCES. TENS OF
THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS. THE LEVEL OF
OVERSIGHT AND THE LEVEL OF
OVERSIGHT THE COUNCIL EXERTS.
SO THAT IS WHERE MY MIND IS AT.
I THINK WE ARE STILL IN THAT
PLACE A BIT JUDGING FROM SOME
OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HEARD
COMING IN OUR LAST MEETING. I
SHOULD NOTE WE DID END UP
PASSING THE Q1 2023 ORDINANCE
OUT OF COMMITTEE AND OUT OF
FULL COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY. BUT
IT WAS A LOT OF BACKGROUND
DISCUSSION BETWEEN THIS
COMMITTEE, CENTRAL STAFF, THE
BUDGET OFFICE, AND IN HR. AND I
SAY ALL OF THIS BY WAY OF
NOTING THAT I THINK THE PROCESS
COULD -- COULD STAND MORE
REGULAR OR SYSTEMATIC PROCESS,
SO QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED,
AND WE HAVE THE BIG QUESTION.
I'LL ASK YOU, DIRECTOR NOBLE,
TO GO THROUGH WHAT THIS
ORDINANCE BEFORE US SEEKS TO
ACCOMPLISH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. AND JUST TO GIVE
CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE, I'M
HERE REALLY INSTEAD FOR KARINA
BULL WHO IS OUT WITH SOME
FAMILY EBBS, AND I WAS AT THE
TABLE LAST YEAR WHEN YOU FIRST
CONSIDERED THE BILL. SO JUST TO
REMIND YOU AND, AGAIN, TO
PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL
CONTEXT. MUCH OF THE CITY'S
PERSONNEL SYSTEMS CAN BE
ADMINISTERED BY THE EXECUTIVE
THROUGH THEIR OWN DIRECT
AUTHORITY. BUT THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT
REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL. THIS
BILL COVERS MANY OF THEM. SO
FOR INSTANCE, IT INVOLVES
CHANGES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
STATUS FOR A TOTAL OF 15
POSITIONS. FOUR OF THEM ARE
BEING REMOVED FROM CIVIL
SERVICE. 11 ARE BEING ADDED.
CHANGES REQUIRE DIRECT COUNCIL
ACTION, AND ACTUALLY REQUIRE A
TWO-THIRDS VOTE. SO SIX
AFFIRMATIVE VOTES FROM COUNCIL.
AND THE DECISION THERE IS
SOMEWHAT HIGHER FOR OTHER
THINGS. AND SO CHANGES IN A JOB
TITLE IN THE BODY OF WORK THAT
IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOB
TITLE THAT WILL REQUIRE
APPROVAL. AND IT ESTABLISHES 13
NEW JOB TITLES. EVERY CITY
EMPLOYEE IS ASSIGNED TO A JOB
TITLE, CREATING 13 NEW ONES
BECAUSE THERE'S A SERIES OF
JOBS THAT THEY NEED TO HIRE
FOR, WHICH WE DIDN'T NEED TO
IN THE PAST OR INVOLVED IN SUCH
A WAY THAT WE NEED A NEW
POSITION. A NEW TYPE OF
POSITION. AND THE OTHER THING,
THOUGH THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO
SET RATES OF PAY, PARTICULARLY
FOR BROADBAND EMPLOYEES, THE
RANGE FOR EMPLOYEES, THEY ARE
ALSO ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE,
AND THAT IS THIS BILL THAT WILL
PAY FOR TWO SPECIFIC JOB
TITLES. SO AT THE LAST MEETING,
KARINA AND I, WE WALKED THROUGH
THIS IN DETAIL AND ANSWERED
MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. AN AREA
WHERE THERE IS STILL SOME
UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS, AND AS
YOU'LL HEAR TODAY, NOT
ENTIRELY RESOLVED YET, BUT
WE'RE ON THE PATH AROUND THE
CIVIL SERVICE CHANGES. IN
ADDITION TO CHANGING WHETHER
THE POSITIONS ARE CIVIL SERVICE
PROTECTED OR NOT, AND AGAIN,
FOUR ARE LOSING CIVIL SERVICE
PROTECTIONS, 11 ARE GAINING
THEM. AS A PART OF THAT, THERE
WERE ALSO CHANGES IN THE
CLASSIFICATION FOR THE JOBS.
THE MOST EXTREME EXAMPLE IS
THAT WHAT HAD BEEN AN EXECUTIVE
2 POSITION IS BEING CONVERTED
TO A PAINTING SUPERVISOR, WHICH
IS HAPPENING WHERE THEY DO
PAINTING AS WELL AS A VARIETY
OF OTHER KINDS OF
ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. AND SO
WHEN WE ARE CHANGING THOSE
POSITIONS, THERE WAS SOMEBODY
OF WORK ASSOCIATED AND IT IS
NOW BEING SHIFTED TO SOME NEW
CLASSIFICATION. AND TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL NOT BE
DONE IF THEY WERE DOING
SOMETHING. AND THE NEW
CLASSIFICATION, WHAT WILL IT
TAKE ON AND WHY IS THAT A
PRIORITY? WHY THE SHIFT IN
CLASSIFICATIONS, AND WE ARE
STILL WAITING FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ON THAT FRONT AND
AS RECENTLY AS THIS MORNING. I
EXPECT THAT WE WILL GET THAT
INFORMATION SHORTLY. WE MAY NOT
HAVE IT. AND THERE ARE 13
VACANT POSITIONS, WHERE THERE
IS A POTENTIAL FOR THIS SHIFT
IN THE BODIES OF WORK AND
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY ARE.
AND SO THAT NEW INFORMATION IS
WORKING TO PROVIDE. THEY WERE
NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE IT TODAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE
AVAILABLE BY TUESDAY, SO THE
NEXT FULL COUNCIL MEETING. AND
A STRATEGY THAT I HAVE
DISCUSSED IF YOU ARE
COMFORTABLE TO MOVE THEM OUT OF
COMMITTEE, AND YOU COULD THEN
HOLD THE LEGISLATION. AGAIN, I
BELIEVE IT IS ON ITS WAY SOON,
BUT I CANNOT, YOU KNOW,
FORECAST PRECISELY WHEN WE
WOULD HAVE IT, SO THAT IS WHERE
THINGS STAND.
>> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK
YOU, BEN, FOR BEING HERE,
REVIEWING, AND I ALSO WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR HAVING CENTRAL
STAFF AND YOU REACH OUT TO THE
EXECUTIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENT
FOR THE INFORMATION. AS YOU,
YOURSELF, JUST SAID, THERE'S A
LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE
FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING THE
CLASSIFICATIONS THAT THE
DEPARTMENTS HAVE INCLUDING TO
MAKE THAT WE ARE NOT REQUIRED
TO APPROVE, THEY'RE VERY
LIMITED, WHERE THEY HAVE GIVEN
US THE DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY TO
APPROVE AND I FEEL IN ORDER TO
DO SO, WE NEED THOSE DETAILS,
IF THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE
A COUPLE OF SENTENCES TO
EXPLAIN WHY THEY NEED TO BE
RECLASSIFIED AND THAT WE HAVE
TO APPROVE, IT WILL MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR US TO APPROVE OF
THE ACTIONS, AS I HAVE SAID IN
THE PAST, I MADE A COMMITMENT
TO THE CONSTITUENTS THAT I
SERVE, THAT I DO MY DUE
DILIGENCE WHEN I'M REVIEWING
THINGS. AND IT IS
ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOOD
GOVERNANCE, WHICH I THINK IS
EXPRESSLY THE FOCUS OF THIS
COMMITTEE. AND WHILE I
UNDERSTAND THESE CHANGES ARE
NOT CONTROVERSIAL, AND HAVING
WORKED IN THE DEPARTMENT, I,
MYSELF, HAVE HAD TO RECLASSIFY
THE POSITIONS, SO I UNDERSTAND
THE PROCESS, AND THESE ARE NOT
CONTROVERSIAL. I FEEL I NEED
THE INFORMATION AS I SAID
EARLIER, TAKING A VOTE. AND TO
BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'M NOT
REALLY SURE WHY FOR 13
POSITIONS. IT FEELS LIKE IT'S
BEEN A BIT ONEROUS, GIVEN THIS
INFORMATION, AND I'M NOT SURE
WHY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS I
SAID IN THE ABSENCE OF THE
INFORMATION, I FEEL LIKE I
WOULD BE RUBBER STAMPING
SOMEONE ELSE'S DECISIONS,
INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO MAKE
THE INFORMED DECISIONS TO DO
THE VOTE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY
THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN. THAT'S
HOW I FEEL, AND SO TODAY, I
WILL VOTE TO MOVE THIS OUT OF
COMMITTEE WITH THE CAVEAT THAT
WE RECEIVED THE INFORMATION ON
THESE 13 POSITIONS BEFORE IT
COMES TO FULL COUNCIL. THANK
YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, BEN.
>> AND BECAUSE THIS COMMITTEE
ACTIONS AND THIS COMMITTEE DO
NOT GO TO THE FOLLOWING FULL
COUNCIL BECAUSE IT IS AFTER WE
TAKE VOTES AFTER 1:00 ON A
THURSDAY. SO HAD WOULD NORMALLY
GO, NOT ON -- OH. AND THERE IS
ALSO THE HOLIDAY. SO IT WOULD
NOT -- NORMALLY NOT BE ON THE
AGENDA ON THE 13th. WE DON'T
HAVE THE -- WE HAVE A HOLIDAY
ON THE 20th, SO IT WOULD
PERHAPS COME ON THE 27th. THANK
YOU FOR GETTING THIS OUT OF
COMMITTEE. GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THANK YOU, CHAIR. I
WAS REVIEWING THE BRIEFING.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE GOING
TO WALK THROUGH THAT. IT
STRIKES ME AS INTERESTING. I
CONCUR WITH THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER
MORALES ON THE POINTS THAT
THEY'RE MAKING. BUT I WAS JUST
CURIOUS. YOU KNOW, THESE
CHANGES THAT HAPPEN. OBVIOUSLY
WE CREATE NEW ONES AND WE HAVE
A RETURNED 11 POSITIONS. AND
WHY WERE THEY PLACED IN THE
POSITION WHERE THEY NEED TO
RETURN? AND IS THIS A
REFLECTION OF DIFFERENT
ADMINISTRATIONS HAVING
DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES? WHAT'S
DRIVING THE SWING?
>> THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT MIGHT BE REVEALED
IN THE ANSWERS TO THE
QUESTIONS. SO I'LL GET A
LITTLE GEEKY IN DETAILS HERE
FOR YOU. AND A NUMBER OF THE
POSITIONS, THEY ARE TAKING A
STRATEGIC ADVISER, AND IS
EXEMPT AND RECLASSIFYING IT TO
THE STRATEGIC ADVISER, SO ONE
WITH CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION.
AND IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME,
HENCE THE QUESTION. IS THAT
BECAUSE OF THE NEW BODY OF WORK
THAT IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR
THE CIVIC SERVICE PROTECTION OR
THAT SOMEONE REALIZED, YOU KNOW
WHAT, WE PROBABLY SAW THE
CREATION, AND SO WHEN WE SAY
RETURN, IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN
THAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY IN
CIVIL SERVICE AND THEN CAME OUT
AND ARE NOW GOING BACK IN. IT
MAY HAVE BEEN THEY WERE CREATED
WITH AN EXEMPT STATUS, WITH
RESPECT TO CIVIL SERVICE. BUT
IN THAT CASE, TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THE SHIFT BACK TO
CIVIL SERVICE BECAUSE THE BODY
OF WORK HAS CHANGED OR BECAUSE
SOMEBODY THOUGHT BETTER ABOUT
THAT UNDERLINING BODY OF WORK,
AND IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE
CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION. AND I
DO THINK, I DON'T KNOW THIS.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE OVERTIME
WHERE THE CITY GOT A LITTLE BIT
LAX OR HAD A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHAT
QUALIFIES FOR CIVIL SERVICE
PROTECTION AND WHAT DOESN'T.
IF YOU WILL, BEING MORE
CAREFUL. THAT IS MAYBE A LOADED
TERM THAT IT IS NOT INTENDED TO
BE, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE
ANSWERS TO UNDERSTAND. IN SOME
WAYS, IT IS STRATEGIC ADVISER
TO STRATEGIC ADVISER. I CAN'T
TELL.
>> I UNDERSTAND. AND SO THAT
GOES, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR
NOBLE. THAT WILL GO ALSO TO,
YOU KNOW, ARE THESE POSITIONS
NEW, WHICH WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, OR SWITCHING, INSTEAD OF
GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
CREATING A NEW ONE, THEY'RE
TAKING AN OLD ONE AND JUST
MODIFYING IT, AND THAT WILL
CHANGE THE CONDITIONS THAT WILL
LEAD TO THE DECISIONS TO RETURN
SOMETHING. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I
COULD LOOK AT SPD, NUMBER FOUR,
LEGAL SYSTEM. WELL, LEGAL
ASSISTANT. SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL
ALWAYS BE SOMETHING THAT WILL
BE A PART OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
IT IS NOT A SENIOR OR WHATEVER
KIND OF BASIC, YOU KNOW,
STRAIGHTFORWARD. AND SO IT IS
LIKE WHY IS THIS NEEDING TO BE
RETURNED? WHY IS IT ALWAYS THAT
WAY?
>> AND AGAIN, I'M NOT IN
PREPARATION FOR THIS HEARING. I
WENT TO REVIEW THE CIVIL
SERVICE RULES ABOUT WHAT WILL
MAKE THING. AND EVEN HAVING
READ THE RULES, I DON'T HAVE
COMPLETE CLARITY ABOUT WITH A
HAD WILL MAKE THE DISTINCTION
AND JUST BEING HONEST ABOUT
THAT. BUT THERE IS REFERENCE TO
THE LEVEL OF SENSITIVITY OF THE
MATERIAL THAT THEY'RE SEEING
IN WORKING WITH AND THE NATURE
OF THE RELATIONSHIP. AND TO
THEIR SUPERVISOR. IT COULD BE
EVEN AS A LEGAL ASSISTANT. THE
KIND OF WORK THAT THEY WERE
DOING PREVIOUSLY WAS A
SENSITIVE NATURE THAT IT IS
APPROPRIATE AND NOW THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO USE THAT POSITION.
IF I RECALL THAT ONE, MAYBE
MORE IN THE LINES OF DOING
SCREENING FOR HIRING OR
SOMETHING, IN WHICH CASE, YOU
KNOW, AT THIS POINT, THE CIVIL
SERVICE PROTECTION, IT IS
APPROPRIATE IN THE WAY THAT IT
WASN'T BEFORE.
>> I UNDERSTAND. AND I WOULD
SAY TOO, I APPRECIATE HAVING
THIS BRIEFING BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF WORK. I
WORK WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AS
YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE PUBLIC
SAFETY SIDE RELATED TO
RECRUITMENT. WE PASSED THAT
BILL LAST YEAR. IT IS GOOD TO
SEE IN TERMS OF ESTABLISH
BECAUSE WE CREATED THE PUBLIC
SAFETY SERVICE COMMISSION. AND
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT IT IS
NICE TO SEE IN TERMS OF THE
FOLLOW THROUGH. THAT'S
IMPORTANT. AS MENTIONED HERE
BEFORE ON THE DIOCESE. IF WE DO
SLIDES OR COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION
OR WE DO OTHER PIECES LIKE THE
LEGISLATION. AND IF WE DON'T
FOLLOW IT UP, HAS SOMEONE NOTED
THAT IT IS JUST A PIECE OF
PAPER? SO WE HAVE TO DO THE DUE
DILIGENCE AND KEEP THE PRESS
ON, WHICH WILL KIND OF GO TO
THE COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA'S
POINT, TO ENSURE WE'RE GETTING
THE JOB DONE.
>> AND SOME OF THESE CHANGES
ARE RESPONSIVE, SO IT WAS BEING
SHIFTED TO THE COMMISSION AND
ALONG WITH WHAT NEEDED TO SHOW
YOU THE MODIFICATIONS TO THE
CLASSIFICATIONS AND THE TWO
SHOPS.
>> EXACTLY.
>> AND THAT IS SOME OF WHAT IS
REFLECTED HERE. I GOT TO TELL
MY STORY THE LAST TIME. WE ARE
TAKING ON A WHOLE NEW BODY OF
WORK THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD AND
WE NEED POSITIONS FOR THAT AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> I WOULD SAY THANK YOU,
COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR RAISING THE
PIECE ABOUT DEPARTMENTS DO
SOMETIMES REPURPOSE POSITIONS,
WHERE THEY'VE HAD A VACANCY
FOR A WHILE. THEY HAD A NEED
FOR A DIFFERENT BODY OF WORK.
THEY CAN REQUEST A
RECLASSIFICATION TO A WHOLE
DIFFERENT JOB TITLE TO DO THE
THING THEY CURRENTLY NEED DONE
BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER NEEDED
THAT POSITION. THAT BODY OF
WORK WENT AWAY FOR REASONS. AND
MY CONCERN IS IF YOU ARE
GETTING RID OF A BODY OF WORK,
IS THAT BODY OF WORK THAT
YOU'RE GETTING RID OF AT A
MOMENT GOING TO COME BACK? AND
THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU HAVE TO
ADD A NEW POSITION BECAUSE YOU
CAN'T FIRE THE PERSON THAT IS
IN THAT POSITION BECAUSE NOW WE
NEED THESE ORIGINAL BODIES OF
WORK. AND I THINK THAT THE
INFORMATION AS TO WHY WE'RE
DOING THE RECLASSIFICATION, YOU
KNOW, WHY IS THE BODY OF WORK
CHANGING. ALL OF THAT IS
IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE MAKING
THESE DECISIONS. AS I SAID
EARLIER, THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO
BE A LONG DRAWN OUT BIG
EXPLANATION. THESE THINGS COULD
BE READY ANSWERED AND AS FAR AS
HAVING DONE THIS MYSELF IN THE
DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T GET --
I WOULD SAY A QUICK ANSWER, BUT
NOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE. JUST A
SHORT ANSWER AS TO EACH OF
THESE, TO GIVE US THE
INFORMATION BY WHICH WE COULD
SAY YEAH, I VOTED. AND IF
SOMEBODY ASKED ME WHY, I COULD
SAY WHY. AND THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO ME. AND ALL DUE
RESPECT TO THE DIRECTORS AND
ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK THEY DO.
AND THAT HAPPENS TOO.
>> AND JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK
COMMENT. WE SAID IT THIS LAST
TIME TOO. TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS
A LOT THAT HAPPENS. AND THEY DO
NOT HAVE A VOICE IN. THERE ARE
12,000 CITY EMPLOYEES AND IT
WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT. BUT
YOU'RE SEEING THESE BECAUSE
THEY ARE TIED UP. BUT AGAIN,
THEY HAD SOME EXPLANATION AND
IT IS TOTALLY REASONABLE.
WITHOUT COMMENT, IF YOU WILL,
THE REASON WHY THIS HAS BEEN
PROJECTED, THESE QUESTIONS HAD
NOT BEEN STANDARD PRACTICE IN
THE PAST OR AT LEAST IN THE
RECENT PAST. AGAIN, THAT'S NOT
MY POSITION TO MAKE JUDGMENT
ABOUT THAT. AND SO SOME FOLKS,
THEY ARE SORT OF CAUGHT OFF
GUARD, IF YOU WILL. BUT AGAIN,
AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT
RECEIVING ANY RESISTANCE, JUST
A QUESTION OF HAVING CLARIFIED.
AND ON YOUR BEHALF IF YOU WILL
AND IN AN EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT WE ARE SORT OF IN THIS
EXECUTIVE TOGETHER IN SOME
LEVELS, WOULD TRY TO STREAMLINE
THE QUESTION. SO THIS SHOULD BE
STRAIGHTFORWARD. WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO GET RESPONSES
RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
>> YEAH. I WAS GOING TO
COMMENT, AS I KNOW YOU HAVE A
FOLLOW UP, I CAN TELL. I THINK
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, WE
HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS
A MANIFESTATION OF THAT
IMPULSE, ASKING A LOT OF
QUESTIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN
ASKED BEFORE ABOUT THINGS THAT
SEEM INSIGNIFICANT, THAT ARE
ULTIMATELY IMPORTANT. AND THAT
IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE
STEP-BY-STEP DAILY BLOCK AND
TACKLE OF THE LEGISLATIVE
OVERSIGHT ENTAILS. GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS JUST -- THANK YOU,
CHAIR. WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW
UP. I'M NOT ASKING TO LOOK AT
EVERY POSITION ACROSS THE CITY
AND HAVING DONE THE WORK. I
DON'T THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO.
BUT THE ONES THAT THEY HAVE
GIVEN US DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY
TO, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE
DOING, RIGHT? AND SO REALLY, I
DON'T SEE IT AS A HEAVY LIFT
OR AN OVERREACH OR IT IS NOT
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WE
JUST WANT SOME BASIC
INFORMATION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT
OR THE CHAMBERS HERE TODAY,
MADAM CHAIR. BOTH. SO I
APPRECIATE THE GREAT DISCUSSION
SO FAR IN THE FIRST PAST YEAR,
I LEARNED THAT AS A NEWER
COUNCIL MEMBER NOW, I LEARNED
THAT WE HAVE A FEW POWERS AS A
SEPARATELY ELECTED BRANCH OF
THE EXECUTIVE. AND ONE IS WHO
CAN WRITE CHECKS AND WRITE
LAWS. THE EXECUTIVE IS
PRINCIPALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
SPENDING THAT MONEY OR NOT.
THAT'S WITHIN THEIR
PREROGATIVE. AND IMPLEMENTING
ANY AND ALL LAWS THAT WE PASS.
AND A PART OF THAT AUTHORITY
WITH RESPECT TO THE POWER, WHAT
WE COULD DO IS I'VE LEARNED
THAT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY AS
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AS A
COUNCIL TO FUND PROGRAMS AND
CREATE POSITIONS. POSITION
AUTHORITY. FUND PROGRAMS ASK
CREATE POSITION AUTHORITIES.
AND THE FACT THAT WE JUST DID
THAT THIS LAST BUDGET AT LEAST
ONCE. AND IT IS UP TO THE
EXECUTIVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
IMPLEMENT. MY QUESTION IS,
DIRECTOR NOBLE, IS THERE
CURRENTLY ANY REQUIREMENT AS
PART OF ALL OF THIS THAT WE'RE
DOING NOW, FOR THE ORDINANCE,
THE ONLY FORCE AWAY. NOT GOING
TO COMPEL THE RESOLUTION. IS
THERE ANY LEGISLATION ORDINANCE
THAT SPECIFICALLY REQUIRES THE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT AS A PART
OF THIS PROCESS HERE TO
DISCLOSE IF ONE OF THE PROPOSED
CHANGES TO THE CLASSIFICATION,
WHETHER IT IS THE JOB TITLES,
PAY RATES, ETC., HAS TIES TO
AND TRACES TO ONE OF THE
PREVIOUSLY CREATED COUNCIL
ROLES. IS THERE A WAY, CURRENT
LEGISLATION IT IN PLACE THAT
WILL REQUIRE THEM, AND TWO, THE
SECOND QUESTION IS IN THE
ABSENCE OF ANY LEGAL
REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THAT IS
WHAT THAT WOULD BE. WE COULD
BEG FOR INFORMATION AND ASK
KINDLY OFFLINE, AND THAT'S THE
BEST WAY TO SOLVE THESE
CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE ALL
COLLABORATE TOGETHER OR COMPEL
IT. AND SO IN THE ABSENCE OF
THAT, THAT LEGAL REQUIREMENT,
WHAT MECHANISMS DO WE HAVE TO
BETTER TRACE THE LINEAGE OF
THOSE PROPOSED? IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO KNOW, FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE AT LEAST, WHICH, IF
ANY OF THESE, CIVIL SERVICE
CLASSIFICATION CHANGES
SPECIFICALLY TIED TO A PRIOR
COUNCIL PRIORITY PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED POSITION? TWO
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE
IS NO EXISTING REQUIREMENT, IF
YOU WILL. I HAD TO THINK MORE
ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION
BECAUSE IT IS TRICKY. AND
WHETHER IT IS SORT OF COUNCIL
INITIATED IDEA OR ONE THAT WAS
IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FROM THE
MAYOR, RIGHT? AND ALSO THE
CHALLENGE OF HAVING MYSELF IN
THE CITY FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS
AND THE TIME SPAN OF THOSE
THINGS AND HOW THEY WOULD
EVOLVE. AND SO THAT IS ALSO WHY
WE'RE GOING TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT WHAT BODY OF WORK WAS
BEING ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND
WHAT BODY OF WORK WOULD BE
APPLIED TO, IF YOU WILL. I
DON'T NEED TO REMIND YOU JUST
BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING HERE
TALKING ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT TO
REMOVE IT UNTIL YOU GET THE
ANSWERS, RIGHT? AND I HAVE BEEN
USE THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOT IN
A THREATENING WAY, BUT THAT IT
IS ACKNOWLEDGED, RIGHT? AND
AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD
SAY IT IS A NEW DAY, AND WE
NEED TO CLARIFY THAT AND THEY
NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT. AND WE
DO AS WELL. SO YOUR
EXPECTATIONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN
PREVIOUS COUNCILS. AND I HAVE
BEEN HAVING THAT DISCUSSION. SO
WE NEED THE INFORMATION NOW AND
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEND ONE OF
THESE ORDINANCES, THIS IS WHAT
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED AND WHAT
THEY WILL LOOK LIKE GOING
FORWARD. ANDED FROM CENTRAL
STAFF AND LEGISLATIVE STAFF
PERSPECTIVE. WE COULD MAKE,
I'M TRYING TO THINK WHICH
EFFORTS WE COULD TAKE TO TRACK
THE POSITIONS THAT YOU WOULD
ALL CREATE THIS PAST FALL TO
SEE NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN DO
THEY GET FILLS AND IN THE END,
YOUR POLICY DIRECTIONS WILL
FOLLOW THROUGH ON AND IMPLEMENT
IT? AND IF WE START TO DEVELOP
A DIRECT MECHANISM THAT THEY
WILL EXIST IN TIME.
>> THANK YOU. WITH RESPECT TO
THE LADDER COMPONENT OF YOUR
RESPONSE, SURE IT MAKES SENSE.
AND SO WE SHOULD PROBABLY
INITIATE TRACKING ON OUR END IF
WE HAVEN'T ALREADY. AND I
THINK ULTIMATELY THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT AND
THAT IT HAD COULD BE A BURDEN
SHIFT IN THINGS, AND THAT WE
SHOULD REST WITH THE DEPARTMENT
AND TRACING IT AND THAT WE WILL
HAVE A SMALL STAFF. AND YOU
WANT TO IMPOSE ANOTHER WHEN
THEY WOULD HAVE 13,000
EMPLOYEES. AND YOUR RESPONSE,
YES, AS THE ULTIMATE MECHANISM
OF AN EXERCISE OF OUR AUTHORITY
AND AS WE COULD SAY NO, WE'RE
NOT GOING TO PASS YOUR
PROPOSAL. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFICULT. NOT DIFFICULT, BUT
THEY WILL REQUIRE FIVE VOTES
BECAUSE IT'S A POLICY IN OUR
BODY. AND THE EASIER THING TO
DO WOULD BE TO COMPEL OR
REQUIRE THAT INFORMATION
UPFRONT. AND TO ADDRESS IT IN A
MORE DURABLE, SCALABLE MANNER,
RATHER THAN HAVING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS OVER AND OVER AND
OVER AND OVER, MARSHAWN LYNCH,
BEAST MODE, OVER AND OVER AND
OVER AGAIN, RIGHT? AND SO YEAH,
I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK
AROUND CORNERS.
>> I HAVE A SOLUTION.
>> ANY WAY, GO AHEAD.
>> AND THE FISCAL NOTE
REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE IN
THEORY WILL PROVIDE THAT THE
IDEA IS TO PROVIDE THE TITLE
FINANCIAL FISCAL, AND THEY
INCLUDE A SUMMARY AND THEY
ACCUMULATED A VARIETY OF OTHER
THINGS WITH SOME SPECIFICATION
ADDED ABOUT THE POSITION
AUTHORITY AND WHAT WE EXPECT
FROM THE EXECUTIVE IN TERMS OF
THAT. SO AGAIN, I WOULD WANT --
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A
RECOMMENDATION ON THE FLY. WE
WOULD WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE
BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT.
>> AND TRACING THE LINEAGE OF
THE POSITION PROPOSED CHANGES
TO CIVIL SERVICE
CLASSIFICATIONS BASED OFF OF,
YOU KNOW, THAT WERE CREATED VIA
LEGISLATION. AND MANDATING THAT
OR REQUIRING THAT LEGISLATIVELY
IS ONE THING. AND THE OTHER
THING THAT COULD BE DONE IS,
YOU KNOW, REQUIRING CERTAIN
DETAILED INFORMATION,
LEGISLATIVELY, RATHER THAN
PLEASE, YOU KNOW, SHARE IT HAD
INFORMATION. AND ANY WAY,
LET'S CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION.
>> YEP.
>> AND SO YOU'RE DIPPING YOUR
TOE INTO A POOL THAT I KIND OF
TOOK A BATH IN. SO LET ME JUST
SAY FOR EXAMPLE, YES, IT IS
TRUE, DIRECTOR NOBLE, THAT THEY
ARE SUPPOSE TO TALK ABOUT
FINANCIAL IMPACTS, AND I ASKED
THAT QUESTION. WHEN I WAS
LOOKING AT Q4, 2023, AND THERE
WERE ROUGHLY 12 POSITIONS
IMPACTED IN VARIOUS WAYS. THEY
WOULD HAVE NO DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR
THE IMPACT. AND FOR THE
QUESTION THAT WILL SAY IS
THERE, YOU KNOW, QUESTION TWO
OR THREE. DO THEY HAVE
FINANCIAL IMPACTS TO THE CITY
AND THAT THERE IS AN
EXPLANATION NO AND THESE
ACTIONS THAT IS A WORD COUNT.
BECAUSE THEY ARE ABLE TO PAY
FOR IT THAT YEAR BECAUSE
THEY'VE GOT SOME RESOURCES.
AND YOU'RE ADDING TO THE BASE
YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THAT WILL
ADD UP. AND THEN YOU MULTIPLY
THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WE
ARE RECLASSIFYING. IN FACT, THE
-- I FOUND OUT THAT QUARTER'S
FINANCIAL IMPACTS WERE 67,000.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON
DIFFERENCES IN THOSE POSITIONS.
AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO DIG
IN, OKAY, HOW MUCH DO THEY
DIFFER? THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
VERY MUCH. HOWEVER, WE'VE HAD
SOME IMPROVEMENTS WHERE THEY
ARE PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION
AT THIS TIME. AND SO I BELIEVE
THE IMPACT IS 90,000. I'M NOT
SURE. IT'S IT IN MY NOTES
HERE. AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
SO FAR ABOUT THE WORK, WHAT IS
GETTING DONE AND WHAT IS NOT
GETTING DONE, AND SO WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT BOTH KINDS OF IMPACTS
HERE. SO IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE
VERY MUCH. I ENDED UP ASKING
HOW MANY CLASSIFICATIONS WERE
THERE IN 2023 TOTAL? AND AS YOU
SAID, DIRECTOR NOBLE, THE VAST
MAJORITY OF CHANGES TO
POSITIONS, AND IN WHATEVER FORM
THEY ARE, THEY NEVER CAME
BEFORE COUNCIL. AND JUST SO YOU
UNDERSTAND. GUESS HOW MANY
REQUESTS FOR CLASSIFICATION
REVIEWS THERE WERE IN 2023?
OKAY. AND THERE WERE 568
REQUESTS FOR CLASSIFICATION
REVIEWS IN 2023 AND PROJECTED
FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF THE
CHANGES TO BE ABOUT $2.9
MILLION ACTUAL FISCAL IMPACTS
THAT WOULD TURN OUT TO BE $1.8
MILLION. AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE. AND THEY DO
ADD UP IN LAYERS AND WHAT THEY
WOULD FIGHT INTO DEFICITS. SO
THE POINT IS THE SOLUTION TO
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, THAT THEY
DID COME UP WITH AN IDEA AND
THAT THEY COULD, THE ONE AT THE
END OF THE YEAR COULD INCLUDE
ANNUAL REPORTS WITH FINANCIAL
IMPACTS OF ALL CLASSIFICATION
REVIEWS IN A LUMP SUM, I WOULD
SAY, BUT THAT DOES NOT
NECESSARILY GET TO THE ACTUAL
WORK. BUT THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ASK FOR
MORE INFORMATION AND THEN
CODIFY IT IN A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. I WOULD BE OPEN TO
THAT IDEA. OKAY. YES?
>> MADAM COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU. ALL THAT SOUNDS
TERRIFIC. LET'S GO. AND THEN
THE ONLY THING I'LL SAY, YES,
I AGREE. WE'RE GETTING THAT
INFORMATION CURRENTLY FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS TODAY,
AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME
INFORMATION THAT IS
FORTHCOMING. THAT HAS BEEN
REQUESTED, WHICH IS GREAT. AND
I THINK THE BENEFIT OF GOING
ALONG THE SOLUTION ROUTE THAT
YOU JUST DESCRIBED THAT WE HAVE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE, AGAIN,
MY GOAL IS A SCALABLE, DURABLE
SOLUTION. AND SO YES, I'M
PROUD TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER
WITH THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE, THE
CURRENT EXECUTIVE IS RESPONSIVE
AND AVAILABLE. BUT THIS IS AN
INTENDED OUTLET. ME AND THE
CURRENT EXECUTIVE. I WANT TO
SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. AND
THE TAX PAYING PUBLIC UP FOR
SUCCESS.
>> AND ALL OF THE ABOVE, THEY
WILL THANK US FOR THAT ALSO.
ALWAYS SOME CERTAINTY AROUND
THE QUESTION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
AND ONE MORE, GO AHEAD.
>> AND CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND IF YOU NEED THAT BODY
OF WORK THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK
YOU NEEDED, NOW YOU'RE HAVING
TO ADD POSITIONS TO DO THE
THINGS YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU
NEEDED TO DO. SO THIS IS ALL
VERY PRUDENT. I THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, FOR YOUR
WORDS. AND THIS IS TO SET UP
THE CITY FOR SUCCESS THAT
WILLOUT LIVE US UP HERE, SO I
AGREE. THANK YOU.
>> AND AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
USED TO GO TO FULL COUNCIL, GET
VOTED ON BY ALL NINE, AND I
DON'T REMEMBER ONE NEVER
PASSING. SO THIS IS TURNING A
NEW CORNER IN THE DIRECTION OF
THE CITY. OKAY. SEEING NO OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I MOVE
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF COUNCIL BILL 120925. IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF THE BILL. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
COUNCIL PASS COUNCIL BILL
120925.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR NELSON?
>> AYE.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
COUNCIL PASS COUNCIL BILL
120925 WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL
CONSIDERATION ONCE THE
QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. IT IS
SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE IN CITY
COUNCIL MEETING. OKAY. THANK
YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR THAT
DISCUSSION. THIS CONCLUDES THE
AGENDA OF THE JANUARY 9 MEETING
OF THE GOVERNANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. DOES
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER THINGS
THEY'D LIKE TO BRING UP IN
OTHER BUSINESS? NO? OKAY. WE'LL
BE MOVING OUR 2:00 P.M -- JUST
A SECOND. OH, YES, PLEASE NOTE
WE WILL BE MOVING OUR 2:00 P.M.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, COMMITTEE
MEETING TO 9:30 FRIDAY, JANUARY
24, NO, IS THAT THE 23? CAN YOU
PLEASE --
>> THE 24th, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> OKAY, IT IS SCHEDULED FOR,
USUALLY, THURSDAY IS THE 23.
WE'RE MOVING IT TO THE 24th
BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
WORK FOR THE VACANCY THAT'S
COMING UP THAT DAY. SO THE NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE 2:00
P.M. ON JANUARY 24. NEXT WILL
BE 9:30 ON JANUARY 24, WHICH IS
A FRIDAY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, AND WE ARE
ADJOURNED.