CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE. PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>>
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
FOUR PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I WANT TO NOTE WE'RE
ALSO JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE.
ALL RIGHT, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NONE, THE AGENDA IS NOW
ADOPTED, AND WE WILL NOW
BEGIN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
LET'S SEE, RELATING TO THE
ITEMS WITHIN THE PURSUE OF
THE COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY?
>> COUNCILMEMBER, WE HAVE 21
IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS AND
7
VIRTUAL.
>> ALL RIGHT, GIVE ONE MINUTE
AND START WITH TEN
IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS AND
GO TO
ONLINE, FINISH THOSE, AND
THEN COME BACK.
THANK YOU.
PLEASE READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS.
>> I'LL CALL ON THE SPEAKERS
IN ORDER THEY SIGNED UP TO
SPEAK STARTING WITH IN- PERSON
COMMENTERS AS
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON MENTIONED,
YOUR MIC WILL
BE CUT OFF SO WE CAN MOVE TO
IT NEXT SPEAKER.
>> I WANT TO NOTE WE DO HAVE
A FORMER COUNCILMEMBER PRESENT,
SO
OUR TRADITION IS TO
LET THAT PERSON GO FIRST AND
THEN PROCEED
WITH THE NEXT PEOPLE.
AND FOR THE RECORD I NOTE
THAT COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
HAS JOINED
US.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
YEAH, THE FIRST IN- PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE FORMER
COUNCILMEMBER --
>> OKAY, GO AHEAD WITH THE
ORDER.
>> ALL RIGHTY, FIRST WE'LL HAVE
PAMELA REESE, AND I APOLOGIZE IN
ADVANCE IF I MISS PRONOUNCE YOUR
FIRST OR LAST NAME.
THANK YOU.
>> HELLO.
I'M
PAULA REESE. I WORKED IN
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
FOR 45 YEARS.
MY DESIGN FIRM SPECIALIZES
IN HOW TO MAKE REALLY
SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOODS.
ORANGE BOROUGH MEDIA HAS
PLASTERED THEIR DIGITAL
SPACECRAFT ALL OVER TWO OF
OUR PROJECTS IN TWO OTHER
CITIES.
THEY'RE ANNOYING AND UNSIGHTLY
UNITS SEEM TO DOMINATE THE
STREETS.
IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN HERE.
NOT FOR RED BULL AND NOT FOR
COCA- COLA, THEIR MAIN
ADVERTISER.
PLEASE TELL IKE TO TAKE A HIKE.
FOR 35 YEARS I'VE REPRESENTED
THE THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS
WHO HAVE CAREFULLY BEEN HERE
TO MAINTAIN SEATTLE'S AD BAN
SINCE
THE 1960s ALLIED ARTS WAS BEFORE
US.
CURRENTLY THE PUBLIC IS
UNAWARE
OF THIS. IF ALLOWED, THERE WILL
BE RIGHTFUL LAWSUITS IN THE
WINGS
BY MUCH LARGER PLAYERS THAT
HAVE BEEN TOLD --
>> THANK
YOU, PAULA.
>> OUR BUSINESSES ARE TOLD
NO.
>> THANK YOU, PAULA.
THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE ELLEN.
FOLLOWING ELLEN, WE HAVE ALICE.
AND AFTER ALICE, WE
HAVE
CAROLYN. COME ON
DOWN.
>> WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE 2
MINUTES, SO I WILL TRY TO
KEEP MINE DOWN TO 1.
I'M A CITIZEN AND I'M A
FORMER VICE CHAIR OF THE SEATTLE
DESIGN
COMMISSION. I'M OPPOSED TO THE
DIGITAL KIOSKS.
THIS 8 FOOT BY 3 FOOT FLASHING
SCREENS WILL HAVE A
DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON THE
CHARACTER OF
OUR CITY.
EACH KIOSK WILL FLASH 920
TIMESTIMES
AN HOUR AND ALLOW BOTH STATX AND
MOVING IMAGES FOR A TOTAL OF
21,600 TIMES IN 24
HOURS. WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO
WEAN
CHILDREN FROM THEIR SCREENS AND
WE KNOW HOW DETRIMENTAL THIS IS
TO OUR SOCIAL FABRIC, WHY IN
THE WORLD WOULD WE ALLOW THIS IN
OUR
CITY? THE PROGRAM VIOLATES THE
CITY'S SIGN CODE AND WOULD
NEVER
BE APPROVED UNDER THE CODE.
THE TERM PERMIT IS A
SHAMEFUL WAY OF UNDERMINING CITY
POLICY. ORANGE BURROW MEDIA HAS
WITHHELD
THEIR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS, AND
THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT HAS
FAILED TO SHOW DATA OF HOW THE
IMPACTS
IN OTHER CITIES --
>> THANK YOU,
ELLEN.
>> I'D LIKE TO LEAVE THE REST
OF MY TESTIMONY ALONG WITH
MY COMMENTS I PREVIOUSLY SENT
TO COUNCIL SO THEY'LL GET
RECORDED FOR TODAY.
THANK
YOU.
>> JUST A REMINDER, WHEN YOU
HEAR THE CHIME, JUST A REMINDER
YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS LEFT.
JUST A REMINDER.
ALICE, GO AHEAD.
>> THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL HAS
REQUIRED COUNCILMEMBER TO
RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTES
WHEN THEY
HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 45
YEARS.
I THINK SOME OF YOU HAVE NOT
EVEN FINISHED ONE TERM, SO WHY?
WHAT IS THIS?
I MEAN, REALLY.
OUR RULES ARE SIMILAR TO
OTHER LARGE CITIES AROUND THE
COUNTRY,
AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO BOTHER
THEM.
GIVEN THE INCREASING LACK
OF TRUST AND FAITH IN
ELECTED OFFICIALS DUE PRIMARILY
BY THE
CHAOS AND CORRUPTION AND
CONFUSION I WOULD THINK TWICE
IF I WERE YOU IF I VOTED FOR
THIS.
DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR AND VOTE
NO.
>> THANK YOU, ALICE.
FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE
CAROLYN, FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE
ALEX
ZIMMERMAN, AND THEN APRIL.
COME ON DOWN.
COME ON
CAROLYN, ALEX, AND APRIL.
CAROLYN?
>> I'M CAROLYN MALONE.
SHOULD PUBLIC SERVANTS FIRST
RESPONDERS, THAT IS FIRE,
POLICE, AMBULANCE DRIVERS
FIRST PRIORITY AND SIMPLE DUTY,
A
MAJOR DUTY NOT BE ROAD RAGING
IN THE STREETS BUT SAVING
LIVES, NOT TRYING TO DAMAGE MY
HEARING BECAUSE I'M STANDING AT
5th
AND CHERRY PROTESTING SEATTLE
ROAD
RACIST COPS. I TAKE NOTE OF ALL
THOSE
SIREN HARASSERS AND VIOLATORS,
AND THEY SIMPLY FIND ME WHEREVER
I GO, EVEN RIDING BUSES,
FIREMEN CIRCULATE AROUND CAUSING
THE
BUSES TO STOP.
THESE PEOPLE, SERVANTS,
PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOULD BE
REINTRODUCED
TO THEIR PRIMARY
DUTY, WHICH IS TO SAVE LIVES,
NOT DAMAGE
MY HEARING.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CAROLYN.
FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE
ALEX, APRIL PUTNY, AND THEN
RACHEL
SNELL.
THANK
YOU.
>> MY NAME IS ALEX.
I WANT TO SPEAK RIGHT NOW
ABOUT THE
KIOSK. ANOTHER STUPIDITY.
SO I HAVE SOMETHING I
CAN RECOMMEND YOU RIGHT
NOW. YESTERDAY COME NEW
STATISTIC.
FOR FIVE YEAR COME FROM NUMBER
ONE, COME TO NUMBER TEN.
AND CRIME, HOUSING, AND
HOMELESS WE'RE NUMBER ONE FROM
THE
BOTTOM. IT HAS HAPPENED FOR FIVE
YEARS.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN TO
ME?
>> ALL RIGHT, AFTER ALEX WE
HAVE APRIL PUTNY, RACHEL SNELL,
AND JORDAN CRAWLEY.
THANK
YOU.
>> HI, THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MY TESTIMONY
TODAY.
APRIL PUTNY HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF THE SEATTLE WORLD CUP
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE IN
SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION 32170.
WE ARE REALLY EXCITED LIKE
ALL OF YOU TO BE WELCOMING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
FANSFANS THE CITY
NEXT SUMMER.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMALLY GOING TO
BE HERE TO ENJOY OUR BEAUTIFUL
SUMMERS, AND WE REALLY
THINK AFTER HAVING A CHANCE TO
REVIEW AND SEE THE KIOSKS, THAT
THESE ARE GOING TO BE AN AMAZING
ASSET TO OUR CITY BOTH DURING
THE WORLD CUP AND LONG AFTER
THE FINAL WHISTLE.
THERE'S TWO THINGS IN
PARTICULAR
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
WITH THESE KIOSKS.
ONE, THE ON DEMAND TRANSLATION.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE
COMING
HERE, MANY FROM INTERNATIONAL
PLATES, SOME OF WHOM MAY HAVE
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
THAT'S GOING TO BE TRUE
LONG AFTER THE WORLD CUP AS
WELL, AND THIS WILL HELP
NAVIGATE THE
CITY WITH EASE.
THE OTHER THING WE'RE
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE
DYNAMIC
CALENDER, WHICH WE'VE HEARD
FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
PREVIOUSLY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE SENDING PEOPLE OUTSIDE
INTO THE OTHER PARTS OF INTO
DOWNTOWN COR DOR, OUTSIDE
THE DOWNTOWN COR DOR INTO
OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, AND
THIS
WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO
THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS
RACHEL SNELL.
OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS
UHAVE HEARD FROM MANY
SEATTLEITES LIKE
MYSELF WHO STRONGLY
OPPOSE ROLLING BACK ETHICS.
WHY WOULD ELECTED
OFFICIALS WHO WERE VOTED INTO
OFFICE BY THE
PEOPLE EVEN CONSIDER A PIECE OF
LEDGETIATION THAT IS
STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE PEOPLE?
I SAID THIS TUESDAY, AND I'M
GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.
YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO
DEMAND OUR TRUST AND SUPPORT.
YOU HAVE TO EARN OUR RESPECT
AND TRUST.
HOW DO YOU EARN THIS?
THROUGH BEING TRANSPARENT
AND HONEST WITH YOUR
CONSTITUENTS ABOUT WHO YOU ARE
AS
INDIVIDUALS AND BY VOTING NO ON
ROLLING BACK
ETHICS PROTECTIONS OR PREPARE
FOR MASSIVE PROTESTS AND MASSIVE
BACKLASH.
>> ALL RIGHT, FOLLOWING
RACHEL WE HAVE JORDAN CRAWLEY,
HOWARD GAYLE, AND TAYLOR BACK.
WELL.
>> HELLO, CHIME JORDAN
CRAWLEY. A LETTER COSIGNED BY
FIVE LOCAL
PARTY ORGANIZATIONS
COLLECTIVELY REPRESENTING 98% OF
THE CITY.
SEATTLE SHOULD SET THE ETHICAL
STANDARD, NOT FAIL TO MEET IT.
STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY,
NOT ERODE IT, AND FOSTER PUBLIC
TRUST, NOT DESTROY IT.
YESTERDAY BEFORE THE ETHICS
AND ELECTIONS COMMISSION I GOT
TO HEAR SOMETHING I DIDN'T
EXPECT TO HEAR SO SOON -- THE
QUIET PART SAID OUT LOUD, THAT
THIS COUNCIL BELIEVES THE
PRIVILEGE OF THIS CITY ARE AT
RISK
OF LOSING THEIR INFLUENCE
OVER LEGISLATION IN SEATTLE,
THAT THEY BELIEVE THIS BILL
WILL PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF
SEATTLE'S DEVELOPERS,
LANDLORDS,
AND THE WEALTHY FEW.
IF LOSING THEIR INFLUENCE MEANS
PRESERVING THE RIGHTS OF
SEATTLEITES, THEN
THE CODE OF ETHICS IS DOING
EXACTLY WHAT IT
SHOULD, REQUIRING THIS
COUNCIL BE INDEPENDENT,
IMPARTIAL, AND
RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE. YOU
REPRESENT US,
NOT YOURSELVES.
REJECT THIS BILL.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>
THANK YOU. AFTER JORDAN WE HAVE
HOWARD --
>> OKAY, PLEASE REFRAIN
FROM CLAPPING IN BETWEEN
SPEAKERS.
THANK YOU.
>> HOWARD GAYLE,
DISTRICT 7. THE CENTRAL STAFF
MEMO PROVIDED
FOR THE ETHICS
LEGISLATION TODAY HAS A SECTION
TITLED OVERVIEW
OF CITY AND STATE ETHICS CODE,
YET
IT FAILS TO MENTION ANY
STATE.
WHY?
OBVIOUS. BECAUSE CALIFORNIA AND
OREGON,
THE ONLY OTHER WESTERN
STATES, PROHIBIT ALL ELECTED
OFFICIALS FROM VOTING WITH A
CONFLICT
OF INTEREST.
ALSO INTERESTINGLY OMITTED FROM
YOUR MEMO, THE WASHINGTON
STATE CONSTITUTION ADOPTED 135
YEARS AGO BY VOTE OF THE
PEOPLE DEMANDS RECUSAL FOR ALL
STATE
LEGISLATORS, YET
YOU'RE PROPOSING
LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO
HAVE A LOWER
STANDARD THAN OUR STATE
CONSTITUTION.
THE QUESTION IS WHY WOULD YOU
DO THAT?
AGAIN, THIS LEGISLATION
SUPPOSEDLY DENIES
-- I'M SORRY, THIS LEGISLATION
IS
RATIONALIZED ON THE BASIS THAT
THE
CURRENT SYSTEM DENIES MEMBERS AN
EQUAL VOICE WHEN THERE'S A
COUNCILMEMBER RECUSED. THAT --
IF COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE A
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS AND
RESIDENTS DON'T LIKE
THAT, THEY CAN VOTE THEM OUT.
THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE
DONE.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
ALL RIGHT, AFTER HOWARD, WE HAVE
TYLER AND MIKE
STEWART.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS TYLER BLACKWELL, AND
I'M THE TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE
SOTO BIA.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON
RESOLUTION 2170 PERTAINING TO
THE
INTERACTIVE MEDIA KIOSKS.
THE SOLUTION IS A WIN- WIN
FOR SOTO BUSINESSES AND
THE DISTRICT'S VISITORS.
THROUGH WAY FINDING AND REALTIME
TRANSIT INFORMATION THE
PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER
NAV
FWAT THE DISTRICT AND ITS
AMENITIES.
LOCAL BUSINESSES WILL
GAIN GREATER VISIBILITY THROUGH
THE USE OF THESE KIOSKS
CONNECTING
THE PUBLIC THROUGH
SOTO'S CULTURAL GEMS AND
EXPERIENCES THAT OFTEN GO
UNSEEN.
AND WITH THE INCLUSION
OF SOCIAL SERVICE APPS, THESE
KIOSKS
WILL HELP CRITICAL RESOURCES AND
HELP
THE SOTO'S
UNHOUSED POPULATION. FURTHER
THIS
PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE
REVENUE SHARING BIA ALLOWING US
TO
REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
REAUGMENT THE SERVICES
WE
PROVIDE. SOTO HAS MUCH TO GAIN
THROUGH THIS INSTALLATION AND
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
APOLOGIES FOR
MISPRONOUNCING YOUR FIRST NAME.
S-U-P-E-R-R-I-V- E FOLLOWED
BY MIKE STEWART AND AFTER MIKE
WE
HAVE ANNA.
>> THANKS, COUNCILMEMBERS,
FOR ALWAYS ACCEPTING ME AND
ALLOWING
ME TO
BE HERE. I OPPOSE THE ROLL BACK
OF
ETHICS RULES BECAUSE I FEEL THE
DIRECT
ATTACK AGAINST LOW INCOME PEOPLE
AND POOR PEOPLE -- INSTEAD YOU
SHOULD FOCUS ON FUNDING FOR
ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE, THE
SIDEWALKS, THE ARTS.
>> THANK YOU.
FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE
MIKE STEWART, ANNA SMOLLEY AND
DWEND
LN HART.
COME ON
DOWN.
>>
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. WE ARE AN
IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT
REPRESENTS HUNDREDS OF
BUSINESSES
AND THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS IN
THE BALLARD NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M HERE TODAY TO
SUPPORT RESOLUTION 32170, WHICH
WILL
HELP ESTABLISH AN INTERACTIVE
MEDIA KIOSK PROGRAM IN
THE METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT, THE
BALLARD IMPROVEMENT AREA, AND
THREE
OTHER BUSINESS DISTRICTS
IN SEATTLE.
INTERACTIVE KIOSKS AND
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES
LIKE BALLARD WOULD BE A GAME
CHANGER.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
USE THE IKE KIOSKS IN OTHER
MAJOR U.S. CITIES, AND THEY
PROVIDE
AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE NOT
ONLY FOR VISITORS BUT FOR LOCALS
AS WELL.
THEY PROVIDE HELPFUL
FUNCTIONS SUCH AS TRANSIT
INFORMATION,
WAY FINDING, INTERACTIVE KIOSKS.
KIOSKS ALSO HELP ACTIVATE
PUBLIC SPACES AND ALLOW
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS
LIKE OURS
TO PROMOTE ADVANCE, AND SUPPORT
OUR
LOCAL COMMUNITY AND OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES. THANK YOU FOR THE
TIME, AND I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT
THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE
ANNA SMOLLEY AND THEN WE HAVE --
>> I'M WITH COMMUTE
SEATTLE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE IKE
KIOSKS.
ON COMMUTE SEATTLE WE'RE
FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE FIGURE
OUT
THE BEST WAY TO GET IN AND
AROUND SEATTLE FOR THEM.
THE IKE KIOSKS WILL SERVE
AS PRIMARY POINT OF INFORMATION
FOR
MANY INCLUDING LOCALS TO
TOURISTS TO HELP THEM GET
AROUND. HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW
WHAT
TO LOOK UP?
IKE GIVES FOLKS A NEW WAY
TO FIND INFORMATION WITHOUT
HAVING
TO BE SURE OF THE
INFORMATION THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR.
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS
WHEN PEOPLE COME TO SEATTLE
AND THEY'RE HOPING TO GET
AROUND
TO SEE THE SIGHTS.
HOW WOULD THEY KNOW OFF
THE LINK LIGHT RAIL OR THE FREE
WATERFRONT SHUTTLE? IKE WOULD BE
THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IT PROVIDES THE INFORMATION
THEY'RE ALREADY LOOKING
FOR RIGHT IN FRONT
OF THEM. IKE ALLOWS US TO SHARE
TAILORED AND SPECIFIC
INFORMATION
TO CREATE A LESS OVERWHELMING
WAY TO
EXPERIENCE THE CITY. WE REALLY
BELIEVE THAT
IKE ALLOWS ALL FOLKS TO ACCESS
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO GET
AROUND.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, OUR LAST IN-
PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTER FOR NOW
WILL BE
HART.
>> SEATTLE IS A MAJORITY
REPRESENTER CITY BUT WE'RE ONLY
SCRAPING BY WHILE HUGE
CORPORATIONS RAKE IN
MASSIVE PROFITS OFF OF OUR BACKS
AND IT'S COMPLETELY ABYSMAL
COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO WRITE IT
FOR
LANDLORDS TO -- THINGS THAT
SARA NELSON HAS STATED SHE WANTS
TO ROLL BACK AND ATTACK, AND
IT'S NOT SURPRISING THESE
ATTACKS
ON OUR DEMOCRATIC PARTY -- ON
THE STATE LEVEL DEMOCRATS
ARE SLASHING THE BUDGET #
BILLION CUTTING BUDGETS TO
HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC
SERVICE.
JUST LAST YEAR THE CITY
COUNCIL TRIED TO ATTACK OUR
MINIMUM
WAGE VICTORY.
YOU AND YOUR PARTY ARE
SHREDDING THROUGH EVERY LAST BIT
OF GOODWILL WORKING PEOPLE HAVE
LEFT. YOU'VE HEARD THAT ON
TUESDAY.
YOU'VE HEARD IT ON TUESDAY.
AND DON'T THINK IF YOU VOTE
FOR THIS YOU WON'T BE THROWN
OUT
IN THE NEXT ELECTION.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE WILL TRANSITION
NOW TO THE REMOTE
PUBLIC
COMMENTERS. AND JUST A REMINDER
WHEN
YOU HEAR THE CHIME, YOU'LL HAVE
10
SECONDS LEFT.
IF YOU EXCEED THAT TIME,
YOUR MICROPHONE MAY BE CUT OFF
SO WE CAN MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
SO, YES.
AND IF YOU'RE ALSO OFFERING
REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO PRESS STAR 6
TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF.
THE FIRST REMOTE CALLER WILL
BE VALERIE S.
VALERIE, PLEASE FEEL FREE
TO PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
VALERIE, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL COME BACK TO
YOU, VALERIE.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE ADAN CARROLL.
ADAN, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> THIS LEGISLATION AS I
WREPREDICTED DEGETTING MORE BAG
LASH THAN ANYTHING YOU'VE
DONE BEFORE THIS BECAUSE OF HOW
OBVIOUS IT IS.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MAKES IT
EVEN MORE OBVIOUS.
YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING
THE AMENDMENT PRINCIPLE WHERE
THESE RULES WOULD NOT CHANGE
UNTIL
AFTER THE NEXT
ELECTION. IT'S EVEN MORE
BLATANTLY
SELF-SERVING.
SECOND, YOU HAVEN'T THOUGHT
ABOUT THE FACT THESE RULES
ARE IN PLACE NOW SO ANYONE WHO
HAS A
CONFLICT WOULD HAVE TO
RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTING ON
THESE RULES.
THIRD, YESTERDAY IN THE ETHICS
AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING,
THEY HAD TO POINT OUT
TO DIRECTLY CONTRADICT ONE OF
YOU WE DON'T MAKE ETHICS RULES
TO FURTHER POLITICAL GOALS NO
MATTER HOW IMPORTANT
THE POLITICAL GOALS MAY OR MAY
NOT BE.
THOSE PRINCIPLES ALWAYS APPLY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW
MUCH MONEY --
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE ODIN.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> MY NAME IS ODIN, AND I'M
A RENTER IN DISTRICT 3.
I'M ADDRESSING COUNCIL BILL
120978.
I'LL QUOTE DIRECTLY FROM THE
BILL'S SUMMARY AND FISCAL
NOTE ON SEATTLE'S WEBSITE.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
ENSURE FULL REPRESENTATION BY
PROVIDING ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY
FOR COUNCILMEMBERS TO
PARTICIPATE
IN LEGISLATIVE MATTERS IN
WHICH THEY HAVE A FINANCIAL
INTEREST OR OTHER CONFLICT OF
INTEREST.
THAT JUST SOUNDS BAD.
I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO
THE PROPOSED CHANGE OF
SEATTLE'S ETHICS CODE THAT
WOULD ALLOW
SEATTLE TO VOTE ON
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD POSE A
CONFLICT
OF
FLORIDA. IT'S A MIRACLE WE EVEN
THESE SAFE GUARDS.
HAS A NINE- YEAR SEATTLE
RESIDENT I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT
THIS RULE
WHEN I READ NEWS COVERAGE
ABOUT THIS THREAT TO THE ETHICS
CODE.
THIS IS NOT
A GOOD LOOK AND THIS CHANGE WILL
OPEN UP WAYS
FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO USE
THEIR
POSITIONS.
I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED TO
HEAR OF THIS PROPOSAL AND I URGE
YOU TO OPPOSE
IT.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE ALBERTO
ALVAREZ.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> ROLLING BACK RULES OF
ETHICS TO ALLOW FOR MORE
CORRUPTION WOULD BE A SYSTEMIC
FAILURE BY
THIS COUNCIL.
SELF-DEALING, SELF- INTEREST,
AND SELF- RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL
INFLICT CRITICAL DAMAGE TO
THE PROTECTIONS OF PUBLIC GOOD
WE ALL DEPEND ON.
CHAOS AND HARM BY
WEALTHY POLITICIANS IS NOT
HYPOTHETICAL.
IT IS A FACT.
NO ONE ON THIS COUNCIL IS IMMUNE
TO CORRUPTION.
THIS LEGISLATION GOES FAR BEYOND
ALLOWING A SMALL GROUP
OF LANDLORDS TO LINE THEIR
POCKETS.
GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT FUTURE CITY
COUNCILS WOULD DO IF GIVEN FREE
REIGN TO ENRICH THEMSELVES.
COUNCILMEMBER CATHY
MOORE, PLEASE TAKE DOWN YOUR
BILL.
>>
ALL RIGHT. I SEE THAT VALERIE,
YOU'RE BACK
ON. PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE
YOURSELF, VALERIE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TRY AGAIN,
VALERIE.
CONTINUING ON, MARSHALL
BENDER, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> HI, I FINALLY MANAGED TO
UNMUTE. I'M SO SORRY.
THIS IS VALERIE FROM DISTRICT 2.
I'M COMMENTING ON THE
PROPOSAL TO CHANGE HOW CITY
COUNCIL HANDLES VOTING WHERE
THERE'S
A FINANCIAL CONFLICT OF
INTEREST.
YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF PUBLIC
COMMENTS ABOUT CHANGING
THE ETHICS REQUIREMENT FOR
RECUSAL THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE
FOR
DECADES. IT IS ESPECIALLY
CONCERNING THAT THIS IS PROPOSED
JUST BEFORE
AN UPCOMING VOTE ON ROLLING
BACK TENANT PROTECTIONS.
I'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS
THAT WHEN PEOPLE IN POWER SEEK
TO MINIMIZE OR GLOSS OVER
STRUCTURES FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY AND FAIRNESS,
THOSE
PEOPLE ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED.
TRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE
WHEN THEY HAVE SOME DEGREE OF
POWER
OR PRIVILEGE WANT
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SENSE OF
RESPONSIBILITY
AND RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER
PEOPLE.
THAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY OUTWEIGHS
SOME INCONVENIENCE ONE
MIGHT EXPERIENCE FROM, FOR
EXAMPLE, NOT BEING ABLE TO BE A
LANDLORD, A COUNCILMEMBER AND
VOTE
ON ISSUES.
ETHICS RULES EXIST TO
PREVENT ABUSE AND PROTECTION --
>> THANK YOU, VALERIE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH
MARSHALL BENDER.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF. THANK
YOU. GO AHEAD, MARSHALL.
>> SORRY. ANY COUNCILMEMBER WHO
VOTES
ON THE -- IS MAKING A MISTAKE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 5.
I'M A
RENTER. I REALLY SUGGEST YOU
CONSIDER
REMAINING CONSTITUTIONAL
AND VOTE NO ON ANY CHANGE TO
THE ETHICS CODE.
WE DO NOT NEED TO BE AN
OUTLIER AMONG THE U.S. WEST
COAST.
LIKE IT WAS SAID EARLIER
OREGON AND CALIFORNIA BOTH HAVE
THESE LAWS STATEWIDE.
WE SHOULD HAVE THEM TOO IN
OUR CITY.
AND YOU ALL MUST REMAIN
ACCOUNTABLE TO CONSTITUENTS.
THAT MEANS REMAINING
TRANSPARENT AND RECUSING
YOURSELF FROM VOTES
WHERE YOU HAVE A CONFLICT
OF INTEREST.
WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER ISSUES
TO TACKLE IN THIS CITY FROM
POLICE VIOLENCE TO THE
LIBRARY ASSISTANCE FUNDING TO
HOMELESSNESS, SO DON'T
WASTE YOUR TIME PASSING TERRIBLE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL ETHICS
CODE CHANGES BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO WIN YOUR RE- ELECTION
IF
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE FIGHTING
FOR.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS FOR THAT.
NATALIE MORGAN, PLEASE
PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> HI, MY NAME IS
NATALIE MORGAN.
I'M THE ORGANIZER FOR FAIR VOTE
WASHINGTON, A
NONPARTISAN NON- PROFIT WORKING
ON DEMOCRACY
REFORM MEASURES LIKE
RIGHT CHOICE VOTING, AND LIKE
MANY
OF THE FOLKS HERE I AM ALSO, OF
COURSE, HERE AS A
SEATTLE RESIDENT TO EXPRESS
MY OPPOSITION TO THE NEW
PROPOSAL
CONCERNING THE SEATTLE ETHICS
CODE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ETHICS
CODE
THAT WOULD ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS
TO VOTE ON MATTERS WHERE THEY
HAVE A FINANCIAL CONFLICT
OF
INTEREST. I URGE YOU TO OPPOSE
THIS PROPOSAL AND MAINTAIN OUR
CURRENT LEVEL OF
TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC TRUST IN
OUR
CITY
GOVERNMENT. SEATTLE SHOULD BE
CONTINUING
ITS LEADERSHIP IN MODELING A
JUST
AND TRANSPARENT DEMOCRACY,
NOT ROLLING BACK PROTECTIONS
THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE
ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES LIKE
THIS.
THIS PROPOSAL HARMS BOTH
TRANSPARENCY AND
DEMOCRACY, AND AS A RESULT WILL
ERODE PUBLIC
TRUST, AND I THINK WE ALL
KNOW WHAT A PERILOUS POSITION
PUBLIC TRUST IN GOVERNMENT IS IN
RIGHT
NOW. PLEASE MAINTAIN THE SAFE
GUARDS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING
AND VOTE NO ON THIS UNNECESSARY
PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> CARLY, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>>
HI, MY NAME IS CARLY AND I'M A
RENTER IN SEATTLE, AND
MORE
IMPORTANTLY I'M A MEMBER OF
WORKERS STRIKE BACK,
AN ORGANIZATION FOUNDED OFF THE
MASS MOVEMENT OF WORKING
PEOPLE THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE.
LAST YEAR I ATTENDED MY
FIRST CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO
FIGHT
BACK. I WAS ABSOLUTELY APPALLED
AT THE
APATHY THAT WAS ON ALL THE
COUNCILMEMBERS' FACES
WHILE WORKING PEOPLE CAME UP
AND SHARED HOW THEY WERE
BARELY SCRAPING BY WITH MINIMUM
WAGE.
AND NOW REALLY ANOTHER ATTACK
ON
WORKING PEOPLE. STOP TAKING
MONEY FROM CORPORATE
LANDLORDS.
STOP TRYING TO REPEAL THESE
ETHICS LAWS SO THAT YOU CAN
VOTE IN FAVOR OF THESE
MILLIONAIRE
LANDLORDS.
IT'S SO OBVIOUS
WORKING PEOPLE ARE NEVER AT THE
INTEREST
OF YOUR PROPOSALS, AND IT'S
FRANKLY
DISGUSTING. IF YOU ARE A WORKING
PERSON
AND A RENTER IN SEATTLE, VISIT
WORKERSSTRIKEBACK.ORG TO
GET ORGANIZED AND HELP OTHER
WORKING PEOPLE FIGHT BACK
AGAINST THESE
CORRUPT
POLITICIANS.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE DAVID HANES.
>> STOP CLAPPING IN
BETWEEN
SPEAKERS. I'VE SAID THAT MANY
TIMES.
PLEASE, RESPECT THE RULES OF
DECORUM FOR THE -- GO
AHEAD.
>> POINT OF ORDER.
POINT OF -- POINT OF ORDER.
>> WE'RE GOING TO CALL A RECESS
5 MINUTES.
>> PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR
NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> FIVE
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE
MEETING, AND I WILL
REPEAT, PLEASE DO NOT CLAP IN
BETWEEN OUR -- IN BETWEEN
SPEAKERS.
THAT IS DISRUPTIVE.
IT PROLONGS THE TIME THATTHAT WE
SPENDING IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE ALREADY GONE OVER THE
20 MINUTES, BUT I'M GOING TO
LET EVERYBODY'S SPEAK.
IT IS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
TO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES
OF
THE CHAMBERS AND ALSO TO
FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF THE
PRESIDING
OFFICER, SO, PLEASE
SHOW
RESPECT --
>> POINT OF ORDER.
POINT OF ORDER
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THIS IS CONSIDERED
DISRUPTIVE
BEHAVIOR BECAUSE WE
CANNOT CONTINUE WITH OUR MING.
IN RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE HERE THAT WE HAVE A
MEETING WITH, THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE.
>> YES.
IT'S IN VILES OF COUNCIL RULE
11D1, SO, PLEASE, LET'S
PROCEED.
>> ALL
RIGHT. GOING BACK TO CARL
NELSON.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
CARL?
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MEMBERS
OF THE COUNCIL, MY NAME IS
CARL NELSON.
I'M A 16- YEAR SEATTLE
RESIDENT,
REPRESENTER, AND MEMBER OF
THE SMALL BUSINESS TENTANT
ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TODAY TO
EXPRESS BY
OPPOSITION TO THE CHANGE IN THE
ETHICS LEGISLATION.
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT
THE MEETING WERE UNANIMOUSLY
IN PROPOSED TO ROLL BACKS IN
ETHICS. Y8D I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
ADDRESS SOMETHING COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE SAID AT HER OWN MEETING.
THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE LOCAL TRUST
IN GOVERNMENT IS
FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO BE
EFFECTIVE,
FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO
ACTUALLY SOLVE PROBLEMS, END
QUOTE.
MY RESPONSE TO THIS IS
SIMPLY ASK WHAT PROBLEM IS BEING
SOLVED
BY ROLLING BACK ETHICS
LEGISLATION, AND HOW DOES IT
ENGENDER TRUST WHICH RENTERS
ON THE COUNCIL ARE ALREADY
OUTNUMBERED BY LANDLORDS AND
A COUNCIL WHERE LEADING
MEMBERS HAVE OPENLY
EXPRESSED HOSTILITY --
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE DAVID HANES.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> WE NEED TO KICK OUT THE
LANDLORDS WRITING LAWS
TO OPPRESS THE WORKING CLASS
AND THE TENANTS AND ANY
POLITICIAN THAT CAN CHANGE THE
MORALITY OF THE LAWS AND CREATE
A STALL
IN PROGRESS THAT SUPERSEDES THE
BAD
LAWS BUT STILL CONSPIRE TO
PUT RESTRICTIONS ON
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND CHEAT
A MULTITUDE OF YOUNGER
GENERATIONS
SO WE HAVE A REALLY BAD QUALITY
IN- HOUSING SO IT DOESN'T
ACHIEVE WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL --
THAT
IS USED TO OPPRESS
WORKING CLASS SO THEY CAN HALF
THE COST
OF HOUSING AND DEREGULATE IT.
WE NEED TO ADD TRANSPARENCY
TO THE RENTAL CONFLICTS
OF INTERESTS TO SEE WHERE
THE COUNCIL IS COMING FROM AND
KEEP THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE
MAJORS
WITHOUT ALL THESE DELETIONS
AND CHANGES SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
BE
MORE TRANSPARENT WHEN YOU
START NEGOTIATIONS AND
REPRESENTING THEM IN BAD FAITH.
YOU'RE REPRESENTING THEM IN BAD
FAITH. WE DON'T NEED YOU TO DO
A DISSERVICE TO OUR WORKING
CLASS
ANYMORE. GET OUT OF OFFICE
IF YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP --
>> ALL RIGHT, THEN, THE
LAST REMOTE SPEAKER WILL BE KATE
RUBEN.
KATE, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> MY NAME IS KATE RUBEN.
I'M THE CO- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE SEATTLE, THE INTERIM
COCHAIR OF THE SEATTLE
RENTERS COMMISSION AND A VOTER
UNDER DISTRICT 2.
I'M CALLING TO URGE YOU
TO REJECT THIS PROPOSED ROLL
BACK OF SEATTLE'S ETHICS CODE.
FOR 45 YEARS OUR CITY
HAS REQUIRED ELECTED OFFICIALS
TO
RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTES
INVOLVING FINANCIAL CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST. VOTERS ELECTED THIS
COUNCIL
WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THOSE
RULES WOULD APPLY.
CHANGING THE RULES IS
A VIOLATION OF PUBLIC TRUST.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN
REMAIN
IMPARTIAL. ETHICS RULES ARE NOT
BUILT
ON PERSONAL INTEGRITY.
THEY'RE BUILT TO PROTECT THE
PUBLIC WHEN INTEGRITY FALLS
SHORT, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHO WILL
HOLD THESE SEATS IN THE FUTURE.
ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE HELD
TO A HIGHER ETHICAL
STANDARD, NOT A WEAKER ONE.
OREGON AND CALIFORNIA
MAINTAIN STRONG RECUSAL RULES
FOR THIS
EXACT REASON.
I AS A DISTRICT 2 RENTER
AND VOTER STAND FIRMLY OPPOSED.
VOTE NO.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL RESUME BACK
TO THE IN- PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTERS.
FIRST WE WILL HAVE CALVIN
FOLLOWED BY --
COME
ON DOWN.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
WE WORKERS STRIKE BACK WILL
NOT STAND ASIDE AND ALLOW IT TO
HAPPEN. WHEN RENTERS RIGHTS ARE
UNDER
ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO?
>> COME ON DOWN.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] AND SAY
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR
UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR THAT'S
UNACCEPTABLE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE
EVICTION RATES ARE FOR CHILDREN
AND
BLACK RENTERS?
SHAME
ON YOU. SHAME ON THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY
TO BE SO OPENLY CARRYING WATER
FOR BIG BUSINESS AND CORPORATE
LANDLORDS, WHICH IS WHAT
THIS ETHICS LAW REVERSION --
REVERSAL
IS ALL ABOUT. IT IS ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT YOU
HAVE ENOUGH YES VOTES TO
REPEAL THE RENTER RIGHTS LAWS
THAT WE
HAVE WON, AND IT REALLY
SHOWS
THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS
ONLY VERY SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
THAN TRUMP THAT THEY ARE
NOT OPENLY RIGHT- WING IN THEIR
RHETORIC, BUT IN
REALITY THEY ARE AS TIED TO BIG
BUSINESS
AS THE REPUBLICANS ARE, AND THAT
IS
WHY WE HAVE LAUNCHED -- THAT IS
HOW WE DEFEATED
JOY HOLLINGSWORTH AND THE CITY
COUNCIL'S ATTEMPT TO
DISMANTEL OUR $15 VICTORY, THAT
IS
HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEFEAT YOU
IN THIS AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
DOMINIC COME ON DOWN.
DOMINIC WOLFGANG WALLACE,
KARIM,
DUSTIN.
>> HI, I'M DOMINIC WOLFGAK
HOLLIS, I'M A FIGHT BACK
AND WORKERS DISTRICT 3 VOTER
AND ALSO A MINIMUM WAGEWORKER.
I REMEMBER THE ATTEMPTED
ATTACKS ON MY WAGE BY
HOLLINGSWORTH
AND WE WILL NOT BE FORGETTING
THE ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL
ATTACKS YOU HAVE ON WORKING
PEOPLE CONSISTENTLY IN THIS
CITY YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO YOUR
SEAT
THE SEAT THAT WON ALL THESE
RENTAL
PROTECTIONS IN THE FIRST
PLACE, AND IT'S APPALLING YOU
EVEN GOT THERE IN THE
FIRST PLACE. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY
BE THE
POINT OF RECALLING THIS ETHICS
CODE EXCEPT SELLING OUT RENTERS
TO
THE LANDLORDS WHO ARE ALREADY
MAKING SEATTLE AN
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT CITY TO
LIVE IN.
I NEED THOSE $3 AN HOUR.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU
THINK LIVING IN YOUR DISTRICT IS
LIKE,
HOLLINGSWORTH, BUT IT
IS ATROCIOUS TO TRY AND SURVIVE
IN THIS CITY RIGHT NOW.
IN THE ABSENCE OF RENT CONTROL
CORPORATE LANDLORD GOUGE
REPRESENTERS AS A NORMAL
BUSINESS PRACTICE.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT THERE ARE
THREE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS --
BY ENGAGING IN
SHADY PRICE-FIXING AND
MANIPULATE
RENTS.
>> AFTER DOMINIC WE HAVE KAREN,
DUSTIN.
COME ON DOWN, KAREN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS KAREN.
I'M A LIFELONG CITIZEN OF
THIS ONCE PROUD CITIZEN AND A
MEMBER OF WORKERS STRIKE BACK.
I STAND BEFORE YOU
TODAY TO SPEAK FOR THE WORKERS
OF
THIS CITY WHO CAN'T BE HERE
BECAUSE THEY'RE AT THEIR JOBS
WORKING LONG HOURS TO KEEP A
ROOF
OVER THEIR HEADS AND THE HEADS
OF THEIR CHILDREN,
SOMETIMES THEIR AGING PARENTS,
AND OTHER
FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WOULD
OTHERWISE BE
UNHOUSED IN THIS
UNFORGIVING TERROR WE HAVE THE
AUDACITY
TO CALL AN ECONOMY.
EVERY DAY MORE AND MORE OF THOSE
ARE FACING THE
REALITY THEY CAN NO
LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE IN SEATTLE
AND ARE
FORCED TO MAKE LONG COMMUTES TO
OLYMPIA
AND BEYOND WHERE THEY CAN
AFFORD
RENTS AND WHERE THEIR CHILDREN
CAN GO TO SCHOOL, AND WHEN
THEY'RE AWAY FROM THEIR
CHILDREN CAN NO LONGER BE
PARENTS FOR
ALL THOSE LONG HOURS OF
ALL THOSE LONG DAYS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE STANDING
HERE TODAY DISCUSSING
THE POSSIBLE ROLL BACK OF THE
ETHICS
CODE, AND I BELIEVE
YOU'RE EXPOSING YOURSELF BARE
TO
WHERE YOUR ALLEGIANCES REALLY
FALL.
AND IT AIN'T WITH THE WORKING
CLASS AND THE POOR OF THIS
CITY.
>> DUSTIN, COME ON
DOWN. DUSTIN.
>> IF YOU CONTINUE THIS
BEHAVIOR, I WILL ASK THAT YOU BE
ESCORTED FROM THE ROOM.
PLEASE STOP.
THIS IS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
THIS IS DISRUPTIVE
BEHAVIOR.
>> POINT.
POINT OF ORDER.
>> -- UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE
ORDERLY
MEETING.
>> POINT OF ORDER.
THIS IS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
POINT OF ORDER,
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THIS IS DISRUPTIVE
BEHAVIOR
FOR US TO CONTINUE OUR BUSINESS
AS A
COUNCIL TO DO THIS MEETING.
I JUST WANT THAT THE RECORD.
POINT OF ORDER, THIS
IS CONTINUED DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
FOR US TO CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS.
>> I WANT TO GET ON WITH THE
MEETING, SO I WILL SAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR COMING
TO
ASSISTANCE. I DON'T WANT TO
DRAG THIS OUT.
WE'VE GOT THREE ITEMS --
MANY ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED.
I AM ASKING YOU, PLEASE FOLLOW
THE DIRECTIONS AND LET US
GET THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC
COMMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THANK
YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE GOT DUSTIN,
SMITH, AND SUMMER MILLER.
COME ON DOWN.
DUSTIN, YOU HERE?
LONG?
>> MY NAME IS LONG.
I'M A MEMBER OF WORKERS STRIKE
BACK, A REVOLUTION OF WORKERS.
WORKING PEOPLE AND THE PRESS
ARE REELING UNDER THE COST OF
LIVING CRISIS AND HORRIFIC
ATTACKS
BY TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS,
AND WE FACE THE PARASITIC
CORPORATE LANDLORDS EVERY MONTH.
OTHERS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT
REWRITING OF THESE
ETHICS RULES IS A STEP IN
ATTACKING
WORKERS RIGHTS AND RENTERS
RIGHTS.
IT IS DESPICABLE AND
YET PREDICTABLE THAT THE
DEMOCRATS
WANT TO TEARDOWN THE
VICTORIES THAT HAVE MADE
HISTORIC IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR
STANDARDS
OF
LIVING. WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK.
WORKERS STRIKE BACK WILL HELP
TO WAGE DEEP, OFFENSIVE
FIGHTS AGAINST TRUMP AND
REPUBLICANS.
WE WILL ALSO TAKE ON
DEFENSIVE FIGHTS AGAINST THE
DEMOCRATS.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY
WE UNDERSTAND THE BEST DEFENSE
IS
A GOOD OFFENSE.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TAKEN
ON MEDICARE FOR ALL AS ONE OF
OUR CORE DEMANDS IN OUR FIGHT
THE RICH CAMPAIGN TO SHOW THESE
CITY DEMOCRATS AND THEIR
BILLIONAIRE MASTERS WHAT A
PISSED OFF
WORKING CLASS IS CAPABLE
OF, THAT THEY HAVE OVERSTEPPED
THEIR BOUNDS AND WE
WILL FIGHT BACK. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> M. SMITH FOLLOWED BY SUMMER
MILLER.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT 3.
I'M A MEMBER OF
REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS AND
WORKERS
STRIKE BACK. IT'S DESPICABLE
THAT THE
SEATTLE DEMOCRATS ARE ATTEMPTING
TO
UNDUE THE BASIC PROTECTIONS
THAT WORKING CLASS RENTERS HAVE
IN
THE CITY THAT WE WON AGAINST THE
LANDLORDS, AGAINST
THE MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES
AND BIG BUSINESS.
IT WAS WON BY -- COUNCIL
OFFICE, HER SOCIALIST COUNCIL
OFFICE
AND THOUSANDS OF WORKING
PEOPLE THAT FOUGHT FOR THIS.
WE WON DESPITE OPPOSITION
FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN
THIS CITY INCLUDING SOME OF
THE DEMOCRATS ON THIS COUNCIL
RIGHT
NOW. WE WON A CAP ON LATE RENT
FEES AT $10 A MONTH, 6- MONTH
NOTICE FOR RENT INCREASES,
ECONOMIC EVICTION
ASSISTANCE, A BAN ON WINTER
EVICTIONS, A BAN ON
SCHOOLYARD EVICTIONS.
CLOSING THE LOOPHOLE, THE RIGHT
TO A LAWYER FOR REPRESENTERS
FACING EVICTION,
LIMITING MOVEMENT FEES,
REQUIRING LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE
VOTER REGISTRATION.
THIS IS WHAT THE DEMOCRATS
ARE TRYING
TO DISMANTLE, AND YOU'RE TRYING
TO EVICT RENTERS
FROM THIS HALL SO YOU CAN MORE
EASILY
EVICT RENTERS FROM THEIR
HOMES --
>>
SUMMER.
>> IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.
WE NEED A NEW PARTY.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT --
>> YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
PLEASE HAVE
YOUR SEAT.
>> SUMMER?
>> MY NAME IS SUMMER MILLER
AND I'M HAD TO TAKE IN A RENTER
AND
SECTION OFF MY
BEDROOM. WHAT'S DESPICABLE IS
THAT INSTEAD OF FIGHTING
THESE
LANDLORD CAR TELLS SEATTLE'S
DEMOCRATIC
POLITICIANS ARE DOING
THEIR BIDDING. NOW THEY'RE
DOING THEIR BEST
FROM VOTING ON RENTER
LEGISLATION, A CLEAR ATTACK
ON THE BASIC PROTECTIONS
WORKING CLASS RENTERS FOUGHT TO
WIN.
LET'S BE
CLEAR THESE ARE THE SAME
DEMOCRATS WHO TRIED
TO REPEAL OUR $15 MINIMUM WAGE
LAST
YEAR THAT WE FOUGHT BACK
AND DEFEAT.
THAT VICTORY RAISED THE WAGE
FOR ALL WORKERS.
NOW WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK AGAIN.
ALL THOSE VICTORY, THE CITY
COUNCIL DEMOCRATS
FOUGHT US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
THEY'RE ONLY INTERESTED
IN PROTECTING THE PROFITS OF
CORPORATE --
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THAT
CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE END
OF OUR LIST OF PUBLIC
COMMENTERS.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS NOW OVER.
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ ITEMS
1 THROUGH 3 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEMS NUMBER 1
THROUGH 3, APPOINTMENT
03146, APPOINTMENT 03147, AND
03148
APPOINTMENTS AS MEMBERS OF
SEATTLE FIRM
COMMISSION, BRIEFING DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT, WHY DON'T
OUR FOLKS COME UP TO THE TABLE.
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF
DISRUPTION. PLEASE COME UP AND
HAVE A SEAT.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT
OF BACKGROUND BEFORE WE GET
STARTED.
WHEN WE FORMED -- COUNCIL FORMED
SEATTLE FILM COMMISSION IN I
THINK IT WAS SEPTEMBER 22,
2022, AND IN APRIL 2023 THE
INAUGURAL FILM COMMISSION WAS
APPOINTED, AND THEY'VE BEEN
SERVING ON
STAGGERED ONE AND TWO- YEAR
TERMS. THIS YEAR THREE OF OUR
FILM COMMISSION MEMBERS
ARE TRANSITIONING OUT, AND I
WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS THE MY UTMOST
GRATITUDE TO BETH BARRETT,
LAURA JEAN CRONEN AND MELISSA
PERCELL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND
ALSO THEIR -- MELISSA IN
PARTICULAR, HER PARTNERSHIP IN
FORMING
THE FILM COMMISSION.
IN ANY CASE, I EXPRESS
MY GRATITUDE FOR THEIR SERVICE,
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO MOVE
FORWARD AND BRING SOME
NEW TALENT TO THE COMMISSION.
SO PLEASE GO AHEAD AND
BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FIRST
AND THEN
BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR NELSON
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON.
I AM NOT A COMMISSIONER.
I'M THE FILM PROGRAM MANAGER
FOR THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'M THE LIAISON TO THE SEATTLE
FILM COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
I WOULD LOVE TO
INTRODUCE FOLKS -- GIVE A LITTLE
BIT OF
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUNDS ON THE
COMMISSION, IF THAT'S ALL
RIGHT.
>> LEZE DO.
>> OKAY, I WILL BE SHARING
A QUICK LITTLE DECK HERE.
ALL
RIGHT. AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
CHAIR NELSON MENTIONED THE
SEATTLE
FILM COMMISSION WAS
ESTABLISHED IN 2023 THROUGH
LEGISLATION
BY THEN COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON, I
BELIEVE. THE COMMISSION IS SETUP
WITH
11 POSITIONS.
EACH OF THEM HAVE -- REPRESENT
A DIFFERENT DISCIPLINE IN THE
FILM
INDUSTRY. THE COMMISSION -- THE
COMMISSION'S DUTY AND WORK IS
TO
ADVISE THE CITY AND THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ON WAYS
TO EQUITABLY GROW FILM JOBS AND
THE FILM INDUSTRY AND THE
FILM COMMUNITY.
FIVE OF THE POSITIONS
ARE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL,
FIVE
BY THE MAYOR, AND ONE IS BY THE
COMMISSION
ITSELF. AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON
MENTIONED, THE COMMISSION'S --
COMMISSIONERS SERVE ONE,
TWO, AND THREE- YEAR TERMS.
AND I WANT TO ECHO COUNCIL
NELSON'S THANK YOU TO
THE THREE TERMING COMMISSIONERS
MELISSA PERCELL WHO
REPRESENTED THE UNIONS, LAURA
JEAN
CRONEN WHO REPRESENTED THE
EDUCATION AND EDUCATION
PROGRAMS, AND
BETH BARRETT WHO PRESENTED FILM
FESTIVALS AND
CONTENT
DISTRIBUTION. IT'S BEEN
WONDERFUL TO WORK
WITH THEM OVER THE PAST TWO
YEARS.
AND WHEN THE POSITIONS WERE
BEING -- BEGINNING TO BE TERMING
OUT, THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPENED UP A
PUBLIC
APPLICATION PROCESS SIMILAR
TO WHAT WAS PERFORMED WHEN
THE COMMISSION WAS FIRST
DEVELOPED IN 2023.
IT WAS OPEN FOR TEN DAYS, LOTS
OF RECOMMENDATION, AND LOTS
OF APPLICATIONS CAME IN.
WE HAD 19 TOTAL, AND FROM
THAT POOL AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
COMMISSION ITSELF, THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND CITY COUNCIL
CHOSE THE APPOINTMENTS
HERE TODAY.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE,
I BELIEVE DAVIS IS ONLINE.
IS THAT CORRECT?
YES. DAVIS POWELL WHO IS
APPOINTED
TO POSITION NUMBER TWO,
FILM INDUSTRY LABOR UNIONS.
TAKE IT
AWAY, DAVIS.
>> YES, MY NAME IS DAVIS
POWELL, AND GOOD
AFTERNOON COUNCILMEMBERS AND
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME
TO APPEAR VIRTUALLY.
I'VE BEEN DOWN IN OREGON
AND STILL AM RIGHT NOW ON
VARIOUS UNION BUSINESS.
I'M THE LOCAL EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
FOR THE SAG- AFTRA PORTLAND
IN SEATTLE LOCALS COVERING
WASHINGTON, ALASKA, IDAHO, AND
MONTANA. MY OFFICE IS BASED IN
SEATTLE, AND I'VE BEEN HAPPY TO
SAY
THAT I'VE BEEN A SEATTLE
RESIDENT FOR
SEVERAL YEARS NOW,
HAVING ORIGINALLY MOVED FROM THE
SOUTHEAST ATLANTA AREA.
I HAVE BEEN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE
LOCALS
SINCE ABOUT AUGUST OF 2022, AND
I STARTED WITH SAG- AFTRA IN
FEBRUARY OF 2021 AS
THE BROADCAST
BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE
REPRESENTING
THE TELEVISION AND RADIO
STATIONS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE
UNION
REPRESENTED IN THE PACIFIC NORTH
WEST.
I'M AN ATTORNEY BY TRADE, AND
THE VAST MAJORITY OF
MY CAREER HAS BEEN SERVING
AND REPRESENTING UNIONS.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING SINCE
2012, AND I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT
NINE TO TEN YEARS OF MY
PROFESSIONAL
CAREER HAVE BEEN -- HAVE
BEEN DEDICATED TO
REPRESENTING UNIONS, AND A GOOD
CHUNK OF
THAT HAS NOW BEEN WITH THE SAG-
AFTRA AND THE FILM INDUSTRY.
I HAVE MADE MANY CONNECTIONS
WITH SEVERAL UNIONS,
ESPECIALLY THE ENTERTAINMENT
UNIONS IN
BOTH
SEATTLE AND ELSEWHERE. I'VE
BEEN ABLE TO FOSTER
VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH
IOPSI
488, THE LOCAL TEAMSTERS
UNIONS, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
MUSICIANS, ALONG WITH
MANY OTHERS AS WELL AS -- I'M
LARGE WITH MLK LABOR, THE
CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL, WHICH
COVERS --
REPRESENTS THE VARIOUS UNIONS IN
KING COUNTY AS WELL AS
THE WASHINGTON STATE LABOR
COUNCIL,
THE STATE AFFILIATE OF THE
AFLCIO.
SO WITH THE MY EXPERIENCE,
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THATTHAT
BRING A
GOOD REPRESENTATION FOR
THE LABOR UNIONS NOT JUST
TO SAG-AFTRA AND THE
ACTOR PERFORMERS BUT ALL OF
LABOR AS WELL AS SERVING AS A
EAR AND A
MOUTHPIECE FOR LABOR AT
LARGE.
>> THANK YOU, DAVIS.
I WOULD NEXT LIKE
TO INTRODUCE -- IF I CAN GET
THE PAGE -- KD
HALL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRIS.
I'M KD HALL.
I'M A CLASSICALLY
TRAINED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATOR
FROM
DETROIT.
LOVE SEATTLE, BEEN HERE
18
YEARS. I'M ALSO A CLASSICALLY
TRAINED
JOURNALISTS, GRADUATED
FROM COLLEGE EXACTLY 20 YEARS
AGO
TO THE DATE.
AFTER
COLLEGE, MY PATH WAS DIFFERENT
THAN MOST.
I ACTUALLY WAS FACING
SOME PRETTY SERIOUS TIME IN
PRISON BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE
A JOURNALIST AND I DIDN'T HAVE
THE FUNDING TO PAY FOR IT.
AFTER GETTING OUT OF TROUBLE AND
OUT OF THAT
SITUATION, MY BOYFRIEND MARRIED
ME, WE
BECAME HUSBAND AND WIFE AND WE
MOVED
TO SEATTLE -- ACTUALLY SPOKANE,
TO BE EXACT.
IN THAT TIME I HID IN
EDUCATION FOR 11 YEARS AND I
KEPT
GETTING BEAT DOWN WITH
JOURNALISM, WANTING TO DO IT.
EXACTLY 12 YEARS AGO I
STARTED MY NON- PROFIT, WHICH IS
K.D.
HALL ORGANIZATION.
THE PURPOSE OF MY NON- PROFIT
IS TO ENSURE ANYONE BUT
REALLY WOMEN AND GIRLS TO MAKE
SURE --
MY GOAL WAS TO -- AT THIS POINT
I'VE GRADUATED ABOUT 68
WOMEN
OUT OF COLLEGES OUT OF
WASHINGTON STATE, 1,000 GIRLS
OUT
OF MY GIRLS ON THE RISE
PROGRAM. THESE
ACCOLADES ARE COOL, BUT WHAT
I'M MOST PROUD
OF OUT OF MY SIX EMMY
NOMINATIONS FOUR
OF THEM ARE WITH STUDENTS AND
I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
AS FAR AS ACCOLADES GO WHERE DO
SIT ON THE EMEAWARDS
FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T KNOW.
I'VE
BEEN THERE FOR FIVE YEARS. I'M
NOW OVER SCHOLARSHIPS, SO I
GIVE OUT FUNDING AND
I'M A FILLEN THRUPIST AS WELL
FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN GOING
INTO
JOURNALISM.
JUST BECAME A SEATTLE SPORTS
COMMISSIONER A MONTH AGO,
AND I'M ALSO THE PARTNERSHIP
CHAIR
FOR THE SEATTLE ASSOCIATION
OF BLACK JOURNALISTS.
I THINK I'M GOING TO BE
DOING FILM UNTIL THE DAY I DIE,
AND
SO THIS APPOINTMENT MEANS THE
WORLD
TO ME. IT TRULY DOES BECAUSE THE
DAY
THAT I WAS CONVICTED WAS
EXACTLY 20 YEARS AGO TODAY.
SO TO SIT HERE IN FRONT OF
ALL OF YOU AND TO KNOW THAT
HOPEFULLY I WILL BE A PART OF
COMMISSION, NOT ONLY AM I
PROUD, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THIS.
I WORK HARD, AND DON'T
CARE ABOUT BEING A FIRST.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M
NOT, LIKE, THE LAST PERSON TO
COME THROUGH.
SO ONE THING YOU CAN COUNT
ON FROM ME IS THAT FILM SCHOOLS,
I WORK IN THEM.
I DON'T JUST DO IT
FOR TV. I'M REALLY IN THE
SCHOOLS.
I WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE,
I COACH THEM, DEVELOP THEM,
AND GIVE THEM SCHOLARSHIPS.
AND MY GOAL IS TO PARTNER
WITH CHRIS AND THE REST OF
THE COMMISSION TO ENSURE
WE'RE TELLING ALL DIFFERENT
TYPES OF
STORIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL FOR HAVING
ME.
>> THANK YOU, K. D.
AND I FAILED TO MENTION, KD. IS
THE
APOINTY FOR POSITION FIVE FILM
SCHOOL, FILM PROGRAMS, AND FILM
EDUCATORS.
ALL RIGHT, I'D LIKE TO
INTRODUCE LEX, LAWRENCE
ALEXANDER III,
APPOINTED TO POSITION 8
FILM FESTIVALS OR FILM
CONTENT DISTRIBUTION
COMPANIES.
>> THANK YOU.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME?
HELLO, HELLO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR THEIR
TIME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AND EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS LAWRENCE ALEXANDER
III, PROFESSIONALLY KNOWN AS LEX
SCOPE.
I AM A FILMMAKER.
I AM A FILM LOVER, AND I AM
A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, CULTURAL
CURATOR.
AND LIKE MY AMAZING -- THANK
YOU, SO GREAT.
ALL THE ACCOLADES AND ALL THE
AWARDS AND ALL THOSE THINGS ARE
REALLY, REALLY GREAT, BUT
WHAT I'M ABOUT IS BEING ABLE
TO CONTINUE THE WORK THAT
I DO WHICH IS BRINGING UP
UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN
STORY TELLING SPECIFICALLY
BLACK,
BROWN, TAN, EVERYBODY THAT
THE FILM INDUSTRY BEFORE US
SYSTEMLY DOESN'T NECESSARILY
SHINE
THE MOST LIGHT ON.
LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
SO BASICALLY IN OUR
UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL THAT
WE
CREATED, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
BRING
TEN DIFFERENTS FROM HERE
EVERY SINGLE MONTH, SHARE
THEIR STORIES IN FRONT OF 300
LIVE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF 300
SHARES
OR LIKES OR THINGS ON THE
SCREEN, AND THE IMPACT THAT HAS
BROUGHT HAS BEEN UNDENIABLE, AND
BEING
A PART
OF SOMETHING LIKE THE
COMMISSION, I LIKE
THAT WORD "IMPACT.
" I KNOW
BEING INVOLVED WITH AN
ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS AND
AN INSTITUTION LIKE WE'LL BE
ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR MISSION
WITH
IMPACT, WITH PURPOSE.
I WOULD LIKE FOR -- I WOULD
LIKE TO LET PEOPLE SEE PEOPLE
LIKE ME
AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE
CAN CREATE A FUTURE OF CREATORS
THAT ARE NOT STARVING, THAT ARE
NOT
HUNGRY, BUT THEY'RE
THRIVING, AND I THINK THAT'S
THE
NUMBER ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO
BE THE
TAKE AWAY FROM THIS.
AS AN
UNDERREPRESENTED CREATOR IN THE
SOUTH BY WAY OF SEATTLE.
LOVE IT HERE, BEEN HERE 10, 15
YEARS, BUT WHEN I GREW
UP I DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE A
LOT OF
THIS ACCESS ALREADY WITH THE
SOUTHERN -- WHAT IS IT --
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
LET'S JUST SAY SEATTLE'S PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM BLOWS MY MIND
EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE A LOT
OF MY NEPHEWS AND WHAT NOT
TO SCHOOL
UP HERE. YEAH, THANK Y'ALL FOR
LETTING ME
SPEAK. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE
HERE,
AND THIS IS MY FIRST CITY HALL
MEETING.
IS IT ALWAYS LIKE THIS?
THIS IS SOMETHING.
I WAS LIKE, OH, VERY,
VERY ENERGETIC DAY, SO I
APPRECIATE
Y'ALL'S TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, LEX.
THANK YOU, KD.
AND OBVIOUSLY I HAVE THE
HONOR OF WORKING POTENTIALLY
WITH
ALL THREE HERE
INCLUDING THE REST OF THE REALLY
DYNAMIC FILM
COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL SCROLL UP HERE, SAY A
LITTLE THANK YOU AND OPEN UP
TO ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I EXTEND MY
THANKS TO
YOU, CHRIS.
YOU ARE -- YOU'RE A SEATTLE
FILM GUY.
I MEAN YOU'RE
BASICALLY
EVERYWHERE. YOU'RE ALL OVER THE
PLACE.
YOU KNOW FILM.
YOU KNOW THE -- YOU JUST
DON'T KNOW THE DISCIPLINE ON
ALL THE
SUBDISCIPLINES INVOLVED N
FILM, BUT YOU ARE OUT THERE AND
ADDED
SO MUCH LIFE AND YOU'RE A MAJOR
FORCE WITH EVERYTHING
WE'RE DOING WITH THE FILM
COMMISSION, SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
AND MY QUESTION -- I DO HAVE
A QUESTION AND THEN I'LL OPEN
IT
UP. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I
WANTED
TO CREATE A SEATTLE
FILM COMMISSION WAS NOT ONLY
BECAUSE
THIS HAS BEEN THE TOP
PRIORITY OF THE FILM INDUSTRY
FOR YEARS
AND YEARS AND YEARS AND IT
JUST SEEMED ODD WE DIDN'T HAVE
A FILM
COMMISSION AFTER SO LONG TO
ADVANCE THE PRIORITIES OF EQUITY
AND GROWING THE INDUSTRY
HERE, BUT IT IS ALSO TO -- TO
PUT
SEATTLE BACK ON THE MAP AS THE
COUNTRY'S BEST FILM MAKING
CITY,
RIGHT?
AND WE'RE TIRED OF HAVING
FILMS THAT ARE SUPPOSEDLY
ABOUT SEATTLE BUT FILMED
ELSEWHERE, AND WE WANT TO
ATTRACT
NEW PRODUCTION AND ALSO GROW OUR
EXISTING FILM COMMUNITY AND
INDUSTRY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS --
BASICALLY, WE WANT INDUSTRY
EXPERTS TO TELL US WHAT TO DO.
WHAT CAN WE CHANGE IN HOW
WE REGULATE FILM IN THIS TOWN,
OR ANYTHING ELSE.
HOW CAN WE MAKE IT EASIER
TO MAKE FILM IN SEATTLE?
SO THAT IS WHAT I AM ASKING
YOU FOLKS HERE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS,
HOPEFULLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY
THEM
RIGHT HERE, BUT IF ANYTHING --
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU
REALLY WANT TO WORK ON THE
COMMISSION, DO TELL.
AND THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO
AS WELL,
DAVIS.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> LEX, YOU WANT TO GO FIRST?
OKAY, WE WORK WELL TOGETHER.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HOW DO
WE ATTRACT LARGER PRODUCTIONS
HERE,
I THINK AS US BEING INVOLVED
IN FILM OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON
STATE AS WELL, JUST RECENTLY I
JUST
PERSONALLY HIRED IN THE
LEAD WRITER FROM THE "POWER"
EPISODES, 50 CENTS, AND HE'S
A LEAD WRITER AND ALSO WENT
TO HARVARD AS A
WRITER. I THINK BRINGING THESE
PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY IN L.A. ,
THEY'RE
SUFFERING. SO BEING ABLE TO
BRING THEM
IN AND ALSO BRING IN LARGER
PRODUCTIONS, YOU HAVE TO
NETWORK, AND YOU HAVE TO LEAVE
OUT THE STATE TO DO THAT,
TOO,
SOMETIMES. THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS I
WOULD LIKE TO DO PERSONALLY
WORKING WITH CHRIS AND HIS
LEADERSHIP.
AND THEN REALLY CAPITAL
LIESING ON THE SCHOOLS.
I THINK IT STARTS IN
SIXTH
GRADE. WE HAVE TO GET THE ARTS
BACK INTO THE
SCHOOLS.
>> OKAY, FOR ME I THINK THAT --
I KNOW THAT POURING INTO
OUR YOUTH NOT NECESSARILY
SCHOOL-BASED BECAUSE THAT IS
IMPORTANT, BUT EVEN FOR
THOSE FOLKS LIKE MYSELF THAT
DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, I THINK
IT'S ABOUT POURING INTO JUST
THE YOUTH AND
THE UP-AND- COMING CREATORS AND
ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE
THE RESOURCES THAT THEY FEEL
LIKE THEY HAVE TO GO TO NEW YORK
OR L.A. OR CHICAGO OR
EVEN ATLANTA. LIKE WE HAVE ALL
THOSE THINGS
HERE.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOT A
LOT OF -- I WOULD LIKE TO -- I
WOULD LIKE TO BE THE BRIDGE
BETWEEN --
THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE
PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S
GOING ON
AND ALL THE AMAZING RESOURCES
WE DO HAVE HERE TO KEEP OUR
PEOPLE
HERE.
>>
THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I'M JUST GOING TO THANK YOU
ALL.
AND DAVIS, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE
ONLINE AS WELL. AND FIRST OF
ALL, CHRIS, THANK
YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE
DOING.
DAVIS, THANK YOU.
I HAVE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF
RESPECT FOR YOU AND THE
BREADTH AND DEPTH OF ALL THE
INFORMATION THAT
YOU PROVIDE AND EXPERIENCE TO
THIS, SO THANK YOU.
AND THEN,
LAWRENCE, THANK YOU AS
WELL. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO BRING A LOT OF CREATIVITY
TO THIS AS WELL.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE OF
THE WAY YOU'RE PRESENTING
YOURSELF TODAY, BUT YOU CAN
JUST TELL WITH THE ALL THE LOVE
AND
PASSION THAT YOU HAVE. AND
OBVIOUSLY I'VE KNOWN KD
FOR YEARS AND ALL THE WORK YOU
HAVE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU DIDN'T TALK
ABOUT YOUR -- YOU DID, BUT
YOUR NON- PROFIT WORK THAT YOU
DID --
THAT YOU DO WITH YOUNG WOMEN IS
INCREDIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU
ALL. WE KNOW THAT THESE
POSITIONS
ARE NOT PAID, AND SO BEING ABLE
TO BRING YOUR EXPERTISE AND
YOUR DIVERSITY AND YOUR
EXPERIENCE
TO THESE IS INCREDIBLE, SO JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
SO
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA,
AND THEN I ALSO SEE
YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON. GO
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO LEND MY VOICE
OF GRATITUDE AS WELL TOTO
COMMISSIONERS.
THESE ARE VOLUNTEER
POSITIONS, AND THEY ARE VERY
IMPORTANT POSITIONS.
AND I PARTICULARLY HAVE
A FONDNESS FOR THE ARTS, AS
CHRIS
KNOWS.
AND WE NEED MOREMORE NOW
MORE
THAN EVER. AND PARTICULARLY FOR
OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE, AND SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO
WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE. IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT.
AND THEN
OBVIOUSLY REPRESENTATION IS
REALLY
CRITICAL IN THIS INDUSTRY.
BECAUSE AS WITH MANY INDUSTRIES,
THERE'S BEEN UNDERREPRESENTATIO
N
FOR
TOO LONG. I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THE
WORK YOU DO IN PARTICULAR TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE REPRESENTATION
AND
BRING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND
MORE YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR TO
FILM.
IT'S JUST REALLY CRITICAL TO
THE WORK, NOT JUST YOUNG PEOPLE,
ALL PEOPLE.
BUT, AGAIN, IN PARTICULAR
YOUNG
PEOPLE. THIS IS REALLY THE ARTS
AND FILM
A PART OF THAT IS SO
IMPORTANT TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG
PEOPLE, PART OF THEIR
DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS A REALLY CRITICAL
PIECE, LIKE I SAID.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
DAVIS,
YOU, TOO, ONLINE. AND
PARTICULARLY LIKE I
SAID BECAUSE I KNOW THESE
ARE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS.
WE ALWAYS ARE SO GRATEFUL
WHEN AMAZING PEOPLE WANT TO
HOLD THESE COMMISSIONER
POSITIONS
AND REALLY WANT TO DO THIS WORK.
WE ARE SO LUCKY THAT WE CAN
HARNESS THIS TALENT IN THIS
CITY, AND SO THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE IN
SEATTLE, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEND MY VOICE OF
GRATITUDE.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR WORK, YOUR INTEREST,
YOUR VOLUNTEERISM IN THE SPACE.
I REFLECT BACK ON, YOU
KNOW, WHEN I HAD MY SECURITY
BUSINESS
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY
DO SECURITY FOR MOVIE
PRODUCTIONS THAT WERE ACTUALLY
IN THIS TOWN.
I REMEMBER SITTING ON
EQUIPMENT IN PIONEER SQUARE,
SANDPOINT, NEWPORT, ALL OVER
THE PLACE. SO -- BUT IT ALSO
COMES
TO SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON SAID, WHICH WAS
THERE'S SO MANY TIMES WHEN
SOMETHING IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN
SEATTLE AND
WE KNOW IT'S VANCOUVER, RIGHT?
I WAS JUST WATCHING
AN EPISODE OF "TRACKER" THE
OTHER NIGHT AND
THEY'RE IN SEATTLE.
NO, THEY'RE NOT IN SEATTLE.
COME ON NOW.
SO IF YOU HAVE IDEAS TO
WHAT WE CAN DO TO ATTRACT
MAJOR PRODUCTIONS TO THIS TOWN
SO THAT
SEATTLE IS ACTUALLY
REPRESENTED, NOT OUR NEIGHBORS
TO THE NORTH,
THAT'D BE GREAT.
I'D
LOVE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOUR
APPOINTMENTS.
>> WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THERE
ARE TWO WAYS PRIMARILY -- FILM
INCENTIVES, AND WE HAVE THAT AT
THE STATE LEVEL, $15 MILLION I
BELIEVE, AND CUTTING RED TAPE.
SO LACKING A LOT OF
RESOURCES, I'M GAME TO SEE IF
THERE
ARE WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO
MAKE FILM AS IN THE CUTTING OF
RED TAPE CATEGORY.
COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR NELSON.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR
BEING HERE AND YOUR TESTIMONY
AND
STORIES.
ONE THING I WAS THINKING
ABOUT PARTICULARLY IN THE
CONTEXT
THAT THE FILM INDUSTRY, THE
FILM WORLD GENERALLY IN AMERICA
IS FACING SOME HEAVY HEAD
WINDS WHICH HAS
RECENTLY COME UP BECAUSE BEING
CAUGHT UP IN
THE TARIFF DISCUSSION, BUT IT
ALSO
HIGHLIGHTS THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE HAVE.
AND SO JUST UNDERLINES THE
NEEDS FOR THE FILM COMMISSION
TO LEVERAGE WHAT WE HAVE HERE
IN SEATTLE IN TERMS OF NATURAL
BEAUTY, THE PEOPLE ALL
ACROSS THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE
THE ADVANTAGES THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND MY
HOPE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO
WATCH A
HALLMARK MOVIE MADE OUT
OF VANCOUVER ALL THE
TIME PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY BASE
THEM
IN SEATTLE.
TO COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON'S
POINT ABOUT SEEING QUOTE-
UNQUOTE SEATTLE AND IT'S NOT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT
AND ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
SINCE YOU'RE ALL COMING FROM
THE
OUTSIDE, I THINK THAT'S
REALLY
IMPORTANT. LIKE, I WAS REMARKING
ON
YOUR REMARKS ABOUT BRINGING
THOSE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
FROM THE
SOUTHEAST BUT
OTHER PARTS OF NEW YORK,
CHICAGO, L.A. AND THE
LIKE.
AND I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO BRING THAT
HERE AND BRING IT INTO THE MIX,
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE
A
VERY STRONG NET POSITIVE FOR
MOVING
FORWARD. AND REALLY WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT
THAT POINT BECAUSE THAT STRUCK A
CHORD WITH ME.
I THINK WE CAN GET USED
TO DIFFERENT PIECES
HERE IN SEATTLE, BUT BY BRINGING
THOSE FRESH EYES LIKE YOU HAVE
AND EVERYONE ELSE IS -- I THINK
IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL
TO
US. SO HAVING THAT PERSPECTIVE
IS REALLY IMPORTANT, SO THANK
YOU.
>>
ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT SEEING
ANYBODY
ELSE'S HANDS UP.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT FILM CREATES
JOBS,
OF COURSE. LET'S NOT FORGET --
AND GENERATES ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
ALSO.
AND THERE WILL BE A FILM
THAT WE CAN SEE THAT WAS BASED
HERE,
AND THE PRODUCTION WAS MADE
HERE, AND WASHINGTON STATE IS
FEATURED
LIGHTLY. SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT.
OKAY, I WILL MOVE THESE
APPOINTMENTS.
HEARING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,
I MOVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS
03146, 03147, AND 03148.
IS THERE A
SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED TO
CONFIRM APPOINTMENTS 03146, 47,
AND 48.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>>
YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>>
YES.
>> CHAIR NELSON?
>>
AYE.
>> ALL IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
AND CONGRATULATIONS.
AND THIS WILL BE BACK AT FULL
COUNCIL NOT NEXT TUESDAY BUT THE
FOLLOWING TUESDAY, AND
YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME TO THAT
AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR
SERVICE.
>> THANK
Y'ALL.
>> ALL RIGHT, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM 4 INTO
THE RECORD?
?
>> AGENDA ITEM 4, RESOLUTION
32170, A RESOLUTION GRANTING
CONSEPPUAL APPROVAL TO
THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION
TO
INSTALL, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE
INTERACTIVE MEDIA KIOSKS
IN PUBLIC PLACES LOCATED IN THE
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT AND IN PARTICIPATING
IMBUSINESS IMPROVEMENTS AREAS
FOR BUSINESS AND
DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT, WILE THESE
FOLKS ARE GETTING SETTLED, I'LL
JUST SAY THIS LEGISLATION IS A
LONG TIME IN COMING.
I HAD MY FIRST MEETING
ABOUT THIS IN APRIL 2022 AND HAD
BEEN WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS
FOR THE BETTER PART OF
THREE YEARS ON THIS, AND IT'S
BEEN
A PRIORITY FOR MY OFFICE
BECAUSE THERE ARE TREMENDOUS
PUBLIC
BENEFITS THAT YOU'LL HEAR
ABOUT LATER ON IN THE MEETING.
AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M
VERY HAPPY THAT WE'RE FINALLY
AT
THE TABLE. THIS IS A RESOLUTION
THAT
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY
AND HOPEFULLY VOTING OUT OF
COMMITTEE THE NEXT TIME,
AND THEN THERE WILL BE AN
ORDINANCE
THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS -- THAT
ACTUALLY CONTAINS THE TERMS
OF THE CONCEPT THAT WE WILL BE
DISCUSSING TODAY. SO THIS IS A
TWO-PART --
TWO- PART LEGISLATIVE EFFORT.
AND THE RUN OF THE SHOW WILL
SIMPLY BE THAT NEXT I WILL
HAVE FOLKS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES,
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE JON FRAME
THE PARTNERSHIP AND A
PRESENTATION FROM SDOT AND
ANSWER QUESTIONS
AND PROVIDE ANSWERS THAT HAVE
NOT BEEN PROVIDED BY
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS.
SO WITH THAT, WOULD
YOU PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND BEGIN
YOUR PRESENTATION.
OR INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, AND
JON, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY ANY
OTHER OPENING REMARKS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND HI, I'M ELISE NELSON.
I'M WITH SDOT AND ONLINE
VIRTUALLY.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE SUPPOSEDLY
OFF
RIGHT NOW. ANYWAY, PLEASE GO
AHEAD.
>> WELL, THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT,÷÷ NELSON. AGAIN, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE BEFORE
YOU TODAY WITH A PROPOSAL TO
LOCATE A WAY FINDING KIOSK AND
AROUND THE CITY.
I WANT TODAY OFFER
BRIEF POINTS BEFORE TURNING IT
OVER TO SDOT
AND OTHERS HERE AT THE TABLE.
ONE, YOU'RE RIGHT,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A
BIT, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR
THE EXTENSIVE REVIEW FOR
CITY STAFF, FOR MEETINGS OF THE
DESIGN
COMMISSION, THE
PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD, THE
DISABILITY ADVISORY
BOARD, AND THE INPUT OF A NUMBER
OF COMMUNITY GROUPS.
THANK YOU TO SDOT FOR
THEIR THOROUGH WORK AND WORKING
WITH
US
OVER MANY MONTHS AND TO THE
MAYOR FOR INCLUDING THIS
INITIATIVE IN THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN.
NUMBER TWO, GREAT URBAN
PLACES, GREAT CITIES, GREAT
DOWNTOWNS ARE PLACES THAT ARE
EASY TO
NAVIGATE, TO FIND YOUR WAY AND
TO
DISCOVER EXPERIENCES. AND THIS
IS A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY
THAT'S IN PLACE IN MORE THAN
20 CITIES ACROSS THE U.S. TO
HELP
PEOPLE DO JUST THAT. FOLKS WHO
LIVE DOWNTOWN AND IN
THE CITY, FOLKS WHO WORK
DOWNTOWN, FOLKS THAT MAY
BE VISITING FROM AROUND THE
CITY,
ACROSS THE STATE OR FROM
AROUND THE WORLD.
GREAT CITIES EMBRACE
TECHNOLOGY LIKE THIS TO HELP
PEOPLE FIND
THEIR WAY.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW EVENTS,
NEW INVESTMENTS IN OF OUR
DOWNTOWN, A LOT OF
NEW BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF NEW
ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE
CANNIBAL ARTS FOR FOLKS TO
DISCOVER. NUMBER THREE, OVER
MANY YEARS
THE CITY HAS SET A HIGH BAR
FOR THE USE OF ITS RIGHT AWAY
WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC
STRUCTURES LIKE THIS.
WE THINK THAT'S THE
CORPORATE STANDARD AND THIS
PROPOSAL, THIS
INITIATIVE MEET THAT
STANDARD. THERE'S EXTENSIVE
PUBLIC
BENEFIT THAT WILL BE PROVIDED
THROUGH THE PROVISION OF THESE
KIOSKS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AND
ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS. AND FINALLY JUST FOR
SOME
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, THE
PROPOSAL FOR DOWNTOWN WILL
INCLUDE 30
KIOSKS WITHIN THE
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
BOUNDARY.
THAT BOUNDARY INCLUDES ABOUT 300
SQUARE BLOCKS TO GIVE YOU A
PERSPECTIVE OF SCALE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR
QUESTION AND REVIEW, AND AGAIN
APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE YOU
TODAY.
>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO
THE FIRST FEW SLIDES AND TURN
IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, AMY
GRAY, WHO'S IN PERSON AT THE
TABLE WITH YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
ONLINE AND ACCOMMODATING MY
REQUEST
TO BE VIRTUAL.
WE ARE EXCITED FOR
THIS PRESENTATION AND THE
DISCUSSION TODAY.
AS WE BEGIN DISCUSSION ABOUT
THE TERM PERMIT FOR DIGITAL
KIOSKS AND THE SOLUTION THAT IS
FIRST
STEP WITH YOU AND THEN
WHAT COMES NEXT.
SO FOR TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE TALKING
ABOUT WHAT THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE LEGISLATION IS
PROPOSING, WHERE THE KIOSKS
WILL BE PLACED AND WHAT
SDOT RECOMMENDS.
AMY WILL GET INTO THE
WEEDS AS WELL AS THE TEAM HERE
IN
FRONT OF YOU.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AS BACKGROUND, THE KIOSKS ARE A
NEAR-TERM ACTION THAT IS
INCLUDED IN THE MAYOR'S
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN OR
D.A.P. , FOR
SHORT, WHICH YOU MAY
HEAR TODAY. AND THIS IS INTENDED
TO
MAKE DOWNTOWN A DESTINATION FOR
PEOPLE WHO MAY LIVE AND
VISIT HERE.
NEXT SLIDE.
KIND OF JUST REINFORCING
WHAT JON WAS SAYING JUST A
MOMENT
AGO.
THIS IS OGRAMMATIC
TERM PERMIT.
THE DSA IS OUR APPLICANT
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEIR
VENDOR,
WHICH IS IKE SMART CITY.
THE KIOSKS WILL BE
MAINTAINED AT NO COST TO THE
CITY, AND THE
DSA WILL RECEIVE REVENUE THAT
CAN
BE REINVESTED BACK INTO
DOWNTOWN AND OTHER PARTICIPATING
DIAs.
THE TERM PERMIT STRUCTURE IS
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR USE OF
THIS PROGRAMMATIC PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS A TIME LINE, AND YOU'LL
SEE THE YELLOW ARROW, WHICH
KIND OF MEANS WE'RE IN THE
MIDDLE, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF
WORK DONE TO DATE, AND THERE'S
STILL MORE WORK TO DO.
SO LIKE I SAID THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN
IDENTIFIES
KIOSKS AS AN ACTION IN 2023, AND
WE'VE REALLY BEEN WORKING
SINCE THEN WITH THE DSA AND IKE
SMART
CITY. THEY APPLIED OFFICIALLY
FOR
TERM PERMIT IN SUMMER OF 2023,
AND WE'VE BEEN CONDUCTING AN
EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF INTERNAL
REVIEW, BRIEFINGS, AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SINCE THAT
TIME.
SO THE ARROW MARKS THE START OF
OUR CONSIDERATION STAGE.
AND WITH THIS WE'LL
TRANSITION AS COUNCIL'S PROCESS
CONCLUDES TO THE NEXT PHASE,
WHICH
AMY WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAILS
BUT INCLUDE INSTALLATION
PERMITTING, WHERE WE LOOK AT
SPECIFIC SITES
WHERE THE KIOSKS WILL
BE PROMISED WITHIN THE
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT WITH THE
GOAL KIOSKS WILL BE
INSTALLED HOPE FELL BEGINNING
THIS
YEAR AND INTO 2026 AHEAD OF
FIFA WORLD CUP.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING DO TURN
IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE AMY
GRAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU TODAY.
SO TERM PERMITS REQUIRE CITY
COUNCIL IN TWO STEPS.
THE FIRST STEP IS WHY WE'RE
HERE TODAY FOR RESOLUTION TO
PRESENT
THAT. THE STEP TWO IS THE
ORDINANCE --
OH, I SHOULD GO BACK.
BEFORE CONSIDERATION OF THE
RESOLUTION THE PROCESS HAS TO BE
COMPLETED AND THIS WAS DONE I
THINK IN JANUARY OR
EARLY FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR,
AND THERE WAS A DETERMINATION OF
NONSIGNIFICANT -- SO
THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETE, AND
THAT'S
WHY WE'RE HERE WITH YOU NUFOR
THE RESOLUTION. STAGE IS THE
TERM
PERMIT ORDINANCE WHICH
SETS ALL THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF
THE PERMIT INCLUDING BONDS
AND PROTECTIONS FOR THE
CITY. IT INCLUDES INSURANCE
AND NOTIFICATION AND
RESTORATION REQUIREMENTS AND
REPORTING AND
ALL THE THINGS WE WANT TO
BE CONCERNED ABOUT TO PROTECT
THE CITY FOR HAVING THIS
PRIVATE STRUCTURE IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY.
AND IT ALSO GRANTS THE TERM
FOR THE PERMIT, AND THIS ONE
WILL
BE IN TWO TERMS, AND IT'S A
LITTLE
WONKY.
IT'S 16 1/2 YEARS FOR THE FIRST
TERM. AFTER THAT IS THE
PERMITTING.
AND SITE PACIFIC LOCATIONS
WILL BE IDENTIFIED, AND THE
APPLICANT
CANNOT OBTAIN THEIR PERMITS
UNTIL AFTER CITY COUNCIL
WOULD PASS THE ORDINANCE, SO
WE'RE STARTING EARLY
IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING
THINGS AND
WORKING WITH SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
AND DECIDING THE COORDINATION,
THE
AREA WAYS AND
CONSTRUCTION
PERMITTING. THAT EARLY WORK IS
HAPPENING AND IF COUNCIL PASSES
THE
ORDINANCE, THAT WOULD BE
THE POINT THEY CAN GO FORWARD
WITH THE PERMIT AND INSTALL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO OUR REVIEW IS GUIDED BY
CITY MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER
1565, AND
WE EVALUATE -- WE EVALUATE
TO WHICH THE KIOSKS SERVE
PUBLIC INTEREST AND THEIR
RELATIONSHIP TO
THE CITYSCAPE. OUR ANALYSIS
INCLUDES
REVIEWING THE PUBLIC BENEFIT
PROPOSAL
TO DETERMINE IF IT ADEQUATELY
OFFSETS THE IMPACT OF THE
KIOSKS ON THE PUBLIC
RIGHT-OF-WAY.
OUR REVIEW HAS CONCLUDED
THAT THE KIOSK'S PROPOSAL
SUFFICIENTLY MET THE
RIA, AND THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER
REVIEW PART OF THIS WHICH IS THE
SEATTLE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THIS IS A DESIGN MANDATED STEP
FOR YOU, AND THEY LOOKED AT
THE URBAN DIAMONDBACKS AND
THE PROPOSAL AND AS YOU CAN SEE
ON THIS SLIDE THEY MET
MULTIPLE
TIMES PRESENTED TO THE SEATTLE
DESIGN COMMISSION. WE TOOK SOME
OF THOSE --
THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
SEATTLE
DESIGN COMMISSION AND THEY
SAID YOU SHOULD GO TO THE
SEATTLE BUILDING COMMISSION,
AND THAT WAS HAPPENING.
WE INCLUDED
SOME OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING
LOCATION CRITERIA FOR
INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT AND SITE-
SPECIFIC PUBLIC REALM
IMPROVEMENTS ALONG
WITH OTHER THINGS.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
MARK FOR
HIS PORTION.
>> THANKS.
WE ARE A CONSULTANT TO IKE
SMART CITY AND REALLY HELPING TO
FACILITATE CONVERSATION
WITH DESIGN COMMISSION AND ALSO
WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN
THE PROCESS OF CITING THE KIOSKS
THEMSELVES.
LET
ME LEAVE IT ON THIS FOR A SECOND
BECAUSE THE KIOSKS HAVE
BEEN
HERE BEFORE. IT'S BEEN DOWNTOWN
A COUPLE OF
TIMES, BEEN DOWN STAIRS AT
THE COMMISSION AS YOU CAN SEE ON
THE
SCREEN. WE ALSO HAD IT AT
COMMUNITY DAY
IN WEST LAKE PARK.
IKE HAS BEEN GREAT AT GETTING
HERE SO YOU CAN EXPERIENCE
THE KIOSK ITSELF, WHICH IS THE
BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND IT.
WE HAVE A PROJECT
SITE WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO
ENGAGE IN
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE'VE PRESENTED TO NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATIONS, NOT JUST
BIAs BUT PIKE COR DOR, UPTOWN
ALLIANCE, SOUTH LAKE UNION,
BELLTOWN,
SOTO, SO QUITE A FEW.
AND THEN COMMUNICATED
DIRECTLY WITH -- JON'S TEAM
HAS COMMUNICATED ON
SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH HAD BIAs
AND OTHER SPEAKERS REPRESENTED
TODAY. ALSO DIVERSITY OF
COMMUNITY GROUPS, SO THERE'S
BEEN
EXTENSIVE OUTREACH BY OUR
PROJECT TEAM PROGRAM AREAS IS
FOCUSED ON THE MID, AND OUTSIDE
OF THAT WE HAVE FOUR INITIAL
BIAs.
OUR NEW WATERFRONT EXTENDING
OUTSIDE OF THAT ZONE,
SEATTLE
WATER DISTRICTS, AND PARK
BOULEVARDS
ARE EXCLUDED. TWO PHASES.
INITIAL PHASE AS 30 IN AM
MID, THAT'S THE FIRST PHASE.
THAT'S FOR FIFA 26, WE'VE GOT
A
SHORT TIME FRAME.
THAT'S OUR GOAL.
SECOND PHASE AS AMY MENTIONED
IS TO THEN EXPAND INTO THE
MIDGETS
30 ADDITIONAL KIOSKS AND
20 ADDITIONAL WOULD BE SPREAD
AMONGST THE BIAs, SO THAT'S
80 TOTAL.
THE KIOSK DESCRIPTION AS
YOU'VE SEEN DOWN STAIRS IS OVER
8 FEET
TALL, ABOUT 3 FEET WIDE
AND ABOUT A FOOT DEEP.
THE SCREEN SIZE ITSELF IS LITTLE
OVER 12 FEET.
THE KIOSK IS A VERY
ROBUST STRUCTURE.
IT'S BEEN INSTALLED
OVER A NUMBER OF CITIES, WELL
OVER
20 CITIES AROUND THE UNITED
STATES. IT'S WEATHER-PROOF.
IT IS EROSION RESISTANT, DUST
AND WATER RESISTANT.
WE GET A LOT OF COMMENTS WHAT IT
YOU HIT IT WITH A BASEBALL
BAT, IT'S SHATTER-PROOF.
AND THE BIG THING HERE IS
IKE MAINTAINS THESE THINGS
WITH BSA. A
VENDOR THAT WILL MAINTAIN
THEM. THEY'LL BE ON THE SPOT
IF SOMETHING IS DAMAGED OR
TAGGED. IT'S IN THEIR OWN
INTEREST
TO MAKE SURE THESE THINGS ARE
OPERATIONAL, TO MAKE SURE
THEY'RE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.
TWO MODES
OF OPERATION. THE FIRST IS A
PASSIVE MODE.
THIS IS A DEFAULT MODE WHERE
IT'S RUNNING THROUGH
THE LOOP. I'LL HAVE A SLIDE AND
A
SHORT VIDEO TO SHARE WITH YOU.
THE SECOND IS ENGAGEMENT WHERE
YOU GO UP AND HIT THE SCREEN.
ADVERTISING IS MINIMIZED,
AND THEN YOU HAVE A SCREEN YOU
CAN ENGAGE WITH, AND THERE'S
A NUMBER OF THINGS YOU CAN
ENGAGE WITH WHEN YOU GET INTO
ENGAGE
MODE. SO THE KIOSK ITSELF,
THERE'S AN
80- SECOND
LOOP. EACH SLIDE 10 SECONDS
EACH, THAT'S THE FIRST LOOP.
THERE'S A MINIMUM OF A QUARTER
OR 25% OF THE CONTENT IS PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AS CLAIRE OR JESSICA WILL
TELL YOU, OFTENTIMES
ADVERTISING ADVERTISING SOLD AND
THAT CAN GO UP
TO 30, 40%
PUBLIC CONTENT. THERE'S A DAILY
MINIMUM
WHERE THERE'S A HIGH ROTATION
WHERE
A MINIMUM OF AN EIGHTH OF
THE CONTENT WILL BE PUBLIC.
I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN
DO THIS.
GO TO THE -- IT'S ONE LOOP.
OKAY, THE KIOSKS ARE LOCATED
WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE
IN THE FURNITURE ZONE, IN
THE LANDSCAPE FURNITURE ZONE.
SO THEY ARE A STRUCTURE WHERE
YOU'D FIND A STREET TREE, BIKE
RAFRP, A BENCH, STREET
SIGN, UTILITY POLE, ET CETERA.
THEY FIT NEATLY WITHIN THAT
SPACE.
THEY HAVE TO BE SET A MINIMUM OF
18 INCHES OFF THE CURB SPACE
PER CODE AND HAVE A MINIMUM OF
12- INCH CLEARANCE
ON THE PEDESTRIAN SIDE.
SO THAT EXTENDS THE SIDEWALK
ZONE FROM THE 6 TO 8 FEET
THAT WE OFTEN SEE TO 7 OR 9
FEET. LOCATED AWAY FROM
INTERSECTIONS OR
SIDEWALKS. WE WERE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THAT
CITED CRITERIA SO
THERE'S TRANSPORTATION
STANDARDS
IN THERE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED
WITH
S-DOT AND ALL COMPLIES WITH
THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND STREETS
AND COORDINATED WITH
STREET CLOSURES AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE PUBLIC BENEFITS AND
OTHER FEATURES AS WE'RE CALLING
THEM, SO THIS
IS ONE OF THE THINGS COMING OUT
OF COMMISSION. REALLY TO FOCUS
IN ON
ELEMENTS THAT WOULD ENHANCE
PEDESTRIAN
ROUTES, YOU'RE EXPERIENCE AS
YOU WALK DOWN THE SIDEWALK
AND A RIGHT-OF- WAY EXPERIENCE.
SO A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES ON
THE SCREEN HERE ARE THINGS LIKE
FIRE
BASKETS, BIKE RACKS ALL
IN THE VICINITY OF THE KIOSK AND
ALSO
REPAIRING BROKEN,
REDUND DEPENDENT FURNISHINGS
WITHIN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
OTHER FEATURES INCLUDE AND
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT A
FINANCIAL
ONE, FIRST PHASE OF REVENUE
IS DIRECTED DIRECTLY TO DSA.
IT'S ANTICIPATED
APPROXIMATELY $1. 1 MILLION WILL
BE GENERATED.
POTENTIAL FOR NEW INCOME FOR
THE CITY OVER AND ABOVE THAT IF
IT'S ACHIEVED.
PHASE TWO, SAME THING
HAPPENS AGAIN WITH THE DSA,
ADDITIONAL MONEY AGAIN WOULD GO
TO
THE
CITY. AND THEN DSA WOULD THEN
DIVVY UP
THE MONEY FOR THE KIOSKS
THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN EACH OF
THE
DIAs.
THEY WOULD GET THEIR SHARE OF IT
REVENUE GENERATED THERE.
PUBLIC SAFETY.
DURING ONE OF OUR
COMMISSION MEETINGS WE HAD
SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, AND THE CARE TEAM,
AMY SMITH, SHOWED UP AND
BRIEFED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
KIOSK
TO THE COMMISSION MEMBERS.
SO THE KIOSK HAS THE ABILITY
TO
SHARE ALERTS AND OTHER MESSAGING
FROM THE CITY, EQUIPPED WITH
AN EMERGENCY CALL BUTTON ON
THE SIDE OF THE UNIT.
CAN SHOW WAY FINDING DURING
SPECIAL EVENTS OR UNPLANNED
DEMONSTRATIONS,
GIVES INFORMATION DURING
SEVERE WEATHER -- NATURAL
DISASTERS.
DISPLAYS PUBLIC SAFETY AND
EMERGENCY WARNINGS
IMMEDIATELY WHEN ISSUED BY THE
CITY,
AND THEN IT'S CONNECTED TO
FEMA'S
ALERT FEED TO SHOW PUBLIC
SAFETY WARNINGS IN REALTIME.
IN THE ENGAGE MODE, SO THIS
IS AGAIN WHEN YOU GO UP AND
TOUCH
THE SCREEN, IT CAN PROMOTE
PUBLIC ART.
SO IT CAN BE HYPERLOCAL.
THIS IS GEOLOCATED, SO IT REALLY
RESPOND TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITS
WITHIN, PROVIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL ARTS,
CULTURE,
COMMUNITY EVENTS, PROMOTE LOCAL
BUSINESSES, GIVES
INTERACTIVE WAY FINDING
COORDINATED
WITH SEEMA SEATTLE AND SPENT A
LOT
OF TIME MAKING SURE THIS WAS
COORDINATED SO THINGS
LIKE COLOR, LANGUAGE ARE ALL
COORDINATED WITH THEIR SYSTEM.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR
WAY FINDING PROGRAM, YOU'LL SEE
THIS IS IDENTIFIED -- DIJFUL
WAY FINDING IS IDENTIFIED
WITHIN THEIR FAMILY OF SIGNAGE.
AND THEY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS
IS BETTER SERVED BY PRIVATE
INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCING SO QUICKLY.
AND LASTLY, IT PROMOTES CIVIC
AND SOCIAL RESOURCES INCLUDING
SAFE SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING.
IN THE PASSIVE MODE, THE --
AGAIN, THIS IS WHEN IT'S
RUNNING THROUGH THE LOOP.
THE KIOSK GIVES COMMITTEE
AND CITY MESSAGING, SO IT
PROMOTES LOCAL NONPROFITS AT
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, BIAs AND
CITY DEPARTMENT AND INCLUDES A
PUBLIC
DEPARTMENT PROGRAM.
IKE HAS THEIR OWN PROGRAM
WITHIN THE COMPANY THAT RUNS
THIS.
WE'VE PLANNED TO COORDINATE
DIRECTLY WITH DSA AND
THEIR STAFF THAT RUNS ART
PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH,
SO
REALLY PROMOTING LOCAL ARTISTS.
THIS IS KIND
OF A LOW BAR FOR THESE FOLKS TO
GET IN AND
PROMOTE THEIR ARTWORK, AND
IT ALSO INCLUDES A CURATOR,
AND THESE ARE PAID POSITIONS.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE FREE WI-
FI AS WELL AROUND THE KIOSK
ITSELF.
>> OKAY, SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING
TO YOU, COUNCIL, YOU
CONCEPTUALLY APPROVE THE
TERM PERMIT FOR THE INTERACTIVE
KIOSKS, AND AS NOTED
EARLIER THERE WILL BE A SECOND
STEP OF APPROVAL WITH BRINGING
TO YOU
AN ORDINANCE.
NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THIS IS A TIME
LINE OF
THETHE LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS.
TODAY WE'RE WITH YOU, AND THEN
THE SECOND COMMITTEE MEETING
ON MAY 22nd WILL INVOLVE
DISCUSSION, AND YOU COULD
POTENTIALLY VOTE ON
THE RESOLUTION AT THE TIME.
ON MAY 22nd AS WELL WE'LL
GIVE OUR FIRST BRIEFING ON THE
TERM PERMIT ORDINANCE.
ON JUNE 3rd IF THE RESOLUTION
IS RECOMMENDED OUT OF COMMITTEE,
IT
WILL GO TO FULL COUNCIL FOR
THE VOTE.
AND THEN ON JUNE 5th WOULD
BE THE SECOND DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE VOTE ON THE
ORDINANCE,
AND A FULL COUNCIL VOTE ON THE
ORDINANCE ESTIMATED AT JUNE
10th, AND THAT WOULD BE
TIME THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY
OBTAIN
THE CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING
AND START WORKING IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY. AND THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME HERE.
ALYSE AND ARE AVAILABLE
TO ANSWER ANY SDOT QUESTIONS
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CLAY
AND
JESSICA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL
AND
COUNCILMEMBERS. WE BELIEVE WE'RE
BRINGING
FORWARD A REALLY COMPELLING
PLAN AND PROPOSAL FOR SEATTLE.
A BIT OF BACKGROUND ON US
THAT DIDN'T COME FROM THE
PRESENTATION. WE ARE ON THE
GROUND IN
23 CITIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, HOT AND COLD, BIG
AND SMALL. BALTIMORE, HOUSTON,
MIAMI, TAMPA
TO NAME A FEW. ON THE WEST COAST
WE ARE LIVE
AT BERKELEY AND SAN DIEGO, AND
A COUPLE MORE LATER ON THIS
YEAR.
IN EACH CITY WE LEARN
SOMETHING NEW AND MAKE OUR
PRODUCT
A LITTLE BETTER.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE BRINGING
FORWARD IN SEATTLE WILL
REALLY RESPECT THE COMMUNITY
AND REFLECT
ITS VALUES. AND WE'RE HERE TO
ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE,
AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR THE
TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
I --
I WILL -- IS THERE ANYTHING YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ADD BEFORE
I OPEN IT UP TO
QUESTIONS?
>> WOULD YOU GO BACK TO THE
SCHEDULE, THE
COMMUNITY
SCHEDULE? SO I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT
FOR THE COMMITTEE MY CENTRAL
STAFF PAPER HIGHLIGHTS
THE RESOLUTION CURRENTLY
BEFORE YOU DOESN'T GIVE A LOT
OF
COUNCIL
DIRECTION. IT'S REALLY A BIT
PRO FORMA
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD SEE IN
THE PERMIT.
WITH THIS AGGRESSIVE
SCHEDULE, THERE'S A DRAFT
AVAILABLE,
THEN THAT MIGHT BE THE
APPROPRIATE PLACE TO KIND OF
LOOK AT
WHAT ACTUALLY GOES INTO --
RATHER THAN TAKING IT INTO
RESOLUTION,
WE CAN FOCUS ON THE
ACTUAL ORDINANCE IF THAT'S
GOING TO
BE COMING BEFORE US SOON.
I WOULD NOTE THE DESIGN
COMMISSION DID NOT RECOMMEND
THE PROPOSAL BUT THEY
PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON
CONSIDERATIONS
FORFOR BENEFIT AND MITIGATIONS
FOR CONSIDERATION IF IT WERE TO
MOVE FORWARD, AND SO
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS
YOU
WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN THE DRAFT
ORDINANCE.
>> I WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR
UP TO QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, VICE
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU,
CHAIR NELSON. WELCOME.
I'VE MET -- ACTUALLY I'VE MET
A MAJORITY OF THE TABLE TO
INCLUDE
OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM
THE COMPANY IKE.
VERY NICE TO MEET YOU AND GET TO
DEMONSTRATIONS.
I'VE GOTTEN ESSENTIALLY
A DEMONSTRATION AND A HALF,
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
CAN YOU BRING UP THE SLIDE
WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY PIECES TO
IT?
ACTUALLY THE SLIDES ARE NOT
NUMBERED, BUT FOR THOSE
WHO DON'T KNOW, BY THE WAY, WE
HAVE A BRIEFING IN FRONT OF ME,
I'LL ADD IT TO THE AGENDA IN
CASE YOU'RE CURIOUS WHAT WE
LOOK
AT OUR ON OUR SCREEN I HAVE IT
SEPARATELY AND I CAN
SCROLL THROUGH THE SLIDES AS I
WISH
TO, WHICH IS A GREAT FEATURE.
I JUST WANTED
TO SPEAK TO THIS. I UNDERSTAND
ONE OF
THE THINGS IN TERMS OF THE
PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE WHICH I CHAIR,
THERE'S
A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES TO
THAT, AND ONE OF THEM IS OAM.
CAN YOU SPEAK -- YOU SAY IT
CAN SHARE ALERTS.
CAN YOU GO INTO MORE
DETAILS RELATED TO THAT?
AND BY THE WAY, AS I ASK
THIS QUESTION EARLIER IN TERMS
OF
THE 23 CITIES,
IF THERE'S ANY ANTIC DOTES OR
ANYTHING ALONG THOSE
LINES, STARTING OFF WITH
THAT KIND OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
KIND OF
FUNCTION.
>> IT'S A GREAT
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER.
AND THERE'S A FEW THINGS WE
DO AND WE'VE ACTUALLY MET WITH
THE KARS TEAM AND SEATTLE FOLKS
IN DIFFERENT EMERGENCY
DISCIPLINES TO MAKE SURE WHAT
WE'RE
DOING WILL WORK FOR SEATTLE.
THE MOST OBVIOUS THING WE DO
IS WE WORK WITH FEMA'S
ALERT SYSTEM, IPAWS OR IF
THERE'S
ANY INCLEMENT WEATHER OR
ACTIVE SHOOTER OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT, IT'LL TAKE OVER THE
SCREEN.
ANOTHER FEATURE WE HAVE IS
OUR 911 BUTTON.
ON EVERY UNIT WE HAVE A
BUTTON WITH A TWO WAY SPEAKER
AND
THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED.
MOST CITIES HAVE 911, AND WE
DO SEE IT USED.
A QUESTION CAME UP TODAY IN A
FEW OF OUR DEMOS IS IT
APUZED AND DO WE SEE FOLKS KIND
OF HANGING AROUND AND
CONSTANTLY HIING THE BUTTON?
WE'VE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN THAT
REPORTED IN OUR 23 CITIES.
UTWE HAVE SEEN ABOUT
PRODUCTIVE USE.
ONE WE HAVE IN THE CITY
OF BERKELEY ABOUT A YEAR AND A
HALF AGO WHERE SOMEONE
BRANDISHED
A KNIFE AND SOMEONE WHO
DIDN'T HAVE A CELLPHONE USED
OUR CALL
BUTTON AND WAS ABLE TO USE THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND DIFFUSE
THE SITUATION.
SO WE DO SEE
IT.
>> IT DOES STRIKE ME LIKE
A MODERN VERSION OF THE
OLD TELEPHONE BOOTH THAT HAS THE
BLUE LIGHT AS
WELL, WHICH MUST BE A STANDARD
GIVEN THE BLUE
ON THE BUTTON.
ALSO, I THINK YOU SPOKE TO
THOSE PIECES, THE ALERTS --
ACTUALLY
YOU ASKED MY STAFF A QUESTION. I
WAS GOING TO ASK
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
911 AS WELL. CAN YOU GO MORE
DETAILS
IN TERMS OF HOW IT TAKES OVER
THE SCREEN?
YOU SHOWED YOUR VIDEO.
LIKE, EXPLAIN THE PROCESS WHEN
IT WOULD BE OVERTAKEN BY LIKE
THE AMBER ALERT EXAMPLE YOU
MENTIONED, AND HOW DOES THAT
WORK, AND FOR HOW LONG, AND
WHO CONTROLS IT?
AND WHAT'S THE COMMUNICATION --
WHAT'S THE COORDINATION THAT
IS DONE WITH WHATEVER CITY
OFFICIAL THAT YOU'RE WORKING
WITH,
WHICH KIND OF GOES TO THE LEAD,
I
GUESS.
AND THEN MR. SCHOLES
SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IKE,
CEMENT,
THAT COMBINATION AS THESE THINGS
PLAY
OUT.
>> I'LL ANSWER THE TECHNICAL
QUESTION AND THEN HAND IT
TO
JON. TWO
WAYS, AGAIN, AND YOU CAN SEE THE
VISUALIZATION HERE IN THE BOTTOM
RIGHT QUADRANT.
IPAWS IS ALREADY INTEGRATED
INTO THE KIOSKS WITHOUT ANY
HUMAN
INTERVENTION, WHICH IS REALLY
GOOD BECAUSE IF THERE IS
AN ACTIVE ALERT THAT'S PUT OUT
BY FEMA OR PUT OUT BY THE
CITY, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY GRAB
IT.
AND THE PORTION YOU SEE
THE GENTLEMAN TOUCHING, WHICH
WE CALL THE ACTIVE MODE
WILL AUTOMATICALLY SHOW THAT RED
AND
WHITE TEXT AND DISPLAY
AN ADVERTISEMENT AND CITY
CONCEPT
OR ART TO DO THAT AND LAST AS
LONG AS THAT'S HAPPENING.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME
AND ACCESS IT, IT WOULD PUT A
LITTLE ICON IN THE CORNER
THAT'S
A FLASHING RED SO YOU KNOW THIS
IS HAPPENING, YOU GET MORE
INFORMATION. IN ADDITION TO THAT
AUTOMATIC TAKE OVER, WE'LL ALSO
GET THE
CITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE
SERVICES A DIRECT LINE INTO THE
KIOSK.
SO IF THEY WANT TO UP
LOAD IMAGES AND DO A TEXT OR
EMERGENCY PROTOCOL, THEY'LL
SORT OF HAVE THEIR FINGER ON
THE BUTTON TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
AND COORDINATE WITH
DSA AS WELL.
>> FOR OR THE CONTENT,
COUNCILMEMBER, PROMOTION OF
EVENTS AND COMMUNITY
GATHERINGS AND APPLICATIONS
THEMSELVES
THAT ARE FOLKS ARE INTERACTING
WITH IN THE ACTIVE MODE, WE WILL
HAVE A CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH
IKE
TO DEVELOP AND HELP CURATE
THAT CONTENT BOTH FOR DOWNTOWN
AND THEN THE OUTLYING BIAs.
THAT'S BEEN A REALLY
SUCCESSFUL MODEL IKE HAS
EMPLOYED
IN
WORKING WITH DOWNTOWN
ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND MOST OF THEIR
MARKETS THEY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS
DIRECTLY WITH
THE ORGANIZATION. AND IN FACT IT
WAS THE DOWNTOWN
DENVER PARTNERSHIP IN 2016
THAT WORKED WITH ORANGE BOROUGH
MEDIA TO DEVELOP THIS TOOL
ITSELF, AND
IT WAS DEPLOYED IN DENVER
FIRST, SO WE WILL HAVE AN
ONGOING CLOSE
RELATIONSHIP WITH IKE.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY TO
MAKE SURE
THIS IS A SUCCESSFUL AND
RELEVANT PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY IN
THE
CITY OVER
TIME.
>> MR. SCHOLES I WAS ALSO
LISTENING TO THE
MIDAMBASSADORS. IN TERMS OF THE
REVENUE AND HOW
YOU USE IT FOR THIS PROGRAM, HOW
DOES IT PLAY INTO PUBLIC
SAFETY?
>> SO WE PROPOSED IN OUR
TERM IMPROVEMENT ORDINANCE AND
OUR AGREEMENT
WITH THE CITY THAT REVENUE THAT
COMES TO US MUST
BE EXPENDED CONSISTENT WITH
THE OBJECTIVES AND
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES RELATIVE
TO
THE METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT, WHICH THIS
COUNCIL RE- AUTHORIZED -- THANK
YOU --
BACK IN MAY OF 2023.
SO ON ANNUAL BASIS WE PROMISED
TO THE CITY HOW THAT 1. 1
MILLION
WOULD BE SPENT WITHIN THE
PARAMETERS OF THE MID
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, SO
ADDITIONAL
CLEANING AND SAFETY, HOSPITALITY
AMBASSADORS, MORE
BEAUTIFICATION,
OUTDOOR CONCERTS,
ET CETERA. AND THE CITY WOULD
REVIEW
THAT ANNUALLY.
SO THE REVENUE TO US
GOES INTO THOSE SERVICES.
I WOULD NOTE, TOO, WE
HAVEN'T MENTIONED THIS BUT
OUR AMBASSADORS SEE A LOT
OF UTILITY IN WORKING WITH
MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WHETHER THEY BE FOLKS
IN NEED OR FOLKS THAT ARE
VISITING
OUR DOWNTOWN AND USING
THIS PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY TO HELP
THEM FIND THEIR WAY.
COULD BE FINDING THEIR WAY TO
A GREAT EVENT OR COULD BE
FINDING THEIR WAY TO A SHELTER
BED
OR THE WINTER SHELTER AT SEATTLE
CENTER THAT'S OPENING
IN
JANUARY. SO WE SEE A LOT OF
UTILITY
IN HELPING ALL MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC AND HAVING
OUR AMBASSADORS HAVE
ANOTHER FUNCTION THAT'S, YOU
KNOW,
BIGGER THAN THEIR PHONE OR
MORE RELEVANT AND ACCURATE THAN
A
STATIC
MAP.
>> BEFORE ASKING MY LAST
QUESTION, CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO
SAY SHOUT OUT TO
THE MID AMBASSADORS.
TO OUR GUESTS, IF YOU DON'T
KNOW THE MID AMBASSADORS,
IT'S FANTASTIC
PEOPLE.
I SPEAK TO THEM ON A REGULAR
BASIS WHEN I PASS THEM ON THE
STREET. GETTING SOME INTEL
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT PART
OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR JUST
THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE
TO OUR
CITY.
WITH THAT LEAD INTO MY
LAST QUESTION.
GENERALLY WE GET A MILLION
E-MAILS. SOME OF THE E- MAILS ON
THIS TOPIC I'VE BEEN RECEIVING
HAS TALKED ABOUT THE CRITIQUE IS
DISTRACTED DRIVERS.
OBVIOUSLY TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY
IS KEY. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT
POINT, BECAUSE AS I SEE IT A
PERFECT LOCATION WOULD BE WEST
LAKE PARK.
IT'S LIKE NOBODY'S GOING TO
BE DISTRACTED BY IT.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO -- ANYBODY, CAN
YOU SPEAK TO THE
PARAMETERS, THE DIFFERENT PIECES
OF THE PROGRAM
THAT HELP AMELIORATE THAT
SITUATION TO HELP
AVOID DISTRACTED DRIVING?
>> SURE, THAT WAS A PART OF THE
SEPA ANALYSIS.
THERE WAS A TRAFFIC ANALYSIS
MEMO THAT WAS PUBLISHED AS
PART
OF IT. THEIR CONSULTANT WORKED
HEAVILY WITH OUR
TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS
DIVISION, AND
THEY ANALYZED LOCATIONS,
POTENTIAL LOCATIONS, AND THEY
DID THE
MATH THAT ENGINEERS DO TO SEE
WHERE
IS A SAFE STOPPING DISTANCE.
DID I SAY IT RIGHT?
AND SO ALL THOSE PARAMETERS
THAT THEY IDENTIFIED IN THE
SEPA CHECKLIST OF REDUCING
DRIVER
DISTRACTION AND CONFLICTS ARE --
WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE
TERM PERMIT ORDINANCE.
MARK, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO TAKE
IT DOWN TO LAYMANS TERMS,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
SO SITE STOPPING DIFFERENCE
WORKING WITH MARTY
ON TRANSPORTATION.
MARTY WORKED DIRECTLY WITH
ONE OF THE CITY'S
TRANSPORTATION
PLANNERS. AND THIS IS MATH.
THEY CAME DOWN TO
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO OF ME
CROSSING A
CROCK AT A RED LIGHT LOOKING AT
MY PHONE AND A DRIVER HAVING TO
SEE ME
AND REACT. THAT'S -- THAT'S
THE
SAFETY THAT'S BUILT INTO THE
MATH.
SO THESE DISTANCES FROM
INTERSECTIONS, THINK ABOUT
ALL THESE OOPSIES AND THINK
ABOUT PEOPLE NOT PAYING
ATTENTION
WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE,
THE PEDESTRIANS OR DRIVERS.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY WELL-
STUDIED, AND WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT
WHAT WE'VE PUBLISHED IN THE
SEPA
DOCUMENTATION.
>> THANK YOU.
YOUR ANECDOTE THERE I
ALMOST WANTED TO MAKE A PUBLIC
SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I GREW UP
ON THE EAST COAST BUT I ALWAYS
MAKE
EYE CONTACT WITH THE
DRIVER.
>> 100%.
A LOT OF MY FELLOW
SEATTLEITES, DON'T NECESSARILY
DO THAT,
SO PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT, MAKE EYE CONTACT.
THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, IF I
COULD ADD SOMETHING, JUST TO ADD
ON, THIS IS A PROGRAMMATIC TERM
PERMIT. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE
DO
NOT
SEE OFTEN. WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE
OTHER ONE
IN THE
CITY IN THE PAST. IT DOES IT AT
A MUCH
HIGHER LEVEL AND LEAVE
IMPLEMENTATIONS AS FOR THE
PERMITS THAT WOULD
BE REQUIRED FOR
ACTUAL INSTALLATION, SO THIS IS
A HIGHER LEVEL OF COUNCIL
REVIEW.
TYPICALLY WE WOULD HAVE
A SPECIFIC STRUCTURE THAT WE
WOULD REVIEW FOR A SPECIFIC
LOCATION.
THIS IS NOT THAT.
AND I WOULD SAY, TOO,
WHEN THIS COMES BACK TO YOU IN
THE FORM OF
ORDINANCE, THERE MAY BE
OTHER DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU
MIGHT
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
INCLUDING UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
DSA AND THE CITY, WHICH WOULD
GOVERN SOME OF THE OTHER
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE
PROGRAM.
>> AND I'LL JUST FINISH UP
THAT THE LOCATION CRITERIA
THAT'S
ESTABLISHED FROM THE SEPA AND
WILL WILL BE INCLUDED IN
ORDINANCE WHEN APPLIED
TO INSTALLATION FOR STREET
USE, THAT CRITERIA WILL BE
EVALUATED TO MAKE SURE IT MEET
ALL
THOSE CONDITIONS AND THEN ALSO
THE OTHER CONDITIONS
FOR CONSTRUCTION AND TRAFFIC
MANAGEMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT -- THEIR INSTALLATION
PERMITTING REVIEW WILL
ALSO DOUBLE-CHECK THE
LOCATION CRITERIA AS
ESTABLISHED.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT I
HAD FOR YOU HAVE ACTUALLY
BEEN ADDRESSED BY COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE'S QUESTIONS REGARDING
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE
FUNDING, YOU KNOW, HOW IS IT
GOING TO
BE USED AS WELL AS DISTRACTED
DRIVER PART.
SO I'M SATISFIED WITH
THE ANSWERS THAT YOU PROVIDED
FOR
THAT. WHEN I SEE THE COMMENTARY
THAT IS COMING TO US, I'M
GETTING
THE FEELING THAT THERE'S A LACK
OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
THESE THINGS ARE AND WHAT THEY
WILL
DO AS WELL AS WHAT THEY ARE NOT
AND WHAT THEY WILL NOT DO.
SO JUST FOR THE
RECORD, ARE THERE GOING TO BE
CAMERAS
ON THIS THING THAT ARE GOING TO
BE RECORDING PEOPLE'S EVERY DAY
MOVEMENTS?
>>
NO.
>> OKAY, SO THIS IS NOT
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
THAT'S GOING TO BE OUT THERE
THAT OUR
REALTIME CRIME CENTER CAN TAP
INTO?
>> NO, SIR.
>> OKAY, COOL, THANK YOU.
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THESE
UNITS?
>> THAT WOULD BE IKE, THE
VENDOR. SO THIS COMES AT NO COST
TO THE
CITY, NO COST TO US.
AND IKE HAS A VERY GOOD TRACK
RECORD ACROSS THE
MARKETS THEY'RE IN OF ENSURING
THESE ARE
OPERABLE, THEY'RE CLEAN,
THEY'RE
KEPT UP.
WE'VE DONE OUR HOMEWORK,
VISITED
OTHER CITIES, VISITED OUR
COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE
AGREEMENTS WITH IKE IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY AND ARE SATISFIED
WITH THEIR PERFORMANCE TO DATE.
AND
THEIR PERFORMANCE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR UPKEEP
ARE SPELLED OUT IN THE
AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH IKE AND
THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH THE
CITY.
>> OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU.
AND I THOUGHT I HAD ANOTHER
QUESTION, BUT I KNOW WE CAN GET
TO IT LATER ON.
AGAIN, I JUST WANTED
TO ESTABLISH FOR THOSE WHO MAY
BE LISTENING, WATCHING, WHAT
THESE THINGS WILL DO, WHAT THEY
WILL NOT DO, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE
FOR MAINTAINING THEM.
IT'S NOT
THE CITY. THE CITY IS NOT
INCURING
ANY COSTS IN PUTTING THESE
THINGS
IN, AND THERE IS FINANCIAL
BENEFIT THAT WILL BENEFIT
THE, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN DSA,
DIAs, AS WELL AS THE CITY.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT TO
SAY?
>>
CORRECT.
>> OKAY, GREAT.
THANK YOU.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
>> WELL, YOU ALMOST DELIVERED
MY CLOSING COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
THIS IS EXCITING TO ME TO
BE HAVING THIS FIRST DISCUSSION
TODAY BECAUSE AS NOTED
BEFORE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THIS PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME FOR
THREE MAIN REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, THE PUBLIC BENEFITS,
EVERYTHING FROM THE FREE
WI-FI TO THE -- TO THE
MULTILINGUAL
REALTIME INFORMATION FOR
PUBLIC TRANSIT AND ALSO
FOR EMERGENCY INFORMATION AND
THE LIST
GOES ON.
ALSO BECAUSE THEY ALLOW FOR
THE ELEVATION OF LOCAL -- OUR
LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THAT
IS
ALWAYS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND
THAT'S IN PART WHY THIS IS IN
MY
COMMITTEE AND NOT, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE BECAUSE THERE IS A
NEXUS
THERE, OF COURSE.
BUT THE
FACT THAT THE PARTNERSHIP IS
BETWEEN
THE VENDOR AND DSA, WHICH
MANAGES
ONE OF OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
AREAS CALLED THE MID-
THAT IS ALSO WHY IT'S IN MY
COMMITTEE.
THAT'S ALSO WHY I'M SUPPORTIVE
BECAUSE THE RATE PAYERS IN
OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREAS
TAX THEMSELVES TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE
SERVICES THAT BENEFIT NOT JUST
THEMSELVES OR THE SMALL
BUSINESS --
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
BUT
THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
AND THIS WILL -- I'VE
ALWAYS FELT THAT IMAGINE
DOWNTOWN WITHOUT THE MID, RIGHT?
AND IT'S -- IT'S A TREMENDOUS
SERVICE, AND I BELIEVE THAT
IT'S RIGHT TO
ALLOW FOR THE GENERATION OF
REVENUE THAT CAN
FURTHER HELP THE MID PROVIDE THE
SERVICE WE ALL DEPEND ON
AND MAKES DOWNTOWN SO GREAT.
THAT IS WHY I AM EXCITED
FOR THIS GOING FORWARD,
AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT
NEED TO
BE
ANSWERED. AND THIS IS OUR FIRST
DISCUSSION, AND WE'LL
CONTINUE AT OUR NEXT
MEETING. AND IF THERE AREN'T ANY
OTHER
QUESTIONS, I JUST
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S
WATCHING, THERE IS A KIOSK
DOWN PAP STAIRS.
GO GIVE IT A TEST DRIVE AND
CHECK IT OUT.
HOW LONG WILL IT BE IN THE
LOBBY?
>> IT'LL BE LEAVING LATER
TODAY,
SO FOR A FEW HOURS WE'LL HAVE
IT
AROUND.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
THE PRESENTATION.
>> OKAY, IF FOLKS CAN STAY UNTIL
4:30, I THINK WE DO HAVE TIME TO
GET THROUGH OUR LAST COMMITTEE
ITEM. GO AHEAD.
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ ITEM 5
INTO THE RECORD, I
BELIEVE?
>> YES.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 5,
COUNCIL BILL 120978, AN
ORDINANCE RELATED TO CODE
OFETICS
DEFINING ELECTED OFFICIAL
REQUIRING ELECTED OFFICIALS TO
DISCLOSE
ANY FINANCIAL INTEREST OR
CONFLICT OF INTEREST PRIOR
TO PARTICIPATING IN
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS AND AMENDING
SECTIONS
4.16. 030 AND 4.16. 770 OF
THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> I'LL JUST SAY THAT THIS IS
IN MY COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE
GOVERNANCE
COMMITTEE IS THE COMMITTEE THAT
OVERSEES THE
SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION, SO I WILL
SIMPLY TURN OVER DISCUSSION
TO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, THE
SPONSOR
OF THE LEGISLATION TO LEAD THE
DISCUSSION.
WITH THAT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO --
WHY DON'T YOU GO
AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES
--
>> YES.
I'M WAYNE BARNETT.
I'M EXECUTIVE DRESHLGT OF
THE SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION.
>> AND LAUREN HENRY.
I'M THE COUNCIL'S
LEGISLATIVE LEGAL
COUNCIL.
>> OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, CHAIR.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR
ALLOWING ME TO JOIN THE
COMMITTEE
TODAY TO PRESENT THIS
LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU TO MR. BARNETT, MR.
PEKELIS, AND OUR OWN LEGAL
COUNCIL, LAUREN HENRY, FOR
BEING HERE TO WALK US THROUGH.
I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON
THE
DRAFTING OF THE LEGISLATION.
SO WE ALL KNOW THAT WE HAD A LOT
OF ISSUES COME UP LAST YEAR.
AND SO IN THAT CONTEXT,
OUR LEGAL COUNCIL LAST NOVEMBER
FORWARDED AN E- MAIL TO
ALL COUNCILMEMBERS FROM OUR
SEATTLE
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
DIRECTOR, WAYNE BARNETT, WHO'S
HERE
WITH US OUTLINING IN GENERAL
HIS THINKING ON A POSSIBLE
UPDATE
TO THE SEATTLE CODE OF ETHICS.
AND I GUESS GIVEN MY
BACKGROUND AS A LAWYER AND A
JUDGE
AND SOMEBODY WHO CHAIRED THE
BYLAWS
REWRITE FOR THE WASHINGTON
STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, I DID
DECIDE TO -- IT PEAKED MY
INTEREST
AND DECIDED TO FURTHER EXPLORE
THIS.
SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT -- AND
I DID ASK FOR COUNCIL --
OUR COUNCIL TO PROVIDE ME SOME
FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT DO
OTHER JURISDICTIONS DO, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH
THIS CURRENT RSMC.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT
QUITE FRANKLY WHEN THE APPROACH
OR THE
IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD MOVE
FROM A RECUSAL MODEL TO SIMPLY
TO
A MORE BROAD DISCLOSURE
MODEL, THAT I ALSO SHARED SOME
OF
THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE HEARD
HERE IN THE PAST FEW DAYS AND
THAT
WE HEARD YESTERDAY AT THE
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS COMMISSION.
AND SO IN DOING THAT, WE
DID LOOK AT WHAT SOME OR
THE JURISDICTIONS DO, AND I WAS
ABLE
TO PUT TOGETHER A
MODIFIED RECUSAL MODEL BASED ON
WHAT SOME
06 THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS DO.
AND I TOOK THIS TO THE
ETHICS COMISSION FOR FEEDBACK IN
MARCH.
AND WHAT WE FOUND OR I
FOUND DURING THAT PROCESS WERE
THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS
THAT RESULTED IN HOW DO YOU
PARSE A
CONFLICT?
AND WHEN I WENT BACK TO
THE DRAWING BOARD TO FIGURE OUT
HOW
TO INCORPORATE THOSE
SUGGESTIONS, I
REALLY GOT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
POINT THAT
OUR ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
DIRECTOR,
MR. BARNETT, HAD MADE,
WHICH ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO
ONE
PERSON MAKING A JUDGMENT
CALL, AND THAT CAN HAVE
CONSEQUENCES IN A LEGISLATIVE
CONTEXT FOR
THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND FOR
THE
THE AIRING OF ALL
VOICES THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN
US.
AND SO THAT SAID, I WENT BACK
TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND CAME
UP,
AGAIN, WITH THE HELP OF
COUNCIL, WITH WHAT WE HAVE HERE
TODAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO POINT
OUT AND MAYBE IF YOU'LL ALLOW
ME
THE INDULGENCE OF READING FROM
THE FEDERAL HOUSE ETHICS
MANUAL, WHICH CAME OUT IN 2022,
WHICH NOTES THAT FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE PROVISIONS WERE
ENACTED
TO MONITOR AND TO DETER POSSIBLE
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST DUE
TO OUTSIDE FINANCIAL HOLDINGS.
PROPOSALS FOR DIVESTTURE
OF POTENTIALLY
CONFLICTING ASSETS, AND
MANDATORY
DISQUALIFICATION OF MEMBERS FROM
VOTING
WERE REJECTED AS IMPRACTICAL OR
UNREASONABLE.
SUCH DISQUALIFICATION
COULD RESULT IN THE
DISENFRANCHISEMENT
OF A MEMBER'S ENTIRE
CONSTITUENCY ON
PARTICULAR ISSUES.
A MEMBER MAY OFTEN HAVE
A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST WITH THE
MEMBER'S CONSTITUENCY AND MAY
ARGUABLY HAVE BEEN ELECTED
BECAUSE OF AND TO SERVE THOSE
COMMON INTERESTS, AND THUS
WOULD BE INEFFECTIVE IN
REPRESENTING THE REAL INTEREST
OF THE
CONSTITUENTS IF THE MEMBER WERE
DISQUALIFIED FROM VOTING ON
ISSUES TOUCHING THOSE MATTERS
OF MUTUAL CONCERN.
AND THEN THEY GO ONTO STATE
THAT THE PROBLEM OF CONFLICTS
OF INTERESTS INVOLVED COMPLEX
AND DIFFICULT ISSUES,
ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE
LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH. A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
IS GENERALLY
DEFINED AS A SITUATION IN WHICH
AN OFFICIAL'S PRIVATE
FINANCIAL INTERESTS CONFLICT
OR APPEAR TO CONFLICT WITH
THE PUBLIC INTERESTS.
SOME CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS
ARE INHERENT IN A
REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF GUMP
OVERNMENT AND ARE
NOT IN THEMSELVES NECESSARILY
IMPROPER OR UNETHICAL.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FREQUENTLY
MAINTAIN
ECONOMIC INTERESTS THAT MERGE OR
CORRESPOND WITH THE
INTERESTSF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
THIS COMMUNITY OF INTERESTS
IS IN THE NATURE OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND IS
THEREFORE IN
EVITABLE AND
UNAVOIDABLE. AT THE OTHER EME, A
CONFLICT
OF INTEREST BECOMES CORRUPTION
WHEN AN OFFICIAL USES HIS
POSITION OF INFLUENCE TO ENHANCE
HIS PERSONAL
FINANCIAL INTERESTS. THESE
EXTREMES ARE THOSE
AMBIGUOUS CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH
MAY CREATE A REAL OR POTENTIAL
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THE PROBLEM IS IN IDENTIFYING
THOSE INSTANCES IN WHICH AN
OFFICIAL ALLOWS HIS PERSONAL
ECONOMIC INTERESTS TO IMPAIR
HIS INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGMENT AND
THE
CONDUCT OF HIS PUBLIC DUTIES.
HENCE, PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF
ASSETS, FINANCIAL INTERESTS, AND
INVESTMENTS HAS BEEN REQUIRED
AS THE PREFERRED METHOD OF
REGULATING POSSIBLE CONFLICTS
OF INTERESTS WITH MEMBERS OF
THE HOUSE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT
BEAUTIFULLY SUMMARIZES THE
STRUGGLE THAT
WE HAVE HERE BEFORE US AND HAS
ALSO
LED TO THIS
PARTICULAR
LEGISLATION. AND SO JUST WITH
THOSE OPENING
REMARKS, I WOULD LIKE TO
WITH PERMISSION OF THE CHAIR TO
CALL UPON OUR LEGAL COUNCIL TO
WALK US THROUGH HER VERY
THOROUGH MEMO OUTLINING THE
BILL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. AS I OPEN, I
JUST WANTED TO NOTE
MY USUAL ROLE IS TO
PROVIDE ATTORNEY-CLIENT
PRIVILEGE
LEGAL ADVICE TO MY CLIENTS IN
THE
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHILE THAT'S STILL MY
FUNCTION, TODAY I'M ALSO
WEARING A HAT OF A CENTRAL STAFF
POLICY
ANALYST IN ORDER TO REVIEW THE
BILL WITH YOU AND ITS EFFECTS.
MY GOAL HERE IS TO RESPOND
TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU THINK
ARE RELEVANT TO MAKE AN
INFORMED DECISION
ON THE POLICY CHOICES BEFORE
YOU.
AND I'LL OPEN WITH WHAT THIS
COUNCIL BILL DOES AND THEN
TURNTURN IT BACK OVER TO THE
CHAIR FOR
ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
SO THIS COUNCIL BILL
HAS RELEASED TWO DIFFERENT
SECTIONS
OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S CODE
OF ETHICS.
THAT IS 4. 16030, AND 4.16070.
THERE'S ONE CHANGE I'LL HIT
FIRST AND EFFECTS -- TURNING
TO THE DEFINITION THIS
COUNCIL BILL WOULD CLARIFY THE
DEFINITIONS
BY ADDING A NEW TERM, AND THAT
TERM
IS FOR ELECTED OFFICIAL.
IT CLARIFIES THAT
ELECTED OFFICIAL IS DEFINED BY
THE CHARTER AND WOULD INCLUDE
THOSE
SERVING IN ELECTIVE OR
APPOINTIVE OFFICE, SO THAT
WOULD BE THE MAYORAL, CITY
ATTORNEY,
AND ALL NINE COUNCILMEMBER
SEATS. TURNING TO 4. 16070A,
THAT'S
WHERE ALL OF THE CHANGES ARE
CONFINED, THOUGH THE
SECTION DOES CONTINUE
THEREAFTER.
THE FIRST CHANGE OF NOTE IS TO
CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE TYPES
OF RELATIONSHIPS
THAT CATEGORICALLY CREATE
FINANCIAL
INTERESTS OR CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST FOR PEOPLE ACTING ON
CITY BUSINESS. THOSE INDIVIDUALS
ARE CALLED
COVERED INDIVIDUALS
THROUGHOUT THE CODE OF ETHICS.
SO THAT EXCEPTION IS TO REMOVE A
LANDLORD- TENANT
RELATIONSHIP FROM THOSE OTHER
CATEGORICALLY CREATED FINANCIAL
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
AND SO THAT'S TO NOTE THAT THE
MERE RESIDENTIAL STATUS AS
A LANDLORD AND TENANT WOULD NOT
UNDER THIS COUNCIL BILL --
WOULD NOT RAISE AN AUTOMATIC
FINANCIAL INTEREST OR CONFLICT
OF INTEREST.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST CHANGE.
THE SECOND IS TO ADJUST
THE WORDING THAT'S FOUND IN
SUBSECTION A3, WHAT
YOU MIGHT CALL AN APPEARANCE OF
CONFLICT OR INTEREST OR A
SUBSECTION
THAT DEALS WITH SITUATIONS WHERE
IT MIGHT APPEAR TO A
REASONABLE PERSON WHO KNOWS
WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH THE SITUATION THAT
A COVERED INDIVIDUAL'S JUDGMENT
IS
IMPAIRED, AND THE CODE GOES
ONTO SAY IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE
A PERSONAL OR BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIP SORE SOME SORT
OF CONTRACTILE RELATIONSHIP OR
TRANSACTION CONCURING THAT
MIGHT GIVE RISE TO AN INFERENCE
THAT A
JUDGMENT IS IMPAIRED.
THE CHANGE HERE IS TO THE
VERBIAGE THAT INSTEAD OF
IT BEING A CLASSIFICATION WHERE
ONE'S JUDGMENT IS IMPAIRED,
IT'S
JUST STATED THAT YOU MAY HAVE A
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO NOTHING CHANGES ABOUT THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF
YOU'RE ASSESSING YOUR BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIPS,
YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND
WHETHER THE
TRANSACTION OR ACTIVITY
IS GIVING RISE TO THAT ISSUES.
IT'S MORE IN THAT JUDGMENT
BEING IMPAIRED OR YOU HAVE
HAVING A
CONFLICK OF INTERESTS, BUT
THERE'S NO OTHER EFFECTS
HAPPENING THERE. THE THIRD ONE
I'LL NOTE HERE IN
0107A THERE'S A PROVISION ALSO
IN A3 REQUIRING
ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DISCLOSE
THEIR
CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN
WRITING TO THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE
SEC, WAYNE BARNETT, AND TO
CITY CLERK IN ORDER TO RECEIVE
AN
OFFENSE TO THE ALLEGED
VIOLATION.
WHAT THIS MEANS PRACTICALLY IS
SUBSECTION A3 HAS CERTAIN
SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS WHERE IF
YOU FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES THAT
ARE
LAID OUT TO
DISCLOSE YOUR PERCEIVED CONFLICT
OF INTEREST
IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED AND TO
HEAR SOME FEEDBACK FROM WAYNE
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU
WOULD DO INDEED HAVE A CONFLICT
OF
INTEREST, THEN YOU CAN CLAIM AN
AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE.
THAT IS IF SOMEONE ALLEGES
A VIOLATION OF THIS ETHICS CODE,
YOU HAVE A DEFENSE TO THAT
VIOLATION IF YOU'VE ACCURATELY
FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURES THAT ARE
IN SUBSECTION A3.
SO THIS MODIFIES FOR
ELECTED OFFICIALS WHAT THOSE
STEPS WOULD
BE.
THE EFFECT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU
ARE AND WHAT TYPE OF
MATTER
YOU'RE ACTUALLY TAKING UP. FOR
YOU AS COUNCILMEMBERS
IN
YOUR LEGISLATIVE CAPACITY WHEN
YOU ARE TAKING UP LEGISLATIVE
MATTERS, PRACTICALLY THERE'S
NO EFFECT AND DIFFERENCE FOR
YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE NOW
UNDERUNDER
COUNCIL BILL GOING TO
BE GOVERNED BY THE SAME
DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU
WOULD SEND
YOUR DISCLOSURE TO THE
SAME PLACE AS WAYNE AND THE
CITY
CLERK. NOW, THAT'S DIFFERENT
FOR
THE MAYOR AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
WHEN THEY ARE
LARGELY FUNCTIONING
AROUND NONLEGISLATIVE MATTERS,
MORE IMPLEMENTING MATTERS,
EXECUTIVE
MATTERS. FOR THEM, THIS CHANGE
WOULD
HAVE A MEANINGFUL EFFECT BECAUSE
THEIR DISCLOSURE WOULD BE
SENT ONLY TO WAYNE AND NOT TO
THE
CITY CLERK.
PRACTICALLY THAT MEANS RIGHT
NOW THE CITY CLERK PUBLISHES THE
DISCLOSURE ON THE WEBSITE.
AND SO MEANINGFULLY THAT --
THAT DIFFERENCE IN DISCLOSURE
WOULD
MEAN THAT IT'S BEING ONLY SENT
TO THE SEC VIA EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR WAYNE BARNETT AND
NOT OTHERWISE TO THE CITY CLERK
FOR
FILING.
THE LAST AND MOST
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE PROPOSED BY
THIS
COUNCIL BILL IS TO HOW ELECTED
OFFICIALS PARTICIPATE IN
LEGISLATIVE
MATTERS. WHAT THIS CODE CHANGE
WOULD DO
IN EFFECT IS TO TAKE
WHAT'S RIGHT NOW A LIMITED
EXCEPTION
WHEREBY COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE
IN LEGISLATIVE
MATTERS NOTWITHSTANDING A
FINANCIAL INTEREST OR CONFLICT
OF INTEREST.
WHEN THE MATTERS CONCERN THINGS
LIKE TAXES OR SETTING UP FEES
OR UTILITY RATE CONSIDERATIONS,
WAS A LIMITED
EXCEPTION CREATED IN 2018.
WHAT THIS COUNCIL BILL WOULD DO
WOULD BE TO BROADEN
THAT EXCEPTION AND ALLOW
FOR COUNCILMEMBERS PARTICIPATING
IN
A LEGISLATIVE MATTER TO
PARTICIPATE NOTWITHSTANDING A
FINANCIAL INTEREST OR
CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROVIDED
THAT THEY
FOLLOW THE
DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE
ALREADY WITHIN THE CODE BUT
WERE PREVIOUSLY ONLY LIMITED TO
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOU
HAD AN ISSUE INVOLVING TAXES OR
FEES
OR UTILITY RATES.
SO, IN EFFECT, THIS
WOULD BROADEN THE AUTHORIZATION
TO ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO
DISCLOSE
AND PARTICIPATE IN A LEGISLATIVE
MATTER IN WHICH THEY HAVE A
FINANCIAL INTEREST OR
CONFLICT OF
INTEREST.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
CAN YOU -- SO I JUST WANT TO BE
CLEAR.
A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FINANCIAL
OR
OTHERWISE, SO THEY HAVE TO POST
THAT ON
THE CITY WEBSITE.
THEY HAVE TO FILE WITH
THE DIRECTOR OF ETHICS, AND THEN
THEY HAVE TO ANNOUNCE
AT COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE
THE LEGISLATION IS BEING
CONSIDERED IF THEY SIT ON THAT
COMMITTEE MEETING OR A FULL
COUNCIL, IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO ALL OF THAT IS EXISTING
CODE PROVISIONS.
AND SO THE EXISTING
PROCESS WOULD STILL APPLY.
IT WOULD JUST APPLY TO PERHAPS
MORE MATTERS RATHER THAN JUST
THE LIMITED EXCEPTION
THAT'S PRESENT IN THE CODE
RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU POST TO THE CITY
WEBSITE, YOU FILE A DISCLOSURE
WITH WAYNE
BARNETT AND THE SEEC AND FILE
A DISCLOSURE WITH THE CITY
CLERK.
AND THEN FOR COUNCILMEMBERS
AT AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING
IPWHICH THE MATTER IS BEING
DISCUSSED, YOU WOULD PROVIDE A
DISCLOSURE.
NOW, THERE'S ONE CHANGE HERE.
RIGHT NOW
THE CURRENT CODE SAYS YOU WOULD
REPEAT THAT
DISCLOSURE SO YOU WOULD HAVE A
RECURRING DISCLOSURE EACH TIME
THE
MATTER IS BEFORE YOU AND
YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN
THAT LEGISLATIVE MATTER.
THE CHANGE HERE WOULD BE
THAT YOU DISCLOSE ONE TIME, AND
THAT WOULD SATISFY THE CODE
PROVISION THAT'S IN FRONT OF
YOU.
>> AND I THINK YOU AND I
HAD DISCUSSED MAYBE THAT MIGHT
BE
AN AREA OF CHANGE, SO YOU WOULD
BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE AT
THE COMMITTEE MEETING AS WELL AS
IN
THAT FULL COUNCIL.
DO WE HAVE THAT
DISCUSSION?
>> YES.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ON
ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT ANY
COUNCILMEMBER
WOULD LIKE. AND, YES, WE'VE
DISCUSSED THAT
AND CAN PUT THAT IN THE
WORKS.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO
WALK THROUGH AND HAVE YOU --
SO WE'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS
RAISED
ABOUT -- SO WHAT
PARTS OF THE SMC THAT ARE THERE
NOW, AND
I DID PROVIDE EVERYBODY A COPY
OF THE CURRENT SMC, IF YOU
WANTED TO LOOK AT THAT, GO DOWN
THE RABBIT HOLE.
BUT WHAT PART OF THE SMC
STILL REMAINS LIKE
QUASI-JUDICIAL?
COULD YOU WALK US
THROUGH?
THAT?
>> YES.
SO SPECIFICALLY TO THE CODE OF
ETHICS, THAT'S A COMPLETE
CHAPTER OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE.
IT'S
CHAPTER 4.16. THESE CHANGES
CONTAIN
DISCREETLY ONE DEFINITION CHANGE
IN 030 AND
THEN AMENDMENTS TO 070A.
THE CHAPTER CONTINUES THEREAFTER
SUBSECTIONS "B" AND ONWARD THAT
MEMORIALIZE IN SITUATIONS THAT
DO RAISE A CONFLICT OF
INTEREST FOR COVERED
INDIVIDUALS,
SO COUNCILMEMBERS, ELECTED
OFFICIALS, THOSE THAT SERVE
AS CITY EMPLOYEES
CONDUCTING OFFICIAL BUSINESS.
SO THE SECTION DOES PRECEDE
SUBSECTIONS "B," "C," "D," "E,"
"F," "G," ET CETERA AND
OTHER SECTIONS OF THE CHAPTER.
SPECIFICALLY WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT ONLY THOSE TWO
SUBSECTIONS WITHIN THE
CHAPTER.
>> SO THE CURRENT
PROVISIONS AGAINST IMPROPER USE
OF OFFICIAL
POSITION, ACCEPTANCE OF
THINGS OF VALUE, INTEREST IN
CITY
CONTRACTS, PARTICIPATING IN
QUASI-JUDICIAL VOTES OR
DECISIONS, ALL OF
THOSE PROHIBITIONS STILL WOULD
BE
IN PLACE UNDER THIS PROPOSED
BILL.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> AND THEN CAN YOU TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
STATE PROVISIONS, ETHICAL
PROVISIONS?
>> YES.
SO MANY OF THOSE SUCCESSIVE
PROVISIONS, ATTEMPT
TO MEMORIALIZE STATE LAW
PROHIBITIONS ON VARIOUS
UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR THAT'S
ESTABLISHED BY STATE
STATUTE, THERE'S SEVERAL
CHAPTERS OF THE
RCW THAT PERTAIN TO THE
ETHICS OF
MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. AND
NOTWITHSTANDING
ANY CHANGE THAT IS APPROVED OR
DENIED FOR
THIS BODY, YOU ARE ALL
STILL BOUND BY THE STATE ETHICAL
REQUIREMENTS. THOSE ARE
REGULATED
SEPARATELY BY THE PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE
COMMISSION, AND THEN LOCALLY
HERE BY THE SEEC.
SO THOSE STATE LAW PROVISIONS
CONCERN, AS YOU SAID, THE
SUBSECTIONS THAT YOU
DESCRIBED, BUT I POINT
YOU TO -- LET ME JUST GET SOME
REFERENCES.
>> I THINK PAGE 3 OF YOUR
MEMO.
>> THAT'S THE
ONE. SO RCW 42. 23 CONCERNS THE
CODE
OF ETHICS FOR
MUNICIPAL OFFICERS.
SUBSECTION 070
CONTAINS PROHIBITED ACTS FOR
MUNICIPAL
OFFICERS. THOSE WOULD
INCLUDE SECURING SPECIAL
PRIVILEGES OR
EXEMPTIONS, RECEIVING GIFTS
OR GRUTIES FOR A SOURCE OR FOR
MATTERS CONNECTED WITH OR
RELATED TO THE OFFICER SERVICES,
AS SUCH AN OFFICER WOULD
OTHERWISE BE PROVIDED FOR
BY LAW.
THEN TO HAVE BUSINESS
OR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY THAT
WOULD REQUIRE DISCLOSING
CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION THAT YOU ACQUIRED
AS PART OF YOUR OFFICIAL JOB.
AND THEN FOURTH,
DISCLOSING CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION TO USE IT FOR
PERSONAL GAIN.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS EXIST, AND
EVEN IF THIS COUNCIL BILL
WERE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BE
PASSED,
THEY DON'T SUPERSEDE OR
INVALIDATE ANY PORTIONS OF
OF THAT STATE LAW.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT
STATE LAW SEPARATELY ADDRESSES
OR REGULATES COUNCILMEMBER
CONDUCT USUAL EIN A LAND USE
CAPACITY,
WHEN YOU'RE IN A QUASI-
JUDICIAL SETTING AND THAT'S
UNDER THE
STATE'S APPEARANCE OF
FAIRNESS DOCTRINE.
ALL OF THOSE REGULATIONS WOULD
STILL GOVERN THIS BODY.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THOSE WOULD ALL BE
PROACTIVE, RIGHT?
YOU WOULD HAVE TO
RECUSE YOURSELF BEFORE
PARTICIPATING.
>> YES.
SO THE POINT IN TIME AT
WHICH AN ETHICAL DECISION ARISES
IS VERY
FACT-SPECIFIC. BUT AS EACH OF
YOU KNOW IN
THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR OFFICIAL
OBLIGATIONS, AS YOU SIT
AND CONSIDER VARIOUS POLICY
DECISIONS, YOU DO THAT A LENS TO
WHAT ARE MY FINANCIAL INTERESTS?
WHAT ARE THE OTHER POTENTIAL
CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS
THAT WOULD PERTAIN TO THIS
MATTER,
ASSESSING STATE LAW TO SEE
IF THE -- IF THE MATTER THAT
YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO
PARTICIPATE
IN WOULD DO ANY OF THESE
PROHIBITED ACT, AND THEN LOCALLY
LOOKING
ALSO TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE AND MAKING THE
SAME
DETERMINATION. IT'S AT THAT
MOMENT IN TIME
THAT WHICH YOU HAVE A CONFLICT
OF
INTEREST OR A FINANCIAL INTEREST
THAT'S ARISEN, AND IT'S AT
THAT
MOMENT THAT YOU
ACT. AND I'LL LEAVE IT TO WAYNE
TO
EXPLAIN THE -- YOU KNOW,
THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS AND
ALL OF THAT.
BUT JUST BECAUSE
ENFORCEMENT HAPPENS AFTER THE
FACT,
A VIOLATION MAY BE
ALLEGED, AN INVESTIGATION ENSUE,
AND SOME
SORT OF PENALTY BE
PROVIDED EITHER AT THE STATE
LEVEL
OR LOCAL LEVEL, THAT DOES OCCUR
AFTERWARDS.
BUT THE MOMENT OF INTERVENTION
WHERE RIGHT NOW UNDER THE CODE
YOU NEED TO DISCLOSE AND
RECUSE YOURSELF IN VARIOUS
INSTANCES,
THAT OCCURS AT THE MOMENT
TAT YOU UNDERSTAND AND ATTEMPT
TO PARTICIPATE IN A MATTER
FOR WHICH YOU'RE PROHIBITED
FROM DOING SOMETHING.
>> SO THERE'S STILL AN THE
STATE CODE
TO MAKE A RECUSAL DECISION
OR ANY OTHER DECISION THAT
FALLS UNDER THESE CATEGORIES?
>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
THE STATE LAW ASKS
MUNICIPAL OFFICERS TO ASSESS AND
UNDERSTAND÷÷ WHEN THEY MAY
BE APPROACHING THESE
PROHIBITED ACTS AND TO TAKE
ACTION AT THAT
TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT OF TIME
I THINK, IF I MAY, DIRECTOR
BARNETT, I WOULD JUST LOVE
TO KIND OF HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THIS, THE LEGISLATION, KIND
OF WHERE YOU LAND IN HAVING
TO INTERPRET THE CURRENT CODE
AND KIND OF THE -- YOUR THOUGHTS
ON
HOW THAT'S GOING, AND KIND
OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE
HAD ABOUT
THIS ISSUE.
>> YES, WELL, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER.
I THINK THIS PROBABLY TAKES
US BACK TO LAST NOVEMBER.
THAT
WAS WHEN THIS ISSUE FIRST CAME
UP, WHEN I FIRST SENT AN
E-MAIL TO LAUREN ABOUT THE
CONCERNS. I JUST WANT TO BE VERY
HONEST.
I AM NOT ALWAYS AS HAPPY
AS I WOULD BE ENFORCING THE
RECUSAL REQUIREMENT WE HAVE IN
OUR CODE.
THERE
ARE TIMES WHEN I FEEL LIKE
EVERYONE SHOULD JUST KNOW.
WHEN YOU PUT OUT IN PUBLIC WHAT
YOUR INTERESTS ARE THEN YOU
CAN EITHER RECUSE YOURSELF OR GO
FORWARD, AND YOU'RE GOING
TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THAT DECISION YOU MAKE BY
YOUR VOTERS.
SO I JUST THINK THAT'S WHAT
I'M
USED TO FROM BEFORE I CAME TO
SEATTLE.
THAT WAS THE RULES I WAS USED
TO DEALING WITH, SO, YEAH.
BUT HERE I DO THINK WE HAVE A
VERY -- SO ETHICS LAWS ARE
ON THE SPECTRUM FROM
DISQUALIFICATION, WHICH WE HAVE
HERE, TO DISCLOSURE, WHICH
YOU SEE UNDER THE FEDERAL
LAW, WHICH YOU JUST MENTIONED.
SO THAT'S ALL THOSE --
THEY'RE ALL ETHICAL MODELS.
THEY'RE ALL ACCEPTABLE TO
SOMEONE, SO I JUST THINK
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE DO WE
WANT TO FALL ON THE SPECTRUM?
MY CONCERN IS RIGHT NOW THAT'S
TOO MUCH AUTHORITY FOR ME
FRANKLY AS THE FIRST LINE
OF DEFENSE FOR THE COMMISSION IN
MAKING THOSE CALLS.
>> AND SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE,
RIGHT, BECAUSE FINANCIAL
INTERESTS
IS NOT
DEFINED.
>> RIGHT, IT ISN'T.
I SHOULD SAY IN CONFLICT OF
INTEREST, TO ME THAT
MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT
THAN FINANCIAL INTEREST.
YOU CAN HAVE A
FINANCIAL INTEREST IN SOMETHING
WITHOUT
NECESSARILY HAVING A
CONFLICT, SO THAT TO ME -- THAT
IS
THE NEXT STEP IN THE ANALYSIS,
BUT I
DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER GET THERE
UNDER OUR CODE.
I TOLD COUNCILMEMBER WU
BACK WHEN SHE WAS ON THE COUNCIL
THAT
SHE COULDN'T PARTICIPATE IN
DISCUSSIONS OF THE GIG
WORKER MINIMUM WAGE BECAUSE
HER RESTAURANT HAD A CONTRACT
WITH A
FOOD PROVIDER OR A
DELIVERY SERVICE UNDER THOSE
PLATFORMS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I TOLD HER.
YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST. I
WAS VERY COMFORTABLE IN
SAYING. I DIDN'T HAVE TO GASP
OR ANYTHING.
TO ME SHE HAD A
FINANCIAL INTEREST UNDER OUR
LAW.
BUT I WASN'T SAYING SHE HAD A
CONFLICT.
TO ME I JUST WAS SAYING YOU
HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST AND
YOU CAN'T
PARTICIPATE.
>> I THINK ALSO THERE'S
ANOTHER SORT OF -- AND THIS CAME
ABOUT IN MY UNDERSTANDING AND
WHEN
THE CODE WAS
REWRITTEN -- YOU ALL HAVE TO
REMIND ME WHEN IT WAS
REWRITTEN, BUT THE OPT OUT
FOR BEING THE INTEREST WAS
NO GREATER THAN A SUBSTANTIAL
SEGMENT.
>> RIGHT.
I THINK WE PUT THAT IN THE LAW
IN MAYBE 2009 OR
SOMETHING BECAUSE WE GOT TO,
LIKE, TECHNICALLY YOU HAD TO
RECUSE
YOURSELF.
YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL
INTEREST AND YOU PASS A LEVY
PROPOSAL,
BUT YOU ALL HAVE TO VOTE ON
THAT BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS AN
INTEREST
IN THAT AND WE'RE ALL
GOING TO BE PAYING IT, SO, YES.
TO ME THAT'S THE
CLASSICAL EXAMPLE OF WHEN THAT
APPLIES.
>> AND AGAIN, IT JUST
SEEMS SOMEONE IS HAVING TO
DEFINE WHAT
IS A SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT AND HOW
WE WOULD UTILIZE
THAT. I THINK YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT
THAT IN TERMS OF DISTRICT
REPRESENTATION.
>> IT USED TO BE A
SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT OF THE
CITY'S
POPULATION, BUT THEN WE WEPT
TO DISTRICTS THAT HOW'D TO
BE AMENDED BECAUSE IF YOU SHARE
AN INTEREST TO EVERYONE IN YOUR
DISTRICT, TO ME THAT'S KIND
OF THE SAME THING.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE BARRED
FROM VOTING ON THAT MATTER
BECAUSE YOU SHARE IT WITH A
SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT OF YOUR
DISTRICT.
>> RIGHT, BUT THAT DOES
AGAIN LEAVE DISCRETION OF HOW IS
THAT
DEFINED, RIGHT?
>> WE'VE DONE THAT
BY ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS SO
FAR, THROUGH PROCESSES.
AND I THINK THERE'S AN OPTION
TO DO THAT THROUGH RULE, SO I
THINK THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE
WANT
TO LOOK
AT.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THE DIRECTOR OF ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS÷÷ COMMISSION,
DIRECTOR PEKELIS, CAN YOU TALK
TO US
YOUR THINKING AS
CHAIR ON THE MODELS AND THE
HIGHER
PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO THIS
ISSUE?
>> I SHALL DO MY BEST,
COUNCILMEMBER.
THANK YOU, AGAIN.
MY NAME IS ZACK PEKELIS.
I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION. I WORK AT PACIFIC
LOGGER
FOCUSED ON GOVERNMENT ENTITIES
AND OFFICIALS AS WELL AS
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS THOUGH OF
COURSE NOT
CITY OF SEATTLE
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS BECAUSE THAT
WOULD
CREATE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IT IS IN MY CAPACITY AT CHAIR
OF THE COMMISSION I'M PLEASED
TO
SHARE REFLECTIONS ON
COUNCIL BILL 120978 BASED ON MY
EXPERIENCE AS A COMMISSIONER
FOR WHICH I'VE SERVED
SINCE 2021. THE ETHICS CODES
HAVE
A STRAIGHTFORWARD PURPOSE
TO ENSURE ALL CITY
EMPLOYEES INCLUDING ELECTED
OFFICIALS
DISCHARGE THEIR DUTIES TO
SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST, NOT
THEIR OWN PERSONAL PECUNIARY
INTERESTS. IS, I THINK, A
FAIRLY CONTROVERSIAL GOAL AND
IT'S
INDEED DIFFICULT TO CONCEIVE
HOW ANY GOVERNMENT CAN
FUNCTION WITHOUT SOME MECHANISM
TO DO SO.
BUT THE MEANS BY WHICH SOME
GOVERNMENTS WITHIN
THE UNITED
STATES HAVE SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE
THAT GOAL VARY TO SOME
DEGREE PARTICULARLY AS TO THE
APPLICATION OF FINANCIAL
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
RULES WITH RESPECT TO
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.
GOVERNMENTS DO APPROACH
THE PROBLEM DIFFERENTLY.
AT A HIGH LEVEL AS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR BARNETT ALLUDED
TO, THESE MECHANISMS CAN
BE CATEGORIZED INTO THREE
GROUPS, I
THINK.
FIRST, ON ONE END OF
THE SPECTRUM WOULD COME
MANDATORY DECISIONS.
SECOND, SOME PROVIDE THROUGH
AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION LIKE
OURS OR OTHERWISE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER THE RECUSAL OF
A
LEGISLATOR WAS WARRANTED.
THIRD, SOME GOVERNMENTS REQUIRE
ONLY DISCLOSURE OF AN ACTUAL
OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF
INTEREST AND LEAVE IT UP TO THE
ELECTED OFFICIAL HERSELF TO
DETERMINE WHETHER RECUSAL IS
APPROPRIATE.
THE CURRENT ETHICS CODE
LARGELY ADOPTS A BRIGHT LINE
MANDATORY RECUSAL REQUIREMENT,
AS MS.
HENRY OUTLINED IN SOME
DETAIL. SO THE CODE GENERALLY
REQUIRES
DISQUALIFICATION WHEN THE
EMPLOYEE, A FAMILY MEMBER, A
ROOMMATE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS A
FINANCIAL INTEREST.
THERE IS NO DE MINIMIS
EXCEPTION, WHICH MAKES
IT SOMEWHAT UNIQUE AND
QUITE
STRICT. SO EVEN IF THE
EMPLOYEE'S POTENTIAL FINANCIAL
INTEREST IS
VERY, VERY SMALL, THAT DOES
NOT BY ITSELF EXEMPT THE
LEGISLATOR
OR EMPLOYEE FROM THE
DISQUALIFICATION
REQUIREMENT THAT'S STILL
REQUIRED.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.
AGAIN, AS MS. HENRY OUTLINED.
FIRST, THERE'S AN EXCEPTION
OF THE
PROHIBITED FINANCIAL INTEREST IS
SHARED WITH
A SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT OF THE
PUBLIC AS DEFINED BY THE
COMMISSION AS
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BARNETT HAD MENTIONED.
THE COMMISSION HAS NOT YET
PROMULGATED SUCH A RULE, THOUGH
WE COULD DO SO AND
PERHAPS WE SHOULD DO SO.
AND I'D WELCOME A DIALOGUE
WITH THIS COUNCIL IF THAT IS,
INDEED, WHAT WE WILL PURSUE.
SECOND, THERE'S AN EXCEPTION
FOR LEGISLATIVE MATTERS THAT
CONCERN GENERALLY APPLICABLE
ASSESSMENTS, TAXES, FEES,
AND THE LIKES.
DISCLOSURE IN THAT IS
STILL
REQUIRED. SO THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION I THINK AS EVERYONE
ACKNOWLEDGES WOULD REPRESENT A
SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE
APPROACH AND
WOULD REQUIRE ONLY DISCLOSURE AS
WELL AS MANDATORY
DISQUALIFICATION.
THE BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF
SUCH A CHANGE ARE IN MY
VIEW FAIRLY SELF- EVIDENT AND
COULD
BE RECITED IN A POINT, COUNTER
POINT DEBATE AD NAUSEAM.
FROM A PURELY GOVERNMENT ETHICS
STANDPOINT MY VIEW IS
THAT THERE IS NO ONE, SINGULAR
RIGHT
RULE TO ADDRESS LEGISLATIVE
CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS.
IT DEPENDS ON A VARIETY
OF CIRCUMSTANCES
INCLUDING CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE
JURISDICTION.
THERE ARE TRADEOFFS IN
THE CURRENT RULE.
THERE ARE TRADEOFFS IN
THE PROPOSED RULE.
THERE ARE TRADEOFFS IN ANY
CONCEIVABLE RULE THE
COUNCIL COULD ADOPT.
BUT AS LONG AS THE SYSTEM
IS CLEAR AND ADMINISTERABLE, AND
I
THINK BOTH THE CURRENT SYSTEM
AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT ARE,
IT'S FUNDALLY A POLICY CHOICE
AS
TO WHERE ALONG THE SPECTRUM
MANDATORY DISQUALIFICATION,
ADJUDICATION
DISCLOSURE THE CITY SHOULD
FOLLOW.
I DO WANT TO RAISE A FINAL
POINT THAT REALLY WAS PROMPTED
BY
YESTERDAY'S COMMISSION MEETING.
WHILE ANY NUMBER OF SYSTEMS MAY
ULTIMATELY BE JUSTIFIABLE
FROM AN ETHICS STANDPOINT THE
REASONS
FOR ADOPTING THEM ARE
CERTAINLY NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL.
IT IS ONE THING IF THE COUNCIL
AMENDS THE FINANCIAL
CONFLICT OF INTEREST RULES
BECAUSE
IT DETERMINES IN GOOD FAITH THE
BILL WOULD IMPROVE THE
ORDERLY FUNCTIONING OF
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.
BUT IF THE COUNCIL AMEPDS
THE CODE WITH AN EYE
TOWARDS PARTICULAR POLICY
OBJECTIVES ANTICIPATING THAT ONE
OR MORE
DISQUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE
COMPELLED UNDER THE
CURRENT
PROVISIONS, THAT WOULD BE A
CAUSE FOR CONCERN.
AND I THINK IT'S PRECISELY
THAT CONCERN THAT MOTIVATES MUCH
OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
AND OPPOSITION TODAY AS WELL AS
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THE
COMMISSION
HEARD IN ITS MEETING
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
INDEED, NUMEROUS
COMMENTERS YESTERDAY
SPECIFICALLY
MENTIONED SOME FORM OF THE
THEORY TRUE
OR NOT THAT THE ETHICS
AMENDMENT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD
OR IS BEING
CONSIDERED OR BEING PUSHED
TO ENSURE NO COUNCILMEMBERS
WOULD BE
DISQUALIFIED FROM VOTING
SPECIFICALLY ON LANDLORD-
TENANT LEGISLATION.
ON THE FLIP SIDE I WOULD
SUSPECT SOME WHO SUPPORT WOULD
-- THIS
BEING POLITICS IT IS NOT
UNCOMMON FOR THE ADVOCATES
ON OPPOSING SIDES OF
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO ASSUME THE
WORST
OF THEIR
OPPONENT'S MOTIVES. AND TO BE
CLEAR, I DO NOT CAST
ASPIRATIONS ON ANY REASONS
FOR CONSIDERATIONS OF THIS BILL
OR
ON ANY COUNCILMEMBER'S
ULTIMATE VOTE ON IT.
BUT AS CHAIR OF THE ETHICS
AND ELECTIONS COMMISSION I URGE
THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE
BILL ON ITS OWN MERITS FROM A
GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT OF HOW IT
MAY
AFFECT ANY SPECIFIC INTENDED
LEGISLATION OR PENDING
LEGISLATION.
ONE PRACTICAL SUGGESTION
I'LL
CLOSE WITH RAISED BY A COMMENTER
YESTERDAY IS TO DELAY
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ANY CHANGE
TO
ENSURE ANY COUNCILMEMBER
ELECTED TO SERVE UNDER THE
EXISTING
RULES ABIDE BY THEM DURING THEIR
TERMS IN OFFICE, IN OTHER
WORDS I THINK UNTIL 2028.
THAT MIGHT AVOID ANY
UNFORTUNATE APPEARANCE THAT THE
RULES
ARE BEING CHANGED FOR PARTICULAR
POLICY OBJECTIVES RATHER THAN TO
SERVE GOOD GOVERNMENT GOALS.
AND THOSE REFLECTIONS,
I THAPG THE COUNCIL FOR ITS
ATTENTION AND I'D BE PLEASED
WITH ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. TURN IT OVER TO
QUESTIONS.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY HANDS UP.
DIRECTOR BARNETT, YOU MADE A
COMMENT ABOUT WHERE YOU
WORKED BEFORE.
AND SO THE SITUATION THAT
YOU'RE IN HERE IS -- MAKES YOU
UNCOMFORTABLE COMPARED TO WHERE
YOU WORKED BEFORE AND
THAT'S BECAUSE THE NATURE OF
OUR CODE
IS WHAT MORE FUZZY OR SOMETHING?
>> IT'S MUCH MORE STRICT.
AND IT'S ALSO LIKE I WORKED
ON THE EAST COAST BEFORE, SO I
KIND
OF COME FROM BIG CITY
POLITICS, AND BOTH IN NEW YORK
AND BOSTON,
THERE RULES ARE MORE
TOWARDS DISCLOSURE IF THEY EVEN
APPLY
AT ALL TO THE LEGISLATION,
WHICH THEY DON'T.
THEY'RE MUCH DIFFERENT PLACES.
DIFFERENT
RULES.
>> AND SO THAT IS --
SO IS THAT WHAT WAS GUIDING YOUR
RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS -- THIS
LEGISLATION?
>> MOVING TOWARDS --
>> I UNDERSTAND
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE WAS WORKING
ON SOME
POSSIBILITIES, BUT THEY
DIFFERED FROM YOURS.
YOU JUST THOUGHT THAT -- I
DON'T WANT TO SPEAK
FOR YOU --
>> THIS IS BACK IN THE NOVEMBER.
I SHOULD SAY THIS IS BEFORE
ANY
OF THIS. I RAISED
THE ISSUE. AND FRANKLY JUST
COMING
FROM BOSTON WHERE WE JUST HAD
A DIFFERENT POLITICAL CULTURE,
SO THAT'S
ALL.
>> I CAN JUST CLARIFY.
I WENT THROUGH THIS EXERCISE OF
DOING A MODIFIED RECUSAL
AND KIND OF CAME TO THE KIND OF
SAME
CONCLUSION THAT,
AGAIN, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO
DEFINE FINANCIAL÷÷ INTERESTS,
MANY WAYS
TO DEFINE SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT
OF THE POPULATION, MANY WAYS TO
DEFINE, YOU KNOW, IS IT
OF MATERIAL INTEREST, IS IT
OF REMOTE INTEREST,
IS IT DE MINIMIS INTEREST?
WHAT IS A SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT?
HOW SMALL IS THE GROUP?
HOW LARGE IS THE GROUP?
AND TRYING TO ANSWER
THOSE QUESTIONS ARE VERY
DIFFICULT, AND HENCE I CAME BACK
TO THE
ORIGINAL POSITION THAT
OUR DIRECTOR HAS, WHICH IS
REALLY WHAT WE WANT IS SOMETHING
THAT'S OPERATIONAL, IT'S
RELATIVELY EASY TO EMPLOY, AND
IT
DOES REQUIRE FULL TRANSPARENCY
AND
DISCLOSURE.
AND I THINK THAT PAETS PART
OF WHAT'S GETTING LOST HERE
IS WE'RE NOT SAYING, YEAH,
YOU REMOVE THE RECUSAL
REQUIREMENT.
YOU DON'T REMOVE THE DISCLOSURE
REQUIREMENT.
IN FACT, I THINK THIS
BILL ENHANCES THE CIRCUMSTANCES
ON WHICH DISCLOSURE IS
REQUIRED, AND THERE ARE MANY
WAYS IN WHICH
PEOPLE IN THIS OFFICE
CAN IMPROVE THEIR POSITIONS
THAT DON'T CURRENTLY FALL
UNDER THE -- UNDER THE CURRENT
ORDINANCE, WHICH I THINK
WOULD IN TERMS OF CONFLICT OF
INTEREST, DISCLOSING THAT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR I'M
NOT IN OPPOSITION TO WAYNE HERE.
THANK
YOU.
>> I UNDERSTAND.
COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE.
WAYNE, YOU I AND I HAVE
WORKED TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME
AND
YOU KNOW I'M CONSTANTLY SEEKING
YOUR COUNSEL ON THIS ISSUE.
AND I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD
NOT -- THIS IS TO
APPLY TO EVERYTHING, NOT FOR
ONE PARTICULAR REASON.
AND I WILL SAY IN THE
TIME, IN THE YEAR -- UNDER A
LITTLE
YEAR AND A HALF THAT I'VE BEEN
HERE, THIS HAS COME UP FOR ME.
AND LESS SO FINANCIAL AND MORE
JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
MY SPOUSE HAS SAT ON A BOARD,
AND
IT JUST SEEMED -- AND I
ALWAYS WANT TO ERR, AS WAYNE
KNOWS, ON
THE SIDE OF CAUTION WITH THIS.
SO I'M CONSTANTLY MAKING
SURE I AM CLEAR ON WHAT
THE
RECOMMENDATION MEANS. IT SEEMS
TO ME -- SO WITH ALL
THAT SAID, IT SEEMS TO ME THIS
KEY PIECE HERE TO COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE'S POINT IS A DISCLOSURE
PIECE. THAT SEEMS -- LIKE, TO ME
THAT
IS THE CRITICAL PIECE.
YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE ARE IN THESE
POSITIONS AND NOT
DISCLOSING, THIS IS A HUGE
PROBLEM.
AND THE DISCLOSURE PIECE
THEN LETS EVERYONE KNOW.
WE'RE NOT HIDING ANYTHING,
WE'RE
DISCLOSING. AND THEN IN THIS
DISTRICT SPECIFIC SITUATION THAT
WE FIND
OURSELVES, IT SEEMS I -- IT
IS PRUDENT TO BE LOOKING AT
THIS GIVEN THAT, THEN, IT LIMITS
OUR ABILITY TO REPRESENT OUR
CONSTITUENTS WHEN WE'RE
DISTRICT-SPECIFIC, FOR THOSE
OF US DISTRICT-SPECIFIC.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I AM
COMPELLED TO BUY THAT ASPECT OF
IT BECAUSE
WE WERE PUT HERE TO REPRESENT
OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND IF THEY WANT SOMETHING, THEN
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR
THAT -- WHAT THEY WOULD WANT AND
VOTE ON WHAT THEY WOULD WANT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE --
IT'S
MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A
QUESTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED
TO ADD TO
THAT, WAYNE. BUT I KNOW YOU AND
I HAVE HAD
MANY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE
YEARS, NOT JUST THIS YEAR BUT IN
PARTICULAR THIS YEAR ABOUT THAT
PIECE, THE DISCLOSURE
AND ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO -- TO
VOTE
ON SOMETHING UENTS WANT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR NELSON.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
DIRECTOR BARNETT, CHAIR
PEKELIS.
>> PEKELIS, IT RHYMES WITH
SHEHALIS.
ABSOLUTELY USELESS OUTSIDE OUR
STATE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND MS. HENRY, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR COMING AND
PRESENTATION.
I DO LIKE THE CHAIR'S
COMMENTS FOR
THIS. I WILL SAY I DO HAVE
CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS.
THAT'S WHY I DO HAVE A
MEETING SETUP WITH COUNCIL AND
MR.
BARNETT. I THINK IT'S GOOD TO
MEET WITH
YOU AS WELL AND MAYBE
NOT POSSIBLE WITH SCHEDULES BUT
TO
LOOK AT THAT.
I ONLY WANT TO MAKE ONE
POINT HERE AT THIS TIME,
AND I THINK IT'S MY FAVORITE
WORD, AND IT'S
GRACE.
I DO BELIEVE WE NEED SOME GRACE
IN THE CITY. IT'S A VERY
IMPORTANT TOPIC, AND
THAT'S WHY I HAVE CONCERNS
AND QUESTIONS.
BUT I THINK THE TONE OF WHAT
ONE COULD SAY IS ATTACKS OR THE
COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
BANDIED ABOUT BASICALLY LACK
THAT
GRACE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEHIND
DIFFERENT PIECES, AND I
THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO
THE WHOLE
CONVERSATION IF WE DO BRING IN A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
GRACE AND A
CERTAINCERTAIN
UNDERSTANDING. WE DO TALK ABOUT
THE FINANCIAL -- BASICALLY OUR
FINANCIAL STATUS AND THE LIKE.
AND A LOT OF COMMENTS ARE
BEING MADE WITH THIS.
THERE'S NO RESEMBLANCE TO
FACTS BECAUSE THE KING COUNTY
ASSESSOR
DRAMATICALLY INCREASES THE VALUE
OF YOUR HOME OR
MAYBE INFLATIONARY REASONS, YOU
KNOW, THE STOCK MARKET HAS GONE
UP.
THAT COULD ALL
DISAPPEAR TOMORROW.
SO THIS IDEA, YOU KNOW, OF
WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS I THINK
IS AN
EXAMPLE.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE GRACE
AND UNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF
A VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC, HOW
WE'RE
CONDUCTING OUR DISCOURSE ON IT.
SO THAT'S JUST ALL I WANTED
TO SAY BASICALLY WAS THE IDEA
OF HAVING GRACE, HAVING A
CONVERSATION. AND THIS HAS BEEN
GOOD,
AND I WILL FOLLOW UP ON IT
TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND
QUESTIONS
THAT I HAVE.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING LOW ON
TIME, I AM PRIVILEGING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THEN I
WILL
GET BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON,
PLEASE PROCEED IF YOU HAVE A
COMMENT.
>> VERY QUICKLY SO
THAT COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS CAN
HAVE
HIS SAY. JUST LIKE WITH THE
DISCUSSION ABOUT KIOSKS,
THERE'S THE
PERCEPTION OF WHAT THESE THINGS
ARE, AND THEN THERE'S
THE
REALITY. WHEN IT COMES TO
THIS LEGISLATION REGARDING
DISCLOSURE
VERSUS RECUSAL AND HOW THIS
IS GOING TO IMPACT A
PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT MAY
OR MAY NOT COME BEFORE FULL
COUNCIL, THERE'S THE
PERCEPTION OF HOW IT'S GOING TO
BENEFIT
A GROUP OR DISENFRANCHISE
ANOTHER GROUP AND THEN THERE'S
THE REALITY OF WHAT THIS
THING ACTUALLY SAYS, AND THAT'S,
YOU
KNOW, HEARING THE
DISCUSSION THAT'S GOING ON,
THAT'S ONE OF
THE FIRST THINGS THAT
POPS INTO MY MIND.
THE SECOND THING THAT POPS INTO
MY MIND IS A
CONSTITUENT BASICALLY TELLING ME
THAT
I SHOULD RECUSE MYSELF
FROM ANYTHING THIS COUNCILMEMBER
DISCUSSES REGARDING
POLICE BECAUSE I USED TO WORK
FOR
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TO WHICH I SAY, WELL, I'M
KIND OF A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
ON
THAT, SO WOULDN'T YOU WANT ME
TO
LOOK AT THESE THINGS WITH THAT
LENS? AND THE THIRD THING,
AGAIN,
FULL DISCLOSURE, THERE'S A LOT
OF
TALK ABOUT RENTERS AND
LANDLORDS AND THE WHOLE BIT.
I'M A LANDLORD.
I'VE BEEN A LANDLORD MULTIPLE
TIMES.
SO, AGAIN, IF I'M LOOKING AT
LANDLORD- TENANT
ISSUES, I'M GOING TO HAVE THE
PER SPECTIVE OF
SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN A LANDLORD.
I CAN'T ERASE THAT.
YET, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE,
MORE THAN APPROPRIATE FOR
ME AS A
A LANDLORD TO
DISCLOSE THAT. SO I'M ALL FOR
MORE DISCLOSER,
FOR MORE TRANCE PAERPS.
AND I'M ALSO FOR IF IT
CROSSES THAT
THRESHOLD, YEAH, RECUSE. AND WE
NEED TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR
DECISIONSDECISIONS --
OUR DECISIONS AND POSITIONS.
AND THE MORE INFORMATION
THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT WHERE
WE'RE COMING FROM, OKAY, WHEN
WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS,
THE BETTER.
NOW, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HOW DO
YOU DEFINE CONFLICT OF INTEREST
OR FINANCIAL INTEREST?
I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE WE'LL GET THERE,
BUT, YOU KNOW, AT WHAT POINT
DOES --
AGAIN, WHERE'S THE LINE?
WHERE'S THE THRESHOLD?
AND I THINK THAT MAY NEED TO BE
DEFINED.
BUT I'M SAYING ALL THIS TO SAY
THAT I WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY.
I WANT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND IF THAT MEANS DISCLOSURE,
LET'S DO THAT.
YET, WHERE THERE IS THAT KERNEL
OF, HUH, IS IT OR IS IT
NOT, I WOULD ERR ON THE SIDE OF
RECUSE.
JUST SAYING.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAD.
THANK
YOU.
>> COUNCIIR. AND I KNOW THAT
WE'RE
STARTING TO RUN TIGHT
ON TIME, SO I'LL TROOLIMIT MY
QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO ASK, THOUGH,
WE HAVE THIS PANEL BACK BEFORE
US AGAIN SO WE CAN HAVE A
ROBUST DISCUSSION BECAUSE THIS
IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
INFORMATION. MR. PEKELIS, THANK
YOU FOR
YOUR MENTION THAT WE SHOULD
BE CONSIDERING THIS
BILL ON ITS OWN
MERITS. FOR ME THAT IS EXACTLY
WHAT I'M
DOING.
I'M CONSIDERING THIS IN THE
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
THIS PROPOSAL HAS BEEN IN BEFORE
THE
COUNCIL IN 2016, 2018
IN CONVERSATION LAST YEAR
AND IS HERE BEFORE US AGAIN
TODAY.
MR. BARNETT, GOT A
COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU JUST TO
START
OFF.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN
IN THIS ROLE EITHER HERE OR IN
BOSTON?
>> 23 YEARS TOTAL, 20 YEARS
HERE IN SEATTLE.
>> AND BOSTON WAS YOUR LAST POST
BEFORE THIS?
>> YES,
IT WAS.
>> TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF
LEVITY HERE, DID YOU EVER
PROVIDE FRANK
SKIFFINGTON AN ETHICS VIOLATION?
>> NO, I DID
NOT.
>> ANYONE READ --
>> PLEASE BE QUICK WITH YOUR
QUESTIONS.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
I WANTED TO HAVE A HARD STOP AT
4:30. WE'RE NOW GETTING UP TO
5:00,
SO PLEASE
PROCEED.
>> LET ME JUMP RIGHT INTO THE
MEAT OF IT.
I'D LIKE TO ASK SEVERAL
FACTUAL QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW AND
FIGURE
OUT THIS LEGISLATION.
DIRECTOR BARNETT, IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2024 COUNCIL
PRESIDENT
SARA NELSON E- MAILED YOU
DISAGREEING AND YOUR GUIDANCE
COUNCILMEMBER
WU RECUSE HERSELF ON VOEING
ON THE BILL THAT WOULD
REPEAL SEAL'S MINIMUM WAGE
ORDINANCE.
IS THIS A
CORRECT UNDERSTANDING?
>> I'M NOT SURE --
THE COMMISSION NEVER MADE A
DECISION ON THAT.
THIS WAS ONLY ME, SO THAT'S
KIND OF THE WAY THESE THINGS
NORMALLY GO,
YES.
>> YOU WERE PUT IN THE MIDDLE.
IN THAT E- MAIL CHAIN THE
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT ACCUSED YOU OF NOT
GIVING THE FULL -- IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> AND TWO MONTHS
LATER THERE WAS A REQUEST MADE
BY THE
COUNCIL'S LEGAL COUNCIL
TO DETAIL YOUR INTERACTION ON
THE
ETHICS CODE AND LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS, AND IT'S THEN
WHERE YOU SAID THERE'S ROOM
FOR POTENTIALLY AMENDING THE
ETHICS
CODE. IS THAT
CORRECT?
>>
YES.
>> AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SINCE
JANUARY OF LAST YEAR
WHEN COUNCILMEMBER NELSON
BECAME COUNCIL PRESIDENT THERE
HAS
BEEN MORE SCRUTINY AND QUESTION
--
>> POINT OF ORDER.
IT SOUNDS THIS IS VEERING
INTO AN IMPUGNING OF INTENT
OR INTEGRITY OF A COLLEAGUE, SO
YOU
ARE WELCOME -- YOU AND I CAN
TALK ABOUT THIS IF YOU WOULD
LIKE WHAT GENERATED THIS,
BUT THIS IS --
>> NO PROBLEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE
ASKING MY
QUESTIONS.
>> I AM THE CHAIR OF THIS
MEETING, SO YOU ARE GOING --
YOU'RE WELCOME TO GO AHEAD, BUT
PLEASE BE AWAREAWARE THAT --
>> LET ME
REFRAME. IT SEEMS THAT IN THE
LAST 18
MONTHS THERE HAS BEEN
MORE SCRUTINY AND PRESSURE PUT
ON
YOU
AND THE COMMISSION ABOUT THE
RULINGS THAN UNDER
PREVIOUS COUNCILS.
WOULD YOU FEEL THAT'S FAIR TO
SAY?
>> I'M NOT SURE.
I JUST FEEL THERE'S MORE ISSUES
COMING UP.
THERE'S
MORE ABOUT PEOPLE ARE MORE
FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE IN
A WAY THAT'S NOT NORMAL.
I NEVER HAD THIS BACK WHEN
JAN -- THESE ISSUEERIZE
MORE APPARENT,
YES.
>> AND IN THESE LAST FEW YEARS
YOU'VE BEEN PUT INTO
DECIDING WHAT COULD BE
INTERPRETED
AS POLITICAL DECISIONS?
I GUESS THOSE ARE MY WORDS.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
BEING PUT IN THE
MIDDLE SOMETIMES?
>> NO, I'M BEING ASKED TO DO MY
JOB, AND I'M DOING MY JOB.
>> AND YOUR JOB IS TO PROVIDE
FEEDBACK AND I'D SAY IT'S UP
TO
US AS
ELECTED OFFICIALS WHETHER TO
TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK OR NOT.
FROM MY SPER SPECTIVE AND MY
OPINION IT SEEMS YOU ARE BEING
IN A TOUGH PLACE BECAUSE WE
HAVE COUNCILMEMBERS
RECEIVE AN OPINION THAT DOESN'T
FIT THEIR
NARRATIVE, THEY'RE
PUSHING BACK ON YOU.
THE OTHER OPTION AS ELECTED
OFFICIALS TO TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK,
EITHER USE IT OR DISREGARD IT.
IN MY OPINION YOU SHOULD NOT
BE IN A SITUATION TO STAND
YOUR GROUND ON --
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH YOU ARE
TRYING TO GET INTO SOMEBODY
ELSE'S
MIND ABOUT WHAT HIS THINKING WAS
WHEN
RECEIVING E- MAILS FROM
COUNCILMEMBERS. PLEASE BE DIRECT
ABOUT
YOUR QUESTIONS AND KEEP THEM TO
A
FACTUAL BASIS.
WE ARE -- IT IS GETTING LATE.
>> THIS IS ALL ON
PUBLIC RECORD. AND TO THE PUBLIC
AND TO MY
COLLEAGUES, I DON'T THINK WE
SHOULD BE CHANGING THE
ETHICS CODE BECAUSE AN ELECTED
DOES NOT
LIKE THE OPINION OF US.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE
ASKS YOUR OPINION AND DOES NOT
TAKE
IT.
THE EXAMPLE IN THE
MEDIA RECENTLY IS A
FORMER COUNCILMEMBER WHO HAD
AIRBNBS, PROPOSED LEGISLATION
REGARDING SHORT- TERM RENTALS.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR OPINION
WAS NOT REQUESTED AND
A COUNCILMEMBER TOOK A VOTE ON
AN ISSUE THEY HAD A
FINANCIAL INTEREST IN?
WHAT HAPPENS FROM
THERE?
>> THAT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE
DAY THE COMMISSION'S ONLY POWER
IS TO LEVY PENALTIES, SO WHAT
WOULD
HAPPEN IS SOMEBODY WOULD BRING A
COMPLAINT OR I WOULD BRING
A CHARGE, AND THE COMMISSION
WOULD DECIDE ON WHETHER THERE
WAS A
VIOLATION OR
NOT.
>> THANK YOU.
I'VE GOT A FEW MORE
QUESTIONS.
>> I WILL ASK THAT COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, DID YOU HAVE YOUR
HAND
UP? WE'RE GOING TO SHARE IN THE
QUESTIONS. WE ARE TRYING TO
FINISH THIS
MEETING,
SO YOU CAN HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS
AND THEN ALLOW
FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, I SAW
YOUR HAND UP.
DID YOU
HAVE A QUESTION OR NOT?
>> NO.
I ACTUALLY HAD A
COMMENT.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE
IT.
>> MY COMMENT WAS EARLIER
WHEN WE WERE TALKING, I WANT TO
MAKEMAKE IT REALLY CLEAR THAT I
DO NOT
TAKE THIS -- THESE
DECISIONS LIGHTLY AND THAT I
HAVE
ALWAYS APPRECIATED WAYNE'S
COUNSEL, WHICH WE ALL HAVE WE
TAKE.
AND WHEN I HAVE HAD
QUESTIONS, WAYNE IS ALWAYS OPEN
TO A
DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH TO
GET TO WHAT IS NEEDED, AND
THAT'S TRUE NOT JUST FOR SINCE
I'VE SAT
HERE BUT, WAYNE AND I HAVE
HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
WORKING TOGETHER ON OTHER CITY
BUSINESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS
HAD A BACK AND FORTH DIALOGUE,
AND
SOMETIMES THAT IS NECESSARY
TO GET TO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
AND SO I WANTED TO BOTH
STATE THAT AND THEN ALSO SAY
THAT, YOU KNOW, IN NO WAY -- I
MEAN, I
AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF ETHICS.
I HAVE A LAW DEGREE, WHICH
I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY, THOUGH
I'M NOT
PRACTICING. AND THIS IS REALLY
SOMETHING,
AGAIN, THAT I DON'T TAKE
LIGHTLY, AND I WANTED TO
SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD BASED ON
ALL THE CONVERSATION THAT WE
HAVE HEARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
MAKE MY STATEMENT,
AND I'M DONE. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU MAY PROCEED, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM
BEING
DISRESPECTFUL TO OUR
PRESENTERS.
>> I APOLOGIZE IF I'VE BEEN
DISRESPECTFUL TO YOU,
DIRECTORS AND LAUREN.
MR. PEKELIS, I'D LIKE TO ASK
YOU
A FEW QUESTIONS, IF I MAY.
>>
PLEASE.
>> YESTERDAY THEY TALKED ABOUT
LEGISLATION OF
THREE COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE
THERE.
COMMISSIONERS HALLS SAID SHE HAD
CONCERNS ABOUT THE DRAFT, ONE
DID NOT WEIGH IN ON THE
MERITS, AND YOU
HAD IDEAS THIS LEGISLATION LIKE
TODAY
SHOULD NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL THE
NEXT
ROUND OF ELECTIONS.
THIS IS INTERESTING TO ME.
FOR ME I ALSO BELIEVE THAT
THE VOTERS NEED AN OPPORTUNITY
TO WEIGH IN EITHER ON
THIS CONVERSATION OR ON THE
LEGISLATION. CAN YOU EXPAND YOUR
THINKING
THERE?
>> WELL, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
I WANT TO BE CLEAR I'VE
STUDIOUSLY AVOIDED TAKING
A POSITION ON THIS LEGISLATION.
I DO BELIEVE IT IS A POLICY
MATTER, AND IT IS
COUNCILMEMBER'S JOB TO ON
THE BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS THAT
THE CURRENT SYSTEM OR AN
AMENDED SYSTEM MAY PROVIDE.
I DID IN YESTERDAY'S COMMISSION
MEETING AS WELL AS TODAY RELATE
AND ECHO THE COMMENTS OF ONE OF
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
I BELIEVE HER NAME WAS
NATALIE THAT SUGGESTED DELAYING
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THE LEGISLATION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I ADOPTED
THAT AS MY OWN SUGGESTION.
AGAIN, I THINK IT'S THIS
COUNCIL'S SOLEMN DUTY TO
EVALUATE THE MERITS OF THAT
POSSIBILITY AS WELL AS THE
REST OF THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION.
>> TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT
THE OPTIONS WE WOULD WOULD
BE DELAYING THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OR SENDING THIS TO THE BALLOT.
IS IT NOT BEING OR THOSE ARE THE
TWO OPPORTUNITIES OR OPTIONS
THERE?
>> I DO THINK THAT QUESTION
WOULD BE BETTER DIRECTED TO YOUR
COUNCIL.
>> I AM GOING TO ASK THAT
DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING -- I
WOULD ASK
THAT YOU -- YOU REQUEST
THAT YOU CAN GET SOME OF THOSE
QUESTIONS
ASKED OFF- LINE,
BUT NOW WE ARE AT 5:03, AND I DO
WANT TO
GIVE THE SPONSOR OF THE
LEGISLATION CLOSING COMMENTS
BECAUSE
I'VE ALREADY KEPT FOLKS AFTER A
HALF HOUR AFTER I ASKED THEM TO
STAY A HALF HOUR IN
ADDITION.
>> ONE LAST THING.
MY REQUEST HERE ON THE
RECORD FOR YOU AND FOR OUR
COLLEAGUES
IS TO HAVE THE PANEL
BACK BECAUSE WHILE I CAN ASK
THESE QUESTIONS IN PRIVATE, IT
IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO HAVE IT
ON THE PUBLIC RECORD SO OUR
VOTERS
CAN SEE.
>> AND AS THE CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE, I DO NOT KNOW
IF I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT,
AND
WE'VE GOT A PRETTY FULL
SCHEDULE IN MY COMMITTEE WITH
OTHER LEGISLATION GOING FORWARD.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO NOW PASS THE
LAST WORD TO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
TO SPEAK TO -- TO WRAP UP, IF
YOU WOULD LIKE.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
WELL, I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
TO EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN HERE
TODAY.
THIS IS A -- IT'S A VERY
HEATED,
CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC. IT SEEMS
LIKE EVERYTHING THAT
WE TALK ABOUT IN SEATTLE
THESE DAYS IS HEATED AND
CONTROVERSIAL.
WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET WORK
DONE.
WE ARE JUST TRYING TO DO THE
BUSINESS OF THE CITY, SO I
DO APPRECIATE YOUR HONEST
ANSWERS,
YOUR NUANCED ANSWERS, YOUR
LEGAL ANSWERS.
THIS IS ABOUT OPENING A
DISCUSSION.
TODAY WAS ABOUT HAVING A
DISCUSSION.
IT WAS REALLY, I THINK,
AN ATTEMPT TO TRY TO HIGHLIGHT
HOW
COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT THIS ISSUE
IS AND THAT THERE
ARE MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES
THAT ARE
ALL VALID IN AND OF THEMSELVES,
AND ULTIMATELY IT IS A
POLICY DECISION.
AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE
THE THINKING THAT HAS GONE INTO
THIS AND THE QUESTIONS OF THE
COLLEAGUES.
I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO
WALK THROUGH -- YOU KNOW, I --
AS I
SAID IN MY OPENING REMARKS WHEN
I GOT THE INITIAL VERSION
FROM COUNCIL I THOUGHT, HMM,
I'M GOING TO WORK THROUGH THIS
MYSELF, AND I PUT LAUREN THROUGH
MANY MONTHS OF AGONY IN DOING
SO.
SHE WAS A WONDERFUL --
WONDERFULLY PATIENT WITH ME
AND REALLY DID TRY TO WORK
THROUGH
SOME OF THINGS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
THERE IS NO EASY ANSWER, AND
WE REALLY ARE JUST TRYING TO
FIND
A WAY TO MAKE SURE ALL VOICES
ARE HEARD AND THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO REPRESENT ALL VOICES.
SO IN TERMS OF -- I DON'T KNOW
IF WE ARE COMING BACK, BUT I
DID WANT TO SAY THAT IF THERE
ARE
POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, I WOULD
ASK LAUREN TO E- MAIL A
DEADLINE TO ALL COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR AMENDMENT CONCEPTS.
I THINK I MENTIONED ONE
TODAY ABOUT REQUIRING DOUBLE
DISCLOSURE OF FULL COUNCIL AND
COMMITTEE.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CHAIR, FOR GIVING ME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND
TO UTILIZE -- TO TAKE UP YOUR
COMMITTEE'S PRECIOUS TIME
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
DO YOU ALREADY KNOW
WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE
AMENDMENTS?
>> I DON'T.
BUT I'LL E- MAIL OUT
SHORTLY.
>>
THANK YOU.
OKAY. WITH THAT, I'M NOT SEEING
ANY OTHER COMMENTS -- THERE IT
IS.
I
SEE IT. GO
AHEAD.
>> BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT THIS.
IT'S JUST
ABOUT THE MEETING. I JUST WANTED
TO STATE FOR THE
RECORD THAT I FULLY RESPECT AND
UPHOLD THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM
OF
SPEECH. I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL
DOES
AS WELL AND MY COLLEAGUES,
AND I THINK THIS PRINCIPLE IS
REALLY
FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR DEMOCRACY AND
THE WORK THAT WE DO.
HOWEVER, I WILL CALL OUT --
I WILL CALL OUT WHEN
PUBLIC COMMENTERS QUESTION MY
BLACKNESS. AND IT'S A FORM OF
RACISM
AND WHITE SUPREMACY.
AND MY OTHER COLLEAGUES DO
NOT HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE
OF RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY
THAT MY OTHER -- AND I'M
GETTING
A LITTLE EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW,
AND
I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT
OF RACISM THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE
AS BLACK COUNCILMEMBERS IS
QUITE DESPICABLE IN THIS
PROGRESSIVE
CITY.
I HAVE A VOICE MAIL IN MY OFFICE
WITH PEOPLE CALLING ME THE
"N" WORD CONSTANTLY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE QUESTIONING MY
BLACKNESS HERE AS PUBLIC
COMMENTERS.
AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE
TEN BLACK CHURCHES ARE,
COULDN'T
EVEN NAME TEN BLACK
PEOPLE, DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THE
AVERAGE
HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF A BLACK
FAMILY.
IT'S $50,000 IN THIS CITY.
AND I JUST
HAD TO SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S
VERY
DISRESPECTFUL, AND IT'S RACIST.
AND YOU CAN BE PROGRESSIVE
AND RACIST IN THIS CITY, AND
I'VE SEEN IT FOR THE LAST 15
MONTHS.
AND IT'S DISGUSTING THAT WE
HAVE TO SIT HERE AND SEE THAT.
SO I HAD TO CALL IT OUT,
COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE I AM VERY
DISAPPOINTED.
VERY DISAPPOINTED.
WE WILL RESPECT PEOPLE'S
RIGHT
TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH. I CAN TAKE
IT CONSTANTLY, BUT I
WILL NOT TOLERATE THE RACISM
BLATANTLY QUESTIONING
MY BLACKNESS.
FOR THE RECORD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
IT IS 5:09 P.M.