>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
TODAY IS THURSDAY, JULY 10 AND
THE GOVERNANCE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER. IT
IS 2:01 P.M., I'M SARA NELSON,
CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE. WILL
THE CLAUSHG CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE. CHAIR NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S
SEE. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FOR
THE RECORD THAT COUNCILMEMBER
RIVA RIVERA IS JOINING US
REMOTELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA TODAY. THE FIRST IS A
DISCUSSION OF RESOLUTION 321,
BASICALLY IT'S A RESOLUTION
CALLING FOR A SUITE OF
INVESTMENTS IN BROADLY SPEAKING
TREATMENT SERVICES. NEXT WE HAVE
A REPORT OF THE OFFICE OF THE
CITY AUDITOR ON THE STATUS OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY
HAVE PUT FORWARD ACROSS A NUMBER
OF YEARS IN THEIR VARIOUS AUDIT
REPORTS. AND THEN FINALLY, WE
WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION OF THE
DIANIAL -- EVERY TWO YEARS WE
UPDATE OUR COUNCIL RULES AND WE
WILL BE DISCUSSING PROPOSED
UPDATES TO OUR COUNCIL RULES AND
WE WILL HAVE THE PROPOSED VOTE
ON THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING. ALL
RIGHT. WITH THAT, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. SEEING NONE, THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL
MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
CLERK, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY?
>> WE HAVE THREE IN PERSON AND
FOUR REMOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO WITH THE
IN PERSON COMMENTERS FIRST AND
EVERYONE CAN HAVE TWO MINUTES,
THANK YOU.
>> I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN
THE ORDER OF WHICH THEY SIGNED
UP TO SPEAK STARTING WITH IN
PERSON COMMENTERS. SPEAKERS WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES. WHEN YOU HEAR
THE CHIME, YOU WILL HAVE 10
SECONDS LEFT. IF YOU EXCEED THE
TIME, YOUR TIME MAY BE CUT OFF.
IF YOU ARE PROVIDING REMOTE
COMMENT, BE SURE TO HIT STAR
SIX. OUR FIRST IN PERSON SPEAKER
IS ALEX ZIMMERMANN.
>> SEEING HIEL MY DIRTY NAZI
FASCIST PIGS. MOY NAME IS ALEX
INTRIMERMAN. I DON'T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT STATEMENT BUT THE BIG
CUT FOR ELECTION. I WANT TO
THINK ABOUT NUMBER THREE, RULES.
TEN YEARS AGO, YOU CHANGED YOUR
RULES, NAZI GES STOPO RULES. SO
YOU GIVE ME 18 TRESPASSES FOR
1500 DAYS. FOR FIVE YEARS I
CANNOT COME AND SPEAK ONLY
BECAUSE I HAVE DIFFERENT
OPINION. IT IS CRITICAL
ABSOLUTELY. WHO DID THIS? IT IS
VERY INTEREST BECAUSE FASCISM AS
WE COVER IT NOW GOING PROGRESS.
RIGHT NOW, TEN YEAR AGO, THIS
BRINGS US JULY. I REMEMBER THIS
WELL. SO TEN YEARS LATER YOU
HAVE FOR 40 YEARS NEVER HAVE ONE
AND CLOSED SEVENTH FLOOR. IN MY
STATEMENT, WHAT DOES CARL DO FOR
LAST FOUR YEARS? FASCISM GROW
BIGGER AND BIGGER. IT IS NOT
ONLY FASCIST, IT IS GESTAPO
RULE. MORE DANGEROUS THAN N AN
AZI OR COMMIE. HOW IS THIS YOU
EXIST FOR 30 YEARS? THIS IS 370
CARE SENT OUT IN TOTAL LIKE
SUPPOSED TO BE. WHEN YOU DON'T
DOING THIS, IT WILL BE FOR
ANOTHER 30 YEARS. NO ONE FASCISM
IN EUROPE AND SOUTH AMERICA
EXISTS FOR MANY YEAR AND YOUR
GESTOPO RULES THAT AREGRESSIVE
FOR 30 YEARS AND WILL EXIST FOR
ANOTHER 30 YEARS. 730,000 NOT
STAND UP. VIVA NEW AMERICA, VIVA
REVOLUTION.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ESTER LOSERO.
>> HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY,
GREAT. WOW, I FEEL LIKE A SMUDGE
AFTER THAT ONE, SORRY ABOUT
THAT. I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
OF THE SEATTLEAL AIRPORT. LATINA
ON MY DAD SIDE. I'M HERE TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT IN
SUPPORT TO COUNCILMEMBER SARA
NELSON'S RESOLUTION SFCHLT
PATHWAY TO RECOVERY IS KEY TO
GETTING UPSTREAM TO THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING RELATED TO
HOMELESSNESS, SUBSTANCE USE AND
MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS ABOUT TIME
WE DECONSTRUCTED THE
INTERSECTION OF THOSE THREE
COMPONENTS. THE SEATTLE HUMANE
HEALTH BOARD, WE OPERATED 65 BED
TREATMENT FACILITY ON RAINIER
BEACH. WE HAD TO CLOSE BECAUSE
OF A TERRIBLE BUILDING. WE ARE
REOPENING THUNDERBIRD FACILITY
NEXT YEAR. IT WILL BE 92 BEDS
WITH 15 BEDS DEDICATED TO
PARENTING PEOPLE. WE RECENTLY
DECIDED TO ADD A CLINIC TO THAT
FACILITY SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE
MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT AND
WRAP AROUND SERVICES FOR MENTAL
HEALTH AND OUT PATIENT,
INTENSIVE OUT PATIENT. FOR THAT
REASON, I THINK THAT THIS
RESOLUTION IS ON THE RIGHT
TRACK. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT
THE SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD
IS HERE TO INCREASE CAPACITY TO
SERVE THE NEEDS OF SEATTLE
CITIZENS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL TO SOLVE
THESE CHALLENGES. THE FINAL
THING I WILL SAY IS I IMPLORE
YOU, WHEN THIS RESOLUTION PASSES
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU INVEST IN
CAPACITY THAT ALREADY EXISTS SO
THAT WE CAN INCREASE CAPACITY
AND NOT NEW INFRASTRUCTURE. IF
YOU WORK WITH US AS COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, WE WILL GET YOU WHERE
YOU WANT TO BE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> BEFORE THE NEXT SPEAKER, I DO
WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT
I DO SUPPORT THAT INVESTMENT. IN
FACT I TRIED TO GET THAT INTO
OUR 2025 BUDGET. IT WAS NOT
INCLUDED IN THE CHAIR'S PACKAGE
BUT I THINK THE INFORMATION I
READ WAS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
PROVIDING 25% OR 80% OF THE
CAPACITY THE RESIDENTIAL
CAPACITY? 80%.
>> OUR NEXT IN PERSON SPEAKER IS
ANDREA SUAREZ.
>> HELLO, ANDREA SUAREZ FOR WE
HEART SEATTLE. I'M HERE TO
SUPPORT YOU PRESIDENT NELSON ON
YOUR RESOLUTION FOR PACTWAYS TO
RECOVERY. THIS IS A HISTORICAL
MOMENT TO BE HERE AS A NEW
PROVIDER, PRIVATE FUNDED WITH
OLD GUARD AND MY COLLEAGUES TO
MY RIGHT. THAT WE NEED A FOCUS
IN THIS AREA AND HOW WE GET
THERE IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION AND
DEBATE. I WOULD LOVE TO BE AT
THAT TABLE WITH THIS GROUP ON
HOW WE DISTRIBUTE THAT MONEY. IN
SAN FRANCISCO THEY ADOPTED A
POLICY WHERE SAFER SMOKING
SUPPLIES ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO
BE DISTRIBUTED IN PUBLIC SPACES
LIKE SCHOOLS OR SIDEWALKS. I'M
HERE TO ASK INCREMENTALLY RIGHT
NOW TO CHANGE THE CULTURE IN
SEATTLE FROM A DRUG FRIENDLY
CULTURE WHERE WE INVITE PEOPLE
TO COME HERE AND USE DRUGS IN
THE OPEN AIR DRUG MARKETS,
FUELLED BY A LOT OF THE
CORRUPTION RELATED TO THINGS
LIKE FOOD STAMP CARDS AND YOU
KNOW, THIS BOTTOMLESS PIT WE
HAVE. THERE IS NO ROCK BOTTOM IN
SEATTLE BECAUSE WE MAKE IT
FRIENDLY TO GET HIGH HERE. I'M
HOLDING HERE METHAMPHETAMINE
PIPES AND FOIL THAT ARE HANDED
OUT TOGETHER AT THE KING COUNTY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AT FOURTH AND
BLANCHARD WE ARE HANDING IT OUT
STREET SIDE. MUTUAL AID,
PEOPLE'S HARM REDUCTION
ALLIANCE ARE HANDING OUT THE
TOOLS TO SMOKE LETHAL DRUGS AND
FENTANYL HAS CHANGED THE GAME.
THIS IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION
THAT WE HAVE TO STOP HANDING OUT
TOURNIQUETS AND PIPES AND FOILS
AND COOKERS. I ASKED MY
COLLEAGUES TO STOP DOING THAT
WITHIN THE LOW BARRIER HOUSING.
IT'S NOT WORKING. I DON'T HATE
THE PLAYER. I HATE THE GAME. I
HATE THAT YOU HAVE A FENTANYL
SMOKING SHOP IN THE BACK OF THE
HOTEL. I RESPECT T YOU, THE
COLLEAGUE BUT I CAN'T GET
BEHIND THAT. I TOURED THE
KENNEDY HOUSE AT THE DEFC, THE
CARPETS ARE PITCH BLACK, RATS,
RODENTS, BUGS, WE NEED TO FIX
WHAT WE HAVE AND STOP THE
ENDLESS -- .
>> THANK YOU. THAT IS OUR LAST
IN PERSON SPEAKER. WE WILL NOW
MOVE TO REMOTE COMMENT. IF YOU
ARE OFFERING REMOTE COMMENT,
PLEASE BE SURE TO PRESS STAR SIX
TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. OUR FIRST
COMMENTER IS ANDREW
CONSTANTINEO. PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HI, I'M ANDREW CONSTANTANO,
AN OUTREACH WORKER DOWNTOWN.
I'M CALLING FOR SUPPORT OF THE
EXPANDED TREATMENT SERVICES OF
ALL KINDS USING THE SALES TAX.
ALL DAY AT WORK, I'M IN THE
STREETS HAVING INTENSE,
HEARTBREAKING CONVERSATIONS WITH
PEOPLE TRAPPED IN ADDICTION ON
OUR CITY STREETS. I SEE THE
EFFECT IT HAS ON THEIR BODY,
MINDS, AND IDENTITY. MOST ADICTS
I CONNECT WITH HATE FENTANYL.
THEY REALIZE IT IS POISONING
THEIR BODIES AND THEY ARE
DESPERATE TO STOP BUT THE
ADDICTION HAS THEM PARALYZED.
WHEN THEY USE, THEY CAN BARELY
STAND OR SPEAK AND WHEN THEY ARE
IN WITHDRAWAL, IT IS SO INTENSE
THEY WILL DO ANYTHING TO MAKE IT
STOP. AS A FORMER OPIATE ADDICT
MYSELF, PEOPLE CAN RECOVER AND
MY BIGGEST REGRET IS THAT I
DIDN'T SEEK TREATMENT SOONER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT REMOTE
SPEAKER IS JOECUSELER.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY
CALL TODAY. I WAS HAPPILY ABLE
TO JUMP OFF THE SOUND TRANSIT
CALL TO CALL UP HERE. I'M LOOK
UNDERSTAND YOU ARE LOOKING AT
COUNCIL RULES. I WANT YOU TO
LOOK AT RESIDENT COUNCIL RULES.
THEY HAVE A PRESET ZONE. THEY
HAVE BANNED THIS IMMIGRANT FOR
SIX MONTHS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE SPOKEN
TO THE WAY HEUERMANN SPEAKS TO
YOU. THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE ARE
WASTING YOUR TAX MONEY FUNDING
ZIMMERMANN'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST
BELLEVUE JEWS, MUSLIMS, AND
DISABLED PEOPLE FOR STARTERS.
THE PEOPLE IN THIS REGION SHOULD
REALLY QUESTION WHETHER TO COME
TO SEATTLE OR MAYBE IT IS TIME
TO MOVE TO REDMOND, YOU KNOW?
BECAUSE I'M GETTING REALLY SICK
AND TIRED OF EVERY TIME I SEE
PUBLIC COMMENT THERE IS A CREEP
WITH NAZI SLURS AND HATEFUL
RHETORIC. I THINK IT IS BENEATH
THE PRESIDENT'S CALLING, THE
MAYOR TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE
FOR ONE MORE DAY. BY THE WAY,
EVERY TIME ZIMMERMANN CAMPAIGNS,
YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO KICK HIM
OUT. THAT'S RCW. LET ME CALL
THE RCW BECAUSE I'M MAKING A
COMPLAINT ABOUT BELLEVUE. YOU
NEED TO STOP ZIMMERMANN, PLEASE,
BAN HIM LIKE THE GREAT PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ DID FOR A YEAR AT A
TIME , TWICE. PLEASE, I'M
ASKING NICELY. I'M GOING TOHANG
UP AND TURN TO THE YOUTUBE
SEATTLE CHANNEL. THANK YOU FOR
ALL YOU DO. PLEASE BAN
ZIMMERMANN. PLEASE BAN HATE
SPEECH. PLEASE BAN THIS KIND OF
GARBAGE WE DON'T DESERVE.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT REMOTE
SPOKER IS ALBERTO ALVAREZ.
>> THANK YOU. RECOVERY IS A
JOURNEY NOT A LIFE SWITCH. IT
CAN TAKE PEOPLE MONTHS OR YEARS
FOR A HEALTHY LEVEL OF
STABILITY. EVEN THEN, RELAPSE
CAN AND DOES OCCUR. WHAT IS
NEEDED IS LONGTERM SHELTER,
COMBINED WITH CRISIS SUPPORT.
PROGRAMS THAT DETOX FOR A SHORT
TIME ONLY TO KICK PATIENTS OUT
AT THE FIRST SIGN OF RELAPSE PUT
PEOPLE ON A DANGEROUS PATH.
RELAPSE WITH NO HELP IS OFTEN
MORE DISRUPTIVE AND SADLY ALSO
DEADLY. FUNDING PROGRAMS WHO SAY
THEY ONLY WANT A PIECE OF THE
PIE AND TO CHERRY PICK PATIENTS
TO HELP ARE NOT THE PROGRAMS WE
NEED TO GIVE MONEY TO. SARA
NELSON'S SAELS TAX IS A
TERRIBLE IDEA AT A TERRIBLE
TIME. MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING
CLASS FAMILIES ALREADY BEAR THE
PRICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. HIGH
EXPULSION RECOVERY PROGRAMS ALSO
SET PEOPLE UP FOR DANGEROUS
RELAPSE. TERRORISTS ARE GUTTING
THE AMERICAN WORKER. PEOPLE ARE
LOSING FOOD STAMPS, HEALTHCARE,
AND A SLEW OF SAFETY NET
SERVICES. NELSON THINKS ITS A
SMART CHOICE TO TAX PEOPLE FOR
MAKING SACRIFICES TO FEED
THEMSELVES AND TO KEEP THEIR
HOME. MILLIONAIRES LIKE SARA
NELSON ARE GETTING THE LARGEST
WEALTH INCREASE IN THE LIVING
MEMORY AND ASKING THE REST OF US
TO FOOT THE BILL. A TERRIBLE
IDEA AT A TERRIBLE TIME. HAVE A
GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU. OUR FINAL REMOTE
SPEAKER IS DAVID HAINES.
>> HI, THANK YOU, DAVID HAINES.
IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT COUNCIL
WILL NOT STEP UP AND CHAIR THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE HUMAN HOUSING
SERVICES BECAUSE WE HAVE A
HOMELESS CRISIS. IF YOU WANT TO
ADDRESS WITH LIKE INNOVATIVE AND
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACHES TO
PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU MUST
INCORPORATE THE REGIONAL
RESPONSE FROM THE STATE AND
FEDERAL LEVEL TO BUILD AND PAY
FOR THE CAPACITY NEEDED AND THE
QUALIFIED SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH
THE COURT ORDERED LOW SECURITY
CONSCRIPTION TO FIGHT THE
ADDICTION WITHOUT THE DRUG
ADDICTS ROAMING AROUND AFTER
THEY GET RELEASED FROM THE
CLINIC, STILL DEHYDRATED, STILL
BRAIN AND BODY DAMAGED, DYING OF
STARVATION WITHOUT ANY FOOD. IT
SEEMS THERE WOULD BE SOMEONE TO
PICK THEM UP AND TAKE THEM TO AN
ENCAMPMENT THAT COULD BE BUILT
BY THE NATIONAL GUARD IN 72
HOURS WITH SECURITY TO KEEP THEM
PROTECTED FROM THE DRUG CULTURE
THAT YOU ARE NOT ADDRESSING WHEN
IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. WE
HAVE HAD EVIL DRUG PUSHERS THAT
HAVE BEEN EXEMPTED FROM JAIL
UNTIL RECENTLY. IF YOU HAD LESS
THAN 3.5 GRAMS, AND THE POLICE
CHIEF AND OTHERS HAVE TRAINED TO
ACCOMMODATE THAT REALITY THAT
EVERYONE HAS TO BE CONSIDERED A
PERSONAL USER. IT HAS RESULTED
IN FAILED CRIME FIGHTING
RESPONSES. BUT IT HAS PROVEN
THAT THE POLICE CHIEF'S AGENDA
IS TO GET RICH ON OVERTIME,
PROPAGANDIZING IN LAW ABIDING
COMMUNITIES AND LAW ABIDING
EVENTS HOW SAFE WE ARE BECAUSE
THEY ARE AROUND. YET THEY ARE
QUICK WITH A BUDGETARY EXCUSE OR
SITING MANIPULATIVE DATA THAT
PERCEIVES SUCCESS IN SAFETY.
YET, EVERY SINGLE DAY, NO ONE
CAN GO FROM POINT A TO POIBT B
WITHIN THE TRANSIT ORIENTED
BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITHOUT BEING
SUBJECTED TO LOW LIFE THAT HAVE
NOT BEEN DEALT WITH PROPER.
>> THAT IS OUR FINAL COMMENTER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT LIST. PUBLIC COMMENT IS
NOW CLOSED. I DO WANT TO NOTE MY
PRESSURE TO MR. KUNSLER FOR
INDICATING THAT PERHAPS BELLEVUE
CONDUCTS PUBLIC COMMENT IN A
BETTER WAY AND DISCOURAGES
ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR. SO I WILL
DEFINITELY TUNE INTO THOSE
MEETINGS TO GET SOME TIPS. THERE
ARE MANY STEPS WE HAVE TO GO
THROUGH TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE'S
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS ARE MET
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ABIDING
BY OUR OWN RULES. ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, A RESOLUTION
SETTING OUT PUBLIC SAFETY
RELATING FUNDING PRIORITIES IN
ANTICIPATION OF A PROPOSAL THAT
THE CITY IMPOSE THE ADDITIONAL
ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT SALES
TAX AUTHORIZED BY THE 205 STATE
LEGISLATURE FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU ALL
CAN COME ON UP AT THE SAME TIME.
WE WILL START WITH THE
REPRESENTATION BUT YOU ARE
WELCOME TO ALL BE UP THERE AT
THE TABLE TOGETHER. SO THIS
LEGISLATION IS THE PRODUCT OF
MONTHS OF STAKE HOLDERING WITH
THREE OF THE CITY'S LARGEST
HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS.
PURPOSE DIGNITY ACTION, P.D.A.,
DOWNTOWN EMERGENCY SERVICES
CENTER WHICH IS D.E.S.C. AND
EVERY GREEN TREATMENT SERVICES
WHAT I CALL E.T.S. THEY ARE ALL
WITH US TODAY AT THE TABLE.
TOGETHER WE HAVE DEVELOPED WHAT
I'M CALLING A PROGRESSIVE
PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE, ALSO
KNOWN AS PATHWAYS TO RECOVERY
THAT WOULD STABILIZE EXISTING
SERVICES AND EXPAND TREATMENT
OPTIONS. THE LEGISLATION
IDENTIFIED A LONG LIST OF
SPECIFIC INVESTMENTS, SOME OF
WHICH WE WILL HEAR ABOUT TODAY.
I WILL NOTE THAT AT THE PRESS
CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING THIS
LEGISLATION LAST TUESDAY, A WEEK
AGO, A DOZEN OR SO PEOPLE
REPRESENTING SMALL BUSINESSES
AND HOMELESSNESS SERVICE
PROVIDERS JOINED THE PEOPLE HERE
PRESENTING TODAY AND THAT GROUP
INCLUDED SOME OF THE COMMENTERS
WE HEARD FROM TODAY. THIS
PRESENTATION IS NOT INTENDED TO
BE EXCLUSIVE OF THE BROAD
SPECTRUM OF APPROACHES IN
DEALING WITH ASSOCIATED
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES. I WANT
TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I
ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A DIVERSITY
OF APPROACHES THAT CAN BE TAKEN
TO THE VERY VEXING AND PERENNIAL
AND COMPLICATED ISSUE OF
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND WHAT
WE WILL BE HEARING ABOUT TODAY
IS A LIST OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE
HAVE HAMMERED OUT TOGETHER BUT I
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE MANY
WAYS TO APPROACH THIS VERY
DIFFICULT ISSUE. LET'S SEE. THE
FUNDING FOR WHAT YOU WILL BE
HEARING ABOUT TODAY COMES FROM A
NEW ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT
PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX
AUTHORIZED BY THE WASHINGTON
STATE LEGISLATURE THIS YOUR.
NOTE THAT I AM NOT CALLING FOR
AN INCREASE IN SALES TAX BUT
MAYOR HARRELL HAS EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN IMPLEMENTING IT
BECAUSE IT WOULD GENERATE ABOUT
$35 MILLION A YEAR AND COULD
FUND NOT JUST POLICE SERVICES
BUT ALSO A BROADER RANGE OF
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INVESTMENTS. I
ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOW
IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME OR THE
APPROPRIATE OR OPPORTUNE TIME AS
WE ARE FACING POTENTIALLY A $240
MILLION OPERATING DEFICIT NEXT
YEAR AND THAT NUMBER CHANGES
EVERY SO OFTEN AND THAT IS ALSO
BEFORE THE FEDERAL CUTS THAT WE
ARE ANTICIPATING COULD BE
COMING. MY POINT IS NOW IS NOT
WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER AN
OBVIOUS TIME TO PROPOSE NEW
INVESTMENTS. BUT I WILL SUBMIT
THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT TIME.
FOR FAR TOO LONG, WE HAVE
WATCHED PEOPLE SUFFERING ON OUR
STREETS FROM UNTREATED ADDICTION
AND MENTAL ILLNESS DETERIORATE
BEFORE US. WHEN WE INVEST IN
PEOPLE GETTING OFF THE STREET
AND INTO TREATMENT, WE PREVENT
CRIME, REDUCE EMERGENCY
RESPONSES AND MAKE EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER. THAT IS NOT
JUST FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, IT IS
THE RIGHT IN FACT FOR NOT A VERY
RELIGIOUS PERSON, I WILL GO SO
FAR AS TO SAY IT IS THE MORAL
THING TO DO. THAT'S WHY WE ARE
HEARING THIS SUITE OF
INVESTMENTS TODAY. WITH THAT,
FIRST WE WILL HAVE A
PRESENTATION -- FIRST I WILL ASK
PEOPLE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES
AT THE TABLE AND THEN WE WILL
BEGIN WITH CENTRAL STAFF
DIRECTOR NOBLES' PRESENTATION.
>> BEN NOBLES, CENTRAL CITY
STAFF DIRECTOR.
>> BRANDY FLOOD, DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNITY JUSTICE EVERGREEN
TREATMENT SERVICES.
>> GRANDY McNEIL, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR WITH PURPOSE ACTION.
>> LISA DUGUARD AT PURPOSE
DIGNITY ACTION.
>> DANIEL MALONE, DIRECTOR OF
D.E.S.C.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH
US TODAY. GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO WALK
YOU THROUGH THE RESOLUTION AND
WHAT T IT SAYS IF YOU WILL. AND
THEN WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THE
INTENDED USE OF THE RESOURCES.
WITH THAT, WE WILL GET STARTED
HERE JUST ONE SECOND. IN TERMS
OF AN OUTLINE, I WILL GIVE YOU
BACKGROUND ON THE AUTHORITY OF
THE TAX COMES FROM AND SOME
OTHER DYNAMICES AROUND SALES
TAXES AND A SUMMARY OF THE
PROPOSED RESOLUTION AND I'M
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER
THAT. ONE THING I PUT HERE ON
THE FRONT PAGE TO REITERATE A
POINT THAT THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HAS MADE THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS
WRITTEN TO HAVE A SET OF
RECOMMENDED USE OF THE DOLLARS
THAT COULD COME FROM SUCH A TAX
BUT THE RESOLUTION ITSELF DOES
NOT TAKE A POSITION ON WHETHER
THE TAX SHOULD BE ADOPTED OR
NOT. IN ANTICIPATION THAT THE
EXECUTIVE MAY PROPOSE SUCH, I
BELIEVE IT IS THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT'S VIEW THAT IT SHOULD
BE VIEWED IN CONTEXT OF THE
OVERALL BUDGET AND OVERALL
FINANCIAL SITUATIONS. HAVING
SAID THAT, IF IT IS TO BE MOVED
FORWARD, THE RESOLUTION
IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL PRIORITIES
FOR THE USE OF THE RESOURCES.
LET ME GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL ON
THAT. AGAIN, AS BACKGROUND AND
AS WAS MENTIONED IN
INTRODICTORY, THE AUTHORITY FOR
THIS REVENUE COMES FROM THE
STATE LEGISLATURE ADOPTED THIS
PAST SESSION. IT ADDS FOR BOTH
CITIES AND COUNTIES THE
AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE A 0.1 SALES
TAX FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE
PURPOSES. I WILL COME BACK TO
THAT IN A BIT. IT IS AN
AUTHORITY GRANTED TO CITIES AND
COUNTIES BUT NOT IN A COMPETING
WAY. THE COUNTY CAN IMPOSE THIS
TAX AND THE CITY CAN IMPOSE THE
TAX. THE IMPACT WOULD BE 0.2%
INCREASE IN THE OVERALL TAX
RATE. I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW
THE COUNTY IS CONSIDERING THE
SAME PROPOSAL. AGAIN, FOR THE
BACKGROUND SEPARATELY, THE CITY
HAS HAD LONGSTANDING AUTHORITY
TO ASK THE VOTERS TO APPROVE
SUCH A SALES TAX AS WELL. IN
TERMS OF POTENTIAL REVENUE,
CURRENTLY THE REVENUE FROM THE
SAELS TAX WE IMPOSE, WE GET
ABOUT $313 MILLION. WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE CITY BUDGET YOU SEE
THE REVENUE LINE IS 350 OR A
LITTLE MORE. THAT INCHUDZ OUR
SHARE OF THE COUNTY'S PUBLIC
SAFETY EMS SAELS TAX THAT WE GET
A PORTION OF THAT'S WHERE OUR
TOTAL COMES FROM. THE BOTTOM
LINE IS THE 0.1% WOULD GET US
BETWEEN 47 AND 37 MILLION A
YEAR. IT IS AN A RANGE BUT THERE
IS A LITTLE MORE UNCERTAINTY
BECAUSE ANOTHER THING THE
LEGISLATURE DID THIS PAST
SESSION WAS TOADD SOME SERVICES
TO THE LIST OF THINGS SUBJECT TO
THE SALES TAX. SO THE SALES TAX
BASE INCREASES AND REVENUE COULD
AFFECT US. BUT BALFURC 37 TO $40
MILLION. WHAT ARE THE AUTHORIZED
PURPOSES? CRIMINAL JUSTICE
PURPOSES IS DEFINED QUITE
BROADLY. THERE IS A LIST HERE ,
I CAN'T FIX THIS VERSION,
THAT'S A TYPO. THE LIST IS
MEANT TO BE DIRECT PUBLIC SAFETY
SERVICES. IF YOU FUND A POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES
PUBLIC DEFENDERS, DIVERSION,
REENTRY FOR INMATES AND
REASONABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
INTERACTING WITH THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM NOT LIMITED TO
REDUCING HOMELESSNESS OR
IMPROVING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
WHICH SEEMS ON POINT. COMMUNITY
OUT REACH AND ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS, AND MENTAL HEALTH
PROGRAMS. I WILL ALSO NOTE AND
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE
AUTHORITY GRANTED TO THE CITY
INCLUDES NO PROHIBITION OF
SUBPLANTATION. YOU CAN IMPOSE
THE TAX AND USE THE REVENUE TO
PAY FOR SERVICES BEING PROVIDED
NOW. PART OF THE MOTIVATION WAS
TO ENSURE GOVERNMENTS WHO MIGHT
FACE LOSSES IN REVENUE WOULD
HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO
MAINTAIN EXISTING PUBLIC SAFETY
EFFORTS AS WELL AS EXPANDING.
THERE IS NO BARRIER TO
SUBPLANTATION. IN TERMS OF
TIMING, THIS ONE IS INTERESTING
. THE WAY THE SALES TAX WORKS IS
THE STATE COLLECTS THE MONEY AND
DISTRIBUTES TO RELEVANT
GOVERNMENT, STATE, COUNTY, LOCAL
CITIES OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS
THAT MIGHT HAVE SALES TAX
AUTHORITY. THEY UPDATE THE SALES
TAX EVERY QUARTER INFORMING
RETAILERS WHAT THE NEW SALES TAX
RATE IS THAT THEY ARE OBLIGATED
TO COLLECT. THEY REQUIRE 60 DAY
NOTICE TO MAKE THE CHANGE. THE
CITY WANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THE FULL YEAR'S WORTH OF THE
INCREMENT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO
PASS THE BILL BEFORE YOU DEALT
WITH THE OVERALL BUDGET. WAIT
'TIL YOU SEE THE BUDGET
PROPOSAL THAT WILL ARRIVE IN
SEPTEMBER BECAUSE IT WILL NEED
TO BE APPROVED EARLY TO MID
OCTOBER. THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT
IS THE WAY IT COULD BE
PROPOSEDED TO IMPLEMENT ONE
QUARTER IN IF THEY HIT A LITTLE
LESS REVENUE. NOT NECESSARILY A
QUARTER HAVING TO DO WITH THE
PATTERN OF SALES TAX. BUT YOU
GET THE IDEA. WE ARE NOT SURE
EXACTLY WHEN. WE DON'T KNOW
WHETHER A PROPOSAL WILL BE MADE
OR WHEN. THEN IN TERMS OF THE
RESOLUTION ITSELF, AS I DESCRIBE
HERE, IT MAKES TWO BASIC POLICY
STATEMENTS. ONE IS AGAIN, IN
ANTICIPATION OF A POTENTIAL EXEC
TF PROPOSAL IT SAYS THE COUNCIL
SHOULD CONSIDER IMPOSING THIS
TAX AS PART OF ITS OVERALL FOR
THE BUDGET AND LONGTERM
FINANCIAL FOR THE CITY. YOU WILL
BE COMMITTING TO CONSIDERING THE
PROPOSAL IF ONE WERE TO COME
FORWARD. AND THIS IS REALLY THE
BROADER POINT, IF THE CITY WERE
TO IMPLEMENT THE TAX, IT
ESTABLISHES THAT UP TO 25% OF
THE RESULTING REVENUE SHOULD BE
INVESTED IN ADDICTION TREATMENT
RECOVERY SERVICES AND THE
FACILITIES NEEDED TO PROVIDE
SUCH SERVICES. AND THE
RESOLUTION FURTHER STATES THAT
THE SERVICES SHOULD BE TARGETED
TO THOSE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS OR BEING DIVERTED
FROM THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
IT THEN HIGHLIGHTS THE TYPES OF
SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE FUNDED. I
THINK I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE
LIST. I WILL LET YOU READ IT AND
I THINK IT WILL BE THE SUBJECT
OF DISCUSSION THAT PROCEEDS FROM
HERE. BUT AGAIN, A VARIETY OF
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES
IN PARTICULAR. SO THAT'S WHAT
THE RESOLUTION DOES. I'M HAPPY
TO TAKE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT IF
YOU HAVE ANY.
>> DO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS? NOT SEEING ANY HANDS
UP. OKAY. BACK TO -- I WANTED TO
NOTE THAT HB2015 WHICH WAS THE
ENABLING LEGISLATION OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX WAS BY
REPRESENTATIVENTMAN AND ADVANCED
BY THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS.
AND ENTMAN SAID ABOUT THE BILL
SAID ABOUT THE BILL IS WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THE PROGRAMS AROUND
PUBLIC SAFETY INCLUDE A LARGER
DEFINITION OF PUBLIC SAFETY. SO
THAT IS MY -- THAT'S SORT OF
THE FLASHING GREEN LIGHT THAT
SIGNALLED TO ME THAT THIS WOULD
BE AN APPROPRIATE USE FOR THESE
INVESTMENTS ALTHOUGH I THINK
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WOULD
PROBABLY SAY ON THE RECORD THAT
THEY ARE NOT IN SUPPORT OF
REGRESSIVE TAXES, SALES TAX
BEING THE MOST REGRESSIVE ON OUR
BOOKS. HOWEVER, IT IS A TOOL
THAT WE ARE BEING PRESENTED WITH
BY THE LEGISLATURE AND IT IS
CLEAR THAT THE INTENTION OF THE
SPAUPSER IS THAT IT DOESN'T
JUST GO TO THE TRADITIONAL FORM
OF PUBLIC SAFETY. LET'S SEE,
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR
PANELIST? OKAY. SO WITH THAT,
WHY DON'T WE PROCEED IN THE
ORDER THAT THE PANELISTS ARE
LISTED ON THE PRESENT -- AS
PRESENTERS. SO DANIEL MALONE,
DOWNTOWN EMERGENCY SERVICES
CENTER CEO AND BOSS. WHY DON'T
YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER PRESIDENT AND
MEMBERS OF THE XHOET. I SHARE
THE VIEW THAT REPRESENTATIVENTMA
N AND THE LEGISLATURE AS A WHOLE
WAS WISE TO INCLUDE IN THEIR
DEFINITION OF PUBLIC SAFETY
ADDRESSING ISSUES LIKE SUBSTANCE
ADDICTION. I THINK IT WOULD BE
WISE FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE IF
IT PROCEEDS WITH IMPLEMENTING
THE TAX AUTHORITY THAT THE
LEGISLATURE PROVIDED TO DO THE
SAME. AND ENHANCE OUR ABILITY
AND AVAILABILITY OF TOOLS TO
HELP PEOPLE SUFFERING WITH
SERIOUS SUBSTPS USE DISORDER ON
OUR STREETS. I WANT TO FOCUS IN
ON A COUPLE OF THINGS
SPECIFICALLY THAT I THINK OUR
COMMUNITY WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT
FROM HAVING. SO AT THE
ORGANIZATION WHERE I WORK, WE
ARE ATTEMPTING TO ASSIST PEOPLE
WITH REALLY PROFOUND AND
COMPLICATED DISABLING CONDITIONS
INCLUDING SERIOUS AND PERSISTENT
MENTAL ILLNESS AND CHRONIC
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. WE FIND
THAT PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH A
STABLE PLACE TO LIVE IS THE
SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO
DO BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY THING
THAT WE MUST DO. WE NEED TO
PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH AN ARRAY OF
SUFBSS INCLUDING TREATMENT
SERVICES THAT WILL ASSIST THEM
ON THIS PATHWAY TO RECOVERY. WE
ARE LICENSED TO PROVIDE MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE TREATMENT
SERVICES. WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS
ON ARE TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER AND INNOVATIONS IN
APPROACHES IN TREATMENTS FOR
PEOPLE WITH STIMULANT USE
DISORDER. THESE ARE TWO MAJOR
COMPOPEANTS OF THE KROIS S WE
ARE DEALING WITH TODAY. ON THE
OPIOID SIDE, OVER THE PAST YEAR,
WE HAVE SEEN PARK MARKEDLY
IMPROVED SUCCESS IN ASSISTING
PEOPLE TO START AND STAY ON
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER, SPECIFICALLY THESE
ADVANCES ARE IMPROVING OUR
ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH
PEOPLE WHO ARE USING FENTANYL
VERY CHAOTICALLY. ESSENTIALLY
THE CHANGES HAVE INVOLVED
ADVANCES IN THE PROTOCOL FOR
ADMINISTERING BUF NORFRN AND IT
IS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE
TO TAKE AND THEY ARE LESS OFTEN
GOING THROUGH EXTREME WITHDRAWAL
THAT MAKES THEM NOT WANT TO BE
INVOLVED IN TREATMENT ANYMORE.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE
BENEFITTING FROM THIS APPROACH
BUT THE NEED IS SO MUCH GREATER.
PROGRAMS ARE AT CAPACITY WE HAVE
SOME BRIGHT SPOTS ON THE HORIZON
IN THAT A NEW OPIOID OVERDOSE
RECOVERY CENTER IS ABOUT TO OPEN
LATER THIS SUMMER AND THAT'S
GOING TO ENHANCE CAPACITY. THERE
REMAINS A GREAT NEED FOR FIELD
BASED SERVICES ON THESE LINES
THAT BRING THAT TREATMENT TO
WHERE PEOPLE ARE WHEN YOU HAVE
SOME FOLKS WHO AREN'T READY TO
COME INTO A CLINIC SETTING FOR
THAT. THE CITY INVESTING IN THAT
WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE
COMMUNITY OVERALL. ON THE
STIMULATE USE DISORDER SIDE OF
THINGS, THE ARRAY OF TREATMENTS
THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE ARE
QUITE PALTRY. THERE'S A
SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR MORE
INNOVATION IN THE SPACE. THE
CITY COULD BE A REAL LEADER IN
HELPING TO CREATE SOME MOVEMENT
IN THAT DIRECTION, WHAT WE WOULD
RECOMMEND IS SOME KIND OF PILOT
FUNDING FOR ALSO FIELD BASED
SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
HEAVILY USING METHAMPHETAMINE
AND STRUGGLING WITH OVERCOMING
THAT AND THE COMPOPEANTS OF THIS
KIND OF TREATMENT OUGHT TO
INCLUDE AN ARRAY OF THINGS
CURRENTLY USED TO AT LEAST SOME
MINIMAL EFFECT SUCH AS
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT AND
COUNSELING SERVICES AND
SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO BE MORE
RESILIENT IN NAVIGATING SPACES
AND COMMUNITIES WHERE USE IS
PREVALENT BUT ALSO TO EXPAND THE
USE OF THE OZEMPIC CLASS GLP1
DRUGS THAT SHOW SOME PROMISE FOR
POTENTIALLY REDUCING CRAVING AND
MAKING SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE
SERIOUS ADDICTION ISSUES ABLE TO
MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ON THEIR LIVES
WHEN THEY HAVEN'T THUS FAR WITH
THE TREATMENTS AVAILABLE. I
SUPPORT VERY STRONGLY THE
PROPOSAL TO SET ASIDE SOME OF
THE MONEY IF THIS TAX IS TO BE
ENACTED TO MAKE SURE OUR
COMMUNITY CAN LEAD ON CREATING
THE TOOLS FOR PEOPLE STRUGGLING
WITH ADDICTION ON THE STREETS,
THANK YOU.
>> LET'S HOLD QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS UNTIL EVERYONE HAS BEEN
ABLE TO SPEAK, JUST NOTE THEM
DOWN AS WE GO ALONG. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> I WANT TO BEGIN BY EXPRESSING
DEEP APPRECIATION FOR COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON TFS CONSISTENT
LEADERSHIP IN PATHWAYS AND
SUPPORT FOR STRATEGIES THAT CAN
BE SHOWN TO IMPROVE THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF PEOPLE DEALING
WITH ADDITION. WE ARE ALSO
EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT MAYOR
HARRELL AND MANY ON THE COUNCIL
HERE TODAY AND OTHER MEMBERS OF
COUNCIL HAVE ALSO SHOWN A STRONG
COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING THESE
ISSUES. THIS COLLECTIVE
LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT ARE WHAT
ENABLE US TO DISCUSS NOT ONLY
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE BUT ALSO
THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE. ANY
SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY
MUST PRIORITIZE HOW WE SPNT TO
INDIVIDUALS WITH COMPLEX HEALTH
NEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE NEEDS
ARE CAUSING HARM OR DISTRESS IN
THE NEIGHBORHOODS. CONFRONTING
IT IS HOW WE BUILD SAFER
COMMUNITIES. OVER THE PAST FEW
YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN MEASURABLE
SUCCESS FROM EFFORTS THAT TAKE
THIS APPROACH SERIOUSLY. ONE
EXAMPLE IS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH
SPD ON PUBLIC USE DIVERSION.
INSTEAD OF JAIL OR PROSECUTION,
INDIVIDUALS CONTACTED BY SPD
HAVE ACCESS TO A 24/7 HANDOFF TO
RESPONSE TEAM THAT CAN CONNECT
THEM TO SERVICES. WE ARE
INTEGRATING WITH SPD SYSTEMS SO
OFFICERS CAN MAKE DIVERSIONS
WITHIN THE SYSTEM HAVE GREATER
VIZ BABILITY FOR WHO IS ALREADY
IN THE PROGRAM AND CONTACT CASE
MANAGERS INSTEAD OF CYCLING
PEOPLE THROUGH JAILS OR
EMERGENCY ROOMS. OTHER PROGRAMS
HAVE HAD SUCCESS. JUST CARE
INFORMED THE STATE ENCAMPMENT
RESOLUTION PROGRAM. COLEAD
CONTINUES TO SHOW REMARGABLE
OUTCOMES. OVER 95% OF
PARTICIPANTS ACCEPT SERVES. MORE
THAN 70% TRANSITION TO PERMANENT
HAD HOUSING AND 100% ARE
ENROLLED IN MEDICAID. WE HAVE
HAD 0 COLEAD PARTICIPANT
OVERDOSE DEATHS IN COLEAD
LODGING, ZOREO. BECAUSE OF THESE
INTERVENTIONS AND EFFORTS BY
THOSE AT THE TABLE AND OTHERS,
WE ARE SEEING TANGIBLE RESULTS,
DECLINING CRIME RATES, A GROWING
SENSE AMONG RESIDENTS AND
BUSINESSES THAT DISORDER IS
DECREASING. THE FUNDING THAT
THIS RESOLUTION IDENTIFIES COULD
BE USED TO ALLOW US TO STABILIZE
WHAT IS ALREADY WORKING BY
COLEAD, AND ADD NEW PIECES TO
ADDRESS THE GAPS THAT REMAIN.
THIS FUNDING SHOULD BE USED TO
STABILIZE WHAT IS ALREADY
WORKING ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF
CARE AND ACROSS A VARIETY OF
APPROACHES. ONE EXAMPLE OF
ADDRESSING SUCH A GAP IS BELOW
FRICTION PATHWAY, A PILOT
PROGRAM CHAMPIONED BY
COUNCILMEMBER PRESIDENT NELSON.
THIS CREATED A MECHANISM TO
IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO PRIVATE
PATIENT TREATMENT FOR
INDIVIDUALS IN LOW BARRIER
PROGRAMS. COLEAD HAS NOMINATED
THE LARGEST GROUP TO USE THIS
OPTION SO FAR AND NEARLY ALL OF
THEM COMPLETED TREATMENT AND ARE
STILL DOING WELL. THAT SUCCESS
DIDN'T HAPPEN BY CHANCE. IT
HAPPENED BECAUSE OF INTENSIVE
CASE MANAGEMENT. COLEAD STAFF
BUILDS TRUST AND GET TO KNOW WHO
IS INTERESTED AND READY FOR
TREATMENT AND SUPPORT THEM
BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER
PLACEMENT. TREATMENT IS MOST
LIKELY TO BE EFFECTIVE WHEN
PEOPLE HAVE SUPPORT THROUGHOUT
THE RECOVERY JOURNEY. THAT IS
PRECISELY WHAT INTENSIVE CASE
MANAGEMENT PROVIDES. NONE OF
THIS CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT
FUNDING. LAKE SIDE FUNDING IS A
PILOT THAT SHOULD BE OPEN TO
REFERRALS FOR CONTRACTORS WHO
PROVIDE ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT
AND CAN IDENTIFY PEOPLE FOR WHOM
THIS IS A GOOD RESOURCE AND
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THEM AFTER
THEY FINISH IN PATIENT TREAT.
LEAD AND COLEAD HAVE LOST
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. WE RISK
LOSING WHAT'S WORKING UNLESS WE
ACT NOW. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
FULL RANGE OF INVESTMENTS CALLED
FOR IN THE RESOLUTION UNDER
DISCUSSION TODAY. THIS WORK
BELONGS AT THE CENTER OF OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY, NOT ON
THE MARGINS AND MUST BE FUNDED
ACCORDINGLY.
>> JUST ADDING A COUPLE OF QUICK
NOTES TO BRANDY'S COMMENTS, I
TOO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON, THE OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WHO HAVE
ALWAYS ARTICULATED THIS
RECOGNITION THAT ADDRESSING
PEOPLE'S NEEDS IS AT THE CORE
OF A PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY THAT
WORKS FOR THE CITY AND IS
ALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S VALUES
AND ALSO EXPRESSING APPRECIATION
FOR THE MAYOR WHO HAS DONE THE
SAME. THIS IS ONE OF THE CITIES
IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THE
LEAST QUESTIONS ON WHETHER THAT
IS TRUE. BUT LIKEMANY, WE ARE
CHALLENGED WITH OPERATIONALIZING
THAT UNDERSTANDING GIVEN YIELD
CONTRAINTS ON RESOURCES THE CITY
IS CURRENTLY FACING. WHAT
IPLERLY WANTED TO CALL OUT ABOUT
THIS RESOLUTION THAT I THINK
GETS IT JUST RIGHT AND THIS DID
COME AFTER SOME STAKEHOLDERING
STRUGGLE AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON MENTIONED IS THE BALANCE
BETWEEN STABILIZATION AND
INNOVATION. WHEN PEOPLE SAY
STABILIZATION, I'M NOT SURER IT
IS CLEAR WHAT THAT MEANS. WE
HAVE REALLY SLID BACK FROM SOME
HIGH POINTS OF INNOVATION AND
ACHIEVEMENT DURING THE PERIOD OF
COVID RELIEF FUNDING. SOME STEPS
FORWARD WERE MADE. IT WAS ALSO
THE STATE'S ENCAMPMENT RIGHT OF
WAY RESOLUTION PROGRAM FUNDING
THAT ALSO ENDED. LARGE
TRANSITION OF FUNDING THAT
ALLOWED RAPID RECONFIGURATION OF
HOW IT WAS POSSIBLE TO RESPOND
TO LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE ON THE
STREETS DEALING WITH SUBSTANCE
USE ISSUES AND ORT MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS. THESE APPROACHES
WORKED AND THEN THE FUNDING WENT
AWAY. WHILE THE MODEL REMAINS,
THE SCOPE IS GREATLY
CONSTRAINED. REALLY, WE ARE
ABOUT TO SEE THE END OF CHAPTER
PROGRESS THAT WAS OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT
STABILIZATION. AT THE SAME TIME,
AS MANY OF US WHO HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THAT WORK WHICH
IS ALL MULTIAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS,
YOU KNOW, AS WE WALK ALONG SIDE
PARTICIPANTS, WE SEE GAPS THAT
NEED TO BE BRIDGE. THE PILOT HAS
BEEN ONE GREAT EXAMPLE OF
PROBLEM SOLVING. IT DIDN'T TAKE
A LOT OF MONEY AND MADE A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE.
THAT ENHANCES THE EFFICACY OF
WHAT HAS BEEN TRIED AND NEEDS TO
BE STABILIZED. THE OTHER THING I
APPRECIATE ABOUT T THE FRAMEWORK
OF THE RESOLUTION IS THAT IT
IMPLICIT TALLY RECONCILES THE
TENSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLUDED
TO IN SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
BETWEEN PHILOSOPHIES OF
RECOVERY. IT CENTERS ON THE SAM
SUFRAMEWORK OF RECOVERY WHICH IS
INTEGRATED. IT RECOGNIZES THAT
LOW BARRIER ENGAGEMENT IS A PART
OF THE RECOVERY JOURNEY AND THAT
ULTIMATELY ALL PEOPLE NEED
ACCESS TO AND DESERVE ACCESS TO
ALL OF THE TREATMENT MODALITIES
WHEN THEY ARE THE RIGHT SOLUTION
FOR THEM. THERE IS MUCH LESS
SDREEMENT ON WHERE IS THE
DESTINATION AND WHAT IS THE
OBJECTIVE THAN WHAT ONE WOULD
THINK FROM READING NATIONAL
CULTURAL FIGHTS ON THIS. THE
BARRIER STRATEGIES REFLECTED IN
THE PORTION OF THE HIGH LEVEL
LIST ARE COMPLIMENTED BY ACCESS
TO TRADITIONAL RECOVERY
STRATAEMGS AND MAKE SURE ONCE
PEOPLE HAVE MADE MAJOR CHANGES
IN THE SUBSTANCE USE, THEY DONOT
HAVE TO RETURN TO SHELTER AND
HOUSING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
OTHER PEOPLE ARE STILL IN ACTIVE
USE. SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WOE
USE THAT ROAD, SUPPORT THAT AND
I THINK THIS IS A WELL BALANCED
FRAMEWORK SHOWING THIS IS A
UNITY AND CONTINUUM. MY ONLY
REQUEST IS THAT THE CURRENT
VERSION, I SEE IT SAYS UP TO
25%. I HAVE A CAUTION THAT IT
WOULD BE A REAL SHAME IF BASED
ON WHERE YOU END UP, YOU WANTED
TO MAKE INVESTMENTS THAT KNOW
ABOVE 25% OF THE FUND, AND SMAU
THIS RESOLUTION WHICH IS MEANT
TO SUPPORT THE WORK ACTS AS AN
ACCIDENTAL CAP ON INVESTMENT. AT
LEAST 25% WITH A CAP OF 25%
COULD INADVERTENTLY LIMIT WHAT
THE CITY COULD DO IN THIS REALM
WHICH I KNOW IS NOT THE
INTENTION. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES. I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
RESOLUTION FIRST AND FORMEST,
ESPECIALLY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT
FILLING IN WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ON THE MOST
VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
AS MY CEO STEVE WOULD SAY, EVERY
BIT WILL HELP ON THE SERVICES.
IT IS THE WAY TO GO FOR THE CITY
CONSIDERING OUR FENTANYL KROIS
S. THIS RESOLUTION OFFERS
MULTIPLE CORE PATHWAYS TO GET
PEOPLE IN TREATMENT. ESPECIALLY
PROGRAMS SUCH AS LEAD AND COLEAD
THAT ARE ON THE STREET WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT DOING STREET AND
COMMUNITY OUT REACH AND DOING
LONGTERM CASE MAN MGMENT TO
CONNECT PEOPLE WITH SERVICES
WHEN THEY ARE READY. WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE DATA FOR LEAD AND
COLEAD, IT SHOWS THAT FOR LESS
THAN 5% OF THE CLIENTS ARE
HOUSED DURING PROGRAM
ENROLLMENT. THAT MEANS THEY ARE
HOMELESS DURING PROGRAM
ENROLLMENT. TODAY 40% OF LEAD
PARTICIPANTS ARE HOUSED. YOU
NODE THESE ALTERNATIVE SERVICES
TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO TREATMENT
AND TO GET HEALED. IT IS
DIFFICULT TO HEAL OUTSIDE. ALSO
I'M ATTACHED TO EVERGREEN
TREATMENT SERVICES. THIS
RESOLUTION WOULD HELP SUPPORT
OPIOID USE. YOU NEED TO MEET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT. WHEN
YOU HAVE THE WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY WHERE SOMEONE WANTS
TO GET TREATMENT, YOU NEED TO BE
IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY ARE
STRUGGLING WITH IT THE MOST
WHICH IS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS
WE BELIEVE LEAD AND COLEAD, THE
ALTERNATIVE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
ARE FILLING IN THE GAPS THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS NOT DESIGNED TO
DO BASED ON THEIR AUTHORITY
ESPECIALLY DURING THIS CRISIS.
YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO
BE OUT THERE WORKING WITH THE
MOST COMPLEX INDIVIDUALS,
STRUGGLING WITH BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ASSESSMENT USE. IF IT IS
NOT FUPDED AT THE LEVELS IT
NEEDS TO BE, IT WILL BE HARDER
TO DO THAT T WITH THOSE FOLKS.
IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE YOU
CAN BAND AID. I APPRECIATE THE
EFFORT TO FILL IN THE GAP. SO WE
HAVE MULTIPLE THAT ARE
SUPPORTING M.O.U.D. SERVES AND
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE FOLKS
STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALL OF
YOU.
>> I WILL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR
COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES HERE
BEFORE I MAKE COMMENTS OF MY
OWN. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING. I
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I EXTEND
ALSO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS TO
INCLUDE SEATTLERS. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE EVERYONE
PRESENT AND ALL VOICES HEARD.
THERE ARE A FEW PIECES HERE AS I
LOOK AT THIS. ONE IS STARTING
OFF WITH DIRECTOR NOBLES'
BRIEFING IS THE -- I I HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS RELATED TO
THE BMO TAX, I THINK EVERYTHING
WE ARE LOOKING AT SHOULD BE IN
THE CONSTRUCT OF A COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH OF HOW WE ARE DOING
TAXES WHETHER IT IS PAY ROLL AND
STATS, WE NEED A HOUSING PLAN
WHICH MAKES US SMARTER ON THE
BUDGET PIECES THAT RELATE TO
THAT. AND THEN PUBLIC SAFETY
SALES TAX PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE.
IT IS IMPORTANT. I HEAR THE
POINTS MADE. BUT IT SHOULD ALSO
BE NOTED THAT THIS ALSO OPENS UP
THE OPPORTUNITY RELATED TO THE
1O00 MILLION PIECE AT THE STATE
LEVEL AS WELL AND HAS NOT BEEN
TALKED ABOUT. THAT'S ALSO A
PIECE. SEPARATELY, I HAVE HAD
DISCUSSIONS WITH MY COUNTERPART
BOTH IN TERMS OF HIS COMMUNITY
ASSIGNMENT PLUS HIS AREA OF
COVERAGE IN DISTRICT 7, KING
COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER AND CLEARLY
THE COUNTY IS MOVING FORWARD. I
THINK THAT IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR US. I DON'T
REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT KING
COUNCIL WILL BE DOING. I HAVE
THE GENERAL PIECES THAT THEY DO
BUT I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.
BUT WHATEVER THEY DO WITH THEIR
POINT ONE, PUBLIC SAFETY SALES
TAX AND PUBLIC SAFETY BEING
REDEFINED HERE, WE SHOULD BE IN
SYNC. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR PDA, LEAD, EVERY GROUP HERE,
EVERGREEN, TO BE REPRESENTED AT
THE COUNTY LEVEL TOO. IT IS
REALLY INCUMBENT ON US. I'M
CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMUNITY, PILLAR 6 OF STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK PLAN IS WORKING WITH
THE COUNTY AND STATE. THIS IS
CLEARLY AN AREA WHERE WE NEED TO
BE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY. I
THINK AS MY FATHER USED TO SAY
MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK. THE
COUNTY AND CITY WORKING TOGETHER
IN THIS TOPIC THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY, YOU KNOW,
WE COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND
MORE EFFICIENT, WHATEVER, ALL OF
THE ABOVE. I THINK THAT SHOULD
BE IMPORTANT. I ALSO THINK THAT
WE NEED TO BE THINKING BUDGET IN
TERMS OF FEDERAL IMPACTS. DIRECT
BUDGET FEDERAL IMPACTS BUT
INDIRECT T FEDERAL IMPACTS. I'M
SCARED AND I USE THAT WORD
PURPOSELY, I I'M WORRIED, I USE
THAT WORD PURPOSELY, WHAT THE
MEDICAID PIECES OF THE VERY UGLY
BILL, THE IMPACTS. OKAY, FOR
THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T WORK,
WHICH WE ALL KNOW, EVERYONE IN
THIS ROOM IS WORKING WITH PEOPLE
ON THE STREET. TRUST ME, I CAN
TAKE YOU THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE
DISTRICT, I COULD TALK ABOUT
NAMES OF DRUG DEALERS, I COULD
TALK ABOUT PEOPLE ON THE
STREETS. IT'S INCREDIBLE. I
KNOW YOU ARE DOING SIMILAR
STUFF. I ALSO KNOW THAT A BIG
CHUNK OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE REALLY
NOT FIT TO WORK. BUT THAT MAY
NOT BE DEFINING HOW THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SAYS. SO WE NEED TO
BE UNDERSTANDING THAT MEDICAID
PIECE. WE NEED TO BE THINKING
NOW IN TERMS OF STRATEGY, HOW DO
WE GET THERE, AND THEIR STATUS
BE CONFIRMED AS UNABLE TO WORK
IN THIS SITUATION. I'M NOT THE
SMART PEOPLE HERE. I RECOGNIZE
THAT. I WORK WITH THESE ISSUES
BUT WE NEED TO LEVERAGING THIS,
POTENTIALLY HOW CAN WE DO THE
EXTRA PIECE. COULD THIS MONEY
HELP TO DO THE EXTRA PIECE TO
ENSURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE
GREATEST AMOUNT OF MEDICAID
COVERAGE WE CAN GET. IF THE
MEDICAID PIECE FAILS, AGAIN, I
USE THE WORD SCARED, WORRIED,
DELIBERATELY, IT COULD BE
CATASTROPHIC FOR US ON OUR
STREETS. I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT
KING COUNTY SING RUINIZATION. IF
YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE AS I WAS
ADVISED TO WRITE DOWN THINGS.
THIS WAS PART OF THE BUDGET
PIECE. BUT THE FEDERAL IMPACTS,
THE COUNTY, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
ANY REACTION TO THAT PART.
>> I WAS GOING TO SPEAK
TOSERVICES. WE ARE DEFINITELY
SCARED AS PROVIDERS ESPECIALLY
FOR THE FOLKS ENGAGED IN
TREATMENT NOW AND DOING BETTER
BECAUSE OF IT THAT ARE ON
MEDICAID. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE
THAT WE WOULD LOSE. IT WOULD BE
DETRIMENTAL TO OUR STREETS,
FLOOD OUR STREETS WITH PEOPLE
WITH MORE ISSUES THAT ARE
STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE. I
DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT.
BUT THE MEDICAID CUTS WILL BE
CATASTROPHIC TO THE SERVICES
THAT WE PROVIDE. WE ARE NOT
REALLY SET UP STRUCTURALY, OUR
CITIES, TO DEAL WITH THAT BY
USING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
PROSECUTORS. THAT WON'T BE THE
ANSWER TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE
THAT WILL PERSIST IF MEDICAID
CUTS HAPPEN. TO ECHO WHAT LISA
SAID, TO FUND THINGS AT LEVEL
WHERE YOU CAN HAVE EFFECTIVE
SERVICES IS GOING TO BE
EFFECTIVE. I APPRECIATE THE
APPROACH OF HOW DO WE PARTNER
WITH KING COUNTY AND MAKE SURE
WE PATCHWORK THIS QUILT TOGETHER
TO COVER THOSE IN THE CITY.
>> I LOOK THAT PATCHWORK OF THE
QUILT. I MAY HAVE TOUSE THAT.
>> I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU RAISED
THE MEDICAID POINT T. AND YOU
KNOW, SORT OF PUT ON THE TABLE
THE POSSIBILITY OF A DIRECT
STRATEGY TO MAINTAIN MEDICAID
ENROLLMENT FOR OTHERWISE
ELIGIBLE PEOPLE AS A CORE THING
THE CITY SHOULD BE LOOKING TO DO
AS PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY WORK.
THE AVENUE TO ACHIEVE THAT IS
LONGTERM CASE MANAGEMENT
RELATIONSHIPS. SO THERE IS SO
MUCH CONFUSION ABOUT T THUS.
I'M HEARING IT FROM MEDIA,
CONSTANTLY TEXTING REPORTERS TO
DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM DIFFERENTLY
BECAUSE IT IS NOT THAT THERE IS
A WORK REQUIREMENT FOR MEDICAID
RECIPIENTS. IT IS THAT PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABLE TO WORK WOULD LOSE
ELIGIBILITY IF THEY DO NOT WORK.
MOST PEOPLE ON MEDICAID ARE NOT
ABLE TO WORK. WE CAN INSULATE
OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE PROJECTED
IMPACT OF THE WORK CERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENT BY TIMELY AND
EFFECTIVELY FILING VERIFICATION
THAT PEOPLE ARE UNABLE TO WORK,
PEOPLE WHO ARE GENUINELY
DISABLED AND WORKING ON
RECOVERY. NOT TO SAY THAT
EVERYONE WORKING ON RECOVERY IS
UNABLE TO WORK. BUT FOR THOSE
WHO ARE NOT ABLE, CERTIFYING IT
WILL MAINTAIN MEDICAID
ELIGIBILITY. THE PROJECTED ROLLS
ARE EXPECTED THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE WILL LOSE COVERAGE
BECAUSE THEY DON'T FILE THE
CERTIFICATION. WE CAN PREVENT
THAT OUTCOME AND WHO IS ABLE TO
DO THAT IS PEOPLE WITH LONGTERM
CASE MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIPS
WITH HARD TO REACH PARTICIPANTS.
SO FOR GETTING INFORMATION,
SIGNATURE ON FORM, I THINK WE
CAN MAKE A HUGE -- WE CAN CHANGE
THAT IMPACT LEVEL FOR SEATTLE
SIGNIFICANTLY IF WE MAINTAIN AND
STABILIZE THE LONGTERM CASE
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. BRANDY
MENTIONED THAT EVERYONE OF THE
PARTICIPANTS ARE ENROLLED IN
MEDICAID. THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF
WHAT YOU CAN FIND WHEN PEOPLE
TRUST YOU. I WANTED TO FLAG THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE TRAINING
COMMISSION, $100 MILLION GRANT
PROGRAM WHICH COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE REFERENCES WHICH SEEMS
LIKE AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE
PUZZLE. BUT IT IS ONETIME
FUNDING. IF I CAN JUST PLEAD,
WHEN BRANDY SAID LEAD AND COLEAD
HAS LOST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
THAT IS NOT BECAUSE OF A CUT
EXACTLY, IT IS BECAUSE IT WAS
FUNDED BY ONETIME DOLLARS THAT
WENT AWAY. THIS WORK IS
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN
WITH ONE TIME FUNDING. IF IT IS
A CORE PIECE OF THE PICTURE, IT
MATCHES TO BASE BUDGET. I THINK
THAT'S WHY WE SO APPRECIATE THE
RESOLUTION CENTERING WORK IN
THIS REALM AS PART OF WHAT NEEDS
TO BE BACKED BY THE BASE BUDGET.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE
PROGRAM WON'T HAVE AN IMPORTANT
ROLE TO PLAY BUT FUNDING THIS
WORK WITH ONE TIME FUNDING KICKS
THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD TO THE
NEXT YEAR IN A WAY THAT YOU ARE
ALREADY SEEING WITH THE CURRENT
PREDICAMENT. WE HAVE SEEN $3
MILLION IN REDUCTION AND FUNDING
FOR LEAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
YOURS BECAUSE IT WAS BASED ON
ONE TIME FUNDING, BORY
ALLOCATION AS AN EXAMPLE.
>> I UNDERSTAND YOUR ONETIME
FUNDING POINT. I THINK I HAVE
HEARD IT BEFORE. THE OTHER
THING, CHAIR, JUST QUICKLY, THE
OTHER MAIN SECTION I WANTED TO
TALK ABOUT IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY
PIECE AND THE OVERLAP WITH THE
HUMAN SERVICES PIECE AND THE
PUBLIC SAFETY APPROACH AND SO
FORTH. AS I SAID MANY TIMES,
PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND
HOMELESSNESS, THEY DON'T STACK
ON TOP OF EACH OTHER BUT THERE
IS THE OVER LAP. THEY INFLUENCE
EACH OTHER. IF THEY DON'T
SUCCEED IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE
WILL NOT SUCCEED IN PUBLIC
SAFETY. THIS IS NOT A TAG LINE.
THIS IS BASING FACTS. PART OF
THIS TOO, SINCE WE ARE TALKING
IN A BUDGET FORMAT, THE GOOD
GOVERNANCE AND METRIC PIECES,
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH
HUME PUBLIC SAFETY. HUMAN SAFETY
IS ENGAGING WITH PUBLIC SERVICE.
LIKE THE RFP THAT WENT OUT, WE
WILL HAVE THOSE PIECES IN TERMS
OF METRICS AND I THINK THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO AND
CLEARLY, AS YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT WITH EVERGREEN, THERE ARE
METRICS OUT THERE. LIKE HAVING A
HOUSING MRN, PUTTING IT OUT
THERE IN A WAY THAT IS
DIGESTIBLE AND THEN EXPLAIN, AND
DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE MAKING
SMART DECISIONS. PEOPLE CAN SEE
THE TRADEOFFS AND SAY THERE IS A
LOGIC THERE IN TERMS OF WHY WE
WENT THERE. I THINK THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. SPEAKING OF
GOOD GOVERNANCE I WANT TO PUT A
PLUG IN BECAUSE I'M DEALING
WITH A LOT OF CHALLENGES, GOOD
NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS. THIS IS
ABOUT WORKING WITH SERVICE
PROVIDERS TO HIGHLIGHT TO THEIR
CLIENTS LIKE, THIS IS THE IMPACT
YOU ARE HAVING ON YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND BY THE WAY, IF
YOU WANT THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO
BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IN THE
FUTURE, BE MINDFUL OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING. THERE ARE SO MANY
PLACES ACROSS D7 IN THE CITY
WHERE WE ARE DEALING WITH THIS.
I HAD A SECRETARY OF HUMAN
SERVICES IN BELLTEN AT THE
COMMUNITY SUFBS OFFICE, I WAS
HIGHLIGHTING TO HER, WHAT CAN
YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? WHEN YOU
HAND OUT THE EBT CARDS, THEY ARE
SOLD AND THEN GIOVANNI ACROSS
THE STREET, THE DRUG DEALERS,
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE DYNAMIC WE
HAVE. HOW IT WE CHANGE THINGS UP
AND PUT PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEM?
WE ARE LOOKING TO PUT PRESSURE
ON THE SYSTEM RELATED TO THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE PREYING ON THE
VULNERABLE THAT YOU HELP
SUPPORT. SO IT IS LIKE HOW DO WE
ATTACK THE PEOPLE PREYING ON THE
PEOPLE YOU ARE TRYING TO HELP,
HOW DO WE PREBLTH THEM FROM
THOSE PREYING ON THEM. I THINK
GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS ARE
GOOD BECAUSE IT CREATES
CONVERSATION. WE NOTED CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEMS, LIEKS HOW CAN
WE IMPROVE OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM. THIS IS SOMETHING LOOIM
LOOKING TO DO IN MY COMMITTEE.
HOW DOWE GET BETTER TREATMENT
OPTIONS IN THE SYSTEM. IF YOU GO
TO KCJ, WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU? ARE
YOU GETTING THAT LEVEL OF CARE?
WE TALK ABOUT WARM HANDOFFS. THE
WARM HANDOFF ON THE BACKHAND.
ARE THEY GETTING TREATMENT AT
KCJ AND IS THERE A PROCESS TO
ENSURE THERE IS NO BACK SLIDING
AND THE LAST POINT I WANT TO
SAY, AND I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE
CHALLENGES BUT WE NEED AN ALL
HANDS ON DECK AND NOW
APPROACHES. I'M NOT YOUR
TYPICAL SEATTLE PERSON. I'M THE
NUTS AND BOLTS AND ALL THAT. WE
NEED TO HAVE AN ALL HANDS ON
DECK. THERE ARE DIFFERENT
APPROACHES. I RECOGNIZE WE HAVE
BE HEART SEATTLE HERE. I WILL
SAY ON THIS FRONT, IN TERMS OF
REACHING OUT, MR. TIM EMMERSON
IS THE BEST PERSON I HAVE EVER
SEEN ON THE STREETS DOING THE
OUT REACH. I LOVE TIM. THAT'S
JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE NEED
EVERYONE TO INCLUDE TIM IN THIS
EFFORT AND I THINK THAT'S
IMPORTANT. WITH THAT, I'M DONE
IF YOU HAVE ANY REMARKS
REGARDING THAFLT BUT I'M
FINISHED THANK YOU.
>> I ONLY HAVE ONE REMARK,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, LIKE YOU
SAID THE PLACE ON FOURTH AND
BLANCHARD, WE ARE THERE ON THIRD
AND BLANCHARD AND WE ARE IN THE
HEART OF IT BUT WHAT DO YOU DO?
REACH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 0
YEARS. ALTHOUGH I CARE ABOUT
EVERYBODY WHO IS ON THE STREET,
IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND
WHAT WE DO WITH LEAD, AND OUT
REACH PROGRAMS, YOU HAVE TO BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHO YOU ARE
SERVING. WE ARE SERVING THE
PEOPLE WHO YOU BEING PREYED
UPON, NOT THE PEOPLE WOO ARE
HURTING PEOPLE. THE DRUG CRISIS
HAS CHANGED THE GAME ON THAT
WHERE THERE ARE DEALERS HURTING
PEOPLE AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
IN OUR HISTORY OF THE
ORGANIZATION THAT WE WILL BE
PARTNERRING WITH LOCAL
CONDOMINIUMS TO HELP PAY FOR
SECURITY AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE. IT IS GOING TOLOOK
DIFFERENT FOR THE PEOPLE WE
SERVE. I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY AND
THE PEEP WHO'LL ARE MOST
VULNERABLE HELP TO SET THE
BOUNDARIES. WE WILL PARTNER WITH
SECURITY, PARTNERRING WITH
PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS TO SET BETTER
BOUNDARIES IN THE NASHDS AROUND
WHAT WE WANT AND DON'T WANT IN
THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT IS
SAFE TO DO. ALTHOUGH I KNOW
THERE WILL BE CRITICS ON HOW
THAT IS SERVED OR HOW WE DO
THAT, BUT BEING INTENTIONAL
ABOUT WHO WE SERVE, WHAT WE ARE
DOING, LONGTERM CASE MANAGEMENT
IS THE WAY TO DO THAT. IT DOES
MEAN THAT IT WILL BE A MINE FINE
LINE BETWEEN GENERAL SERVICES
AND PUBLIC SAFETY. BUT AT THE
END OF THE DAY, WOE WANT TO BE
SAFE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO ACCESS
THE THINGS THEY NEED TO HEAL. WE
WANT TO WORK WITH ALL PARTNERS
TO DO THAT AND HAVE ALL HANDS ON
DECK IF WE WILL HAVE A BETTER
SEATTLE.
>> I AGREE. AND BY THE WAY, I
SHOULD VISIT AND MEET WITH YOU.
I WOULD BE WELCOMED TO DO THAT
AND MR. MALONE AS WELL, I WOULD
BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. HOW CAN WE
WORK TOGETHER TO TARGET THOSE
WHO ARE PREYING ON BECAUSE IT IS
IMPORTANT T. THE SOTA BILL IS
IMPACTING BLANCHARD BECAUSE IT
IS DYNAMIC. WE WORK WITH THE
WEST PRECINCT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THE SHIFT TO ADDRESS, THIS IS
WHERE THE COPS COME IN RIGHT
NOW. WE HAVE THE DYNAMICES IN
WORK. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE
DISCUSSION. I LOVE WHAT YOU JUST
SAID BECAUSE THAT GOES EXACTLY
TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT,
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING A
RESOLUTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
HARD WORK. I KNOW THIS IS
XROEMLY TOUGH WHEN I LISTEN TO
THE MEETINGS. OBVIOUSLY, WE SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE STREETS
AND WE KNOW YOU ARE DOING YOUR
HARDEST WORK TO GET PEOPLE
HEALTHY. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I
HAVE IS INVESTMENTS OVER
OUTCOMES AND HOW WE CAN GET
BETTER AT THAT AND HAVING HONEST
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE
CURRENTLY AND THE TRANSPARENCY
OF THE PROCESS. AT ANY POINT IN
TIME I CAN GO ON THE WASHINGTON
BOARD OF EDUCATION AND I CAN
LOOK AT HOW MUCH WE ARE SPENDING
PER KID, CHILD, INVESTMENT,
EDUCATION, DEMOGRAPHICS, PER
SCHOOL, PER LUNCH, EVERYTHING.
WHAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL AND
I KNOW WE CAN GO AND LOOK AT ALL
OF THE OVERDOSES ON KING COUNTY
THEY HAVE A DASHBOARD, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING YOU ALL KNOW. WHAT
WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR
PEOPLE IS EASILY DIGESTIBLE
INFORMATION TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE
SPENDING, WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES.
BECAUSE WHAT DIFFERENT PROVIDERS
HAVE OF THEIR STORY OF SUCCESS
IS DIFFERENT ALL ACROSS. IF WE
HAD UNIFORMITY AND SAID THIS IS
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE TO US, I
CAN HEAR A PROVIDER SAY 60% OF
OUR CLIENTS ARE ABCD. I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY CLIENTS THAT IS OR
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I THINK
WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO DIGEST
THE THOUSANDS OF REPORTS I SEE,
ALL OF THE INFORMATION IS
LITERALLY HAVE ONE THING WHERE
WE CAN GO TO UNDERSTAND THE
IMPACT THAT WE ARE HAVING AND
THE INVESTMENT. ONE OF THE
MODELS I LOVE TO SEE IS THE
HOUSTON MODEL OF THE
HOMELESSNESS PIECE WHERE THEY
BROUGHT EVERYONE TOGETHER AND
THEY HAVE THE SAME METRICS.
IT'S A CITY FUNDED DASHBOARD
THAT SHOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
ON THE STREETS, WHAT THEY HAVE
DONE AND DEMOGRAPHICS AND
BREAKDOWN. THEY BROUGHT EVERY
PROVIDER UNDER ONE UMBRELLA TO
UNDERSTAND THE METRICS SO WE
COULD BE -- WE COULD UNDERSTAND
IS THIS WORKING, MAYBE WE NEED
TO SWITCH IT. SEATTLE IS SUCH A
GIVING CITY EVERY TIME I TALK TO
SOMEONE, THEY ARE LIKE, WHAT CAN
I DO TO HELP, HOW MUCH MORE
MONEY, WHAT DO WE NODE TO DO. I
HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE
FUNDING AND MONEY PIECE BUT I
WANT TO KNOW WHAT PROGRESSIVE
OUTCOMES ARE WE GOING TO EXPECT
AND HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STREET ARE
GETTING THE SERVICES THEY NEED?
I WAS JUST AT A WALK AROUND A
WEEK AGO WITH A PROPOSED KROIS S
CARE CLINIC ON CAPITOL HILL,
DOING A WALK AROUND WITH THE
NEIGHBORS. I WALK AROUND THE
CORNER, THIS GIRL SHOUTS OUT MY
NAME AND I SAID WHAT'S UP T.,
SORRY I SAID HER FIRST INITIAL.
THIS WAS A GIRL I PLAYED
BASKETBALL WITH AND SHE WAS ON
THE STREET ON FENTANYL. HADN'T
TALKED TO HER MOM IN WEEKS. IT
REALLY PUT A FACE TO -- WE HAVE
BEEN -- WE SEE IT EVERY DAY. BUT
WE DON'T PUT FACES TO SOME OF
THE PEOPLE. I THINK THAT MOMENT
FOR ME, THAT MOMENT FOR ME ROLLY
PUT THINGS INTO A DEEP
PERSPECTIVE FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
KIND OF OUTCOMES ARE WE HAVING.
WE HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ALL
THIS MONEY COMING IN AND THESE
INVESTMENTS. I'M LIKE, OKAY,
WELL, WHERE ARE WE AT RIGHT NOW?
WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? IT IS
OKAY TO SAY WE MESSED UP. THIS
IS WHERE WE ARE AT. IT IS NOT
WORKING. WE CAN'T RUN THE SAME
PLAY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SCORING
A TOUCHDOWN SO WE WILL GO TO
THIS PIECE OVER HERE. THAT'S
OKAY. I NEED TO HEAR MORE OF
THAT FROM PROVIDERS AND FROM
PEOPLE SO I KNOW, WE ENEED TO
INVEST IN THIS. OR THIS IS GOING
TO BE A NEW EXPECTATION, THE
OUTCOME SO THAT WE KNOW IT IS
WORKING BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE
WORK YOU ARE DOING. I WANT TO
CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT. I
ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING AT US ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND SAYING, CAN THEY GET IT
RIGHT? SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE A
QUESTION. BUT I'M SUPER HAPPY
TO VOTE ON THIS AND I THINK THIS
IS MUCH NEEDED, AND I WILL TAKE
SOME OF THE TALK THAT MIGHT
COLLEAGUE DOES WHEN HE TALKS
ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC
HEALTH, YOU CALL IT THE SAME TWO
SIDED COIN -- TWO SIDES OF THE
SAME COIN. I DON'T WANT TO
STEAL WORDS OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. I
KNOW THEY HAVE TO BE EQUALLY
INVESTED BUT I THINK WHAT WOULD
BE SO HELPFUL IS TO HAVE A SENSE
OF BASELINE TO SAY, THIS IS
WHERE WE'RE AT. THIS IS WHERE
WE NEED TO GO AND THESE ARE THE
OUTCOMES WE NEED. THAT WOULD BE
SUPER HELPFUL TO KNOW WE ARE ARE
MAKING PROGRESS AND IF WE ARE
NOT, WE NEED TO SHIFT , STILL
MAKE THE SAME INVESTMENTS BUT
THE STRATEGY CAN BE A LITTLE
DIFFERENT. SO THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA? -- I'M
SORRY, DID ANYONE WANT TO
RESPOND TO COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> JUST VERY MUCH AGREEING THAT
WE DO NOT HAVE EXTRA MONEY. WE
DO NOT HAVE MONEY AT THIS MOMENT
IN HISTORY TO DO ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE. SO
NOT A SINGLE DOLLAR SHOULD BE
SPENT WITHOUT A STRONG
UNDERSTANDING OF WHY IT IS A
GOOD BET IF YOU WILL. I THINK
THE APPROACH THE RESOLUTION
TAKES IS TO SAY THE INVESTMENT
SHOULD BE IN EVIDENCE BASED
APPROACHES THAT RELIABLY
GENERATE STRONGLY POSITIVE
OUTCOMES. THERE IS AN A REAL
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRATEGY AND
MODEL VERSUS ORGANIZATION.
MODELS ARE GENERAL APPROACHES
THAT WORK IN HOUSTON, THEY WORK
IN BOSTON, THEY WORK IN SEATTLE.
THEN THERE IS FIDELITY OF
IMPLEMENTING THE MODEL WHICH YOU
CAN TEST. THOSE ARE TWO
QUESTIONS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE
THE RIGHT MODEL, THE METHODOLOGY
WILL NEVER GET US WHERE WE NEED
TO GET BECAUSE IT IS THE WRONG
APPROACH. THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
QUESTION AND THEN THE SECOND ONE
IS ARE THE SELECTEDED
ORGANIZATIONS DOING THE MODEL
WELL. BOTH OF THOSE ARE
IMPORTANT. OF COURSE WE WOULD
LOVE TO COME AND SHOW YOU THE
EVIDENCE OF EFFICACY FOR THE
MODELS THAT MANY OF US PRACTICE
BUT ALSO THE EVIDENCE OF HIGH
QUALITY IMPLEMENTATION. AND IF
WE CAN'T PASS THOSE QUESTIONS,
THE CITY SHOULD BE MAKING
DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS. ENTIRELY
AGREE AND I THINK THAT IS
REFLECTED IN THE RESOLUTION
WHICH SEEMS LIKE A STEP FORWARD,
A VALUES AGREEMENT TO YOUR
POINT.
>> THANK YOU. GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THANK YOU DESC AND THE PDA
AND EVERGREEN FOR BEING HERE AND
TO OUR BEN NOBLE FOR PRESENTING
THE RESOLUTION. LISA, I AGREE
WITH YOU AND ALSO, YOU KNOW I
AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGS WORTH IN
TERMS OF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T
KNOW WHAT WE ARE GETTING, AND TO
SAY GETTING FOR THEIR INVESTMENT
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE RIGHT
THING BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO
HELP PEOPLE. BUT IT IS MORE
LIKE, ARE WOE HELPING PEOPLE?
THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THE
OUTCOMES ARE THERE, THAT WE ARE
HELPING THE FOLKS WE SET OUT TO
HELP. I THINK THERE IS A LACK OF
INFORMATION BY WHICH TO --
DEMONSTRABLE INFORMATION BY
WHICH WE ARE BEING ACCOUNTABLE
TO THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE AND
THE FOLKS THAT ARE HELPING US
MAKE AN INVESTMENT BY WAY OF THE
TAX DOLLARS. I THINK THAT IS
IMPORTANT. I LIKE COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH WOULD LOVE TO SEE
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. I
WILL SAY THAT, AND I SAID THIS
SINCE I GOT HERE. FOLKS NEED
SERVICES. WE CAN'T EXPECT
PEOPLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, FOLKS
THAT T HAVE -- ARE SUFFERING
FROM ADDICTION OR MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE
SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT TREATMENT AND
WITH THE SERVICES. INCLUDING IN
HOUSES. WOE REALLY NEED TO BE
CARRYING SERVICES WITH THE
HOUSING SO THAT FOLKS ARE
SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE GREATER
OUTCOMES ON THE BACK END. SO I
THINK THAT I DO NOT DISPUTE THAT
WE NEED MORE -- WE NEED MORE
SERVICES FOR FOLKS, THAT IS
TRUE. WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE THE
INFORMATION BY WHICH WE KNOW
THAT WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING IS
WORKING FOR PEOPLE. SO LISA,
I'M GLAD TO HEAR AND I KNOW YOU
HAVE BEEN DOG THIS FOR A LONG
TIME AS HAVE THE OTHER FOLKS ON
THIS PANEL. I HAVE TO SAY, I
DON'T ALWAYS GET THE
INFORMATION BY WHICH I CAN
REALLY TALK TO THE CITY ABOUT
WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS ARE DOING
AND THE OUTCOMES THEY ARE
HAVING. I THINK THAT'S
IMPORTANT. WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE
OR LETTING THEM KNOW WE ARE
DOING MORE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE
TO SHOW THEM WHY. SO THAT PIECE
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME ALONG
WITH THE FACT THAT I APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, YOU
BRINGING THIS UP AGAIN. I
SUPPORT MORE SERVICES FOR FOLKS,
IT IS CLEARLY NEED D ED. THE O
OTHER THING, I APPRECIATE WHAT T
YOU SAY ABOUT THE MEDICAID
PIECE. THE CITY IS NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO BACK THE MEDICAID
NEEDS OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW THE
HEALTHCARE FOLKS ARE LOSING
THEIR HEALTHCARE AND CITIES IN
GENERAL ABILITY TO BACK BOOK FOR
THAT,IST AN ASTRONOMICAL NEED. I
APPRECIATE THAT WHAT WE CAN DO,
WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS
MAKING SURE WE ARE PROVIDING
THAT CASE MANAGEMENT OF FOLKS SO
THAT FOLKS DON'T LOSE THE
MEDICAID THAT HAVE AND THEY ARE
ABLE TO GET THE SERVICES THEY
NEED. THAT PIECE, I'M REALLY
HAPPY TO HEAR YOU SAY BECAUSE WE
HAD NOT HEARD VERY MUCH ABOUT
THAT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING
SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING FOR
PEOPLE. MAKING SURE WE ARE
HELPING THEM KEEP THEIR MEDICAID
BENEFITS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
GIVEN ALL THAT IS GOING ON. I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS
THERE. AND IN GENERAL, I
APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT
YOU DO EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF
OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BIG
CHALLENGES AND THAT WE WANT TO
HELP SO COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, I
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS
RESOLUTION. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A
LOT THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN
TERMS OF THE NEEDS IN COMMUNITY
AS REGARDS BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL
HEALTH. I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS
CONVERSATION AND FIGURING OUT
WAYS TO PARTNER TOGETHER. AS
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE SAID, WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE WORKING
WITH THE COUNTY AND STATE TO
MAKE SURE OUR INVESTMENTS HAVE
THE GREATEST IMPACT. IF WE ARE
NOT ALL COORDINATED AND EVERYONE
IS DOING THEIR OWN THING, WE
WILL NOT HAVE THE BEST OUTCOMES
I BELIEVE. SO MAKING SURE THAT
AS WE ARE HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS, WE ARE WORKING
WITH OUR COUNTY AND STATE
PARTNERS AND THE INVESTMENTS
THEY ARE MAKING, MAKING SURE
THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST
RESULTS AND THE BEST THAT WE CAN
DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I DON'T
HAVE A QUESTION. THAT WAS MORE
OF A COMMENT. THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE AND ENGAGING IN THIS
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND FOR
THE WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, I KNOW
IT WAS A QUESTION BUT A COMMENT
BUT SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
WHAT IS IN JEOPARDY, ANOTHER
THING YOU TALKED ABOUT HOUSING.
THE THIRD AVENUE PROJECT WE DID
AND THE LEAD FUNDING FUNDS A LOT
OF OUR REACH HOUSING WORK. WITH
THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE
DONE WITH TAP AND PDA AND NWDC,
WE HOUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE
THROUGH OUR SCATTERED SITES
VOUCHERS AND OUR SITE BASED
VOUCHERS. THEY WILL BE IN
JEOPARDY AS WELL DUE TO THE
FEDERAL CUTS. IN 2026, I DON'T
HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME
BUT I COULD GET THEM, THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE THAT WE HOUSED THROUGH
THOSE VOUCHERS, OUR THIRD AVENUE
PROJECT WILL BE IN JEOPARDY. SO
JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE AND
THINKING ABOUT WHAT WORKED. ALL
OF THOSE THINGS WORKED. HOW DO
WE KEEP THEM FUNDED AS LISA
SAID. THAT WILL BE HARD WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT THE FACES OF PEOPLE
WHO KNOW COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, I'M BORN AND
RAISED IN RAINIER BEACH SO I'M
WALKING ON THIRD AVENUE SEEING
PEOPLE I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL
WITH. THOSE ARE PEOPLE WE ARE
ABLE TO HOUSE THROUGH THE
VOUCHERS AND HAVE THEM HOUSED
FOR MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF JUST
TOLOSE IT BASED ON THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ABANDONING US IS
GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO ALL
OF THE HARDWORK THAT WE HAVE AN
EVIDENCE BASED MODEL THAT WORKED
AND NOW IT WILL FAIL AND THAT
HAS ME SCARED AS COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE GAVE ME PERMISSION TO USE
THE WORD.
>> AND THE TRANSPARENCY, PEOPLE
FEELING THAT THA MONEY BEING
SPENT IS WELL SPENT, AN
OPPORTUNITY THAT IS POTENTIALLY
AVAILABLE WITH THIS RESOLUTION
IS TO HAVE THOSE SORTS OF
CONVERSATIONS TO STRATJZ JAZZ
AROUND THE SET LANGUAGE PEOPLE
ARE USING AND THE STANDARDIZED
LANGUAGE OF OUTCOMES. THAT'S
SOMETHING WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK
ON AND THAT'S A POTENTIAL DOOR
THAT COULD BE OPEN WITH THIS
RESOLUTION TO WORK ON IT
COLLECTIVELY.
>> AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT I
AGREE. I DON'T WANT TOSAY
WHETHER THE MONEY IS WELL SPENT.
BECAUSE MONEY IS WELL SPENT IF
YOU ARE TRYING TO HELP FOLKS.
IT'S MORE, ARE WE GETTING THE
OUTCOME, ROLLY HELPING THAT
PERSON, MAKING SURE WE ARE
CONSISTENTLY CHECKING BACK, IS
THAT MODEL THAT WE ARE USING
WORKING, RIGHT? IF THAT PERSON
IS NOT BEING HELPED , THEN WE
NEED TO PIVOT. SO LESS ABOUT IS
THAT MONEY WELL SPENT AND MORE
ABOUT ARE WE HELPING THAT
PERSON, RIGHT? I THINK THAT
DISTINCTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
PEOPLE HERE. SO THANK YOU.
>> I SEE COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON
HAS HIS HAND UP BUT THERE IS
LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION THAT
DOES CALL FOR REPORTING AND
EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAMS GOING
FORWARD. SO NEVER FORGETTING THE
OVERSIGHT ROLE THAT WE PLAY.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I DON'T HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR YOU BECAUSE I KNOW
YOU. I HAVE WORKED WITH EACH ONE
OF YOU IN PREVIOUS ROLES. I DO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE
IS UNDENIABLY A LINK BETWEEN
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING ON THE
STREET AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
RESPONSE, NOT JUST POLICE
RESPONSE BUT MEDICAL RESPONSE AS
WELL. IF WE WANT TO GET A HANDLE
ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSES,
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUE THAT IS GOING ON
HERE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS
BECAUSE THEY ARE LATE. YOU ASK
ANY COP ON THE STREETS, WHY DO
WE HAVE THE CRIME RATE WE DO?
DRUGS. I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT
COPS BUT HEALTH ONE, HEALTH 99,
OUR MEDICES, FIREFIGHTERS, I'M
THINKING OF FOLKS IN THE HOBSON
PLACE, WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH
THERE WITH FOLKS IN A BEHAVIORAL
CRASIS OR FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE
BUILDINGS WHO ARE IN THE
CHEMICALLY CLASSES THAT ARE
CAUSING ISSUES FOR PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN THE BUILDINGS. I'M
THINKING OF THE SAFETY OF THE
FOLKS THAT REACH IS WORKING
WITH. LEAD, COLOAD, YOU ARE
DEALING WITH. SO AGAIN, IT JUST
MAKES SENSE TO ME. AND, IT GETS
TOA POINT THAT YOU AND I HAVE
TALKED ABOUT, PEANUT BUTTER IS
TOO THIN. IT'S SPREAD TOO THIN.
AND WITH THE CUTS COMING FROM
THE FEDS, THAT'S EVEN WORSE. SO
THE CUTS ARE COMING. THE NEEDS
HAVE NOT GONE AWAY. WHAT DO WE
DO TO HELP OUR FOLKS HERE
CONCERNING WHAT IS HAPPENING ON
THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT WILL
HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT HERE?
THAT IS NOT LOST ON ME. SO
AGAIN, IT MAKES US DO THIS IN SO
MANY DIFFERENT WAYS ON SOMANY
DIFFERENT LEVELS. AND TO ECHO MY
COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH AND ALWAYS THAT I
TOGGED ABOUT IT. IT IS
RESPONSIBLE OF US TO SAY OR TO
ASK, WHAT ARE WE SPENDING? WHAT
ARE WE SPENDING IT ON? AND WHAT
ARE THE MEASURABLE RESULTS?
BECAUSE IF WHAT WE ARE SPENDING
IS NOT GETTING US THE RESULTS WE
WANT, MAYBE WE NEED TO PUT THE
DOLLARS ELSEWHERE. HAVING SOME
KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY, SOME
TRANSPARENCY THAT WE CAN GO,
YEAH, THESE ARE GOOD INVESTMENTS
OR MAYBE WE NEED TO PIVOT, I
THINK IS SOMETHING THAT IS
NEEDED. PEOPLE ARE ASKING US,
WHY ARE WE SPENDING X AMOUNT ON
THIS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO
BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. WE NEED
TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM THAT IT
IS. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU
FOR THE WORK YOU DO. YOU ARE
SAVING LIVES WITH THE STUFF YOU
ARE DOING. AND I DEFINITELY
APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. LET ME JUST JUMP IN,
LOOKING AT THE TIME, I WILL SAY
THAT WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS SAID.
ADDICTION AND THE FENTANYL
CRISIS, ESPECIALLY HAVING
BROUGHT ADDICTION ISSUES MUCH
MORE ACUTE IS LINKED TO OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELESSNESS
PROBLEM AND THAT'S WHY I'M
FIGHTING TO PUT TREATMENT AT THE
CENTER OF THE CITY'S AGENDA. UP
UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE SERVICES THAT
YOU PROVIDE A, A LITTLE BIT
COMING FROM THE COUNTY, MOSTLY
HARM REDUCTION WHICH IS WHY I
PUT FORWARD THE DIRECT AND ON
DEMAND ACCESS TO IN PATIENT AND
INTENSIVE OUT PATIENT TREATMENT
BECAUSE WE NEEDED SOMETHING ELSE
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANTED SOMETHING
THAT MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER WOULD NOT ADDRESS. SO
THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS EXERCISE
IS NOT THAT WE ARE GOING TO
SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS BECAUSE
$10 MILLION ISN'T GOING TO GO
ANYWHERE. IT WILL GO PLACES BUT
WE HAVE A CHOICE OF THINGS WITH
IT LIST OF THINGS WE WANT TO
FUND. I WILL READ SOME OTHER
QUOTES FROM SOME OF THE SPONSORS
OF THE BILL. LET'S SEE, THIS
BILL MAKES CLEAR THAT PUBLIC
SAFETY IS NOT ABOUT MORE
POLICING BUT ABOUT CREATING
STRONG LIVING COMMUNITIES AND
ABOUT STRONG, SMART,
INVESTMENTS, BOLD POLICIES, AND
ASSURING EVERY COMMUNITY THOSE
IMPACTED BY SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE
HAS THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
THEY DESERVE. THAT WAS PUBLISHED
IN THE SEATTLE MEDIUM. SOMEBODY
ELSE SAID THAT, WHAT WE REALLY
WANT IS TO MAKE SURE THE
PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN THE
COMMUNITY AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY
INCLUDE A LARGER DEFINITION OF
PUBLIC SAFETY. THE LEGISLATIVE
BLACK CAUCUS HAS LONG ADVOCATED
FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY THAT
PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE, LOCAL AUTHORITY AND
SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES AND HB2015
IS A STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE
VISION. MY POINT IS WE ARE
BROADENING THE DEFINITION OF
WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY MEANS. IF
AYOU LISTEN TO THE RECENT
EDITION OF ERIKA BARNETT'S
SEATTLE NIGHTS, THEY TALK ABOUT
THE PRESS CONFERENCE WE WERE AT
AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THEY
SUGGESTED MAYBE WE SHOULD SPEND
100% OF THE MONEY THAT IS
ALLOWED IN PUBLIC SAFETY TAX FOR
THINGS WE ARE DISCUSSING TODAY.
I WILL REMIND ALL OF US HERE
THAT WE APPROPRIATE THE MONEY
AND THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING
DISCUSSION. HERE'S MY BIGGER
POINT. THE POLICIES THAT NEED
SUSTAINING, WE HAVE PASSED
POLICIES AND BUDGETS THAT HAVE
PROVIDED FOR DIVERSION PROGRAMS,
COLEAD, AN EXPANSION OF THE CARE
DEPARTMENT. AND WHERE ARE YOU
SENDING PEOPLE THAT YOU
ENCOUNTER AS YOU ARE PERFORMING
THE WORK THAT IS MANDATED BY
THESE PROGRAMS? THIS IS A
MISSING PIECE TO MAKE YOUR
EXISTING PROGRAMS MORE
EFFECTIVE. THAT IS WHY THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT T. A LOT OF
PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT, WHEN YOU
ARE CALLED BY AN OFFICER WHO IS
MAKING AN ARREST FOR PUBLIC USE
OF FENTANYL, WHAT DO YOU DO? AND
IT IS A LOT EASIER IF YOU HAVE A
PLACE YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY REFER
SOMEONE. THAT $300,000 IS
DIMINISHING VERY QUICKLY. WE
NEED TO EXPAND THAT. ONE OF THE
REASONS I PUT FORWARD THE
PROGRAM TO ALLOW FOR IN PATIENT
TREATMENT IS UP UNTIL MAYBE
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NOT A LOT WE
CAN DO ABOUT STIMULANT
ADDICTION. THAT IS WHY I'M
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT DANIEL
WAS TALKING ABOUT, A POTENTIAL
TO ADDRESS THAT THROUGH
MEDICATION. I HAVE ALWAYS SAID,
I'M NOT NECESSARILY A -- I'MING
A NOSTIC IN HOW WE HELP PEOPLE
WITH ADDICTION. I'M EXCITED
ABOUT THAT AND GETTING PEOPLE ON
LONG ACTING SOBOX OWN BECAUSE
THAT STABILIZES PEOPLE FASTER.
THERE WAS A LOT PRESENTED HERE.
JUST A COUPLE MORE NOTES THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH LISA FOR RECOGNIZING
THAT THE DEFINITION OF RECOVERY,
VERY, VERY BROAD. I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT ABSTONANCE ONLY. I
HAVE BEEN PIGEON HOLED BY PEOPLE
THAT THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M
REFERRING TO. RECOVERY MEANS
REUNIFYING WITH LOVED ONES, AND
BEING ABLE TO STAND ON THEIR
FEET AT SOME POINT. THAT'S WHAT
ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS TALK ABOUT
BUT WE HAVE TO CREATE A COHERENT
AND COMPREHENSIVE WAY OF TALKING
ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS ALREADY
BEING DONE AND HOW IT MAKES
SENSE TO ADD ADIGDZAL SERVICES
WHICH WAS WHY WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS. IT
IS POSSIBLE THAT FEDERAL SUPPORT
FOR RECOVERY WILL COME WITH MORE
AND MORE STRINGS, THAT WILL
REQUIRE WHO KNOWS WHAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO SAY
ADDICTION SERVICES HAVE TO --
THEY MAY LEAN TOWARDS MORE
ABSTINENCE BASED SERVICES.
THAT'S WHY I CALL OUT
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT IN
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THAT WAS A
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, IMPLEMENT
HOUSING. I CALL THAT OUT AS A
SUCCESS THAT REQUIRES SOME
PERHAPS ANOTHER GO AROUND. AND I
WILL FINALLY, MY LAST POINT, WE
SPEND, WE HAVE A HOUSING LEVY
THAT IS GOING TO BE $970 MILLION
OVER THE COURSE OF TEN YEARS OR
EIGHT YEARS. WE HAVE JUMP START
FUNDS ET CETERA. THERE IS NO
DESIGNATED FUNDING FOR RECOVERY
HOUSING. THAT IS A HUGE GAP
BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO
SUPPORT PEOPLE GOING INTO
RECOVERY, THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME
PLACE TO GO IF THAT IS THE PATH
THEY HAVE CHOSEN. I HAVE A LOT
MORE I CAN SAY BUT I HAVE TO
RECOGNIZE THAT I THINK THIS IS A
HISTORIC MOMENT WHEN WE DO HAVE
PEOPLE REPRESENTING DIFFERENT
APPROACHES TO RECOVERY. I THINK
THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT GOING
FORWARD ON THESE LINES AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED
CONVERSATIONS AND TO OUR VOTE AT
THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING, OUR
NEXT POSSIBLE VOTE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR COMING AND WORKING WITH
ME. I RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FIRST
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE WHAT
YOU ARE DOING CAN CONTINUE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WILL THE
CLERK READ ITEM TWO INTO THE
RECORD?
>> ITEM 2, ODD M RECOMMENDATION
UPDATES FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT. AS PEOPLE ARE
GATHERING HERE, I WILL JUST
INTRODUCE THIS AND SAY THAT I'M
SO HAPPY TO HAVE AUDITOR JONES
AND THE TEAM FROM THE OFFICE OF
THE CITY AUDITOR TO PRESENT
THEIR ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION
REPORT. I DO NOT TAKE THIS AS A
MERE FORMALITY BECAUSE OUR JOB
AS COUNCIL IS TO OVERSEE THE
PERFORMANCE OF EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS. AUDITS AREN'T JUST
BUSY WORK. THEY OFFER WINDOWS
INTO THE EXTENT TO WHICH CITY
POLICY IS BEING PERFORMED AND
IMPLEMENTED AND WHETHER OR NOT
THAT POLICY IS EXECUTIVE OR
COUNCIL GENERATED. IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP TRACK OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY ARE
BEING IMPLEMENTED. IT IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TRUTH TO
POWER. HOWEVER I WILL REMIND
EVERYONE THAT CITY AUDITOR'S
OFFICE IS UNDER OUR PURVIEW AS
WE ARE THE OVERSIGHT BODY. THANK
YOU FOR COMING AND PRESENTING
WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.
>> WE ARE A PROUD MEMBER OF THE
BRANCH OF SEATTLE CITY
GOVERNMENT. WE WILL BE QUICK. WE
KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT TO GET TO
AND YOU ARE CHOMPING AT THE BIT
TO GET TO COUNCIL RULES. GIVE US
ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU WANT
TO INTERRUPT US OR AFTER THE
MEETING. WE RELEASED A REPORT ON
MAY 19 THAT SUMMARIZES THE
STATUS OF ALL OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE OPEN
AT THE END OFALIST YEAR. WIE
HAVE BEEN DOING THE REPORTS
SINCE 2009. WE DON'T WANT THEM
TO GATHER DUST. WE WANT TO
FOLLOW UP ON THEM AND BE LIKE A
DOG WITH A BONE AND MAKE SURE
THEY GET DONE OR WE GET A GOOD
SMANGZ, CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE
CHANGED, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO
WE BELIEVE THESE ARE USEFUL
REMINDER AND INCENTIVE TO CITY
DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE THESE THINGS
SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE PUT A LOT
OF THOUGHT INTO MAKING THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. IF ANYONE IS
INTERESTED IN SEEING THE REPORT,
IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE,
SEATTLE.GOV/CITYAUDITOR/REPORTS
. NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE ALREADY
THERE. SO WHAT THE SLIDE SHOWS
YOU IS SOMETHING WE ARE VERY
PROUD OF. SINCE WE HAVE BEEN
FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS OUR
OFFICE MADE AND SINCE 2007, 928
RECOMMEND AZS, WE ARE PROUD THAT
72 HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. WE
THINK THAT IS A REALLY GOOD
METRIC FOR ASSESSING THE VALUE
OF THE OFFICE AND A TESTAMENT TO
THE CITY'S TEST OF PERFORMANCE
AUDITING IN SEATTLE. SPECIAL
THANKS TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE
WHO PROPOSED A CHANGE TO THE
CHARTER IN 1991. WE THINK THIS
IS THE BEST MEASURE OF OUR
SUCCESS. I WANT TO SAY THE HIGH
IMPLEMENTATION RATE IS A
TESTAMENT TO ALL OF THE FOLKS
WHO WORK IN THE OFFICE .
LITERALLY EVERYONE IN THE OFFICE
WORKED ON THIS BEFORE, THIS
PARTICULAR PIECE. I ALSO WANT TO
THANK MEMBERS OF DEPARTMENTS OF
THE CITY OF SEATTLE FOR THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO ENTERTAIN
SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO IMPROVE
THEIR OPERATIONS. WE ARE VERY
FORTUNATE TO BE IN WHERE CITY
DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONSIVE. I
WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO
THE AUDITOR IN CHARGE OF THE
PROJECT, SARA BLAND WHO WILL
TAKE US THROUGH THE NEXT PART OF
THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST
WANT TO GO OVER THE AGENDA
BRIEFLY. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT
PROGRESS MADE IN 2024. WE WILL
TAKE A LOOK AT FULLY IMPLEMENTED
REPORTS AND REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT. THEN DO SOME HIGH LEVEL
OVER VIEW OF THE PENDING
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORT
UPDATES THAT ARE STILL MAINING.
THEN WE WILL DO A DEMO OF THE
CITY AUDITOR DASHBOARD. FEEL
FREE TO USE THE QR CODE TO GET
THE REPORT AND LOOK AT THE
DASHBOARD. IN 2004, WE TRACKED
THE PROGRESS OF 123
RECOMMENDATIONS, 21 OF THOSE
WERE IMPLEMENTED IN 2024. SOME
OF THE FULLY IMPLEMENTED
REPORTS, SO YOU PUT THOSE TO
BED, WE HAVE THE SEATTLE
TECHNOLOGY REPORT IMPLEMENTED.
THE MANIPULATE PROBATION COURT
IMPLEMENTED AND MAYOR'S
HOMELESS DASHBOARD FROM 2022 IS
FULLY IMPLEMENTED AND ONLINE. I
WANT T TO TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE ANDREW TO TALK ABOUT
CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ANDREW
SKAUGEN. I WAS PART OF THE TEAM
THAT AUDITED THE CITY'S
CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING PROCESS.
WE PUBLISHED THAT AUDIT IN
OCTOBER OF 2023. THIS GRAPHIC ON
THE SLIDE HERE SHOWS WHICH PARTS
OF THE PROCESS THAT WOE
SPECIFICALLY AUDITED WHICH
ESSENTIALLY AMOUNTS TO THE
CITY'S PROCESS OF REVIEWING
PERMIT APPLICATIONS. WE MADE 111
RECOMMENDATIONS MEANT TO
INCREASE FOCUS S ON NEEDS AND
ENSURE CONSISTENCY OF THE
PROCESS. AT A HIGH LEVEL, ALL 11
RECOMMENDATIONS REMAIN PENDING.
THE CITY DID REPORT MAKING SOME
PROGRESS ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE MADE A
RECOMMENDATION THAT STCI, THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS SHOULD DEVELOP
METRICS BASED ON TOTAL PERMIT
REVIEW TIME AND A PROCESS FOR
MEETING THOSE METRICS. STCI
IMPLEMENTED PART OF THIS BY
PUBLISHING METRICS ON THE
WEBSITE. WE WILL FOLLOW UP TO
SEE WHEN THEY HAVE INTERNAL
PROCESSIES TO ENSURE MEETING
METRICS. WE ALSO FOUND IN THE
AUDIT THAT THE CITY DID NOT
ROUTINELY COLLECT CUSTOMER
FEEDBACK SO WE MADE A RELATED
RECOMMENDATION. STCI TOLD US
THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON
IMPLEMENTING SOFTWARE THAT WOULD
DO THAT WHICH THEY ALSO PLAN TO
USE TO IMELEMENT OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL. I WILL
GO THROUGH A COUPLE MORE
RECOMMENDATIONS HERE. ON THIS
SLIDE, IT SHOWS RECOMMENDATION
THAT WE MADE TO ADDRESS
POTENTIAL BARRIERS IN EQUITY
CONCERNS IN THE REVIEW PROCESS.
STCI REPORTED THEY ARE WORKING
ON RACIAL EQUITY TOOL KIT AND
WORK TO IMPLEMENT THE RESULTS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? ON THIS
SLIDE, WOE MADE A RECOMMENDATION
TO GOVERNANCE AND STRUCTURES FOR
THE PERMIT REVIEW PROCESS. THE
CITY BUDGET OFFICE POINTED TO
THE NEW PERMITTING AND CUSTOMER
TRUST TEAM THAT WAS RECENTLY
ESTABLISHED BY THE MAYOR'S
EXECUTIVE ORDER IN JUNE. IT
APPEARS RELATED TO OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL. SO WE
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP TO SEE WHAT
PROGRESS IS BEING MADE RELATED
TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. NOW I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE CLAUDIA.
>> THANK YOU. I'M THE DIRECTOR
OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION FOR
THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR. I
THINK THAT DANIEL MALONE FROM
D.E.S.C. STOLE THE THUNDER FOR
THIS SLIDE WHEN HE TALKED
EARLIER ABOUT THE CURRENT PALTRY
OPTIONS FOR STIMULANT USE
DISORDER AND THE NEED FOR MORE
FIELD BASED TREATMENT. BRINGING
TREATMENT TO DIRECT LETO CLIENTS
WHERE THEY ARE. AS YOU KNOW,
SEATTLE HAS EXPERIENCED A
SUSTAINED POST PANDEMIC INCREASE
IN FATAL OVERDOSES. IN OUR 2022
AUDIT ON METHAMPHETAMINE USE
DISORDER, WE REPORTED THAT IN
2022 METHAMPHETAMINE CONTRIBUTED
TO 74% OF THE FATAL OVERDOSES
AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS IN KING COUNTY
INCLUDING SEATTLE. AS DANIEL
MENTIONED, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE
TRIALS UNDERWAY, THERE IS NO
MEDICATION YET PROVEN EFFECTIVE
FOR TREATING METHAMPHETAMINE USE
DISORDER. THE EVIDENCE BASED
TREATMENT AT THIS POINT FOR
METHAMPHETAMINE USE DISORDER IS
BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION CALLED
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT. OUR 2022
AUDIT FOUND THERE IS AN UNMET
AND URGENT NEED IN SEATTLE FOR
METHAMPHETAMINE TREATMENT AND
DANIEL MALONE FROM DESC
CONFIRMED THAT TODAY. OUR AUDIT
HAD ONE RECOMMENDATION AND IT'S
THIS ONE HERE. WE RECOMMENDED
THAT THE CITY EXPLER WAYS TO
SCALE UP EVIDENCE BASED AND
EXPLORE REDUCING BARRIERS TO
PARTICIPATION IN EVIDENCE BASED
TREATMENT. AND THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TO
REPORT AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON MENTIONED, SUBSEQUENT TO
THE AUDIT, THE WASHINGTON STATE
AUTHORITY FUNDED A SMALL PILOT
IN FIVE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
BUILDINGS OPERATED BY PLYMOUTH
HOUSING. WASHINGTON STATE
UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE IS EVALUATING THE
PILOT. THE PILOT USES TWO
CERTIFIED PEER NAVIGATORS WHO
IMPLEMENT CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT
WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THEY
IMPLEMENT CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT
DIRECTLY WHERE THE PEOPLE LIVE.
THIS IS A NATIONAL INNOVATION,
BRINGING IT DIRECTLY TO
PEOPLE'S HOMES IN PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THIS REDUCES
BARRIERS BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS
DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE A TRIP TO
THE CLINIC TO RECEIVE THE
INTERVENTION. THERE IS ALSO
PLENTY OF RESEARCH EVIDENCE THAT
NAVIGATORS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO
EFFECTIVE RECOVERY FROM
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER. THE
PILOT HAS SERVED 40 RESIDENTS
AND 29 HAVE GRADUATED
SUCCESSFULLY. THERE ARE SEVEN
COMPLIENTS CURRENTLY RECEIVING
INTERVENTION. AS I MENTIONED,
THE RESEARCH TEAM FROM
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE ARE ACTIVELY
CAPTURING THE LESSONS LEARNED
FROM THIS PILOT. THERE ARE
CHALLENGES WITH CLIENT
ENGAGEMENT BUT THEY HAVE FOUND
HIGHER COMPLETION RATES AND
PARTICIPATION RATES THAN IN
CLINICAL SETTINGS AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO TRACK THE
RECOMMENDATION THROUGH THE PILOT
PHASE AND UNTIL AN
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN HAS BEEN
DEVELOPED. I'M GOING TO VERY
BRIEFLY MENTION OUR 2023 AUDIT
ON ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME AND
OUR 2024 AUDIT ON PLACES WHERE
OVERDOSES AND CRIMES ARE
CONCENTRATED. FOR THESE AUDITS,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON HAS
ASKED WOE COME BACK FOR A
SPECIAL PRESENTATION LATER THIS
SUMMER. WE WILL BRING THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OTHER STAKE
HOLDER AGENCIES. LOOK FOR THAT
MEETING COMING UP. IN THE
MEANTIME I WILL OFFER TWO QUICK
UPDATES. FIRST, IN OUR ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME AUDIT, ONE OF OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS, CURRENTLY
CONSIDERED PENDING, STATED THAT
THE CITY SHOULD USE A PLACE
BASED APPROACH FOR ADDRESSING
THE ILLEGAL STREET MARKETS WHERE
STOLEN GOODS ARE FENCED. LISA
DEGUARD TALKED ABOUT THE PEANUT
BUTTER BEING SPREAD REALLY THIN.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE WHEN WE
SPREAD RESOURCES ALL OVER THE
CITY, THAT GETS VERY THIN. IF WE
FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC, SMALL
AREAS WHERE OVERDOSES AND CRIMES
ARE CONCENTRATED, IT IS MORE
EFFECTIVE USE OF THAT RESOURCE.
IN THAT AUDIT, WE MENTIONED THE
INTERSECTION OF 12th AND
JACKSON. SUBSEQUENT TO OUR
AUDITS, WITH FUNDING FROM
SEATTLE POLICE FOUNDATION, AND
THE CARE DEPARTMENTS, THE
FRIENDS OF LITTLE SAIGON
LAUNCHED A PLACE BASED PROBLEM
SOLVING PROCESS USING THE VERY
EXACT RESEARCH BASED FRAMEWORK
THAT WE RECOMMENDED IN OUR
AUDIT. THAT IS ALSO FROM SAMSA
THAT LISA MENTIONED. THE FRIENDS
OF LITTLE SAIGON COMPLETED THEIR
PLANNING PROCESS IN FEBRUARY OF
THIS YEAR AND THEY KICKED OFF
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
EVIDENCE BASED CRIME PREVENTION
STRATEGIES. LAST WEEK THEY
HOSTED A CELEBRATION OF THE
FIRST 100 DAYS OF THEIR
IMPLEMENTATION WORK. IT WAS THE
100 DAY CHALLENGE CELEBRATION.
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM THE
CELEBRATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THAT THE SLOYD ON THE LEFT SHOWS
QUINN FAM, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE FRIENDS OF
LITTLE SAIGON. SHE'S WITH CINDY
WONG FROM THE MAYOR 'S OFFICE.
MANY OF THE EVIDENT BASED
STRATEGY, I MENTIONED THIS
BEFORE THE MEETING, MANY OF THE
EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES
INVOLVE WORKING WITH CITY
DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE CARE
DEPARTMENT OR SBU ON LITTER
COLLECTION OR WITH THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT. CINDY WONG FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS BEEN
COORDINATING ALL OF THESE ITEMS
SO THAT NOTHING FALLS THROUGH
CRACKS. SHE HAS MASSIVE SPREAD
SHEETS TRACKING THESE ITEMS.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF HIGH
LEVEL INTERDEPARTMENTAL
CORDINATION THAT WE RECOMMENDED
WAS NEEDED IN BOTH OUR AUDIT OF
ORGANIZED RETAIL TRIEM AND OUR
AUDIT OF OVERDOSING OF CRIMES.
IT IS GRTIFYING TO SEE THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IS DOING
CORDINATION IN LITTLE SAIGON. WE
HOPE THIS CORDINATION WILL
BECOME PART OF THE CITY'S
MUSCLE MEMORY AND IT WILL BE
USED IN OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE
CITY WHERE CRIMES ARE
CONCENTRATED. WE WILL GO INTO
MORE DETAIL IN THE FOLLOW UP
MEETING THIS SUMMER REGARDING
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR AUDITS
ON PLACES IN SEATTLE WHERE
OVERDOSES AND CRIMES ARE
CONCENTRATED BUT I WILL GIVE ONE
UPDATE TODAY. THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT DOES NOT INVESTIGATE
OVER TOSS. WECLUDED THAT OTHER
CITIES DO INVESTIGATE FATAL
OVDOSES WITH PARTNERS SUCH AS
THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
THESE FOCUS ON THE DRUG
ORGANIZATIONS CONTRIBUTING TO
THE OVERDOSES. AT THE TIME OF
OUR AUDIT, THE SEATTLE D.E.A.
OFFICE SAID THEY WOULD BE
WILLING TO HELP THE CITY
INVESTIGATE FATAL OVERDOSES.
THEIR OFFER STILL STANDS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON WILL BE
MEETING LATER THIS MONTH TO
LEARN MORE. THAT'S IT FROM ME.
I'M TURNING IT OVER TO DAVID
JONES.
>> THANK YOU. WHAT I WILL TALK
ABOUT AS THE SLIDE SHOWS HERE,
THREE REPORTS THAT WE DID ON THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. YOU
MAY BE WONDERING WHY IS THE CITY
AUDITOR DOING THE AUDIT OF THE
CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. BEFORE
THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
WAS CREATED, WE WERE RESPONSIBLE
FOR LOOKING AT EVERYTHING IN THE
CITY INCLUDING THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE DID A
COUPLE OF AUDITS BACK AND THESE
COVERED 2015, 2016, 2017. WE
HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UP ON THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY CONTAINED
A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS. THE
FIRST ONE I WILL DRAW TO YOUR
ATTENTION, WE WERE ASKED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I
WILL CALL THEM SPD FROM HERE ON
IN, THEIR PROCESS FOR HANDLING
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUESTS. WE
DID THIS REPORT IN 2015. OF THE
13 RECOMMENDATIONS, ALL BUT ONE
HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. THE ONE
THAT STILL REMAINS IS WE
RECOMMENDED THAT THE SPD DO A
THOROUGH STAFFING ANALYSIS TO
DETERMINE ACTUALLY HOW MANY
FOLKS THEY NEED TO HANDLE THE
VOLUME OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
REQUESTS. THIS IS A COMPLICATED
TOPIC BECAUSE THE VOLUME OF
STUFF THAT SPD COULD POSSIBLY
RELEASE HAS JUST GONE UP
EXPONENTIALLY PARTICULARLY WITH
BODY WORN CAMERAS WHICH BRINGS A
LOT OF COMPLICATIONS BECAUSE
THERE IS STUFF THAT HAS TO BE
REDACTED BEFORE SPD RESPONDS TO
A PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUEST.
CERTAIN THINGS THAT CAN'T BE
SHOWN LIKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
THERE ARE LAWS THAT PRECLUDE SPD
FROM TURNING THAT OVER IN A
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUEST. ANY
WAY, WE HAVE THIS
RECOMMENDATIONS. SPD IS WORKING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES TO COME UP WITH A GOOD
DEFINITION OF WHAT A PUBLIC
RECORDS OFFICER, THE PERSONS WHO
HANDLE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS
IN SPD, WHAT THEY SHOULD DO AND
WHAT THEIR WORK LOAD SHOULD BE,
WHAT'S A REASONABLE THING TO
EXPECT PER INDIVIDUAL WHO HOLDS
THIS POSITION. THAT WOULD BE
HELPFUL IN THEIR ABILITY TO
CONDUCT THIS STAFFING MODEL
ANALYSIS. JUST TWO OTHER THINGS
FOR YOUR INTEREST THAT THEY
SHARED WITH US WHEN WE WERE
FOLLOWING UP ON THIS, THEY ARE
TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON THEIR
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUESTS, EVER
INCREASING WORK LOAD. THEY ARE
STREAM LINING THE PROCESSIES AND
EXPLORING THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE
LEARNING TO AUTOMATE SOME OF THE
LABOR INTENSIVE TASKS LIKE
REDACTING THINGS, AND USING
TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN LOOK
ACROSS MULTIPLE SYSTEMS TO DO
KEY WORD SEARCHES. THEY ARE
WORKING ON THAT. WE WILL KEEP
FOLLOWING UP ON IT UNTIL WE SEE
A RESOLUTION. I WILL MOVE ON THE
NEXT REPORT. THERE IS ANOTHER
REPORT WE DID IN 2016. IT WAS
THEN THE INCOMING POLICE CHIEF
KATHLEEN O'TOOLE. SHE HAD TURNS
OF SPD'S MANAGEMENT OF OVERTIME
AND THE COST AND THE STAFFING
THAT WOULD RESULT AS A MATTER
FROM HAVING TO DO A LOT OF
OVERTIME. WE DID A REPORT ,
ISSUED IN 2016 IN APRIL AND THE
CITY COUNCIL BY THE WAY IS VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BODY OF WORK.
WE MADE 30 RECOMMENDATIONS, A
LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS, SEVEN
REMAIN PENDING. MOST ARE DUE TO
SPD NEEDING A NEW SOFTWARE
RESOLUTION TO DO THE MONITORING
WE RECOMMEND IN THE REPORT. IT
HAS BEEN A LONG CHASE FOR THEM
BUT NOW THEY ARE HOPEFUL. THEY
ARE WORKING ON PROCURING A
SOFTWARE THAT IS DESIGNED TO
FIRST RESPONDER AGENCY THAT THEY
TELL US THEY THINK WILL PROVIDE
THE CONTROL AND OVERSIGHT THAT
THEY DON'T HAVE. THEY ARE
HOPING TO IMPLEMENT THE SYSTEM
IN 2025. WE WILL GO BACK TO
CHECK TO SEE IF THAT'S THE
CASE. LAST REPORT I WILL TALK
ABOUT, THIS SPAWNED OUT OF THE
WORK ON OVER SITE. IT LOOKS AT
SPD'S STAFFING AND COST
RECOVERY EFFORTS WHEN THEY STAFF
SPECIAL EVENTS, THINGS LIKE
PARADES IN SEATTLE WHERE THE
PERMIT REQUIRES THERE BE A
POLICE PRESENCE. THE REPORT HAD
19 RECOMMENDATIONS. 10 ARE STILL
OPEN. THEY ARE OPEN FOR TWO
REASONS. ONE, IT'S BECAUSE
THERE'S A SOFTWARE SOLUTION
THAT BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS
THAT PROVIDES PERMITS FOR
SPECIAL EVENTS, THEIR
IMPLEMENTING WILL HOPEFULLY
ADDRESS THE RECOMMENDATIONS. THE
OTHER GROUP BASICALLY, POLICY
DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE
BY THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE ABOUT COST
RECOVERY FOR EVENTS. HOWIA
DEFINE EVENTS AND THE AMOUNT OF
MONEY YOU SHOULD CHARGE THEM,
THE CITY SHOULD CHARGE FOR
PROVIDING POLICE SERVICES AT
THOSE EVENTS. THAT'S THOSE
THREE REPORTS. NOW I WILL TURN
IT OVER TO SARAH WHO WILL WRAP
UP OUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, DAVE. TO GIVE YOU
AN IDEA OF THE REMAINING 74
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE STILL
PENDING AT THE END OF 2024, THIS
SPREAD SHOWS YOU THAT WE HAVE
ALL THE WAY FROM 2015 AS DAVE
WAS DISCUSSING WITH SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC
RECORDS REPORT ALL THE WAY TO
2024 WHERE NOW YOU CAN SEE WE
HAVE 74 RECOMMENDATIONS LEFT
OVER FROM THAT YEAR. BUT I DO
WANT TO TAKE YOU NOW TO OUR
PUBLIC DASHBOARD AND THIS SHOULD
BE LOADED HERE, HERE WE GO. AND
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
SWITCH THE SCREEN.
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO ORIENT YOU TO THE
DASHBOARD. THE RECOMMENDATION
FOLLOW UP DASHBER. AS YOU CAN
SEE, THERE IS A SMALL DROP DOWN
MENU. YOU CAN LOOK AT DIFFERENT
PIECES OF DATA HERE. I WANT TO
SHOW YOU THAT BUT NOT QUITE
CLICK ON THAT YET. HERE AT THE
TOP, WE HAVE SOME TABS, SUMMARY.
THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE SEEING
BELOW, SUMMARY BY YEAR. WE CAN
CLICK ON DEPARTMENT TO SEE
SUMMARIES BY DEPARTMENT OR IF
YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A SPECIFIC
AUDIT, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE
AUDIT BUTTON AND THOSE WILL SHOW
BELOW. THIS IS ONLY SHOWING THE
CURRENT OPEN PENDING
RECOMMENDATIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE
HERE IF YOU CLICK ON THE FIRST
COLUMN HERE, 2015, IF I CLICK ON
THAT AND SCROLL DOWN TOTHE
BOTTOM, THE TABLE BELOW IS
DYNAMIC. THAT WILL SHOW YOU
WHATEVER DATA YOU CLICKED ON IN
THE CHART ABOVE WILL DISPLAY
BELOW IN THE TABLE. YOU CAN
CLICK RESET IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
RESET THE TABLE. LET ME COME
OVER HERE, I WANT TO DRAW YOUR
ATTENTION THAT THIS IS AN UP TO
DATE DASHBOARD. THIS DOESN'T
END AT 2024. IT HAS THE CURRENT
2025 REPORTS AS WELL. IF I CLIG
ON THE 2025 COLUMN, YOU CAN
SCROLL DOWN AND SEE THE NEW
RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE ISSUED
IN 2025. YOU CAN CHECK THOSE OUT
AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. JUST TO
SHOW YOU AGAIN, IFFIA GO BACK TO
THE TOP AND CLICK ON ALL OPEN
AND CLOSED RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU
CAN SEE AND KIND OF GO BACK INTO
THE HISTORY OF THE AUDIT REPORTS
AND LOOK AT WHAT WAS DONE, WHEN
THE REPORTS WERE ISSUED AND WHAT
THE LAST RESOLUTION WAS. THEN
THERE ARE SOME DONUTS IN THE
MIDDLE YOU CAN CLICK ON IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO CLICK ON A TOPIC,
EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS AND
THAT WILL SHOW YOU ALL OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE CATEGORY.
THAT IS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR
DASHBOARD. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN
IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONSIA MIGHT
HAVE ABOUT OUR PRESENTATION.
>> I'M LOOKING FOR QUESTIONS
BUT WHILE THEY ARE MULLING, I
WANT TO NOTE THAT INVESTIGATING
OVERDOSES AS HOMICIDE, I HAVE
BEEN SAYING FOR ALONG TIME I
FULLY SUPPORT THAT. I DID TALK
TO CHIEFS OR THE BRASS AT A
COUPLE OF KING COUNTY CITIES
THAT DO DO THIS. I THINK IT WAS
BELLEVUE AND KIRKLAND. BUT IT
HAS TO BE TRACEABLE INFORMATION
THERE BUT THERE IS NO REASON WE
CAN'T DO THAT. I THINK YOUR
MORE RECENT RECOMMENDATION WAS
THAT WE FOCUS ON, LIMIT IT TO
PERHAPS OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE
CITY FUNDING. IN PROGRESS IS
WHAT I WANT TO SAY.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO
EVERYONE FROM THE AUDITORS TEAM
BEING HERE. APPRECIATE IT. I
FIND THIS HELPFUL AND I WANT TO
WORK ON THE ISSUES WITHIN PUBLIC
SAFETY. I WANT TO GETTIA ON MY
CALENDAR FOR THE END OF THE
YEAR, AS I BUILD OUT MY YEAR
APPROACH TO THE COMMITTEE THAT
WE CAN ENSURE WE GET DIFFERENT
PIECES FROM THE AUDITOR'S WORK,
AND PARTICULARLY IF THERE ARE
OUTSTANDING ISSUES AND GET IT
INTO THE COMMITTEE'S SCHEDULE.
THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO FOLLOW UP
AND WITH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS,
HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD AND THE BAD
AND MAYBE NOT TOO BAD BUT STILL
NOT DONE AND TO SHOW THAT
ACCOUNTABILITY AND ALSO SHOW THE
LINK BACK FROM WHAT YOUR WORK IS
AND WHAT WE DO. WE HAVE THREE
FOR THIS YEAR BUT HAVING THAT
DISCUSSION COULD BE INFORMATIVE.
YOU BE YOU KNOW, THAT CAME TO
THIS COMMITTEE BUT WE CAN ALSO
LOOK AT THAT IN MY COMMITTEE FOR
EXAMPLE. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS
SOMETHING WE CAN COORDINATE
BETWEEN THE TWO COMMITTEES BUT
DOING IT DELIBERATE TALLY IS THE
BOTTOM LINE. YOU GET INTO THE
RHYTHM OF THE YEAR AND PRESSING
TOO MANY PIECES AND THIS
BRIEFING IS GOOD TO SIT BACK AND
REFLECT AND SAY OKAY. HOW CAN WE
OPERATIONALIZE THESE AND I THINK
THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
MAYBE IN JANUARY AT THE START OF
THE YEAR, SAY THIS IS WHERE WE
ARE AND KIND OF PUT THE
DIFFERENT PIECES ON NOTICE,
WHETHER IT IS, WHATEVER
DEPARTMENT IT IS. I THINK THAT
COULD BE HELPFUL. I LIKE YOUR
BRIEFING AND HOW COULD WE
LEVERAGE IT GOING FORWARD. I
GUESS THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
>> WE EWOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK
WITH YOU COUNCILMEMBER AND OF
COURSE THE COMMITTEE TO DO
ANYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE YOU
WITH THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY LOOKING FOR OTHER HANDS
UP. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE
RAISING THEIR HANDS. I HAVE TO
SAY THAT I HAD A ROUND TABLE
DISCUSSION WITH ARCHITECTS IN
HERE THIS PAST FEBRUARY. AFTER
YOU HAD PRESENTED THE FIRST
ROUND OF CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING
AUDIT AND THE PANEL RECOMMENDED
A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS THAT
WERE PUTTING A PACKAGE OF
LEGISLATION TOGETHER TO ADDRESS
BUT MY FIRST LINE AT THAT POINT
WAS NO NEED TO REINVENT THE
WHEEL FOR PERMITTING PROBLEMS,
JUST IMPLEMENT THE AUDITOR'S
REPORT. SO I DO SPREAD -- YOU
GET A LOT OF SECOND HAND PLAY
FROM MY PRAISING OF YOUR WORK
AND I WILL HAVE TO ALSO NOTE
THAT SINCE THE CONCENTRATION AND
OVER LAPPING OF FATAL OVERDOSES,
PLACE BASED POLICING IS IN THE
LEXICON SO I CREDIT THE INTEREST
THAT IT GENERATED. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? THE FINAL THING I
WILL SAY IS I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO A DEEPER DIVE WITH I BELIEVE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY,
NATALIE WALTEN ANDERSON LATER
THIS YEAR AND THE OTHER PERSON
THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
HAVING.
>> WE WILL HAVE A HOST OF STAKE
HOLDERS AS WE DID PREVIOUSLY
FROM ORGANIZEIZED CRIME AUDITS.
>> TO GIVE AN UPDATES ON THE
RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENTATIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I VALUE YOUR
WORK AND I HAVE BEEN PUTTING YOU
THROUGH THE RINGER THIS YEAR BUT
TAKE IT SIMPLY AS A SIGN OF
APPRECIATION FOR THE CRUCIAL
ROLE YOU PLAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COUNCIL
SUPPORT.
>> OH, WAIT, COUNCILMEMBER
LIVERA, I DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND
UP.
>> THAT'S OKAY. I GOT KICKED
OUT OF MY DEVICE, MY LAPTOP AND
HAD TO GIN BY PHONE BUT I WANTED
TO THANK THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE
FOR ALL OF THE IMPORTANT WORK
THEY DO. IT REALLY HELPS COUNCIL
TO DO ITS JOB WHEN WE HAVE THIS
INFORMATION. IT GOES TO THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE AND THE
ABILITY TO LOOK AT HOW WE ARE
IMPLEMENTING SERVICES AND OUR
WORK AND IT GOES TO SHOW WHERE
WE CAN DO BETTER AND THEN IT
GIVES US RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER. THIS IS
AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF GOOD
GOVERNANCE. AND IT IS SOMETHING
THAT THE REPORTS THE AUDITOR HAS
DONE ARE REPORTS THAT I HAVE
COME TO IN THE TIME I HAVE BEEN
HERE OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND I
JUST REALLY WANT TO UNDERSCORE
THEIR WORK IN TERMS OF THE
ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE THAT WE
HAVE TO DO AS COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. I
KNOW THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING
AUDIT YOU ARE WORKING WITH ME ON
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT RELATED
TO HOUSING VACANCIES AND HOUSING
PROVIDERS, FOR OUR HOUSING
PROVIDERS. BUT MORE TO COME ON
THAT, I'M SURE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, JUST TO SAY WE ARE
EXCITED THAT COUNCILMEMBER
PRESIDENT NELSON HAS SUPPORTED
LOCKING AT SAFETY AND SERVICES
AND PERMANENT HOUSING SUPPORTED
BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE. AND DR.
CLAUDIA GROEGS LEADING OUR
EFFORT ON THAT AUDIT. WE ELOOK
FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH YOU
FURTHER. THANK YOU FOR THE
REQUEST.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UNTIL LATER. FOR
THE LISTENING PUBLIC OUT THERE,
THE STATUS REPORT ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF AUDITOR IS
LINKED TO THE AGENDA AS WELL.
WILL THE CLERK READ ITEM 3 INTO
THE RECORD?
>> A RESOLUTION ADOPTING GENERAL
RULES AND PROCEDURE OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL SUPERSEDING
RESOLUTION 09326 FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION. OKAY. SO AS
NOTED EARLIER, WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY OF REVISING THE
RULES EVERY TWO YEARS. WITHOUT
FURTHER ADO, I WILL PASS THIS
OVER TO, THIS HAS BEEN
OBVIOUSLY, A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS
AND MONTHS AND MONTHS. SO THE
PACKAGE THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER
WILL GIVE AN OVER VIEW AND FOR
ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS THAT
ARE LISTENING OUT THERE, YOU ARE
WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
NEXT DISCUSSION AS WELL. SO WHY
DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES
AND BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION?
>> AMELIA SANCHEZ, CHIEF DEPUTY
CLERK.
>> BEN NOBLES CENTRAL STAFF
DIRECTOR.
>> CITY CLERK. I'M GOING TO
KICK IT OFF BY INTRODUCING
EVERYTHING AND HAND IT OVER TO
THE EXPERTS. GOOD AFTERNOON.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M JOINED
BY MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
COUNCIL RULES REVIEW WORKING
GROUP. THE WORKING GROUP
INCLUDED COUNCIL PRESIDENT SARA
NELSON, HER CHIEF OF STAFF,
DEPUTY CITY CLERK PHIL WOODSMITH
AND ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEYS
GARY SMITH AND BRANDON ISLET.
THE WORKING GROUP CONVENED TO
DISCUSS POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS ON
THE ROLES AND TO PREPARE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY
COUNCIL. THE GROUP DEVELOPED A
FINAL AMENDED VERSION OF THE
RULES WHICH WAS INTRODUCED AS
RESOLUTION 32173 ON JULY 1.
THESE AMENDMENTS WERE SENT TO
COUNCILMEMBERS ON JUNE 2 FOR
FEEDBACK ALONG WITH THE MEMO
PROVIDING THE 2025 COUNCIL RULES
AND PROCEDURES UPDATE. THE TEAM
WILL PROVIDE A SUMMARY AND
HIGHLIGHT PROPOSED CHANGES AND
REVIEW PROCESS FOR ANY
AMENDMENTS THAT MAY BE REQUESTED
BY THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
MOVING FORWARD. NOTICE THAT
COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING
AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES. THE
REVIEW SCHEDULE WAS PUBLISHED IN
THE SEATTLE DAILY JOURNAL OF
COMMERCE ON JUNE 26. NOTICES AND
COPY OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WERE
SENTD TO COUNCILMEMBERS, OFFICE
OF CITY RIGHTS, LEAGUE OF WOMEN
VOTERS OF SEATTLE, THE MUPT
LEAGUE AND THE CIVIL LIBERTIES
UNION THE SAME DAY. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD WAS JOUN 26 UNTIL
THE DATE THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS
THE RULES. SO FAR WE HAVE NOT
RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS. COMMENTS
RECEIVED BY OUR OFFICE WILL BE
SENT TO COUNCILMEMBERS. ON JULY
6, CENTRAL STAFF DIRECTOR BEN
NOBLES SENT A MEMO REGARDING
RESOLUTION 70723 WHICH INCLUDED
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND A
SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
OTHER POLICY ISSUES FOR
CONSIDERATION AND PROPOSALS THAT
THE WORKING GROUP DECLINED TO
RECOMMEND. WE WILL PROVIDE MORE
INFORMATION IN THE PRESENT
TATION SHORTLY. FINAL REVIEW AND
RECOMMENDATION OF THE AMENDMENTS
IS EXPECTED AT&T THE JULY 24
COMMITTEE MEETING. THE
RESOLUTION WILL BE PRESENTED FOR
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE
ADOPTION ON EITHER AUGUST 5 OR
12. FOR NOW, WE ENCOURAGE YOUR
FULL ENGAGEMENT AND WE ASK THAT
YOU PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY
QUESTIONS OR SEEK CLARIFICATION
DURING THE PRESENTATION. THANK
YOU FOR THE WORKING GROUP, FOR
YOUR WORK ON THIS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TOPIC. AND YOUR
FEEDBACK. NOW I WILL HAND IT
OVER TO STAFF DIRECTOR BEN
NOBLE.
>> I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. AS YOU NOTE IN
RES BUGZ 32173 THERE ARE 15
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE
COUNCIL RULES. I WILL GO THROUGH
THEM BRIEFLY. YOU HAVE IN YOUR
ATTACHMENTS IN THE PACKET, A
HANDY SPREAD SHEET THAT GOES
THROUGH AND ITEMIZES THESE. I
WILL TAKE THE LIST VIA THE
SPREAD SHEET, EACH OF THE 15
AMENDMENTS. WE WILL HIT THEM AS
WE GO. PLEASE STOP ME IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION
ABOUT A PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT ONE IS IN RULE 3A AND
THIS IS WHAT I WOULD CALL A
TECHNICAL CHANGE. IT ADDS A FOOT
NOTE TO SM3.140.70 MEMORIALIZING
THAT BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2023,
COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT
REQUIRED THAT ALL BILLS AND
RESOLUTIONS INCLUDE A SUMMARY OF
FISCAL NOTES. THIS IS HERE TO
TELL YOU THIS IS NOT A WAIVABLE
RULE ANYMORE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN
CODIFIED IN THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE. MOVING ON TO THE
SECOND PROPOSED AMENDMENT, THIS
IS OUT OF RULE 4B , RULE
PERTAINING TO GUIDANCE FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS. IT ANSWERS THE
QUESTION, WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR
A MOTION TO PASS WHEN YOUR TABLE
SAYS SOME MOMENT NEEDS A
MAJORITY, WHAT DOES THAT
MAJORITY OF, OF THE FULL COUNCIL
OF THOSE PRESENT VOTING? THE
LITTLEAST REFK IS ANSWERING THE
QUESTION BY SAYING ANY TIME IT
SAYS A MAJORITY IN THE TABLE, IT
MEANS A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL
MEMBERS PRESENT AND VOTING. IF
YOU ARE LOOBING AT PARLIAMENTARY
MOTION, AND WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT
WILL TAKE FOR THE MOTION TO
PASS. MOVING ON TO PROPOSED
CHANGE NUMBER 3, THIS IS A
CHANGE THAT REORGANIZES THE
RULES A BIT RATHER THAN HAVING A
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. I PUT THIS
IN THE TECHNICAL CATEGORY AS
WELL. IT IS AMENDING RULE 4 AND
RULE 5, JUST TO MOVE UP IN THE
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE TEXT.
THE PROXY VOTES, TIE VOTE AND
MOTION TO RECONSIDER SECTION.
PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN RULE FIVE.
THIS IS MOVING THEM UP INTO RULE
4 WITH OTHER LIKE MOTIONS AND
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES.
NOTHING SUBSTANTIVE FOR YOU TO
WORRY ABOUT HERE. THIS IS A
RESTRUCTURE. MOVE ON TO ITEM
NUMBER 4. ITEM NUMBER 4
CLARIFIES THAT THOSE WHO
ABSTAINED OR OTHERWISE BEEN
DISQUALIFIED, RECUSAL
SITUATIONS, THEY AREN'T VOTING
WHEN THEY ARE ASKED TO -- WHEN
IT IS THEIR TERM IN TERMS O OF
THE ROLL CALL. THAT THEY ARE
SAYING ABSTAIN OR PRESENT RATHER
THAN VOTING BY SAYING ABSTAIN OR
PRESENT T. THERE IS NO VOTE
MECHANISM HAPPENING. THAT IS
IMPORTANT IN SITUATIONS OF
RECUSAL WHERE SOMEONE IS NOT
ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. WE
WANTED TO CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE
THAT THEY ARE NOT VOTING WHEN
THEY SAY ABSTAIN OR PRESENT T.
THEY ARE MERELY ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT IN THE ROLL CALL. NUMBER
FIVE, THE FIFTH PROPOSED CHANGE
COMINGS IN AT RULE SIX AND RULE
SEVEN. THIS IS CLARIFYING EDIT
RATHER THAN SUBSTANTIVE EDIT.
THIS CLARIFIES WHICH FULL
COUNCIL THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION
WILL BE REFERRED TO IF IT IS THE
FIRST FULL COUNCIL FOLLOWING THE
COMMITTEE MEETING OR THE SECOND
FULL COUNCIL FOLLOWING. BEFORE
THE LANGUAGE FWAFB AT SOME
POINTS A FALSE INFERENCE THAT WE
MAY BE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD
FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING.
CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOU HAVE
A YOUNANIMOUS VOTE, THE PIECE OF
BUSINESS, PIECE OF LEGISLATION
WILL GO TO THE FIRST FULL
COUNCIL MEETING FOLLOWING.
INSTANCES IN WHICH IT WAS EITHER
A NONUNANIMOUS VOTE, SPLIT VOTE
OR IN INSTANCES IN WHICH THE
COMMITTEE WAS MEETING AFTER AND
THE VOTE WAS TAKEN AFTER
THURSDAY AT 1:00 P.M., THE PIECE
OF BUSINESS WILL GO TO THE
SECOND MEETING. WE ARE AWARE
THERE IS THE FIRST FULL COUNCIL
MEETING FOLLOWING THE COMMITTEE
OR SECOND. WE ARE NEVER IN A
WORLD IN WHICH A PIECE OF
BUSINESS UNLESS OTHERWISE WOULD
GO TO A THIRD FULL COUNCIL
MEETING. THIS IS A TECHNICAL
CHANGE CLARIFYING THE COUNCIL'S
INTENT. MOVING ONTO THE SIXTH
PROPOSED AMENDMENT, THIS IS
MEMORIALIZING CURRENT PRACTICE
AND CREATING A DEFAULT THAT THE
VIDEO IMAGES OF COUNCIL CHAMBERS
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT ARE GOING
TO BE BROADCAST ON THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL. RATHER THAN HAVE THE
RULES ALLOW FOR DISCRETION, IT
IS ALLOWING FOR DEFAULT IN WHICH
THE IMAGES WILL BE BROADCAST.
THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE
HAPPENING WITHIN THE SIXTH
AMENDMENT. IN THE SEVENTH
PROPOSED AMENDMENT, THIS IS
COMING IN FOR RULE F AND 7E,
RELATING TO DUTIES OF CHAIR FOR
STANDING COMMITTEES AND SELECT
COMMITTEES. THIS CONCERNS THE
TIMING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. RIGHT
NOW FOR WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT,
THE TIMING OF WHEN SOMEONE CAN
SUBMIT IT IS ANNOUNCED IN THE
MEETING AGENDA AND AVAILABLE
ONLINE. THIS CHANGE, PROPOSED
CHANGE TO THE RULES WOULD
MEMORIALIZE THAT CURRENT
PRACTICE AND REMOVE LANGUAGE
HERE THAT ALLOWS THE CHAIR
DURING THE MEETING TO ALLOW FOR
ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THE
SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENT
FROM THE PUBLIC. SINCE THAT IS
ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF IN OUR
PUBLISHED MEETING NOTICES THAT
HAPPENED PROIR, THIS INDIVIDUAL
DISCRETION TO THE CHAIR IS NOT
PART OF CURRENT PRACTICE. SO
UPDATING OUR RULES TO REFLECT
THE CURRENT PRACTICE. MOVING ON
TO THE EIGHTH PROPOSED CHANGE.
THIS IS A CHANGE TO RULE 7, PART
HAD H RELATING TO THE SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE. THIS WOULD
UPDATE THE QUORUM FOR THE SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE FROM THREE
MEMBERS TO FIVE MEMBERS GIVEN
THAT IT IS A COMMITTEE OF THE
WHOLE, THAT'S MORE IN KEEPING
WITH OUR PRACTICE ACROSS OTHER
SELECT COMMITTEES THAT ARE
COMPRISED OF THE ENTIRE BODY.
NOW PROPOSED AMENDMENT NINE ALSO
RELATES TO THE SELECT BUDGET
COMMITTEE AND SPECIFICALLY THE
ADOPTION OF A BALANCED BUDGET
PACKAGE. THIS SET OF AMENDMENTS
WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE CURRENT
PRACTICE THAT A BALANCING
PACKAGE IS A SINGULAR
PUBLICATION RATHER THAN AN
INITIAL AND THEN REVISED
PUBLICATION. IT UPDATES THE
LANGUAGE IN THE RULES TO OUR
CURRENT PRACTICE. I WOULD NOTE
THAT WITHIN AMENDMENT 9 THERE IS
ALSO AN UPDATE TO MEMORIALIZE
THE FACT THAT AMENDMENTS TO THE
BALANCING PACKAGE MUST BE SELF
BALANCING. THALITY THAT THE
MEANS A PROPOSED INCREASE WOULD
BE OFFSET BY A REVENUE OR CHANGE
IN POLICY THAT WOULD RESULT IN A
BY ANY CHANCED PACKAGE. THIS IS
ALREADY LANGUAGE THAT APPEARS IN
THE YEAR TWO BIENNIAL RULES BUT
IT WOULD BE PLACED ALWAYS WITHIN
YEAR ONE TO CLARIFY THAT
REGARDLESS OF IF WE ARE IN THE
FIRST YEAR OR SECOND YEAR OF THE
BIENNIAL BUDGET, THE PACKAGES
NEED TO BE SELF BALANCING.
MOVING ON TO THE TENTH PROPOSED
AMENDMENT, THIS IS TO COUNCIL
RULE 9A. SIMILAR TO ONE THAT WE
DISCUSSED EARLIER, THIS WOULD
INCREASE THE QUORUM FOR COUNCIL
BRIEFINGS FROM THREE TO FIVE. I
THINK AS A MATTER OF COURSE,
GIVEN IT IS ALSO A MEETING OF
THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, WE
EWOULD STANDARDIZE WITH THIS
PROPOSED AMENDMENT, THE QUORUM
TO BE FIVE INSTEAD OF THREE .
ALL RIGHT. FOR PROPOSED
AMENDMENT NUMBER 11, THIS ALSO
CONCERNS RULE 11, SUBPART C
RELATING TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
AND PUBLIC COMMENT. THE
AMENDMENT HERE WOULD CHANGE THE
DEFAULT RULE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT
AT COMMITTEE CONCERN AN ITEM ON
THE AGENDA OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW
OF THE COMMITTEE. INSTEAD THE
DEFAULT WOULD BE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT MAY BE ABOUT ITEMS ON
THE AGENDA. THE COMMITTEE CHAIR
HAS THE DISCRETION TO ACCEPT
COMMENT ON MATTERS WITHIN THE
PURVIEW AND THAT WOULD BE
NOTICED ON THE COMMITTEE'S
AGENDA. AGAIN, A SHIFT IN THE
DEFAULT PROVISION FROM ALLOWING
THE COMMITTEE MEETING, PUBLIC
COMMENT TO BE BOTH MATTERS ON
THE AGENDA AND IN PURVIEW.
INSTEAD THE DEFAULT WOULD BE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS OF THE
AGENDA WITH DISCRETION OF THE
CHAIR TO EXPAND PUBLIC COMMENT
ON MATTERS WITHIN JURISDICTION
OF THE COMMITTEE. ALL RIGHT. FOR
ITEM NUMBER 12, STICKING WITH
THE SAME RULE 11, SUBPART C
RELATING TO PUBLIC COMMENT, IT
WOULD ADJUST WHO MAY EXTEND THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT IS
SET AT DEFAULT 20 MINUTES. UNDER
EXISTING RULES, IT IS THE
PRESIDING OFFICER THAT MAY ELECT
TO EXTEND PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS
WOULD CHANGE THE DEFAULT TO
ALLOW FOR A MAJORITY OF THOSE
PRESENT AND VOTING TO EXTEND
PUBLIC COMMENT. A CHANGE IN WHO
HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CREATE THAT
EXTENSION. IN PROPOSED AMENDMENT
NUMBER 13, WE ARE AGAIN STAYING
IN RULE 11, SUBPART C RELATING
TO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THIS
REMOVES THE PRESENT DISCRETION
OF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO
AUTHORIZE SOMEONE WHEN THEY MAKE
A REQUEST OUT OF THEIR OWN
PERSONAL SAFETY, THEY MAKE A
REQUEST DURING PUBLIC COMMENT
NOT TO SHARE THEIR NAME, THIS
CHANGES THE DEFAULT TO
AUTOMATICALLY GRANT THE
INDIVIDUAL THE RIGHT TO HAVE
THEIR NAME WITHHOLD SO THEY CAN
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT WHILE
PROVIDING THEIR OWN SAFETY.
PROPOSED CHANGE NUMBER 14 IS
STILL IN RULE 11 BUT THIS PART,
SUBSECTION D GENERALLY REGARDING
THE DISRUPTIONS OF CITY COUNCIL
MEETINGS OR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THIS IS A CLARIFYING EDIT. I
WILL SPEAK TO THIS IN OUR FINAL
PROPOSED AMENDMENT AT THE SAME
TIME. THESE TWO ARE CLARIFYING
EDITS THAT CLARIFY WHICH ENTITY
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING
NOTIFICATION THAT SOMEONE HAS
BEEN EXCLUDED FROM A COUNCIL
MEETING AND THEY WOULD HAVE A
RIGHT TO AN APPEAL. IN PRACTICE
IT IS THE OFFICE OF THE CITY
CLERK THAT PROVIDES THAT NOTICE
TO AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS BEEN
EXCLUDED, AFFORDING THEM NOTICE
OF RIGHTS TO APPEAL AND
PROVIDING A TIME FRAME FOR THAT.
THIS CLARIFYING EDIT JUST
PROVIDES MORE NOTICE TOTHE
PUBLIC ON WHICH ENTITY IT IS
THAT IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN
THAT MATTER. VERY SIMILARLY, OUR
LAST PROPOSED COUNCIL RULE
CHANGE IS TO NOTE AND CLARIFY IN
THE RULES THAT THE APPEAL THAT
SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN EXCLUDED
FROM A MEETING MIGHT SUBMIT IS
GOING TO BE AN APPEAL SUBMITTED
TO THE CITY CLERK RATHER THAN
TRYING TO PROVIDE AN APPEAL FROM
AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER OR
THE BODY THAT IT'S THE CLERK'S
OFFICE, THE SAME OFFICE THAT
PROVIDED THE NOTICE THAT WILL
RECEIVE NOTICE OF APPEAL FROM AN
INDIVIDUAL. THOSE ARE THE 15
PROPOSED EDITS TO THE COUNCIL
RULES.
>> I'M LOOKING TO MY COLLEAGUES
TOSEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> I'LL BE SUPER QUICK. THANK
YOU ALL BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE
GETTING INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THESE
AMENDMENTS. THEY ARE PRETTY
STRAIGHT FORWARD AND IT SEEMS
THEY CREATE MORE OF AN
OPERATIONAL, ENHANCES OUR
OPERATIONS AS A COUNCIL AND YOU
ALL HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG
TIME. YOU SEE HOW THE COUNCIL
OPERATES AND IT MAKES SENSE AND
VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK FOR
WALKING US THROUGH THESE
AMENDMENTS BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS
A LOT. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
CHAIR. YES, I TOO APPRECIATE IT
AND I APPRECIATE WALKING THROUGH
THIS BECAUSE IT JOGS THE MIND OF
THE VARIOUS PIECES THAT ARE OUT
THERE AND HOW WE DO DIFFERENT
THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I SEE THE
LOGIC. I ALWAYS HAVE THE PURVIEW
OF THE COMMITTEE AND DON'T
RESTRICT IT TO THE DAY'S
AGENDA. IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE
THE DYNAMICS AND TIMES AND
PIECES. SO THANK YOU AND
ANYTHING THAT CAN ASSIST IN THE
SMOOTHER, UPERATING ENVIRONMENT
HERE AT CITY COUNCIL IS ALWAYS
WELCOMED, SO THANK YOU.
ACTUALLY, DID OUR ASSISTANT
CLERK HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? SHE
HAS BEEN QUIET AT THE END?
>> I DON'T. I THINK LAUREN
CAPTURED EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE
PROPOSING AND WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING IN 2026.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GLAD I GOT
HER VOICE OFFICIALLY INTO THE
MEETING, THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, I WANT TO
STEP IN AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE
EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS TO COME
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CITY
CLERK, THIS PROJECT WAS VERY
MUCH CARRIED ON THE SHOULDERS OF
OUR CHIEF DEPUTY CLERK AMELIA.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING HER SPEAK
UP AND GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY
TO GIVE HER THE MANY CUDOSE SHE
DESERVES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUST A
COUPLE CLARIFYING POINTS.
AMENDMENT 6, REGARDING
BROADCAST, THE DEFAULT IS THAT
DURING COMMITTEE MEETINGS,
COUNCIL MEETINGS, WHATEVER, THE
DEFAULT IS TO DISPLAY THE
CHAMBER?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> DOES THE CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE AT THAT POINT HAVE THE
DISCRETION TO ASK THAT IT BE
OTHERWISE?
>> SO CURRENTLY UNDER THE RULES
THAT IS THE DYNAMIC. EACH CHAIR
HAD THE INDIVIDUAL DISCRETION TO
ELECT HOW IT WILL OPERATE AND
WHETHER THE VISUAL WOULD BE
DISPLAYED ON THE CHANNEL. THIS
WOULD CHANGE THE DEFAULT SO EACH
COMMITTEE
>> THIS IS RULE
THE DEFAULT WOULD
BE
ADJUSTED.
>> RIGHT.
UNDERSTOOD.
I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT CERTAIN
INSTANCES WHERE THINGS
HAVE GOTTEN UNRULY TO THE POINT
WHERE
IT SEEMS THAT THE POINT IS TO
GET ON CAMERA AND MAKE A
SPECTACLE. SO TAKING THAT AWAY
TO
DIFFUSE SOME OF THAT FUEL IS
WHAT I
WAS THINKING WHEN I'M ASKING
THAT
QUESTION.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
>> ANOTHER CLARIFYING
QUESTION.
>> WE ALWAYS SAY THAT
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD BE RELATED
TO
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR IN
THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE.
WE GET MUCH MORE THAN THAT,
SO AT THIS POINT,
WE'LL JUST ROLL WITH IT, AND IS
THAT PRETTY MUCH
HOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE?
>> WITHIN THE COUNCIL RULES,
SPECIFICALLY RULE 11D AROUND
DISRUPTION, ONE OF THE
ELEMENTS FOR DISRUPTION IS IF A
MATTER
-- IS IF AN INDIVIDUAL
PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT HAS NOT
KEPTKEPT TO AUTHORIZED AREAS,
THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR
WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT
AGAIN, IT'S AT THE
PRESIDING OFFICER'S DISCRETION
AND
HOW CLOSELY THEY WOULD LIKE
TO REGULATE THOSE MATTERS
AND DIFFERENT COMMITTEE CHAIRS
CAN COME TO DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES, BUT THIS IS A
POLICY CHOICE HERE
AS TO HOW YOUR DEFAULT
COUNCIL RULES ARE SET UP WHETHER
YOU ALLOW ITEMS ONLY ON THE
AGENDA
OR MORE EXPANSIVE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA AND WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE.
>> OKAY.
AND THE FINAL ONE IS AND IF
THE DECISION IS MADE TO DO THE
MEETING REMOTELY AND DOES
THAT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GO REMOTE
BECAUSE
WE'VE SEEN SOME STAY IN
CHAMBERS
AND SOME GO TO THEIR OFFICES
AND IS THERE A DEFAULT FOR THAT?
>> THE COUNCIL RULES ARE
SILENT AS TO THAT
MATTER. IT IS AN AREA THAT COULD
BE REGULATED UNDER THE COUNCIL
RULES, BUT IT'S NOT CURRENTLY.
>> OKAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE --
THAT THE DECISION THAT I HAVE
MADE IN THE PAST
TO CONTINUE OUR MEETINGS ON ZOOM
HAD TO DO WITH
THE FACT THAT IT DID NOT APPEAR
THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO
DEAL WITH THE DISRUPTION IN THE
CHAMBERS, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
HAVE BEEN
ASKED OR REQUESTED OR INSTRUCTED
BY OUR CITY CLERK TO PLEASE
VACATE THE
COUNCIL CHAMBERS BECAUSE IF
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT
REMAIN AT THE DEUS AND
THAT LEADS TO PEOPLE REMAINING
AND
OFTENTIMES CONTINUING
DISRUPTION IN CHAMBERS WHICH
PUTS THE CITY
CLERK WHO IS BY THEMSELVES
USUALLY RIGHT HERE AND IT IS
A SAFETY ISSUE, WHICH IS WHY
I BELIEVE IT WENT DOOR TO DOOR
AND DID MAKE THE CASE THAT IT IS
A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT A SORT OF
AN ARBITRARY USE OF POWER ISSUE.
YES?
>> THAT HELPS CLARIFY.
>>
THANK YOU.
>> I WANT TO ADDRESS THE
AMENDMENT THAT I REQUESTED
HAVING TO DO WITH WHAT
PUBLIC COMMENT CAN BE ABOUT.
IN MY FIRST TWO YEARS THE RULE
WAS THAT A CITY -- A CHAIR
COULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
PUBLIC
COMMENT WOULD BE
ALLOWED ONLY ON THE AXE JENDA
AGENDA ITEMS OR
THE WORK PROGRAM OF
THE COMMITTEE WHICH PRETTY MUCH
MEANS ANYTHING BECAUSE PEOPLE
FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT LINKED
TO THE COMMITTEE, AND SO I --
IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT
WHATEVER TO THE CLERK, THE
PRESIDING
OFFICER DECIDES BE CONSISTENT SO
THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT TO
EXPECT FROM YOUR COMMITTEE, AND
SO I
CHOSE THE MORE LIMITED PUBLIC
COMMENT AND HERE'S WHY.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET INTO THE
MINUTIA, TO
THE WEEDS OF THE LEGISLATION
BEFORE US OR THE POLICY ISSUES
BEFORE
US. THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT
TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING WITHIN THE
COUNCIL WORK PROGRAM OR
UNDER OUR PURVIEW AT THE FULL
COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND SO I CHOSE
TO LIMIT IT TO THE ITEMS ON
THE AGENDA JUST BECAUSE THOSE
CAN
BE PRETTY COMPLEX AND AT THAT
POINT I WAS DEALING WITH
VERY COMPLETION LEGISLATION.
THAT RULE WAS CHANGED
RIGHT BEFORE THE PAST COUPLE OF
YEARS AND IT WAS CHANGED
MIDSTREAM
IN MY TERMS SO FAR AND IT'S
BEEN
EXPANDED AND WE HAVE TO
ACCEPT COMMENT FOR EVERYTHING
UNDER THE
COMMITTEE WORK PURVIEW OR WORK
PROGRAM, AND SO I BELIEVE
THAT IT WAS STILL A -- IT WAS A
CLEAR
DESING
DESIGNATION OF WHAT FOLKS
CAN COMMENT ON AND IT ALLOWS US
TO
USE OUR TIME MORE
PREDICTABLY TO GET TO THE ITEMS
ON OUR
AGENDA AND WITHOUT WONDERING HOW
MUCH TIME WOULD BE DEVOTED TO
PUBLIC COMMENT THAT MIGHT NOT BE
DIRECTLY GERMANE TO
THE LEGISLATION BEFORE US.
SO, ANYWAY, IT'S KIND OF
GOING BACK TO THE WAY IT
WAS FOR THE
FIRST TWO YEARS THAT I WAS IN
OFFICE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
OR
COMMENTS? I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW,
IF I
DIDN'T MENTION IT BEFORE, THE
VAST MAJORITY OF THESE RULES
WERE
PUT FORWARD BY THE FOLKS AT THE
TABLE WHO ARE EXPERT IN
KNOWING WHAT IS NOT WORKING
REALLY
WELL AND HAVE SOLUTIONS FOR
CHANGES.
YOU PUT FORWARD A LOT MORE
AND SEVERAL OTHER RULE CHANGES
AND SOME OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN
REALLY MEANINGFUL LIKE WHEN
AMENDMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED
AND HEARD AT THE TABLE AND WHAT
DO WE DO WITH WALK- S AND I
REALIZE THERE IS INTEREST BY
COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TIGHTEN
THAT UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT I
CHOSE NOT
TO PUT IT ON HERE JUST
BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE VERY
COMPLEX AND
WOULD REQUIRE A LOT
OF DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH,
BUT IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT OPEN
TO THAT BEING PUT
FORWARD BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
WITH THAT, I SAY THANK YOU,
VERY, VERY MUCH.
THIS SEEMS REALLY -- WELL, IT
IS REALLY DETAIL- ORIENTED,
BUT THESE ARE THE RULES THAT
DE15
DEFINE OUR CONDUCT AT THE
DEUS AND IT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT SO
THANK YOU.
OH, WAIT, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK
YOU FOR STAYING A BIT
LATER
TODAY. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> IF THERE IS NO
MORE BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL, IT IS
4:36 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK
YOU.