>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
THE SEPTEMBER 2025 MEETING
OF THE PERKS, PUBLIC UTILITIES
AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER ALSO KNOWN AS
PPTA COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>>
HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
NEVERTHELESS.
>> PLEASE LET THE RECORD
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON IS
EXCUSED AND COUNCILMEMBER NELSON
IS EXCUSED UNTIL SHE GETS HERE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PACKAGED
AGENDA BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE
BREAKS FOR
CITY COUNCIL
DELIBERATIONS INCLUDING
LEGISLATION
COMING BACK FOR A VOTE FROM OUR
LAST COMMITTEE MEETING, SO
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
GET STARTED.
WE'LL NOW CONSIDER THE
AGENDA AND I'M MOVING TO ADOPT
THE
AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND?
THANK YOU, IT'S BEEN MOVED
AND SECOND.
AND IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION
THE AGENDA WILL BE AMENDED TO
CONSIDER ITEM 3 FOR THE FIRST
ITEM ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
I APOLOGIZE. I'M SORRY.
LET'S BACK UP HERE.
I WAS READING A DIFFERENT PIECE
OF
THE SCRIPT. MY APOLOGIES.
SO THE AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE
TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL NOW CONSIDER THE
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD BE
RELATED TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA OR BE WRITTEN IN
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO
WE HAVE SIGNED
UP?
>> WE HAVE NONE IN PERSON
AND ONE ONLINE.
>> AWESOME.
OKAY, WE HAVE ONE
ONLINE. EACH SPEAKER WILL GET 2
MINUTES.
THE PUBLIC -- I'M GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND READ -- I'M GOING TO
GO AHEAD AND READ
THE INFORMATION FOR THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
IT WILL BE MODERATED IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER ON THE SIGNUP
SHEET STARTING WITH IN PERSON
SPEAKERS FIRST. WE DON'T HAVE
ANY
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS SO WE'RE
GOING TO JUMP TO STRAIGHT
ONLINE. YOU CAN SIGN UP BEFORE
THE
END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
ON THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
THE LINK IS LISTED ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR BY SIGNING UP
ON THE
SIGNUP SHEET. SPEAKERS WHEN
SPEAKING
PLEASE BEGIN BY SAYING THE
TATING YOUR NAME
AND THE ITEM YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF
THE ALLOTTED TIME PERIOD, THE
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL
BE MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE
NEXT PERSON.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN, AND WE'RE GOING TO
BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
AND, CLERK, WILL YOU
PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER
THAT
IS ONLINE?÷÷PLEASE REMEMBER TO
PRESS STAR
6 TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> OUR REMOTE SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAINES.
>> HI, THANK YOU.
DAVID HAINES.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS
THE UTILITIES.
WE NEED TO DISCIPLINE THE
GREED OF WALL STREET SHAREHOLDER
MIDDLEMEN FOR MAKING MORE
THAN THE WORKERS DO FOR DOING
THE WORK.
ABUSING NEIGHBORHOODS
OVERWHELMED BY THE NEVER
ENDING BANGING AND CLANGING OF
DUMPSTER
PICKUPS THAT CONTINUE TO
ARTIFICIALLY INFLATE THE COST
WHILE NEVER MAKING AN EFFORT TO
BE CONSIDEREDT, RESPECTFUL
AND PROPERLY POSITIONED
WHEN THEY PICK UP THEIR TRASH,
THAT HAS
A NOW ABATED WALL WRAPPED
AROUND THEIR SHIMMY SHAKING AND
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
JOLTING YOU AWAKE TOO EARLY IN
THE
MORNING, STARTLING YOU IN THE
EVENING
AND BOTHERING YOU SOMETIMES SIX
DAYS
A WEEK, ROAD RAGING THEIR
LOUD TURBO DIESEL ENGINES,
LEADING
A BETTER COORDINATED
LOGISTICAL AND LOGICAL PICKUP AT
REASONABLE TIMES LIKE ALL AT
ONCE WITHIN
AN HOUR OF EACH INSTEAD OF
SPORADIC MAKING YOU MENTAL
WORKING
FOR HOME.
WHY IS COUNCIL INCREASING
FEES WHEN WASTE MANAGEMENT MADE
$726 MILLION IN THREE MONTHS OF
THE
SECOND QUARTER, APRIL 1 TO
JUNE 30, 2025?
AND $2. 72 BILLION IN THE LAST 2
MONTHS. THE COUNCIL LOOKS LIKE
WANTS
TO INCREASE IT THE FEES TO
INCREASE THEIR REVENUE STREAM BY
50%.
IF THEY WANT TO MAKE MURE
MORE MONEY THEY HAVE TO MAKE
A CONCERTED EFFORT TO
LOGISTICALLY
PICK UP THE TRASH WITHOUT
MAKING A CONCERTED IMPACT.
YOU ALL NEED TO REALIZE THE
MULTIUSE BUILDINGS HAVE
AN IMPACT ON LOCAL RESIDENTS --
TO GET A REPRIEVE IN SPACES
WHEN THEY DO COME UP TO PICK
THE TRASH.
WE HAVE COMMERCIAL PICKING UP
AT 5:00 A.M. , 6:00 A.M. , 7:00
A.M.
AND THEY COME BACK THE NEXT
DAY AND COME BACK AGAIN FOR
COMMERCIAL. IT'S TOO MUCH.
AND YOU ALL HAVE ALLOWED
FOR RESTRICTIONS AND ABTAJ ON
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOING TO
ADDRESS THAT AND
THE FACT WE NEED PEDESTRIAN-
CENTRIC
RESIDENT-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD
INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT CAR
CENTRIC ROADWAY SERVICES TO
ABUSE --
>> THANK YOU, MR. HAINES.
ARE THERE NO OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT SPEAKERS? AWESOME.
OKAY, IF THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS, WE'LL NOW
PROCEED WITH THE ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS CLOSED.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE
READ AGENDAS ITEMS NUMBER 1
THROUGH 6
INTO THE AGENDA?
>> AJEBLDA ITEMS 1 THROUGH 6
APPOINTMENTS 3218, 3298 THROUGH
3202.
AS MEMBERS OF THE SEATTLE
ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR
A TERM TO SEPTEMBER 28, 2027
THROUGH
20208 FOR BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> AWESOME.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN ALL- STAR
LINE-UP. THANK YOU, I'D LIKE TO
ACNAUNG AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE
ONLINE DEPUTY DIRECTOR WINSTON
FROM
THE SEATTLE CENTER ON
ZOOM. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, FOR
BEING HERE TO SPEAK TO THE
COMMISSION
AND APPOINTEES.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WELCOME.
AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU MAY
BEGIN.
THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
FOR THE RECORD DIAMATRIS
WINSTON AT THE SEATTLE CENTER.
I APPRECIATE YOU GIVINGGIVING
THE
ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT
OUR APPOINTMENTS FOR THE
COMMISSION
TODAY.
I'LL START BY SAYING
OUR COMMISSION IS COMPRISED OF
VERY
TALENTED,
VERY DYNAMIC, AND
WELL-POSITIONED AND ACTIVELY
ENGAGED COMMISSIONERS INCLUDING
THE FOLKS WE'LL INTRODUCE
TODAY.
SOME OF THESE FOLKS YOU
PROBABLY KNOW FROM AROUND TOWN,
AND
OTHERS YOU'LL MEET SOON.
AND SO IT'S AN HONOR TO
RETAIN AND RECRUIT HIGHLY
QUALIFIED
INDIVIDUALS WHOSE EXPERIENCE
AND COMMITMENT REALLY STRENGTHEN
OUR ROLE AS AN ARTS AND
CULTURAL ORGANIZATION HUB WITHIN
THE CITY.
AND SO WE HAVE THREE
REAPPOINTMENTS, AND WE
HAVE THREE NEW APPOINTMENTS.
AND SO OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT IS
MARK DEDERER SERVING SINCE MARCH
2022 PROVIDING STRONG
LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S ALSO A
PHILANTHROPIC DIRECTOR FOR A
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
FIRM.
WE ALSO HAVE SALLY BAGSHAW.
MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW SALLY.
SHE WAS APPOINTED LAST YEAR
TO FILL A
VACANT TERM. THIS WILL ALLOW US
TO CONTINUE
UTILIZING HER CONTRIBUTIONS.
SALLY HAS MASSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF
ALL THINGS SEATTLE, AND SHE'S
AN ATTORNEY AND A
FORMER
COUNCILMEMBER. NEXT ON THE
REAPPOINTMENT
IS MICHAEL GEORGE, WHO'S
BEGINNING HIS THIRD TERM.
HIS FIRST TERM STARTED IN
2020, AND HE'S THE VP OF A REAL
ESTATE FIRM DOING MANY
COMPLICATED PROJECTS AROUND
TOWN, AND
HE'S DEDICATED TO MAKING
DOWNTOWN MORE LIVABLE.
AND SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE
REAPPOINTMENTS. ALSO EXCITED TO
WELCOME
AND APPOINT THREE NEW
COMMISSIONERS,
ADRIANE MUSUNEGGI.
ERIC PETTIGREW SERVED IN
THE LEGISLATOR, LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS,
WHO HAS
VOLUNTEERED FOR MANY
BOARDS, RECEIVING AWARDS FROM
DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING
THE UNITED -- KING COUNTY UNITED
WAY AND SEATTLE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
AND LAST ON OUR APPOINTMENTS
IS MATT ROEWE, WHO'S A
VISIONARY ARCHITECT AND URBAN
PLANNER WHO
HAS FOUR YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE WORKING IN GREATER
SEATTLE AND
VANCOUVER, D.C. AREA,
HAVING TO WORK WITH A LOT OF
MIXED USE
PROJECTS, TRANSIT ORIENTED
PROJECTS, COMMERCIAL AND
MULTI- HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND SO TOGETHER
THESE COMMISSIONERS HELP GUIDE
AND ADVANCE THE MISSION
OF SEATTLE CENTER, WHICH IS TO
BE A
CIVIC AND CULTURAL HUB FOR
THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO IN CLOSING I'LL JUST
SAY THAT I DEEPLY APPRECIATE
THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE
AND SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE
COUNCIL IN THE WORK THAT SEATTLE
DOES OR
SEATTLE
CENTER DOES. AND I'D LIKE TO
HAVE
THESE APPOINTMENTS
CONFIRMED.
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR. AND I BELIEVE
COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS HAD HIS HAND UP.
>> NO. I JUST DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
THAT
PART OF YOUR BACKGROUND FROM
SEATTLE
CENTER.
>> YEAH, I DIDN'T KNOW --
THESE ARE ZOOM
MEETINGS.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS THE
KINGDOM AT
FIRST.
>> I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF
THAT BUT I HAD NO CLUE IT WAS
GOING
TO POP UP.
>> WE LOVE YOU IN
A PROFESSIONALLY APPROPRIATE
WAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
THAT WAS A GREAT LAUGH.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR WINSTON.
I DEFINITELY WANTED TO THANK THE
SIX VOLUNTEERS THATTHAT
ARE, YOU KNOW -- THREE
VOLUNTEERS
THAT ARE BEING REAPPOINTED.
I'M GOING TO BUTCHER HIS
NAME AND I
APOLOGIZE. MARK DEDERRER, FORMER
COUNCILMEMBER SALLY BAGSHAW THAT
BRINGS A TON OF EXPERIENCE AND
WEALTH AND MICHAEL GEORGE AS
WELL.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND THE THREE
NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE.
ADRIANE MUSUNEGGI IS WHAT
I HEARD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
AND ALSO HEARD ABOUT MATT
ROEWE IN ADVOCACY AND TRANSIT
AND LAND
USE, WHICH IS GOING TO
BE HELPFUL.
AND THE ILLUSTRIOUS
PETTIGREW FROM THE EXPERTISE
THEY BROUGHT
FROM THE GREAT --
SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY IT'S THE
BEST
DISTRICT IN SEATTLE WHICH IS THE
37th
DISTRICT, AND THE
FORMER REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR
STATE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ALL
APPOINTEES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE APPOINT
AS ARE ON, BUT WANT TO THANK
THEM
FOR THE POLICIES THAT AFFECT THE
SEATTLE CENTER AND PLAY
A CRITICAL ROLE IN CREATING
A VIBRANT AND EXCLUSIVE SPACE
THAT
REFLECTS THE ENTIRE
SEATTLE
COMMUNITY. THAT BEING SAID, I'LL
PAUSE HERE TO SEE
IF ANY OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS
REGARDING OUR APPOINTEES.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU,
CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE
THE SEATTLE CENTER AND HOW
IMPORTANT
IT IS TO OUR CITY BUT ALSO TO
THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF
INTERACTION WITH QUEEN ANNE,
UPTOWN, SOUTH
LAKE UNION. AND A LOT 06 THE
NAMES WE SEE ON
THIS LIST ARE NAMES THAT
HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT AND ALSO
BEEN PART OF THE WORK WE'VE
BEEN DOING WITH THE DISTRICT 7
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL.
YOU KNOW NAMES LIKE MICHAEL
GEORGE, SALLY BAGSHAW AND THE
LIKE.
THIS GROUP AS A GROUP
WELL REPRESENTS THE NEED AND I
THINK
WILL STAND UP QUITE WELL,
VERY WELL FOR SEATTLE CENTER TO
BE
AN ADVISORY AND TO SERVE IN
THAT ROLE.
SO I JUST THANK YOU AND
THANK ALL THOSE THAT ACCEPTED
THE --
THE POSSIBILITY -- THE CHANCE TO
VOLUNTEER.
BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S
A LOT OF WORK, AND SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK THEM AHEAD OF
TIME.
THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID,
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE
THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
THE CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTEES
3218, 3298 THROUGH 3302.
IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED
AND SECONDED. TO CONFIRM THESE
APPOINTEES
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
YES.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> THERE ARE THREE IN
FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> AWESOME.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO
CONFIRM APPOINTEES WILL BE
SENT SEPTEMBER 16th, 2025 --
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ --
>> CHAIR, I'M HAVING A
LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IS
A DREAM TEAM OF A GROUP OF
PEOPLE TO BE ON A
COMMISSION TOGETHER. EVERYONE
FROM MICHAEL GEORGE TO PETTIGREW
TO MATT REOWE AND
SALLY BAGSHAW, IT'S THE TEAM I
WOULD WANT TO BE ON.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. AND WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ THE NEXT
AGENDA ITEMS INTO
THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 7 THROUGH
9 APPOINTMENTS 329 THROUGH 3297
AS
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSIONS
FOR
A TERM OF THREE YEARS FROM
COUNCIL
CONFIRMATION.
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION,
AND POSSIBLE VOTE PRESENTING
TODAY IS SUPERINTENDENT A.P.
DIAZ.
>> NO WORRIES, AND I WANT
TO THANK DIRECTOR WINSTON
WHO'S STILL ON FOR
THEIR PARTICIPATION AND TALKING
ABOUT THE
SEATTLE CENTER COMMISSION, AND
WE
ARE HONORED TO HAVE
SUPERINTENDENT
DIAZ HERE TO TALK ABOUT
THESE
APPOINTMENTS. WHENEVER YOU'RE
READY.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS, OR
GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO COME
BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SEEK YOUR
APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENTS OF OUR
NEWEST
TACOMA PARKS DEPARTMENT --
I MEAN SEATTLE PARKS AND
RECREATION COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE THREE
APPOINTMENTS BEFORE YOU TODAY.
I'M JOINED AND HONORED TO BE
WITH JANE STONECIPHER
AND ASKING FOR APPOINTMENT OF
KEVIN
WARNER AND DAYA ZHANG.
SHE'S BEEN A BUSINESS AND
COMMUNITY LEADER IN THE
SEATTLE AND PUGET SOUND AREA FOR
OVER 30
YEARS. IN 2011 SHE BECAME THE
VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE
AT
WOODLAND PARK ZOO, AND HER
HER LEADERSHIP THE ZOO EXPANDED
LEADERSHIPS AND
PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING A MAJOR
COLLABORATION WITH THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SINCE 2017 JANE HAS SERVED
THE WASHINGTON PARK
ARBORETUM FOUNDATION FIRST AS
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, AND SINCE 2024
AS
DIRECTOR EMERITA. SHE PLAYED A
KEY ROLE
IN SUCCESSFUL
FINANCIAL NEGOTIATIONS RELATED
TO THE
SR- 520 BRIDGE
REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND THE
RECENT
AGREEMENT RENEWAL FOR THE
SEATTLE JAPANESE
GARDEN. WE HAVE FIRST- HAND
KNOWLEDGE OF
JANE'S INSIGHT, INSTINCTS AND
UNWAVERING DEDICATION IN
HELPING OUR PUBLIC PARKLAND
THRIVE, AND
SHE'S BEEN A
WONDERFUL PARTNER AND HAS
WELCOMED ME TO
THETHE WASHINGTON ARBORETUM
FOUNDATION BOARD AS WELL AS
GETTING TO KNOW
THAT ENTIRE SYSTEM, SO
I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT SHE
HAS DECIDED TO STEP UP AND SERVE
US
HERE. KEVIN RECENTLY RETIRED
AFTER
28 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH
THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND
ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION WHERE
HE
FOCUS BROADLY ON CLIMATE
RESILIENCE.
HE HOLDS ADVANCED DEGREES IN
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE, PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION, AND POLITICAL
SCIENCE AND HAS DEDICATED
HIS ADULT LIFE TO PUBLIC
SERVICE.
HE HAS SERVED ON SEVERAL LOCAL
BOARDS, MOST RECENTLY THE
MOVE SEATTLE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE.
THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER HE
HAS WORKED TO PROMOTE CLIMATE
AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
THROUGH
APPLIED SCIENCE AND
EQUITY-CENTERED POLICY. HE'S A
NATIVE SEATTLEITE AND
HAS LIVED IN A NUMBER OF
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE
CITY INCLUDING CAPITOL HILL,
BALLARD, FREMONT, YU DISTRICT,
AND
WEDGEWOOD, GIVING HIM A
PERSPECTIVE, AND I'M EXCITED
FOR
HIS PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT OUR
THRIVING ENVIRONMENT.
AND LASTLY DAVED ZHANG, A
LICENSED -- EXCUSE ME, DAYA.
DAYA IS EXCITED TO
CONTRIBUTE HER PROFESSIONAL
EXPERTISE AS WELL AS HER
EXPERTISE AS A
NEW PARENT TO THE BOARD OF PARK
AND
RECREATION COMMISSIONERS.
SINCE MOVING TO SEATTLE
SIX YEARS AGO DAYA HAS FOUND THE
CITY'S PARKS AND
RECREATIONAL SPACES TO BE
ESSENTIAL TO
HER LIFE HERE IN SEATTLE.
SHE'S AN AVID JOGGER AND HIKER.
THESE SPACES HAVE BECOME
INTEGRAL TO HER FAMILY'S ROUTINE
AND HAVE DEEPENED
HER INTEGRATION FOR THE PARK
SYSTEM'S VITAL ROLE ACROSS
COMMUNITIES.
DAYA BRINGS A STRONG PASSION FOR
BRINGING HEALTHY, THRIVING
AND INCLUSIVE COMMITTEES AND
LOOKS
FORWARD TO ADVANCING THAT
VISION AS A MEMBER OF THE DPRC.
WE ARE THRILLED TO APPOINT
KEVIN, JANE, AND
DAYA.
>> THANK YOU, DISTRICT DIAZ,
AND I KNOW WE HAVE IN PERSON --
I
DON'T WANT TO BUTCHER YOUR LAST
NAME, MS. JANE STONECIPHER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO
SAY ANYTHING AT
ALL?
>> I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ON A
NEW ROLE WITH THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IT'S A SUPER
EXCITING TIME AHEAD, AS WE THINK
ABOUT
THE WATERFRONT COMING ONTO ITS
OWN, THE 520 NEW PROJECT
RESTORING PARKLAND TO
THE SYSTEM.
BUT MOST PORTMENTLY THE
IMPORTANTLY THE OVER
400 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO THE FABRIC AND
THE LIFE OF OUR CITY.
SO HAPPY TO TAKE ON THIS
NEW ROLE.
THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
>> AWESOME.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR
APPOINTEES FOR YOUR TIME AND
INPUT ON THE
BOARD. I WAS PARTICULARLY
IMPRESSED
AND I READ EVERYONE'S RESUME
AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE
FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL
PERSPECTIVE ON
ALL THREE NEW APPOINTEES THAT
THEY BRING TO THE TABLE AND MANY
YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY, WHICH I
THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I OFTEN SAY THAT PARKS ARE
OUR FIRST EXPOSURE TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT BESIDES A
POTHOLE,
OKAY, PARKS ARE.
SO THE GUIDANCE THAT PARKS GETS
TO HAVE FROM THIS BOARD IS
GOING TO ENSURE OUR RECREATION
PROGRAMS REMAIN ACCESSIBLE
AND ENRICHING EVERYONE FROM
YOUTH ALL THE WAY I WOULD CALL
THEM OUR VERY SEASONED FOLKS IN
LIFE AS WELL.
AND SO I'LL PAUSE HERE TO SEE
IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
COMMENTS. AND I KNOW WE'RE
HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES, SO I'LL
JUST LOOK DOWN THE
LINE.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A PACKED
AGENDA, AND JUST WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
TO
THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO.
I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT
LATER, BUT THAT'S ALL.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE
THIS OPPORTUNITY AND
SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ HAS HEARD
THIS BEFORE,
BUT I WANTED TO, "A," THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOU
KNOW, VOLUNTEERING AND THE LIKE.
AND AS YOU NOTED ABOUT THE PARKS
CURRENTLY BUT ALSO THE PARKS
OF THE FUTURE TO INCLUDE PORTAL
PARK, WE NEED TO CONTAIN THE
MOMENTUM. LOOKING HOW CAN WE
EXPAND,
HOW CAN WE BRING MORE GREEN
SPACE, FOR EXAMPLE?
AND I THINK THIS IS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, AND
I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR OPPORTUNITY -- YOUR
VOLUNTEERISM HERE, AND OF COURSE
I NEVER LOSE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PLUGS
ON THE VARIOUS PARKS IN THE
DISTRICT, BUT A PARK THAT
IS ALSO FOR THE -- FOR THE CITY,
TOO, BECAUSE PART OF THE
MARKET, THE MOJI AND ALL THESE
EAST, WEST CONNECTIONS.
CHAIR SAID -- HAS LOOKED
OVER AND I DON'T NEED TO
PROMOTE PORTAL PARK ANYMORE.
OF COURSE, FIRST IS WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO GET A PROPER
NAME
FOR IT,
TOO.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER,
KETTLE.
I'M GOING TO NOW MOVE
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
THE APPOINTEES 3218 AND 3295
THROUGH
3297. IS THERE A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO
CONFIRM THE APPOINTEES WILL
BE SENT TO TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
16th CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER 10 INTO
THE AGENDA?
>> AGENDA ITEM 10, COUNCIL BILL
121051, AN ORDINANCE RELATING
TO THE SOLID WASTE SYSTEM OF
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES,
REVISING RATES AND CHARGES
FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES,
REVISING CREDITS TO LOW INCOME
CUSTOMERS FOR SOLID WASTE
SERVICES,
ADDING SOLID WASTE SERVICE
CATEGORIES AND AMENDA SECTIONS
OF MUNICIPAL
CODE FOR VOTE.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THE HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT BEGINS.
I'M JUST
PLAYING.
THANK YOU. I KNOW THIS IS THE
SECOND TIME
DISCUSSING THIS ITEM,
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE WON'T BE
A NEW
PRESENTATION,
BUT PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF,
AND I KNOW
THAT WE HAVE BRIAN
GOODNIGHT FROM CENTRAL STAFF
WLOZ GOING TO
GIVE US A RECAP AND OVERVIEW
AS WELL FOR THE ITEM FOR PUBLIC
RECORD.
>> MY NAME IS ANDREW, GENERAL
MANAGER AND CEO FOR
SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES.
>> AND I'M CARL WITH
FINANCE.
>> SALLY, SOLID WASTE CONTRACTS
MANAGER.
>> AND BRIAN GOODNIGHT,
COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> AWESOME. PLEASE JUMP IN.
GO AHEAD,
BRIAN.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL CHAIR.
AS YOU SAID AT THE LAST
MEETING WHICH WAS AUGUST 18th
FOR
THE COMMITTEE, RECEIVED
A PRESENTATION ON THIS
COMMITTEE ABOUT PROPOSED SOLID
WASTE
RATES FOR 2026
THROUGH 2028. ADDITIONALLY
ATTACHED TO
TODAY'S AGENDA AND DISTRIBUTED
PRIOR
TO THE MEETING IS THE CENTRAL
STAFF
MEMO.
AND THAT PROVIDES SOME
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON
THE SOLID WASTE SYSTEM IN
GENERAL AND THE RATE SETTING
PROCESS.
COMPARES THE PROPOSED RATES TO
THOSE ADOPTED BY THE
COUNCIL LAST FALL WHEN IT GAVE
APPROVAL TO SPU'S 2025 THROUGH
2030 STRATEGIC BUSINESS
PLAN, DESCRIBED SOME HIGHLIGHTS
FROM THE RATE STUDY,
AND THEN PROVIDES SOME EXAMPLES
OF
HOW CUSTOMER BILLS WOULD BE
IMPACTED BY THE PROPOSED
INCREASES.
SO AS A REMINDER THE
PROPOSED SOLID WASTE RATES FOR
2026,
'27, AND '28 ARE ALL ONE TENTH
OF
THE RATES HIGHER FOR THOSE
YEARS.
HOWEVER, WHEN CONSIDERED
IN TANDEM WITH REVISED FORECAST
FOR 2029 AND 2030, WHICH ARE
THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THE
BUSINESS
PLAN, THE OVERALL FIXED
YEAR AVERAGE STAYS THE SAME AS
THE BUSINESS PLAN AT 3.1%.
THE VARIATIONS
GENERALLY BETWEEN THE BUSINESS
PLAN AND
THE PROPOSED RATES ARE THE
RESULTS
OF SPU STAFF PERFORMING
A DETAILED RATE STUDY.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO FOR
EVERY RATE
SETTING CYCLE. THEY DETERMINE
THE
REVENUE REQUIREMENT FOR THE TIME
PERIOD,
UPDATE THE DEMAND FORECAST,
INCORPORATE ANY NEW SERVICES OR
INITIATIVES, AND THEN
ENSURE THAT THE FINANCIAL
POLICIES
FOR THE SOLID WASTE FUND ARE
MET.
IF THE VIEWING PUBLIC
IS INTERESTED OR THE
COUNCILMEMBERS, THE RATE STUDY
ITSELF IS ATTACHED TO THE
SUMMARY AND FISCAL NOTE
AS ATTACHMENT "A" IN
LEGISLATIVE RECORD.
AND ONE THING I WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT FROM THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION, WHICH WAS ALSO
COVERED AT THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING IS THE
PROPOSED INCLUSION OF A NEW
SPECIAL ITEM
PICKUP SERVICE TO BE ROLLED OUT
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
SO IN APRIL 2026 SPU INTENDS TO
OFFER CUSTOMERS THE ABILITY
TO ONCE PER YEAR DISPOSE
OF A SPECIAL ITEMS BOX
FOR RECK ELECTRONICS AND SMALL
APPLIANCES AND ONE
BATTERY BAG. AND BEGINNING IN
APRIL
2027 CUSTOMERS WOULD BE ABLE TO
PUT OUT ONE ELECTRONIC ITEM
AND THAT'S TELEVISIONS,
COMPUTERS,
SPEAKERS, AND ONE LARGE
BULKY ITEM WHICH IS LARGE
FURNITURE
OR APPLIANCES PER YEAR.
SPU CURRENTLY OFFERS AN ON CALL
SPECIAL ITEMS
PICKUP SERVICE, BUT USAGE IS LOW
AND CUSTOMERS
MUST REQUEST THE SERVICE
ONLINE OR BY PHONE AND SCHEDULE
A FEE
FOR EACH TIME OF ITEM THAT
GETS PICKED UP.
THE GOAL FOR THE NEW
INSTRUCTTURE IS INCORPORATING
THE COST NEWS INTO
THE GENERAL RATES AND
ALLOWING USAGE OF THESE SERVICES
FOR THE YEAR
IS MAKE AWARE THESE SERVICES ARE
OFFERED, DIVERT ITEMS FROM THE
LANDFILL AND HELP
WITH ENFORCEMENT OF
THE EXISTING E-WASTE AND
SPECIFICALLY.
>> AS YOU CANCAN WE HAVE SPU
HERE.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD
ANYTHING TO ADD BEFORE I ASK
ANY QUESTIONS.
>> NO, I DON'T,
ACTUALLY.
>> I SEE A BUNCH OF
QUESTIONS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
PRESENTATION, AND ALSO JUST A
RECAP IN THE MEMOS THAT
YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDING TO US,
BRIAN,
YOU ALL HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL
JOB.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, GENERAL MANAGER
LEE, AND EVERYONE FOR BEING
HERE INCLUDING OUR CENTRAL
STAFF.
THE PROPOSED THERE CREASE
FOR
THAT SPECIAL PICKUP PROJECT IS
GOING TO INCREASE THE
OVERALL FEES BY 50% WAS MY
CALCULATION.
IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> FOR THE BILLS, YEAH.
IT WOULD GO FROM $2 IS WHAT
THETHE BILL FOR
A SINGLE- FAMILY RESIDENCE
EXAMPLE DOWN TO $1, AND THAT
WOULD BE
50% FOR SINGLE-
FAMILY RESIDENCE.
>> SO THIS IS AN
OVERALL INCREASE.
EVERYONE IS SORT OF A COST
SHARING ALMOST IN THAT EVERYONE
WOULD PAY THIS RATE SO
THAT EVERYONE CAN HAVE THIS
SERVICE.
BUT RIGHT NOW YOU CAN USE THE
SERVICE.
YOU HAVE TO CALL IN OR DO IT
ONLINE, AND THEN YOU PAY
FOR UTILIZING
THE SERVICE. SO THIS IS MORE
LIKE --
ALMOST LIKE A COST SHARING SO
EVERYONE CAN HAVE IT.
THE UNFORTUNATE PART OF THIS
SERVICE IS THAT THEN
IT INCREASES EVERYBODY'S RATE
BY
50%.
AND AT A TIME WHERE FOLKS --
AND WE KEEP HEARING FROM FOLKS
THAT ALL OUR RATES ARE
INCREASING
ON EVERYTHING FROM UTILITIES TO
PROPERTY TAXES, IT -- IT'S
JUST BECOMING MORE AND MORE
EXPENSIVE
FOR FOLKS IN THE CITY, AND
I'M SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT
WE KEEP GETTING TOLD, YOU KNOW,
OUR RATES KEEP INCREASING,
UTILITY RATES KEEP INCREASING,
PROPERTY
RATES KEEP INCREASING.
SO IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DO THE
RATE INCREASES.
WE HAVE TO DO RATE
INCREASES FROM TIME TO TIME.
I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT THEN THERE'S, LIKE, THE
MUST, WE HAVE TO DO THIS VERSUS
THIS WOULD BE NICE TO DO, BUT
IS THIS THE RIGHT TIMING
BECAUSE EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE
GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE
FOR
FOLKS, AND WE'RE
HEARING ACROSS THE BOARD HOW
THEY'RE SPENT.
JUST THE LIVEABILITY PIECE
AND THE AFFORDABILITY PIECE
IS REALLY CHALLENGING FOR
FOLKS RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT, THOUGH I AM AN
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIENCE
INDIVIDUAL, VERY ACTIVELY,
NOT JUST A SAY I'M GOING TO DO
IT, I
PRACTICE IT IN MY EVERYDAY
LIFE, I AM SENSITIVE TO THE FACT
THIS IS GOING TO BE A 50%
MORE INCREASE TO FOLKS.
SO, CHAIR, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
THISPLER RATE INCREASE
INCLUDING THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM
BECAUSE IT WILL HAVE THAT --
THAT
50% MORE -- EVERY MONTH GOING TO
PAY 50% MORE TO HAVE THIS
SPECIAL PROGRAM THAT WE
CURRENTLY ADMINISTER AND THAT
PEOPLE CAN
PAY IF THEY HAVE THOSE ITEMS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE
AWARENESS, AND WE CAN STILL DO
THE
AWARENESS WITHOUT PASSING ON THE
EXTRA 50% INCREASE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN.
AND I'LL START OFF AT THE HIGH
LEVEL. I THINK WE SPENT A LOT
OF TIME MAKING SURE THAT THE
RATE INCREASES WE'RE PROPOSING
ARE
AS MINIMAL AS THEY CAN BE.
AND SO WE STRIVE TO TRY
TO MAINTAIN RATES THAT ARE AT
OR BELOW INFLATION WHERE
WE CAN. AND UNFORTUNATELY THE
SOLID WASTE UTILITY IS ONE OF
THE UTILITIES WHERE WE
HAVE THE MOST ABILITY TO DO
THAT.
AS A WHOLE, AGAIN, WE'VE
TRIED TO
PRIORITIZE KEEPING THE RATES
LOW.
IT IS A POLICY-LEVEL DECISION
AND THAT'S
WHY, I THINK, SEEKING THE
GUIDANCE.
WE'VE MADE A
RECOMMENDATION OBVIOUSLY TO
INCLUDE
THESE SERVICES.
THE DRIVERS BEHIND
INCLUDING THEM, I THINK WHAT WE
HEAR
FROM OUR CUSTOMERS AND FROM OUR
MAYOR'S OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
AS WELL IS THAT CONVENIENCE IS
KING
WHEN IT COMES TO DISPOSAL OF
EITHER FURNITURE, LARGE
BULKY ITEMS, OR ELECTRONICS
E-WASTE.
AND THE ABILITY THE PUT
IT OUTSIDE AT YOUR HOME
AND HAVE SOMEBODY TAKE IT AWAY
AND NOT
HAVE ANY BARRIER IS A HUGE -- IT
FREES PEOPLE UP TO DO THAT.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT ESPECIALLY
WITH BATTERIES AND MORE
ELECTRONICS, YOU KNOW, WE
SEE THOSE THINGS GETTING THROWN
INTO
THE TRASH, AND THAT LEADS TO
THINGS LIKE FIRES IN
OUR TRANSFER STATIONS, AND THOSE
ARE HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS.
SO OUR HOPE THIS WILL
ACTUALLY FACILITATE MORE THINGS
GETTING INTO THE RIGHT PLACES
WHEN IT
COMES TO ESPECIALLY SOME
OF THOSE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
ON THE BULKY ITEMS IN
PARTICULARLY WHAT
WE'VE SEEN IS AN INCREASE
ESPECIALLY IN OUR YOU SEE THE
FREE COUCHES ON
THE SIDE OF THE STREETS THAT
HAVE
TO GET PICKED UP OUR STAFF AND
THOSE NUMBERS INCREASED FROM
COVID. AND OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE TO
PAY
THE BURDEN
OF THAT. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES
OF THIS
IS OUR HOPE IT WILL DISCOURAGE
THAT AND GIVE PEOPLE MORE ACCESS
TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THAT AND
PUT
IT OUT AT THEIR FRONT DOOR
IS AND HAVE IT
REMOVED ALREADY. THIS IS ONE
OF THE REASONS WE RECOMMENDED
THIS POLICY
DECISION, BUT IT IS A
POLICY DECISION WHETHER OR NOT
TO DO
THIS.
>> SO ARE YOU SAYING IF
SOMEONE HAS A COUCH, THEY CAN
JUST PUT
IT IN FRONT OF THE YARD AND
YOU GUYS WILL PICK IT
UP, OR DO THEY HAVE TO ACTIVELY
STILL
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?
>> THEY STILL HAVE TO CAL IN AND
SCHEDULE A PICKUP, BUT
IN THIS CASE THAT BULKY ITEM
WILL
GET PICKED UP
FOR FREE. IT WILL BE INCLUDED IN
THE
RATE THEY'RE
PAYING.
>> RIGHT NOW THEY STILL HAVE TO
CALL, THEY JUST PAY FOR THAT
ITEM.
>> THAT'S
CORRECT.
>> THERE'S NO -- THEY STILL
HAVE TO ACTIVELY MAKE THE
CALL AND SCHEDULE A PICKUP AND
DO ALL
THAT. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE
IS AROUND OUTREACH, THE
OUTREACH THAT YOU DID BROADLY TO
RATE
PAYERS TO SAY DID YOU DO A
SURVEY?
LIKE, WOULD YOU RATHER PAY
A LITTLE MORE BUT HAVE
THIS SERVICE TO EVERYONE,
OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOMETIMES
WHEN WE DO
THIS KIND OF THING WE DO THE
OUTREACH AND WE ASK AND WE GET
SOME INFORMATION BY WHICH WE CAN
MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
WAS THAT DONE?
>> YEAH.
>> AND IF
SO, WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES, AND
WHO DO DID
YOU REACH OUT, AND KIND OF
BROADLY
ACROSS THE
OBVIOUSLY.
>> I'M GOING TO DEFER TO SALLY.
>> WE HAVE DONE
OUTREACH THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM
ASKING CUSTOMERS HOW THEY ARE --
DO THEY APPRECIATE THE SERVICE,
AND DO THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE
SERVICE. AND PLANE WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN
THE SERVICE, BUT THE OUTREACH --
A SPECIFIC SURVEY WAS NOT
DONE, BUT WHEN WE TALKED TO
CUSTOMERS
ABOUT THE SERVICE, THEY
OFTENTIMES DON'T KNOW ABOUT
IT, OR THEY MAY BE CHOOSING LIKE
AA DIFFERENT JUNK SERVICE
BECAUSE THOSE ARE PROMOTED
HEAVIER, AND THEY'RE PAYING MORE
FOR
THE SERVICE.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS OFFER UP A
BENEFIT TO THE CUSTOMER THROUGH
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH THAT IS
LESS EXPENSIVE THAN A POTENTIAL
JUNK HAULER OR ILLEGAL
DUMPING ON THE SIDE OF THE
STREET.
SO A SPECIFIC SURVEY WE DID NOT
DO, BUT WE DO COMMUNICATE
CAN WITH THE CUSTOMERS
REGULARLY ABOUT THE
SERVICE. AND THEY LIKE IT.
IT'S JUST WE WANT TO PROMOTE
IT MORE AND GIVE THEM INCENTIVES
TO
DO.
IT'S JUST THEY DON'T HAVE
ALTERNATIVES THAT IS AS GOOD
AS
THIS SERVICE.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHO
YOU SPOKE WITH, HOW MANY PEOPLE,
HOW
YOU DID THAT
OUTREACH?
>> OH, THIS IS THROUGH
OUR CURRENT SERVICE WITH THE --
WITH OUR CURRENT SERVICE WE GET
FEEDBACK FROM EACH OF
THE SERVICE AFTER THE
CUSTOMER FINISHES THE SERVICE,
SO WE GET
FEEDBACK ON HOW DID
IT GO, WAS IT COST-EFFECTIVE?
SO IT'S ANECDOTAL AND NOT
NECESSARILY QUALITATIVE.
IT'S MORE -- SORRY, IT'S NOT
QUANITATIVE, IT'S MORE
QUALITATIVE.
>> SO IT'S JUST FOR THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED IN AND
USED THE
SERVICE.
>> THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> NOT RATE PAYERS ACROSS THE
BOARD.
>> THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> SO WAS THERE
COMMUNICATION ABOUT THIS
INCREASE TO RATE
PAYERS ACROSS THE BOARD AND
GETTING FEEDBACK ABOUT
THAT?
>> YOU MEAN THE PROPOSED
EMBEDDED
SERVICE?
>> MM- HMM BECAUSE THIS IS
GOING TO INCREASE BY 50% THEIR
BILL, SO DID YOU GET INPUT FROM
FOLKS ACROSS THE BOARD, RATE
PAYERS ON
WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT?
ARE THEY WILLING TO DO
THAT?
>> WE DID NOT GET A
SPECIFIC SURVEY ABOUT THE
PROPOSED SERVICE.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TALKED
TO THOSE CUSTOMERS, RECEIVED
THEIR
FEEDBACK, AND WE WANT TO BE
PROACTIVE AND AMBITIOUS ABOUT
IMPROVING UPON THE SERVICE WE
PROVIDE TO THESE
CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THE
ALTERNATIVES ARE NOT
VERY GOOD ACROSS THE BOARD FOR A
MAJORITY
OF CUSTOMERS. THEY HAVE TO HAVE
A CAR TO
GET TO THE TRANSFER
STATION, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL
A
DIFFERENT KIND OF SERVICE WHERE
THEY
WOULD PAY MORE, OR THEY WOULD
LEAVE IT
ON THE STREET, SO WE'RE
TRYING TO GET IN FRONT
OF THIS SERVICE. WE DO KNOW THAT
REGIONALLY WE
ARE COMPETITIVE WITH THE BULKY
ITEMS SERVICE, SO WE KNOW IT'S
A SERVICE THAT OTHER REGIONS --
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OFFER,
AND THEY OFFER SIMILAR
EMBEDDED ITEMS OR FREER --
FREE ITEMS. SO WE KNOW WE ARE
NOT AS
COMPETITIVE AS OUR NEIGHBORING
MUNICIPALITIES.
>> THANK YOU.
BUT I THINK THAT THE
QUESTION I WAS ASKING WAS
BROADLY NOT
TO THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE
SERVICE BUT TO RATE PAYERS
ACROSS THE
BOARD.
YOU DIDN'T DO A
COMMUNICATION
ABOUT THIS.
>> NO, I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE.
WE DID NOT ASK THEM THE
SPECIFIC QUESTION WOULD YOU BE
WILLING
TO PAY FOR THIS ADDITIONAL
SERVICE BY THIS
MUCH.
>> OR THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO BE CHANGING RATES AND
IT
WILL INCLUDE THIS --
>> THAT'S
CORRECT.
>> OR ANY THOUGHTS AROUND THAT,
ANY FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY
IF THEY WANTED
TO.
>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH.
>> THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE ALL
OF YOU.
CAN YOU JUST OFF OF MEMORY
BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE
PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF ME.
WITH THE RATE CHANGES IT'S
BELOW INFLATION, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> AND THESE RATES CHANGE EVERY
TWO YEARS PER THE STRATEGIC PLAN
OR EVERY
SIX YEARS?
>> EVERY
THREE YEARS.
>> EVERY THREE YEARS
AND THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT
CYCLES.
THERE'S DRAINAGE,
WASTEWATER, THERE'S WATER, AND
THEN THERE'S
SOLID WASTE.
AND THOSE ALL CYCLE ON ONE YEAR
OFF- SET CYCLES.
IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> AND FOR THE MOST PART IT
IS CONSISTENTLY EVERY SINGLE
TIME UNDER INFLATION OR ABOUT
THERE.
IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> AND SO WE ARE NOW TAKING
UP THIS NEXT OPPORTUNITY
WHERE YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP
RATES BELOW INFLATION, AND WE
ARE
SETTING UP ANOTHER SUITE
OF SERVICES INTO WHAT SEATTLE
CUSTOMERS CAN RECEIVE FROM THEIR
SOLID WASTE.
IS THAT
CORRECT? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
CHAIR, I'VE GOT
A MESSAGE FOR ALL SEATTLEITES,
IF I
MAY.
>>
ABSOLUTELY.
>> IF GOODWILL DOESN'T WANT
YOUR COUCH, NO ONE ELSE
DOES EITHER. IF GOODWILL
DOESN'T WANT YOUR
COUCH, NO ONE ELSE DOES EITHER.
DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE CORNER
AND ESPECIALLY AFTER A RAINY
NIGHT, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE WANTS
IT.
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE
CORNER.
I APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO
DO THE BULKY ITEM ONCE A YEAR
FREE
OF CHARGE BECAUSE I THINK
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PUTTING
THEIR
COUCHES ON THE CORNER.
MAYBE WISHFUL THINKING OTHER
FOLKS WANT THEIR RIPPED UP
COUCH. NOT LIKELY BUT IT'S
DEFINITELY OFF THEIR HANDS,
RIGHT?
I STILL OWN A TRUNK
SIMPLY SO THAT I CAN GO TO THE
DUMP.
THE TIP FEE IS $30, WHICH IS
THE SAME COST AS TWO EXTRA
ROUNDS
OF TRASH AT MY HOME
PICKUP. AND I KNOW THAT NOT
EVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO
STORE A TRUCK, TO
KEEP A TRUCK, TO HAVE A
TRUCK, TO LIKE A TRUCK, RIGHT?
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE
ABILITY TO DO SO.
CAN YOU -- YOU SHARED
WITH ME THE OR WITH THE
COMMITTEE JUST
A MOMENT AGO THE DANGERS OF
HAVING BATTERIES AND ELECTRONICS
IN
THE TRASH WITH POTENTIAL FOR
FIRE,
ET CETERA. ARE WE BEING
PENALIZED WITH THE
LANDFILLS FOR -- IS
THERE ANOTHER COST ADDED IN IF
WE WERE
NOT TO DO THIS?
SAID ANOTHER WAY, WE ARE AT
THIS POINT CREATING A SUITE OF
OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO
DROP OFF A BAG OF BATTERIES
ONCE A
YEAR. IS THERE A COST TO US FOR
NOT DOING
THAT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I WANT TO SAY ONCE EVERY
MONTH OR ONCE EVERY OTHER
MONTH OUR FIRE CREWS HAVE TO
COME OUT
TO OUR FACILITIES TO ADDRESS A
FIRE, AND THESE THINGS
YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR.
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES, THEY
SUSTAIN THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE KIND OF THEIR OWN
SOURCE OF OXYGEN, OR SORT
OF
COMBUSTIBLE FUEL.
SO THEY'RE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT,
AND WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY
GET PUT OUT.
THAT'S A BURDEN ON OUR
EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT STAFF ON BOTH
THEIR TIME AS WELL AS THEIR
RESOURCES.
SO IT IS -- IT IS A GENERAL FUND
BURDEN ACTUALLY TO HAVE
THESE CONTINUING TO COME
INTO OUR
FACILITIES.
>> BECAUSE
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE
GENERAL FUND AND NOT
RATEPAYER
FUND.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE IS
A STOP TO THE SERVICE AND THAT
ALSO HAS ITS
OWN ASSOCIATED
IMPACTS.
>> JUST TO DIG INTO THIS
A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR YOUR
OTHER LINES OF SERVICE,
DRAINAGE,
WASTEWATER, I GUESS IT'S
REALLY JUST YOUR WATER SOURCE.
THAT'S WHERE CUSTOMERS
ARE OUTSIDE THE SILTY OF
SEATTLE.
FOR DRAINAGE
WASTEWATER AND SOLID WASTE, ALL
OF
YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE WITHIN THE
CITY
OF SEATTLE.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> FOR THE MOST PART.
WE DO HAVE SOME CUSTOMERS ON
THE BOARDERS OR FRINGES BUT
IT'S MOSTLY ON THE CITY LIMITS.
>> THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS
THAT ARE PAYING TAXES THAT FUND
OUR GENERAL
FUND.
>> THAT'S
CORRECT.
>> SO NO MATTER WHAT IF
WE DO THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE A
COST TO
RATE PAYERS, AND IF WE DON'T
DO THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE
A DIFFERENT COST TO RATE
PAYERS. THANK YOU FOR RUNNING
DOWN --
AND JUST TO PUT A FINER POINT ON
IT, IF I CAN RECALL CORRECTLY,
IT WOULD BE AN AVERAGE OF $1 FOR
MULTIFAMILY, AVERAGE OF
$2 MORE PER MONTH FOR A
HOMEOWNER, AND
ABOUT $20 A MONTH MORE FOR
A BUSINESS.
IS THAT --
>> THAT'S
CORRECT.
>> OKAY.
IN THE MOST PROFESSIONALLY
RESPONSIBLE WAY, LIKE LOVE
YOU ALL INCREDIBLY, BUT WE
ARE ALSO COLLEAGUES JOINED BY
SALLY.
SALLY IS A QUEEN
AMONGST QUEENS. ONE OF THE
FOLKS, THETHE
HEROES OF OUR CITY.
YOU ARE WHO I CALL WHEN I'VE
GOT
PROBLEMS.
AND THE WORST KIND OF PROBLEMS.
AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH
FOR
BEING SO RESPONSIVE AND
SO SOLUTION ORIENTED FOR EVERY
E- MAIL OR CALL.
IT'S INCREDIBLE.
I WISH WE HAD MORE PEOPLE
LIKE
YOU. WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS OUT
THERE THAT WORK LIKE YOU, BUT
THERE
ARE SO FEW THAT ARE --
THAT DRIVE SOLUTIONS LIKE YOU
DO.
AND I JUST CAN'T MISS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU IN
PUBLIC AND ON THE RECORD.
COLLEAGUES, I SHARED WITH
SPU THANK YOU FOR COMING AND
HAVING THAT LONG BRIEFING WITH
ME.
IT WAS
VERY HELPFUL. I SHARED WITH THEM
THE INTERSECTION WE'VE BEEN
HAVING ISSUES WITH BUSINESSES
BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEIR SOLID
WASTE PICKED UP IN -- IN MANY
PARTS
OF SEATTLE.
THE RESIDENTS THAT I DO
CASE WORK WITH ARE
PRIMARILY IN DISTRICT 6.
I DO -- WE NEED TO KEEP
WORKING IT OUT.
BOB AND JEFF -- IS JEFF HERE?
THERE'S JEFF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR E- MAIL,
JEFF FOWLER, VERY HELPFUL.
WHAT I AM NOTICING IS
THAT THERE ARE TWO ISSUES THAT
SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE EXPERIENCING.
ONE, IT'S NOT KNOWING.
IT'S THE COMMUNICATION OF WHAT
THE PROTOCOLS ARE, AND SO THEY
ARE BEING CHARGED EXTRA TIMES.
AND IF THEY DON'T CHALLENGE
THOSE CHARGES, THEN THEY
ARE CHARGED EXTRA MONEY FOR A
BASIC
SERVICE.
THE RESTAURANT OWNER THAT I
SPOKE WITH THIS MORNING QUOTED
ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE
SMALL RESTAURANTS, OWNER
OPERATED RESTAURANTS HAVE ABOUT
A 1. 5%
PROFIT MARGIN, RIGHT?
AND SO WHEN WE ADD $240 TO
A BILL OVER THE COURSE OF A
YEAR WHERE EACH OF THEIR
DUMPSTERS ARE COSTING ABOUT $320
I
BELIEVE PER MONTH, THAT'S A LOT
OF
MONEY.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT
WE HAVE TO UPDATE THE RATES AND
UPDATE
THE RATES IN THESE
WAYS. MY ASK HERE IS THAT WE FIX
THIS PROBLEM OF BUSINESSES
BEING CHARGED FOR THINGS THAT
ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL.
AND SO, CHAIR, BECAUSE I'VE
HAD EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH
THE UTILITY ABOUT THIS
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE
UP AGAINST THE BUDGET, I
BELIEVE IT WOULD BE PRUDENT
TODAY TO
VOTE THIS OUT OF COMMITTEE SO
THAT WE
ARE NOT IN -- SO WE DON'T
LEAVE IT WITHIN YOUR
COMMITTEE'S JURISDICTION AND
THEN
WAIT UNTIL SMOF THESE QUESTIONS
ARE FINALIZED AND RESOLVED
ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND
PROTOCOLS BEFORE FINAL PASSAGE,
IF
THAT'S ALL
RIGHT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT,
AND THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
I DO SEE COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA,
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL ON
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO SAY THAT THE
SERVICES WON'T BE FREE OF
CHARGE
BECAUSE THEY'RE -- AGAIN, THE
RATES
ARE GOING UP 50% IN ORDER TO
COVER
THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE.
AND WHILE YOU'RE PAYING
NOW GENERAL FUND FOR
TRYING TO MANAGE WHAT YOU'RE
TRYING
TO PASS ON IN THIS PARTICULAR
RATE PAY INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE
RATE NOT INCREASE BY 50% MORE
JUST
TO ACCOMMODATE THE SERVICE AND
JUST BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS
SERVICE
TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO USE IT.
BUT I'M ALSO MINDFUL,
AGAIN, ABOUT WHAT WE HEAR ON A
DAILY BASIS FROM CONSTITUENTS
ABOUT
THEIR COSTS INCREASING.
AND SO TO ME EVERYTHING IN
LIFE IS ABOUT A COMPROMISE AND
AN
ABILITY TO RESPOND BACK
TO TAXPAYERS.
AND SO I -- I WOULD VOTE FOR THE
RATE INCREASE WITHOUT THAT
50% TO COVER
THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE EVERYONE IS
GETTING SADDLED
WITH SO MANY INCREASES, AND
WE'RE
JUST HEARING FOLKS HAVE -- THERE
IS A LIVEABILITY AFFORDABILITY
PIECE, AND EVERYONE PAYS
INTO
THIS. AND I -- I WANT TO SAY
RIGHT NOW
I SUPER APPRECIATE THE UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
OF COURSE THERE ARE MANY
PEOPLE THAT DON'T QUALIFY BUT
ARE
LIVING ON FIXED INCOME.
I HAVE
A NUMBER. AND GENERAL MANAGER
LEE, I SO
APPRECIATE YOU BECAUSE
YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M
COMING FROM.
WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION
LOT.
I HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS IN
MY DISTRICT WHO ARE RETIRED
AND LIVING ON FIXED
INCOME, AND EVERY INCREASE,
EVERY LITTLE --
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HAS
AN
IMPACT. AND SO TO ME I WOULD
HAVE
PREFERRED, AND ESPECIALLY
THIS YEAR WHEN COSTS SEEMS TO
HAVE GONE UP MORE FOR EVERYTHING
INCLUDING FOOD AND, YOU
KNOW, GROCERIES, ET CETERA, THAT
MAYBE WE COULD HAVE DONE A
LET'S INCREASE THE RATE, MAYBE
THIS PROGRAM IS SOMETHING --
IT'S MORE NICE TO HAVE AS A
MUST- HAVE
AND MAYBE WE COULD DO THAT THE
NEXT GO AROUND GIVEN
EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS
I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS
RATE INCREASE WITH THIS IN IT,
BUT WITHOUT I WOULD HAVE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WAS
IT NECESSARY TO INCREASE IT BY
THAT 50% AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE
ARE
STRUGGLING.
THANK YOU.
THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> NO PROBLEM.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
AND AS BRIAN MENTIONED I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE IN HIS MEMO
AND YOU ALL HAVE SAID I
THINK, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA,
THAT THE
RATE INCREASES DRIVEN BY GRADUAL
INCREASE IN DEMANDS
TO PRE- PANDEMIC LEVELS.
A NEW SPECIAL ITEM PICKUP
SERVICE THAT HAS BEEN
INCLUDED AND SOME INFLATION AS
WELL.
IN ADDITION, OUR UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAM WILL
STILL APPLY TO THE 50% --
WILL STILL APPLY THE 50%
DISCOUNT FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE AND
THANK THE EXECUTIVE HAS RELEASED
A REPORT IN APRIL,
AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG,
RELEASED THEIR
FINDINGS HOW WE INCREASE THIS
ENROLLMENT.
AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE I
KEEP AN EYE OUT BECAUSE AS
YOU HEARD ON THE DAIS TODAY
WE'RE
WORRIED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR
POSITION, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE TO
GET THIS OUT OF
COMMITTEE AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING
TO ADDRESS SOME
CONCERNS COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
HAD
IN SOME
QUESTIONINGS BUT ALSO CONTINUE
THE CONVERSATIONS WE
HAD WITH COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA AS
WELL. SO I'M GOING TO --
SO NEXT THING I'M GOING TO DO
IS I'M GOING TO
MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF COUNCIL
BILL 121051.
IS THERE A SECOND
IN.
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
RECOMMEND THE PASSAGE OF
THE BILL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
FINAL COMMENTS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES AT ALL?
SEEING NONE, CLERK, WILL
YOU PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KET
KETTLE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>>
NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
WILL BE
SENT TO TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
16th CITY COUNCIL
MEETING.
>> CHAIR, IF WE COULD --
>> NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
SENT TO THE SEPTEMBER -- IT'S
THE FOLLOWING MEETING.
COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
>> MY REQUEST WOULD BE TO
HOLD THE BE UNTIL WE RESOLVE
THESE
QUESTIONS.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
THANK YOU.
AND THAT WILL BE MY REQUEST AS
WELL FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SENT
TO THE
16th. WE'LL HOLD IT UNTIL
WE ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> YES, CAN YOU PLEASE --
WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS WE'RE
GOING TO
RESOLVE, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
YOU MEAN THE ONES I'VE
BROUGHT UP OR SOMETHING YOU
BROUGHT UP?
SORRY.
>> IN THE COMMENTS I
JUST PROVIDED REGARDING THE
BRIEFING I RECEIVED, THE
CONCERNS THAT
I DISCUSSED WERE THE
SMALL BUSINESSES BEING CHARGED
BY
WASTE
MANAGEMENT FOR THINGS THAT ARE
OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL.
SPU NOT NECESSARILY HAVING
THE PROTOCOLS
AND COMMUNICATION TOOLS DIALLED
INTO THE LEVEL --
I'M ESSENTIALLY JUST TRYING
TO GET MYSELF OUT OF THIS JOB
WHERE
I'M THE CASE MANAGER FOR THESE
FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT THAT I
CONNECT WITH YOU. EVERY CUSTOMER
SHOULD KNOW
WHAT THE PROTOCOLS ARE THROUGH
THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS WE
HAVE
ESTABLISHED.
>> AND SO THE QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH, I WANT TO
CLARIFY AROUND THE HOPE IS TO
GET A
RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS
THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES'
CONCERNS?
>> YES.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
THIS IS SALLY AGAIN.
AND I THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, FOR BRINGING THIS TO
OUR ATTENTION.
WE DO NOT WANT CUSTOMERS TO
BE CHARGED FOR SERVICES THAT
ARE NOT RENDERED, SO WE WILL
BE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE
CUSTOMER -- WITH THE BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION IN
BALLARD AND AS WELL AS THE OTHER
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS IN THE
CITY AND WUM AND MAKE SURE OUR
QUALIFICATIONS ARE CLEAR TO THE
CUSTOMER SO THEY KNOW THEY HAVE
THE FOLLOWING AREAS BOTH
WITHIN OPERATIONS AND CUSTOMER
SERVICE TO ADDRESS THEIR
CONCERNS,
AND THAT WE ARE THEIR SUPPORT
TOOL
AS WELL. SO WE WILL BE WORKING
ON THE
SPECIFICS FOR YOU TO --
TO APPROVE OR TO JUST
PROVIDE GREATER COMMUNICATIONS
TO
THE CUSTOMER ABOUT THEIR --
ABOUT THE WAYS THAT WE CHARGE
AND
HOW THEY CAN COMMUNICATE
THOSE CHARGES SO THAT WE'RE
ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
RAISING THAT ISSUE AND
BRINGING IT TO OUR
ATTENTION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU, SALLY.
AND I KNOW THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT AND SOME OF
THOSE
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HAVING
ISSUES AS
WELL. A LITTLE
BIT DIFFERENT THAN YOU'RE
DESCRIBING, BUT
NEVERTHELESS SOME
SERVICE CHALLENGES THAT I WOULD
LOVE TO
FIND RESOLUTION FOR AS
WELL.
>> WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
WE WANT ALL THE BIAs TO
BE SUCCESSFUL SO THEY CAN SPEND
THEIR MONEY ON DOING
MARKETING AND NOT CLEANING UP OF
SOLID
WASTE.
>> AND THEN, CHAIR, JUST FOR
THE RECORD, I WANT TO BE VERY
CLEAR THAT I VOTED NO FOR THE
REASONS I STATED IN TERMS OF
THESE RATE INCREASES AND THIS
PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T
SUPPORT THE PROGRAM AND I WANT
TO ABOUT THAT.
IT'S I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
THE INCREASE AND THE COST.
IT JUST BECOMES
BURDENSOME FOR SOME OF OUR
RETIREES
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REAL.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THE PROGRAM.
LIKE I SAID IT'D BE GREAT IF WE
DIDN'T HAVE TO PASS ON
THE ADDITIONAL TO THE RATEPAYER.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> NO WORRIES.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD,
THIS WILL NOT BE
SEND TO THE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
16th.
WE WILL HOLD IT UNTIL WE GET OUR
ISSUES RESOLVED WITH SPU AND
THE REST OF SOME OF THE
COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER 11 INTO THE
AGENDA?
>> AGENDA ITEM 11, COUNCIL BILL
121050, AN ORDINANCE RELATING
TO SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES AUTHORIZING THE
GENERAL
MANAGER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER OF SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES
TO EXECUTE THE FIRST AMENDED AND
RESTATED CONTRACT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND ITS
LONG-TERM, FULL,
AND PARTIAL
REQUIREMENTS CONTRACT HOLDERS
FOR THE SUPPLY OF WATER.
AUTHORIZING THE WITHDRAWAL
OF FUNDS FROM THE WATER
FUND REVENUE STABILIZATION
SUBFUND
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION,
AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU. AND WELCOME BACK.
THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING
ON THIS COUNCIL BILL, SO
IN LIEU OF A PRESENTATION,
PLEASE
INTRODUCE
YOURSELF. AND BEFORE OUR CENTRAL
STAFF
RECAP AND OVERVIEW,
AND THEN WE'LL JUMP TO BRIAN
GOODNIGHT.
THANK YOU.
>> GENERAL MANAGER FOR
PUBLIC
UTILITIES.
>> ALEX CHEN, DRINKING
WATER DIRECTOR FOR
SPU.
>> AND BRIAN GOODNIGHT,
COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF. GO AHEAD AND JUMP
IN.
THANK YOU.
SO LAR TO THE LAST ITEM
SPU STAFF ALEX DID PROVIDE
A THOROUGH PRESENTATION OF
THIS BILL AT THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING.
IN SUMMARY COUNCIL BILL 1210
WOULD AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL
MANAGEFER OF SPU TO ENTER AN
AGREEMENT. THE AGREEMENTS FOR
THE
CURRENT CONTRACT WERE FIRST
SIGNED IN
2002, BUT TYPICAL OF LONG-
TERM CONTRACTS IT DOES
CONTAIN PROVISIONS TO REEVALUATE
THE TERMS EVERY SO OFTEN, IN
THIS
CASE BEGINNING ABOUT FIVE
YEARS
AGO. EARLIER THIS YEAR SPU
CONCLUDED NEGOTIATION WITH THE
OTHER 16
PARTIES ON AMENDMENTS TO THE
CURRENT WHOLESALE WATER
AGREEMENT. TWO OF MOST
SIGNIFICANT PROVISIONS IN THE
WHOLESALE CONTRACT ARE A ROLLING
AUTOMATIC TENURE EXTENSION WHICH
ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO PLAN LONG-
TERM
AND IS HELPFUL FOR BOND RATINGS.
SECOND STRANDED COST
MEG PROTECTIONS FOR THE
CITY AND OTHER CUSTOMERS.
AND ESSENTIALLY THAT REQUIRES
ENTITIES THAT WISH TO LEAVE
THE SYSTEM OR REDUCE THEIR
PURCHASE
BY OVER 5% TO PAY SOME COSTS
BACK TO THE REMAINING MEMBERS.
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT
ACTION THAT'S AUTHORIZED BY THE
COUNCIL BILL IS THE RETURN OF
$27 MILLION OF OVER
PAYMENTS TO WHOLESALE WATER
CUSTOMERS THAT
HAVE ACCUMULATED SINCE 2018.
THIS
IS FUNDING THAT WAS KEPT IN A
SEPARATE SUBFUND OF THE
WATER FUND, SO IT WON'T IMPACT
THE HEALTH OF THE BROADER WATER
FUND OR ANY OF THE OTHER CITY
FUNDS.
TO AUTHORIZE THE SPENDING,
HOWEVER, THE BILL WOULD AMEND
THE SPU'S SPENDING AUTHORITY IN
THE 2025 BUDGET AND PROVIDE
A REVISAL ON THOSE FUNDS
JUST ENSURING THEY'D ONLY BE
USED FOR
THE CITY AND WATER DISTRICTS,
THE WHOLESALE WATER CUSTOMERS.
LASTLY BECAUSE OF THIS
BUDGET CHANGE IF AND WHEN THE
BILL GETS
TO COUNCIL IT DOES REQUIRES
A MAJORITY TO
PASS.
>>
THANK YOU. I'LL PAUSE HERE TO
SEE IF ANY OF
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
ANY
QUESTIONS. THIS IS THE SECOND
PRESENTATION FOR THIS COUNCIL
BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I APPRECIATE YOU, ALEX,
COMING AND SPENDING SO MUCH TIME
WITH ME, TAKING ALL OF MY
QUESTIONS.
AND, CHAIR, I WON'T GO BACK AND
FORTH REASKING ALL THE
QUESTIONS I ASKED BOTH ALEX AND
BRIAN IN MY OFFICE JUST TOTO
I BELIEVE THIS IS A GOOD BILL,
IT'S A
FAIR BILL, AND IT IS
TECHNICALLY ACCURATE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO VOTE ON
IT TODAY, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW
WHAT
I WOULD SAY IF I WASN'T ON TV
RIGHT
NOW. THANK YOU,
ALEX.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I TOO WANT TO -- AND I
WAS NEGLECTFUL EARLIER NOT
THANKING
THE ENTIRE SPU TEAM.
THEY BRIEFED ME EARLIER
TODAY ON ALL THESE BILLS WE'RE
TAKING VOTES ON TODAY AND
ANSWERED ALL MY
QUESTIONS, AND I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THAT AND ALL THE
HARD WORK AT THE STAFF AT SPU.
GENERAL MANAGER LEE, YOU
KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR
WORK AND THAT OF YOUR ENTIRE
TEAM, SO
I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT AND I
FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THIS.
I DID HAVE MY
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
THANK
YOU.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU FOR
THAT, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
THANK YOU, SPU FOR --
WE SPENT TIME TOGETHER AND YOU
ALL
HAVE GIVEN ME BRIEFINGS ON THIS,
SO YOU ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS
IN THOSE MEETINGS.
SO AS
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS SAID, I
WILL NOT GO BACK AND
FORTH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE BRIEFING.
WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO
GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT
THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF COUNCIL BILL 121050.
IS THERE
A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND
TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL BILL
121050.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER
FINAL
COMMENTS? SEEING NONE AND
HEARING
NONE, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE
ROLL FOR THE -- WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> AWESOME.
MOTION CARRIES AND THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION WILL BE SENT TO
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6th.
THIS ONE WILL BE SENT TO
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th
CITY COUNCIL
MEETING. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE STILL HERE AT
THE TABLE BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE.
BUT, WAIT, THERE IS MORE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ --
WE GET MORE
SPU STAFF, WE GET BILLS, BILL,
BILLS.
DESTINY'S CHILD, BILLS, BILLS,
BILLS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 12 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 12, COUNCIL BILL
121037 UPDATING SEWER
REGULATIONS TO CONFIRM
TO CURRENT STANDARDS, ALLOW
SEWER
FEES BE CREATED BY DIRECTORS
RULE AND UPDATE DEFINITIONS FOR
BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU AND WELCOME BACK.
WE ALL REMEMBER THE
MEETING BEFORE AND WE HAD A LOT
OF
LEGISLATION, SO WELCOME BACK.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND JUMP --
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
YOU CAN JUMP -- DIRECTOR, LEE,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN
UNLESS
YOU WANT TO BECAUSE YOU'RE
GOING TO BE
HERE FOREVER. AND BRIAN
GOODNIGHT, YOU
CAN JUMP
IN.
>> I'M SENIOR POLICY
ADVISOR
WITH SPU.
>> THIS IS THE LAST OF THE
SPU
ITEMS FOR TODAY'S AGENDA THAT
WAS HEARD AT THE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE AGENDA IN
AUGUST.
SO THIS BILL WOULD UPDATE THE
SITES REGULATIONS IN THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE TO
CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS AND ALIGN
WITH
DECISIONS MADE BY THE COUNCIL
IN THE 2025 ADOPTED BUDGET.
THERE IS A MEMO ATTACHED TO
THE AGENDA THAT PROVIDES
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON
THE
SIDE SEWER PEARLING PROGRAM
KIND OF GENERALLY AND ALSO
SUMMARIZES
THE BILL.
IN BRIEF LAST YEAR'S
BUDGET COUNCIL APPROVED
PERMITTING PROGRAM FROM THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION
AND INSTRUCTION OR SDCCI TO SPU.
THE SITES PERMITTING PROGRAM
ADMINISTERS PERMITS FOR NEW
DEVELOPMENTS AS WELL AS REPAIR
OR REPLACE TO EXISTING
SITE
SEWERS. THEY'VE OVERSEEN THE
PROGRAM
SINCE 2003 VIA AGREEMENT
WITH SPU.
AND SPU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
OVER THAT WORK.
SO THE COUNCIL BILL BEFORE
YOU 121037 WOULD AMEND
SUBSECTIONS
116 OF THE CODE TO
RECOGNIZE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY
AND
REPLACE THE DIRECTOR OF SDCCI
TO THE SPU.
SPU AT THIS TIME IS NOT
PROPOSING TO ADJUST ANY OF
THE FEES BUT WOULD LIKE TO
CONSOLIDATE THEM WITH OTHER
SPU FEES IN THE DIRECTOR'S ROLE
AND THAT WOULD EASE
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FEES
IN
THE FUTURE. AND THAT CONCLUDES
MY SUMMARY.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, MR.
GOODNIGHT.
COLLEAGUES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE ANY -- SPU IF YOU
HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, I KNOW
YOU'RE
HERE AT THE TABLE AND ANSWER
ANYTHING. COLLEAGUES, DO YOU
HAVE
ANYTHING?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> KEVIN, THANK YOU FOR
PUTTING UP WITH MY REALLY BAD
JOKES
AND MY TRICK QUESTION FROM THE
LAST
COMMITTEE.
AS I SAID LAST COMMITTEE,
THIS IS A SMART DECISION.
THIS IS GOVERNMENT EFFICIENT.
WE ARE CREATING
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY WITH THIS
CHANGE AND
IT'S SOMETHING I SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, BRIAN, FOR ALL OF
YOUR FEEDBACK AS WELL.
GOOD
JOB.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
ANYONE ELSE,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA OR
COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE? NO. COMFORTABLE IN
VOTING ON THIS TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
THEN PUTTING TOGETHER
THIS LEGISLATION.
I DON'T WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, BUT
HE DOESN'T MIND.
BUT JUST DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT
HE SAID.
JUST A SMART PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, AND IT MAKES SENSE.
SO I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF COUNCIL BILL 1210373.
IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND THE
PASSAGE OF
THE BILL.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>>
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT THE BILL PASS WILL BE SENT
TO THE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th
MEETING, 2025 COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE YOU, KEVIN.
AND DIRECTOR LEE
KNOWS THAT'S HIS
SPOT TODAY. OKAY.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 13 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA 13 AUTHORIZING
THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN REAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS BY NEGOTIATION
OR IMMINENT DOMAIN, CONDEMNATION
OF TEN SEPARATE
PERMANENT EASEMENTS.
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION,
AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS A
NEW AGENDA ITEM,
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE
HEARD IT, BUT
I ALSO -- AND WE'RE KIND OF
LATE,
YOU KNOW, RIGHT BEFORE BUDGET
SEASON, BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT
YOU ALL EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS
AN URGENT PIECE
OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS MUCH
NEEDED.
SO PLEASE GO AHEAD AND
INTRODUCE UNIVERSAL AND JUST
JUMP
RIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US
TODAY. SPU GENERAL WASTEWATER.
>> SPU
PROJECT MANAGER.
>> JERRY CARUSO, SPU
REAL PROPERTY
MANAGER.
>> AND I WILL LEAD OFF ON
THIS, AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO
BRING UP THE PRESENTATION.
WE MIGHT NEED HELP WITH THAT,
AS WE'RE DOING THAT.
THIS NEXT PIECE OF
LEGISLATION IS REGARDING
OBTAINING
PROPERTY RIGHTS TO ENABLE SPU TO
PERFORM CRITICAL REPAIRS TO A
NEARLY
100-YEAR-OLD PIPE THAT IS
COLLAPSING AND CONVEYS THE
CREEK IN WEST SEATTLE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW TO REPLACE
THIS
CULVERT, AND WHAT CHANGED
AND MADE THIS SO URGENT IS
THAT WE HAD BEEN PERFORMING
MONTHLY VIDEO MONITORING OF THE
CULVERTS, WHICH IS NEAR
THE TERMINAL AND RECENTLY NOTED
THAT IT HAD SIGNIFICANTLY
DEGRADED SINCE OUR LAST
MONTHLY
INSPECTION. THAT TRIGGERED US TO
EXPEDITE THE LEGISLATION
THAT IS BEFORE YOU.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
AUTHORIZE SPU TO ACQUIRE
PROPERTY RIGHTS TO REPLACE THE
FAILING
COALVERTS.
SPECIFICALLY IT WOULD REQUIRE
US TO ACQUIRE BY NEGOTIATION OR
CONDEMNATION TEN PERMANENT OR 18
CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS.
THE ACTUAL COMPENSATION
TO PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE
SUBJECT
TO FAIR MARKET
VALUE DETERMINATION.
WITH ME HERE TODAY IS SIERRA
WHO WORKS IN OUR
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND
DRAINAGE PROGRAM, JONATHAN
BROWN,
THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE
PROJECT.
AND JERRY CARUSO, OUR
REAL
PROPERTY MANAGER. I DO WANT TO
GIVE A QUICK
PAUSE, THOUGH, BEFORE WE JUMP
IN.
THROUGHOUT THE CITY WE HAVE AN
EXTREMELY COMPLEX NETWORK OF
CREEKS AND PIPE CULVERTS.
SOME ARE PRIVATELY OWNED OR
ON PUBLIC PROPERTY BUT SOME
ARE PUBLICLY OWNED ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY AND IT'S A MYRIAD
OF MIXTURES.
WHEN THE PIPED PARTS
OF THE SYSTEM ARE NEARING
FAILURE AND
ARE PUBLICLY OWNED, IT IS
OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
REPLACEMENT.
AND IF WE DON'T, WE RISK
INCREDIBLE DAMAGE TO THE
PUBLIC OR TO PRIVATE PROPERTY IF
WE FAIL TO DO SO.
THESE PROJECTS,
UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE INCREDIBLE
IMPACTS.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY VERY,
VERY CLOSE BECAUSE WE'RE A
DENSE OUT
CITY, THEY'RE
INTRUSIVE, THEY HAVE
CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS.
AND WE ARE IN ALL
SITUATIONS COMMITTED TO
MANAGING,
MITIGATING, MINIMIZING THOSE
IMPACTS WHERE WE CAN,
AND THAT IS TRUE OF
THIS PROJECT. BUT, AGAIN, WHERE
WE NEED
RIGHTS AND PROPERTY RIGHTS
TO PERFORM ON THIS, IT IS OUR
DUTY TO DO
SO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE
COMMITTED TO DOING.
SO WITH THAT I WILL PASS IT ONTO
SIERRA AND JONATHAN AND JERRY
TO GIVE THE
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU.
SO THIS LEGISLATION IS ABOUT
ONE OF TWO HIGH RISK CULVERTS ON
THE
CREEK. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE
CALIFORNIA
AVENUE SOUTHWEST CULVERT AND
THE 45th AVENUE SOUTHWEST
CULVERT.
WE'LL BE REPLACING BOTH OF
THESE FAILING CULVERTS WITH FISH
PASSAGE CULVERTS SINCE THEY ARE
COHO SALMON PRESENT IN THIS
CREEK.
TO GIVE YOU MORE CONTEXT ABOUT
THIS WATERSHED -- NOW THIS
LEGISLATION FOCUSES ON
THE CULVERT THAT IS CIRCLED HERE
IN RED, BUT I WANTED FOR
YOUR AWARENESS TO SHARE A QUICK
OVERVIEW OF THE
CALIFORNIACALIFORNIA CULVERT
EMERGENCY REPAIR
PROJECT, WHICH IS CIRCLED IN
BLUE.
THE CALIFORNIA AVENUE CULVERT
IS IN SUCH POOR CONDITION THAT
WE
ARE INITIATING AN EMERGENCY
PROJECT TO LINE THIS PIPE LATER
THIS MONTH.
THIS WILL BUY US
TIME BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE
DESIGN PHASE FOR THE PERMANENT
CULVERT REPLACEMENT PROJECT,
WHICH WE'RE
HOPING TO START
CONSTRUCTION ON IN 2028.
THE PURPOSE OF
THIS LEGISLATION IS TO SUPPORT
THE FULL
REPLACEMENT OF THE 45th AVENUE
SOUTHWEST CULVERT, WHICH IS
ALSO IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.
THE EXISTING CULVERT IS A 2-
FOOT
DIAMETER PIPE.
I'VE INCLUDED A COUPLE
OF SNAPSHOTS HERE FROM
CCTV INSPECTIONS THAT OUR SPU
CREWS
MAKE EVERY MONTH.
WE STARTED IN MAY TO DOING
MONTHLY INSPECTIONS OF THIS
PIPE, AND WE'VE SEEN
FROM DECEMBER TO MAY OF THIS
YEAR
A DRASTIC CHANGE, A
DRASTIC WORSENING OF THE
CONDITION OF THIS PIPE.
AND THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF
THE SNAPSHOTS I COULD HAVE
SHARED
WITH YOU. ON THE RIGHT YOU'LL
SEE WHERE
THE
TOP OF THE PIPE IS STARTING TO
COLLAPSE, AND ON THE
LEFT YOU'LL SEE WHERE SOIL AND
GROUND
WATER ENTERING THROUGH
DEFECTS IN THE PIPE.
THAT MEANS THE SOIL IS NO
LONGER ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE
PIPE
WHERE IT SHOULD BE TO HOLD UP
THE
ROAD, THE STEEP SLOPE GOING
DOWN TO THE CREEK.
BOTH THE POOR CONDITION OF THIS
PIPE, THIS CULVERT, AND THE
UNDERCAPACITY OF IT CREATE
A HIGH RISK OF BLOCKAGES.
FAILURE OF THIS CULVERT COULD
DESTABILIZE THE AVINE.
IT COULD IMPACT 45th
AVENUE SOUTHWEST, IT COULD
IMPACT
OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE AND/OR
PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN
THE FINAL DESIGN PHASE OF
THE PROJECT. AS OF AUGUST -- AS
OF AUGUST
2025, THIS IS
OUR CURRENT
PROJECT SCHEDULE. WE'RE LOOKING
TO ADVERTISE FOR
BIDS IN FEBRUARY 2026,
START CONSTRUCTION IN SEPTEMBER
OF
2026, AND
COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION BY MAY OF
2028.
I DID WANT TO NOTE
THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH HAS
BEEN ONGOING SINCE 2019.
THAT INCLUDES PUBLIC
MEETINGS, TABLING EVENTS,
ATTENDING COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND
ALSO ATTENDING EVENTS THAT ARE
ORGANIZED BY LOCAL COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS. AS I NOTED THE
CULVERT IS AT
HIGH RISK OF FAIL, BUT
BECAUSE WE ARE SO CLOSE FOR
ADVERTISING
FOR BID WE'RE NOT PROPOSING
TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD
LIKE EMERGENCY REPAIR LIKE
THE CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY CULVERT
AT THIS TIME.
I DID WANT TO NOTE A
DELAY IN OUR SCHEDULE MAKES IT
MORE LIKELY WE WILL NEED TO
PROCEED
WITH AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE
TO
THIS CULVERT. AT THIS TIME WE'RE
CONTINUING TO
MONITOR THE CULVERT CLOSELY, BUT
BECAUSE OF THAT
WORSENING CONDITION, WE WANT TO
MITIGATE ANY SCHEDULE RISKS TO
GET
INTO CONSTRUCTION AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE.
IN ADDITION TO THIS BEING A
FAILING CULVERT, THERE
ARE ACTUALLY A LOT OF BENEFITS
TO
THIS PROJECT.
THE EXISTING CULVERT IS A
FISHFISH
BARRIER, WHICH MEANS IT
BLOCKS ACCESS TO UPSTREAM
SPAWNING HABIT FOR COHO SALMON.
WE'LL BE REPLACIC THE
EXISTING FAILING 2- FOOT
DIAMETER
PIPE WITH A 14- FOOT WIDE
CULVERT FISH
PASSAGE REQUIREMENTS WHICH
STEM FROM TRIBAL TREATY RIGHTS.
BY
INSTALLING THIS NEW CULVERT
WE'LL RESTORE ACCESS TO
UPSTREAM
SPAWNING HABITAT BUT
MAKING SIGNIFICANT CREEK
IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT MEANS UP LPD TOO IN THE
RAVINE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM
THE RENDERING HERE THE CURRENT
DECIDUOUS FOREST IS ACTUALLY IN
POOR CONDITION. IT'S INFESTED
WITH INVASIVE
SPECIES, AND WE'LL BE
REPLANTING BACK A CONIFEROUS
FOREST
WHICH WILL REGAIN RESISTANCE TO
SPECIES, BIODIVERSITY, AIR
QUALITY, AND OF COURSE FISH
LIFE.
THIS PROJECT ALSO SUPPORTS THE
LOCAL SALMAN'S INTO
SCHOOLS PROGRAM WHICH RELEASES
SALMON
INTO FAUNTLEROY CREEK,
PROVIDING CLIMATE INFRASTRUCTURE
AND REDUCING THE RISK OF CULVERT
BLOCKAGES AND FLOODING. THIS IS
AN AERIAL VIEW OF
THE PROJECT.
YOU CAN SEE IN BLUE THE
EXISTING 2- FOOT DIAMETER
FAILING CULVERT.
AND IN BOLD BLACK IS THE NEW
14- FOOT CULVERT PER STATE
AND FEDERAL SIZING REQUIREMENTS.
FOR COMPARISON, ON THE
LEFT YOU CAN SEE WHAT A 2- FOOT
PIPE
WOULD LOOK LIKE, THAT THE FISH
AND THE
ENTIRE CREEK ARE
CONVEYED THROUGH THAT TODAY, AND
WE'LL
BE REPLACING IT WITH SOMETHING
THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO UP ABOVE
WHERE THE STREAM IS ABLE TO
MEANDER THROUGH MUCH MORE
NATURALLY.
FROM THIS AERIAL IMAGE
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT THE
EXISTING --
THE ADJACENT BUILDINGS
ARE ACTUALLY QUITE CLOSE TO
THE PROPOSED CULVERT
FOOTPRINT, WHICH BRINGS ME BACK
TO
TODAY'S
LEGISLATION ABOUT THE
ACQUISITION OF TEN PERMANENT
AND 18 TEMPORARY EASEMENTS,
WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT
THE
REPLACEMENT CULVERT.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE
TEMPORARY EASEMENTS IN CYAN
BLUE AND THE PERMANENT
EASEMENTS IN GREENWICH OF WHICH
ARE NEEDED FOR
CONTRACT STAGING AND PARKING.
I'M GOING TO ZOOM INTO THE
RED BOX FOR A CLOSER VIEW OF
THE EASEMENTS ADJACENT TO
THE
CULVERT. SO IN THIS ZOOMED IN
VIEW
YOU'LL STILL SEE THE
PERMANENT EASEMENTS IN GREEN AND
THE TEMPORARY EASEMENTS IN BLUE.
AND THE NEW CULVERT IN
DARK BLACK.
SOME OF THE PERMANENT
EASEMENTS ARE FOR THE PERMANENT
RETAINING WALL THAT SPU WILL OWN
AND
MAINTAIN THAT WILL
HELP STABILIZE THE STEEP SLOPE
DOWN TO IT CREEK.
OTHER PERMANENT EASEMENTS
AROUND THE CULVERT ITSELF ARE
NECESSARY, FOR STAIRS TO PROVIDE
SAFE ACCESS FOR SPU CREWS
TO ACCESS BOTH ENDS
OF THE CULVERT. THE TEMPORARY
EASEMENTS, THE 18
TEMPORARY EASEMENTS ARE
24 MONTHS IN DURATION.
THE PROJECT TEAM HAS
PROVIDED NOTICES TO AND MAINTAIN
ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS WITH
PROPERTY OWNERS SINCE 2024 ABOUT
THESE
EASEMENTS.
AND SPU IS CURRENTLY
GETTING APPRAISALS FOR FAIR
MARKET
VALUE COMPENSATION FOR THE
PERMANENT
EASEMENTS, TEMPORARY
EASEMENTS, AND TREE REMOVALS ON
PRIVATE
PARCEL. SO THE REASON FOR
THIS LEGISLATION IS BECAUSE TO
INSTALL A CULVERT WE ARE
LOOKING TO ACQUIRE THESE
PERMANENT AND
TEMPORARY EASEMENTS
THROUGH
NEGOTIATION. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE
UNABLE
TO NEGOTIATE SUCCESSFULLY
WITH PROPERTY OWNS WE ARE
PREPARING FOR CONDEMNATION AND
APPEAL, WHICH WOULD DELAY THE
START
OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FULL
CULVERT.
FOR OUR SCHEDULE I'VE
ALREADY WALKED US THROUGH THAT,
SO I'M
NOT GOING TO GO TOO MUCH
INTO
MORE DETAIL WITH THIS, BUT I DID
WANT TO NOTE THAT WE
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BRING
THIS EASEMENT ORDINANCE
BEFORE COUNCIL IN
SEPTEMBER BECAUSE THIS SAVES US
THREE MONTHS
ON OUR OVERALL PROJECT SCHEDULE.
SO THIS IS THE END
OF MY PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT I
DID WANT TO NOTE I HAVE JONATHAN
AND JERRY HERE, AND WE'RE ALL
HAPPY TO ANSWER WHATEVER
QUESTIONS
YOU
MAY HAVE.
>> JONATHAN, JERRY, DID YOU ALL
WANT TO ADD ANYTHING BEFORE
WE JUMP TO CENTRAL STAFF AT ALL?
OKAY, AWESOME. MR. GOODNIGHT?
>> THAT YOU CAN, CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SUBSTANCE
CHB
COMMENTS. I'VE BEEN IN THE
BRIEFINGS WITH
THEM, AND THE MATERIALS ALL
DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY
DO.
>> AWESOME.
AND BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS,
I JUST WANTED TO PAUSE HERE --
WELL, I'LL JUST ASK MY QUESTION
FIRST. WHAT HAS THE ENGAGEMENT
BEEN WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS
AND THE
OUTREACH?
>> WELL, I'VE HAD -- I'VE
HAD SOME DIRECT CONVERSATIONS
WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR THE
ALPINE CHALET APARTMENT
BUILDING, MR. JOHN DOWNING.
AND HE IS -- WE'RE ENGAGED
IN A CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW.
HE IS NOT -- MY UNDERSTANDING
IS HE WAS GOING TO COME TO
COUNCIL HERE AND PRESENT HIS
POSITION, AND I HAD TWO
CONVERSATIONS
WITH
HIM.
I'VE HAD TWO CONVERSATIONS WITH
MR. DOWNING, AND WE'VE
DISCUSSED THIS
PROJECT. HE DOES -- YOU KNOW,
PRESENTED SOME OBJECTIONS
TO IT, AND I DISCUSSED WITH HIM
THAT WE HAVE
NOT PREPARED AN OFFERING
PACKAGE
TO HIM. WE HAVE NOT -- BECAUSE
WE ARE
NOT -- WE DO NOT
HAVE THAT INFORMATION READY.
WE'RE STILL ASSEMBLING
OUR APPRAISALS AND
OUR FINAL DESCRIPTIONS ON ALL
THE PROPERTY
RIGHTS.
>> AWESOME.
AND MR. DOWNING, I KNOW THAT
YOU'RE HERE AND YOU SIGNED
UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I'M
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SAY -- I
DON'T WANT TO THROW ANYONE OFF,
BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU,
SIR.
>> CHAIR, POINT OF
INFORMATION. I THINK WE HAVE TO
REOPEN
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> OH, THANK YOU.
>> OR INVITE HIM TO THE TABLE.
I'M NOT -- DO YOU WANT TO TAKE
A
QUICK PAUSE TO FIGURE IT OUT?
>> PLEASE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE AT EASE
REAL QUICK FOR COUNCIL SO I CAN
DOUBLE-CHECK AND MAKE SURE I'M
NOT OUT OF ORDER.
THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE GO TO YOU, WE HAVE TO
SEE ABOUT OUR -- HOW WE -- OH,
AMELIA'S HERE.
THANK YOU.
IT'S ALL PROCEDURE.
I APOLOGIZE.
AWESOME, SO WE'RE GOING TO
BE AT EASE,
THANK YOU. I LIKE TO THROW
WRENCHES
INTO CERTAIN THINGS.
I JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT.
THANK YOU, SIR.
APPRECIATE IT. I SEE,
COUNCILMEMBER, BEFORE
WE FIGURE THIS OUT, WE'LL GO
TO MORE QUESTIONS FROM
OUR COUNCILMEMBERS BEFORE WE GET
TO
YOU. IS IT MR. DOWNY?
AWESOME.
COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. OH, WE HAVE TO BE
AT EASE.
SORRY. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, HI.
AMELIA SANCHEZ, OFFICE OF
CITY
CLERK. OFFICIAL NOTICE WAS
PROVIDED
TO PROPERTY OWNERS
THIS PUBLIC COMMENT WERE TO
OCCUR TODAY.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN,
THE GENTLEMAN DID RECEIVE THE
NOTICE, IT'S JUST HE WAS NOT IF
YOU WANT TO PROVIDE
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO
COMMENT BECAUSE THIS NOTICE WAS
PROVIDED, YOU CAN MOVE
TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW
THE
PUBLIC COMMENT TO OCCUR
AFTER YOU'VE ALREADY CLOSED THE
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> AWESOME.
OKAY, AND ARE THERE
ANY OBJECTIONS TO ME SUSPENDING
THE RULES TO ALLOW PUBLIC
COMMENT
FOR MR.
DOWNY? ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING
TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW
MR. DOWNY
TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'RE GIVING EVERYONE 2
MINUTES, MR. DOWNY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE,
SO I DON'T WANT TO -- GIVE ME
ONE
SECOND, MR. DOWNY.
WE'RE GOING TO GET THE TIMER
GOING FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
AND THE TIMER WILL BEGIN
ONCE YOU
START.
>> THANK
YOU. WE ARE -- ANOTHER FELLA AND
IOPE THIS BUILDING, AND LIKE
EVERYONE WE BELIEVE THIS IS A
GOOD
PROJECT, WE THINK IT SHOULD GO
FORWARD, WE WANT TO SUPPORT IT.
THEY ARE TAKING OUR PARKING LOT.
WE'LL HAVE NO PARKING
ATTENDANCE. THERE'S VIRTUALLY
NO
STREET PARKING CLOSE.
AND THE THING I'VE
BEEN DISCUSSING WITH MR. CARUSO
IS
IT ISN'T JUST THE PARKING LOT
THAT HAS VALUE, IT'S THE
BUSINESS OPERATIONS OF THE
APARTMENT BUILDING.
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE EQUIPMENT
AND VIBRATION AND NOISE,
AND TENANTS ARE NOT GOING TO
WANT
TO LIVE THERE FOR THAT --
WITH
THAT. SO THERE HAS TO BE SOME
KIND
OF JUST COMPENSATION FOR THE
LOSS OF INCOME FOR
THE BUILDING. WE HAVE A MORTGAGE
WE HAVE
TO
PAY. AND LOOKING AT IT FROM A
TENANT
STANDPOINT, THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO WANT TO LIVE SOMEWHERE WITH
ALL
THIS EQUIPMENT AND
EVERYTHING RIGHT IN FRONT OF
THEIR DOORS.
IT'S NOT --
THIS APARTMENT BUILDING DOESN'T
HAVE INTERIOR
HALLS. THIS IS AN OUTSIDE
WALKWAY
BUILDING.
IN ADDITION
TO THAT, THE LAND IS VERY
UNSTABLE.
WE'VE HAD TO REPAIR THE
SIDEWALK MULTIPLE TIMES.
WE JUST RECENTLY WITHIN THE
LAST YEAR HAD TO REPAIR THE
METAL STRUCTURE THAT HAS THE
WALKWAY ON IT AND THE STAIRS,
FELL AWAYAWAY
FROM THE
BUILDING BECAUSE OF THE LAND WAS
SO UNSTABLE,
THAT WE HAD TO PROP IT UP AND
PUT IT
IN HUGE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
UNDER THE -- UNDER
THE PILLARS. SO THIS IS A
COMBINATION OF
GETTING JUST COMPENSATION
FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE WANT IT TO GO FORWARD.
WE WANT TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT IT.
WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A
LAWSUIT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO
HAVE JUST COMPENSATION.
THAT'S IT.
>> YOU STILL HAVE TIME.
YOU STILL HAVE
10 SECONDS.
>> WE JUST WANT
JUST
COMPENSATION. THAT'S THE WHOLE
QUESTION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. DOWNY.
AND FOR THE RECORD, LET ME CLOSE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE EXTENDED
IT. THANK YOU, MR. DOWNY, FOR
THOSE
COMMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO GO
AHEAD
AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES,
FOR ALLOWING THAT.
I WANT TO CALL
ON COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, AND
THEN I KNOW
THAT OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
MORE
QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
FOR ATTENDING FROM SPU.
OF COURSE MR.
GOODNIGHT FROM CENTRAL STAFF,
AND THOSE WHO ARE
ATTENDING FROM COMMUNITY
AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND MY QUESTION IS -- AND
THIS KIND OF GOES ACTUALLY TO
SOME COMMENTS MADE LAST NIGHT
REGARDING THE FACT THAT WE DO
NOW HAVE A FULLY INSET
DISTRICT SYSTEM HERE, SO I
RECOGNIZE THIS COMES TO
THIS COMMITTEE. BUT IN TERMS OF
OUTREACH,
HAVE YOU OUTREACHED TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA AND HIS
TEAM? OKAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW FOR
SEATTLE BUT IN MY DISTRICT IN
THE
RELATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY
COUNCILS
AND THE LIKE,O IT'S NOT JUST
BEEN KNOCKING ON
INDIVIDUAL RESIDENCES OR
BUSINESSES, IT'S
BEEN TO THOSE GROUPS AS
WELL IN ADDITION TO OUR
DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE FOR
DISTRICT 1?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
JONATHAN CAN SPEAK MORE TO IT
BECAUSE HE'S BEEN GIVING
THOSE
PRESENTATIONS AND WORKING
CLOSELY WITH THOSE LOCAL
SO WE'VE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SEVERAL
TIMES TO MEET WITH
THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, AS
WELL AS HOLDING PUBLIC EVENTS
AT THE HALL.
AND WE'VE
ATTENDED OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS
LIKE THE
FALL FEST AND FOOD FEST AND
HAD EVENTS UP NEAR THE PROJECT
SITE AS
WELL.
>> WAS THERE A FUN NIGHT AT WEST
SEATTLE CHAMBER THAT YOU'VE MET
WITH?
>>
NO.
>> I'M NOT SURE IF THERE
IS ONE, BUT OBVIOUSLY FROM
THAT PERSPECTIVE IT'S ORPT TO
--
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, CHAIR,
IN TERMS OF THE OUTREACH AND
JUST
TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW,
ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
I FIGURED AS MUCH, BUT SOMETIMES
YOU JUST GO AROUND KNOCKING
ON DOORS OF RESIDENCES OR
BUSINESSES, BUT THESE OTHER
GROUPS, AND WE HAVE A RICH
COLLECTION IN DISTRICT 7.
AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME
IN DISTRICT 11
2. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THOSE HAVE BEEN REACHED TO AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, SIERRA AND
JONATHAN, FOR MEETING WITH
ME EARLIER CAN TAKING
ME THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THIS
REALLY
IMPORTANT PROJECT WHICH I
KNOW YOU HAVE TO DO.
IT'S A MUST- DO BECAUSE --
AND THE MORE YOU DELAY IT,
I APPRECIATE THE
PROACTIVITY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
IT'S NOT
AN EMERGENCY TODAY PROJECT, BUT
IF IT FALLS DOWN, CAVES IN,
THEN IT WILL BE A WE HAVE TO DO
IT
TODAY.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT
YOU'RE BEING PROACTIVE SO THAT
YOU CAN
DO THE OUTREACH, AND YOU
CAN EXPLORE THE MITIGATION
EFFORTS FOR AS YOU'RE DOING
THIS
PROJECT, AND I HAD QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON
THE MITIGATION SIDE, YOU KNOW,
NOISE AND -- AND OTHER THINGS,
AND
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE
EXPLORING HOW TO BEST
MANAGE FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT
HAVE
POPPED UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE TIME
NOW TO
EXPLORE THOSE. I APPRECIATE ALL
THE
OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE BEEN DONE.
I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS ABOUT
OUTREACH TO COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S
STILL OPPORTUNITY TO DO FURTHER
OUTREACH BECAUSE YOU'RE --
YOU CAN DO THAT.
LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE BEING
PROACTIVE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO
UNDERSCORE THOSE REALLY KEY
POINTS, THAT
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SPU
HAS TO DO.
BECAUSE IF IT -- IF IT IS
DETERIORATED, SO IT MUST BE
REPLACED.
I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S BEING
REPLACED IN THIS THOUGHTFUL
WAY WITH SALMON RECOVERY IN MIND
BECAUSE I SIT ON WIRA 8.
I WAS JUST WITH THE GENERAL AT
WATERFRONT PARK THIS WEEK
LOOKING AT THE RECOVERY
EFFORTS
THERE. I TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH
COLLEAGUES AT THE
COUNCIL BRIEFINGS EARLIER IN THE
WEEK, BUT THEY DID
AN EXCELLENT JOB. AND I ALSO
WANT TO SAY A
SHOUTOUT TO MARTHA NEWMAN
FROM SPU WHO SUPPORTS ME ON THAT
COUNCIL.
AND ALSO ASHLEY TOWNES WHO'S
THE COMMUNITY PARTNER WHO IS
STEWARDING THAT AND ALSO
THE SERVE ETHIOPIA GROUP --
SERVE
ETHIOPIANS WASHINGTON WHO
ARE STEWARDS OF
THAT LAND. THEY GO OUT THERE,
THEY DO
MAINTENANCE WORK, AND THEY
REALLY ARE A GREAT PARTNER
IN THAT EFFORT, TOO.
AND SALMON HAVE RETURNED.
AND SO THIS
PART OF -- PART OF THIS EFFORT I
KNOW THAT AS WELL.
THERE WILL BE -- AND THE
REASON WHY IT'S BEING DONE IN
THIS
FASHION, AND THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT IN
A WAY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO
RESTORE
HABITAT, HOPEFULLY HAVE
SALMON COME BACK IN THERE, AND
THEN
ALSO TALK TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS
AND
THE NEIGHBORS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE BEING
AS DISRUPTIVE -- I MEAN, THE
LEAST
DISRUPTION AS POSSIBLE AND TO
MITIGATE FOR THOSE
DISRUPTIONS AS BEST WE CAN GIVEN
THE
PROJECT. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE
ALL
THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND
THEN THE COMMUNICATION WITH US
ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S
IMPORTANT,
AS WE TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO I REALLY -- I'M
APPRECIATIVE, AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO
SEEING, YOU KNOW, ONCE THIS IS
COMPLETED, AND THEN THANK YOU
FOR WORKING WITH FOLKS LIKE THE
GENTLEMAN WHO CAME HERE TODAY. I
KNOW YOU'RE IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ABOUT
MITIGATION EFFORTS AND OTHER
FOLKS IN
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER PROPERTY
OWNERS WHO ARE ALSO -- YOU KNOW,
WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
IMPACTED, AND WE WANT
TO MITIGATE THOSE IMPACTS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING
THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. I APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE,
AND WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER
TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS THAT WE
HAVE TO DO THE BEST POSSIBLE
PROJECTS
AND WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF
DISRUPTION AS POSSIBLE TO OUR
CONSTITUENTS.
SO THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU
CHAIR.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
AND JUST FOR THE -- JUST
FOR THE RECORD JUST TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND THAT LET'S SAY WE
PASS THIS LEGISLATION TODAY,
IT AUTHORIZES YOU TO NOT START
BUT
ENTER INTO CONVERSATIONS
AND OFFERS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS,
MR.
DOWNY AND OTHER FOLKS IN THE
AREA, TO START THIS PROCESS AND
NEGOTIATIONS?
>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
ONCE WE -- UPON GETTING
AUTHORIZATION, WE'LL REACH OUT
DIRECTLY WITH
FORMAL PACKAGES AND OTHER
OFFERINGS TO INITIATE
THOSE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS
AND NEGOTIATIONS.
YES, WE WILL SEEK TO OBTAIN
THOSE PROPERTY
RIGHTS.
>> AWESOME.
>> BASED ON APPRAISED VALUE AND
FAIR MARKET
VALUE.
>> AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE HERE, MR. DOWNY AND SO
FORTH,
UNDERSTOOD.
>> YES.
>> GOT IT. OKAY, AND
I'M LOOKING TO MY LEFT AND
RIGHT, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN
HAVING TECHNOLOGY ISSUES,
SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE'S HANDS GO
UP AND WHAT NOT BECAUSE OF OUR
OUR
INTERSTABILIZATION. I JUST WANT
TO CHECK COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> I'LL JUST SAY I SUPPORT
THIS LEGISLATION TODAY
UNDERSTANDING THIS IS THE
BEGINNING OF
THE NEGOTIATIONS AND A
CONTINUATION OF THE
CONVERSATION, AND WE HAVE
TO PROTECT THE SALMON AND MEET
STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> UNDERSTOOD,
THANK YOU. THE BEGINNING OF
THE CONVERSATION IS THE WAY TO
PUT IT, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, OKAY.
ALSO A SPECIAL THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. DOWNY, FOR
COMING AND ARTICULATING WHAT YOU
DID
ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY AND ALSO
JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING HONEST
AND STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT THE
IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE TO THE
RESIDENTS
AND YOU, AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING THE FOLLOW- UP WITH
SPUSPU
AND YOU AS WELL TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DO THIS RIGHT.
AND YOU'VE HEARD THE
GENTLEMANGENTLEMAN
HIMSELF. HE WANTS THIS TO GO
FORWARD
BUT JUST WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY ARE COVERED SO -- IN
SO MANY WORDS.
I DIDN'T ARTICULATE THAT AS
WELL AS YOU DID, BUT COVERED IS
A GOOD WORD FOR
EVERYTHING THAT
YOU SAID. AWESOME.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND MOVEMOVE WE -- EXCUSE
ME,
THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS COUNCIL BILL 121069.
IS THERE
A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND
TO RECOMMEND THE PASSAGE OF
THE BILL.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>> BEFORE WE TAKE THE ROLL, MY
APOLOGIES. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
HAD
HER HAND UP.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> SORRY, CHAIR.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO DO
DISCUSSION
BETWEEN. THAT'S OKAY.
I JUST HAVE TWO QUICK POINTS I
PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE MADE
EARLIER, WHICH IS JUST
ASSUMING THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING
WITH COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA TO ADD TO COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE'S
POINT ANY ADDITIONAL GROUPS
OR FOLKS THAT SHOULD BE -- YOU
KNOW, OUTREACH SHOULD
BEBE DONE
TO. AND I ALSO WANT TO BRING UP
OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS WHO CARE
VERY MUCH ABOUT SALMON RECOVERY
AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE
PART
OF THE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL,
SO,
I'M SEEING HEAD
FAUDS.
>> WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO PASS
THE
BILL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO PASS THE
BILL WILL BE SENT TO TUESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 16, 2025, CITY COUNCIL
MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
TIRELESS WORK ON THIS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ THE LAST AGENDA ITEM
INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 14, RESOLUTION
32175, A RESOLUTION
RELATING TO SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES AMENDING RESOLUTIONS
31AL 00 AND
31825 UPDATING THE CUSTOMER
REVIEW PANEL TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT AND
CLARIFY PANEL ELIGIBILITY FOR
OPTIONAL STIPENDS AS
SPU IMPLEMENTS THE SIX-
YEAR STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN AND
CONDUCTS FUTURE PLAN UPDATES.
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> AWESOME.
I KNOW WE'RE PUTTING UP
OUR AGENDA ITEM, OUR -- OUR
AGENDA
ITEM. AND WE'VE JUST HAD OUR
TWO
MAIN PLAYERS WITH DIRECTOR LEE
AND
BRIAN GOODNIGHT.
WE'VE JUST SWITCHED THE
PLAYERS IN THE MIDDLE EVERY
SINGLE TIME.
IT'S A TYPICAL NBA TEAM,
YOU HAVE YOUR TWO REALLY
GOOD
PLAYERS.
>>
BOOKENDS.
>> OKAY, PERFECT.
AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND
JUMP RIGHT IN, MR. CHAN,
AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE
RECORD.
>> JUSTIN CHAN, BUSINESS
POLICY AND PLANNING ADVISOR WITH
SPU.
>> I WILL QUICKLY INTRODUCE
THIS
ITEM. THIS LAST ITEM SHOULD BE
BRIEF.
IT IS A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD
EXPENED SPU'S CUSTOMER
REVIEW PANEL FROM 11 TO 13
MEMBERS, CREATING TWO DEDICATED
SEATS
FOR YOUNG ADULTS
AGES 18 TO 29. IT ALSO WOULD
CLARIFY THAT ALL
PANEL MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
STIPENDS. AS WE DISCUSSED AT THE
COMMITTEE'S AUGUST MEETING,
THE CUSTOMER REVIEW PANEL PLAYS
A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE
IN
PROVIDING OVERSIGHT AND GUIDANCE
ON SPU'S SIX- YEAR
STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN AND
UTILITY RATES. THE PANEL HELPS
US STAY
CONNECTED TO THE NEEDS AND
CONCERN OF OUR CUSTOMERS
ENSURING COMMUNITY VOICES ARE
WELL- REPRESENTED IN OUR
DECISION
MAKING. I LOVE THE FACT WE'RE
ADDING
YOUTH TO THIS BOARD.
IT BUILDS ON A VERY
STRONG TRADITION OF
REPRESENTATION.
YOUNG ADULTS BRING FRESH
PERSPECTIVES ON ISSUES
LIKE CLIMATE
RESILIENCE, AFFORDABILITY AND
EQUITY, AND
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THEIR
VOICES WILL HELP STRENGTHEN OUR
WORK
TODAY AND PREPARE SEATTLE
FOR THE FUTURE.
ON THE ISSUE OF THE FORMALIZING
STIPENDS, WE'RE ALSO JUST
TRYING TO REMOVE BARRIERS
TO PARTICIPATION, ENSURING
THAT SERVICE ON THE PANEL
IS ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE FROM ALL
BACKGROUNDS AND INCOMES.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THESE
CHANGES WILL MAKE OUR
SIERRA PIECE STRONGER, MORE
REPRESENTED, AND BETTER
POSITIONED TO GUIDE SPU
IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
WITH THAT, I WILL
PASS IT OFF TO JUSTIN CHAN, WHO
WILL WALK
THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE
RESOLUTION, AND THEN WE'RE
HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE.
>> GOOD
AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. AGAIN,
JUSTIN CHAN WITH SPU.
SO A QUICK OVERVIEW.
THIS, THE CUSTOMER REVIEW
PANEL WAS FORMED IN 2013, BECAME
A PERMANENT BODY IN 2018.
IT'S AN 11- MEMBER
PANEL WITH EACH MEMBER SERVING
THREE-
YEAR TERM AND THEN WITH
ONE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
REAPPOINTED. IT'S COMPRISED OF
-- AND THE
VISUAL'S FROM OUR
PUBLIC NON-PROFIT, PRIVATE, AND
PUBLIC
SECTOR. THE PROPOSED CHANGES
WOULD BE
MOVING FROM 2 OR FROM 11 TO
13, SO TWO ADDITIONAL SEATS
WITH THOSE TWO SEATS FOCUSED ON
OUR YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18 TO 29.
AND THEY WOULD HAVE THREE- YEAR
TERMS, AND THEN ONE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE REAPPOINTED,
AND THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME
OBLIGATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AS
REGULAR
MEMBERS.
REGARDING STIPENDS, IT'S JUST
TO
MOSTLY FORMALIZE THE PROCESS,
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE MORE ACCESSIBILITY,
INCLUSION, MORE ABILITY FOR
MEMBERS OF ALL OF
OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS SEATTLE
TO
BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE ON CRP.
SO WE WENT THROUGH
AND RESEARCHED ACROSS ALL OUR
BOARDS
AND COMMISSIONS ABOUT BEST
PRACTICES, AND WE ALIGN
WITH THOSE BEST PRACTICES.
AND SO AS A RESULT, WE OFFER
A STIPEND TO CRP MEMBERS,
CUSTOMER
PANEL REVIEW MEMBERS, AND
SO MEMBERS HAVE AN OPTION
TO ACCEPT, REJECT, OR DONATE
THEIR
STIPEND. AND IF THEY ALREADY
RECEIVED
COMPENSATION FROM THEIR
EMPLOYER, THEY'RE NOT
QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE THE
STIPEND.
THE AMOUNT IS 1,300 ANNUALLY PER
MEMBER AND THEN 2,000 FOR
THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
AND IT'S ABSORBED WITHIN SPU'S
EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET.
AND AS OUR GM CEO ANDREW
LEE ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT,
GREAT
BENEFITS. WE REALLY SEE US BEING
ABLE TO
GARNER GREAT IDEAS,
INNOVATION, CONNECT WITH ISSUES
AROUND EQUITY AND CLIMATE
CHANGE,
AND BE ABLE TO BUILD FUTURE
LEADERS
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WITH RESPECT TO STIPENDS,
BE ABLE TO REALLY PRODUCE
BARRIERS,
INCREASE
PARTICIPATION FROM DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES AND
REALLY HONOR THE COMMITMENTS OF
THOSE
MEMBERS. OKAY, NEXT STEPS.
CONSIDERATION
OF VOTE. FULL COUNCIL WILL DO
SOME
OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT
AND THEN GET SOME APPOINTMENTS.
>> AWESOME. MR. GOODNIGHT,
ANYTHING?
>> NO COMMENTS, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, AWESOME.
NO, WHERE APPRECIATE THIS.
ONE THING THAT STICKS OUT
MOO ME OBVIOUSLY THE TIPENDS
FOR PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE AND
ALSO
THE YOUTH SEATS.
FEEL SO IMPORTANT.
FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ALWAYS ALWAYS
UNDERREPRESENTED IN OUR CITY
AND REALLY APPRECIATE THEM
GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS
PROGRAM, SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I WILL PAUSE HERE TO SEE IF
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANYTHING.
I'M SEEING NO.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE
MOST EASIEST THING THAT WE ARE
--
OH, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> I'M JUST ALWAYS EXCITED
TO INCLUDE YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE
CONVERSATIONS,
SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP
HERE IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR
YOUNG VOICES ARE REPRESENTED ON
THIS
BOARD, SO THANK YOU ON THIS
CUSTOMER REVIEW PANEL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY
CRITICAL, AND I'M IN FULL
SUPPORT.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND OUR LOVE FOR YOUTH IS SHARED
ALWAYS. I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT
THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND ADOPTING
RESOLUTION 32175.
IS THERE A
SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND THE
ADOPTION
OF THIS RESOLUTION.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO PASS
THE
BILL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE?
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> AWESOME.
THANK YOU.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
THE BILL PASSED WILL BE SENT TO
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025, TO
THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, TO
OUR COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES AND FOR
ALL YOUR WORK.
WITH THAT WE HAVE NO
OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR
TODAY.
I WILL SAY JUST REALLY QUICK
POINT OF
PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. LATELY I
KNOW THAT IT'S
BEEN HEIGHTENED THE
POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN OUR
COUNTRY
AND PEOPLE GETTING SHOT AND
KILLED WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE
RIGHT
SIDE, LEFT SIDE,
MIDDLE, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND I THINK YESTERDAY, YOU
KNOW, WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENTERS
COME AND THREATEN PEOPLE'S
LIVES HERE
AT CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT HAS TO
STOP.
IT HAS TO STOP IN OUR CITY,
IN OUR COUNTRY, IN THE WAY WE
ACT EACH OTHER, AND THE WAY
WE INCITE VIOLENCE AND
JUST NEGATIVE ENERGY TOWARDS
PEOPLE
BECAUSE IT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR
OUR SOCIETY, IT'S NOT HEALTHY
FOR OUR CHILDREN.
IT IS NOT HEALTHY FOR US
TO CONTINUE IN THIS MANNER
AS HUMAN
BEINGS. AND WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW
TO
SURVIVE AND AGREE TO DISAGREE
AND HAVE
HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH
OTHER.
AND IT IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT -- I CAN'T BEGIN TO
TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES WE
HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH ACTS
OF VIOLENCE AS CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR JUST DOING OUR JOBS.
AND IT'S HARD.
IT IS VERY HARD, AND IT'S
DIFFICULT. AND I APOLOGIZE.
I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL BECAUSE
WE ALWAYS GET THREATENED SIMPLE
FROM WALKING HOME, JUMPING ON
THE BUS, MEETING WITH PEOPLE.
THE E- MAILS WE GET, THE VILE --
THE VIOLENCE THAT WE GET FROM
PEOPLE, IT IS NOT OKAY. AND SO I
AM JUST -- I'M GOING TO
CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR
OUR
COUNTRY. I'M GOING TO PRAY FOR
OUR CITY
THAT WE JUST TONE IT DOWN AND
WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH
PEOPLE, AND WE CAN CONTROL OUR
EMOTIONS, AND WE CAN REALLY JUST
GET BACK
TO HUMANITY AND HAVING SIMPLE
CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER.
SO THAT IS MY COMMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
RAISING THIS, AND YOU'VE SAID
THIS MANY TIMES IN THE
COUPLE YEARS I'VE HAD THE HONOR
TO SERVE WITH YOU ON THIS
COUNCIL, AND I COULD NOT AGREE
WITH YOU
MORE. WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO
CIVILITY. WE CAN AGREE TO
DISAGREE.
AND I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES.
WE ALL HAVE SHARED VALUES IN
THE
CITY. I FEEL REALLY LUCKY TO
LIVE IN A
CITY WHERE WE HAVE
SHARED VALUES.
I DON'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
THAT IS NOT EVERY CITY
IN AMERICA.
WE SOMETIMES DISAGREE ABOUT HOW
TO GET WHERE WE WANT TO GO,
BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE
SHARED VALUES.
BUT TO YOUR POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH,
EVEN IF YOU DON'T
SHARE VALUES, WE HAVE TO
BE CIVIL.
VIOLENCE IS NEVER OKAY NO
MATTER WHAT.
AND SO I REALLY WANT TO --
I REALLY THANK YOU FOR RAISING
THIS, AND YOU HAVE MY
FULL SUPPORT ON THIS.
THANK
YOU.
>> AWESOME.
POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS NO PLACE
IN OUR CITY, NEITHER DOES
HATE, ANY OF THAT STUFF.
ALL RIGHT?
THANK YOU ALL FOR A GREAT
MEETING, AND OUR NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING IS NOT
SCHEDULED UNTIL
AFTER COUNCIL BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS, WHICH IS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th AT 2:00
P.M. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS
ADJOURNED.
IT'S 3:43 P.M.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.