>> GOOD MORNING. SUSTAINABILITY
CITY LIGHT ARTS AND CULTURE
COMMITTEE MEETING WILL COME TO
ORDER. IT IS 9:31 A.M., APRIL
18, 2025. I AM ALEXIS MERCEDES.
WILL COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLE? ROLL? [ ROLL ].
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> WONDERFUL. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WITH
THAT, WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE
SUSTAINABILITY CITY LIGHT ARTS
AND CULTURE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. LOOKING AT OUR
AGENDA, WE WILL BEGIN WITH A
VOTE ON ORDINANCE RELATED TO THE
RENEWABLE PLUS PROGRAM AND TWO
ADDITIONAL ORDINANCES APPROVING
EASEMENTS FOR CITY LIGHTS AND
THEN WE WILL BE HEARING FROM
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT GENERAL
MANAGER REGARDING THE LEGAL
NETWORK INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
MADE PUBLIC LAST WEEK. WE WILL
HEAR MORE FROM THE GENERAL
MANAGER LATER IN THE MEETING BUT
I KNOW MANY PEOPLE, I JOIN MANY
PEOPLE IN FEELING HORRIFIED AND
UNSETTLED AND UPSET ABOUT THE
FINDINGS. THE FINDINGS OF THE
INVESTIGATION NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHT
ISSUES WITH ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
DURING WORKING HOURS BUT A
CULTURE RAMPANT WITH SEXUAL
HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT IN A
ALREADY LIMITED WOMEN WORKFORCE.
IT SHOULD NOT BE LOST THAT
EARLIER THIS WEEK COUNSEL SIGNED
A PROCLAMATION MARKING APRIL AS
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
WHICH STATED THAT, QUOTE, THE
CITY OF SEATTLE IS DEDICATED TO
CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATING AND
IMPROVING EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND
RESPOND TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE
ENSURING THAT STRATEGIES ARE
EFFECTIVE, RECLUSIVE, RESPONSIVE
TO NEEDS OF SURVIVORS. IT'S THE
JOB OF THE PEOPLE TO PROTECT THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THIS
CITY. WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT
THE REPORT AND WHAT THE
ORGANIZATION IS DOING TO ADDRESS
THE FINDINGS DURING THIS AND
FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY LIGHT ARTS
AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I WANT TO SAY FOR ANY YOUNG
WOMAN CONSIDERING WORKING, WE
SEE YOU AND WE ARE DEMANDING
ACCOUNTABILITY AND CHANGE. WITH
THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE ON
ITEMS OF TODAY'S AGENDA OR
WITHIN THE PER VIEW OF THE
COMMITTEE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO
WE HAVE?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE ZERO IN
PERSON SIGNED UP AND THERE IS
ONE REMOTE SPEAKER.
>> EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES. WE WILL START WITH IN
PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. WILL YOU
PLEASE READ PUBLIC COMMENT
INSTRUCTIONS?
>> The Clerk: THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. PUBLIC COMMENT
IS UP TO 20 MINUTES. SPEAKERS
WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN
WHICH THEY ARE REGISTERED.
SPEAKERS WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN
SETS IN PERSON AND REMOTE UNTIL
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT. SPEAKERS'
MICS WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO
NOT STOP IN THE ALLOTTED TIME TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER. WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST. FIRST
REMOTE SPEAKER IS DAVID HAYNES.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 WHEN YOU
HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> THANK YOU. DAVID HAYNES. I
THINK IT IS CLEAR THAT CITY
LIGHT DEMONSTRATES HOW PATHETIC
LEADERSHIP IS IN THE GOVERNMENT
AND HOW THEY WILL PULL PUNCHEDS
ON THE ABUSE THAT CONTINUES. HOW
MANY PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN BAD
ACTIVITY VERSES HOW MANY WERE
FIRED COMPARED TO HOW MANY
PEOPLE GOT TO KEEP THEIR JOB,
GET RETRAINED, CONTINUE TO
COLLECT THEIR PAYCHECK, STILL
GET THEIR RETIREMENT BENEFIT
PACKAGES, AND STILL GET TO BE IN
CHARGE? I THINK IT STILL COMES
DOWN TO LEADERSHIP. IF YOU'VE
GOT LIKE A DIVERSE ARRAY OF
LEADERSHIP THAT'S GOING TO PULL
THEIR PUNCHES, CONTINUE TO GET
RAISES AND PRAISES, I THINK WE
NEED NEW LEADERSHIP ON ALL
LEVELS. CITY COUNCIL IS
CONSIDERED AN EXECUTIVE
OVERSIGHT. IF YOU ARE GOING TO
PULL YOUR PUNCHES THEN WE NEED
TO REPLACE YOU AS WELL.
>> ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, THERE
ARE NO ADDITIONAL REGISTERED
SPEAKERS. WE'LL NOW PROCEED TO
ITEMS OF BUSINESS FOR TODAY. WE
WILL MOVE TO ITEM ONE. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD?
>> The Clerk: CB120952. AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE CITY
LIGHT DEPARTMENT, AUTHORIZING
DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR
CUSTOMERS PARTICIPATING IN THE
RENEWABLE PLUS PROGRAM AND
CHARGING A RATE FOR THE DELIVERY
OF DEDICATED RENEWABLE ENERGY
AND ITS ASSOCIATED RENEWABLE
ENERGY CREDITS SUPPLIED BY
DEPARTMENT UNDER THE RENEWABLE
PLUS PROGRAM AND AMENDING
SECTION 21.49.089 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> WITH THAT I WILL INVITE OUR
REPRESENTATIVES TO SPEAK. WE
RECEIVED OR INITIAL BRIEFING ON
THIS ITEM DURING OUR LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING. FOR CITY
LIGHT REPRESENTATIVES, ONCE YOU
GET SETTLED, IF YOU CAN TAKE A
MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD.
>> GOOD MORNING. DAWN LINDELL,
GENERAL MANAGER AND CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT.
>> LORI MOWEN, MANAGER OF
SOLUTIONS DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
WITH CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS.
>> CRAIG SMITH, CHIEF CUSTOMER.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD MORNING
COMMITTEE CHAIR RANK AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS. WE ARE BACK TO TAKE ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND HAVE
THE COUNCIL VOTE ON THE
ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH RENEWABLE
PLUS PROGRAM RATE. AS WE SHARED
WITH THE COMMITTEE AT THE LAST
MEETING THIS IS ONE OF MANY
CUSTOMER FACING PROGRAMS
ADMINISTERED BY CITY LIGHTS
TALENTED TEAM AT CUSTOMER ENERGY
SOLUTIONS. CUSTOMER ENERGY
SOLUTIONS' GOAL IS TO MEET
CUSTOMERS' EXPECTATIONS OF
PRODUCTS, SERVICES, OR SOLUTIONS
TO REDUCE THEIR ENERGY USAGE
AND/OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
RENEWABLE ENERGY OPTIONS. I WANT
TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE
MULTIPLE STAFF ACROSS UTILITY
WHO WORKED ON THIS PROGRAM. I
WANT TO THANK OUR LARGE
CUSTOMERS INCLUDING AMAZON AND
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA FOR THEIR
CLOSE COLLABORATION AS WE STRIVE
TO MEET BOLD CLIMATE GOALS WHILE
NOT PASSING COSTS TO OUR OTHER
RATE PAYERS. WITH THAT, I WILL
OPEN IT FOR QUESTIONS.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. COLLEAGUES, ANY
QUESTIONS ON THE RENEWABLE PLUS
LEGISLATION? I AM TAKING A
MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HAS JOINED
VIRTUALLY. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU. GREAT TO SEE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK. I
APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE
GOT TO HAVE BEFORE THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING. I WAS
WONDERING IF FOR THE BENEFIT OF
THE RECORD YOU CAN PROVIDE A
BRIEF SUM SUMMARY, TALKED ABOUT
TWO PPAs SIGNED IN 2024, HISTORY
COMING TO WHAT WE ARE DOING
TODAY, REMOVING MINIMUM
CONSUMPTION THRESHOLDS FOR
PARTICIPATION. CAN YOU GIVE US A
BRIEF REMINDER?
>> CERTAINLY.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE COMING BACK
TO THE COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH A
RATE FOR A PROGRAM THAT WAS
AUTHORIZED UNDER AN ORDINANCE IN
2022 TO PROVIDE A BUNDLED ENERGY
PRODUCT TO LARGE COMMERCIAL
CUSTOMERS. THIS MEANS WE ARE
SUPPLYING RENEWABLE ENERGY
KILOWATT HOURS AND ENERGY
ATTRIBUTES, RENEWABLE ENERGY
ATTRIBUTES THAT GO ALONG WITH
THAT POWER. AS AN ADDITION
ADDITIONAL COST PER KILOWATT
HOUR ON THEIR BILL.
>> FOLLOWING THAT, WHAT DOES
THAT FUNDING THEN DO?
>> SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT?
>> ADDITIONAL FUNDING THEY'RE
PAYING.
>> THE FUNDING WILLFULLY PAY FOR
THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE
PROGRAM, THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
CREDITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
PROGRAM AND IT WILL RECOVER
DEVELOPMENT COST OF THE PROGRAM
SO IT WILL BE VIRTUALLY NET
NEUTRAL ON BEHALF OF BOTH
PARTICIPANT AND NONPARTICIPANTS
-- IT WILL BE NEUTRAL ON BEHALF
OF THE NONPARTICIPANTS.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE A STEP
BACKWARDS, IF WE CAN TALK ABOUT
TWO PPAs SIGNED IN 2024 AS AN
EXAMPLE OF THE PRODUCT THAT WE
ARE CREATING HERE.
>> HAPPY TO DO THAT. YES, WE DID
SIGN -- I DID SIGN TWO PPAs,
PURCHASE POWER AGREEMENTS, LAST
YEAR FOR TWO NEW SOLAR
INSTALLATIONS. AND OF COURSE
WITH THOSE SOLAR INSTALLATIONS,
WE'LL BE CREATING RENEWABLE
SOLAR ENERGY. AND THOSE ARE THE
FIRST TWO RENEWABLE -- NEW
RENEWABLE PURCHASE POWER
AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE SIGNED
AND THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS REALLY
HELPED US TO FUND OR WILL HELP
US TO FUND.
>> ADDS 87 MEGA WATTS OF
GENERATION AND THE PLANTS ARE
LOCATED IN CENTRAL OREGON.
>> THANK YOU. SO IN A SENSE THIS
IS A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
>> IT IS.
>> WE ARE USING THE FUNDING THAT
PEOPLE ARE ELECTING TO PAY
ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP
SUPPORT THIS PROJECT SO WE ARE
ABLE TO CREATE RENEWABLE ENERGY.
WE HAVE DAMS BUT WE ARE NOT
BUILDING NEW DAMS RIGHT NOW. WE
HAVE TO LOOK AT NEW RENEWABLE
ENERGY SOURCES. WE ARE NOT QUITE
TO TITLE YET BUT MAYBE THIS TYPE
OF PROGRAM CAN WORK. THE TYPE OF
ENERGY SOURCE WE HAVE TODAY IS
THE SOLAR THAT'S NOT NEAR
SEATTLE. MAYBE IF YOU CAN
EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF HOW
THAT PARTNERSHIP WORKS. WE'VE
GOT A SOLAR FACILITY IN CENTRAL
OREGON. WE ARE USING
TRANSMISSION LINES TO GET IT TO
OUR NETWORK. THIS PROGRAM SOUNDS
LIKE IT IS PAYING FOR US TO BE
ABLE TO DO THIS AGAIN AND IN
DIFFERENT WAYS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> YES. SURE, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. WHAT THE
I WILL PREFACE THIS WITH IS WE
NEED TO ALMOST DOUBLE, BASED ON
LAST INTEGRATED RESOURCES PLAN,
WE NEED TO ALMOST DOUBLE OUR NET
CAPACITY IN THE NEXT NINE YEARS.
THAT MEANS WE NEED TO ADD 1825
MEGA WATTS WORTH OF ADDITIONAL
CAPACITY. AND THIS IS THE FIRST
87 MEGA WATTS FOR THAT. WE ARE
LOOKING AT SOLAR, WIND,
SUPPLEMENTAL WITH BATTERIES
WHICH WILL HELP ON THE FIRST DAY
OF OUR DIFFICULT WEATHER
PATTERNS. WE ARE IN THE HUNT FOR
ANY GEOTHERMAL WE CAN FIND AND
WE ARE EXPLORING SMALL MODULAR
REACTORS AS WELL. WE'VE GOT TO
FIND BASE LOAD RESOURCE AND
WEATHER DEPENDENT RENEWABLES. WE
ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE 87
MEGA WATTS. WHILE WE WOULD LOVE
TO BUILD ADDITIONAL SOLAR AND
WILL CERTAINLY BE LOOKING AT
ROOF TOP SOLAR IN SEATTLE, ROOF
TOP SOLAR HERE WILL WORK REALLY
WELL IN JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER
AND NOT SO WELL THE REST OF THE
YEAR BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE
SUNSHINE LIKE WE DO IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE STATE. THIS UTILITY
HAS GREATLY BENEFITED FROM
BRINGING CALIFORNIA SOLAR NORTH
AND SOMETIMES WE ARE EVEN ABLE
TO DO THAT WHERE THEY PAY US TO
TAKE THE ENERGY. WE ARE LOOKING
FOR PLACES TO BUILD AND TO
PARTNER ON THE BUILD OF
ADDITIONAL SOLAR. IF WE PARTNER
WITH OTHER UTILITIES AND PARTNER
WITH NONGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO
CREATE THIS ADDITIONAL RESOURCE,
THEN THE CITIZENS OR THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE PAY
LESS FOR THE SAME RENEWABLE
ENERGY. AND THAT WE THINK IS A
BENEFIT TO EVERYONE, TO HELP GET
THIS BUILT. YES, WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS, TWO NEW SOLAR FIELDS
ARE BEING BUILT. WE EXPECTED
THEM TO BE ONLINE THIS YEAR BUT
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DELAYED TO
BE ONLINE NEXT YEAR SIMPLY
BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
THOSE CONTINUE TO BE A CHALLENGE
FOR US FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT
THIS FIRST 87 MEGA WATTS TO OUR
1825 MEGA WATT GOAL.
>> THANK YOU. IF I MIGHT, I WILL
KEEP CONTINUING ON. HOW DO WE
ENSURE THAT, FROM WHAT IT SOUNDS
LIKE, A PARTICIPANT SUCH AS
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA COULD ELECT
TO HAVE ADDITIONAL FEE ON THEIR
BILL. SO THIS IS ON TOP OF THEIR
EXISTING CITY LIGHT BILL FOR
THEIR CONSUMPTION, SO THEY'RE
ELECTING TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL
FEE. IS THAT HOW WE PREVENT THE
COSTS NOT BEING SHIFTED TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
PARTICIPATING? CAN YOU HELP ME
UNDERSTAND THE DESIGN OF THIS
RATE?
>> SURE. DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO
THAT?
>> SURE. THIS RATE IS FOUNDED ON
THE PREMISE OF NOT SHIFTING
COSTS. AND WITH OUR CURRENT
ENERGY SCENARIO IT'S A NET
BENEFIT TO HAVE THE SOLAR
RESOURCE COMING INTO OUR
TERRITORY. THERE IS FOR ALL
CUSTOMERS AN ADDED BENEFIT. WHEN
WE LOOK TO PRICE THIS PRODUCT,
WE IDENTIFIED ALL THE COSTS
INHERIT IN DELIVERING TO THE
CUSTOMER AND WE HAVE ROLLED
THOSE TO THE RATE. THE RATE IS
TO RECOVER ALL COSTS IN THE
FIRST THREE YEARS AND THERE
AFTER TO BE MARKET BASED, BASED
ON VALUE OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
CREDITS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT
PRODUCT.
>> SO WITH THAT RATE COVERING
ALL THE COSTS, DOES THE RATE
THEN -- TALK THROUGH HOW THE
RATE CHANGES AFTER THAT FIRST
THREE YEARS.
>> SURE. SO THE RATE HAS A
COMPONENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE COST
THAT WILL BE UPDATED EVERY
STANDARD CYCLE FOLLOWING THIS
FIRST THREE YEAR PERIOD. EVERY
TWO YEAR CYCLE WE'LL LOOK AT
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, LOOK AT
THE MARKET VALUE OF RENEWABLE
ENERGY CREDITS ASSOCIATED AND
WE'LL LOOK AT THE SUBSCRIPTION
LEVEL IN THE PROGRAM. NOW WE
EXPECT TO BE AT 84% IN THE NEXT
FEW MONTHS BUT WE FULLY EXPECT
TO SELL OUT THIS FIRST AT 100%.
THESE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT GO
INTO THE RATE AND REALLY WHAT WE
EXPECT IS THAT THE VALUE FOR
RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS WILL
GROW OVER TIME. SO THE RATE WILL
LIKELY INCREASE WITH THAT
MARKET.
>> THAT LEADS ME TO ASK WHAT
DOES THE PARTICIPANT RECEIVE?
>> RETIRED RENEWABLE ENERGY
CREDIT. THEY CAN USE THAT TO
DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO
RENEWABLE ENERGY, TO CLIMATE
CHANGE. THEY CAN USE IT TO
JUSTIFY CERTIFICATION, FOR
EXAMPLE, FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
LIVING FUTURES INSTITUTE, THERE
IS A CERTIFICATION THEY CAN
RECEIVE TO SAY THAT THEY ARE
GREENHOUSE GAS NEUTRAL AND HAVE
100% OF THEIR ENERGY COVERED BY
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES.
>> THIS IS ALSO A WAY FOR
PARTICIPANTS TO HELP INVEST IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY BY HELPING US
WITH THOSE SUNK COSTS ON THEIR
SUBSCRIPTION. ARE THEY
GUARANTEED A CERTAIN TYPE? IT
SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GUARANTEED,
IS IT JUST FROM THE ONE FACILITY
SO THEY'RE GUARANTEED CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF ENERGY FROM THE SOLAR?
HOW ARE WE STORING IT IF IT IS
DARK OUTSIDE?
>> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO
YOU TRACK AN ELECTRON. WITH SOME
OF THAT, IT IS SOMEWHAT
MATHEMATICAL. SO WE'RE
ALLOCATING THE GUARANTEED OUTPUT
OF THE TWO PROGRAMS TO THE
CUSTOMERS THAT ARE ENROLLED.
THEY ARE GUARANTEED TO GET THEIR
SUBSCRIBED AMOUNT FROM WHATEVER
POWER IS GENERATED. AND WITH
SOLAR RESOURCE, WE KNOW THAT
THAT'S VARIABLE. EVEN THOUGH WE
HAVE A GUARANTEED AMOUNT, IT MAY
PRODUCE MORE. IT MAY PRODUCE
LESS. EVERYONE GETS ALLOCATED
AMOUNT FOR THEIR SUBSCRIPTION
THAT THEY CAN STATE IS WHERE
THEY RECEIVE THEIR POWER FROM,
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW ELECTRONS
DON'T FLOW IN THOSE SPECIFIC
CATEGORIES.
>> I AM ALMOST DONE. IF I AM
PUTTING ALL THE PIECES OF THE
PUZZLE TOGETHER, WE ARE
CURRENTLY BUILDING A SOLAR
FACILITY IN EASTERN OREGON.
IT'S SUNNY EVERYONE IN EASTERN
OREGON, SO WE HAVE ABOUT 365
DAYS OF SOLAR GENERATION. WE ARE
CHARGING PARTICIPANTS SUNK COSTS
PLUS SOME OF WHAT THEY'RE USING?
OR HOW -- DO THEY GET A
SETTLEMENT OUT OF THE 365. IF
THERE ARE 365 PARTICIPANTS, THEY
GET ONE DAY'S WORTH OF SUN.
AFTER THAT SUN COST PERIOD IS
DONE IN THREE YEARS, THEN THE
RATE GOES BACK TO WHATEVER
THEY'RE USING. IS THAT
ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE ARE GETTING
AT?
>> WELL, FIRST, I DON'T THINK
WE ARE PROMISING THE WEATHER.
WHILE WE ARE PHENOMENALLY GOOD,
THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF OUR
CONTROL EVEN IN SUNNY OREGON.
BUT WE ARE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE
GETTING THE SETTLEMENT OF ENERGY
THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING INTO
OUR SYSTEM AND WE ARE FLOWING IT
TO SERVE LOAD. THE CUSTOMERS WHO
SIGN UP FOR RENEWABLE PLUS
PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE ENERGY. OF
COURSE ALL OF OUR ENERGY WITH
EXCEPTION OF 9% WHICH WE ARE NOT
EXACTLY SURE AND 9% THAT WE
CAN'T DEFINITIVELY SAY WHERE IT
COMES FROM WHEN WE BUY IT OFF
THE MARKET, ALL THE REST OF OUR
ENERGY IS CLEAN ENERGY. WE
OFFSET THAT 9% WITH RENEWABLE
ENERGY CREDITS TOO. WE CAN
PRETTY WELL GUARANTEE THAT THE
CUSTOMERS ARE RECEIVING CLEAN
ENERGY AND CAN FULLY MAKE THAT
CLAIM. AND THEN THEIR INVESTMENT
IS BRINGING 87 MORE MEGA WATTS
OF CLEAN ENERGY TO LIFE FOR THIS
COMMUNITY. WE ARE GREATLY
APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AND IN
RETURN, THOSE RENEWABLE ENERGY
CREDITS, EVERY BIT OF RENEWABLE
ENERGY COMES WITH ENERGY AND A
PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAYS IT IS
CLEAN. SO THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY
GETTING THE PIECE OF VIRTUAL
PAPER. I GUESS WE DON'T USE
REAL PAPER. VIRTUAL PAPER SAYS
THIS ENERGY IS GUARANTEED TO BE
CLEAN THAT WE ARE BRINGING IN TO
SERVE OUR LOAD. I HOPE THAT
HELPS.
>> SO THEY'RE SUBSCRIBING FOR
CERTAIN PROPORTIONS OF THEIR
ANNUAL USE AND THEN WE'RE
MATCHING THAT TO PROPORTION,
SHARE THE OUTPUT OF THE
FACILITIES. WE DREW THAT UP
EVERY YEAR AND ALLOCATE THE
COSTS. FOLKS OVER TIME WILL BE
ABLE TO, DEPENDING ON THE PRICE
TO RAISE OR LOWER THEIR
SUBSCRIPTION. SO IT IS A
SUBSCRIPTION BASED PROGRAM.
>> CHAIR, I AM VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THIS, AS YOU MIGHT TELL.
THIS IS US USING OUR PUBLIC
UTILITY TO LEVERAGE THE
CUSTOMERS WITHIN OUR RATE PAYERS
INTEREST AND INVESTING IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY NOT SPILLING
OVER AND UNINTENTIONALLY COSTING
OTHER RATE PAYERS ADDITIONAL
DOLLARS. SO WE ARE KEEPING THIS
FOCUSED. IT'S THE WAY TO KEEP
OUR POWER SYSTEM AS CLEAN AS
POSSIBLE. VERY EXCITED FOR THIS.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME ASK SO
MANY QUESTIONS.
>> THE QUESTIONS ARE
APPRECIATED. I SHARE IN YOUR
EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION. COLLEAGUES, ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR
PANELISTS TODAY ON THIS
LEGISLATION? I HAVE JUST ONE
QUESTION, JUST TO CONTEXTUAL
EYES, SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
87 MEGA WATTS. CAN WE TRANSLATE
TO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR
HOUSEHOLDS? PUT THAT INTO TERMS
OF WHAT POWER THAT BRINGS US.
>> WE PROBABLY CAN IN JUST A FEW
TENSION FILLED MOMENTS.
>> THE GUARANTEED OUTPUT IS
184,000 MEGA WATT HOURS, AND OUR
TYPICAL SEATTLE RESIDENT USES
ABOUT ONE MEGA WATT HOUR OF
POWER A YEAR. SO THAT IS ROUGHLY
184,000 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THAT'S EXCITING, FABULOUS.
THANK YOU FOR CONTEXTUAL EYEING
THAT FOR US. I WANT TO AGAIN
VOICE MY EXCITEMENT FOR THIS
LEGISLATION. WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT OPPORTUNITY FOR LARGE
COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS TO INVEST
IN DEVELOPMENT OF NEW RENEWABLE
ENERGY. IF I AM DOING MY MATH
CORRECT WHEN LOOKING AT A GOAL
OF 1825 MEGA WATTS MAKING
PROGRESS OF BRINGING ONLINE 87
MEGA WATTS, THAT MEANS 1738 MEGA
WATTS TO GO. BUT DON'T CHECK MY
MATH. WITH THAT COLLEAGUES, I
MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE MOVE
FORWARD WITH VOTING ON COUNCIL
BILL 120954S THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND
CONFIRMATION OF THE ORDINANCE.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS? PLEASE CALL
ROLL. [ ROLL ].
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR, ZERO
OPPOSED, ZERO ABSTENTIONS.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND THE
ORDINANCE TO BE SENT TO THE
APRIL 29 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL.
>> MOVING TO ITEMS TWO AND
THREE, CITY LIGHT WILL PRESENT
AND MEMBERS WILL DISCUSS TWO
ITEMS TOGETHER BUT WE WILL BE
VOTING SEPARATELY ON EACH
ORDINANCE. WILL EXITY CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM TWO AND THREE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> ITEM TWO, COUNCIL BILL 12053,
ORDINANCE RELATING TO CITY LIGHT
DEPARTMENT ACCEPTING FOLLOWING
EASEMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL
DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS IN KING
COUNTY WASHINGTON; PLACING SAID
EASEMENTS UNDER THE JURISDICTION
OF THE CITY LIGHT DEPARTMENT AND
RATIFYING AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN
PRIOR ACTS. 95. AN ORDINANCE
RELATING TO CITY LIGHT
DEPARTMENT ACCEPTINTHE
FOLLOWING EASEMENTS FOR
ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION IN KING
COUNTY WASHINGTON PLACING SAID
EASEMENTS UNDER THE JURISDICTION
OF THE CITY LIGHT DEPARTMENT AND
RATIFYING AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN
PRIOR ACTS.
>> IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME
AND BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU. SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
>> BRIDGET MOLINA COUNCIL
COORDINATOR.
>> BILL DELVE ROW, DIRECTOR OF
CITY MANAGEMENT AND REAL ESTATE.
>> EDDIE STRONG, ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING AND PROJECT DELIVERY
OFFICER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE CHAIR
RINK AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO SEEK
APPROVAL FOR WHAT IS CONSIDERED
ROUTINE ELECTRIC UTILITY
ACTIONS. EXCITING TO US, NOT
EXCITING TO MANY. SEATTLE CITY
CHARTER REQUIRES ALL ACQUISITION
AND DISPOSAL OF REAL PROPERTY
INTEREST MUST BE BY ORDINANCE.
CITY LIGHT TYPICALLY ANNUALLY
REQUESTS THAT CITY COUNCIL
ACCEPT BY ORDINANCE TO
ELECTRICAL SERVICE EASEMENTS
THROUGH LAND USE PERMITTING
ACTIONS SINCE PREVIOUS
ORDINANCE. WE HAVE TWO RELATED
ORDINANCES BEFORE YOU TODAY.
DISTRIBUTION EASEMENT ACCEPTANCE
ORDINANCE, THE PLATTED EASEMENT
ACCEPTANCE ORDINANCE. I WILL
HAND THIS TO BILL DEVARO.
>> ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER OF REAL
ESTATE.
>> ENVIRONMENTAL REAL ESTATE
MANAGER, RUN THROUGH A QUICK
SLIDE DECK OUTLINING WHAT IS
INCLUDED IN TWO ORDINANCES
BEFORE YOU TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
PERIODICALLY WE COME TO YOU.
USUALLY ONCE A YEAR IS WHAT WE
AIM FOR WHICH IS IS A BATCH
SYSTEM OF WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
THESE CAME IN AS PROPERTY RIGHTS
WE RECEIVED NOT PROPERTY RIGHTS
THAT WE GAVE. THAT'S WHY IT IS
LESS CONTROVERSIAL. AND THEY'RE
ALL FOR PROVIDING POWER TO A
CUSTOMER. THERE ARE TWO TYPES.
THE REASON WHY WE BATCH THEM SO
YOU WILL SEE AT THE END, THERE
ARE 190 THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING
TODAY AND THAT WOULD BE 190
ORDINANCES. IT DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE TO DO IT OTHER THAN THIS
WAY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GIVING
AWAY ANYTHING. IF WE WERE, WE
WOULD COME PROBABLY WITH
INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCE FIRST TYPE
IS DISTRIBUTION EASEMENT. THERE
ARE 61 ON THIS ORDINANCE. EACH
ARE FOR PROVIDING POWER TO A
PRIVATE CUSTOMER BUT THEY'RE NOT
FOR THE CUSTOMER THAT'S ACTUALLY
RECEIVING THE POWER. IT'S WHEN
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE POWER OR
PROVIDE ACCESS TO THAT CUSTOMER
THROUGH SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY.
AND I ASSUME YOU CAN SEE THE
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ONLINE.
SO WE COULD HAVE A PERSON WHO
NEEDS TO HAVE POWER IN A POLE
ALONG THE STREET THAT THE LINE
HAS TO GO OVER SOMEONE ELSE'S
YARD. THAT YARD WE WOULD NEED
EASEMENT FOR. THAT'S WHAT THESE
DISTRIBUTION ARE ABOUT. THE
OTHER TYPE IS A PLATTED
EASEMENT. THERE ARE 61 OF THE
DISTRIBUTION. THERE ARE 129 OF
THE PLATTED AND EACH ARE A UNIT
LOT SUBDIVISION OR COULD BE A
BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT OR SURE
PLATTE WHERE WE HAVE A SET OF
PROPERTY THAT'S NOW SMALL SETS
OF PROPERTY AND EACH ONE HAS TO
HAVE AN EASEMENT TO PROVIDE
UTILITIES BESIDES ELECTRIC. FOR
US IT'S ELECTRIC. THERE ARE 129
OF THOSE THIS YEAR. THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH OUR ENTIRE ASK
TODAY, THAT YOU WOULD ACCEPT
BOTH OF THESE SETS OF EASEMENTS,
ONE FOR DISTRIBUTION AND ONE FOR
SHORTER MATS.
>> COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU FOR NOT REQUIRING
US TO TAKE INDIVIDUAL VOTES ON
EACH OF THESE ITEMS. LOOKING
THROUGH THE LEGISLATION WHERE IT
CALLS OUT EACH OF THE PARCELS IN
EACH OF THE LOCATIONS, AGAIN,
JUST VERY GRATEFUL THIS IS SUCH
ROUTINE BUSINESS THAT COMES
BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE AND ALSO
THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING IF WE
WERE GIVING SOMETHING AWAY, THAT
WOULD BE A DISPOSITION BILL.
THAT WOULD BE DISPOSITION POLICY
WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN EASEMENT
POLICY. I AM HERE PROVIDING MY
APPRECIATION AFTER LOOKING
THROUGH ALL THE PIECES OF
PROPERTY THAT ARE LISTED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COLLEAGUES, ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS FOR
TODAY BUT APPRECIATION FOR YOU
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. WITH
THAT, AS STATED BEFORE, WE WILL
BE JUST VOTING ON THESE
SEPARATELY PROCEDURALLY BUT BACK
TO BACK. I WORK THAT THE
COMMITTEE MOVE FORWARD WITH
VOTING ON 120953.
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED
AND SECONDED TO RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE. ANY
FINAL COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL ROLL ON
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO PASS
THE ORDINANCE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> AYES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> AYES.
>> CHAIR RINK.
>> YES.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED,
ZERO ABSTENTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. NOW, I MOVE THAT
THE COMMITTEE MOVE FORWARD WITH
VOTING ON COUNCIL BILL 120954.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF THE
ORDINANCE. ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO PASS THE
ORDINANCE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> AYES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> AYES.
>> CHAIR.
>> YES.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED,
ZERO ABSTENTIONS.
>> WONDERFUL. MOTIONS CARRY AND
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
THE ORDINANCES WILL BE SENT TO
THE APRIL 29 CITY COUNCIL
MEETING. THANK YOU. WITH THAT,
WE'LL BE MOVING TO ITEM FOUR.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
FOUR INTO THE RECORD?
>> SEATTLE CITY LIGHT NETWORK
INVESTIGATION BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> WONDERFUL. WITH THAT, I WILL
INVITE OUR PRESENTERS TO COME UP
TO THE TABLE. WHEN YOU HAVE A
MOMENT TO SETTLE, PLEASE STATE
YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE
FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN
YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> SO DAWN LINDELL, GENERAL
MANAGER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER FOR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
I WILL START AT THE OTHER END OF
THE TABLE BECAUSE I WANT TO
INTRODUCE ROB SANTOF TO TELL HIM
THANK YOU. ROB HAD THE VERY
DIFFICULT JOB OF STEPPING INTO
THE NETWORK DIRECTOR POSITION
WHILE THIS INVESTIGATION WAS
GOING ON. WE DID CHANGE
LEADERSHIP AND ROB STEPPED UP TO
BE THAT LEADER THROUGH THIS VERY
DIFFICULT TIME. I ALSO WANT TO
THANK DAVONNA JOHNSON WHO IS
NEXT TO ME AS OUR OFFICER OVER
PEOPLE AND CULTURE. DAVONNA HAS
HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME
OVER MULTIPLE YEARS WORKING VERY
HARD TO BRING THIS TO LIGHT AND
TO WORK THIS THROUGH TO FULL
TRANSPARENCY. AND IT WAS UNDER
HER LEADERSHIP THAT WE WERE ABLE
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO, TRULY
GRATEFUL. I WILL JUST ASK THEM
TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES VERY
BRIEFLY.
>> DAVONNA JOHNSON, PEOPLE AND
CULTURE OFFICER, SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
>> ROB SANTOF, TRANSMISSION AND
DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS
DIRECTOR.
>> THANK YOU. NOW I WOULD LIKE
TO TAKE SOMETIME TO DISCUSS AND
ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
OUTCOME OF A RECENT
INVESTIGATION SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
INITIATED FOLLOWING A PATTERN OF
VERY DISTURBING AND CONCERNING
MISCONDUCT IN THE NETWORK GROUP.
THE NETWORK GROUP IS PART OF OUR
TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
OPERATIONS DIVISION. I BELIEVE
IN FULL TRANSPARENCY. WE WORKED
WITH THE PRESS TO PROVIDE THEM
WITH THE STORY AND TO AGREE ON
THE TIMELINE FOR PUBLICATION. WE
PUBLISHED THIS STORY ON OUR
EXTERNAL CITY BLOG POWER LINES.
PRIOR TO THIS, I MET WITH CITY
LIGHTS LEADERS TO SHARE DETAILS
OF THE SI
INSTRUCTED TO ENSURE THAT
EVERYONE IN THEIR DIVISIONS
PARTICIPATED IN A MEETING TO
HEAR THE DETAILS OF THE
MISCONDUCT AND THE OUTCOMES, TO
GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ADJUST THIS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS
IN A SMALLER GROUP ENVIRONMENT
WITH PEOPLE AND LEADERS THAT
THEY KNOW. IN TERMS OF THE
NUMBERS, CITY LIGHT EMPLOYS 1800
PEOPLE. THE NETWORK GROUP HAS 90
MEMBERS. 40 PEOPLE WERE
INVESTIGATED FOR ALLEGATIONS OF
MISCONDUCT. FIVE WERE FIRED.
SEVEN WERE SUSPENDED. NINE
RECEIVED WRITTEN WARNINGS. 13
WERE ASSIGNED TRAINING. NOT ALL
40 EMPLOYEES WERE DISCIPLINED
INCLUDING APPRENTICES WHO MAY
HAVE FELT PRESSURED AND WHO TOLD
US THEY DID FEEL PRESSURED TO
DRINK IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THE
PROGRAM. ANY INSTANCE OF
MISCONDUCT IS ONE TOO MANY. WE
KNOW THAT THESE BEHAVIORS DO NOT
REFLECT VAST MAJORITY OF CITY
LIGHT EMPLOYEES. THIS IS A
SITUATION THAT CALLS FOR
CLARITY, DECISIVENESS, A PLAN
FOR MOVING FORWARD. OUR FOCUS IS
ON ACTION WHICH INCLUDES
PREVENTING SIMILAR INCIDENTS
FROM OCCURRING AT CITY LIGHT AND
FOSTERING A POSITIVE WORKPLACE
CULTURE WHICH INCLUDES PHYSICAL
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. WE
HAVE BEEN MAKING CHANGES IN
PARALLEL WITH THE INVESTIGATION
AS OUR WEAKNESSES HAVE BECOME
CLEAR. WE ALSO HAVE A SOLID PLAN
IN PLACE FOR CONTINUED
IMPROVEMENT. I WANT TO RUN
THROUGH OUR PLAN SO FAR. ITNOT
AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST. I WANT TO
ASSURE YOU WE REMAIN OPEN AND
ACKNOWLEDGE TILE WITH RESPECT
FOR IDEAS TO MOTHERS INCLUDING
LOCAL LEADERS WHO FACED SIMILAR
ISSUES AND HAVE GRACIOUSLY
REACHED OUT TO ME TO SHARE THEIR
JOURNEYS. WE HAVE ALREADY
LAUNCHED AND COMPLETED MANDATORY
REPORTER TRAINING FOR ALL PEOPLE
LEADERS INCLUDING MYSELF. THE
KEY CONTROL IN THIS GOING ON SO
LONG WAS NOT ADDRESSING THIS
ISSUE SOONER WAS THE LACK OF
MANDATORY REPORTING. WE HAVE
ADDED ANTIRETALIATION POSTERS IN
OUR BUILDINGS WITH A HOT LINE
FOR ANONYMOUS REPORT. THIS
SOUNDS LIKE A LIGHT APPROACH BUT
INFORMATION IS IN FACT POWERFUL.
THIS INFORMATION WAS MISSING FOR
THESE EMPLOYEES IN THIS GROUP.
THEIR LEADERSHIP ENFORCED A CODE
OF SILENCE CREATING A CONE OF
SILENCE IN THE GROUP WITH
STATEMENTS LIKE WE SAW THINGS AT
THE LOWEST LEVEL AND WE DON'T
TAKE THINGS DOWNTOWN. EMPLOYEES
DID NOT KNOW THEIR OPTIONS.
ADDING TRAINING AVAILABLE TO ALL
EMPLOYEES SO THAT EVERYONE COULD
UNDERSTAND WHAT MANDATORY
REPORTING MEANS FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP AND FOR PEOPLE AND
CULTURE STAFF, ALSO LETTING THEM
KNOW HOW TO CONTACT IF EMPLOYEES
WANT TO DISCUSS SOMETHING
WITHOUT MANDATORY REPORTING AND
TO EXPLORE OTHER AVAILABLE
OPTIONS TO THEM LIKE HRIU FROM
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. ENGAGING IN
COACHING AND PROVIDING EMPLOYEE
SUPPORT FOR THOSE DIRECTLY
IMPACTED BY THE ALLEGATIONS AND
FINDINGS. THIS INCLUDES
SUPPORTING THE VICTIMS THROUGH
THIS TIME. WE ARE USING OUR
CURRENT CULTURE SURVEY AS A
GUIDE TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS,
CHANGE MANAGEMENT, HOW WE WORK
TOGETHER. ONLY 29% OF EMPLOYEES
AGREED WITH THE STATEMENT, CITY
LIGHT IS RESPONSIVE TO IDEAS AND
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
ONLY 34% AGREE THAT CITY LIGHT
VALUES EMPLOYEE INPUT, FEEDBACK,
SUGGESTIONS. ONLY 33% BELIEVE WE
WORK EFFECTIVELY ACROSS BUSINESS
UNITS AND FUNCTIONS. THIS
CLEARLY IDENTIFIES FROM
EMPLOYEES OPPORTUNITIES FOR
IMPROVEMENT. BUT WE HAVE
STRENGTHS TO BUILD ON TOO
INCLUDING THE 87% OF OUR STAFF
AGREE THAT THE PEOPLE THEY WORK
WITH TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT.
86% ENJOY WORKING WITH THE
PEOPLE THEY DIRECTLY WORK WITH
AND 86% SAY THEIR SUPERVISOR
PROMOTES A SAFE WORKING
ENVIRONMENT. IN THE NETWORK
TEAM, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE BUT
OVERALL SEATTLE CITY LIGHT IS A
GREAT PLACE TO WORK. WE WILL
BUILD ON OUR STRENGTHS AND WORK
ON OUR IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.
DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING
LEADERSHIP TRAINING SO ALL
LEADERS GOING FORWARD RECEIVE
SKILLS TRAINING TO MAKE THEM
CAPABLE LEADERS AS THEY ARE
PROMOTED IS KEY. WE TAKE OUR
BEST ACCOUNTANTS, OUR BEST
TECHNOLOGISTS, BEST JOURNEY MEN,
OUR BEST ENGINEERS AND WE GIVE
THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE.
BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB
OF PREPARING THEM WITH A NEW SET
OF SKILLS IN ORDER TO LEAD
PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY. LEADERSHIP
SKILLS THAT INCLUDE CONFLICT
RESOLUTION, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND
EFFECTIVE, SAFE TEAM BUILDING.
WE ALSO IN THIS LAST YEAR HAVE
BEEN DISCIPLINING EMPLOYEES WHO
VIOLATE ANTIHARASSMENT AND ON
THE JOB POLICIES. OUTSIDE OF
THIS INVESTIGATION, WITH 1800
EMPLOYEES IN THE COURSE OF DOING
WORK, SOME WILL MAKE MISTAKES
EACH YEAR. THIS HAS BEEN TRUE
THIS YEAR OUTSIDE OF THE NETWORK
AS I HAVE SAID AND WE HAVE
ADDRESSED PERFORMANCE ISSUES UP
TO AND INCLUDING TERMINATION IN
OTHER AREAS AS WELL FOR
MISCONDUCT. THIS WAS DIFFERENT,
THIS SITUATION AND NETWORK WAS
DIFFERENT IN THAT IT TRULY WAS A
CULTURAL ISSUE AS WELL AS A
MISCONDUCT ISSUE. WE ARE NOW
CONDUCTING ROUTINE CHECKS OF
WORK VEHICLES AND WORK AREAS TO
ENSURE THEY COMPLY WITH
WORKPLACE EXPECTATION. THIS WILL
CONTINUE FOREVER. WE HAVE
SPECIFIC GOALS IN PLACE FOR ON
SITE LEADERSHIP VISITS PER MONTH
FOR SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS,
DIRECTORS TO BE IN THE FIELD
WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES. WE ARE
ALSO REINFORCING OUR EXISTING
WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS. WE WILL
NOT TOLERATE DRINKING OR
RECREATIONAL DRUG USE BEFORE
WORK, AT BREAKS, AT LUNCH,
DINNER, OR BETWEEN WORK AND OVER
TIME SHIFTS. THIS IS A OFFENSE,
PUTS AT RISK AND IS 100%. SEXUAL
HARASSMENT WILL BE DEALT WITH
QUICKLY INCLUDING GRABBING
PEOPLE'S BODIES, MAKING
COMMENTS ABOUT BODY PARTS,
MAKING LEWD COMMENTS, SHOWING
PORN OR NEAR PORN TALKING ABOUT
SEX WHICH HAS NO PLACE AT WORK.
WE WILL NOT TOLERATE RETALIATION
IN ANY FORM WHICH INCLUDES
THINGS LIKE ICING PEOPLE OUT OF
OVER TIME OPPORTUNITIES,
SHUNNING PEOPLE, NOT MAKING EYE
CONTACT WITH THE PERSON YOU ARE
UPSET WITH BUT MAKING EYE
CONTACT WITH EVERYONE ELSE IN
THE ROOM, MAKING SNIDE COMMENTS
AND DOING ANYTHING TO MAKE A
PERSON FEEL BAD IN RETALIATION
FOR REAL OR PERCEIVED WRONGS. WE
WANT A WORKFORCE IN OUR CRAFT
THAT MIRRORS THE COMMUNITIES WE
SERVE. ONE OPTION IS DEVELOPING
A TWO AND A HALF YEAR
APPRENTICESHIP TO MOVE LOCAL 46
WHO ARE LOW VOLTAGE ELECTRICIANS
INTO 77 WHICH ARE HIGH VOLTAGE
JOURNEY LEVEL. LOCAL 46 IS A
MORE DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE
ALSO ARE EXPLORING NEW
RECRUITING AND SUPPORT PATHS FOR
OUR FOUR YEAR APPRENTICESHIPS.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT
WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS SITUATION
HEAD ON WITH DIRECTNESS AND
ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S NOT A GRAY
AREA SITUATION TO ME NOR WILL IT
BE GOING FORWARD. I WILL GO
AHEAD AND PAUSE NOW FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, GENERAL MANAGER
LINDELL FOR ACCOMMODATING
MISAVERS' REQUEST FOR YOU TO BE
HERE TODAY. COLLEAGUES THIS
COMMITTEE IS FUNCTIONALLY A
UTILITY BOARD AND HAS
RESPONSIBILITY OF OVERSIGHT AND
THAT IS OUR TASK AT HAND TODAY.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS
AND HAVE THIS DIALOGUE ABOUT
THIS CRITICAL MATTER, ESPECIALLY
AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR PATH
FORWARD FOR CITY LIGHT.
QUESTIONS?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR LINDELL FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR THE
BRIEFING WE RECEIVED ON THIS. I
GUESS READING THROUGH THE
ALLEGATIONS AGAIN, I REALLY AM
JUST -- MY HEART IS POUNDING AT
THE LEVEL OF ANGER THAT I FEEL
ABOUT WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE
BEEN SUBJECTED TO AS WELL AS
JUST THE INCREDIBLE RISKS THEY
HAVE PUT OTHER EMPLOYEES AT AS
WELL AS RISK THEY'VE PUT OUR
GENERAL PUBLIC AT. AND A TIME
WHEN PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING THE
VALUE OF GOVERNMENT IN AND OF
ITSELF, TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN IS
JUST APPALLING AND UNACCEPTABLE.
I AM VERY, VERY PLEASED TO HEAR
ABOUT ALL THE STEPS THAT ARE
BEING TAKEN. BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS
WENT ON FOR SIX YEARS. LIKE, I
DON'T REALLY ACCEPT THAT THESE
MINIMAL STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN
TAKEN ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE
MUCH DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IN
READING THROUGH THE REPORT, YOU
KNOW, THERE WERE INCREDIBLE
ALLEGATIONS MADE IN 2017. THERE
WAS MORE ALLEGATIONS MADE A
MONTH LATER THROUGH WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND
INDUSTRIES, ALLEGATIONS MADE IN
2018, ALLEGATIONS MADE IN 2021,
ALLEGATIONS MADE IN 2022. WE
HAVE SIX YEARS. AGAIN, MORE
ALLEGATIONS IN 2022. IT SAYS
FINALLY CITY LIGHT IN 2023
ENGAGED AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATOR
WHICH IS GREAT, WHICH LED TO
THIS, SORT OF IMPLYING THEY
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BEFOREHAND.
YET WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE
ORIGINAL ALLEGATIONS WERE, YOU
KNOW, A CHIEF CREW MEMBER
OPERATED HIS TRUCK AS A ROLLING
MOBILE BAR WITH LOUD MUSIC ALL
EVENING EVERY NIGHT WITH JOURNEY
WORKERS SERVING DRINKS AND CREWS
SHARING PORN, ANOTHER CREW CHIEF
ONCE CONSUMED MORE THAN FOUR
DRINKS AND OPERATED EQUIPMENT
WHILE IMPAIRED, JOURNEY MEMBER
SMOKED MARIJUANA AT WORK AFTER
GETTING YELLED AT BY CREW CHIEF.
ANOTHER CREW CHIEF ONCE CONSUMED
MORE THAN THREE AND WAS SO
IMPAIRED SHE COULD NOT DIAL THE
PHONE CORRECTLY DURING A JOB.
THAT WAS AN ALLEGATION MADE IN
2017, A COMPARABLE ABLE TO WHAT
CAME FORWARD IN 2022 AND 2023.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE IN THE WAY ALLEGATIONS
ARE DEALT WITH. WHEN YOU GET ONE
ALLEGATION, AND I WILL BRING
THIS FORWARD, REALIZE THIS IS
SUBJECT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
BUT WE SHOULD HAVE RANDOM DRUG
AND ALCOHOL TESTING FOR THE
POSITIONS. IF THERE IS AN
ALLEGATION THAT DRINKING IS
HAPPENING ON THE JOB, THE WAY
YOU SUBSTANTIATE THAT IS REQUIRE
EVERYBODY TO UNDERGO MANDATORY
RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING.
TOO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE
LITERALLY AT RISK. SO TO ME THAT
IS AN ACTUAL CONCRETE SAFETY
MEASURE THAT NEEDS TO BE
CONTEMPLATED AND PURSUED. IN
TERMS OF THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT,
THE SEXUAL ASSAULT, THE
PORNOGRAPHY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHERE TO BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT HOW
WE DISMANTLE THAT CULTURE. AND I
THINK JUST SIMPLY PUTTING UP
ANTIHARASSMENT POSTERS AND DOING
MANDATORY REPORTING TRAINING IS
NOT ENOUGH. YOU HAVE GOT AN OLD
BOYS FRATERNITY CULTURE HERE.
IT'S DEEP. IT MAY BE NARROW,
BUT IT IS DEEP. WHAT YOU HAVE
OUTLINED HERE IS A SURFACE
BEGINNING. IT RECOGNIZES THAT IT
IS IMPORTANT. BUT YOU HAVE GOT
TO DO SO MUCH MORE. THESE ARE
HUMAN BEINGS WHOSE LIVES ARE
BEING -- THESE WOMEN ARE
SUFFERING PTSD. IT'S NOTED IN
HERE YOU ARE PROVIDING
COUNSELING, IT IS NOTED FROM THE
EVALUATOR THAT THE EXPERIENCES
WERE SO PROFOUND THEY COULD
RECALL IT IN MINUTE DETAIL WHAT
HAD HAPPENED TO THEM YEARS
LATER. MANY OF THE PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN GIVE EARN THE PRIVILEGE OF
KEEPING THEIR JOBS. I UNDERSTAND
THE RATIONALE FOR THE
APPRENTICES THAT MANY OF THEM
TOO PERHAPS WERE VICTIMS AS
WELL. I UNDERSTAND THAT AND THE
SENSE OF FORGIVENESS. YOU NEED
TO WORK WITH THE APPRENTICES ON
ATTITUDES AS WELL. I ALSO WANT
TO KNOW HOW YOU ARE GOING TO
KEEP APPRIZED OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE CULTURE WEEK BY
WEEK, MONTH BY MONTH, HOW YOU
ARE GOING TO KEEP REPORTING THIS
TO COUNSEL. WE CAN'T JUST HAVE
THIS NICE REPORT AND HAVE YOUR
GREAT WORDS AND YOUR COMMITMENT
AND DECIDE THAT IT IS ALL OVER.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT. WITH WHAT'S
HAPPENING NATIONALLY WHERE
WOMEN, MINORITIES, PEOPLE OF
COLOR ARE UNDER ASSAULT EVERY
DAY AND THAT'S NOW BECOMING THE
NORM, WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. WE
HAVE TO SET AN EXAMPLE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. I TOO HAVE STRUGGLED
THROUGH THIS REPORT. ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE ARE GETTING READY
TO START, WE ARE WORKING ON A
PATH RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE THAT
WE CREATE THE CULTURE FROM THE
BOTTOM UP. AND FROM THE TOP
DOWN. SO OFTEN ORGANIZATIONS
MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BELIEVING
THAT A LEADER CAN MAKE A
STATEMENT AND THEREFORE EVERYONE
WILL FOLLOW IT. THAT SIMPLY
ISN'T THE CASE. INSTEAD, PEOPLE
CREATE THE CULTURE WITHIN THEIR
OWN WORKGROUPS AND THAT'S THE
CULTURE THEY ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE
EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE LEADER
SETS THE TONE. BUT THE ACTUAL
CULTURE EXPERIENCED BY THE
PEOPLE IN ANY WORKGROUP IS TRULY
CREATED BY THE PEOPLE IN THAT
WORKGROUP. AS THE LEADER, I AM
SETTING THE TONE. WE WILL BE
DOING AN EXERCISE WHERE EVERY
SUPERVISOR IS GIVEN THE TOOLS TO
BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION
IN THEIR WORKGROUP, AND IT IS
NOT ONE CONVERSATION, BECAUSE
CULTURE CHANGE DOES NOT HAPPEN
OVER NIGHT. IT HAPPENS OVER
YEARS. SO WE WILL BE HAVING THE
INITIAL BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS
AND HAVING EACH WORKGROUP
MEETING WITH THEIR SUPERVISOR TO
DETERMINE THE CULTURE THEY WANT
TO CREATE IN THEIR OWN
WORKGROUP. WE WILL BUILD ON
THOSE WORKGROUP CULTURES TO
CREATE OUR ORGANIZATION CULTURE.
WILL HAVE COLLABORATION ACROSS
UNITS AND CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT. THE CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT PARTICULARLY
SPEAKING TO THIS. BUT WE'LL
ALSO CONTAIN INPUT THEN FROM
EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE . WE ARE
WORKING ON CULTURE EVERY DAY.
MR. SANTOV YESTERDAY AFTERNOON
HELD A MEETING WITH THE NETWORK
TEAM ON THE STRENGTH OF ONE
CONCERNED PERSON RAISING AN
ISSUE. THE DIFFICULTY THAT THIS
ORGANIZATION HAD IN ADDRESSING
THOSE EARLY CONCERNS, BECAUSE
THEY WERE INVESTIGATED, EACH
YEAR THIS UTILITY DID AN
INVESTIGATION. EACH YEAR THOSE
PEOPLE RAISING CONCERNS CHOSE TO
REMAIN ANONYMOUS . THAT IS THE
ISSUE. WE HAVE TO CREATE AN
ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE FEEL
CONFIDENT, THAT LEADERSHIP HEARS
THEM AND THAT LEADERSHIP WILL
ACT ON WHAT THEY TELL THEM. THAT
IS THE ONLY WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN
REMAIN SAFE, RAISING CONCERNS IN
A WORKFORCE. I HAVE BEEN VERY
CLEAR WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF
THIS ORGANIZATION ON WHAT THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES ARE. I NEED
LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY MUST LEAD
AND SOMETIMES THAT'S HARD, THAT
THEY MUST MANDATORILY REPORT
EVEN WHEN AN EMPLOYEE IS BEGGING
THEM TO KEEP THEIR SECRET. WE
CANNOT KEEP SECRETS ABOUT UNSAFE
BEHAVIOR WHETHER TO THAT
EMPLOYEE OR WHETHER TO OTHER
EMPLOYEES. SO I HOPEFULLY HAVE
GIVEN MR. SANTOF A LITTLE TIME
TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HE MIGHT
LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THE ADDRESSING
HE HAD TO DO YESTERDAY WITH THAT
NETWORK EMPLOYEE GROUP. BECAUSE
IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR
EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RAISED IN
THEIR WORKFORCE TO BELIEVE THAT
ONE KIND OF CULTURE, WEIRD
THOUGH IT SEEMED WHEN THEY
ENTERED IS WRONG. MANY EMPLOYEES
LEFT THE NETWORK GROUP OVER THE
YEARS TO FIND A DIFFERENT PLACE
TO WORK AND YET RETAIN THAT CODE
OF SILENCE. WE CANNOT HAVE THAT
ANYMORE. WE HAVE TO BE BRAVE
ENOUGH TO SPEAK UP, TO FIX
THINGS, AND MR. SANTOF CONTINUES
TO ENCOURAGE THAT BRAVERY TO
SUPPORT TO HIS EMPLOYEES.
>> THANK YOU, DAWN. AS DAWN
SAID, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
YESTERDAY TO MEET WITH THE
NETWORK GROUP. I HELD TWO
MEETINGS. FIRST THING IN THE
MORNING YESTERDAY HELD A CREW
CHIEF MEETING AND WE HAD WHAT IS
NORMALLY A HALF HOUR, 45 MINUTE
MEETING, A TWO HOUR MEETING TO
DISCUSS THIS PHASE OF CULTURE
IMPROVEMENT THAT WE ARE GOING
THROUGH AND WHAT NEXT STEPS NEED
TO BE. IT WAS MYSELF, MANAGER,
SUPERVISORS, CREW CHIEFS IN THE
ROOM. I EXPLAINED THE
SERIOUSNESS OF WHAT HAD
HAPPENED. THEY ALL KNOW THIS.
MOST OF THEM HAVE SEEN THE
REPORTS. BUT WE TALKED ABOUT IT
HONESTLY AND OPENLY IN THAT
FORUM. WE TALKED ABOUT THE
CULTURE THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE
AS LEADERS OF THE NETWORK GROUP
WHERE EVERYBODY IS SAFE TO COME
TO WORK BOTH FROM A PHYSICAL
STANDPOINT AND A PSYCHOLOGICAL
STANDPOINT. AS WE TALKED THROUGH
THAT AT THE END OF MY PIECE OF
THAT SESSION, I OPENED IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS AND THAT QUESTION AND
ANSWER SESSION AND DISCUSSION
WENT ON FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF
APPROXIMATELY. DURING THAT TIME
EVERY CREW CHIEF IN THE ROOM,
EVERY SUPERVISOR, MYSELF, THE
MANAGER MADE A COMMITMENT TO
MOVE OUR CULTURE INTO THE PROPER
PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE THAT
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY ALONG WITH
OUR PHYSICAL SAFETY. SO IT WAS
SUPER ENCOURAGING TO TALK TO THE
GROUP YESTERDAY, THE LEADERS OF
THE GROUP AND GET A FULL
COMMITMENT FROM EVERYBODY IN
THAT ROOM. AND THEN IN THE
AFTERNOON WE HAD AN ALL HANDS
MEETING AND EXPLAINED TO THE
REST OF THE NETWORK GROUP WHAT
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AS A
LEADERSHIP GROUP WHERE WE WERE
HEADING AND WHY WE WERE HEADING
THERE AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO
SUPPORT THAT IN AN OPEN FORUM.
NOW THAT WAS SUPER ENCOURAGING
YESTERDAY BUT I REALIZE THAT'S
ONLY THE FIRST BABY STEP TO
WHERE WE NEED TO GO AS A UTILITY
AND AS A NETWORK GROUP. SO WE
WILL CONTINUE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AND WE'LL STAY
DILIGENT ON HOLDING EACH OTHER
ACCOUNTABLE, FULLY EXPLAIN TO
THE NEWEST EMPLOYEE TO THE MOST
VETERAN EMPLOYEE THAT WE ARE
HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT MEANS THROUGH MANAGER AND
MYSELF, IF WE ARE DOING
SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IN
ALIGNMENT WITH WORKPLACE
EXPECTATIONS GOING FORWARD THEY
NEED TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AS
MUCH AS WE NEED TO HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROB. I
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO OFFER DAVONNA
JOHNSON TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO
THE EARLY ALLEGATIONS AND THE
STEPS THAT THIS UTILITY TOOK TO
TRY TO GET FOLKS TO COME
FORWARD. AS I HAND OFF THE
MICROPHONE, I WANT TO NOTE THAT
EVEN HAVING THE OUTSIDE
INVESTIGATOR, THAT OUTSIDE
INVESTIGATOR HAD TO TALK TO MORE
THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE, A DOZEN
INTERVIEWS, BEFORE THEY COULD
FIND ONE PERSON BRAVE ENOUGH TO
BREAK THAT CONE OF SILENCE. THAT
STARTED OPENING THE
CONVERSATION.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DAWN.
INITIALLY, WHEN WE RECEIVED
THOSE ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS AND
THEY CAME IN IN A VARIETY OF
WAYS INCLUDING THROUGH LABOR AND
INDUSTRIES, THE STAFF ON MY
TEAM, OUR EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
GROUP, WENT OUT AND TALKED WITH
INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES AND ALSO
TALKED WITH THE LEADERSHIP. I
WOULD SAY THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN
2023 RELIED ON THE FACT THAT --
I AM SORRY, IN 2023 ALLOWED
EMPLOYEES TO COME FORWARD, TO
BEGIN TO COME FORWARD, TO BEGIN
TO TALK ABOUT THAT WAS A
COMPLETE LEADERSHIP CHANGE. FROM
THE CREW CHIEF ALL THE WAY UP
THE CHAIN INCLUDING THE DIRECTOR
LEVEL, THOSE FOLKS WERE NO
LONGER IN THE WORKPLACE. AND I
THINK PEOPLE STARTED TO THINK
MAYBE SOMETHING HAS CHANGED AND
MAYBE IF I COME FORWARD AND TALK
IN DETAIL ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN
GOING ON, THAT SOMETHING WILL
ACTUALLY BE DONE. ANOTHER THING
I WILL SAY IS THROUGHOUT THE
DISCIPLINARY MEETINGS WHEN
EMPLOYEES WERE TALKING WITH DAWN
ABOUT THE SITUATION, THERE WAS
THEN AND STILL EXISTS AN EXTREME
AMOUNT OF FEAR. PEOPLE WERE
AFRAID. PEOPLE WERE AFRAID THEY
WOULD LOSE THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
PEOPLE WERE AFRAID THAT THEY
WOULD BE REVIEWED POORLY IF THEY
DIDN'T COOPERATE AND GO ALONG
OR AT A MINIMUM REMAIN SILENT.
SO IN MANY WAYS, YOU KNOW, I
HAVE NOT BEEN IN THAT KIND OF A
SITUATION AT WORK. I CAN'T
FAULT SOME OF THEM FOR STANDING
BY AND TRYING TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES. THERE WAS HUGE
EMBARRASSMENT BY SOME OF THE
FOLKS. THEY FELT THEY HAD BEEN
COWARDLY IN NOT COMING FORWARD
AND REALLY MADE A COMMITMENT TO
DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I KNOW
THAT PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED IN
THEIR MIND MINIMAL NUMBER OF
TERMINATIONS BUT THE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE REMAINED EXPRESSED A
SINCERE COMMITMENT BOTH TO THE
GENERAL MANAGER AND ALSO TO THE
LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT WAS IN THE
MEETINGS TO MOVE FORWARD IN A
DIFFERENT WAY. BUT MANY OF THEM
WERE IN UNTENABLE POSITIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS
AND COMMENTS. I HEARD A REQUEST
THAT THE COUNCIL REVISITS THIS
WITH LEADERSHIP AND CERTAINLY WE
CAN PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND SEE
HOW WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
THEN COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANKS TO
EACH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY
AND THE COURSE OF THE EXECUTIVE
SESSIONS WE HAVE HAD ON THESE
SUBJECTS OVER THE LASTS YEARS,
YOU HAVE SEEN MY RAGE BECAUSE
NONE OF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE FOR
EMPLOYEES, STORE CITY RESIDENTS
RECEIVING THE SERVICES. AS I WAS
APPLAUDING A FEW MINUTES AGO FOR
BEING THE LEVERAGE FOR RATE
PAYERS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE
IN DOING GOOD FOR THIS WORLD, WE
AS MUNICIPAL UTILITY HAVE NO
PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF CULTURE
TO EXIST. I RAISED MY HAND
BECAUSE I WAS GETTING SOME
INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN SHARED
AND I WAS GOING TO ASK
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I WILL
START WITH THIS OPENING THAT MY
TAKE ON THIS IS THAT THE
SURVIVORS HAVE EVERYTHING TO
LOSE, WHETHER IT IS POOR
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS, WORKPLACE
THREATS OR AS YOU MENTIONED,
THEIR LIVELIHOODS. THEY HAVE
NOTHING TO GAIN IF WE DO NOT
INVESTIGATE AND FIND
SUBSTANTIATION IN THEIR
ALLEGATIONS. SO WE TALKED ABOUT
OR IT WAS SHARED THAT THE
INVESTIGATIONS HAVE OCCURRED
OVER THE YEARS, THAT WE WERE NOT
ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
DISCIPLINE BECAUSE FOLKS WERE
ANONYMOUS. AND SURVIVORS'
ABILITY TO COME FORWARD IS THE
FOUNDATION FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
ROOT THIS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR
FROM OUR CITY. WHAT IS THE
FRAMEWORK OR PATHWAY FOR
SURVIVORS TO TAKE? YOU MENTIONED
ANONYMOUS REPORTING AND WHISTLE
BLOWING AVENUES. BUT HOW ARE
THESE ANONYMOUS REPORTERS
SUPPORTED TO PUBLICLY
SUBSTANTIATE THESE
INVESTIGATIONS?
>> ONE OF THE STEPS THAT I HAVE
TAKEN IS TO MEET WITH AMERICAN
WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OVER OMBA.
SHE AND I ARE MAINTAINING A
CLOSE RELATIONSHIP IN ASKING
OURSELVES THAT QUESTION IN HOW
DO WE PROCEED. WE ARE NOW AND
WILL CONTINUE TO REINFORCE WITH
ALL THE WAYS, THE OPTIONS THEY
HAVE BOTH TO COME FORWARD
ANONYMOUSLY AND THEN TO COME
FORWARD IN A SAFE PLACE. AND IT
IS GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN
WORDS. IT'S GOING TO TAKE
CONTINUED ACTION. AND SEEING
THAT WE TRULY ARE CREATING A
CULTURE THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM
WHAT WE HAVE HAD AT CITY LIGHT
FOR A VERY LONG TIME. DECADES.
SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS TRAVEL THAT
PATH, ASK EMPLOYEES FOR
CONTINUED FEEDBACK, GATHER THEIR
INPUT, BE RESPONSIVE TO THEM. I
AM SURE THAT ALL THE
COUNCILMEMBERS ALSO KNOW THAT WE
MUCH THE BRAVE PEOPLE COME
FORWARD AND TELL THEIR TRUTH,
THAT WE CANNOT SIMPLY ACT ON
ANONYMOUS. UNFORTUNATELY, HAVING
LED PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN 30
YEARS, I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES
WHERE EMPLOYEES GET ANGRY AT
EACH OTHER AND BOTH BRING FORTH
ALLEGATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE
REAL AND SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT.
SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
INVESTIGATE AND FIND WHAT IS
TRUE AND ACT ON WHAT IS TRUE. SO
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT THE
ORGANIZATION FACED WHEN PEOPLE
DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT IF THEY
BROUGHT FORWARD THEIR CONCERNS,
THEY WOULD BE ACTED ON AND
CHANGE WOULD BE MADE. SO WE'VE
GOT TO REINFORCE THAT CHANGE
WILL BE MADE, THAT WE WILL HEAR
AND WE WILL COMPLETE THE
INVESTIGATION.
>> SOMETHING I JUST MIGHT ADD IS
WE DID GET CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT
CONDUCT THIS WEEK, AND THAT'S
PART OF WHAT PROMPTED ROB TO
HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
GROUP. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE
ARE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE
THAT AS SOON AS ISSUES GET
RAISED, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT
WORK MOST CLOSELY WITH THEM,
LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT,
SUPERVISORS, THAT THE FOLKS ARE
GATHERING EMPLOYEES TOGETHER AND
HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE MUCH OF
WHAT WAS PERPETUATED WAS DONE
BECAUSE IT WAS DONE IN SECRET.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, MAY I CONTINUE?
>> OF COURSE.
>> I WILL ASK YOU TO COME BACK
AS COUNCILMEMBER MOORE DID
BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE
THE ACTIONS? YOU MENTIONED WE
NEED TO TAKE ACTIONS, NOT WORDS.
WHAT ARE ACTIONS THAT WE ARE
TAKING? I KNOW HAVING THIS
REPORT IN THE NEWS AND PUBLIC IS
ONE ACTION. WHAT ELSE ARE WE
DOING TO ENSURE PEOPLE KNOW THEY
CAN COME FORWARD? SO THEY'RE
NOT DRIVEN BY FEAR AND DON'T
FEEL THEY NEED TO BE ANONYMOUS
TO KNOW THEY WILL BE SUPPORTED
BECAUSE THIS CULTURE IS
UNACCEPTABLE FOR OUR CITY. WHAT
ARE WE DOING? WHAT ACTIONS ARE
WE TAKING FOR THEM TO KNOW THEY
DON'T NEED TO KEEP QUIET?
>> YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. WE HANDLED THIS VERY
DIFFERENTLY THAN IT'S BEEN
HANDLED BEFORE. THAT INCLUDED
GOING TO THE MEDIA TO BREAK THE
STORY AND ASKING THEM TO EMBARGO
IT UNTIL WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO MEET WITH ALL OUR EMPLOYEES
AND SHARE THE INFORMATION. WE
FOLLOWED UP. WE DID THAT BY
HAVING FIRST A MEETING WEDNESDAY
EVENING WITH ALL LEADERS AND
GIVING THEM THE INFORMATION,
LETTING THEM ASK QUESTIONS THEY
HAD, RAISING ISSUES AND CONCERNS
THEY HAD, MAKING IT CLEAR TO THE
LEADERS THEY HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND RESPONSIBILITY ON THE
MATTERS GOING FORWARD. WE ALSO
ASKED THEM TO LEAVE. SO THE NEXT
DAY, THEY HAD A THREE HOUR
WINDOW FROM 1:00 TO 4:00 TO HAVE
THE MEETINGS WITH EMPLOYEES AND
LEAD. THAT SETS THE STAGE AND
CREATES A NEW DYNAMIC, A DYNAMIC
THAT WAS NOT THERE, THAT THEIR
LEADER IS RESPONSIBLE AND
ACCOUNTABLE, OPEN AND WILLING TO
DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT SUBJECT,
TAKE ALL QUESTIONS, EVEN THOSE
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANSWERS FOR
BUT BE WILLING TO HEAR THOSE AND
ESCALATE THEM. THAT WAS FOLLOWED
TUESDAY BY AN ALL HANDS MEETING.
I HAD MORE THAN 800 ATTENDEES TO
THAT MEETING WHERE I STOOD IN
FRONT OF THE ORGANIZATION AND
SAID ASK ME ANYTHING. RAISE YOUR
CONCERNS. RAISE YOUR IDEAS.
RAISE YOUR ISSUES. LET'S BRING
THOSE FORWARD. IN THE MEETING WE
HEARD THE SAME THING WE ARE
HEARING HERE AND RIGHTLY SO.
OUTRAGE, FRUSTRATION, LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT WENT ON
BEFORE, A DESIRE TO FIND AN
APPROPRIATE PATH FORWARD. AND WE
TALKED THROUGH THAT. WE WILL BE
CONTINUING TO THAT. CULTURE IS
DEVELOPED OVER A LONG TIME, AND
IT TAKES NOT ONE CONVERSATION,
NOT THREE CONVERSATIONS, NOT
CONVERSATIONS OVER A SIX MONTH
PERIOD, BUT CONVERSATIONS
CONTINUING OVER YEARS, OVER
THESE MATTERS. AS PEOPLE MAKE
MISTAKES, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD
AND LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT
HAS HAPPENED AND HOW WE ARE
HANDLING THOSE MISTAKES. SO WE
WILL NOT DO THAT BY NAME. BUT WE
WILL DO THAT BY THE KINDS OF
CONVERSATIONS THAT ROB DESCRIBED
WHERE WE ARE ASKING LEADERS TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE AND TO
LEAD AND WHERE WE ARE ASKING
EMPLOYEES TO UNDERSTAND ALSO
THEIR ROLE AND HOW THEY CREATE
CULTURE FOR EACH OTHER. SO WE
REALLY WISH TO RAISE THE
PERFORMANCE OF EVERY SINGLE
PROFESSIONAL WHO WORKS AT THIS
UTILITY. AND EVERY EMPLOYEE WHO
WORKS THERE IS INDEED A
PROFESSIONAL IN THEIR AREA. WE
ARE WORKING TO MAKE A WHOLESALE
CHANGE, WHICH WILL HAPPEN OVER
TIME AND A PERSON AT A TIME AS
WE CHANGE THE COMMITMENT.
>> THANK YOU. A COUPLE MORE
QUESTIONS THAT I WILL SAVE FOR
THE END. I JUST HAVE ONE TO
FOLLOW UP IN THIS LINE OF
CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE YOU
SHARING THAT YOU RECEIVED
ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS EVEN JUST
THIS WEEK AND TOOK SWIFT ACTION
TO START ATTENDING TO THEM. BY
GIVING SUPERVISORS TOOLS THEY
NEED AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES THE
TOOLS THEY NEED TO HAVE JOINT
ACCOUNTABILITY. MY QUESTION HERE
IS WHAT HAPPENS IF THOSE ARE THE
SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
PERPETUATING THIS CULTURE THAT
WE DO NOT SUPPORT AND WE DO NOT
LOOK TO ALLOW IN OUR CITY? WHAT
HAPPENS IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PERPETUATING THIS ARE THE SAME
PEOPLE YOU ARE GIVING THE TOOLS
TO IN THE SENSE THAT ALL THEY
HAVE TO SAY IS WE MADE THE
VERBAL AAGREEMENT THAT WE WILL
SHARE WITH YOU. ONCE YOU LEAVE
THE SHOP OR ONCE YOU LEAVE THE
TRUCK INSPECTION, WE ARE GOING
TO CONTINUE DOING THE THING WE
WERE DOING BEFORE YOU GOT HERE.
WHAT'S IN PLATTED EASEMENT
EISENHOWER TO ENSURE THAT'S NOT
OCCURRING?
>> SURE. AGAIN, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. SO ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE PUT IN
PLACE IS THE RANDOM INSPECTIONS
THAT YOU REFERENCED. AND THEY'RE
RANDOM. THE SECOND IS WE FOUND
LEADERS WERE NOT SPENDING
ADEQUATE TIME IN THE FIELD. NOW
THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS. THERE
ARE GOALS THOSE FOLKS ARE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE TO FOR THE AMOUNT OF
FIELD VISITS THEY'RE COMPLETING
AND AMOUNT OF TIME THEY'RE
SPENDING WITH THEIR CREWS TO
BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS SO
PEOPLE KNOW THEIR LEADERS. THEY
SEE THEIR LEADERS WHERE THEY ARE
WORKING. THEY BUILD THE COMFORT
LEVEL TO KNOW THEM AS PEOPLE TO
BE ABLE TO COME FORWARD. THEY'RE
NOT FAR AWAY PEOPLE. THEY ARE
PEOPLE WHO ARE RIGHT THERE. WE
ARE BUILDING THE CULTURE FROM
THE GROUND LEVEL UP. SO WE ARE
ASKING EMPLOYEES TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THAT AND MAKE TAG KNOWN --
MAKING THAT KNOWN TO THEM. I
HAVE FIRED THE PEOPLE IN THE
CULTURE. I HAVE FIRED THEM. WE
KNOW WHO THE RING LEADERS WERE.
THAT CAME OUT PRETTY CLEAR FROM
THE INVESTIGATION THAT WE DID
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER
EMPLOYED. AS DAVONNA JOHNSON
MENTIONED, EVERY PERSON WAS
REQUIRED TO COMMUNICATE TO ME
AND DID SO VERY EMOTIONALLY AND
WHOLEHEARTEDLY. THEY HAD TO
COMMUNICATE TO ME WHAT THEY WERE
GOING TO COMMIT TO DO TO MAKE
THIS CULTURE DIFFERENT. THE
STEPS THEY PERSONALLY WERE GOING
TO TAKE TO MAKE THIS CULTURE
DIFFERENT. AND FURTHER, HOW THEY
WERE GOING TO BE SURE THEY COULD
NOT RETALIATE AND COULD WORK
WITH THE PEOPLE NAMED IN THEIR
REPORTS. BECAUSE THEY GOT A
REPORT WITH NAMES OF THEIR
ACCUSERS. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO
COME BACK TO WORK AND WORK WITH
THOSE EMPLOYEES? SO I HAVE THAT
COMMITMENT DIRECTLY FROM THEM AS
DO BOTH OF THE PEOPLE ASIDE MY
AND OTHERS IN THE ROOM FROM A
LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE. THE
OTHER THING I AM GOING TO
MENTION HERE IS THAT THE UNION
HAS STOOD UP IN FULL FORCE
AGAINST THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE
WERE DISCIPLINING FOR. THIS IS
NOT A UNION VERSES MANAGEMENT
SITUATION. THIS IS A UNION IN
FULL SUPPORT MAKING STATEMENTS
PUBLICLY THAT WERE ON THE NEWS
THAT SAYS WE DO NOT AGREE WITH
THIS PAST BEHAVIOR. WE ARE GOING
TO LOOK FORWARD TO BEHAVING IN A
VERY DIFFERENT WAY, AND WE ARE
PUTTING SAFETY FIRST. AS COUNCIL
MEMBERS HAVE NOTED, IT WAS AN
UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT, PHYSICALLY
UNSAFE LET ALONE PSYCHOLOGICALLY
UNSAFE AND THIS UTILITY IS LUCKY
THAT WE DID NOT HAVE MORE
SERIOUS INJURIES OR EVEN A DEATH
THROUGH THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE
SAW. WE CANNOT HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
SO WE'VE GOT UNION AND
MANAGEMENT HAND IN HAND SAYING
WE WILL MAKE IT DIFFERENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH MADAM
CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE THAT HAVE
SUFFERED FROM THIS BEHAVIOR. AS
WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS, YOU KNOW
HOW I FEEL, YOU KNOW WHERE I AM
COMING FROM ON THIS, SO ECHOING
COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID UP
HERE BEFORE. I WAS HEARTENED TO
HEAR YOU SAY INSPECTIONS ARE
HAPPENING. BECAUSE I RECALL WHEN
I HAD MY SECURITY CONSULTING
BUSINESS AND WE WERE DOING --
SOME EQUIPMENT FOR A MOVIE
SHOOT. I JUST HAPPENED TO SHOW
UP AT ONE OF THE LOCATIONS AND
FOUND OUT THAT THE GUY I HAD
SITTING ON THE LOCATION WAS
SMOKING A JOINT. I SAID, OKAY,
GIVE ME YOUR GEAR. YOU'RE GONE.
GO HOME. YOU'RE DONE. I WOULD
EXPECT THAT SAME KIND OF THING
FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP. IN THE AIR
FORCE WE CALL IT SNAP
INSPECTION. YOU SHOW UP
UNEXPECTED AND SEE WHAT'S GOING
ON. IF YOU SEE ANYBODY ENGAGED
IN NOT DOING THE JOB PROPERLY,
THEY'RE GONE. YOU SEND THEM
HOME. YOU REPORT THEM. YOU
RELIEVE THEM OF DUTY. I AM
HOPING THAT AS I HEAR WHAT YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU HAVE HAD
MEETINGS, AS ONE OF MY FORMER
AIR FORCE COLLEAGUES WOULD SAY,
TALKING IS DONE. THE TIME FOR
TALK IS DONE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO DO? IF THAT MEANS WHEN YOU
SHOW UP, YOU SUSPEND THEM, SEND
SOMEBODY HOME, PUT THEM ON
UNPAID LEAVE, THEN THAT'S WHAT
YOU DO. HAVING BEEN AROUND, I
KNOW WHAT KIND OF CULTURE EXIST
IN THE GOOD OLD BOYS NETWORK. I
HAVE SEEN IT IN A NUMBER OF
CAREERS. AND THE WAY YOU CHANGE
IT IS THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU TAKE
A SCALPEL TO. YOU TAKE A CHAIN
SAW. THIS IS ONE WHERE A CHAIN
SAW IS APPROPRIATE. SNAP
INSPECTIONS, IMMEDIATE RELIEVING
PEOPLE OF DUTY. I AM EVEN
THINKING OF SINCE IT'S HARD TO
DO A FOLLOW UP BECAUSE PEOPLE
ARE AFRAID, WANT TO REMAIN
ANONYMOUS AND THE CURRENT SYSTEM
KIND OF HAMPERS THAT ANONYMOUS
REPORTING, WELL LET'S MAKE IT
EASIER. IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE
LEGITIMATELY IN FEAR OF
RETALIATION, MAKE IT EASIER FOR
THEM TO COME FORWARD. JUST SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO
OFFER. I HEARD YOU SAY ABOUT
HAVING LEADERS LEAD. GREAT. THEY
CAN LEAD OR LEAVE. ONE OF THE
TWO. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS. I APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. AGAIN, I
CAN'T MENTION THE STRONG
FEELINGS I HAVE ABOUT THOSE WHO
PERPETUATED THIS AS WELL AS
STRONG FEELINGS I HAVE FOR THOSE
WHO ENDURED IT. AGAIN, THANK YOU
FOR BEING LEADERS IN THIS AND
LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER
TO CHANGE THAT CULTURE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SOLOMON. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER MOORE FOR
HER MOVING COMMENTS. I THINK YOU
DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF
CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF THE
UNDERLYING CHALLENGES AND OUR
SHARED FRUSTRATION, SENSE OF
SHOCK, OUTRAGE, AND CONCERN. I
WAS GOING TO RAISE MY HAND
FIRST. I INTENTIONALLY DID NOT.
I THINK THREE OF FIVE COUNCIL
MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE HAPPEN
TO BE MEN. GIVEN THE FACT THAT
THE VICTIMSSURVIVORS IN THE
NATURE OF ALLEGATIONS, MOSTLY
WOMEN, I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE
THAT THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK
WAS A WOMAN. THANK YOU AGAIN,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE FOR YOUR
MOVING COMMENTS. I COULDN'T
HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER MYSELF.
I GUESS I WILL JUST ADD A FEW
THINGS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
LINDELL, I DON'T ENVY YOUR
POSITION. OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
OF THE CONDUCT OCCURRED BEFORE
YOUR TENURE. AND YOU HAD NOTHING
TO DO WITH IT. BUT NOW YOU ARE
HERE. NOW YOU OWN IT. LIKE ME, I
HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SOME OF
THE NONSENSE THAT WENT ON BEFORE
ME BUT I OWN EVERY LAST ONE OF
THE PROBLEMS AND THEREFORE THE
SOLUTIONS. ACCOUNTABILITY AND
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME IS
SOMETHING I DON'T RUN AWAY
FROM. I RUN TOWARDS. AS LEADERS
I THINK THAT'S THE MIND SET WE
NEED TO HAVE. YOU MENTIONED THE
CULTURE CULTURAL CHALLENGES AND
DIVISIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY
PERTAINING TO THAT WITHIN YOUR
ORGANIZATION. I HAVE ALWAYS
THOUGHT IN SEATTLE IN
PARTICULAR, JUST AT A HIGH
LEVEL, WE HAVE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY IN SEATTLE TO BETTER
CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN OUR STATED
VALUES AND PEOPLE'S EVERY DAY
LIVED EXPERIENCES ON THE GROUND,
IN THIS CASE, WITHIN OUR
ORGANIZATION. I THINK THE SAME
PRINCIPLE SHOWS UP, MANIFESTS IN
INDIVIDUALS, SPECIFIC POLICY
DISCUSSIONS, WITHIN
ORGANIZATIONS AND DEPARTMENTS
WITHIN THE CITY AS WELL. HERE IS
A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THAT AT THE
ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL. SO YOU
MENTIONED THE LEADER SETS THE
TONE BUT CULTURE IS SET BY THE
INDIVIDUAL FRONT LINE TEAMS.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. I WILL
JUST SHARE THAT FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, EVERYONE, 100% OF
THE PEOPLE HAVE A SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY TO IMPROVE THE
CULTURE. BUT ONLY ONE PERSON
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE HAVE DIRECT
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT. IT'S
FRONT LINE PEOPLE, MID LEVEL
MANAGERS. THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY
ACCOUNTABLE FOR IF -- IT. YOU
ARE AS A LEADER. IF SOMEONE IS
NOT GETTING IT DONE THROUGHOUT
THE ORG, CHANGES NEED TO BE
MADE. YOU CAN STAY ANYWHERE.
JUST NOT HERE. I JUST WANTED TO
KIND OF LEVEL SET ON THE
RESPONSIBILITY WHICH IS SHARED
FOR CULTURE AND IMPROVING IT AND
ACCOUNT ABILITY. YOU CAN CHOOSE
TO DELEGATE THAT RESPONSIBILITY
AS YOU SEE FIT. WE ARE LOOKING
TO YOU. YOUR TEAM, I SEE PEOPLE
AT THE TABLE AND THE AUDIENCE,
THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT TOO.
WE ARE LOOKING AT YOU. I LOOK
FORWARD, I AM ENCOURAGED BY
INITIAL ACTIONS AND STEPS. I
LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE
AND HELPING TRACK AND MONITOR
PROGRESS. AND I AM GLAD THERE
ARE MORE TRAININGS, DOING SOME
DIRECT ALL HANDS MEETING
CONVERSATIONS, ET CETERA. BUT
THE PROBLEMS RUN DEEP. THE FACT
OF THE MATTER REMAINS, WE WILL
NOT TRAIN OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.
SO ALL THAT IS TO SAY IS I TOO
WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO COME BACK.
CHAIR, PLEASE INVITE THEM BACK.
I THINK LATER THIS YEAR IS
APPROPRIATE AND ON APPROPRIATE
CADENCE THERE AFTER JUST TO
CHECK IN AND REPORT BACK ON THE
PROGRESS. ACCOUNTABILITY. TODAY
I HAVE EVERY FAITH AND
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY AS A
LEADER TO GET IT DONE. PLEASE
DON'T LET ME LOSE THAT FAITH
AND CONFIDENCE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
AND I OWN IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN, CHAIR. THANK
YOU COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. I THINK TOO
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS' COMMENTS
ABOUT SURVIVORS HAD EVERYTHING
TO LOSE AND HOW DO WE CHANGE
THAT? I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
BACK TO US WITH SPECIFIC STEPS
OF HOW WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE
EVERYTHING TO LOSE. I THINK
PERHAPS IT SEEMS LIKE PART OF
WHAT'S GOING ON IS CLEARLY A
POWER DIFFERENTIAL, NO PUN
INTENDED THERE. THE CHIEF
DECIDES WHO HAS OVER TIME
OPPORTUNITIES, WHO ADVANCES,
WHAT'S TO REVIEW. MAYBE LOOKING
AT PROVIDING DIFFUSION OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY SO ONE PERSON
DOESN'T GET TO BE THE KING
MAKER BASICALLY, PERHAPS A
SYSTEM OF 360 FEEDBACK, HAVING
DIFFERENT PEOPLE REVIEW THE
FEEDBACK. I LIKE THE FACT THAT
YOU WILL HAVE LEADERS REQUIRED
TO DO MORE FIELD VISITS SO
THEY'RE ESTABLISHING THOSE ARE
RELATIONSHIPS, SO THERE IS SOME
TRUSTED PERSON OUTSIDE THE ONE
CREW LEADER TO GO TO. I JUST
WANT TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS
RANDOM CHECKS OF WORK VEHICLES.
I ALSO THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
A POLICY OF RANDOM DRUG AND
ALCOHOL TESTING EVEN IF THERE
ARE ANONYMOUS ALLEGATIONS MADE.
AT THAT POINT TO ME THAT CREATES
A BASIS TO REQUIRE THAT TO
HAPPEN. THE OTHER THING I WANTED
TO ASK ABOUT WHEN I HEARD YOU
SAY, THIS HAD COME TO MIND, WAS
HOW DO THE PEOPLE WHOSE
ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED,
THAT THEY'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO
STAY, HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT
HAVING TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE,
THEIR ACCUSERS? I WOULD FLIP
THAT AND SAY HOW DID THE PEOPLE
VICTIMIZED BY THEM FEEL ABOUT
HAVING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
THE INDIVIDUALS? WAS THERE ANY
ASKING OF THEM? WAS THERE INPUT
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY DID
HAVE EVERYTHING TO LOSE. THEY
CAME FORWARD. YOU MAY HAVE TAKEN
DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND THOSE
PEOPLE ARE STILL THERE. THEY MAY
BE THERE FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS.
NONETHELESS, THEY'RE STILL
THERE. WHAT FEEDBACK, WHAT
PARTICIPATION HAVE YOU GOTTEN
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HARMED,
PEOPLE WHO HAD EVERYTHING TO
LOSE AND WHO DID COME FORWARD
AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT HAVING
TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
INDIVIDUALS?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. I WILL START WITH THE
LAST QUESTION AND WORK A LITTLE
BIT BACKWARDS. WHAT WE PROVIDED
TO THE VICTIMS, THE ACCUSERS WAS
THE SUPPORT, EXTERNAL SUPPORT
THAT WE HIRED FOR THIS PROCESS
AND TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT. I
DID NOT SPECIFICALLY ASK THEM,
THOSE THAT HAD RAISED CONCERNS.
SOME OF THEM ARE NO LONGER HERE.
THEY'VE LEFT THROUGH THE COURSE
OF THEIR OWN RETIREMENT PLANS,
ET CETERA. I DON'T BELIEVE WE
SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM BUT I
WILL ASK MISS JOHNSON TO
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.
>> WE HAVE MADE POSITIVE CONTACT
WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND
CULTURE TEAM AND ALSO THEIR
MANAGEMENT TEAM HAVE TALKED WITH
EACH INDIVIDUAL AS WE WERE
LEADING UP TO SHARING THE
RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION
MORE PUBLIC PUBLICLY, OUR
SECURITY TEAM MET. EACH OF THE
EMPLOYEES HAD SAFETY PLANS IN
PLACE SO THEY MADE SURE THAT IF
THEY WERE TO HAVE ANY SORT OF
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE
WORKPLACE POST RELEASE OF THE
INVESTIGATION THAT THEY HAD A
CLEAR LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO
US TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND
WHAT'S GOING ON. MY EMPLOYEE
RELATIONS TEAM HAS INDIVIDUAL
RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH ONE OF
THOSE EMPLOYEES AND THERE IS AN
OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN THEM.
>> THANK YOU DAVONNA. I WILL ASK
ROB IN A MINUTE TO SPEAK TO THE
CHANGES WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE
IN THE OVER TIME HANDLING.
BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING THAT
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
>> OUR OVER TIME POLICY WAS A
LITTLE UNEVEN AND NOT MANAGED
WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY IN THE
PAST. WE HAVE AN OVER TIME
COMMITTEE THAT NEEDS JOINT
MANAGEMENT AND UNION. THAT
COMMITTEE FINISHED OUR OVER TIME
POLICIES ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
NOW WE HAVE A STRINGENT POLICY
AROUND OVER TIME AND THERE IS A
CALL OUT ORDER FOLKS HAVE TO
FOLLOW WHEN WE ARE ASSIGNING
OVER TIME FOR CALL OUTS AND
SUCH. WHEN WE FINISH THAT AS A
COMMITTEE, I WENT PERSONALLY AND
TRAINED EVERY OPERATIONS GROUP
THAT WAS IMPACTED ALONGSIDE OF
OUR 77 BUSINESS REP. I DID THE
TRAINING FOR THE GROUPS AND WE
HAD QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION,
THE 77, AND I KIND OF JOINTLY
ANSWERED THOSE. I WOULD ANSWER
ONE. HE WOULD ANSWER ONE. IN
SUPPORT OF EACH OTHER. SO WE
HAVE CLEANED THE OLD OVER TIME
DISCREPANCIES A AND THINGS LIKE
THAT WITH A NEW POLICY
IMPLEMENTED AS OF ABOUT TWO
YEARS AGO.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. ON THE RANDOM
DRUG TESTING, WE ARE STILL
DIGGING INTO WHAT EXACT PATH TO
TAKE ON THAT. WE HAVE RECENTLY
REVIEWED WASHINGTON LAW ON THAT.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR
ATTORNEYS. WE DO I BELIEVE DO
RANDOM DRUG TESTING FOR CDL
HOLDERS. THAT IS IN PLACE BUT
NOT EVERYONE WHO WORKS THE CREWS
IS A CDL HOLDER. SO WHAT I HAVE
SEEN IN OTHER UTILITIES FOR
EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF THERE IS A
SEVERE SAFETY INCIDENT FOR
EXAMPLE, WE WOULD AS A MATTER OF
COURSE AUTOMATICALLY DO RANDOM
DRUG SAMPLING. I WORKED AS
SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE MEMBER
IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAD
RANDOM DRUG TESTING ALL THE
TIME. IN FACT ONE YEAR I HAD
FOUR OF THEM. IT WAS GETTING
HARD TO GET MY WORK DONE WITH
THE NUMBER OF TIMES I WAS
RANDOMLY TESTED. MY HUSBAND WHO
IS A RETIRED TWO STAR GENERAL
HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. WHAT WE
NEED TO DO IS BE SURE WE ARE
COMPLYING WITH WASHINGTON STATE
LAW, THAT OUR UNIONS WERE IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE STEPS TAKEN.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE
ON THAT PATROL OFFICERS AS WELL.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE
SUGGESTIONS AND PLEASE KEEP THEM
COMING. AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH
THIS PROCESS, EVERYONE IS
OUTRAGED AND SOMETHING MUST BE
DONE. AS THE PERSON ACCOUNTABLE
TO ENSURE SOME THINGS ARE DONE,
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TALKING
ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS. I
DON'T THINK WE HAVE THEM ALL
YET. I THINK WE WILL CONTINUE TO
LEARN AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON
THE OUTCOMES. I AM A BIG
PROPONENT OF TRYING THINGS AND
KEEPING ONES THAT WORK AND
DITCHING ONES THAT DON'T AND
TRYING SOMETHING ELSE. THAT IS
WHY I HAVE MENTIONED AND I HAVE
HAD NO LESS THAN THREE LEADERS,
TWO IN THE CITY AND -- ALL OF
THEM REGIONALLY BUT TWO IN THE
DIRECT CITY ORGANIZATION REACH
OUT TO ME WHO HAVE FACED SOME
SIMILAR ISSUES, PERHAPS NOT AS
BIG, BUT SOME SIMILAR ISSUES AND
HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD IN SHARING
WHERE THEY'RE HEADED AND WHAT
THEY'VE LEARNED ON THE JOURNEY
THEY'VE BEEN ON OVER THE LAST
FEW YEARS. SO I WILL CONTINUE TO
PARTNER WITH THEM TO BROADEN THE
IDEAS.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. I'VE GOT A
FEW MORE QUESTIONS. I WANTED TO
STEP OUT OF THE WAY TO ALLOW
OTHER COLLEAGUES TO SPEAK AND
ACKNOWLEDGE WE WOULD NOT BE HERE
TODAY IF HAD NOT TAKEN THIS
PUBLIC WITH THE SEATTLE TIMES
STORY. MONTHS IN FEDERAL
QUESTIONS CONTINUE WITH THIS
CULTURE OF SILENCE AND
INTIMIDATION CONTINUES, REMAINS
IN OUR CITY, WHAT WILL BE DONE?
YOU SAID THE FIRED THE RING
LEADERS. BUT WHAT IF MORE
REPORTS COME IN? WHAT HAPPENS IF
PAST BEHAVIOR OCCURRED AND
STOPPED TODAY AFTER YOU WENT AND
SPOKE TO THE SUPERVISORS AND
THOSE REPORTS COME IN TOMORROW?
WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE IF MORE
REPORTS COME IN?
>> SURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
INVESTIGATE. AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO ADDRESS IT IN THE
OPEN WAY THAT MR. SANTOF DID
YESTERDAY. I THINK THERE IS A
LOT OF POWER IN PEOPLE KNOWING
THAT THEY CAN COME FORWARD
TOGETHER AND THAT THEY'RE NOT
ALONE. I DON'T BELIEVE -- I DO
BELIEVE WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
MISS CONDUCT. WITH 1800
EMPLOYEES, PEOPLE WILL MAKE
MISTAKES. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
WE STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SUCH A
CONE OF SILENCE. WE ARE TAKING
ALL THESE STEPS TO ERADICATE
THAT. WILL IT HAPPEN OVER NIGHT?
NOPE. WILL WE STAY AT IT? YES.
SO ON THE BASIS OF ONE ANONYMOUS
COMPLAINT, WE ACTED THIS WEEK.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
>> THAT'S HELPFUL KNOWING
ESPECIALLY GOING FORWARD. I
GUESS AGAIN THE QUESTION COMES
BACK TO IF CULTURE WITHIN SOME
OF THESE WORKGROUPS HAS BEEN
GOING ON, HAS STOPPED TODAY
AFTER YOUR ACTIONS AND THOSE
REPORTS COME FORWARD, DO THE
SURVIVORS, WILL THEY RECEIVE THE
SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND
GUARANTEES AS IF THIS WAS
CONTINUING? IF WE ARE LOOKING AT
A BEHAVIOR THAT'S EXISTED
WITHIN THE WORKGROUPS BUT
STOPPED TODAY, WILL THOSE
INVESTIGATIONS BE DONE AS
THOROUGHLY AS ANY ONGOING
BEHAVIOR WOULD?
>> I AM NOT POSITIVE I
UNDERSTAND. BUT, YES, WE WILL DO
THOROUGH INVESTIGATIONS. WE WILL
ASK PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD AND
HAVE THE CONVERSATION. DID YOU
WANT TO ADD ANYTHING?
>> I THINK THE ONLY THING I
WOULD ADD IS WE HAVE HAD ISSUES.
THIS INVESTIGATION TOOK QUITE
SOMETIME. DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD, OTHER ISSUES, ANCILLARY
ISSUES, WERE RAISED. WE
CONTINUED TO LOOK INTO THE
ISSUES AND ADDRESS THEM AND MOVE
THEM THROUGH OUR PROCESS. SO OUR
COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE MADE TO
APPLIYS -- EMPLOYEES IS IF YOU
BRING A CONCERN FORWARD, WE WILL
ADDRESS IT.
>> HOW WILL WE KNOW IF WE ARE
SUCCESSFUL? WHAT ARE
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES? I KNOW
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY A NUMBER OF
TIMES. WHAT ARE ACTIONS WE WILL
BE TAKING SO WE KNOW IF WE ARE
SUCCESSFUL OR NOT?
>> ONE IS AN ONGOING PROCESS IN
WHICH WE DO THE SURVEY. I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THEM NUDGED FLOORED.
WE'LL SEE AND BE ABLE TO
SUCCESS HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE
THAT WAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
HOLD LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE AS
MENTIONED HERE. WE'LL CONTINUE
TO ASK THE QUESTIONS. IF I AM
GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU,
I CAN'T COME HERE WITHOUT
HAVING CONTACTED THE LEADERSHIP
THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND
UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEY ARE AND
WHAT STEPS THEY'RE TAKING THIS
THEIR ORGANIZATIONS TO CHANGE
THE CULTURE. I WILL HAVE TO BE
ABLE TO REPORT OUT TO YOU WHAT I
AM HEARING FROM MIDDLE
MANAGEMENT. I THINK THAT'S
ANOTHER STEP. I HAVE SAID SO
MANY THINGS ALREADY. THAT'S
WHERE WE ARE.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL SUMMARIZE
THE COMMENTS I HAVE SHARED OVER
THE PAST YEARS IN EXECUTIVE
SESSION HERE IN THE PUBLIC. AS
REPORTED IN THE SEATTLE TIMES
ARTICLE THAT PAR TAKING IN
CULTURE OF DRINKING AND SEXISM
WAS REQUIRED INTO THE ENTRY TO
THE GOOD OLD BOYS CLUB. BEYOND
THIS BEING UNACCEPTABLE THIS
CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIST IN
OUR GOVERNMENT PROVIDING
SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS OF OUR
CITY. FROM MY POSITION IF
EMPLOYEES PERPETUATE EVEN A HINT
OF THIS, THEY NEED TO BE SWIFTLY
DISCIPLINED INCLUDING ABILITY TO
FIRE THEM. LET THERE BE NO
UNCERTAINTY THAT THERE IS NO
ROOM IN OUR HOUSE TO ALLOW
PEOPLE TO CONTINUE WORKING FOR
OUR CITY OR LEAVE QUIETLY IF
THEY'VE BEEN FOUND TO ENGAGE IN
HARASSMENT OR CREATED A CULTURE
OF INTIMIDATION. YOU DON'T JUST
HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM ME TO
DISMANTLE THE CULTURE. I AM
DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY TO ROOT
THIS CULTURE OUT OF OUR WORK
PLACES WITHIN THE CITY CITY OF
SEATTLE, WITHIN CITY LIGHT
UTILITY. IT'S NOT JUST THE
SUPPORT THAT YOU RECEIVE FROM ME
BUT IT IS A DEMAND. I LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY
QUESTIONS TODAY.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER,
STRAUSS. ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? MY TURN FOR
QUESTIONS. I ALSO JUST WANT TO
STATE FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT MY
HEART IS WITH THE SURVIVORS OF
THIS AND MY MIND IS FOCUSED ON
HOW WE TAKE EVERY STEP TO BE
SURE THE MISCONDUCT ENDS AND
CULTURE CHANGES IMMEDIATELY. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THOROUGHLY
ANSWERING MANY OF OUR QUESTIONS
TODAY. THE CITY OF SEATTLE MUST
ASPIRE TO BE THE BEST EMPLOYER
IN THE CITY. TO THAT END, A
COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO FOCUS
ON ON THIS MATTER. HOW WOULD YOU
ADVISE SEATTLE RESIDENTS WHO MAY
BE WITNESSING SOME OF THE
MISCONDUCT? HOW WOULD YOU ADVISE
THEM TO HANDLE THAT OR REPORT
THAT TO YOUR LEADERSHIP?
>> CERTAINLY. WE WOULD WELCOME
ANY REPORTS FROM ANY CITIZEN ON
ANY FOPPIC AND CERTAINLY ON THIS
ONE. TOMMIC AND CERTAINLY ON
THIS ONE. THEY ARE WELCOME TO
CALL IN. (206)684-3000. THAT
GOES TO THE COMBINED UTILITY
CALL CENTER. BUT WE HAVE FIELDED
CUSTOMER CONCERNS THROUGH OUR
CUSTOMER SERVICE LINES, THROUGH
DIRECT CONTACT TO THE CEO, AND
TO OTHERS ON THE LEADERSHIP
TEAM. SO WE WILL ACCEPT ANY
FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS.
>> ANY PATH.
>> THANK YOU. AS A WOMAN IN
LEADERSHIP AT THE CITY, I HAVE
TO AGAIN NAME THAT THE CULTURE
OF NEEDS TO END. WE KNOW THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF CONFIRMED CASES
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT ON
WOMEN WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN
DETAILED. I WANT TO NAME THAT
CITY LIGHT IS NOT THE ONLY
DEPARTMENT THAT STRUGGLES WITH
THIS ISSUE. AS YOU ARE
PRECEDING, HOW CAN WEN SURE THAT
THIS BECOMES A SAFER PLACE FOR
WOMEN TO WORK? WHAT DOES CULTURE
CHANGE LOOK LIKE FOR CITY LIGHT
IN THIS REGARD?
>> COUNCIL CHAIR, YES, I AGREE.
AS A WOMAN IN THIS INDUSTRY AND
IN FACT HAVING COME UP THROUGH
THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WHICH
IS EVEN MORE MALE INSIDE AN ALL
MALE DOMINATED ARENA, I
CERTAINLY HAVE EXPERIENCED MY
OWN CONCERNS AND ISSUES AND AM
GLAD WE ARE HERE IN 2025 WHERE
IT IS A DIFFERENT RECORD THAT
RECOGNIZES THAT -- WORLD THAT
RECOGNIZES WOMEN BRING GREAT
VALUE TO THE WORKFORCE. I DO
WANT IF SAY THE 6% NUMBER
APPLIES TO THE NETWORK GROUP. DO
YOU KNOW HOW MANY?
>> 29.6% WOMEN IN THE UTILITY
WIDE WORKFORCE.
>> THAT STILL IS NOT
REPRESENTED. THAT IS NOT
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY
THAT WE SERVE. SO WE ARE
CONTINUING TO PARTNER ACROSS THE
CITY WITH LEADERS. IN FACT BOTH
MISS JOHNSON AND I HAVE BEEN ON
A MAYOR INITIATED GROUP TO LOOK
AT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS
THE CITY. CITY LIGHT WILL BE
PLAYING A PIVOTAL ROLE IN
HELPING REACH OUT TO COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE UNDER REPRESENTED AND
COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE, KINDS OF
PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO
CHARACTERIZE THAT. BUT PEOPLE
WHO TYPICALLY ARE NOT GETTING
OPPORTUNITIES AND THINKING ABOUT
HOW CAN WE OPEN THE DOORS WIDER?
HOW CAN WE PREPARE PEOPLE TO
COMPETE EFFECTIVELY FOR THESE
POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
ORGANIZATION? I INVITE WOMEN IN
THIS COMMUNITY TO COME FORWARD
AND WORK FOR US AND HELP US
CHANGE THIS CULTURE. I THINK
THAT WILL ALSO BE VERY HELPFUL
TO HAVE MORE VOICES SPEAK AND
MORE VOICES WHO ARE WITH US TO
MAKE THIS DIFFERENT. I DO POINT
OUT AGAIN THAT OUR CULTURE
SURVEY SHOWS THAT 87% OF
EMPLOYEES DO FEEL RESPECTED IN
OUR WORKPLACE. I DO NOT BELIEVE
THIS IS A WIDESPREAD
ORGANIZATION WIDE PROBLEM. THAT
DOES NOT LESSEN THE IMPACT IN
THE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION
WHERE THIS WAS A PROBLEM, AND WE
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
IDENTIFYING THAT, SPEAKING THAT
TRUTH, AND MAKING THE CHANGES
NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT NUMBER OF
87% GO EVEN HIGHER AND ENSURE
THAT PEOPLE IN VERY
TRADITIONALLY MALE ROLES FEEL
DIFFERENTLY GOING FORWARD AND
HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HOW THEY
FEEL. IT'S ABOUT WHAT THEY
EXPERIENCE.
>> THANK YOU TO. THANK YOU FOR
CLARIFYING THAT POINT ALSO ABOUT
WOMEN REPRESENTATION WITHIN CITY
LIGHT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT
FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW. THIS
SITUATION HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN
VERY TROUBLING FOR THE CITY. I
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO APPLAUD
LEADERSHIP IN THE MOMENT,
GENERAL MANAGER LINDELL AS
STATED THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOR, REPORTS GO BACK SIX YEARS.
WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS ISSUE
HAS BEEN BEFORE THAT? YOU HAVE
BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR LESS THAN
A YEAR.
>> JUST OVER.
>> JUST OVER. I MISSED YOUR
ANNIVERSARY. I APOLOGIZE. JUST
OVER A YEAR, TO THAT POINT, AND
HAVE REALLY STEPPED INTO TRYING
TO MANAGE THE SITUATION. WE LACK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND
TRYING TO MANAGE THE SITUATION
MOVING FORWARD. I ASK DO YOU
HAVE ANY LEADERSHIP FOR ANY
OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE
LEADERS WHO MAY BE WORKING
THROUGH SIMILAR ISSUES AS YOU
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO NAVIGATE
THIS?
>> YES. THANK YOU. ONE OTHER
THING WE DID DIFFERENTLY WITH
THIS ISSUE WAS THAT AT THE TIME
WE HAD EMBARGO LIFT OFF THE
MEDIA. I ALSO E-MAILED ALL OF
THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ACROSS THE
CITY. ALL OF THEM. THE WHOLE
CABINET. SO THEY COULD BE AWARE
OF WHAT WE WERE DOING, WHAT WAS
ABOUT TO HIT THE MEDIA, HAVE
ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKING
POINTS, THE LEADERSHIP SPEAKING
POINTS WHICH INCLUDES THE
ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TAKING
AND HAVE BEEN THANKED
OVERWHELMINGLY. HONESTLY I HAVE
BEEN HUMBLED BY THANKS FROM THE
CABINET MEMBERS WHO GREATLY
APPRECIATED THE TRANSPARENCY. I
AM GETTING STOPPED IN THE FOOD
COURT, THE PLACE YOU GO WITH ALL
THE PLACES TO EAT, I AM STOPPED
BY RANDOM EMPLOYEES OF ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS THANKING ME FOR THE
TRANSPARENCY WITH WHICH WE HAVE
HANDLED THIS. I THINK AGAIN
GIVING DAYLIGHT TO THE PROBLEM
ENABLES IT TO BE ADDRESSED FROM
MULTIPLE ARENAS. IT IS OUT OF
SHARING THAT DAYLIGHT THAT I
HAVE HAD THE BLESSING OF HAVING
OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO HAVE
HAD EXPERIENCES AND ARE GOING
THROUGH EXPERIENCES IN THIS SAME
TYPE OF ISSUE COME FORWARD WITH
WHAT THEY'VE DONE THAT'S
WORKED AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING
TO DO AS WELL. SO WE'LL
CONTINUE THAT SHARING. WE'LL
CONTINUE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO
GROW. I THINK WHEN WE TAKE
THINGS OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND
WE TAKE THINGS THAT WE DON'T
TALK ABOUT AND WE MAKE THEM
THINGS THAT WE DO TALK ABOUT,
THAT BECOMES VERY POWERFUL. THAT
REALLY HAS BEEN A KEY PART OF
MAKING THIS DIFFERENT THAN IT'S
BEEN HANDLED BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU. MY FINAL QUESTION
TODAY, AS WE WRAP UP, THERE WILL
BE ACTION TAKEN UP OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE MONTHS AS WE CONTINUE TO
WORK ON THIS. DO YOU HAVE THE
RESOURCES, THE NECESSARY
RESOURCES TO TACKLE THESE
CULTURAL CHALLENGES? IS THERE
ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM THE CITY
OR FROM COUNSEL AS YOU ARE
NAVIGATING THIS TIME?
>> THANK YOU. I GREATLY
APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. THE
UTILITY IN TOTAL IS UNDER
RESOURCED WHEN WE BENCHMARK
AGAINST OTHER UTILITIES OF
SIMILAR SIZE. THAT HAS BEEN
DIFFICULT. IN FACT LEADERSHIP
CITES THAT IS PART OF THE REASON
THIS MAY HAVE GOTTEN AS OUT OF
CONTROL AS IT DID. BECAUSE THERE
SIMPLY WASN'T ADEQUATE
OVERSIGHT AND PEOPLE WERE
SPENDING WAY MORE TIME TOGETHER
THAN THEY WERE ELSE WHERE. IT
DOES NOT IN ANY WAY EXCUSE THE
BEHAVIOR. BUT I THINK THEY MAY
HAVE A VALID POINT WITH THE
WORK-LIFE BALANCE OR LACK
THEREOF THAT IS RIGHT EMPLOYEES
INVOLVED IN THIS WERE
EXPERIENCING. THAT EXTENDS TO
OUR ENGINEERING GROUP WHICH IS
PART OF WHICH WE HAVE STRUGGLED
SO MUCH WITH HAVING TIMELY
ENERGIZATION ON DEVELOPMENTS. WE
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ASSESSING
THE RESOURCE NEEDS. YOU KNOW, IT
INVOLVES PROCUREMENT PEOPLE,
INVOLVES PEOPLE IN CULTURE. WE
WILL LIKELY BE COMING TO THE
TABLE WITH CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT
CAREFULLY PLANNED REQUESTS FOR
THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF
STAFFING AS WE PROCEED THROUGH
ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WE
HAVE IN THE UTILITY. I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THE OFFER. I DO NOT
HAVE AN ASK TODAY ON THAT BUT I
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE OFFER
AS WE CONTINUE THAT ASSESSMENT.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL CONTINUE
THIS WORK TOGETHER, COLLEAGUES,
TO FIGURE OUT AND CHART A PATH
FORWARD AND PROVIDE THAT PROPER
OVER SIGHT AGAIN TO BE SURE THAT
WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS. I WANT
TO THANK EACH OF YOU AGAIN, ROB
ESPECIALLY THROWING INTO THE
ROLE OF OVERSEEING TEAMS IN THE
WORK. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP
TO LEAD. THANK YOU DAVONNA AS
WELL. WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE
MORE STEPS FORWARD IN MAKING
SURE THAT THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS
THE BEST PLAYER IN THE CITY. WE
HAVE A WAYS TO GO BUT DETERMINED
TO DO THAT WORK. THANK YOU ALL
FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE REACHED
THE INDIANA TOLL OF ARGUE -- OUR
AGENDA. ANYTHING FOR THE END OF
THE ORDER? THANK YOU FOR BEING
PART OF THIS IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION TODAY. SEEING AS
THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
SEEING AS THERE IS NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, I AM GOING TO CLOSE
THINGS OUT. I HAVE MISPLACED MY
PAPERS. THERE WE ARE. HEARING NO
FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
IT IS 11:17. THANK YOU.