ALL RIGHT. YOU READY? ALL RIGHT.
THE MOVIE HAS STARTED. GOOD
MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE JULY
9th. 2026 MEETING OF THE
GOVERNANCE AND UTILITIES
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT'S 89:36 A.M. AND I'M JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? [ ROLL
CALL ]
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE THREE
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ IS
EXCUSED AND COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
IS EXCUSED UNTIL SHE GETS HERE.
HAPPY JULY. IT'S JULY, RIGHT?
HAPPY JULY. WE'RE GOING TO JUMP
RIGHT IN. WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA
SO WE'RE GOING TO JUMP RIGHT
INTO THE MEETING AND I KNOW THAT
WE HAVE SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS
THAT MIGHT HAVE HARD STOPS SO
WE'RE GOING TO POWER THROUGH
AND WE'RE GOING TO NOW CONSIDER
THE AGENDA. IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
>> COLLEAGUES, AT THIS TIME, WE
WILL OPEN THE REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS ON THE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA,
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR, AND THE COUNCIL'S
WORK PROGRAM.
>> HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE?
>> WE HAVE SIX IN-PERSON, NONE
ONLINE.
>> OKAY, AWESOME. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD WILL -- I'M
GOING TO READ THE DIRECTIONS. ON
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE. AND THE
SIGNUP SHEET AVAILABLE HERE IN
COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO MY RIGHT
YOUR LEFT. IF YOU HAVE NOT
REGISTERED TO SPEAK BUT WOULD
LIKE TO, YOU CAN SIGN UP BEFORE
THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD OR ON THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE. THE LINK IS LISTED ON
TODAY'S AGENDA. WHEN SPEAKING
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM THAT YOU ARE
ADDRESSING. YOU WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN TEN SECONDS OR LESS.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME THE SPEAKER
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTE SOD WE
CAN CALL ON THE NEXT PERSON.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST. I SEE
WE HAVE MARTA JOHNSON FOLLOWED
BY MAYORIE. DID SAY THAT RIGHT?
I'M SORRY. PETER, WE HAVE
BECCA, SARAH AND MICHAEL.
WELCOME.
>> HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY.
YEAH, HI COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME
IS MARTA AND I'M HERE WITH FOR
SEATTLE AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT
OF FREEMONT AND HERE TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF THE UTILITY DISCOUNT
PROGRAM EXPANSION AND THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND CHAIR
HOLLINGS FOR YOUR EFFORTS WITH
THIS LEGISLATION. AS WE EXPECT,
LARGE UTILITY RATES INCREASES
NEXT YEAR, NOW IS THE TIME TO
MAKE SURE THIS PRE-EXISTING
PROGRAM GETS EFFECTIVELY
DELIVERED. EXPANDING WHO
QUALIFIES AS A CHANCE TO REACH
MORE INDIVIDUALS AND REALLY
DELIVER THE DOLLARS WE HAVE SET
ASIDE. I SPENT MANY, MANY HOURS
TALKING TO FAMILIES, WORKERS AND
SENIORS ACROSS THE CITY AND ONE
THEME IS VERY, VERY CLEAR. IT'S
BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO
LIVE AND AGE IN THIS CITY. THE
UDP PROGRAM IS A MUCH-NEEDED
STEP TO BRING RELIEF TO THESE
INDIVIDUALS. I ENCOURAGE YOU
ALSO TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT TO
REQUIRE YEARLY REPORTING FOR
ENROLLMENT NUMBERS AND I ALSO
BELIEVE AND ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO
CONSIDER CREATING A YEARLY
ENROLLMENT GOAL. THIS IS AN
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE THAT WILL
ENSURE WE ARE ALL MOVING IN THE
SAME DIRECTION. WE HAVE A REAL
OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SHOW THAT
OUR CITY CAN DELIVER AND BRING
REAL SAVINGS TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL
YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU MART A AND FOR THE
RECORD COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAS
BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME. REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA IS HERE. THANK YOU. NEXT
WE HAVE MAYORIE AND FOLLOWED BY
PETER WU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH AND
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
MAYORIE ROW AND I LIVE IN MOUNT
BAKER AND I'M A MEMBER OF FOR
SEATTLE. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO
SUPPORT THE UTILITY DISCOUNT
PROGRAM LEGISLATION. I'M A
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AND MANY
OF MY PATIENTS ARE LIVING ON
FIXED KNOCKS AND I SEE EVERY DAY
HOW RISING UTILITY COSTS AFFECT
THEIR HEALTH. LAST WINTER A
VETERAN TOLD ME HE'D BEEN
RATIONING HIS MEDICATIONS IS A
HE AND HIS WIFE COULD KEEP THE
HEAT ON FOR HIS NEWBORN. NOT
BEFORE HE'D BEEN MAKING THIS
IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE FOR MONTHS.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY
DON'T KNOW AND I HEAR AGAIN AND
AGAIN IN THE WORK THAT THE
STRESS OF NAVIGATING COMPLICATED
BENEFIT PROGRAMS IS A DOUBLE
BURDEN ON TOP OF FINANCIAL
HARDSHIP AND HEALTH CHALLENGES.
MY PATIENTS GIVE UP AND THEY
SUFFER. A RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC
PROGRAM HAS TO MAKE SURE THE
PEOPLE IT'S MEANT FOR KNOW
ABOUT IT AND CAN EASILY ENROLL.
ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS
BILL WILL WORK TO MAKE SIGNING
UP FOR THE UTILITIES DISCOUNT
PROGRAM SIMPLER. THE CITY IS
ALREADY SET ASIDE FUNDING SO LET
MAKE SURE IT ACTUALLY GETS TO
FAMILIES IN NEED. I HOPE YOU'LL
MOVE THIS FORWARD AND THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HOW DO I SAY YOUR
LAST NAME?
>> ROW.
>> DR. ROW, THANK YOU. WE HAVE
PETER, WELCOME PETER. FOLLOWED
BY BECCA AND SARAH AND THEN
MICHAEL. WELCOME PETER.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY
NAME IS PETER AND LIVE IN
COLUMBIA CITY AND I'M ALSO HERE
TO HELP -- ASK YOU PASS THE UDP
EXPANSION. I SUPPORT THE
EXPANSION BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A
MASSIVE BOON IN THE LIFE OF A
CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND. MY FAMILY
FRIEND IS AN ELDERLY CHINESE
IMMIGRANT WHO ONLY WORKED FOR
ABOUT TEN YEARS BEFORE
RETIREMENT. SO HER SOCIAL
SECURITY HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH TO
COVER HER BILLS AND SHE'S
ACTUALLY BEEN ENROLLED IN UDP
AND IS -- IT'S BEEN A HUGE --
IN BEING ABLE TO SURVIVE AND
TAKE CARE OF HER SISTER'S
MEDICAL NEEDS. I PARTICULARLY
URGE YOU TO MAKE ENROLLMENT
AUTOMATIC SO THAT OTHERS ARE
ABLE TO GET IN THE PROGRAM AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, CITY ALREADY
KNOWS WHO MOST OF THE ELIGIBLE
PEOPLE WOULD BE. BUT LESS THAN
HALF ARE ENROLLED. MY MOTHER
HELPS WITH TRANSLATION SUPPORT
EVERY YEAR WITH MY FAMILY
FRIEND. SO THAT SHE CAN GET
ENROLLED IN ALL THESE PROGRAMS
AND SHE ALWAYS NEEDS THE
TRANSLATION SUPPORT AND BECAUSE
SHE'S SO STRESSED TRYING TO GET
THROUGH ALL THE PAPERWORK. AND
WITH LESS THAN HALF OF ELIGIBLE
RESIDENTS RECEIVING SUPPORT FOR
UDP, THE CITY MUST ACT TO ENROLL
OTHER SENIORS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE
THE SAME LEVEL OF ADVOCACY AND
REDUCE THE PAPERWORK BURDEN FOR
EVERYONE. I ALSO SUPPORT THE
ANNUAL REPORTING REQUIREMENT AND
ASK YOU TO PROVIDE A GOAL FOR
ENROLLMENT TO ENSURE THE CITY IS
LIVING UP TO ITS IDEALS. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU PETER.
NEXT WE HAVE BECCA. WELCOME.
FOLLOWED BY SARAH AND THING
MICHAEL. THEN WE'LL GO ONLINE
TO DAVID HAYNES.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS BECCA
MILLER ROSE AND I LIVE IN
COLUMBIA CITY. AND I ALSO WORK
ACTUALLY IN SENIOR HEALTH CARE
AND SEE FIRSTHAND HOW UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAMS. I SEE
FIRSTHAND HOW THAT IMPACTS
PEOPLE BUT ALSO AS CITIZEN OF
THE CITY, I THINK WE ALL FEEL
THE ZEITGEIST FOR HAVING A
GOVERNMENT WHERE THAT CAN TRULY
DELIVER AND A GOVERNMENT THAT'S
HOLDING ITSELF ACCOUNTABLE. WE
ARE HUNGRY FOR THIS NOW MORE
THAN EVER AND I THINK I'M PART
OF THE FOR SEATTLE GROUP AND
PART OF WHAT WE ARE COMING
TOGETHER FOR IS GOOD INTENTIONS
AREN'T ENOUGH. IT'S A CREDIT
TO THE CITY WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM
BUT HAVING THE PROGRAM IS NOT
ENOUGH. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT
THE PROGRAM IS WORKING AND
THAT'S GETTING TO PEOPLE THAT
IT'S HAVING AN IMPACT THAT OUR
GOVERNMENT IS DELIVERING FOR THE
CITIZENS OF SEATTLE. AND I THINK
THERE'S A REALLY STRONG FEELING
RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY THAT THIS
IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF YOU ALL
AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING
OF OUR GOVERNMENT TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS OWN IDEALS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE A STEP IN
THAT DIRECTION. SO THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU BECCA. BECCA MILLER
ROSE. SOUNDS LIKE A NICE
DESIGNER PURSE. THAT'S DOPE.
SARAH? WELCOME.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING
COUNCILMEMBERS. TODAY I'M
SPEAKING ON THE ANNUAL STATUS
REPORT AND I'M ALSO HERE TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THE
UDP PROGRAM WHICH I'M ALREADY
QUALIFIED FOR BUT I THINK IT
SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE AND EASIER
TO APPLY FOR BECAUSE CURRENTLY
IT'S KIND OF CONVOLUTED AND
THERE'S LIKE A LOT OF LIMITED
DEADLINES AND THINGS GOING ON.
YOU KNOW? AND -- MAKING IT
EASIER I THINK WOULD HELP LOT OF
PEOPLE. ESPECIALLY HOW
UNAFFORDABLE THINGS ARE
BECOMING. THIS ONE THING WITH
THE -- PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT.
IT'S JUST -- KIND OF
CONCERNING. A LOT OF THE REMARKS
ON HOW NONE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMENTS HAVE BEEN LIKE --
IMPLEMENTED. I KNOW THERE'S
WORK BEING DONE ON THAT. A LOT
OF TRANSITIONS BUT I THINK
THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT
ESPECIALLY CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS
HAVE MORE IMPACT THAN THAT. YOU
KNOW? THERE'S A LOT OF SAFETY
ISSUES. ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE
HAVE TO WALK AROUND IN PUBLIC.
AND DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
DRIVE PLACE TO PLACE. BUT AGAIN,
THANK YOU FOR THE UDP PROGRAM
AND IT IS A VERY GREAT RESOURCE
AND IT HAS HELPED THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE AND WILL HELP THOUSANDS
MORE. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU SARAH AND
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO AS
WELL. MICHAEL? HEY MICHAEL .
>> HELLO. SO I'M MICHAEL. I'M
A FIN KNEE BRIDGE RESIDENT AND
HERE TO SUPPORT THE UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAM. PAPERWORK IS A
BURDEN ON ALL OF US. BUT I THINK
IT SHOULD BE LESS OF A BURDEN ON
THOSE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS
PROGRAM. SO I SUPPORT EASIER
ENROLLMENT. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU MICHAEL.
NEXT WE HAVE -- WE'RE GOING TO
GO ONLINE AND YOU ARE GOING TO
PRESS STAR 6 AND UNMUTE YOURSELF
MR. HAYNES.
>> HI, THANK YOU, DAVID HAYNES
AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS
THE CITY AUDITOR IS NOT
QUALIFIED OR TRUSTWORTHY TO
ANALYZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BAD
POLICIES REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY
WHERE YOU ARE LITERALLY
CAPITULATING THE INTEGRITY OF
OVERSIGHT BY JUST TALKING LIKE
BALTIMORE. LET'S JUST LEAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF GUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION UP TO BALTIMORE'S
BAD POLICIES AND IDEAS TO
MANIPULATE THE STATISTICS, TO
LINE THE POCKETS OF FELONS WHO
ARE RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR
EVIL CRIMINALS. IT'S LIKE --
THE AUDITOR LOOKS THE OTHER WAY
WHEN A 25-YEAR-OLD, A
26-YEAR-OLD IS BEING LISTED AS
YOUTH. AND IT'S NOT FAIR, IT'S
REVOLTING THAT YOU ALL ARE
ADDING ANOTHER LAYER OF LIKE
OVERSIGHT BECAUSE THE COUNCIL
REFUSES TO HAVE PROPER OVERSIGHT
BECAUSE YOU FEEL YOU ARE -- YOUR
FINANCING IS GOING TO COME BACK
TO BITE YOU. YOU ARE GOING TO
LEAVE IT UP TO ANOTHER WATCHDOG
AGENCY. CALL OUT THE CITY
AUDITOR WHO'S JUST CAPITULATING
THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHO
HAS ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS
RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR
CRIMINALS. WE HAVE A HOMELESS
CRISIS OF INNOCENTS BEING
VICTIMIZED AND HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT WHO VOLUNTEERED TO BE
THE MOST RACIST DEPARTMENT IN
THIS CITY IS LITERALLY USING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO RUN
INTERFERENCE FOR BLACK AND BROWN
DRUG PUSHERS. BECAUSE YOU ALL
LISTED THEM AS THE MOST
VULNERABLE. LIKE -- SEEING THEM
TO BE PRIORITIZED FOR HOUSING
AND SERVICES FIRST. LET'S JUST
-- THE GUN TOTING CRIMINALS TO
MOVE ELSEWHERE. LET'S JUST PAY
THE CRIMINALS SO THEY DON'T ROB
SOMEBODY FOR A LITTLE WHILE. YOU
ALL SHOULD BE KICKED OUT BECAUSE
YOU ARE STILL LINING THE POCKETS
OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER AND
GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTERS WHO
SHOWED UP AT CITY HALL A FEW
YEARS AGO AND SHOOK DOWN THE
COUNCIL. AND SHIFTED THE
PARADIGM AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE OF
-- WAR ON DRUGS CAUSING A
CONTINUED IMPLOSION. YOU ALL
SHIFTED GEARS.
>> THANK YOU MR. HAYNES. I WILL
SAY YOU ALWAYS SAY BLACK AND
BROWN PEOPLE ARE DRUG PUSHERS.
AND SO I KNOW I DON'T REALLY
RESPOND TO EVERYONE'S COMMENT
BUT I THINK WE'RE MORE THAN
THAT. ALL RIGHT? SO ANYWAYS.
THANK YOU MR. HAYNES. PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.
>>> AND WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR
COMMENTS AND COMING DOWN AND FOR
SATING FOLKS AND EVERYONE ONLINE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING
TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY WHETHER YOU
LEFT WORK OR, YOU KNOW, TOOK
OFF. ANY OF THOSE THINGS TO COME
DOWN TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL
RIGHT? SO THANK YOU. PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD.
>> NUMBER ONE. APPOINTMENT 3542.
APPOINTMENT OF THE WASHINGTON
STATE CONVENTION CENTER PUBLIC
FACILITIES DISTRICT BOARD FOR A
TERM TO JULY 30th, 2030. FOR A
BRIEFING DISCUSS AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> AWESOME, WE'RE SUPER EXCITED
ABOUT OUR APPOINTMENT. THANK
YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. WELCOME.
AND -- PLEASE PRESENT YOURSELF
AND YOU CAN --
>> OF COURSE.
>> OKAY, NICE. YOU CAN JUMP
RIGHT INTO IT.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, JEN LEMASTER PRESIDENCY OF
THE SEATTLE CONVENTION CENTER.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT OF ZAHUR'S APPOINTMENT
TO THE BOARD. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE OUTGOING BOARD
MEMBER WHO WAS A CITY APPOINTEE
MR. BOB FLOWERS. HE HAS SERVED
US FOR 22 YEARS. BOB BROUGHT
FINANCIAL EXPERTISE AND STEADY
JUDGMENT AND A REAL PASSION FOR
MEETINGS AND EVENTS. ESPECIALLY
FOR THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THEY
CREATE. HIS SERVICE HAS HELPED
VENTEN THE CONVENTION CENTER AS
BOTH THE PUBLIC ASSET AND AN
ECONOMIC ENGINE AND WE'RE VERY
GRATEFUL FOR HIS COMMITMENT AND
LEADERSHIP. AS WE LOOK TO NEXT
CHAPTER, ZAHUR IS AN EXCELLENT
APPOINTMENT TO CONTINUE THAT. HE
BRINGS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND
HOSPITALITY, FINANCE, HOTEL
OPERATIONS, ASSET MANAGEMENT,
AND IS A DOWNTOWN LEADER. AS THE
CFO AND VICE PRESIDENT OF RC
DREAM COMPANY, HE HAS BEEN
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS IN
SEATTLE. INCLUDING THE HYATT
REGENCY THE LARGEST HOTEL IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH 1260
ROOMS AND 100,000 SQUARE FEET OF
MEETING SPACE. HIS EXPERIENCE IS
HIGHLY RELEVANT TO THE WORK AND
HE UNDERSTANDS CONSTRUCTION
FINANCE, LONG-TERM DEBT,
PERSONAL INNOCENT FINANCING AND
BANKING RELATIONSHIPS AND
INTERNAL CONTROLS AND SALES
PERFORMANCE AND OPERATIONS AND
THE BROADER TOURISM DICHOTOMY.
HE UNDERSTANDS THE ECOSYSTEM
AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER. HE
HAS LEARN INSIDE LEADERSHIP
ROLES INCLUDING DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION AND WASHINGTON
HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION AND THE
HOSPITALITY FINANCE AND
TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS. ALL
THIS MEANS HE UNDERSTANDS HOW
MEETINGS AND EVENTS CONNECT TO
HOTEL PERFORMANCE AND RESTAURANT
ACTIVITIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES
AND DOWNTOWN VITALITY, TAX
GENERATION, AND THE OVERALL
COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR
DESTINATION. THIS IS A PUBLIC
BOARD RESPONSIBLE FOR STEWARDING
A MAJOR CIVIC AND ECONOMIC ASSET
AND HE BRINGS THE FINANCIAL
DISCIPLINE, GOVERNANCE
EXPERIENCE, AND INDUSTRY
KNOWLEDGE AND NOT TO MENTION A
LOVE FOR SEATTLE THAT WILL SERVE
THIS MISSION WELL. I'M GRATEFUL
FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND
I STRONGLY SUPPORT HIS
APPOINTMENT TO OUR BOARD.
>> AWESOME. WELCOME ZAHUR. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO GIVE SOME COMMENTS.
>> NO -- [ LAUGHTER ] NO, I
MEAN, I WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE
OF THINGS AND I THIS MY RESUME
-- EVERYBODY HAS THAT SO I
DON'T NEED TO REITERATE ANY OF
THAT. BUT I THINK WORKING WITH
THE DREAM IN SEATTLE FOR THE
PAST 27 YEARS AND BRING HIS
ENTERPRISING SKILL TO THE BOARDS
THAT I HAVE SERVED AT DSA, VISIT
SEATTLE PAST CHAIR AND
WASHINGTON HOSPITALITY
ASSOCIATION PAST CHAIR AND THE
CURRENT BOARD MEMBER FOR ALL OF
THOSE. I THINK THAT SERVES ME
WELL. AND I THINK BIGGEST THING
THAT I THINK ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS
THE CONVENTION CENTER'S OVERALL
VIABILITY. IN THE FUTURE. WE
HAVE -- SPENT OVER $2 BILLION IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS
CONVENTION CENTER. AND THE BONDS
DO EXPIRE AND THEY DO COME UP
FOR RENEWAL. AND WHAT SERVES THE
BONDS IS THE OCCUPANCIES IN THE
HOTELS AND THE TAX WE COLLECT
FROM IT. SO I UNDERSTAND PART OF
THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY FOR
ABOUT 40 YEARS, AS TO HOW
IMPORTANT THAT IS TO GROW THAT
SEGMENT OF SEATTLE BUSINESS
STRONGLY AND WE SHOULD NOT BE A
DISCOUNT CITY WHICH IS WHAT WE
ARE VIEWED AS RIGHT NOW. WE NEED
TO BE A PROMINENT CITY AND
TRYING TO ESTABLISH GOOD RATES
AND GOOD OCCUPANCIES AND GOOD
JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE. SO I THINK
THOSE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS AND I
THINK I BRING A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE IN ALL THOSE AREAS TO
SERVE ON THE BOARD. SO THANK YOU
FOR CONSIDERING.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU AND I KNOW
WE'VE MAD A CHANCE TO MEET AND
YOUR RESUME -- THE ONLY THING I
WILL SAY IS THAT YOU WENT TO
UNLV. I'M JUST PLAYING, YOU ARE
A REBEL. ANYWAYS, JUST PLAYING.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE. AND YOU
HAVE SEEN SOME TRANSFORMATION
DOWNTOWN WITH THE NEW CONVENTION
CENTER. WITH THE OVERLOOK WALK.
WITH THE -- NEW WATERFRONT. AND
EVEN THE ENTRYWAY INTO PIONEER
SQUARE. WE'VE -- WE SEE
OCCIDENTAL AND PIONEER SQUARE
OPERATING DIFFERENTLY NOW AFTER
THE WATER FRONT MADE THAT LAST
TWO BLOCK CONNECTION INLAND.
WHAT'S YOUR VISION? WHERE DO WE
GO FROM HERE? I MEAN, THESE ARE
BIG -- CIVIC PROJECTS THAT WE'VE
COMPLETED. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT
FEEL DOWNTOWN TODAY THAN WE DID
IN -- 2017. WHERE ARE WE GOING
FROM HERE?
>> I THINK WE HAVE THE BASICS
RIGHT? SO WE HAVE THE BASICS AND
MORE IN SEATTLE RIGHT NOW. WITH
THE CONVENTION CENTER, I WAS
PART OF THE PUBLIC FACILITIES --
WHEN IT WAS CREATED WITH FRANK
FINNERAN AND THE FOLKS. FIRST
THOUGHT ABOUT HOW THE CONVENTION
CENTER SHOULD FUNCTION. AND THE
IDEA WAS TO GROW THAT BUSINESS
TREMENDOUSLY. TO GROW THAT
BUSINESS ALMOST DOUBLE THE
CONVENTION -- CITY BY CONVENTION
BUSINESS AND WE ARE NOT THERE
YET. I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'M
ON THE BOARD OF VISIT SEATTLE AS
WELL. SO THERE'S A PUSH FROM US
THE HOTELLIERS, TO INCREASE THAT
SEGMENT OF CITY-WIDE. AND CREATE
ALL KINDS OF FUNDINGS THAT
NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
COMPETITIVE IN THE BUSINESS
CONVENTION WORLD AND IN THE
UNITED STATES. WE DON'T WANT
CHICAGO AND PHOENIX AND SAN
FRANCISCO TO EAT OUR LUNCH. WE
WANT THIS TO BE THE PROMINENT
CONVENTION SPACE FOR ESPECIALLY
THE TECHNOLOGY AND FOR MEDICAL
AND BIOSCIENCE. THOSE ARE THE
AREAS VERY IMPORTANT TO SEATTLE.
AND WE WANT THOSE FOLKS TO COME
OVER HERE AND TO MEET AND GROW
AND, YOU KNOW, LEAVE THEIR MONEY
HERE. SO THAT'S THE BIG PART OF
IT AND I THINK -- ONE OF THE
THINGS I MEAN IF YOU LOOK AT
SEATTLE. RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS
AND BAR ACTIVITIES, ALL OF THEM
ARE SUBDUED AND -- DIM I THINK
AND THEY ARE NOT THE POTENTIAL.
AND THAT'S ALL GOING TO COME
BACK WHEN YOU HAVE VISITORS IN
THE CITY, IT JUST LIFTS ALL THE
SHIPS THE IT'S GOING TO BRING
THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT UP AND
WE NEED TO HELP EVERYBODY. SO
THAT'S THE VISION. SO JUST --
BRING MORE BUSINESS TO SEATTLE.
>> WONDERFUL. I THOUGHT YOU WERE
GOING TO SAY LIT I-5 SO WE CAN
CONNECT THE CONVENTION CENTER UP
TO CAPITOL HILL. I SAY THAT
SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
REI'VE I-5 PROJECT THAT'S
PARTIALLY STALLED AND WE'RE
TAKING CARE OF THE SHIP CANAL
RIDGE BUT WSDOT DID INSTALL THE
OTHER WORK. THIS IS THE ONCE IN
50 YEAR OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE
PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP TO
RECONNECT CAPITAL HILL WITH
DOWNTOWN. AND RIGHT THERE AT THE
CONVENTION CENTER. IF THERE WAS
A PUBLIC SQUARE CONNECTING UP TO
MELROSE MARKET, THAT WOULD BE
MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN THE --
A CROSS OVER THE FREEWAY. AND I
SAY THAT BECAUSE WASHINGTON,
D.C. WAS ABLE TO LID 395 WITH
ZERO PUBLIC DOLLARS AND ACTUALLY
CREATED A LOT OF PRIVATIZED
SPACE. THEY USED ALL PRIVATE
FUNDING AND IT CREATED THAT
CIVIC SPACE WHILE ALSO AND THIS
IS MY OTHER KICKER FOR DOWNTOWN,
IS I'M ALWAYS PUSHING FOR MORE
RESIDENTIAL. BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN
WITH OFFICE SPACE, IT'S NOT
UTILIZED AND IT CREATES A HOLE
IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS THERE?
>> NO, I THINK I HAVE BEEN TO
SEVERAL LIT I-5 MEETING AND I
WAS PART OF THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
BUT I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC
IDEA TO LIT I-5. I THINK THAT'S
A CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE NORTH
AND THE EAST AND THE WEST. AND I
THINK IT'S ALSO CREATING THAT
GREEN SPACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
CITY THAT WILL BE JUST LIKE YOU
KNOW, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT CENTRAL
PARK AND ALL THESE THINGS. IT
CAN BE HOUSING, IT COULD BE
RETAIL. IT COULD BE A PARK. SO
IT'S ALL OF THAT STUFF. I THINK
AS AN AMENITY FOR SEATTLE AND AS
AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE CITY,
THAT'S FANTASTIC IDEA. AS A
CONVENTION BUSINESS? YOU KNOW, I
THINK ABOUT IN THE TERMS OF WHAT
ATTRACTS CONVENTION BUSINESS.
AND WHAT BRINGS THE PEOPLE TO
SEATTLE. I MEAN, THAT WILL BE A
PART OF IT. BUT I THINK WE JUST
NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN
HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THAT
WORLD. BUT I THINK LIT I-5 IS
WONDERFUL AND I THINK THE OFFICE
IS PART OF THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
>> WONDERFUL. I CAN'T MISS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT UP
BECAUSE IF WSDOT DOESN'T TAKE
THESE PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS INTO CONSIDERATION
RIGHT NOW -- LIKE REALLY RIGHT
NOW, WE'RE GOING TO MISS THAT
OPPORTUNITY. PUBLICLY FUNDED
WHICH BECOMES MUCH MORE
DIFFICULT. AND LESS VIBRANT TO
BE KIND OF FRANK.
>> I THINK WITH THE CONVENTION
CENTER'S LOCATION WHERE IT IS.
THAT JUST MAKES SENSE.
>> THANKS FOR LISTENING TO TODAY
EAST PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> NOTED. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. AND THANK
YOU MR. AHMED FOR VOLUNTEERING
FOR, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTING TO
THIS YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC
DISCUSSION AND THE WORK THAT THE
CONVENTION CENTER DOES. AND ALSO
THANK YOU TO MISS LEMASTER AS
WELL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU
HAVE DONE OBVIOUSLY MANY
MEETINGS AND THAT WE'VE COME
TOGETHER AND SPOKE ON THE ISSUED
RELATED TO THE CONVENTION
CENTER. THE AREA, PUBLIC SAFETY
AND ALL OF THE ABOVE.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS TALKED
ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LONGER TERM
MEDIUM AND LONGER TERM. I JUST
WANTED TO ASK AND I BRING THIS
UP BECAUSE I HAD A DISCUSSION
YESTERDAY WITH INSPIRE
WASHINGTON. AND I HAD A MEETING
WITH THE MAYOR YESTERDAY
AFTERNOON. AND I SAID, YOU KNOW,
NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, AFTER A BIG
EVENT A BIG EXERCISE, A BIG
OPERATION, WE HAVE A LESSONS
LEARNED EVENT OR, YOU KNOW, OR
AN AFTERACTION REPORT. AND WE
JUST HAD YOU KNOW, A SITUATION
YES -- THE UNITED STATES' LOSS
IN THE LOST OF ROUND AND --
ROUND OF 16 IN THE WORLD CUP BUT
AMERICA WON AND SEATTLE
DEFINITELY WON IN TERMS OF THE
WORLD CUP. FIFA WORLD CUP. AND I
BRING THIS UP BECAUSE THERE'S
SO MUCH MOMENTUM WITH FIFA WORLD
CUP THAT WAS BUILT UP AND IT'S
LIKE -- AS I SAY OFTENTIMES
NOTHING BUILDS MOMENTUM LIKE
MOMENTUM SO HOW DO WE CONTINUE
THIS MOMENTUM? AND THIS PLAYS
INTO THE HOSPITALITY
ASSOCIATION. THE -- HOTELS, THE
RESTAURANTS, THE CONVENTION. AND
I BRING IT UP BECAUSE THE
NATURAL PIECE AS YOU SEE WITH
ESPN, OR EVEN NOW LOCALLY WITH
ONE ROOF. IT'S SPORTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT. AND
INTERFEIGNMENT OFTENTIMES IS
ARTS AND CULTURE. SO HOW CAN WE
TAKE THIS MOMENTUM AS A CITY AND
CONTINUE IT AND LEVERAGE OUR
ENTERTAINMENT SIDE OF THINGS?
LEVERAGE THE ARTS AND CULTURE
AND THIS GOES OUT TO ALL THE
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CITY
PARTICULARLY IN THE GREATER
DOWNTOWN AREA. IS LIKE -- HOW
CAN WE TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED
FROM WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE
LAST MONTH -- BASICALLY TWO
YEARS, BUT PARTICULARLY OVER THE
LAST MONTH PLUS WITH THE FIFA
WORLD CUP, AND HOW DO WE TAKE
THOSE LESSONS LEARNED AND APPLY
IT TO ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE CAN
KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING? WHICH
WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE HOTELS AND
GOOD FOR THE RESTAURANTS AND IN
TURN, GOOD FOR THE CONVENTION
CENTER. AND THE OVERALL
ECOSYSTEM. OFTENTIMES, I TALK
ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. I'LL SKIP
IT THE TIME. TIME -- THIS TIME
AND INSTEAD SAY HEY, HOW CAN WE
YOU KNOW DO THIS AND THIS IS
SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP WITH
INSPIRE WASHINGTON AND I THINK
THE ARTS AND CULTURE AKA THE
SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT WOULD BE A
GREAT WAY TO DO THAT SO THIS IS
MORE OF A NEAR TERM AND I'M
KIND OF SAYING THIS OUT LOUD
BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THE
CONVENTION CENTER IS A LITTLE
BIT TANGENT. BUT IT REALLY GOES
TO HOW DO WE KEEP THE MOMENTUM
GOING? AND THIS IS AGAIN, PART
OF MY CONVERSATIONS YESTERDAY
WITH INSPIRE WASHINGTON BUT ALSO
THE MAYOR. ANY THOUGHTS, ANY --
ANY REACTION? OR FROM MISS
LEMASTER TOO.
>> NO. I THINK JEN CAN PROBABLY
SPEAK ON THAT. BUT MY
PERSPECTIVE ON THAT WOULD BE I
THINK WE DID GET A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE TO MILLIONS
IF NOT CLOSE TO BILLIONS OF
PEOPLE, WITH THIS WORLD CUP.
ESPECIALLY THE LAST GAME. AND I
THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT
MOMENTUM GOING. WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ISSUING OR JUST
REISSUING ALL THOSE WRITEUPS
THAT WE HAVE HAD. FROM DIFFERENT
-- NEWS SOURCES AND VISIT
SEATTLE HAS SPENT A LOT OF MONEY
BY THE WAY, JUST IN THIS WORLD
CUP MARKETING EFFORTS, SO THEY
ADDED DOUBLE THEIR FUNDING. THEY
HAD $300,000 AND THEY ASKED FOR
$300,000 MORE. THEY HAVE SPENT
CLOSE TO $600,000 IN MARKETING.
SO THAT WAS A GOOD THING AND
THEN THEY NEED TOECAP THAT
GOING. AND THEY NEED TO GET
PEOPLE COMING TO SEATTLE AND I
JUST THINK THAT SEATTLE HAS
SHOWN LIKE A -- SHONE LIKE A
STAR THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EVENT
AND PEOPLE SAW WHAT IT'S LIKE.
AND IT'S NOT ONLY SEATTLE I
THINK THE WHOLE UNITED STATES.
THE PERCEPTION THAT PEOPLE ARE
GOING HOME WITH IS SAYING THAT
AMERICA IS A GREAT COUNTRY TO
COME AND VISIT. SO I THINK THAT
WAS A VERY, VERY POSITIVE THING
FOR SEATTLE -- FOR THE UNITED
STATES. I DON'T KNOW, JEN, YOU
MAY WANT TO ADD A COUPLE MORE
THINGS TO IT BUT I THINK IT'S A
GREAT MOMENTUM FOR SEATTLE.
>> YES, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER
KETTLE FOR THE QUESTION AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A FEW
COMMENTS ABOUT HOW WELL THE CITY
PERFORMED IN TERM OF CLEANLINESS
AND PUBLIC SAFETY OVER THE PAST
THREE WEEKS. IN THE COMMUNITY I
HEARD MANY COMMENTS FROM LOCALS
TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT DOWNTOWN
LOOKED. AND WE HAVE TO NUMBER
ONE, KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM ON
CLEAN AND SAFE. AND THE WAY THAT
OUR STREETS LOOK. BECAUSE WE NOT
-- DIDN'T JUST INVITE THE WORLD
TO OUR DOWNTOWN. BUT WE INVITED
MANY OF THE LOCALS AND OUR
REGIONAL CITIZENS BACK TO
DOWNTOWN. SOME OF THEM FOR THE
FIRST TIME. SO OUR IMMEDIATE
TERM WORK TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION, DIRECTLY, IS GOING TO
BE -- YOU ARE GOING TO SEE
CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN THE
PUBLIC REALM FROM THE CONVENTION
CENTER. WE HAVE WHAT WE BELIEVE
IS THE BEST CONVENTION CENTER IN
NORTH AMERICA. PROBABLY THE
WORLD. BUT WE NEED OUR STREETS
TO BE AS EXCITING AND DYNAMIC
AND VIBRANT AS OUR CONVENTION
CENTER IS. SO FROM US, YOU'LL
CONTINUE TO SEE US INVESTING IN
PUBLIC SPACES, SO THAT WE CAN
DELIVER ON THE VISION THAT
COMMISSIONER STRAUSS MENTIONED
WHICH IS BEING A CIVIC ASSET. AS
WELL AS AN ECONOMIC ASSET TO OUR
COMMUNITY. AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
>> OKAY, WELL THANK YOU BOTH AND
LET'S KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING.
THANK YOU CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. I DON'T SEE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS AND JUST REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND
LOOKING FORWARD I HAVE TO DOUBLE
DOWN ON WHAT COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS SAID. THE CONNECTIVITY
FROM DOWNTOWN TO CAPITOL HILL IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
SINCE THE RESERVE LEFT STAR
BUCKS THAT AREA, WE'VE LOST
FOOT TRAFFIC UP INTO THE HILL
ABOUT 50%. AND THAT AREA OFF
MELROSE. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING
AT WAYS TO BRING MORE PEOPLE
INTO THE DISTRICT AND THE
COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW THAT THE
CONVENTION CENTER WILL BE A PART
OF THAT TOO AS WELL. AND WITH
YOUR HELP AS WELL. SO. LOOKING
FORWARD TO IT. OKAY. WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE -- WE'RE GOING --
ARE THERE ANY CLOSING WORDS?
>> NO.
>> HOW MUCH YOU LIKE THE
RESERVE? WOULD LIKE IT BACK? NO.
OKAY. I MOVE THAT COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENT 3542, ARE THERE ANY
-- IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED
SECONDED TO CONFIRM THE
APPOINTMENT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
FINAL COMMENTS ON THE APPOINTEE?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION CONFIRMATION
APPOINTMENT WILL BE SENT TO THE
JULY 14th CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU.
>>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ITEM
NUMBER TWO. I WILL READ IT INTO
THE RECORD WHILE OUR CLERK GETS
THE NEXT PRESENTERS SET UP. SO
AGENDA' STEM NUMBER TWO. IT'S
ITEM NUMBER 2919 AUDIT
RECOMMENDATION UPDATES FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION. I WANT
TO THANK THE AUDITORS, CITY
AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR COMING.
TEAM, AND GIVING US UPDATES. AND
ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE DATA AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO -- HEARING
THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT. JUST DO
QUICK INTRODUCTIONS BEFORE WE
BEGIN?
>> JUST DO INTRODUCTIONS AND WE
CAN JUMP IN.
>> ARUSHI THAKORLAL.
>> MELISSA ALLMAN.
>> CLAUDIA GROSS SHADER,
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND
EVALUATION.
>> AWESOME. WELCOME AND FOR THE
RECORD WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA IN-PERSON NOW SO THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
GOOD MORNING COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HAVING US THIS MORNING
TO GIVE OUR ANNUAL UPDATE ON
AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE
SOME PREPARED REMARKS AND THEN
WE ARE HEAP TO TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS BOTH DURING OR AFTER
THE PRESENTATION. SO AS YOU ARE
PROBABLY AWARE, EVERY YEAR WE
RELEASE A REPORT THAT SUMMARIZES
THE STATUS OF ALL OPEN
RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS YEAR, WE
RELEASED OUR REPORT BACK IN MAY.
THAT LOOKED AT WORK ON THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH DECEMBER
31st , 2025. WE'VE BEEN ISSUING
THIS FOLLOW-UP REPORT ANNUALLY
SINCE 2009 AND THIS IS REALLY
PART OF OUR VALUE ADDED TO THE
CITY AND YOU KNOW NOT ONLY WE
CONDUCTING AUDITS TO IDENTIFY
HOW THINGS CAN BE IMPROVED. BUT
WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO FOLLOW
UP WITH DEPARTMENTS YEAR AFTER
YEAR TO SEE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS
ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED OR IF
THEY MAY NOT GET EMPLOYMENTED
WHY SINCE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY
CHANGE. IN FACT, I RECENTLY
LEARNED OF AN AUDIT
RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS
IMPLEMENTED I THINK 12 OR 13
YEARS AFTER WE HAD INITIALLY
RECOMMENDED IT. IT WAS STILL
VALID AND STILL RELEVANT AND IT
JUST TOOK THE DEPARTMENT SOME
TIME TO GET IT DONE BUT IT MADE
IMPROVEMENTS. TODAY, AT A HIGH
LEVEL, WE ARE -- MY TEAM WILL
SHARE UPDATES ON RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED IN 2025.
THANK YOU SARAH. AS WELL AS
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT REMAIN
PENDING BUT EITHER WE SAW SOME
KEY PROGRESS ON THEM OR THEY ARE
VERY TIMELY ISSUES IMPORTANT TO
THE PUBLIC. AND WE WILL ALSO
SHARE SOME -- ABOUT OUR PUBLIC
RECOMMENDATION DASHBOARD. GO
SLOWLY THIS TIME. SO OUR OFFICE
HAS MADE NEARLY 1,000 AUDIT
RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE 2007. WE
ARE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM.
SOME OF OUR PEERS FROM THE CITY
OF SAN DIEGO AUDIT OFFICE
ACTUALLY RECENTLY DID A
BENCHMARK OF HOW AUDIT FUNCTION
IN MAJOR CITIES ACROSS THE U.S.
ARE RESOURCED AND THEY CAME UP
WITH AN AVERAGE INVESTMENT
ACROSS 15 CITIES OF $1.13 PER
$100 OF CITY BUDGET. AND THAT
INCLUDES BOTH OUR OFFICE AND THE
SEATTLE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR
GENERAL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AND
AS THEY AUDIT SPD. SO WE'RE
GETTING A LOT DONE WITH THE
RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE
REALLY PROUD TO HAVE AN
IMPLEMENTATION RATE OF 72%. THIS
NUMBER REFLECTS THE THOUGHT THAT
WE PUT INTO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
I THINK. AND THAT THEY ARE
TARGETED SALUTES AND THEY ARE
ACTIONABLE AND THAT DEPARTMENTS
TRUST OUR EXPERTISE. NOW IN #
2025, HERE WAS OUR PROGRESS. WE
TRACKED 94 OPEN RECOMMENDATIONS
AND INCLUDING 20 THAT WERE MADE
DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025.
AND WE FOUND THAT TEN HAD BEEN
IMPLEMENTED WITH 84 REMAINING
PENDING. AT THE END OF THE YEAR
WE WILL AGAIN FOLLOW UP ON THE
84 RECOMMENDATIONS. I'LL HAND
IT OFF TO SARAH TO DISCUSS THE
IMPLEMENTED RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH ARUSHI.
SO YEAH, WE WANT TO START WITH
SOME GOOD NEWS OF THE HIGHLIGHTS
HERE OF THE TEN RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED IN 2025.
AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT
AND RECOGNIZE THOSE SUCCESSES.
THE FIRST ONE HERE IS THE RENTAL
REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION
ORDINANCE AUDIT AND THAT WAS
PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 2023 IN
ORDER TO ADDRESS A REDUCTION
THAT WAS NOTICED IN RENTAL
REGISTRATIONS. SOME OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS THIS YEAR, THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS WAS ABLE TO HAVE
SHORT TERM RENTAL LICENSING AND
RENTAL REGISTRATION DATA TO BE
ABLE TO BE SHARED ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS TO HELP WITH
COMPLIANCE. AND THE CITY COUNCIL
ALSO ADOPTED ORDINANCE NUMBER
127376 WHICH MADE REGULATORY
CHANGES TO NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. AND ALSO
PASSED THE RIO PROGRAM FEE --
NEW FEES IN THE 2026 BUCKET.
2026 BUCKET -- BUDGET AND THREE
RECOMMENDATIONS REMAIN PENDING
FROM THAT AUDIT. AND THEN WE
HAVE THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES RESIDENTIAL POLL ID
WASTE BILLING CONTROLS AUDIT.
THIS WAS A PRETTY TECHNICAL
AUDIT BUT IT WAS TO ENSURE THE
CITY'S RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE
BILLINGS ARE ACCURATE, TIMELY,
COMPLETE AND AUTHORIZED. SPU HAS
BEEN PLUGGING AWAY AT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS STEADILY. AND
IMPLEMENTED TWO IN 2025.
INCLUDING ALIGNING JOB AIDS AND
THEY ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING
THE RISK ASSESSMENT THAT WAS
REQUESTED IN THE AUDIT. AND THEN
FINALLY, I HAVE COUPLE MORE. THE
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY ANNUAL
REVIEW ALTHOUGH IT WAS PUBLISHED
LATE IN 2025, SDOT WAS ABLE TO
COMPLETE TWO OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WITH SIX
REMAINING. AND THEN IN THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES ALSO IMPLEMENTED AN
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION. ONE
CORRECTION. THAT FOR THE WORK
FORCE EQUITY AUDIT TWO HAVE BEEN
IMPLEMENTED AND ONE WAS CLOSED
AND ONE REMAINING PENDING AND
NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE MELISSA TO TALK ABOUT
UPDATES ON THE REMAINING
RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SARAH. SO I'M
GOING TO SHARE PROGRESS ON TWO
AUDITS. FIRST IS OUR AUDIT ON
PARK RESTROOMS WHICH WAS
REQUESTED BY THE PARK DISTRICT
BOARD. YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE
THAT NONE OF THE SIX
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED.
BUT THIS IS NOT SURPRISING
BECAUSE THE AUDIT WAS JUST ABOUT
A YEAR OLD AT THE TIME OF OUR
FOLLOW-UP. IN THIS AUDIT WE
FOUND THAT PARKS NEEDED TO DO A
BETTER JOB OF KEEPING TO A
REALISTIC CLEANING SCHEDULE. AND
HAVING MORE CONSISTENCY ACROSS
THE CITY. WE KNOW HAVING CLEAN
RESTROOMS IS SOMETHING THAT THE
PUBLIC CARES A LOT ABOUT. SO
LAST YEAR, PARKS PILOTED NEW
CLEANING STANDARDS MONITORING
PROGRAM, AND HIRED MORE
TEMPORARY AND REGULAR STAFF.
PARKS SAID THEY'RE GOING TO
TAKE LESSONS THEY LEARNED FROM
THAT PILOT AND THEN REFINE THEIR
APPROACH THIS YEAR FOR RESTROOM
CLEANING. WE WILL BE INTERESTED
TO SEE HOW 2026 GOES AND IF
THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE
SUCCESSFUL. SO OVERALL, PROGRESS
IS BEING MADE BUT TO CLOSE OUT
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE REALLY
WANT TO SEE A LONGER PERIOD OF
CONSISTENT OUTCOMES WHERE THE
PUBLIC CAN BETTER RELY ON PARK
RESTROOMS, MEETING THEIR
EXPECTATIONS. FOR THE NEXT AUDIT
THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS
ON CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING WHICH
WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. NONE OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN
IMPLEMENTED EITHER. SINCE THIS
AUDIT IS ALMOST THREE YEARS OLD,
IDEALLY WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO
HAVE SEEN SOME OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTED BY
NOW. HOWEVER, I WILL SAY SOME OF
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BIG,
MULTIPART, MULTIDEPARTMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DO TAKE
TIME TO FULL IMPLEMENT AND WE
DON'T CLOSE OUT RECOMMENDATIONS
UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY DONE. THE
TITLE OF THIS AUDIT SUGGESTS
HAVING MORE OF A CUSTOMER FOCUS
WAS A BIG THEME FOR THE AUDIT
AND SOME WERE AROUND SHARING
PERMIT PROCESSING TIMES GETTING
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK, AND IMPROVING
DEPARTMENT COORDINATION. I ALSO
WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
MENTION THAT WE COMPLETED AN
AUDIT OF SDCI INSPECTION PROCESS
LATE LAST YEAR ALSO REQUESTED BY
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. AND FOUND
THAT THE PERMITTING
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALSO GOING
TO HELP IMPROVE THE INSPECTIONS
PROCESS PARTICULARLY AROUND
DEPARTMENT COORDINATION. SO EVEN
MORE INCENTIVE TO GET THESE
PERMITTING RECOMMENDATIONS
IMPLEMENTED. SO YOU'LL SEE ON
THE SLIDE HERE SOME OF THE
PROGRESS FROM 2025. BUT ONE
UPDATE THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
WHICH ACTUALLY JUST HAPPENED A
COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, IS THAT
SDCI CREATED A CONSTRUCTION
PERMIT TIMELINE VISUAL FOR THE
PUBLIC TO SEE HOW THEIR PERMIT
APPLICATION IS MOVING THROUGH
THE PROCESS. AND WHO WITH THE
CITY IS WORKING ON IT. SO IT
LOOKS LIKE A NEAT TOOL AND WE
EXPECT TO SEE EVEN MORE PROGRESS
THIS YEAR IN 2026. SO WE CAN
START MARKING SOME OF THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS AS IMPLEMENTED
DURING OUR NEXT FOLLOW-UP. I'LL
TURN IT OVER TO CLAUDIA.
>> THANK YOU, I HAVE JUST A FEW
MINUTES TO DESCRIBE THE STATUS
OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THREE
AUDITS RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH
AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES IN
SEATTLE. THESE ARE COMPLEX
ISSUES AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO
BEGIN BY SHARING WITH YOU THAT
MAYOR WILSON'S OFFICE HAS
OFFERED THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO
JOIN OUR OFFICE FOR A SEPARATE
PRESENTATION ON THESE THREE
AUDITS FOR THE COUNCIL SOMETIME
LATER THIS SUMMER IF THAT IS OF
INTEREST TO YOU. TODAY, I'LL
REPORT THAT THERE WERE NO
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THESE THREE
AUDITS THAT WERE FULLY
IMPLEMENTED DURING THIS
REPORTING PERIOD. HOWEVER, WORK
IS BEING DONE AND THERE ARE
UPDATES TO SHARE. FOR EXAMPLE,
COUNCILMEMBERS RIVERA AND KETTLE
AND MAYOR WILSON'S OFFICE
CONVENED A SYMPOSIUM BY THE
NATIONAL NETWORK FOR SAFE
COMMUNITIES TO EXPLORE THE
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE OF
FOCUSED DETERRENCE. FOR
ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE. THEY
CONVENED A HOST OF INSTITUTIONAL
PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNER
AGENCIES FOR THIS CONVERSATION.
ALSO THE COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING ON
CLARIFYING THE ROLE AND THE
LEGISLATION FOR THE CARE
DEPARTMENT. WHICH IS RELATED TO
ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR
2025 GUN VIOLENCE AUDITS AND IN
ADDITION, MAYOR WILSON'S OFFICE
REPORTED THAT THEY ARE WORKING
TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGY TO ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE
IN SEATTLE. AND JUST LAST WEEK,
IT RELATED TO OUR AUDIT ON
OVERDOSES AND CRIME
CONCENTRATION, LAST WEEK, THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBMITTED A GRANT APPLICATION.
IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR
OFFICE, MAYOR WILSON'S OFFICE,
AND COMMUNITY PARTNER AGENCIES
INCLUDING PLYMOUTH HOUSING, THE
YWCA AND RECOVERY CAFE. IF
SELECTED, THIS GRANT WOULD BRING
$3 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS TO
IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE BASED
STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS OVERDOSE
AND CRIME CONCENTRATIONS IN THE
TWO BLOCK AREA OF BELLTOWN THAT
WAS FEATURED IN OUR 2024 AUDIT
ON OVERDOSE AND CRIME
CONCENTRATIONS. NEXT SLIDE. AND
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED
THAT THEY HAVE REBOOTED THEIR
RETAIL THEFT PROGRAM SO THEY
HAVE UPDATES ON THIS AUDIT TO
SHARE AS WELL. NOW OUR OFFICE
HAS BEEN AUDITING COMPLEX PUBLIC
SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH TOPICS
FOR OVER A DOZEN YEARS. AND
WE'VE OBSERVED THAT ONE OF THE
BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS HAS BEEN THE
SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER IN CITY
LEADERSHIP. NEXT SLIDE. THIS
SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE TURNOVER
IN CITY LEADERSHIP SINCE 2013.
AS THE CITY GOVERNMENT, WE MAY
NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL
ORGANIZATIONAL TURNOVER BUT WE
CAN PUT IN PLACE SYSTEMS AND
STRUCTURES THAT CAN HELP KEEP
THE CITY FOCUSED ON DELIVERING
PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVEN
EFFECTIVE. EVEN WHEN THERE'S
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE. IN OUR
AUDIT ON ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
AND OUR AUDIT ON PLACES WHERE
OVERDOSES AND CRIME ARE
CONCENTRATED, WE RECOMMENDED
THAT THE CITY SHOULD
SYSTEMATICALLY ADDRESS THOSE
PLACES USING AN EVIDENCE BASED
PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK. IN
THE CASE OF THOSE TWO AUDITS WE
RECOMMENDED THE SEPARATE JAKE
PREVENTION FRAMEWORK WHICH IS
DEVELOPED BY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE
AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION. IN OUR GUN
VIOLENCE AUDIT WE RECOMMENDED
THE CITY SHOULD USE THE EVIDENCE
BASED FRAMEWORK FOR PROBLEM
SOLVING AND COMMUNICATION
REGARDING GUN VIOLENCE. THE
FRAME WORK PICTURED HERE, IT'S
CALLED THE VIOLENCE REDUCTION
COUNCILS. AND IT IS SUPPORTED BY
EVIDENCE THAT IS PROVEN
EFFECTIVE IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS. JOHNS HOPKINS
UNIVERSITY OFFERED THE CITY FREE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FUNDED BY
BLOOMBERG TO HELP US LEARN ABOUT
AND IMPLEMENT THAT FRAMEWORK IN
2025. THAT OFFER RUNS OUT IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2026. AS WE
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE
AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS WE'LL BE
LOOKING TO SEE HOW THE CITY
--'S SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES
THAT PRIORITIZE AND SUSTAIN
PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVEN
EFFECTIVE FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HEALTH. AND WITH THAT
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ARUSHI.
>> THANK YOU CLAUDIA. SO --
WHILE THIS PRESENTATION AND OUR
REPORT COVERED ONLY A PORTION OF
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE
STATUS OF ALL RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT WE'VE FOLLOWED UP ON,
IT'S AVAILABLE AT OUR PUBLIC
DASHBOARD. THE LINK IS HERE AT
THE QR CODE AS WELL AS THROUGH
THE WEBSITE. FOR MORE DETAILED
PROGRESS UPDATES ON INDIVIDUAL
RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING
BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION,
RESOURCES, WE WOULD RECOMMEND
ASKING THE DEPARTMENTEST
DIRECTLY AS THEY ARE THE ONES
DOING THE WORK. BUT FOR TODAY,
WE ARE HAPPY TO TRY TO DO OUR
BEST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. AND THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS. I KNOW WE HAVE
SOME COUNCILMEMBERS THAT HAVE
SOME QUESTIONS SO I'LL TURN TO
THEM FIRST BEFORE I HAVE SOME
COMMENTS. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. YOU ARE ONE OF OUR
GREATEST ASSETS AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU. AND YOUR WEBSITE
IS GREAT AND I HAVE BEEN ON IT
WAS JUST ON IT AGAIN YESTERDAY
TO LOOK AT PAST AUDITS. AND
IT'S VERY HELPFUL. AND I WILL
SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP
THE -- GUN VIOLENCE SYMPOSIUM
THAT I -- I PUT TOGETHER. I
LOOKED AT YOUR AUDIT WHEN I WAS
PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND YOU
TALKED ABOUT THE NATIONAL
NETWORK IN YOUR AUDIT WHICH LED
ME TO CONVERSATIONS WITH DAVID
KENNEDY WHO IS THE LEADING
EXPERT AS YOU POINTED OUT IN THE
AUDIT AND AS I HAVE COME TO FIND
OUT. AND IT WAS HIS ORGANIZATION
THE NATIONAL NETWORK FOR SAFE
COMMUNITIES, THAT ACTUALLY PUT
ON THE SYMPOSIUM AND I WORKED
WITH THEM BECAUSE SOMETHING YOU
NOTED IN HERE WAS IN YOUR FOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS -- GUN VIOLENCE
AUDIT FROM MARCH OF LAST YEAR --
OF 2025 IS THAT THE CITY OF
BALTIMORE HAD MADE -- AND
INDIANAPOLIS -- HAD MADE GREAT
STRIDES DEALING WITH GUN
VIOLENCE AND I HAVE LIVED IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR MANY YEARS
AND VISITED BALTIMORE FOR MANY
YEARS AND I KNOW HOW BAD THE
SITUATION THERE WAS. SO I WAS
VERY COMPELLED WITH THE STRATEGY
WHICH YOU DELINEATED IN THE
AUDIT THAT IS -- DAVID
KENNEDY'S STRATEGY WHEN I WAS
THINKING ABOUT AS YOU KNOW --
>> DUMP IT OUTSIDE. NOT IN HERE.
>> YOU ARE ON -- YOU ARE OFF
MUTE COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THAT'S OKAY. AND WHEN I WAS,
YOU KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW AS I HAVE
BEEN SAYING THAT I RAN FOR
OFFICE BECAUSE I -- GUN SAFETY
ISSUES AND PARTICULARLY KID
GETTING SHOT IN MY KID'S SCHOOL
AND SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT WAY TOSS HELP THE
CITY WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE
EFFORTS. AND I'M BEING A LITTLE
LONG WINDED AND APOLOGIES BUT I
WANT TO JUST SAY HOW IMPACTFUL
AND MEANINGFUL THIS AUDIT WAS TO
THE SUBSEQUENT WORK THAT I HAVE
BEEN ENGAGED IN. WITH THE
NATIONAL NETWORK. TO BRING THAT
EFFORT. IT IS MY HOPE HERE TO
SEATTLE AND WHEN WE DID THIS
SYMPOSIUM IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE HEARD
FROM FOLKS, FROM BALTIMORE. SO I
SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THE
NETWORK. CAN YOU PLEASE BRING
FOLKS FROM BALTIMORE AND ALSO
PHILLY? BECAUSE PHILLY HAS SEEN
SOME GREAT STRIDES IN THEIR GUN
VIOLENCE SITUATION. AND WHEN I
SAY GREAT STRIDES, IT'S 40% TO
60% REDUCTION IN GUN VIOLENCE
THIS THOSE CITIES. BOSTON,
BALTIMORE, PHILLY, SOUTH BEND,
INDIANA. ALL WORKING WITH THE
NATIONAL NETWORK TO IMPLEMENT
THEIR EFFORT. AND YOU KNOW, YOU
HAVE STARTED IT BY PUTTING
TOGETHER AND LEADING ME TO THIS
AUDIT SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. I WANT TO SAY WITH
THE WORK THAT YOU DO DOESN'T GO
UNHEARD OR UNNOTICED OR
UNAPPRECIATED. WE ARE DOING WORK
IN RESPONSE TO YOUR AUDITS AND
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND
COLLEAGUES IN TERMS OF THE
SYMPOSIUM I'M WORKING ON A
RESOLUTION BECAUSE I REALLY DO
WANT TO BRING THAT EFFORT HERE
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL WORK
TOGETHER. THE ONE THING ABOUT
THAT EFFORT AND GUN VIOLENCE AS
IS DELINEATED IN THE AUDIT AND
WHAT WE KNOW IS WE ALL HAVE TO
WORK TOGETHER AND BE ON THE SAME
PAGE. THAT'S HOW THESE EFFORTS
WORKED IN THOSE OTHER CITIES AND
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO HERE.
SO MORE TO COME ABOUT MY -- AND
THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE
SYMPOSIUM AND BEING THERE,
CLAUDIA. AND MORE TO COME ON THE
RESOLUTION TO TRY TO MAKE THAT
EFFORT A REALITY HERE IN
SEATTLE. ALSO SHOULD SAY I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AS WELL AND THEY WERE AT
THE SIMILAR COMPOSURE AND THEY
PARTNERED -- JUST VERY
APPRECIATIVE FOR COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE'S SUPPORT AS CHAIR OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
THAT NOW I SIT ON. I'M GRATEFUL
TO SIT ON. AND ALSO GRATEFUL FOR
THE MAYOR FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN
THE SYMPOSIUM AND ALL THE FOLKS
THAT CAME FROM THE KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR TO THE CITY ATTORNEY,
TO S PD, TO THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT. TO DEAL. ALL THE
FOLKS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT
CAME TO PARTICIPATE AND HEAR
ABOUT THIS EFFORT AND IT WAS
REALLY GREAT TO HEAR FROM THESE
OTHER CITIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME GIVE A
LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW
IMPORTANT THIS PARTICULAR AUDIT
WAS TO ME AND TO THE WORK THAT
I'M TRYING TO DO AND HELP US
ALL DO TOGETHER TO DEAL WITH GUN
SAFETY IN THE CITY. SO WE CAN
HELP SAVE LIVES AND REDUCE --
I'D LOVE TO REDUCE OUR GUN
VIOLENCE BY THE NUMBERS THAT
THESE OTHER CITIES HAVE. SO --
THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
APPRECIATE YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. WELL SAID.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. IF WE CAN
TICK BACK TO SLIDE TEN? I DON'T
THINK IT'S ANYONE'S SURPRISE.
I'M COMING BACK TO THE
PERMITTING AUDIT. IN SIMILAR
FORMS AND FUNCTIONS AS THIS
SLIDE ABOUT THE CHANGES IN
PUBLIC SAFETY, LEADERSHIP HAVE
OCCURRED. THE SAME CHANGES HAVE
OCCURRED IN JUST THE LAST FEW
YEARS WITH SDCI AND MANY OF THE
OTHER PARTNERS. SO JUST AS WE
START TALKING ABOUT THIS PERMIT
AUDIT, AS OUR AUDITORS
MENTIONED, THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND
DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE TO SIGN
OFF ON PERMITTING FROM FIRE TO
SPU TO SDOT TO -- AND SDCI DOES
HOLD MOST OF THEM BUT ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY I ASKED FOR THE
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPATION AUDIT
AS WELL IS BECAUSE KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH IS ALSO INVOLVED.
TECHNICALLY SEATTLE KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH BUT THEY SEEM TO
NOT BE AS RESPONSIVE TO OUR --
OUR ADITS AND OUR ASKS AS SOME
OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO WORK
UNDER THE CITY'S UMBRELLA.
NUMBER ONE APPRECIATE THE
AUDITORS WHO -- MELISSA FOR YOUR
CONTINUED WORK ON THIS. BUT THIS
IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND NOT FOR THE
AUDITORS. FOR THE
RECOMMENDATIONS NOT BEING
IMPLEMENTED. I KNOW THAT BROOKE
BELLMAN WAS TAKING THIS VERY
SERIOUSLY. AND A WAY THAT, YOU
KNOW, GOES BACK TO -- I DON'T
KNOW IF ANYONE WAS WATCHING
SEATTLE CHANNEL IN 2021. BUT IT
WAS AT THE POINT WHERE I WAS
DRAWING THE POWERPOINT SLIDES
BECAUSE SOME FOLKS HADN'T GOTTEN
PERMISSION TO PRESENT IN THE
COMMITTEE AND AS WE WERE DIGGING
IN TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT WHY PERMITS WERE TAKING SO
LONG TO -- TO BE ABLE TO BE
PULLED, SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG
TIME COMING BUT WITH BROOKE AND
NOW WITH SAM, I'M SEEING SOME
SERIOUSNESS BEING TAKEN WITH
METING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
THE AH DIT AND I TALKED TO
DIRECTOR STEELE YESTERDAY
SHARING MY FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT
THE SITUATION WHICH WE ARE IN
AND THE FACT THAT THE SLIDE IS
HERE BEFORE US TODAY. AND SO
WITH THAT, CHAIR, I WOULD -- I
WOULD -- ONE OF THE OTHER
ASPECTS THAT'S ALSO OCCURRED IS
WE'VE HAD THE LAND USE CHAIR
TURNOVER A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE
I WAS THE LAND USE CHAIR JUST A
FEW YEARS AGO. AND AS WELL AS
THE LAND USE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN
FULL OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
MANY OTHER MEATY TOPICS SO
CHAIR, I WOULD ASK THAT WE HAVE
THE AUDITOR RETURN TO YOUR
COMMITTEE WITH THE APPROPRIATE
DEPARTMENTS AND PRESENT WHEN IN
THE PAST, WHEN THE
RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN
PRESENTED, IT HAS ONLY BEEN SDCI
AT THE TABLE BUT IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE CALL EVERYONE FROM
SEATTLE KING COUNTY PUBLIC
HEALTH TO OTHER OTHER ENTITY
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REALLY
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
ENSURING THAT OUR PERMIT
REVIEWERS ARE TRAINED AND HELD
TO ETHICAL STANDARDS. TO
ATTENDING TO -- TO TIMELINESS.
AND YOU KNOW THAT ONE OF TO A --
THINK ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING
THINGS THERE WERE COPY AND
PASTE, THESE ARE NOT THE FULL
CORRECTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
PROVIDE YOU. BUT SO YOU SHOULD
EXPECT MORE. THAT FOR ME THAT'S
NOT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I KNOW
THAT THERE ARE BUSINESSES ON THE
WATERFRONT ADJACENT TO THE FERRY
TERMINAL. THAT WERE NOT -- ABLE
TO OPEN BY WORLD CUP. RIGHT NOW.
THAT LEFT A HOLE IN THE
WATERFRONT WHEN WE JUST HAD A
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS WAS OUR
CHANCE TO REMAKE OUR CITY'S
VISION IN THE -- IN THE
INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL AND
REGIONAL LEVELS. THESE HAVE REAL
IMPLICATIONS TO I THINK IT WOULD
BE IMPORTANT IF WE BRING ALL THE
ENTITIES BACK. THIS NEEDS TO BE
TAKEN AS -- MELISSA MENTIONED.
THREE YEARS AGO, AND I HAVE BEEN
FOLLOWING UP. BUT WE NEED TO --
BECAUSE FOLKS AREN'T STANDING
TO ATTENTION AT THE MOMENT AND I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS
HAS BEEN MADE. BECAUSE MY
CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR
STEELE YESTERDAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE
THERE IS WORK BEING DONE. I KNOW
THAT UNDER BROOKE BELLMAN, DAN
NELSON WAS ASSIGNED TO DO THIS
WORK. AND THAT WAS THE FIRST
TIME THAT THERE WAS A PERSON
STRICTLY ASSIGNED TO COMPLETE
THIS WORK. SO I THINK THAT WHILE
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE IMPLEMENTED
I THINK THEY ARE CLOSE ON A
NUMBER OF THEM AND IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT STORY
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HOLDING
EVERYONE TO ACCOUNT. BECAUSE WE
LITERALLY HAVE A HOLE IN THE
WATERFRONT AND WE MISSED AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW SEATTLE WHO
WE REALLY ARE BECAUSE OUR
PERMITTING ISN'T SET UP
CORRECTLY. THAT'S A
SELF-CREATED HARM HERE. AND SO,
YOU KNOW, I WAS PRETTY
DISTRAUGHT WHEN BROOKE HAD TO
LEAVE SUDDENLY. BUT I AM
REASSURED THROUGH MY
CONVERSATION WITH SAM YESTERDAY
THAT I THINK THIS DESERVES A LOT
MORE ATTENTION. I'LL SAVE MY
OTHER COMMENTS FOR SLIDE -- 14
ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AUDIT
THEMES AFTER COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE SHARES HIS REMARKS. BUT
IT'S A SIMILAR THING THAT I
WOULD PROBABLY SAY AS WE MAY
WANT THE -- ON THE SLIDE IT SAYS
THE MAYOR'S' OFFICE IS WILLING
TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL AND
JOINTLY I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A
GOOD IDEA. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU --
>> MAY I ASK? DID I MANAGERS
ANYTHING OR DID I GET ANYTHING
INCORRECT OR IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?
>> YOU NAILED IT.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SORRY
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> GOOD MORNING, THE TEAM I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE
AND GIVING THIS PRESENTATION.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME
THEMES HERE. AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE
OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK PLAN FOR
A SAFER SEATTLE AND WE'VE BEEN
WORKING THE ORDINANCES AND SO
FORTH. AND RECENTLY, WITH LITTLE
SAIGON AND NORTH AURORA, AND SO
FORTH, I HAVE NOTED THAT, YOU
KNOW, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT
OF CONFIDENCE IN, YOU KNOW,
MAKING POSITIVE CHANGE
LONG-TERM. WE CAN ALWAYS DO
SHORT TERM BUT LONG-TERM BECAUSE
WE'RE A CITY OF TWO MINDS.
NEVER TAKE THE ACTION. AND IN
THAT -- PRESS CONFERENCE ON
NORTH AURORA I NOTED THAT YOU
KNOW IN PART OF THE THINGS AS WE
NEEDED TO INCREASE SPD STAFFING
AND WE NEED TO HAVE THE
TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM UP AND
RUNNING. WHICH IS NOW IN THE
STADIUM AREA HAVE BEEN TURNED
OFF. BUT ONE OF THE POINTS THAT
I ALSO MADE WAS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF ORDINANCES AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS. AND SO
-- THERE'S A PARALLEL HERE AND
IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS AND
PART OF IT GOES TO THAT GREAT
SLIDE 11. BUT ALSO GOES TO THE
-- THE POINT THAT WE ARE CITY OF
TWO MINDS. AND FOR EVERY ACTION,
THERE'S A REACTION. AND THEY
SEND TO CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT
AND IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE
HERE WE ARE IN A CHRONIC
SITUATION THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO
BE CHRONIC. SO YOU KNOW, TO
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS' POINT,
MAYBE A GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC
SAFETY JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING
OR MAYBE WORKING WITH CHAIR TO
HAVE YOU COME TO THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE AT SOME POINT.
JUST TO RAISE THESE PIECES
BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, THE GUN
VIOLENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND
I THANK COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOR
ALL HER GREAT WORK ON THE
SYMPOSIUM WORKING WITH ALL THESE
PIECES AND DAVID KENNEDY'S
GROUP. IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT AND
I WENT THROUGH AUDIT REPORT
MYSELF. REVIEW PART OF THAT AND
SOME OF THE OTHER WORK WE'RE
DOING TO INCLUDE ADDING A PILLAR
REGARDING DUN VIOLENCE AND
INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY. THE OTHER
POINT TOO ABOUT ADDRESSING THE
THEME BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND
HUMAN SERVICES FOR EXAMPLE BUT
BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE TO DO
BETTER AND WHAT YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT
I'M EXPERIENCING AS CHAIR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT'S
UNFORTUNATE AND THE -- AND SLIDE
11 IS JUST -- IT'S ALMOST AN
INDICTMENT ON THE CITY. AND
IT'S UNFORTUNATE AND YOU KNOW,
LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT 101
DICTATES THAT THAT KIND OF
TURNOVER IS NOT GOOD. AND SO I
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
COMING FORWARD. AND MAKING THE
PRESENTATION. AND BY THE WAY, I
STILL SUPPORT THE OTHER AREAS
TOO. I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF SDCI AND SO FORTH
THE POINTS THAT WERE MADE BUT
THE PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE JUST
ILLUSTRATES SO CLEARLY SOME OF
THESE ENDEMIC ISSUES THAT WE
HAVE AS A CITY. AND THE SAD
THING IS THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE
TO BE BUT HERE WE ARE. SO --
THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU TO
THE AUDITOR TEAM. THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOR ALSO AS
I NOTED, BECAUSE IT'S AS MY
FATHER USED TO SAY MANY HANDS
MAKE LIGHT WORK. WE HAVE TO HAVE
A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AND
HAVEMY COLLEAGUES WORKING IN THE
DIFFERENT AREAS AND THE WORK SHE
DID FOR THAT SYMPOSIUM REALLY
ELEVATED THE DISCUSSION AND
FOLDED IN WHAT HAS WE DO AS A
COMMUNITY AND AS A COUNCIL. SO
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA,
THAT A NEW HAND.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE FOR YOUR REMARKS PLUS
ONE. YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO
SAY YOU KNOW, THE AUDITS ARE
HELPFUL AS WE'RE DOING OUR
WORK. I NOTED A LOT OF IT IS
MAYOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY'RE
OPERATIONALIZING AND
IMPLEMENTING THE LAWS AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT WE CARE SO
MUCH ABOUT THESE -- THESE THINGS
THAT WE TOO GET INVOLVED IN
TRYING TO HELP IMPLEMENT SOME OF
THIS WORK. AND SO I APPRECIATE
YOU BRINGING UP THE SYMPOSIUM
BECAUSE I NOTED NO
RECOMMENDATIONS I MEAN, NOTHING
-- WAS IMPLEMENTED FROM THE
GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU
MADE AND MY ATTEMPT IS TO GET US
TOGETHER TO START WORKING ON
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS SO, YOU
KNOW, IT IS TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE
MADE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THESE
REPORTS. JUST TO TELL US HOW
WE'RE DOING OR HOW YOU KNOW,
AND WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS SERIOUSLY. SO
AND THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO
DO AS WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH THIS
ISSUE. SO REALLY WANT TO
UNDERSCORE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS NOT JUST ME WANTING TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT DUN VIOLENCE IN
THIS WAY. THAT -- THESE IDEAS
ARE COMING FROM YOUR ACTUAL
RECOMMENDATIONS. THAT YOU ARE
GETTING FROM THE EXPERTS. AND
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WE TRY
TO TACKLE AN ISSUE AND WE DON'T
LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
YOUR OFFICE THAT YOU ARE DOING
THE RESEARCH AND THE BACKGROUND
AND THESE AUDITS TAKE A REALLY
LONG TIME. SO IT IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE JUST
PUTTING ON PAPER LIGHTLY. YOU
ARE REALLY WORKING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO LOOK AT BEST
PRACTICES, THE BEST WAY TO
IMPLEMENT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER,
FOR OUR CITY. AND SO WHEN YOU
ISSUE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, I
TAKE THEM REALLY SERIOUSLY.
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE DONE THE
HOMEWORK AND YOU HAVE DONE YOUR
WORK. YOU HAVE DONE YOUR DUE
DILIGENCE DARE I SAY IT, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THEY'VE DONE RIVERA
DUE DILIGENCE. [ LAUGHTER ] AND
I'M KIDDING. BUT YOU KNOW HOW I
GET IN THE WEEDS WITH THINGS?
AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU DO
TOO. I KNOW I WAS TRYING TO
BRING A LITTLE LEVITY. WITH
JOKES. ANYWAY REALLY WANT TODAY
UNDERSCORE THAT YOU KNOW, THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU ARE
MAKING IN ALL OF THESE AUDITS
ARE VERY IMPORTANTLY IN THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ONES AND NOT JUST
THE GUN SAFETY ONES, THE OTHER
TWO, ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND
WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION TO
IMPLEMENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THAT WAS MY ATTEMPT IN DOING
THE SYMPOSIUM WAS TO OPERATIONAL
-- HELP OPERATIONALIZE THE GUN
-- THE GUN SAFETY AUDIT WITH
YOUR GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS AND I
JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE IT
UNSAID THAT THESE ARE YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS YOU ACTUALLY
RECOMMENDED THESE THINGS. SO
WANT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT
IS DUE. THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU COULD BE
MEMBER RIVERA. NO, YOUR JOKES
ARE JUST FINE. SO THANK YOU. ARE
IS THERE ANY -- THERE ANY ORE
COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
OKAY. AWESOME. WELL THANK YOU
ALL FOR OBVIOUSLY FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION AND YOU KNOW, THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND AUDITING
THOSE AND ANALYZING THOSE IF
THEY HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OR
NOT. IT REALLY HELPS US
UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE AND
WHERE WE CAN KIND OF PUSH ON
THINGS. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
YOU ARE SMALL BUT YOU ARE MIGHTY
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY
CLOSING WORDS?
>> NO. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO
TRANSITION AND JUMP RIGHT INTO
LET'S SEE. ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AND I WILL READ ITEM NUMBER
THREE INTO THE RECORD WHILE THE
CLERK IS HELPING GET SET UP.
IT'S C B12 1-222. ORDINANCE
RELATING TO THE UTILITY DISCOUNT
PROGRAM AND AMENDING THE INCOME
THRESHOLD. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE
BRIAN AND ERIC WE JUST HAVE
BRIAN. I DON'T SEE ERIC.
THAT'S OKAY. BRIAN? YOU ARE THE
BEST. WE HAVE BRIAN, THANK YOU
FOR COMING AND AFTER YOUR
PRESENTATION, I WILL PASS IT
OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
THE SPONSOR OF THIS BILL. THANK
YOU.
>> GREET. THANK YOU FOR THE
RECORD BRIAN GOODNIGHT COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF. I HAVE A FEW
STRIDES TO WALK THROUGH IT CAN
BE BRIEF. SO FIRST OFF, THE
UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAM. KNOWN
AS THE UDP PROVIDES ELIGIBLE
HOUSEHOLDS WITH A DISCOUNT ON
THE SEATTLE CITY LIGHT AND
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES BILLS.
THE UDP IS A JOINT PROGRAM
BETWEEN THE UTILITIES AND
ADMINISTERED IN TERMS OF
ENROMMENT BY THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT. CURRENTLY STANDS TO
BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM,
HOUSEHOLD INCOMES MUST BE EQUAL
TO OR LESS THAN 70% OF STATE
MEDIAN INCOME. FOR THOSE
CUSTOMERS THAT DON'T DIRECTLY
RECEIVE A BILL FROM SPU THEY
RECEIVE THE USUAL # 60% DISCOUNT
ON THEIR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
BILL. AND THEN IN ADDITION --
CREDIT ON THOSE -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
FROM SPU AS WELL. AS OF THE END
OF LAST YEAR THERE ARE
APPROXIMATELY 39,000 CUSTOMERS
ENROLLED. DURING LAST FALL'S
BUDGET PROCESS COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS SPONSORED A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT THAT
REQUESTED US TO EVALUATE THE
IMPACTS OF EXPANDING UDP OHM
JILT. THE DEPARTMENTS PROVIDED A
WRITTEN RESPONSE TO IT IN MAY
AND THEN CAME TO THE
COMMITTEE'S PREVIOUS MEETING ON
JUNE 11th TO PRESENT THE RESULTS
OF THEIR WORK. ON TO THE BILL
ITSELF WHICH IS RELATIVELY
SIMPLE. THE BILL MODIFIES IT
FROM 70% OF STATE MEDIAN INCOME
TO 60% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
WITH AN EFFECTIVE KATE OF APRIL
1st OF 2027. THE DEPARTMENT'S
ESTIMATE THIS CHANGIC CREASES
THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THAT ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR PROGRAM BY ABOUT 3
# THOUSAND FOLKS AND THAT'S
ALMOST 30% INCREASE IN ELIGIBLE
CUSTOMERS. AND THEN IF CURRENT
PARTICIPATION RATES HELD FOR
THAT NEWLY ELIGIBLE GROUP THE
CITY WOULD SEE A LITTLE UNDER
11,000 NEW CUSTOMERS ENROLLED IN
THE PROGRAM. TO CONSIDER
LEGISLATION IN # 202720 EXTEND
BENEFITS TO ADDITIONAL
HOUSEHOLDS AND SPECIFICALLY
CALLS OUT EXTENDING BENEFITS FOR
THOSE WITH INCOMES UP TO 70% OF
THE AREA MEDIAN IN 2028 AND IN
2029 FOR 80%. THEN LASTLY,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAS
PREPARED PANEL AMENDMENT FOR THE
BILL. WHICH IS LISTED AS
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE IN THE
PACKETS. THE AMENDMENT WOULD
CHANGE THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR
THE ELIGIBILITY CHANGE FROM
APRIL 1st OF 2027 TO JANUARY
1st OF 2027. ALSO REVISE THE
INTENDED DATES FROM APRIL TO
JANUARY? 2028 AND 2029. AND THEN
FINALLY THE AMENDMENT WOULD ADD
A NEW SECTION TO THE BILL
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENTS TO
PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT ON UDP
ARRANGE RATES AND DEPARTMENTAL
EFFORTS TO INCREASE
PARTICIPATION. THE NEW SECTION
STATES THE REPORT SHOULD BE
PUBLISHEDPY APRIL 1st OF EACH
YEAR AND THEN WITH THEM
BEGINNING IN 2027 AND ENDING IN
2031. THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO
THE CHAIR FOR COSPONSORING THE
LEGISLATION, BY PASSING THIS
LEGISLATION WE WILL BE REDUCING
THE AMOUNT MANY WORKING FAMILIES
ARE PAYING FOR THEIR HOUSING BY
MORE THAN $1,000 MER YEAR
DEPENDING ON USAGE. THIS
LEGISLATION BEFORE US IS
ABSOLUTELY ABOUT MAKING LIFE
MORE AFFORDABLE FOR WORKING
FAMILIES AND DOING SO QUICKLY.
RIGHT NOW, THOSE MAKING JUST
ABOVE THE MINIMUM WAGE ARE
PAYING THE SAME HOME UTILITY
RATES AS THE MULTIMILLIONAIRE
HEDGE FUND MANAGER AND EVEN THE
FAMILIES WHO JUST LOST THEIR
JOBS SO THAT C-SUITE EXECUTIVES
CAN RECEIVE BONUSES ARE PAYING
THE SAME UTILITY RATES. AND
ANOTHER ROUND OF LAYOFFS WAS
JUST ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK. SO THE
CHANGES BEFORE US THAT WE'RE
MAKING ENSURE THAT OUR WORKING
FAMILIES ARE SEEN YOURS ON FIXED
JOBS AND THE PARENTS OF THE KIDS
I GREW UP WITH AND THE PEOPLE
AND FAMILIES WHO JUST NEED A
LITTLE HELP MAKING SURE THAT
THEY CAN MAKE ENDS MEET THIS
MONTH. THIS IS WHO THIS
LEGISLATION IS FOR. AND FOR TOO
LONG OUR THRESHOLDS HAVE BEEN
TOO LOW USING THE SATE MEDIAN
INCOME RATHER THAN THE AREA
MEDIAN INCOME. AND WE HAVE NOT
HAD THE PRORATED STEPPED DOWN
BENEFITS FOR THE FAMILIES WHO
MAKE JUST $1 ABOVE THAT LOW THEY
BELIEVE HOLD. LESS THREAT
FAMILIES IN COLD. THIS
LEGISLATION MAKES REAL THE WORK
THAT SO MANY CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON FOR ON MY CLOCK
NINE YEARS AND FOR LONGER ON
MANY OTHER CLOCKS. I KNOW READY
HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS LONGER
THAN I HAVE WORKED FOR THE CITY.
AND SO THIS LEGISLATION MAKES
REAL THE WORK THAT SO MANY HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON FOR NEARLY A
DECADE. THIS LEGISLATION WILL
PUT MONEY BACK INTO THE POCKETS
OF WORKING PEOPLE WHO ARE
STRUGGLING WITH THE
AFFORDABILITY OF OUR CITY TODAY.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO
QUICKLY. THAT'S PART OF THE
REASON THAT WE ARE HAVING AN
AMENDMENT TO -- ORIGINALLY WE
HAD TALKED ABOUT WHEN I BELIEVE
IT WAS THE HUD ANNOUNCEMENT
COMES OUT APRIL 1st , AND SO WE
TIED IT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION TO
THAT HUD ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND DIFFERENT
RATES. AND WITH OUR NEED TO
ENGAGE IN SOME NEW RATES FOR
CITY LIGHT AND OTHERS AT A --
HIGHER CLIP THAN WE'VE HAD IN
THE PAST, BUT LOWER THAN OUR
PEER UTILITIES. WE MADE THE
DECISION THAT WE NEEDED TO BRING
THIS DATE UP TO JANUARY 1st TO
BE CONSISTENT WITH THOSE RATE
INCREASES. WE'VE ALSO THROUGH
THIS AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, WE
ARE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL
REPORTING AND I THINK WE MAY IN
THE FUTURE DISCUSS WAYS THAT WE
-- IF WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY
MEETING OUR ELIGIBILITY -- NOT
GETTING AS MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE INTO THE PROGRAM, WE
MAY REQUEST IN THE FUTURE ANNUAL
REPORTING AND WHAT IS THE PATH
WAY TO ENSURING THAT EVERYONE
WHO IS ELIGIBLE IS ABLE TO CLAIM
THESE BENEFITS. BECAUSE THAT HAS
BEEN REALLY THE QUICK WIN THAT
SHOULD -- THAT WE -- WE ARE
WORKING ON TODAY. AND THAT MANY
HOPES WE CAN WORK ON FASTER IN
THE PAST IS JUST ENSURING
EVERYONE WHO'S ELIGIBLE IS ABLE
TO BENEFIT. ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES TO OUR -- TO MAKING
ENROMMENT SIMPLE IS THAT BECAUSE
WE HAVE USED THE STATE MEDIAN
INCOME, IT HAS NOT BEEN TIED TO
THE SAME BENEFITS THAT MANY
OTHERS IN OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND THAT APPLY FOR OTHER
S.N.A.P. AND OTHER BENEFITS HERE
IN THE CITY BECAUSE WE ARE USING
A DIFFERENT THRESHOLD. MADE IT
HARDER TO JUST AUTOENROLL AND
GIVE A ONE PACKET OF HERE ARE
THE BENEFITS THAT YOU CAN APPLY
FOR. SO CHANGING FROM STATE TO
AREA MEDIAN INCOME ALSO WILL
HELP THAT ELIGIBILITY INCREASE.
AND OUR FIRST MEETING LAST WEEK,
OR -- OUR LAST MEETING WHERE THE
FIRST CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS
BILL CAME OUT, WE HAD A WHOLE
PRESENTATION WHERE WE WERE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT BEFORE WE
TALKED ABOUT THE BILL AND I JUST
SHARED ALL MY TALKING POINTS FOR
THE ENTIRE BILL. BECAUSE I WAS
SO PENT UP WITH EXCITEMENT TO
FINALLY GET THIS IN PUBLIC VIEW.
AND SO I DON'T NEED TO SAY MUCH
MORE ABOUT THE BILL TODAY JUST
GRATITUDE FOR EVERYONE WHO'S
WORKED ON THIS BUT I KNOW WE
NEED TO MOVE THE AMENDMENT. SO
-- CHAIR, YOUR DISCRETION I'LL
MOVE THE AMENDMENT.
>> YES, PLEASE -- PLEASE DO.
>> THANK YOU. I'LL MOVE
AMENDMENT ONE VERSION 1 TO
COUNCIL BILL 121-222. THREE 2s.
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S -- IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF
THE BILL. EXCUSE ME -- FOR
AMENDMENT. WHAT YOU JUST MOVED
THE BILL. YOU JUST MOVED THE --
AMENDMENT.
>> I MOVED THE AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
COUNCILMEMBER STRESS. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU. AS I SAID THIS
JUST CHANGES THE IMPLEMENTATION
DATE FROM APRIL 1st TO JANUARY
1st. AND PUTS REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS INTO THE BILL.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. I
APOLOGIZE. I READ THE WRONG LINE
MY FRIEND. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS ABOUT AMENDMENT NUMBER
ONE? COUNCIL BILL 121-222? ALL
RIGHT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> I.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> AYE.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR. AMENDMENT ONE
NUMBER ONE IS ADOPTED. MOTION
CARRIES. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS ON THE BILL AS AMENDED?
THERE ARE. AND I'LL SAVE MINE
FOR LAST. I SEE COULD BE MEMBER
KETTLE AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>> HI. I RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WANT
TO MAKE COMMENTS BUT MY ABILITY
TO VOTE IS JUST DWINDLING DOWN.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. YES WE WILL.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> JUST WANT TO -- OKAY AWESOME.
ALL RIGHT -- WE WILL -- IF -- IF
THE COMMITTEE IS OKAY, WE'LL
VOTE ON THE BILL. AND THEN WE'LL
GO TO CLOSING COMMENTS. IS THAT
OKAY?
>> SOUNDS GOOD.
>> AWESOME. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE BILL
AS AMENDED?
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR.
>> AWESOME, BILL PASSES AND IT
WILL BE SENT AND CONGRATULATIONS
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ON YOUR
WORK ON THIS. AND I BELIEVE I
KNOW WE'RE GOING TO LOSE
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH. I WILL SAY THAT I
KNOW THAT WE PARTNERED WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. HE LEFT
BUT ON JUNE 1st HAVING AN
AFFORDABLE MEETING TO TALK ABOUT
TAXES AND ALL OF THE COSTS IN
SEATTLE. AND SO REALLY
APPRECIATE HIS PARTNERSHIP ON
THAT AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE
THINGS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WAS
THEIR UTILITY BILL. SO THANK YOU
CENTRAL STAFF AND BRIAN
GOODNIGHT AND THE REST OF YOUR
TEAM FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS AND
ALSO SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
FOR YOUR HELP. YOU WORKED HARD
TOO AS WELL ON. AND I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH YOU ALL FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH. DID ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY
FINAL COMMENTS ON THIS BILL?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> I'M A HUGE PROPONENT OF THE
UDP AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK
GENERAL MANAGER LEE FOR ALL THE
CONVERSATIONS AROUND UDP. AND,
YOU KNOW, THE RATES. AND, YOU
KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO
HELP FAMILIES WHO ARE REALLY
STRUGGLING, WE SHOULD BE DOING.
AND REALLY -- ESPECIALLY RIGHT
NOW WHEN WE'RE ALL TALKING
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE REALLY FEELING
CRUNCHED AND IT'S REALLY SAD.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS RUNS THE
GAMUT. THIS IS NOT -- MANY FOLKS
ARE FEELING IT. ACROSS THE
BOARD. SO THANK YOU. HE'S BACK.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> REALLY APPRECIATE THE
DEPARTMENT'S PARTNERSHIP IN --
MAKING THESE EXPANSIONS TO THE
UDP. SO WE CAN TRY TO HELP MORE
PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, DO YOU
HAVE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS.
>> JUST ABOUT MAKING LIFE MORE
AFFORDABLE FOR WORKING FAMILIES
AND DOING SO AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
AND I HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES
FROM PEOPLE -- AND IT REALLY
LIKE -- THEIR LIVELIHOODS
DEPENDS ON WHETHER THEY CAN MAKE
THE BILLS. WHETHER THEY CAN PAY
THE BILLS FOR THE MONTH AND THIS
IS REALLY EFFECTIVE WAY FOR US
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM
DIRECT RELIEF AND QUICKLY. SO --
JUST GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE
WHO'S WORKED ON THIS.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU MEMBER
STRAUSS AND THANK YOU MR.
GOODNIGHT. JUMP INTO ITEM NUMBER
FOUR SO BIG DEAL. SO THERE WILL
BE ON OUR JULY 14th -- CITY
COUNCIL MEETING. AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER FOUR. ORDINANCE
REPRESENTING TO THE RATES AND
CHANGES -- CHARGES EXCUSE ME FOR
WATER SERVICES OF SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES. THIS IS FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION. WE HAVE SPU AT
THE TABLE AND GO AHEAD DIRECTOR
LEE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF. FOR
THE RECORD AND THEN WE'LL JUMP
RIGHT THIS.
>> AIM ANDREW LEE. CEO FOR
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND
GENERAL MANAGER.
>> MARIA KO, RATES AND FINANCIAL
PLANNING MANAGER AT SPU.
>> BRIAN GOODNIGHT. COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> TALKING ABOUT WATER RATES.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. SO
EACH YEAR AT ABOUT THIS TIME SPU
BRINGS FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL A
RATE PROPOSAL FOR ONE OF THE
THREE LINES OF BUSINESS.
DRINKING WATER, SOLID WASTE, AND
DRAINAGE AND WASTEWATER. AND
THIS YEAR WE'RE HERE TO TALK
ABOUT WATER RATES. A LIT OVER
TWO YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL
APPROVED SEATTLE L PUBLIC
UTILITIES 2025 TO 2030 STRATEGIC
BUSINESS PLAN OR SBP. AS PART OF
THE SBP, SPU ESTIMATED THE RATE
PATH FOR EACH OF THE LINES OF
BUSINESS AND WE ARE NOW HERE TO
FOLLOW UP WITH LEGISLATION TO
ADOPT RATES. I'M PLEASED TO
REPORT THE RATE PROPOSAL IS
LOWER THAN THE RATE WE APPROVED
IN THE 2027 TO '29 AND IT'S
ALSO LOWER THAN THE SIX YEAR
AVERAGE THAT WAS ESTIMATED FOR
THAT RATE PATH. MARIA WILL LEAD
YOU THROUGH THE WATER RATES
PROPOSAL NOW.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU AND GOOD
MORNING. SO TODAY I'M GOING TO
WALK YOU THROUGH THE RATE
SCHEDULE AND OVERVIEW OF THE
WATER SYSTEM AND CONSUMPTION
TRENDS. AND THIS WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY THE GOALS AND NEW
INVESTMENTS INCORPORATED INTO
THE RECOMMENDED RATES. FINISH UP
WITH REVIEW OF CUSTOMER BILL
IMPACTS INCLUDING THOSE ENROLLED
IN THE UTILITY DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
INCLUDING THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS
JUST PASSED. SO AS ANDREW LEE
JUST MENTIONED TO SPARE YOU
SUSPENSE THE RATE PATH WE'RE
BRINGING YOU TODAY IS CONSISTENT
AND BELOW THE STRATEGIC BUSINESS
PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED TWO YEARS
AGO BY COUNCIL. SO RATES ARE
TYPICALLY SET FOR THREE YEAR
PERIOD. SO THE RATES WE'RE
BRINGING YOU TODAY FOR WATER ARE
COVER THE YEARS 2027, '28 AND
'29. NEXT YEAR, YOU'LL SEE ME
AGAIN FOR DRAINAGE AND WASTE
WATER AND FOLLOWING THAT IN '28
FOR SOLID WASTE. THIS SLIDE IS A
MAP OF OUR WATER SYSTEM. WHICH
IS MORE THAN JUST SEATTLE. THE
MAP SHOWS THE SEATTLE RETAIL
SERVICE AREA IN YELLOW. OUR
WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS IN ORANGE.
AND OUR TWO WATERSHEDS THE CEDAR
AND TOLT AND GREEN. THE SYSTEM
ESSENTIALLY FUNCTIONS AS LOOP AS
YOU CAN SEE WITH THE OVER 1800
MILES OF PIPE AND THROUGHOUT THE
REGION, WE SERVE 1.6 MILLION
PEOPLE. SO WHILE POPULATION HAS
BEEN STEADILY AND SIGNIFICANTLY
INCREASING OVER THE DECADES,
YOU'LL NOTICE CONSUMPTION HAS
DECREASED AMID RELATIVELY STABLE
FOR THE PAST DECADE. A DECLINE
IN DODGE SURGE PER CAP --
CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA. THIS
OUTLINES RATE SETTING GOALS AND
PRINCE POOLS WHICH IS TO KEEP
RATES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE AND
COLLECT ONLY THE AMOUNT NEEDED
TO MAIN MAIN THE SYSTEM AND
DELIVER SERVICES AND MAINTAIN A
SMOOTH PREDICTABLE RATE PATH,
SUPPORT AND EXPAND UTILITY
ASSISTANCE TO AS MANY CUSTOMERS
AS POSSIBLE AND MANAGE OUR
ASSETS SO THE SYSTEM IS HEALTHY
AND STABLE FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS. THE NEW INVESTMENTS
INCLUDED SUPPORT THE GOALS THAT
I JUST DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS
SLIDE. THIS INCLUDES THE COST OF
MOVING WATER TREATMENT IN-HOUSE
AND TRANSFERRING ANNUAL HYDRANT
INSPECTION WORK FROM THE SEATTLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SPU. WE'RE
ALSO INVESTING IN THE LONGEVITY
OF THE SYSTEM THROUGH OUR
CAPITAL PROGRAM. INCLUDING
INVESTIGATING THE PURCHASE OF
LAND IN THE TOLT WATERSHED AND
MOVING TO ADVANCED METERING
INFRASTRUCTURE. THE PROPOSAL
ALSO INCLUDES THE EYE TILT
DISCOUNT PROGRAM CHANGE
ENVISIONED BY COUNCIL NEBRASKA
STRAUSS AND APPROVED BY
COMMITTEE. SO YOU'LL NOTICE --
THE EXPAND -- AS DISCUSSED, THE
ELIGIBLE POPULATION IS EXPANDED
BY ALMOST ONE-THIRD AND IT ADDS
1% TO THE 2027 WATER RATE
INCREASE AND I'LL SHOW YOU ON
THE NEXT SLIDE WHICH IS
EQUIVALENT TO 50 CENTS A MONTH
FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS,
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO HERE'S THE
PROSED RATE PATH. TOM LINE SHOWS
WHAT WAS PRESENTED AND APPROVED
IN THE 2024 STRATEGIC BUSINESS
PLAN. WHERE WE HAD AN AVERAGE
ESTIMATED RATE OF 4% PER YEAR
OVER THE SIX YEAR PERIOD. AND A
IRATE OF 6.5% IN 2029. THE
PROPOSAL WE BRING YOU TODAY HAS
AN AVERAGE SIX YEAR GROWTH OF
3.4% PER YEAR. AND THE RATES
WE'RE PROPOSING ARE 4.3% EACH
IN '27 AND '28 AND '29. WE
LIKE TO SAY CUSTOMERS PAY BILLS
NOT RATES. SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS
THE AVERAGE BILL INCREASE
ANTICIPATED UNDER THIS PROPOSAL.
SAME L FAMILIES WILL SEE A
MONTHLY INCREASE OF $2.82 IN
2027. AND UTILITY DISCOUNT
PROGRAM QUALIFIED FAMILIES WOULD
SEE HALF OF THAT OR $1.41 PER
MONTH. THIS IS THE END OF MY
PRESENTATION. WE DO APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND
CAN WE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. I WILL JUMP TO
CENTRAL STAFF TO SEE IF THEY
HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. NO COMMENTS TODAY
SO I'M WORKING AND I HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS TO SPU RIGHT NOW AND
I'LL BE WRITING A MEMO BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE'S NEXT MEETING.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU BRIAN. WE
LOVE YOUR MEMOS. COLLEAGUES, ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE US?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> CHAIR, THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN THANK YOU GENERAL
MANAGER LEE AND BOB YOUR
STAFFER, FOR THE MEETING LAST
WEEK. TO TALK ABOUT THESE RATE
INCREASES SO I GOT A FULL
BRIEFING AND I WANT TO JUST
STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD. SO
FOLKS ESPECIALLY MY COFFIN
SYSTEMIC RACISM -- CONSTITUENTS
KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING DUE
DILIGENCE. THANK YOU CHAIR.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. ANY OTHER
COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> HAPPY TO JUMP IN. THANK YOU
CHAIR. CAN WE GO BACK TO SLIDE
NUMBER EIGHT? I DON'T WANT TO
LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH
BUT WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT HOW WHAT WAS DONE THE
ACHIEVE SOME OF THE SAVINGS. WE
HAD A PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN
FOR 6.3% IN YEAR AND WE ARE
SEEING 4.3% PROPOSAL. THIS IS
GOOD NEWS BUT WHAT ARE WE EITHER
NOT DOING OR WHERE WERE WE ABLE
TO SAVE MONEY? I KNOW THAT THERE
ARE MANY DIFFERENT SPU PROGRAMS
THAT ARE WORKING, FOR INSTANCE,
STABILIZING THE HILLSIDE RATHER
THAN DRILLING THROUGH A MOUNTAIN
SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR WATER
SUPPLY HERE TO THE CITY SAFELY.
THAT'S ONE BAY THAT WE SAVED
PROBABLY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
WE'VE ALSO GOT THE SHIP CANAL
WATER QUALITY PROJECT THAT'S
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CAPITAL
PROJECTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
THESE ARE NOT SMALL THINGS THAT
YOU ARE DOING. HOW -- HOW WERE
WE ABLE TO SAVE THAT NEARLY 2%
IN RATE INCREASE THIS YEAR?
>> DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A CRACK
AT THAT?
>> YOU GO AHEAD.
>> YOU KNOW, FROM YEAR TO YEAR,
AND THROUGH EACH OF THESE CYCLES
WE'RE ALWAYS MANAGING OUR
MONIES. AND THERE ARE SOME TRUE
SAVINGS THAT ARE INHERENT IN
THIS. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT
THE BIDDING MARKET HAS ACTUALLY
GOTTEN MORE FAVORABLE FOR US. SO
WE'VE HAD CERTAIN LARGE
PROJECTS ONE OF WHICH THE BITTER
LAKE RESERVOIR PROJECT YOU ARE
FAMILIAR WITH THAT. THAT BID
CAME IN ABOUT 30% LESS THAN OUR
ENGINEERS ESTIMATE AND WE'VE
HAD ANOTHER COUPLE OF PROJECTS
THAT HAVE ALSO KIND OF COINCIDED
THAT SORT OF TREND IN THE MARKET
SO THE COMPETITIVENESS IN THE
CONTRACTING MARKET HAS GOTTEN
BETTER FOR US WHICH HAS YIELDED
LOWER PRICES, IN ADDITION TO
THAT I WILL SAY FRANKLY THAT
THERE'S -- THERE'S -- ALMOST
EVERY YEAR WE HAVE SOME AMOUNT
OF UNDERSPENDING. AND THAT
UNDERSPENDING TIMICALLY HAS TO
DO WITH EITHER WE WERE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY COST SAVINGS OR THERE
MIGHT HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT WERE
DEFERRED. THE RESULT OF THOSE IS
WE -- END UP ACCUMULATING A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CASH AND THAT
CASH GETS USED TO OBVIOUSLY
LOWER SOME OF THESE RATE
INCREASES. AND THEN WE'RE ABLE
TO LEVERAGIZE AND YOU'LL SEE
THE RATE THAT WAS PROJECTED IN
THE ORIGINAL ONE HAD A LITTLE
BUMP UP AND THEN DOWN. AND SO
WE'RE ABLE TO LEVELLIZE THAT AS
WELL. AND I SAY -- I ADD OTHER
THINGS AND WE'VE GOT FAVORABLE
BOND RATINGS AND FAVORABLE
BONDS. OUR RATES IN TERMS OF THE
BOND MARKET. WE TEND TO MAKE
CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTIONFULS ON
OUR COST TO BORROW AND THEN IF
THERE WAS ASSUMPTIONS ARE
BEATEN, IN TERMS OF THE RATE --
THE BONDS THAT WE SELL, THEN WE
GET TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE
RATE PROJECTIONS. IT'S A
MULTITUDE OF FACTORS THAT'S LED
TO THAT.
>> SIT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE
-- I KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW IF
IT WAS TUKWILA OR ANDONO
AFTERSEA-TAC -- DEFINITELY MOVED
OVER TO TACOMA WATER. WE HAVE
THE BEST IN THE NORTHWEST AND IN
AMERICA HERE IN -- WITH SPU SO I
DON'T MIND IF OTHER FOLKS ARE
GOING OTHER PLACES. BUT IT WOULD
BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT OUR
PEER AGENCIES DOING AS WELL.
>> YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.
>> I'LL JUST STATE YOU KNOW,
HAVING CLEAN -- WE HAD ONE OF
THE -- THE ASSOCIATION IN
WASHINGTON CITIES, WE HAD A
SPEAKER COME TO TALK ABOUT HOW
13 WAYS TO KILL YOUR CITY
QUICKLY. MORE BUILT FOR RURAL
ENVIRONMENTS BUT THE NUMBER ONE
-- THE FIRST THING THAT HE SAYS
IS YOU DON'T INVEST IN YOUR
WATER. IF YOU DON'T HAVE CLEAN
GOOD CATER TO DRINK, YOU ARE
GOING TO UNDERCUT YOUR SUCCESS
IN EVERY SINGLE WAY. AND SO
IT'S JUST REALLY -- I'M REALLY
PROUD OF THE CLEAN WATER WE'RE
ABLE TO PROVIDE AND WE CAN
DRINK. THE TAP WATER IS MORE
THAN DRINKABLE. IT'S BETTER
THAN THE BOTTLED WATER WE HAVE
ON THE SHELVES HERE IN THE CITY
AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIGRESSION CHAIR BUT THE SALMON
BAY FC, OUR -- SOCCER TEAM --
WOMEN'S USL 2 TEAM IS IN THE
SEMIFINAL THIS IS WEEKEND. AND
THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING TEAMS FROM
RAISE CROSS THE COUNTRY AND SO
WE'VE BEEN COMING UP WITH
FRIENDLY JEERS FOR THESE OTHER
TEAMS. BECAUSE YOU NOT BE TOO
NICE BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO BE
TOO MEAN. ONE TEAM WE SAID YOU
ARE LANDLOCK. THAT'S WHAT WE
KEPT CHEERING, YOU ARE
LANDLOCKED. ANOTHER TEAM WE SAID
YOUR TAP WATER IS UNDRINKABLE
AND AFTER THE GAME IT HIT TOO
CLOSE TO HOME. I EXPLAINED IT TO
ANOTHER PERSON AND THEIR FACE
BENT WENT TO FLOOD AND JARED
BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS
SAYING THAT OUR TAP WATER WAS
UNDRINKABLE. AND -- I SHARE THIS
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
DON'T THINK ABOUT. WE JUST TURN
ON THE TAP AND THERE IT IS. IT
BECOMES UNCONSCIOUS. IN OUR
HABITS. SOMETHING THAT WE DEPEND
ON BUT ESPECIALLY AS CLIMATE
CHANGE CONTINUES TO OCCUR AND
ESPECIALLY AS OTHER CITIES AND
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT
THE NATION DON'T INVEST
PROPERLY IN THEIR WATER SYSTEMS,
THAT JEER OF YOUR TAP WATER IS
UNDRINKABLE IS -- IT CUTS AT THE
VERY HUMANITY OF -- CUTS LIKE
THE VERY BASICS OF OUR SOCIETY
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE A --
WITHOUT CLEAN WATER. IT'S A
LONG WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU FOR
ALL OF YOUR WORK. SOMETHING THAT
WE HAVE YOU KNOW, AS I TESTED IT
OUT WITH THE PUBLIC THIS LAST
WEEK, I CAN TELL YOU THE
SEATTLE-ITES WHO THOUGHT I WAS
TALKINGN'T THEIR TAP WATER WERE
THE MOST UPSET I HAVE SEEN. SO
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US CLEAN
TAP WATER AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING ABLE TO KEEP THESE RATES
LOW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. WELL
SAID. IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE
PROPOSED RATES I'LL AND SUPER
QUICK. I DO REALLY APPRECIATE
THE INTENTIONALITY BEHIND THIS
EVERY TIME I KNOW THAT THE CITY
WE DO A LITTLE BIT -- STUFF
DIFFERENT. THERE'S A LITTLE
SLIDE AT @ COUNTY. WE DO A
LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR OUR RATES.
I KNOW I CAN SAY THAT AND OTHERS
PROBABLY CAN'T. BUT I KNOW THAT
THE WASTEWATER IS DIRECTLY
CONNECTED TO KING COUNTY AND SO
THAT'S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE
A VERY HIGH JUMP THERE. AND I
KNOW THAT OFTENTIMES IT PROBABLY
PUTS PRESSURE ON THE OTHER
PLACES IN WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE MORE
EFFICIENT WITH WATER, DRAINAGE,
SOLID WASTE. AND SO ANYWAYS I
KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING
HARD TOO AND TOO AS WELL AND WE
WANT TO WORK HARD WITH THE
COUNTY SO WE CAN BE IN ALIGNMENT
WITH THEIR WASTEWATER RATES. AND
AFFORDABILITY AS WELL. BECAUSE
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND I
BELIEVE IT'S 25% OF SOMEONE'S
BILL. WASTEWATER? AROUND THAT.
SO -- JUST SAYING. IF YOU SEE
YOUR BILL IT'S 25% IS THE
COUNTY. SO 25% OF THE ANGER
SHOULD GO TO KING COUNTY WHEN
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WASTEWATER.
BUT -- OR YOUR WHOLE BILL. BUT
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US
AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE
INTENTIONALITY BEHIND IT. AND
YOU ALL JUST STAYING VERY
CONSISTENT IF YOU LOOK AT 2025,
AND JUST THAT SLIGHT INCREASE,
YOU CAN ARGUE A LOT OF THAT
INCREASE IS BECAUSE OF THE
WASTEWATER PIECE WITH SOME OF
THE PERCENTAGES. SO REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. SO THANK YOU
DIRECTOR AND I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS BUT
I KNOW WE'LL DISCUSS THIS AGAIN
IN THE NEXT MEETING. NO?
AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE AND REALLY
APPRECIATE IT AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE MEMO AS WELL FROM
CENTRAL STAFF. ALL RIGHT
COLLEAGUES. THEY'RE GOING TO BE
READ IN TOGETHER. TWO MORE ITEMS
ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU CLERK.
I WILL READ THEM IN. SO WE HAVE
COUNCIL BILL 121246 ORDINANCE
RELATING TO EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
CUSTOMERSMENT AND THEN WE HAVE
COUNCIL BILL 12147 ORDINANCE
RELATING TO THE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHTS DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY BILL
ASSISTANCE, THIS IS FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION. ONLY. ALSO
DISCUSS THIS FURTHER ON THE JULY
29th MEETING SO WE DO HAVE A
SPECIAL MEETING AT THE END OF
THE MONTH AS WELL. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S ROCK & ROLL. THANK YOU.
>> ANDREW LEE, GENERAL MANAGER
CEO FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES.
>> LESLIE BRINSON.
>> MARCUS JACKSON, DIRECTOR OF
CUSTOMER OPERATIONS SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
>> ROB SANTOFF, INTERIM GENERAL
MANAGER AND CEO FOR SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
>> STILL BRIANGOODNIGHT.
>> DIRECTOR LEE. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGS AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. THE NEXT TWO
ARE COMPANION BILLS. THEY WOULD
EXPAND SPU'S EMERGENCY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR KNOWN AS
EAP AND SEATTLE CITY LIGHT'S
EMERGENCY BILL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM WHICH SERVES AS A SAFETY
NET TO PREVENT WATER AND
ELECTRICITY SHUTOFFS. THE
PROPOSED ORDINANCES WOULD
INCREASE ELIGIBILITY IN THE TWO
PROGRAMS FROM 80% OF STATE
MEDIAN INCOME TO 80% OF AREA
MEDIAN INCOME. THE EFFECT OF THE
LEGISLATION WOULD BE TO INCREASE
THE POPULATION THAT IS ELIGIBLE
FOR CITY LIGHT'S PROGRAM BY 37%
TO 188,000. AND SPU'S PROGRAM
BY 50% TO 39,000. BEFORE HANDING
OFF THE PRESENTATION TO LESLIE
BRINSON I'D LIKE TO OFFER ROB
SANTOFF GENERAL MANAGER CEO FOR
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT TO THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME OPENING
REMARKS.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ROB SANTOFF
INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER AND CEO
AT CITY LIGHT. I'M JOINED TODAY
WITH MARCUS JACKSON THE CUSTOMER
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR. PLEASED TO
BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT ON THIS
ORDINANCE WITH EXPANSE TO
ELIGIBILITY FOR SEATTLE CITY'S
LIGHT EMERGENCY BILL HELP. MORE
CUSTOMERS FACING SUDDEN
FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS FROM JOB
LOSS AND MEDICAL EMERGENCIES AND
OTHER CRISES CAN ACCESS
IMMEDIATE HELP. THE WASHINGTON
CLEAN ENERGY TRANSFORMATION
AGENT. THIS PROPOSED EMERGENCY
BILL ALLOW CITY LIGHT TO MEET
THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSFORMATION
ACT'S REQUIREMENTS. LIKE OUR
PROPOSED UTILITY DISCOUNT
PROGRAM CHANGES THESE
IMPROVEMENTS STREAMLINE INCOME
VERIFICATION AND MAKE THE
PROGRAM EASIER TO ACCESS.
ALIGNING WITH OUR BROADER
AFFORDABILITY AND EQUITY GOALS.
WE REQUESTS THAT THE COMMITTEE
MOVE THE ORDINANCE FORWARD. WITH
THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE
PRESENTERS.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MARCUS
AND I WILL WORK THROUGH THIS.
BUT SINCE WE HAVE HAD SOME
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAM TODAY, WE WILL
SKIP AHEAD. BUT VERY EXCITED
THAT THE EXPANSION OF OUR
ONGOING AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM
WITH UDP WILL BE HAPPENING ON
JUNE 1 PER -- JANUARY PER THE
AMENDMENT AND THAT THE EMERGENCY
BILL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE
REALLY AN EXCELLENT COMPLEMENT
TO THESE PROGRAMS. THESE PROVIDE
-- SORT OF ANNUAL ASSISTANCE TO
ADDRESS EPISODIC FINANCIAL
HARDSHIPS THAT FAMILIES FACE AND
CURRENTLY THEY ARE AT -- ANDREW
MENTIONED THEY ARE 80% OF STATE
MEDIAN INCOME AND WE ARE
PROPOSING THAT THAT GO TO 80% OF
AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE OTHER
BIG CHANGE WE'RE LOOKING AT
HERE IS THAT RIGHT NOW,
HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN GET
TWICE THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE
AS HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT. AND THAT
LEAFS A LOT OF O FOLKS SENIORS
INCLUDED, WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE
FULL ASSISTANCE AMOUNT. SO WE'LL
BE PROPOSING THAT -- TO CHANGE.
OKAY. REALLY THESE EMERGENCY
ASIS FACE PROGRAMS ARE BUILT TO
PREVENT ELECTRICITY AND WATER
SHUTOFFS. WE WANT TO BE SURE
THAT FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO
ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND THEY'RE
GETTING THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
THEY NEED. THIS EXPANSION ALSO
ALLOWS US TO OFFER UTILITY
ASSISTANCE TO A BROADER SPECTRUM
OF HOUSEHOLDS AWL THE WAY UP TO
8 #% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
HELPS CITY LIGHT COMPLY THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE
TRANSFORMATION ACT AND WE ARE
REALLY WORKING TOGETHER SPU AND
CITY LIGHT WITH THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS WELL TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE
WORKING TOGETHER REALLY WELL.
AND THAT WE'RE USING THIS
MOMENT IN TIME TO REALLY INFORM
HOW WE MOVE FORWARD IF AND WHEN
WE EXPAND THE PROGRAMS MORE IN
THE FUTURE. OKAY. THIS IS -- I
HAVE PREVIOUSLY TALKED TO YOU
SORT OF ABOUT THE THREE
DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER. THIS IS
SPECIFIC TO THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES PROGRAM. SO WE WILL BE
INCREASING -- PROPOSING TO
INCREASE TO 80% AMI WHICH
INCREASES OUR ELIGIBLE
POPULATION BY 50%. AND THAT
REALLY EQUATES TO OUR --
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REALLY
EQUATES TO ASSISTANCE FOR ABOUT
FOUR MONTHS WORTH OF BILLS. SO
ABOUT $1,000 A YEAR. THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY A 30% ANNUAL
DISCOUNT. THAT CAN BE COMBINED
WITH THE UTILITY DISCOUNT
PROGRAM. WHICH MEANS THAT IF
SOMEONE IS ON THE UTILITY
DISCOUNT PROGRAM AND STILL NEEDS
MORE HELP, AND ACCESSES THE
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
THEY ARE ONLY PAYING 33% OF THE
ANNUAL COST OF THESE UTILITIES.
AS I MENTIONED, THE DOUBLING THE
AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE ABLE FOR
HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN -- WHEN
SPU LOOKED INTO THIS AND WE WERE
LOOKING AT THE DIRECTLY BILLED
CUSTOMERS. THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO
HAVE THE OWN INDIVIDUAL WATER
METERS OFTEN FOLKS WHO LIVE IN A
SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR TOWNHOME,
OR AN ADU CONDO SOMETIMES, ONLY
ABOUT 20% OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR
INCOME ELIGIBILITY HAVE CHILDREN
IN THE HOMES. SO DOUBLING OUR
ASSISTANCE FOR ALL CUSTOMERS
ACCESSING THE EMERGENCY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BRINGS A HOLT
MORE PEOPLE INTO THE ABILITY TO
GET THAT MAXIMUM THOUSAND DOLLAR
AMOUNT. THIS SLIDE SHOWS LOT OF
DETAILS AND LOTS OF WORDS.
RUNNING THROUGH THE SPECIFIC
CHANGES THAT YOU WILL SEE
OUTLINED IN THE LEGISLATION.
AGAIN, INCREASING TO 80% AREA
MEDIAN INCOME. WE ARE CHANGING
AND MODERNIZING THE LANGUAGE IN
THE CODE IT CURRENTLY REFERS TO
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES AS
BEING THE ONLY ELIGIBLE TYPE OF
HOME. WE ARE REMOVING THAT TO
TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY METERED
RESIDENCES AND ALL HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE ACCESS TO THE MAXIMUM
AMOUNT OF ASUSTAINS WHICH IS FOR
APU IS ABOUT $1,000 A MONTH. WE
ARE MOVING TO -- AND THEN WE'RE
MOVING SOME OF THE PROGRAMMATIC
SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DETAIL
OUT OF THE CODE INTO DIRECTOR'S
RULES. THOSE WILL BE PUB LIBBED
LATER TO YEAR FOR IMPLEMENTATION
NEXT YEAR. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE HAVE REALIZED IN THAT
PROCESS IS THAT CURRENTLY, WE
REQUIRE FOLKS TO APPLY TO US FOR
ASSISTANCE AND ONLY HAVE SAY A
$400 BALANCE ON THEIR BILL, WE
GIVE THEM $400. AND THEN THEY
COME BACK TO US LATER IN THE
YEAR WHEN THEY NEED MORE
ASSISTANCE AND THEY HAVE A
BIGGER BALANCE. SO WE ARE NOW
SAYING OKAY. APPLY TO US ONCE.
STREAMLINE IT. AND THEY WILL GET
THE FULL AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE
WHEN THEY APPLY. AND THEN WE
WILL -- WE WILL DO THE SORT OF
ACCOUNTING AND TICK THAT DOWN
OVER TIME WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO
ASK. TURNING IT OVER TO MARCUS.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO ON THE CITY
LIGHT SIDE, WE HAVE OUR
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND CHANGES THERE ARE SIMILAR TO
SPU. WE ARE GOING TO INCREASE
THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY TO 80% OF
AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND THAT'S
GOING TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR
ABOUT 50,000 MORE CUSTOMERS FOR
CITY LIGHT AND THE SURROUNDING
CITIES. CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE
ASSISTANCE FOR UP TO FOUR MONTHS
OF BILLS. WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY
ABOUT 33% ANNUAL DISCOUNT. IT
HELPS OUR MOST ENERGY BURDENED
CUSTOMERS BASED P THEIR USAGE
AND COMPLIES WITH THE WASHINGTON
STATE CLEAN ENERGY
TRANSFORMATION ACT THAT ROB
SPOKE ABOUT. AND HAVING A
PROGRAM UP TO 80% OF AREA MEDIAN
INCOME. AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO
IT ALIGNS SPU AND SPL PROGRAMS.
TO REDUCE CUSTOMER CONFUSION.
THE SUMMARY ON OUR END IS
SIMILAR. WE'RE OBVIOUSLY MOVING
TO 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR
TOTAL ELIGIBLE CUSTOMER
POPULATION ABOUT 188,000
HOUSEHOLDS. THEY WILL RECEIVE A
BENEFIT EQUAL TO THE LAST TWO
BIMONTHLY BILLS IF THEY'RE A
BIMONTHLY CUSTOMER OR THE LAST
FOUR BILLS IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE
MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER AND
THAT ADAPTS FOR ENERGY BURDEN,
THAT'S OUT OF THE CUSTOMER'S
CONTROL. THE OTHER THING IS THEY
WILL GET A MAXIMUM BENEFIT
PREVIOUSLY CUSTOMERS WOULD YOU
KNOW IF THEY DIDN'T NEED THE
WHOLE AMOUNT, THEY WOULD APPLY
TO GET A PORTION OF THE BENEFIT
AND COME BACK LATER AND ASK FOR
THE REMAINING PORTION. KIND OF
GIVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT AND
HAVE THE COMPLETED APPLICATION
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK
TO US. THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE
PAPERWORK AND HEADACHES THAT
FOLK EARLIER TODAY HAD
COMPLAINED ABOUT. THE OTHER
THING WE'RE CHANGING ON OUR
SIDE TO ALIGN WITH SPU IS THE
PAST DUE BALANCE REQUIREMENT. WE
USED TO REQUIRE THAT CUSTOMERS
HAD TO HAVE A PAST DUE BALANCE
TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE
PROGRAM. BUT NOW AS LONG AS YOU
OWE US MONEY, YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO APPLY FOR THESE PROGRAMS. SO
IF YOU GET A BILL AND YOU KNOW
AUTOMATICALLY YOU CAN'T PAY IT
YOU DON'T NEED THE WAIT UNTIL
THE BILL BECOMES DELINQUENT TO
REACH OUT TO GET HELP. LASTLY,
THIS MOVES YOU KNOW, PROGRAM
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ALLOW
CHANGES -- ALLOWS PROGRAM
CHANGES TO ADAPT MORE QUICKLY AS
CUSTOMERS' NEEDS ARISE. SO
WE'LL -- KEEP MAKING CHANGES AS
WE NEED TO.
>> AND THE SLIDE JUST COVERS THE
SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES BETWEEN
STRAUSS' BILL AND THE TWO BILLS
BEFORE YOU. WE ARE EXPANDING
ONGOING ELIGIBILITY TO 60% OF
AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND THE TWO
PROGRAMS WILL BE GOING UP TO 80%
OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. HAPPY TO
TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS. THIS
IS REALLY SUPER HELPFUL TO
UNDERSTAND WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE
AND INCREASES AND ALL THE GOOD
STUFF. SO I WILL PAUSE HERE TO
SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
COMMENTS. LAST TWO AGENDA ITEMS.
I SEE YOU GRABBING YOUR
MICROPHONE.
>> JUST GRATITUDE. THESE
PROGRAMS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN
SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES. WITH
THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE, BOTH
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO -- REMIND
ME THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM WHERE
PEOPLE CAN DONATE?
>> PROJECT SHARE.
>> PROJECT SHARE. THESE PROGRAMS
MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN
PEOPLE'S LIVES. I RECENTLY HAD
A -- RESIDENT REACH OUT FOR HELP
BECAUSE THEIR POWER HAS BEEN
TURNED OFF AND THEY HAD NOT BEEN
AUTOENROLLED AND THEY FORGOT AND
I OFFERED THEM THE PROGRAMS AND
THEY DIDN'T NEED THEM. IT WAS
THAT MOMENT OF THERE WAS SOME --
PRETTY BIG HEALTH THINGS GOING
ON IN THAT PERSON'S LIFE. AND
IF THEY HAD NEEDED HELP I WAS
REASSURED BECAUSE HELP WAS THERE
BECAUSE OF PROGRAMS LIKE THESE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR
WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. ECHOING MY COLLEAGUE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'
GRATITUDE FOR THE WORK THAT BOTH
DEPARTMENTS HAVE DONE TO REALLY
ADDRESS FOLKS' NEEDS ACROSS THE
CITY AS WE'RE EXPERIENCING THIS
AFFORDABILITY CRUNCH. AND JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THAT
BOTH OUR UTILITIES OVER THE
YEARS AND I HAVE HAD THE --
PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH BOTH
UTILITIES OVER THE YEARS, SOME
OF THE COLLEAGUES AT THE TABLE
TOO AND I KNOW THE COMMITMENT TO
WANTING TO HELP FOLKS AS WE HAVE
TO DO THINGS LIKE RATE INCREASES
ACROSS THE CITY. WE WISH WE
DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THEM AND I
KNOW THE FOLKS AT BOTH
DEPARTMENTS AND MORE I SEE YOU
BACK THERE TOO. YOU KNOW, OVER
THE YEARS, HAVE TRIED REALLY
HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE
HAVE TO DO THESEN INCREASES,
LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO
PROVIDE RELIEF TO SOME PHONES
THAT ARE GOING TO GET IMPACTED
THE MOST BY THESE INCREASES SO
REALLY WANT TO UPLIFT THAT
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT EITHER DEPARTMENT'S
LEADERSHIPS AND STAFF TAKE
LIGHTLY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU
CHAIR.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL AND
I'LL ECHO THE WORDS OF THE TWO
COLLEAGUES. JUST GRATITUDE AND
VERY THANKFUL FOR PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER. AND THEN ALSO JUST
MAKING THE CITY A LOT MORE
AFFORDABLE THAN WHAT IT IS RIGHT
NOW. AND WE HEARD THE IMPACT
FROM FOLKS SPEAKING TODAY OR WE
GET EMAILS IFS IN PEOPLE OR FIND
PEOPLE IN THE STORES THAT TALK
ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THOSE
PROGRAMS ARE FOR THEM JUST TO
CONTINUE TO LIVE AND SUSTAIN AND
BE ABLE TO LIVE IN OUR CITY. SO
-- THIS IS VERY, VERY GRATEFUL
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S
ANY CLOSING COMMENTS AT ALL?
BRIAN? I FORGOT I DIDN'T ASK
YOU ANYTHING. YES.
>> NO COMMENTS CHAIR, THANKS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. GO AHEAD.
>> YEAH, I WANTED TO JUST STAY
THANKS FOR BOWER COMMENTS AND
THEN JUST YOU KNOW GO ON THE
RECORD TO SAY THANKS TO ALL THE
EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED ON THIS AT
SPU AND SPL AND THE
CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WITH YOU
ALL. JUST WANTED TO GET OUT
THERE AND SAY THANK YOU TO
EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU AS WELL.
SO -- IF THERE'S NO MORE
COMMENTS, WELL, THANK YOU. I
KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON JULY 29th ABOUT
THIS. SO ABOUT THESE TWO BILLS.
RIGHT? A POSSIBLE VOTE I'M
ASSUMING. AWESOME. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME AS ALWAYS AND THIS
BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR JULY
9th GOVERNANCE AND UTILITIES
MEETING AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE
A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT BECAUSE
HE'S NEVER AT THE TABLE BUT BOB
HENNESSY THE FAVORITE COUNCIL
LIAISON, I'M JUST PLAYING,
HE'S ONE OF OUR FAVES AND HE
DIDN'T HEAR ME BUT THAT'S FINE.
BOB HENNESSY -- THANK YOU FOR
BEING A REALLY GREAT COUNCIL
LIAISON MY FRIEND. AND MOOR ARE
THANK YOU TO AS WELL. YOU ARE
ONE OF FAVORITES AS WELL. OUR
FAVORITE.
>> YES.
>> OKAY. MOIRA AND BOB, JUST
PLAYING, YOU ALL ARE UP THERE
BOTH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
WORK AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE;
THANK YOU -- I DIDN'T SEE
MAURA. MY APOLOGIES, THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. THIS
BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR JULY
9th GOVERNANCE AND UTILITIES
MEETING. THANK YOU EVERYONE AND
COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES. WITH THAT,
WE HAVE NO FURTHER AGENDA ITEMS
TODAY. OUR NEXT SCHEDULED
MEETING IS JULY 29th , 2026.
9:30. HEARING NO OTHER BUSINESS,