♪ ♪
>>> GOOD MORNING.
THE HUMAN SERVICES, LABOR
AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:33 A.M., MAY 15th, 2026.
I'M
COUNCILMEMBER ALEXIS MERCEDES
RINCK CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WILL THE COMMITTEE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> CHAIR RINCK.
>>
PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE
MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO APPROVAL
OF TODAY'S AGENDA IF THERE
IS OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
WELCOME GOOD MORNING OUR
AGENDA FOR TODAY HAS TWO ITEMS.
THE FIRST ITEM IS A
BRIEFING DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
VOTE ON THE APPOINTMENT OF BETO
YARCE
AS DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE SECOND ITEM FOR TODAY IS
A BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE ON
A RESOLUTION WHICH
ADDRESSES THE NEXT STEPS
AFTER THE KING COUNTY REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS FORENSIC
EVALUATION.
AS I HAVE SAID IN
PREVIOUS MEETINGS ON THIS TOPIC
AND
NEW MEMBER TO THE GOVERNING
BOARD AND CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE
THAT OVERSEES HUMAN SERVICES,
THE FINDINGS OF
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION ARE
SERIOUS AND
REQUIRE IMMEDIATE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THIS PROPOSED RESOLUTION IS
A SWIFT BUT THOUGHTFUL MEASURE
THAT PROVIDES A PATHWAY
FORWARD.
SINCE LEARNING THE FULL
DETAILS OF THE FORENSIC
EVALUATION LAST
MONTH I HAVE WORKED
IN COLLABORATION WITH NICE CHAIR
FOSTER, AND GOVERNING
BOARD MEMBERS AND COUNTERPARTS
AT KING COUNTY COUNCIL TO FIGURE
OUT
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE AND THE
PROPOSED LEGISLATION SUMMARIZES
THE FOR FORENSIC EVALUATION
AND TIMELINE OF DELIVERABLES
EXPECTED OF KCRHA INCLUDING
A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
TO ADDRESS ALL FINDINGS.
A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THIS
MATTER WHEN WE ARE AT THAT POINT
IN THE
AGENDA, BUT I WANTED TO TEE
US UP WITH THAT POINT TO SAY
AS RESPONSIBLE ELECTED
LEADERS WE HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL
DUTY TO GET
PEOPLE HOUSED AND DO RIGHT
BY TAXPAYERS AND WE PLAN BY
DOING
THAT WORK TOGETHER,
DELIBERATELY COLLABORATIVELY AND
TRANSPARENTLY.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR
CENTRAL STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR
WORK ON
THE KCRHA ISSUES BROADLY
AND GETTING THIS BEFORE
COMMITTEE
TODAY.
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE
TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE
COMMITTEE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP
FOR TODAY?
>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE
IN PERSON AND ONE REMOTE.
>> THANK YOU.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES.
WE WILL START WITH IN-
PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THE PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS UP
TO 60
MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED
IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED
AND ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS
OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE
SPEAKERS UNTIL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT
PERIOD HAS ENDED.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING
YOUR NAME AND ITEM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF
THEIR
TIME.
SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE MUTED
IF THEY DO NOT END
WITHIN THE ALOUTSED TIME TO
ALLOW US
TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE
LIST.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
WE'LL BE STARTING WITH OUR
IN- PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTERS BEGINNING WITH DR.
CROSBY.
>> ANY MIC.
ONE MOMENT.
>>
HELLO.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YOU HAVE TO -- THE MIC A
LITTLE BIT.
>> RIGHT HERE.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
GOOD MORNING, CITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM CROSBY AND PROUDLY SERVE AS
THE COMMISSIONER.
PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I AM HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY
TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT
FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF BETO
YARCE AS DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE
OF WITNESS BETO'S
LEADERSHIP AND HIS COMMITMENT TO
COMMUNITY.
BETO UNDERSTAND -- I AM SO
SORRY, BETO
UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IS NOT SIMPLE HE
IS ABOUT PEOPLE.
IT IS ABOUT CREATING PATHWAYS
TO OPPORTUNITY, SUPPORTING SMALL
BUSINESS, STRENGTHEN
NEIGHBORS AND ENSURING EVERY
COMMUNITY FEELS SEEN, VALUED AND
INCLUDED.
THROUGHOUT HIS WORK, BETO HAS
CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATE
A GENUINE COMMITMENT TO
IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES, EXPERIENCE --
SORRY, ENTREPRENEURS -- WORKING
FAMILIES AND HISTORICAL --
POPULATION.
HE LEADS WITH HUMILITY,
COMPASSION, AND HE HAS THE
ABILITY TO BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER AT -- SECTS AND
BACKGROUNDS.
WHAT MAKES BETO ESPECIALLY
IMPACTFUL IS HIS ABILITY TO
BUILD TRUST.
HE UNDERSTANDS THAT FOR MANY
COMMUNITIES, LANGUAGE,
CULTURE AND ACCESS CAN BE --
TO PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES.
BETO -- COMMUNITIES FROM A
DISTANCE.
HE SHOW UP.
LISTEN.
COLLABORATES.
AND WORKS ALONGSIDE
PEOPLE WITHOUT -- AND RESPECT.
AS A LATINA AND ELECTED
OFFICIAL AN LONG- TIME COMMUNITY
ADVOCATE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS
TO HAVE LEADERS WHO NOT
ONLY UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITIES
BUT WHO ALSO BELIEVE IN
THEIR POTENTIAL AND BETO BRINGS
BOTH VISION AND ACTION SO THANK
YOU AND BENEFIT FROM HIS
LEADERSHIP AT THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I
RESPECTFULLY
ENCOURAGE YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'LL BE MOVING ONLINE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS STARTING FIRST
WITH
DAVID HAINES.
>> HI.
THANK YOU.
DAVID
HAINES. ONE HARD CORECORE
ABOUT KING COUNTY REGIONAL
AUTHORITY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO
KEEP
THE SERVICE PROVIDERS HONEST AND
CRITICIZE TO KEEP THEM
FORTH RITE AND DILIGENT.
INSTEAD WE PUT THE WRONG PEOPLE
IN CHARGE WHO WANTED TO --
THE INTERPRETATIONS OF POLICY
AND
TAINT IT ALL WITH RACISM.
ALL THESE UNNECESSARY
SUFFERING CONTINUE TO TAKE
PLACE.
AND, YET, THE PEOPLE
WHO FINANCED IT, WHO ARE
SUPPOSED TO
OVERSEE IT, FAILED MISERABLY AND
NOW THEY WANT TO SHUT IT DOWN.
I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL, WHERE
IS THE INDEPENDENT
OVERSIGHT OF THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS TO HELP
THEM GET IT RIGHT?
YOU ALL HAVE PULLED YOUR PUNCHES
BECAUSE THE CONFLICTS
OF INTEREST BETWEEN THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND THE CITY
COUNCIL WHO TRADES TAX MONEY
FOR ELECTION SUPPORT HAS
WATERED DOWN THE INTEGRITY OF
THE
OVERSIGHT AND THAT
WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY
KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESS AUTHORITY WAS
CREATED.
THEY RUINED IT WHEN THEY PUT THE
WRONG PEOPLE IN CHARGE AND MAY
GARRIZING FILL IN THE BLANK
CONCEPT OF -- IGNORANT RACISM!
AND IT HAS REALLY SCREWED IT UP.
AND WE NEED AN AUDIT OF ALL
THE SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE
BEEN PADDING THEIR COSTS
AND COMPLAINING ABOUT NOT
GETTING
PAID.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE KEPT
HONEST, IMPROVE THEIR SERVICES.
THEY HAVE GOTTEN WORSE, BUT THEY
HAVE GOTTEN EXTREMELY RICH
AND STILL BUYING OFF OF CITY
COUNCIL. SHARING THE EPITOME OF
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE HOMELESS
RESPONSE.
BUT BECAUSE SHE OWNS
EVERYBODY IN COUNCIL, FINANCING
ALL THE
ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZERS
TO PROTEST AND TAKE OVER THE
ENTIRE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE GOT
NOBODY TO KEEP THE PEOPLE HONEST
WHO ARE USING TAX MONEY TO
SUBHUMAN
MISTREAT INNOCENT PEOPLE
THAT NEED TO BE --
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER WILL BE
HALLE WILLIS.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS HOLLY WILLIS.
I'M THE POLICY MANAGER FOR
THE SEATTLE KING COUNTY
COALITION
ON HOMELESSNESS.
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF
THE RESOLUTION FROM
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND FOSTER,
TO
RESPOND TO THE AUDIT OF THE
KCRHA.
THE COALITION HAS OVER 50
MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS WHO HOUSE,
SHELTER AND CARE FOR PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ACROSS
KING COUNTY.
THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO THE
WORK EVERY DAY TO HELP PEOPLE
SURVIVE
AND WORK TOWARDS [ INAUDIBLE ].
THAT WORK NEEDS TO CONTINUE NO
MATTER WHAT.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS MADE IT CLEAR
THAT WE NEED A COUNTYWIDE
REGIONAL APPROACH
TO HOMELESSNESS THAT OPERATES
WITH TRANSPARENCY AND IS A
GOOD STEWARD OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU
TODAY TAKES STEPS TOWARDS THAT
GOAL.
IT REPRESENTS A COMMITMENT
TO GET THIS RIGHT AND WE URGE
YOUR
SUPPORT.
AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS
PROCESS OVER THE COMING MONTHS,
WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO INCLUDE
THE MANY LESSONS LEARNED DURING
THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KCRHA
AND TO DEEPLY ENGAGE
SERVICE PROVIDERS [ INAUDIBLE ]
COALITIONS AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS IN YOUR
PROCESS TO
DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO SIMPLY
GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE.
WITH EACH JURISDICTION GOING
IT ALONE WITH THEIR OWN SEPARATE
PROCESSES.
WE NEED TO DETERMINE OUR
NEXT STEPS TOGETHER TOWARDS A
BETTER
SYSTEM IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP
WITH KING COUNTY, OTHER
CITIES, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND
PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO GET THIS
RIGHT TOGETHER THAN TO DO IT
ALONE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HOLLY.
WE WILL NOW BE CLOSING
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SINCE THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS.
WE'LL PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
MOVING TO OUR FIRST ITEM
OF BUSINESS WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> ITEM ONE, APPOINTMENT
3469 APPOINTMENT OF BETO YARCE
AS
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR
BRIEFING, DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> WONDERFUL.
AS OUR GUESTS TAKE THEIR
SEATS AT THE TABLE I WOULD LIKE
TO SAY
A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR NOMINEE
DIRECTOR BETO YARCE.
BETO YARCE IS A BUSINESS
EXECUTIVE, ENTREPRENEUR
AND NONPROFIT LEADER DEDICATED
TO ADVANCING ECONOMIC EQUITY
AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITH OVER
15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
DRIVING GROWTH AND IMPACT ACROSS
BUSINESS, NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC
SECTORS AND FROM HIS DAYS AS A
SOLO IMMIGRANT
ENTREPRENEUR THROUGH HIS TIME
LEADING ADVENTURES TO HIS TIME
LEADING
THE SMALL BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION'S REGIONAL
OFFICE, MR. YARCE HAS ALWAYS PUT
HIS EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE
TO WORK IN SERVICE OF COMMUNITY.
HIS JOHN ROSTY AND CIVIC
MINDEDNESS HAVE PROVIDED SO MUCH
VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE
BEING ABLE TO GET TO KNOW HIM
THROUGH
THIS APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND
I'M
EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO
SHARE WITH US TODAY.
COLLEAGUES, AFTER WE HEAR
FROM OUR GUESTS I WELCOME
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FROM
THE
NOMINEE.
LET'S HEAR FIRST DIRECTLY FROM
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
ACTING DIRECTOR YARCE.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING
YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE
FOR THE
PUBLIC RECORD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US
THIS MORNING.
MY NAME IS MARK
ELLERBROOK, AND I AM THE
DIRECTOR FOR CITY
OPERATIONS IN MAYOR WILSON'S
OFFICE. GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
I WILL MAKE MY COMMENTS
AND DIRECTOR YARCE CAN MAKE HIS.
THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR THE
INTRODUCTION.
YOU TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF
WHAT I WAS GOING TO COMMENT ON
THIS
MORNING.
I THINK WHAT I WILL
EMPHASIZE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS
ONE OF
THE GREAT PLEASURES OF MY JOB IS
GETTING TO KNOW A LOT OF
OUR DIRECTORS AND BETO IS NO
EXCEPTION TO THAT.
I THINK, AS YOU HEARD IN
THE PUBLIC
COMMENT, OBVIOUSLY, DIRECTOR
YARCE HAS A LOT
OF EXPERIENCE AND THAT HAS BEEN
EMPHASIZED. I THINK THE PIECE
THAT IS
MOST IMPORTANT TO ME AND I THINK
MOST IMPORTANT TO THE MAYOR, IS
HOW HE SHOWS UP AND HOW HE
LEADS.
I HAVE FOUND HIM TO BE
ENGAGING, PEOPLE- ORIENTED AND
PEOPLE- CENTERED AND I THINK
BOTH AS A LEADER OF PEOPLE
WITHIN
THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND, FRANKLY, AS OUR
FACE
TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT
THE
CITY,
THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS
WE WORK TO
SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES AND
BUILD
THRIVING BUSINESS CENTERS
THAT ULTIMATELY ALSO
SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND MAKE THOSE
AREAS ACTIVE AND SAFE.
I KNOW THAT ACTING DIRECTOR
YARCE IS THE RIGHT
PERSON FOR THIS JOB.
I WILL ALSO COMMENT ON
A PERSONAL LEVEL.
WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS
BEFORE.
I AM VERY JEALOUS OF THE
WAY ACTING DIRECTOR YARCE
ATIRES HIMSELF AND I ASPIRE TO
HIS
APPROACH TO THAT PIECE.
SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
ACTING DIRECTOR YARCE TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MARK, FOR
THE WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION.
I APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS
AND COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, IT'S
BEEN
A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU.
I JUST WANT TO START WITH I'M
VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AND
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE THAT I
HAVE HAD
IMPLEMENTED INTO MY
ABILITY TO LEAD THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO
START WITH
A COMMENT OF HOW I LIKE TO LEAD,
A
LEADER THAT IS LIKE A SERVANT
LEADER.
I WILL START WITH
INTERNALLY, SO I LIKE TO KIND OF
THINK
ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO
DEVELOP
MY TEAM AND REALLY KIND OF
ELEVATE
WHAT IS NEEDED INTERNALLY.
I'VE BEEN VERY, VERY INSPIRED
OF HOW THAT TEAM LEADS AND HOW
THEY JUST SHOW UP.
I WILL SAY -- LIKE A START-
UP WHICH FOR ME IS VERY, VERY
CLOSE
TO WHAT I LIKE TO DO.
THEY COME TOGETHER.
THEY ARE LIKE VERY
EXPERIENCED, SUCH A DIVERSE
GROUP OF
PEOPLE, WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.
FOR ME IT'S LIKE I REALLY
WANT TO ELEVATE THE WORK THAT
THEY DO
AND HOW I CAN SUPPORT THEM
GIVEN THE RESOURCES THEY
NEED TO ELEVATE THE WORK AND
THAT'S
HOW I LIKE TO
START SHARING MY VISION OF HOW I
LEAD ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION
AND WE
DON'T HAVE A GOOD TEAM,
ENGAGING
TEAM, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE
COMPLICATED TO ACHIEVE
THE CHALLENGES AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES
WE HAVE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WITH THAT ALSO EXPANDED
COLLABORATION, HOW DO
WE COLLABORATE AND DO
INTEGRATION
WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
OED HAS INITIATIVES AND
[ INAUDIBLE ] WE NEED TO DO
A LOT OF COLLABORATION.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING I DID
ON DAY ONE, CREATE A SYSTEM,
STRATEGY, KIND OF COLLABORATE
ACROSS DEPARTMENTS,
ACROSS DIFFERING LEVELS WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE,
COUNCILMEMBERS AND I WOULD LIKE
TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS,
MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS,
BECAUSE
WHEN THINGS ARE WORKING, WE
ARE CELEBRATING OUR WORK
TOGETHER.
WHEN THINGS ARE NOT
WORKING, HOW CAN WE SOLVE
BECAUSE WE HAVE A
PERSONAL CONNECTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO START
JUST THAT'S HOW I SEE
INTERNALLY.
IN THE BIG PICTURE, HOW DO WE --
HOW DO I ENVISION THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO START
WITH EQUITABLE THAT WE HAVE
VIBRANT
NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR
THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO
HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED AND
UNDERSERVED.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING
FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.
HOW DO WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE,
HOW
DO WE ACTIVATE
THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES AND
RECOVER
FROM PANDEMIC THAT WE STILL HAVE
SOME
OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
AND THE TEAM HAS BEEN SHOWING UP
FANTASTIC WITH THE RESOURCES
THAT WE HAVE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WERE
RESPONDING WITH THAT
EMERGENCY AND THAT REACTIVENESS
OF WHAT
IS NEEDED IN THE SMALL BUSINESS
AND THE RECOVERY.
WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK BIG
ON WHAT IS THE OPPORTUNITIES
THAT WE HAVE A UNIQUE TIME THAT
THE CITY HAS OF DIVERSIFYING OUR
ECONOMY.
HOW WE ARE DIVERSIFYING, WE'VE
BEEN CONCENTRATED VERY HEAVY
ON TECH AND I WILL SAY THAT
WE'VE
BEEN VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THAT
AND WE ARE APPRECIATIVE
AND WONDERFUL TO HAVE THOSE
INVESTMENTS.
AT THE SAME TIME WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN
MARITIME, THE CLEAN ENERGY,
A.I. , AND I'M REALLY, REALLY
EXCITED TO KIND OF LIKE
INVEST IN INDUSTRIES AND ELEVATE
THAT
WORK TO CREATE A MORE
EQUITABLE AND COMMITTEE THAT IS
MORE
SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM AND
VISION I HAVE IN TERMS OF HOW WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE A MORE
EQUITABLE ECONOMY FOR SEATTLE
AND FOR
EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE SEEN HOW THE CITY
HAS GROWN FAST AND PUSHING
PEOPLE
OUT AND WE ARE IN A PROSPEROUS
REGION, MY BACKGROUND, I
COME FROM PERSPECTIVE.
I AM NOT FROM SEATTLE, BUT I
AM HERE FOR 24 YEARS, COME
FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
I COME FROM A COUNTRY WHO HAS
A LOT OF LIMITATIONS AND WHEN
I COME HERE, AND I SEE THE
DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE I
HAVE, I HAVE LIVED
INTERNATIONAL, I HAVE
LIVED HERE, I HAVE LIVED
IN OTHER CITIES, WE HAVE
A PROSPEROUS CITY.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CITY
THAT WE CAN JUST HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY
TO PIVOT AND CHANGE AND ELEVATE
AND MAKE IT LIKE REALLY
AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE FOR
EVERYBODY.
THAT'S LIKE HOW I WANT TO
START JUST THE FIRST COMMENT
THAT I
HAVE, WHAT IS MY VISION ABOUT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR
>> WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU, ACTING DIRECTOR
YARCE.
COLLEAGUES, WHAT
QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE
PROPOSED
APPOINTEE?
>> I THINK I HAVE MY HAND UP.
MADAM
CHAIR.
>> I'M SEEING THAT
NOW, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
APOLOGIES.
YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED.
>> IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
NORMALLY I JUST BUTT IN AND CAN
NEVER GET TO THE HAND THING.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, MADAM CHAIR.
IT'S JUST -- I JUST FIRST OF
ALL CONGRATULATIONS, BETO.
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
I WANT TO -- I'M GOING TO DO
A LITTLE WALK DOWN HISTORY
LANE HERE WITH YOU.
I MET YOU WELL OVER A DECADE
AGO, AND THE WORK THAT YOU DID
WITH THE SMALL
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN MY
FORMER
LIFE, WORKING WITH THE SMALL
BUSINESS
ASSOCIATION AND DIFFICULTY OF
BANKING, BUSINESS PLANS,
HELPING PEOPLE TAKE A VISION
AND TRANSFORM IT INTO BRICK
AND MORTAR FOR BUSINESSES,
COMMUNITIES, BUILDING
WEALTH, GIVING PEOPLE THAT PRIDE
THAT
THEY CAN ACCESS CAPITAL,
AND BUILD AND CREATE THAT LEGACY
OF WEALTH FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND
CHILDREN, YOU WERE PART OF
THAT
AND I REMEMBER MEETING YOU. I
THINK WE KIND OF CROSSED PATHS
BACK AND FORTH, AND THE
THING I THINK I'VE ALWAYS
ADMIRED ABOUT
YOU IS HOW EASY IT WAS TO
GET TO YOU AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT
HOW
WE BUILD WEALTH.
I WANT TO FOCUS ON THINGS
WE WORKED ON AND I THINK
YOU REMEMBER THIS DURING 2020,
POST- COVID RECESSION AND WE
HAD THE WHAT THEY CALLED THE
SOCIAL
JUSTICE RECKONING THAT
TRIFECTA OF WHAT HAPPENED AFTER
2020,
A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES
WERE RUINED AND DESTROYED.
IN WORKING WITH YOU AND ALSO
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA UNDER AT
THE TIME COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, SHE WAS WORKING FOR
MAYOR --
YOU WORKED WITH US ON THE
EQUITABLE TASK TASK WE GOT $30
MILLION OUT THE DOOR AND I WAS
VERY PROUD OF THAT TO BE ABLE TO
BE MAYOR APPOINTED ME TO BE THE
EX- OFFICIO ON THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA WAS WORKING
FOR MAYOR JURKIN.
I REMEMBER WORKING WITH YOU, GET
YOUR REPORTS.
THE THING THAT STRUCK ME THE
MOST, WE SAY THIS A LOT
SOMETIMES, BUT I'M NOT TRYING
TO DO PERFORMATIVE POLITICS,
BUT WHAT ALWAYS STRUCK ME THE
MOST ABOUT YOU, YOU WERE
SO PASSIONATE ABOUT BUSINESS
ECONOMIC VITALITY,
VISION, MAKING CONNECTIONS
WITH COMMUNITIES WITH PEOPLE WHO
NORMALLY WOULD HAVE A GREAT
IDEA, BUT A BUSINESS,
BUT WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET
THERE.
AND SO, BETO, YOU'RE A GOOD
MAN.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE GOING TO BE
HERE, AND I WATCHED YOU
DO SOME OF YOUR POLITICAL ISSUES
I'VE
ALWAYS BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU HERE
TODAY.
THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL AND I
REALLY REMEMBER THOSE DAYS WHEN
WE
WERE ON THE SCREEN TRYING TO
FIGURE THE $30 MILLION AND WE
DID GREAT WORK TOGETHER, AND
I'M
VERY PROUD THAT THE
$7.5 MILLION THAT WE CONTRIBUTED
TO SUPPORT
SMALL BUSINESS WAS THE
FIRST INJECTION THAT OED HAD TO
GROW
THEIR BUDGET AND OED HAS
BEEN GROWING AND GROWING WITH
A LOT OF IMPACT.
I THINK IT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
HELP THE NEEDS OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO I'M
VERY EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE AND
LEAD MY
TEAM IN HELPING THEM TO KIND OF
ADVOCATE FOR MORE GROWTH
TO KIND OF MAKE MORE IMPACT ON
OUR
CITY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT WAS STUFF.
I MEAN, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT
THAT SUMMER AND THAT FALL.
AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU, YOU
KNOW, YOU STEPPED UP.
YOU POSTED UP.
YOU SHOWED UP.
YOU SHOWED US HOW TO GET
THIS MONEY OUT THE DOOR, WHO ARE
THE GROUPS THAT NEED IT, THE
COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT NEED
IT, HOW DO WE FIX SMALL
BUSINESSES,
HOW DO WE FUND THEM, HELP THEM
WITH
BUSINESS PLANS AND I DID THAT AT
INDIAN COUNTRY
FOR TRIBES AND NATIVE AMERICANS
THAT WANTED TO START A
BUSINESS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE
RESERVATION, SO WHEN I MEET
A FELLOW PERSON THAT
UNDERSTAND BASICALLY ECONOMICS,
WALL
STREET, CAPITALISM, BUSINESS,
I ALWAYS ENJOY THAT ABOUT
YOU, YOU AND I CAN HAVE THOSE
TALKS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR WORK.
RECOGNIZING COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR,
ACTING DIRECTOR YARCE,
CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING TO
THIS POINT.
FROM MY EARLY
EXPERIENCES WITH YOU GETTING TO
KNOW YOU,
SITTING DOWN WITH YOU EARLIER
THIS YEAR,
IT'S VERY -- I'VE BEEN
VERY IMPRESSED BY YOU, YOUR
BACKGROUND, YOUR JOURNEY,
YOUR LEADERSHIP APPROACH, YOUR
VISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND
ALL
THAT YOU BRING COLLECTIVELY TO
THIS
ROLE.
I'M ALSO AS AN ASIDE, VERY
PROUD OF MY PERSONAL AND MY
OFFICE'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
BROADER
BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES, SMALL,
MEDIUM,
LARGE.
AND I CONSISTENTLY HEAR A LOT
OF PRAISE FROM THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY ABOUT YOUYOU
YOUR ABILITY TO LEAD THIS
DEPARTMENT.
I THINK YOU ARE THE RIGHT
LEADER, AT THE RIGHT
MOMENT, RIGHT TIME, IN OUR CITY
FOR
THIS REALLY IMPORTANT
DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HAVE ROUGHLY 40 OR
SO CITY DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES,
BALLPARK, BUT -- AND THEY'RE
ALL VERY IMPORTANT.
I DON'T WANT TO UNDERMINE
OR, YOU KNOW, TRIVIALIZE THE
WORK.
THEY ALL DO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
WORK IN ADVANCING OUR CITY'S
KEY
PRIORITIES BRINGING THEM TO
LIFE.
NOW MORE THAN EVER, I THINK
OED, YOUR DEPARTMENT, IS ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT
STRATEGICALLY DEPARTMENTS IN OUR
CITY'S
HISTORY.
ESPECIALLY IN A MOMENT OF A LOT
OF PENDING UNCERTAINTY AT
ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND THE BROADER ECONOMY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS EARLIER RELATED
TO, YOU KNOW,
THE RECOGNITION THAT WE
HISTORICALLY HAVE INVESTED A
LOT IN TECH AND, YES, WE
SHALL CONTINUE AND AS WE INVEST
MORE
HEAVILY IN SOME OTHER SECTORS
AND INDUSTRIES, AGREE, YOU
KNOW, SUPPORTING OUR MARITIME
AND
INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY,
MARITIME MANUFACTURING AND
INDUSTRIAL
ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, A.I., RIGHT,
WE'LL GROW THERE AS WELL.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DRAW DOWN
OUR INVESTMENTS OR DEINVEST
IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER AREAS,
BUT
I APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR
LEADERSHIP, YOUR COMMENTS
EARLIER ABOUT IN
YOUR PREFERENCE,
STRONG PREFERENCE, FOR ADOPTING
A, LET'S SEE, SERVANT
LEADER APPROACH AND BRINGING A
SERVANT LEADER APPROACH TO THIS
WORK.
SOMETHING THAT I TRY TO ASPIRE
TO AS WELL.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS COMMUNITY,
IN ADDITION TO PRAISING YOU
AND YOUR WORK SO FAR YOUR
ABILITIES,
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE YOUR
TEAM,
MANY MEMBERS ARE SITTING BEHIND
YOU.
AND MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN
HERE MUCH LONGER THAN BOTH YOU
AND I.
AND A FEW PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR
I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY
HIGHLIGHT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
ALICIA TEAL HAS
BEEN AMAZING AND
ACTUALLY I THINK SHE BRIEFLY LED
AS ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT AS
WELL. DEPUTY DIRECTOR TEAL HAS
BEEN
AMAZING TO WORK WITH FOR ME
AND MY OFFICE, IMPLEMENTING
ANY NUMBER OF KEY
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR OUR
CITY
AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH ME AND
MY OFFICE TO DO EXACTLY THAT.
ONE EXAMPLE IS THE MARITIME
MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL
ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, INVESTMENT
TO SUPPORT SOUND TRANSIT
IMPACTED BUSINESSES IN WEST
SEATTLE,
SOTO, EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING
TO GET TO BALLARD TOO.
BUT NAVIGATING LIKE UP HERE
AT THIS DAIS AND UPSTAIRS ON
THE SEVENTH FLOOR, WE
WRITE POLICY AND -- BUT YOU AND
YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE 39
OTHER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS
THE CITY ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT.
AND WHEN WE WRITE POLICY WE
HAVE BLIND SPOTS SOMETIMES.
WE DON'T ALWAYS ANTICIPATE
EVERY
SINGLE SCENARIO.
THAT'S WHY DEPARTMENTS
LIKE YOURS ARE SO CRITICAL
BECAUSE YOU'RE THE TIP OF THE
SPEARS IN
IMPLEMENTING AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR
TEAL, EXPERTLY HELP MANAGE
A VERY DELICATE SITUATION
WITH MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS
INVOLVED FROM THE WEST SEATTLE
CHAMBER AND THE VALLEY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND AND
COUNTLESS OTHERS TO BRING
SOLUTIONS
AND REALLY BRING TO LIFE THAT
POLICY VISION AND GOAL.
SO WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE DEPUTY
TEAL, LUCKY TO HAVE EDUARDO ROW
HAS AND PHILIP SIT FROM
MY OFFICE WHO ARE SMALL BUSINESS
SUPPORTERS, VERY IMPORTANT
PRIORITY, STRATEGIC PRIORITY
FOR MY OFFICE AND THE BROADER
CITY AS WELL, AT A TIME LAST
SUMMER WHEN THE FAMOUS JEWELERS
IN
THE JUNCTION OF WEST SEATTLE
WERE BROKE NOON IN A HIGH-
PROFILE HEIST, MADE NATIONAL
HEADLINES, OVER A MILLION
DOLLARS
OF MERCHANDISE STOLEN IN A
BRAZEN DAYTIME ATTACK, I
RESPONDED
PERSONALLY. THE CHIEF OF POLICE
WAS THERE
PERSONALLY.
IT WAS A GREAT MOMENT OF
COMMUNITY.
WITHIN HOURS OR MIGHT HAVE
BEEN A DAY OR TWO, SO DID
EDUARDO
AND PHILIP RESPONDED AND
PROVIDED
THEM WITH IMMEDIATE RELIEF
FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE THIS STOREFRONT REPAIR
FUND THIS COUNCIL EXPANDED TO-
TO PROVIDE NOT ONLY REACTIVE
RESPONSE TO BREAK- INS OF SMALL
BUSINESSES, BUT PROACTIVE
SECURITY PREVENTION MEASURES,
HELP THEM AND OTHER
BUSINESSES LIKE THEM, YOU KNOW,
RECEIVE
CRITICAL RESOURCES AT A
TIME THEY NEED IT THE MOST.
YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM AND
THAT'S JUST A FEW.
I THINK YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM
OVERALL.
BY THE WAY, I WAS GOING TO
WRITEWRITE AN E- MAIL TO YOU,
MR. ELLERBROOK, THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, PRAISING YOUR GREAT
TEAM, INCLUDING DEPUTY DIRECTOR
TEAL, BUT I WILL SAVE SOME
WORDS BECAUSE ON PAPER WE WRITE
--
WE ALL WRITE ENOUGH E- MAILS
AROUND HERE AND LETTERS,
WHAT BETTER THAN TO PUBLICLY
PRAISE VERBALLY FOR YOU TO SEE,
THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO SEE AND THE
MEMBERS OF THE TAX PAYING PUBLIC
TO
SEE BECAUSE THEIR TAXPAYER
DOLLARS ARE HARD AT WORK AND
HAVING
A TON OF IMPACT.
THANK YOU.
I'M EXCITED TO SUPPORT YOUR
CANDIDACY WHEN WE VOTE ON IT.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS. I WILL SUMMARIZE SOME
OF
THE THINGS I HEAR.
THE SUPPORT OF SMALL
BUSINESS, MEDIUM SIZE BUSINESS
AND
LARGE BUSINESS HAVE ALIGNMENT
WITH YOU AND IT'S AN ECOSYSTEM
AND
THAT'S HOW I WANT TO LEAD.
DEFINITELY WHAT YOU SAID 100%.
I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR MY TEAM.
A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN TWO
MONTHS, BEING SO KIND
AND GRATEFUL FOR MY LEADERSHIP
AND TO REALLY SET ME UP FOR
SUCCESS EVERY DAY.
I SEE HOW THEY SHOW UP EVERY
DAY.
THEY ARE SUPER INSPIRED
BY THE WORK.
THEY ARE INSPIRING ABOUT THE
WORK.
WE DO HAVE A REALLY VERY, VERY
TALENTED, DIVERSE GROUP AND WHEN
I TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY,
CREATE DIVERSE GROUPS THAT'S
WHAT PEOPLE ASK ME TO DO.
I ALREADY HAVE A DIVERSE TEAM,
WHICH IS SUPER HIGH, BIG
KUDOS TO THE CITY FOR HAVING
THAT.
I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD
TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM AND
EXPAND AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR
SUPPORT, TO GROW THE WHOLE
DEPARTMENT, WHICH I WILL BE
AN ADVOCATE WITH THE SPECIFIC
OUTCOMES AND STRATEGY I HAVE AN
IDEA OF HOW CAN WE JUST
REALLY BACK UP THAT GROWTH,
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I LIKE TO
LEAD.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GROW.
IT'S ABOUT HAVE STRATEGY, IT'S
ABOUT HAVE SPECIFIC GOAL,
AMBITION, AND I HAVE IT WITH MY
TEAM.
ALSO THEY HAVE THE SAME
DESIRE AND CLARITY.
SO WE'RE ON IT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR KIND
WORDS.
SO I APPRECIATE AND LOOK
FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH
YOU.
>> I WANT TO ADD.
SO APPRECIATE THE
POSITIVE COMMENTS FOR OED AND I
WILL ACCEPT WRITTEN COMMENT, ALL
THE POSITIVE COMMENTS
FOR DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE THEY DO
SUCH HARD WORK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING
THAT, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> MY PLEASURE.
LOOK, WE'RE NOT ALWAYS --
THERE'S 14,000 CITY
EMPLOYEES AND THEY ALL DO
TERRIFIC
WORK, VERY CRITICAL WORK.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS AT OUR BEST IN
OPERATING AS WE SHOULD EVERY
SINGLE TIME IN EVERY SINGLE
INSTANCE.
THAT'S NORMAL ACROSS
EVERY ORGANIZATION ON THIS
PLANET, BY THE WAY, NOT SPECIFIC
TO
SEATTLE OR ANY GOVERNMENT.
AND SOMETIMES THOSE
INSTANCES, WHEN IT DOESN'T GO
WELL, ARE
VERY PUBLIC AND HIGH PROFILE.
AND WE SHOULD ADDRESS THOSE.
BUT WE SHOULD ALSO BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT PAUSING
AND REFLECTING AND CELEBRATING
THE MANY TIMES, THE MANY MORE
TIMES WHEN WORK DOES GO WELL AND
IS
IMPLEMENTED APPROPRIATELY
AND EXPERTLY IN A RESPONSIVE
MANNER.
THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
THANK YOU AGAIN, AND -- AND I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO -- YOU HAVE
A GREAT TEAM, GREAT DEPARTMENT,
ENCOURAGE YOU TO -- TO LEARN
FROM THE TEAM.
YOU ARE ALSO THE LEADER SO GUIDE
THE TEAM, THE DIVISION,
STRATEGY, AND LET'S GO GET IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER,
SAKA.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH
YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MR. ELLERBROOK
FOR BEING HERE AND THEN DIRECTOR
YARCE.
I WILL BE QUICK WITH MY
COMMENTS.
VERY HAPPY TO VOTE
THIS APPOINTMENT FORWARD.
I'VE KNOWN DIRECTOR YARCE
FOR OVER A DECADE AND VERY
GRATEFUL TO HIS LEADERSHIP.
BUT ALSO THE ONE THING THAT
MATTERED, OBVIOUSLY, BY BEING
A KIND HUMAN BEING, WHICH IS
IMPORTANT, ALL THE WAY, THE ONE
THING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME
REGARDING DIRECTOR YARCE WAS
HIS UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ALL
BUSINESSES, SMALL, BIG, MEDIUM,
WHATEVER, ALL OF THEM IN
BETWEEN, HOW THEY ALL PLAY AN
INTEGRAL ROLE WITH EACH OTHER
AND HOW, EXCUSE ME, AND HOW
THEY'RE INTERTWINED AND
THE IMPACT THEY HAVE AND
ONE BUSINESS CAN AFFECT ANOTHER.
I REMEMBER WHEN SIMPSON
LUMBER CLOSED IN SHELTON, 600
JOBS
OVERNIGHT, THE RIPPLE EFFECT
OF THAT WITH RESTAURANTS
DOWNTOWN, GROCERY STORES, I SAW
A
WHOLE DOWNTOWN DECIMATED BECAUSE
OF ONE -- BECAUSE OF THE RIPPLE
EFFECT, AND SO
JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
BIG BUSINESSES WE HAVE HERE, YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW THE NATIONAL
ONES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF
SMALLER ONES THAT STILL HAVE A
BIG
PUNCH AND IMPACT,
NORDSTROM'S, BROOKS, REGIONAL
ONES, A LOT OF THESE
MEDIUM- SIZED BUSINESSES,
PCC, THAT HAVE INTEGRAL ROLES
IN THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT
WAYS
THAT OUR REGION IS TRYING TO
GROW.
I THINK WE'RE AT A
PIVOTAL MOMENT IN SEATTLE WHERE
I
THINK WE'RE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT
ALL
OF THE SERVICES THAT BUSINESSES
PROVIDE, NOT JUST BEING A
BUSINESS, BUT THE JOBS THEY
PROVIDE, THE WEALTH THAT IS
BEING, YOU KNOW, STIMULATED
BACK INTO COMMUNITY, THOSE
LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT REINVEST,
THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
THOSE LARGE BUSINESSES PARTNER
WITH
TO PROVIDE CERTAIN THINGS AND
SERVICES FOR THEIR BUSINESS.
JUST THAT UNDERSTANDING I THINK
IS EXCELLENT BECAUSE AT
EVERY SINGLE LEVEL, THERE
ARE -- THERE ARE DIFFERENT
BUSINESSES.
THE SECOND THING THAT STOOD
OUT TO ME THE MOST AS WELL IS
THEIR
UNDERSTANDING OF
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND
HOW OFTEN TIMES
FOCUSING ON OUTCOMES, YOU KNOW,
JUST TRYING TO GET THE JOB
DONE AND FIGURING OUT THE
BEST PATHWAY FORWARD AND THAT
YOU CAN
HAVE A PRIVATE SECTOR
PIECE, PHILANTHROPY PIECE, TO
WHAT
GOVERNMENT IS DOING.
THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
OFTEN TIMES GOVERNMENT IS NOT
THE
ONLY PATHWAY.
WE CAN BE CUMBERSOME,
BUREAUCRATIC, AND PRIVATE
SECTOR OR PHILANTHROPY CAN GET
HELP, YOU KNOW, UNLOCK SOME OF
THOSE
THINGS.
WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH THE
WATERFRONT, THE ELLIOTT BAY
CONNECTER, WE'VE SEEN IT
WITH CLIMATE PLEDGE, WE'VE SEEN
IT ALL OVER SEATTLE IMPACT
OUR COMMUNITY
POSITIVELY. SO JUST
UNDERSTANDING THAT
PIECE AS
WELL. LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH DIRECTOR YARCE, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, WE'LL DOUBLE
DOWN WHAT COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HAS
SAID
ABOUT DIRECTOR TEAL.
SHE'S BEEN PHENOMENAL IN THEIR
WORK AND I'LL PUT A PLUG FOR
US CONTINUING THE WORK IN EAST
LAKE
DURING THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS
AS WELL AND APPRECIATE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAT
PIECE.
I HAVE A LOT OF SMALL
BUSINESSES IN THAT, THAT WE WANT
TO
KEEP STAYING ALIVE.
THANK YOU ALL, REALLY
APPRECIATE IT AND LOOKING
FORWARD.
CAN'T WAIT TO VOTE FOR
DIRECTOR
YARCE. THANK YOU, MAYOR'S
OFFICE,
AND MR. ELLERBROOK FOR PUTTING
FORTH THIS
NOMINATION.
>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE
WORKING WITH YOU FOR ALL THOSE
YEARS
AND DEFINITELY VERY, VERY
EXCITED ABOUT THIS STRATEGY AND
THE
ECOSYSTEM AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE MULTIPLE
LEVELS
OF BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK
WITH ALL KINDS OF BUSINESS AND
THE VISION I HAVE AS A PUBLIC
SERVANT WE HAVE TO SERVE
EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS.
THAT'S HOW I KIND OF SHOW UP.
WHO NEEDS THE MOST.
SOME PEOPLE NEED CASH
INJECTION OR ACCESS TO CAPITAL,
SOME
OTHER PEOPLE WILL NEED RESOURCES
OR
CONNECTIONS.
SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE
VALIDATED AND THAT THEY ARE
WELCOME TO
DO THEIR BUSINESS HERE.
I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT
OVER MY CAREER.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL OF YOU.
IN THE OTHER
PUBLIC/PRIVATE, THAT'S
SOMETHING I'M
VERY EXCITED BECAUSE OF MY
PRIVATE LIFE AS A
FUNDRAISERFUNDRAISER LEADER.
I LOVE TO ASK FOR MONEY.
I LOVE TO FUND RAISE FOR
MONEY, WHICH IS A VERY UNIQUE
SKILL.
PEOPLE SAY NOT EVERYBODY
LIKE IT, BUT I DO.
I ALREADY HAVE THIS KIND
OF VISION OF HOW DO WE INVITE
PHILANTHROPY AND PRIVATE TO
FILL THE GAPS WE HAVE AS A
PUBLIC
SECTOR. SO STAY TUNED BECAUSE I
HAVE A
BIG -- FOR THAT AND YOUR
SUPPORT TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY
IN
THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
AGAIN, WE LIVE IN A
VERY PROSPEROUS CITY.
I COME FROM PERSPECTIVE.
AS IT IS HERE SO I SEE
THE FUNDING AND THE MONEY.
HOW DO WE VIEW -- HOW DO I
SET UP THE TABLE TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN, WHICH I LIKE TO SET UP
A TABLE AND ENTERTAIN
AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE FEEL
WELCOME TO DO
THAT.
SO I JUST VERY
EXCITED TO DO THAT WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
VICE CHAIR FOSTER, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
AND I'M SO PLEASED TO HAVE YOU
HERE INTERIM DIRECTOR YARCE
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARK
ELLERBROOK, FOR
BRINGING DIRECTOR YARCE FORWARD
TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I WILL JUST SAY, I'VE GOTTEN
TO MEET YOU JUST RECENTLY AND
WAS
JUST SO INSTANTLY THRILLED ABOUT
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WILL
JUST SAY BRIEFLY WE MET AT THE
--
YOU'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE A
FEW TIMES ACTUALLY, BUT WE MET
AT THE SMALL BUSINESS
ROUNDTABLE, COMMUNITY
ROUNDTABLE, AND I WAS
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT I
SAW, WHICH WAS YOUR COMMITMENT
TO
THE BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES IN
THAT
COMMUNITY AS WELL AS YOUR
COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP
WITH OTHER LEADERS WITHIN THE
CITY.
JUST REFLECTING ON WHAT YOU
SAID MULTIPLE TIMES AROUND BEING
ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
BEING ABLE TO
COLLABORATE WITH SDOT AND
YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF
THAT COLLABORATION BEING
NEEDED IN ORDER TO DELIVER FOR
OUR
BUSINESS COMMUNITY
IS SOMETHING THAT I JUST
INSTANTLY
APPRECIATED. I REALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR
ONGOING LEADERSHIP IN THE
DEPARTMENT. SO THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK
WITH YOU AS WELL, AND I FEEL
LIKE THAT'S PART OF MY STYLE OF
COMING FROM A NONPROFIT
SECTOR, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
RESOURCES AND WE NEED TO BUILD
CAPACITY AND MEMBERSHIP.
WHAT I SEE THE NEED HERE IN
THE CITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS
MORE
INTEGRATION AND MORE
COLLABORATION, WHICH I AM DOING
WITH DEPARTMENTS, NEW
DIRECTORS, AND HAPPY HOURS AND
HOW
TO WE BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP
FOR US
TO WORK TOGETHER BETTER.
AND ADVANCE IDEAS.
HOW DO WE BUILD THAT MEANINGFUL
CONNECTION. BECAUSE THIS IS THE
ONLY WAY
THAT WE REALLY KIND OF
COORDINATE, INTEGRATE AND
SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THE MOST
WAY POSSIBLE BECAUSE SOMETIMES
WE WORK IN SILOS, AND I WANT TO
BE THE GLUE OR THE BRIDGE OF
TRUST ON DOING THAT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING
THAT COMMENT AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO
CONTINUE THAT
WORK.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
COLLEAGUES, IT IS GREAT TO HEAR
ENTHUSIASM FOR DIRECTOR YARCE.
I SHARE IN IT.
THIS IS A TREMENDOUSLY
IMPORTANT ROLE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT.
AND I DID WANT TO ASK QUESTION
FOR TODAY JUST SOMETHING
THAT I THINK IS FRONT OF MIND
FOR
MANY RESIDENTS AS WE'RE SEEING
SO MANY CLOSURES OF BELOVED
SMALL
BUSINESSES, SO I WANTED TO ASK
YOU, DIRECTOR YARCE,
WHAT STRATEGIES ARE YOU HOPING
TO DEPLOY OR REALLY PUT FORWARD
TO ADDRESS THE RISING COSTS
FACING
SMALL BUSINESSES?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE ARE IN A PIVOTAL TIME
THAT WE -- RESPOND THE NEEDS
OF SMALL BUSINESS BY ALL THE
WORK
WE'RE DOING AT OED WITH
ASSISTANCE,
AFFORDABLE CAPITAL.
MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
CONNECTING WITH THE RESOURCES
THAT THEY NEED.
WE CAN DO EVEN MORE.
ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN
HEARING AND ALSO I'M AN
ADVOCATE
FOR THAT IS HOW DO WE CREATE A
MORE
EXPEDITED PROCESS FOR
PERMITTING.
SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR
BUSINESS NEED PREDICTABILITY TO
MAKE SURE
THAT THEY ARE WHEN THEY
ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT
OPENING
A BUSINESS IN SEATTLE, LIKE
REALLY WHAT IS THE TIMELINE?
HOW I GOING TO BE ABLE TO
OPEN MY BUSINESS?
TIME IS MONEY.
AS A FORMER ENTREPRENEUR,
YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT IN
YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE WORKING AND ADVANCING IS,
HOW DO
WE EXPEDITE OUR PERMITTING
PROCESSES? HOW DO WE HELP THOSE
BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES,
ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO ARE MORE MARGINALIZED,
UNDERSERVED, NOT A LOT OF CASH
FLOWING, THEY ARE JUST
OPENING THEIR FIRST BUSINESS, WE
NEED TO
KIND OF EXPEDITE THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE STRATEGIES.
I THINK WE'RE MAKING
PROGRESS WITH THE CABINET OF
GOOD
GOVERNANCE, BUT WORK THAT
HAS BEEN DONE PREVIOUS TO MY
LEADERSHIP.
I'M SUPPORTING MY TEAM
MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
ANOTHER THING THAT I
THINK WE ARE AHEAD IS AFFORDABLE
CAPITAL, SO
CREATING ON THE DEPARTMENT OF
BUILDING WEALTH, WE HAVE
CAPITAL.
WE -- FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
HOW DO WE MATCH CAPITAL, HOW DO
WE GET ACCESS TO CAPITAL,
REMOVING BARRIERS?
THE CAPITAL IS MORE AFFORDABLE.
I THINK THAT WILL
HELP BUSINESSES BE MORE
SUSTAINABLE AND COMPETITIVE AND
CONTINUE ALSO HELPING THOSE
BUSINESSES
IN TERMS OF LISTENING AND
HEARING FROM THEM.
WHAT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR THEM?
ONE THING WE'RE BALANCING
IS SUBSIDIES FOR BUSINESSES
AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, HOW
DO WE -- HOW IS THE
CITY GOING TO DO MORE SUBSIDIES
FOR BUSINESSES IN PUBLIC
UTILITIES, HOW
CAN WE DO THAT -- THINGS WE CAN
CHANGE INTERNALLY TO MAKE THE
BUSINESS MORE AFFORDABLE.
THINGS WE CAN CONTROL AS A
CITY, THINGS WE CANNOT CONTROL
--
BUT I THINK IN THE CITY WE HAVE
THE
RESOURCES TO KIND OF
START SHOWING UP AND MAKE
THOSE BUSINESS MORE AFFORDABLE.
SO IF I GET HIRED FOR THIS
JOB, I'M NOT REALLY COMING WITH
THESE ARE MY IDEAS OR --
AS SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO LISTEN
AND
LIKE -- WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEED,
WHAT SMALL BUSINESSES, TRYING TO
DO
A LOT OF -- SITTING AROUND
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I
DON'T
KNOW AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY
THIS IS
WHAT YOU NEED.
IT'S
MORE LIKE, WHAT I'M HEARING,
BUT ALSO WITH
DATA, COLLECTION DATA, THAT IS
VERY
IMPORTANT OF WHAT WE'RE
HEARING AND GREAT POLICY AND
IMPACT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE.
EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH YOU
ON THAT WORK AND EXCITED ABOUT
YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
COLLEAGUES, IF THERE ARE
NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FOR THE APPOINTEE,
I'D LIKE
TO MOVE FORWARD WITH VOTING TO
CONFIRM THE
APPOINTMENT. I MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE
CONFIRMATION
OF APPOINTMENT 34469.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO
RECOMMEND THE
CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
HEARING NONE, WILL THE
CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM
APPOINTMENT 3469.
CHAIR
RINCK.
>> YES.
>> VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>>
YEA.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> YEA.
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR, ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THE APPOINTMENT BE CONFIRMED
WILL
BE SENT TO THE JUNE 2nd FULL
COUNCIL MEETING.
CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR
YARCE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>
YEA.
>> SAY SOMETHING ELSE.
>>
PLEASE.
>>
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL
EXPERIENCE TO BE HERE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL,
THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME AND
SUPPORT
ME, FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND
THEN I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE
MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
THANK YOU, MARK, THANK YOU
MAYOR WILSON FOR GIVING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY AND APPOINT ME.
MY TEAM THAT IS JUST WONDERFUL
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
AND SUPPORTING ME.
ALSO, VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT
IS MY
FAMILY. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE
WATCHING.
THEY PROBABLY ARE
WATCHING BECAUSE I SEND THEM THE
LINK. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN
WATCH IT FROM HERE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK
THEM BECAUSE FAMILY IS SO
IMPORTANT
TO ME AND THEY DON'T LIVE
HERE, BUT WE ARE VERY CONNECTED
AND ESPECIALLY MY MOTHER
BECAUSE SHE'S SO
INFLUENTIAL FOR MY LEADERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WITH THAT WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO
COMMITTEE.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR
SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK READ ITEM 2 INTO
THE RECORD.
>> ITEM 2, RESOLUTION 32202,
A RESOLUTION REGARDING NEXT
STEPS AFTER THE FORENSIC
EVALUATION OF THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL
HOMELESS AUTHORITY
REQUESTING THE SEATTLE MAYOR
AND KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE TAKE
STEPS
TO IMMEDIATELY SAFEGUARD PUBLIC
FUNDS, DETERMINE IF IT
IS FEASIBLE FOR KCRHA TO
ADDRESS ALL OF THE FINDINGS IN
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION, SUBMIT
AND
SET NEXT STEPS ON HOW THE
CITY WILL APPROACH THE
DISSOLUTION
OR RESTRUCTURE OF KCRHA
IF DETERMINED TO BE NECESSARY
AND SUBMIT MONTHLY REPORTS TO
COUNCIL FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
VOTES.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
BEFORE WE MOVE INTO OUR
CENTRAL STAFF PRESENTATION
HEARING
FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AT THE
TABLE
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
VICE CHAIR FOSTER TO PROVIDE
COMMENTS ON THE RESOLUTION.
OUR OFFICES HAVE BEEN
WORKING TOGETHER IN DRAFTING
THE RESOLUTION BEFORE US AND
THANK
YOU, VICE CHAIR
FOSTER, YOUR PARTNERSHIP HAS
BEEN
VITAL.
>> THANK YOUYOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
I AM EXCITED FOR
THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE
GOING
TO HAVE IN COMMITTEE TODAY.
I WANT TO START OFF WITH SAYING
AS WE ALL KNOW AND WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT PUBLICLY,
OBVIOUSLY, THE
RESULTS OF THIS AUDIT HAVE
BEEN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING.
WE AS A CITY HAVE A HUGE
RESPONSIBILITY, WE AS A
REGION HAVE A HUGE
RESPONSIBILITY
TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS.
WE KNOW THAT IT IS ONE OF
THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR RESIDENTS
ALL ACROSS SEATTLE, THAT WE ARE
WORKING TO BRING OUR NEIGHBORS
INSIDE, AND THAT WE ARE DOING
SO IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO
BE IMPACTFUL AND LASTING.
WE KNOW THAT HOMELESSNESS IS NOT
AN ISSUE THAT STOPS AT CITY
BORDERS.
IT IS A REGIONAL CHALLENGE.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE
GENESIS OF BUILDING KCRHA.
WHEN THESE AUDIT FINDS CAME
BACK TO US, AND WE WERE
PRESENTED WITH THEM IN APRIL,
MANY OF US
WERE CHALLENGED TO SEE
THE RESULTS OF THE
AUDIT, INCLUDING THE LAPSE IN
INTERNAL FINANCIAL
CONTROLS, AND THE
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE NEGATIVE
DEFICIT
THERE, AS WELL AS JUST THE -- I
WOULD SAY THOSE LACK OF
STRUCTURE INTERNALLY IN
THE AGENCY OVER THE YEARS.
I WILL -- I WANT TO APPRECIATE
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE,
EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE AND THE
GOVERNING
BOARD FOR THE WORK WE DID
TOGETHER
TO BEGIN TO CREATE SOME
STRUCTURE AND TO CREATE SOME
REQUESTS
INTO THE AGENCY.
SO THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN
DONE AND THIS RESOLUTION
REALLY BUILDS ON THAT.
WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE
HAVE QUESTIONS THAT -- AROUND
WHAT'S NEXT AND I WOULD
SAY COUNCILMEMBER RINCK AND I
ARE BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION
FORWARD BECAUSE WE WANT TO
ENSURE WE
HAVE A CLEAR AND GUIDED PATHWAY
FOR DETERMINING WHAT HAPPENS
NEXT. SO THAT MEANS, AS WE GO
INTO
THIS DISCUSSION TODAY, WE WANT
TO NOT JUST HAVE CLEAR
DEADLINES BUT SPACE TO ANALYZE
THOSE
RESULTS, TO THEN BE CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE BUILDING
TOWARDS
OR WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE FROM.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MY
OFFICE BELIEVES AND
COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK SHARES THIS, HAVING
THAT FOUNDATION IS NECESSARY TO
ENSURE THAT WE DELIVER
ON WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING,
WHICH IS ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS IN OUR REGION.
SO WE THINK THIS APPROACH WE'RE
BRINGING FORWARD WITH
THIS RESOLUTION ALLOWS US TO
HAVE
THAT CLEAR
PATHWAY SO THAT WE CAN GET THE
AGENCY'S INFORMATION
OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND
DETERMINE HOW TO MOVE FORWARD IN
COUNCIL. THIS RESOLUTION AND I
KNOW
WE'LL SPEAK ABOUT THIS AS WELL,
CALL IT A PARTNER RESOLUTION,
THE COUNTY PASSED A
RESOLUTION THAT IS QUITE SIMILAR
TO THIS.
AGAIN WITH THE SAME INTENT
OF ENSURING THAT WE
HAVE INFORMATION THAT COMES INTO
OUR TWO BODIES SO THAT THE
BODIES CAN MAKE SMART DECISIONS
ON
HOW WE PROCEED.
SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS
EFFORT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
WEEKS.
YOUR OFFICE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC
IN DRAFTING THIS RESOLUTION.
I WANT TO THANK CENTRAL
STAFF, JEN LEBRECQUE, THANK YOU
SO
MUCH, JEN, AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AS
WELL.
WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT WE
HAVE ALL FOUR CORNERS HERE FROM
CITY
COUNCIL, MAYOR'S
OFFICE, KING COUNTY COUNCIL,
KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE AS WELL AS
OUR PARTNERS ON THE GOVERNING
BOARD WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND
SOUND CITY ASSOCIATION.
WE CANNOT DO THIS WITH ONE BODY
ALONE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
VERY WELL PUT.
APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR WORK ON
THIS.
WITH THAT I WILL TURN IT
TO CENTRAL STAFF AND PRESENTERS
FOR
TODAY TO TAKE US THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSS THE
LEGISLATION.
STARTING WITH JEN.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, JUST FOR
CLARIFICATION, THIS
PRESENTATION THAT I'M ABOUT TO
GO INTO
DOES ESSENTIALLY PRESENT THE
RESOLUTION AS IF THE
AMENDMENT -- PASSED.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DISCUSS
THAT AMENDMENT
FIRST.
>> THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR
CLARIFICATION.
THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY.
>> SO HI, I'M JENNIFER
LEBRECQUE WITH CITY COUNCIL
CENTRAL
STAFF AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT
RESOLUTION 32202.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK DOES
HAVE ONE AMENDMENT CALLED
AMENDMENT
ONE THAT I THINK WE WILL VOTE
ON LATER.
TO PROVIDE YOU, THE
PRESENTATION THAT I'M ABOUT TO
DO ESSENTIALLY
ASSUMES THAT AMENDMENT 1
PASSES, AND SO HAS THAT CONTEXT
TO IT.
AMENDMENT 1 JUST MAKES SOME
SMALL TWEAKS REALLY TO
TIMING IN ORDER TO ALIGN AS HAS
ALREADY
BEEN MENTIONED, KING
COUNTY COUNCIL HAS --
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK CALLS A
COUSIN
RESOLUTION THAT HAS SIMILAR
STEPS
AND PROCESSES AND
ESSENTIALLY AMENDMENT ONE JUST
SYNCS UP THE
TIMING OF THE KING
COUNTY RESOLUTION SPONSORED BY
COUNCILMEMBER BARONE WITH
THIS RESOLUTION SO THERE'S AN
INTERIM
REPORT PROVIDED TO COUNCIL
ON JUNE 15th AND THEN A FINAL
REPORT AND SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE TO COUNCIL
ON AUGUST 1st
REGARDING ESSENTIALLY A
RECOMMENDATION ON
WHETHER TO CONTINUE TO
DISSOLVE OR RESTRUCTURE KCRHA
AND
DISSOLUTION OR RESTRUCTURE IS
RECOMMEND, A SET OF NEXT
STEPS OR PLAN ABOUT HOW TO GO
ABOUT DOING THAT.
JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS
CURRENT PRESENTATION ASSUMES.
I THINK I'M GOING TO
HAVE TO TELL YOU GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE,
PLEASE.
I DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF
THE PRESENTATION AT HOME SO
WE'LL
JUST NEED WHOEVER --
>> YOU GOT IT,
JEN.
>> SO SORRY.
>> THE TABLE.
FIGURING IT OUT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
BEFORE I LAUNCH INTO THE
RESOLUTION, I JUST WANT
TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT
OF BACKGROUND ON THE INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENTS.
AS I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE
IN DECEMBER OF 2019, SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY ENTERED INTO A
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO
ESTABLISH THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY.
THE GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE
A COORDINATED REGIONAL APPROACH
TO HOMELESSNESS THAT WOULD
RESULT
IN BETTER OUTCOMES THROUGH
THE BETTER AND MORE COORDINATED
DELIVERY OF SERVICES.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY AMENDEDAMENDED
ILA FOR
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF
STREAMLINING THE GOVERNANCE
STRUCTURE TO
IMPROVE
TRANSPARENCY, COORDINATION AND
OVERSIGHT.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A
COUPLE MOMENTS TO TALK ABOUT THE
--
ESSENTIALLY THE TERMS
FOR TERMINATION AND DISSOLUTION
OF KCRHA UNDER THE AMENDED ILA.
TO BE CLEAR THAT'S NOT
WHAT TODAY'S RESOLUTION IS
RECOMMENDING, BUT I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO
HAVE CLARITY ABOUT THE TERMS OF
THE
ILA, AND SORT OF THE
DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF THE TERMS
WE ARE
USING.
UNDER THE AMENDED ILA, THE
ILA CAN BE TERMINATED VIA
A CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION OR A
KING
COUNTY MOTION WHICH
IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING AS
A
RESOLUTION.
TO BE CLEAR, EITHER PARTY
CAN TAKE ACTION TO TERMINATE.
SO IT CAN BE UNILATERAL.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BOTH
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY COUNCIL.
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THE TERMINATION HAS TO BE AT
LEAST 12 MONTHS AFTER KING
COUNTY OR
SEATTLE PASS THEIR RESOLUTION.
UNLESS THE MAYOR OF SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY UNLESS THE MAYOR
OF SEATTLE AND THE KING COUNTY
EXECUTIVE JOINTLY AGREE
TERMINATION CAN AND SHOULD OCCUR
MORE
QUICKLY. I WANT TO MAKE THE
POINT
HERE THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE DECISION TO INITIATE
TERMINATION AND THE PROCESS OF
DISSOLVING KCRHA.
KING COUNTY COUNCIL OR
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, THEY ARE
THE ONES
WHO DECIDE TO INITIATE
TERMINATION THROUGH PASSAGE OF A
RESOLUTION, BUT,
OBVIOUSLY, TERMINATION WOULD
NEVER OCCUR
IMMEDIATELY.
THERE'S A PROCESS OF
DISSOLVING THE
AGENCY AND THAT PROCESS IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
EXECUTIVES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
FORENSIC EVALUATION.
IN 2025, CLARK NUBER WAS
ENGAGED BY SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY
TO CONDUCT A FORENSIC EVALUATION
OF KCRHA AND THAT
EVALUATION COVERED THE PERIOD OF
MID-
2021 THROUGH JULY 2025.
SO THERE IS A PERIOD
FROM ESSENTIALLY AUGUST OF 2025
TO
PRESENT THAT IS NOT COVERED BY
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION.
THE FOCUS OF THE EVALUATION
WAS ON FINANCIAL
CONDITION, GOVERNANCE AND RISK
MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES.
ONE OF THE PURPOSES
OR ONE OF THE DRIVING REASONS
BEHIND
IT WAS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
FACTORS
WERE CONTRIBUTING TO KCRHA'S
ONGOING NEGATIVE CASH
BALANCES AND ALSO JUST
IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO
STRENGTHEN OVERSIGHT AND
PROCESSES.
THE EVALUATION WAS RELEASED IN
APRIL OF THIS YEAR, AND I
KNOW YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR
WITH. IT IDENTIFIED MANY ISSUES
AT
KCRHA RELATED TO INTERNAL
CONTROLS, UNRECONCILABLE
RECEIVABLES, FINANCIAL
REPORTING, AND
ACCOUNTING PRACTICES.
SO RESOLUTION 32202, AS
AMENDED BY AMENDMENT 1 AS WE
DISCUSSED, DOES A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, RECOGNIZES THAT THE
FOLLOWING COMMITMENTS
HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE.
IN APRIL, THE KCRHA GOVERNING
BOARD CREATED A
FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THAT
FINANCE
COMMITTEE NOW OVERSEES AND HAS
TO APPROVE ANY NEW
OBLIGATIONS, ANY NEW HIRING, AND
ANY
NEW DISCRETIONARY SPENDING
THAT KCRHA ENGAGES IN AS A WAY
TO PROVIDE SOME IMMEDIATE
CONTROLS AND SAFEGUARDS.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A COVER
LETTER THAT WENT ALONG WITH THE
FORENSIC EVALUATION THAT
WAS SENT TO KCRHA AND THAT
COVER LETTER REQUIRED KCRHA TO
SUBMIT BY MAY 8th, WHICH WAS
LAST
FRIDAY, ESSENTIALLY A REPORT
ON HOW THEY WOULD ADDRESS
FIVE OF THE HIGHEST RISK
FINDINGS IN
THE
EVALUATION. THAT REPORT WAS
SUBMITTED
BY KCRHA ON FRIDAY AND WAS SENT
TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING
BOARD.
ADDITIONALLY THE MAYOR AND
THE KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE
COMMITTED
THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE
TO COORDINATE TO ENSURE
THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT
OVERSIGHT CONTROLS AT PLACE IN
KCRHA.
NEXT SLIDE.
THE RESOLUTION ALSO
REQUESTS INFORMATION IN
REPORTING FROM THE
EXECUTIVE. SO FIRST, IT REQUESTS
THAT
NO LATER THAN JUNE 15th, THE
MAYOR
OR HER DESIGNEE PROVIDE TO
THE CHAIR OF THE HUMAN SERVICES,
LABOR AND ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF
THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
SUBMITTED BY KCRHA.
SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN FOR
A
MOMENT.
THERE WAS A COVER LETTER SENT
TO KCRHA THAT ACCOMPANIED
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION.
THAT COVER LETTER HAD TWO
DATES IN IT.
ONE WAS JUST BY MAY 8th,
KCRHA NEEDED TO PROVIDE A PLAN
ON
HOW THEY WERE GOING TO ADDRESS
FIVE
OF THE HIGHEST RISK FINDINGS.
ADDITIONALLY, BY MAY 23rd,
KCRHA NEEDS TO SUBMIT A PLAN FOR
HOW THEY WILL ADDRESS ALL OF THE
FINDINGS IN
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION, SO
ESSENTIALLY A COMPREHENSIVE
CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN ON ALL OF THE
FINDINGS.
THIS
IS ASKING FOR THE MAYOR OR
DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE AN
INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THAT
COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTION ACTION
PLAN
AFTER IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED.
ADDITIONALLY NO LATER
THAN AUGUST 1st, THE MAYOR OR
DESIGNEE SHOULD MAKE
A RECOMMENDATION TO THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, THE
HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE, ON WHETHER
THE CITY SHOULD DO ONE OF THREE
THINGS. TERMINATE ITS
PARTICIPATION IN
THE AMENDED ILA AND DISSOLVE
KCRHA, RESTRUCTURE KCRHA, OR
CONTINUE IT AS IT IS.
IF THE EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDS
DISSOLUTION OR
RESTRUCTURE, THEN THE MAYOR
DESIGNEE IS ALSO
REQUESTED TO PROVIDE A PLAN
THAT ADDRESSES THE FOLLOWING
COMPONENTS.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES INCLUDING
SEATTLE'S SHARED VALUES,
MINIMAL DISRUPTION TO SERVICES
AND MAINTENANCE OF REGIONAL
APPROACH, A COMMITMENT
TO ENGAGING WITH STAKEHOLDERS
WHICH INCLUDES HOMELESS
PROVIDERS AND
OTHER REGIONAL
STAKEHOLDERS, OPTIONS FOR HOW
THE CITY CAN USE
THIS OPPORTUNITY
STRATEGICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, SUCH
AS
REBIDDING HOMELESS CONTRACTS
WHICH
HAVE NOT BEEN REBID SINCE 2017.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE,
UPDATE ON POTENTIAL APPROACHES
FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
KCRHA IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE
ENTITY AND IT PERFORMS
MANY NECESSARY AND REQUIRED
FUNCTIONS.
LET ME PUT THAT DIFFERENTLY, IT
PERFORMS MANY FUNCTIONS THAT
ARE NECESSARY AND REQUIRED IN
ORDERORDER RECEIVE
FEDERAL CONTINUUM OF CARE
FUNDING.
THE REGION CURRENTLY
RECEIVES KING COUNTY $67 MILLION
IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR
THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, SO
UNDERSTANDING HOW TO
APPROACH OUR OPTIONS IN A WAY
THAT DOES
NOT PUT COC AT RISK OR FURTHER
RISK IS IMPORTANT.
ENSURE THE KCRHA HAS STAFF
TO ADMINISTER HOMELESS CONTRACTS
AGAIN.
AS A REMINDER, IN 2022, THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THE CITY'S HOMELESS
SERVICE CONTRACTS
WERE TRANSFERRED TO KCRHA FOR
ADMINISTRATION, AND SO AT THAT
POINT, HSC SHRUNK TO KCRHA
TO ADMINISTER THOSE CONTRACTS.
ANY OPTION THAT HAS THOSE
RETURNING TO THE CITY MEANS
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO
STAFF UP AGAIN, TO ADMINISTER
THOSE CONTRACTS AND THAT'S NOT
JUST THINKING ABOUT STAFFING,
FOR
EXAMPLE, TO ADMINISTER THE
CONTRACTS, BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT
HSD HAS THE SYSTEMS AND
CONTROLS AND LEADERSHIP TO
PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO THAT NEW
FUNCTION.
NEXT SLIDE.
OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE
PLAN INCLUDE OPTIONS FOR HOW
SEATTLE/KING COUNTY
WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A
REGIONAL
APPROACH TO ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS INCLUDING A SEVERE
WEATHER RESPONSE.
KCRHA HAS ESTABLISHED A
SYSTEM WHERE THEY HAVE
DIFFERENT DEFINED THRESHOLDS FOR
CITY OR
WEATHER EVENTS.
WHEN WE MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA
IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURE OR
AMOUNT
OF RAIN OR SNOW, IT
TRIGGERS CERTAIN RESPONSES FROM
THE HOMELESS SYSTEM IN TERMS OF
WHAT
KIND OF SHELTER OR OTHER TYPES
OF RESPONSES ARE INITIATED OR
ACTIVATED TO RESPOND TO THOSE
EVENTS.
HOW WOULD THAT
COORDINATED APPROACH CONTINUE.
OPTIONS FOR WHAT ENTITIES
WILL TAKE ON KCRHA'S EXISTING
RIGHT OF WAY CONTRACTS.
THE RIGHT OF WAY IS A
STATE- FUNDED PROGRAM AND
KCRHA CURRENTLY HAS MONEY FROM
THE STATE THEY ARE USING TO
MASTER LEASE APARTMENT
BUILDINGS AND THEN CONTRACT WITH
PROVIDERS TO
OPERATE SERVICES SO THESE
ARE BUILDINGS THAT KCRHA HAS
THE CONTRACTS TO THAT ARE
ESSENTIALLY OPERATING
WITH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND WE
NEED TO FIND A NEW HOME IF KCRHA
WERE TO BE DISSOLVED.
OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE AND
STRENGTHEN THE WORK OF THE
OMBUDS OFFICE, AN
OFFICE THAT WAS FORMED WHEN
KCRHA WAS
FORMED.
THINKING ABOUT WHERE, IF
IT CONTINUES TO HAVE A HOME.
FINALLY AN ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME
AND BUDGET FOR INCREASED
CITY COSTS RELATED TO DISSOLVING
OR RESTRUCTURING KCRHA AND
AN EXPLANATION FOR THE FUND
SOURCE OF THOSE COSTS.
NEXT SLIDE.
THE FINAL PART
OF THE RESOLUTION IS A REQUEST
THAT THE MAYOR
OR HER DESIGNEE SHOULD CONTINUE
TO REPORT MONTHLY TO THE
CHAIR OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
LABOR
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
ON THE POTENTIAL DISSOLUTION OR
RETOURED OF KCRHA IF THAT IS
WHAT IS RECOMMENDED TO
ENSURE THERE IS CONTINUOUS AND
REGULAR
COMMUNICATION WITH COUNCIL AS WE
TAKE NEXT STEPS THAT WOULD
HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
THE PROVISION OF HOMELESS
SERVICES IN SEATTLE.
I WILL
STOP THERE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT OVERVIEW,
JEN.
BEFORE GETTING INTO
QUESTIONS, I DO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE WE
HAVE MARK ELLERBROOK AND
LINDSEY GUARANTEE AT THE
TABLE REPRESENTING THE MAYOR'S
OFF.
I'M INVITING YOU BOTH IF THERE
IS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OR PERSPECTIVE YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MARK ELLERBROOK DEPUTY
DIRECTOR FOR CITY OPERATIONS IN
MAYOR
WILSON'S OFFICE.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US
TODAY. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT, JEN,
IT IS
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, JEN DID
A GREAT JOB ON THE BRIEFING
AND PROVIDED A GOOD AMOUNT
OF CURRENT INFORMATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I THINK AS COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER
HIGHLIGHTED, I THINK THERE
IS URGENCY AS WE CONSIDER KCRHA
THAT WE HOLD FRONT
AND CENTER THE FOLKS WHO ARE
LIVING
HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE CANNOT STEP BACK AND
NOTNOT CONSIDER THOSE NEEDS AND
VOICES
AS WE CONSIDER THE CURRENT AND
FUTURE STATE IN THIS SPACE.
I WANT
TO EMPHASIZE THE POINT
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER MADE ON
THIS.
HAPPY TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS.
WE TAKE THIS MATTER VERY
SERIOUSLY.
WE APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU, CHAIR
RINCK, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER AND
OTHERS ON THE COUNCIL AS WE
INTEREST
THE CURRENT STATE OF KCRHA AND
WHAT ITS CONTINUITY LOOKS LIKE.
WE LOOK VERY MUCH FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU IN TANDEM
AND
PARTNERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, OPENING IT UP
FOR QUESTIONS ON
THE RESOLUTION BEFORE US.
NOT SEEING ANY HANDS AT THIS
TIME.
COLLEAGUES, I WILL NOTE WE
DO HAVE AN INTENT TO VOTE ON
THIS RESOLUTION IN COMMITTEE
TODAY IN
SERVICE OF AS VICE CHAIR FOSTER
MENTIONED THE COUNTY HAS
MOVED ON THEIR AS I CALL IT
COUSIN
RESOLUTION SO WE'RE
DOING WORK TO TRY TO ALIGN SOME
OF THOSE
TIMELINES. I SEE A HAND FROM
COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, CHAIR,
AND THE LEADER FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP AND THAT OF
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER
FOR BRINGING THIS BOARD.
I WANT TO THANK MS.
LEBRECQUE, MR. ELLERBROOK, MS.
GUARANTEE, I
THINK I GOT IT, THANK YOU FOR
THE OVERVIEW, THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT VERY
CONCERNING AND THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT RESPONSE FROM THE
CITY OF SEATTLE'S
PERSPECTIVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WE NEED TO DO
TO GET THIS RIGHT.
WHATEVER WE DO, WHATEVER OUR
APPROACH IS, IT NEEDS TO BE
THOUGHTFUL, CAN'T SHOOT FROM
THE
HIP HERE.
THOUGHTFUL, MEASURED, AND TO
THE FULL EXTENT POSSIBLE
COLLABORATIVE. AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WHERE THE
CHIPS MAY FALL, WHO KNOWS,
THERE MIGHT BE A MORE -- A
LESS DISTRIBUTIVE MODEL IN THIS
--
IN CARRYING OUT THIS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT WORK.
WHO KNOWS.
BUT CAN'T JUST PULL THE
CORD IMMEDIATELY AND THINK
THAT'S
GOING TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR
PROBLEMS. THAT'S WHY I
APPRECIATE THIS
APPROACH.
IT IS THOUGHTFUL, MEASURED,
AND I THINK APPROPRIATE FOR
WHERE WE'RE AT, AND WE'LL SEE
WHERE THIS WORK TAKES US.
THIS IS A CRITICAL NEXT STEP.
AND THAT DOESN'T ABSOLVE KCRHA
FROM, YOU KNOW, THEIR DUTY
AND RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE
IMMEDIATE, YOU KNOW,
CORRECTIONS, IMPLEMENT
APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL
CONTROLS, ALL THE THINGS EVEN IN
THE
ABSENCE OF THIS LEGISLATION,
BUT IT IS -- RETAIN THAT.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE
OF LEGISLATION TO -- TO HELP GET
US WHERE WE NEEDBY TO.
QUESTION ON -- FOR MS.
LEBRECQUE.
CAN YOU HELP ME
BETTER UNDERSTAND -- I
UNDERSTAND THIS IS CHAIR
REFERRED TO IT AS
A COUSIN RESOLUTION.
SO THERE IS A SIMILAR PIECE
OF LEGISLATION THAT PASSED
THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL
RECENTLY, AND
I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AND DO A
SIDE-BY- SIDE
DOC COMPARE AND RED LINE, WHAT
ARE THE WORD DIFFERENCES,
DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THAT,
BUT
WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS OR
NOT
CONCERNED, CURIOUS, I AM CURIOUS
ABOUT, FRANKLY THIS IS FOR
ANYONE, YOU KNOW, HERE AT THE
TABLE OR MS. LEBRECQUE, BUT WHAT
ARE THE HIGH- LEVEL DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN OUR RESPECTIVE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION HERE?
WHAT ARE THE HIGH- LEVEL
FEATURES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, A
LITTLE MORE UNIQUE TO SEATTLE
WHERE WE
DEPART A LITTLE BIT
FROM KING COUNTY AGAIN AT A HIGH
LEVEL, FROM A PROVISION
STANDPOINT?
NOT A LANGUAGE STANDPOINT?
>> I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND TO
THAT.
SO I -- FIRST, AS I MENTIONED,
THE TIMING IS THE SAME.
JUST LIKE RESOLUTION
THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY,
THE KING COUNTY -- THE KING
COUNTY MOTION
ASKS THAT THE KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE PROVIDE THEM AN
INTERIM ASSESSMENT OF
THE COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN BY JUNE 15th AND
THEN
THAT THEY COME BACK
TO THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL ON
AUGUST
1st WITH A FINAL RECOMMENDATION
ON
WHETHER TO DISSOLVE, RESTRUCTURE
OR CONTINUE AS IS.
THOSE ARE THE SAME.
I THINK THAT THERE
ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME DIFFERENCES.
I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, KING
COUNTY IS IN AN
INTERESTING POSITION BECAUSE
THEY
ARE ESSENTIALLY KCRHA'S LENDER.
WHEN KCRHA HAS A NEGATIVE CASH
BALANCE, THAT IS COMING
OUT OF THE KING COUNTY CASH FLOW
AND SO
I THINK KING COUNTY HAS
A PARTICULAR INTEREST
IN UNDERSTANDING KCRHA'S SORT
OF
CURRENT CASH POSITION, HOW THEY
ARE GOING TO SORT OF RECONCILE
THOSE RECEIVABLES THAT
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO
COLLECT
ON YET SO THEY CAN GET THE CASH
AND
THEY CAN, YOU KNOW,
ESSENTIALLY GET OUT OF THAT
NEGATIVE CASH
POSITION TO THE POINT POSSIBLE.
THEN I THINK OTHER
QUESTIONS AROUND THE, YOU KNOW,
WHAT
THEIR PLANS ARE TO ADDRESS SOME
OF
THE FINDINGS IN THE RESOLUTION.
I AM HAPPY TO SEND YOU IF
YOU'RE INTERESTED COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA
A COPY OF THE KING
COUNTY RESOLUTION BUT THAT'S AS
MUCH DETAIL AS I CAN SPEAK TO
RIGHT
NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
NO NEED TO SEND.
I'M LESS INTERESTED IN
THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, BUT
LET'S JUST TALK OFF LINE.
NO NEED TO -- YEAH.
THANK YOU.
VERY HELPFUL FOR MY INITIAL --
FOR RESPONDING TO MY INITIAL
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> APPRECIATE THE
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
THANK YOU.
AND I DID SEE A HAND FROM
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> YES.
I'M SORRY, MADAM CHAIR, THANK
YOU.
I HAVE A POINT OF -- WELL,
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION AND I
WILL TAKE GUIDANCE FROM YOU AS
CHAIR.
ARE WE GOING TO TALK AND THEN
VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT AND
THEN THE RESOLUTION AND THEN
DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN
DEPTH ON
WHAT WE RECEIVED ON MAY 8th
FROM THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
ASSOCIATION
IN REGARDS TO THE FORENSIC
AUDIT?
ARE WE HOLDING THAT
DISCUSSION OR A FEW QUESTIONS
WITH HAVING
JENNIFER HERE ON THE LINE OR
HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT,
MADAM
CHAIR?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I HAD NOT PLANNED ON THAT
DISCUSSION TODAY.
HOWEVER IT IS PERTINENT TO
THIS DISCUSSION OF NATURALLY AND
SO HAVING THAT BEFORE US,
I'M WONDERING MAYBE BEFORE WE
TAKE
A VOTE LET'S HAVE A LITTLE BIT
OF
A DISCUSSION ON WHAT WE'VE
RECEIVED.
>> YEAH.
I HAD A QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK
JENNIFER, AND THEN I WILL
FOLLOW YOUR LEAD, MAD CAM
CHAIR. ON PAGE 6 OF THE
POWERPOINT,
JENNIFER, I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME,
BECAUSE [ INAUDIBLE ] THE
RESOLUTION KEN KING COUNTY
ESTABLISHED THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY
AND WHEN WE SIGNED IT AND
AMENDED ILA AND THE CLARK NUBER
FORENSIC EVALUATION.
ON PAGE 6, I DIDN'T CATCH THIS
THE FIRST TIME, BUT,
JENNIFER, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT
THE RIGHT
OF WAY CONTRACT, THAT'S
STATE FUNDING WAS THAT
ADDRESSED IN THE AUDIT AND HOW
MUCH WAS THAT?
IS THAT EVEN -- AM I BEING
KNIT PICKY HERE?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I DON'T RECALL -- I'D HAVE TO
GO BACK AND REVIEW IT.
I DON'T RECALL THAT THE
AUDIT FOUND ANY PROBLEMS
SPECIFIC WHERE THEY SPECIFICALLY
CALLED OUT THE RIGHT OF WAY
CONTRACT,
BUT, OF COURSE, THEY CALLED
OUT IN GENERAL WITH THINGS LIKE
REC
CONSIGHBLE PROVIDERS, THEY
DON'T HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO GO
BACK TO THE FUNDER AND GET
REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT
THE RIGHT OF WAY CONTRACTS
ARE INVOLVED AND I DON'T THINK
THE
AUDIT PROVIDES THAT LEVEL OF
DETAIL. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION?
>> IT DOES.
I WAS HIGHLIGHTING IT
BECAUSE YOU MADE IT YOUR SECOND
BULLET ON PAGE 6 AND THE FIRST
TIME I
REALIZED THAT THE
ORGANIZATION WOULD TAKE THESE
EXISTING RIGHT
OF WAY CONTRACTS.
I WASN'T AWARE A CHUNK CAME
FROM THE STATE AND DIDN'T KNOW
HOW
MUCH. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE CAN
FOLLOW UP
ON.
>> I AM HAPPY TO FOLLOW-UP.
I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD.
>> THIS IS WHY I LIKE THE
CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ARE DOING,
TAKING THIS MEASURED APPROACH,
BEFORE WE FIX THE PLANE, LET'S
NOT
FIX IT WHILE WE'RE FLYING IT.
LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE THE
MONEY IS, WHERE IT WENT AND
ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES.
BRIEFLY, MADAM CHAIR,
THE QUESTION I WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT, AND I'M SURE YOU CAN
RESPOND
TO HELP ME OUT, IS WHEN WE
RECEIVED
THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESS AUTHORITY'S
RESPONSE DATED MAY 8th, TO THE
FORENSIC
EVALUATION, WHEN WE
WERE LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY THE
TIMELINES THAT THEY LAID OUT MAY
23rd
BEING THE CORRECTIVE ACTION
PLAN THAT IS SUPPOSED TO --
THAT CLARK NUBER SAID THESE ARE
THE THINGS YOU NEED TO
RESPOND TO AND WE WILL RESPOND
TO THEM
BY MAY 23rd, I'M WONDERING HOW
THAT CHANGES OR DOES CHANGE THE
TONE OR THE CONVERSATION FOR
AN ADDITIONAL RESOLUTION OR
ANYTHING FROM US, WHAT DO
WE ANTICIPATE FROM THAT ON
THE 23rd ?
THEY KIND OF LAID OUT I WILL SAY
IT, A LOT OF IT IS
GOVERNMENT WORD SALAD.
NOT TELLING ME WHAT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN ON MAY 23rd.
I'M WONDERING IF
THERE'S MORE INFORMATION YOU
CAN PROVIDE?
WHAT DO WE ANTICIPATE ON MAY
23rd THAT THE FORENSIC
AUDITORS
ARE TELLING KING COUNTY YOU NEED
TO RESPOND TO THIS
CORRECTION AND IF WE ANTICIPATE
ANY MORE WORK THE RESOLUTION
COMING OUT
OF SEATTLE OR WE'RE GOING
TO REMAIN COUSINS WITH KING
COUNTY?
>> CAN I RESPOND TO THAT?
I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE LOGIC
AND IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE TIMING, THE
DATES, TWO DATES IN THE
RESOLUTION
IN WHICH THE EXECUTIVE HAS
TO REPORT BACK AND THEY ARE
BASED IN PART WHEN THAT
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN HAS TO BE
SUBMITTED.
WE HAVE THE INITIAL FINDINGS ON
MAY 8th OR THE RESPONDINGS OF
THE HIGHEST RISK FINDINGS.
MAY 21st IS THE
COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN.
JUNE 15th, THE
RESOLUTION REQUESTS THAT THE
SEATTLE EXECUTIVE REPORT BACK
WITH THEIR
INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF
THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.
THERE SHOULD BE THE EXECUTIVE
ASSESSMENT OF WE THINK THIS IS
FEASIBLE OR THESE PARTS ARE
FEASIBLE, BUT THESE PARTS
AREN'T FEASIBLE, SO IT'S I
THINK I
WOULD DESCRIBE THAT AS
AN INTERIM CHECK- IN BASED ON
THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOUT DO WE
THINK THERE'S A FEASIBLE PATH
FORWARD TO CONTINUE KCRHA AS IS
OR NOT BASED ON THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN THEY'VE SUBMITTED.
THEN WE FAST FORWARD TO AUGUST 1
WHERE THE EXECUTIVE COMES
BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAYS OKAY,
NOW WE HAVE FOR YOU A FINAL
RECOMMENDATION ON
WHETHER WE SHOULD CONTINUE KCRHA
AS IT IS,
RESTRUCTURE OR DISSOLVE AND
THAT RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE
BASED ON AN ASSESSMENT OF
THE VIABILITY OF THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN.
BOTH IN TERMS OF
POSSIBILITY, TIMELINE AND COSTS.
SORRY TO
INTERRUPT
>> MADAM CHAIR, I WANT TO
FOLLOW
UP. AUGUST IS THE GO/NO GO DATE?
AND THEN KING COUNTY
WILL ADDRESS IT FIRST AND WE'LL
LOOK
TO LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMEMBER
OR MADAM CHAIR TO KIND OF
GUIDE US AND VICE CHAIR TO KIND
OF GUIDE US LIKE WHAT ARE NEXT
STEPS? I GUESS -- I DON'T KNOW
IF
THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING
IF KING COUNTY SAYS DON'T GO
FORWARD AND THEN WE SAY, YOU
KNOW,
WE CONTRIBUTED 60% OF YOUR
BUDGET, OUR CONTRACTS MIGRATED
FROM
HSD TO KING COUNTY REGIONAL
HOUSING, IF WE WERE TO -- WOULD
THERE BE
A SCENARIO WHERE WE WOULD
DISAGREE?
>> IT ONLY TAKES ONE PARTY TO
TERMINATE THE ILA.
>> OKAY.
>> AND SO THERE COULD BE
A SCENARIO IN WHICH WE COULD
DISAGREE, BUT WE ONLY NEED ONE
PARTY TO DISAGREE.
IT'S NOT A MUTUAL
TERMINATION.
>> OKAY.
YOU JUST HIT IT ON THE HEAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR,
FOR INDULGING
ME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, FOR THOSE FANTASTIC
QUESTIONS AND REALLY
GRAPPLING WITH KIND OF THE
COMPLEXITY OF
THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN.
I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AS
WELL VICE CHAIR FOSTER WHO
SITS ON THE KCRHA FINANCE
COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR
RINCK, THANK YOU SO
MUCH COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
ALWAYS WITH A FINE- TOOTH COMB.
I WANT TO JUST SAY ONE
QUICK THING BY FOLLOW- UP TO
MAKE
SURE WE HAVE THIS CLARITY AROUND
THE MAY 23rd
DATE. JUST AS A REMINDER AND I
THINK JEN DID TOUCH ON THIS BUT
I'M GOING TO RESTATE IT A
LITTLE
BIT JUST TO MAKE SURE, THAT DATE
WAS
FIRST IDENTIFIED IN THE COVER
LETTER THAT WAS PROVIDED
TO KCRHA IN A JOINT LETTER
BETWEEN
THE KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE
AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
THAT REQUESTED CORRECTIVE ACTION
PLAN THAT ADDRESSES EACH OF THE
FINDINGS IN THE AUDIT.
SO WHILE IT IS TRUE
THAT THERE IS ONLY SORT OF A
HIGH-
LEVEL MENTION OF IT IN THE
MAYMAY th
RESPONSE, I WANTED TO TAKE
US BACK TO I BELIEVE WHAT WAS
SENT ON APRIL 22nd, WHICH HAS
THE
OUTLINE FOR MAY 23rd.
SO MAYBE THAT WAS HELPFUL
OR MAYBE THAT WAS MORE
CONFUSING.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT
WE'LL RECEIVE ON THE 23rd
IS THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
THAT
ADDRESSES EACH OF THE AUDIT
FINDINGS.
THEN THE ONLY OTHER
THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
WAS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ YOU
SPOKE TO AUGUST AS A GO/NO GO
AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IS
MEANT TO BE A RECOMMENDATION
THAT
WE RECEIVE ON AUGUST 1st FROM
THE
EXECUTIVE.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE OUTLINED
IT IN THIS RESOLUTION.
RECEIVING A RECOMMENDATION
FROM THE EXECUTIVE TO THE BODY
THAT WE WILL THEN HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT
FURTHER ENGAGEMENT AFTER THAT
DATE.
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR
ON
THOSE TWO POINTS.
I BELIEVE OUR SPEAKERS
MAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS
CONVERSATION.
JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS TO MAKE.
THANK YOU FOR THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DATES.
THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR
UNDERSTANDING AS WELL AND
THE PURPOSES OF BOTH THE JUNE
15th DATE AND THE AUGUST 1st
DATE.
I THINK WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT
THERE.
I THINK THE OTHER THING
THAT I WANTED TO SAY, VICE CHAIR
FOSTER YOU COMMENTED ON THIS,
THIS IS
A FOUR- CORNERS APPROACH AND I
WANT TO SORT OF EMPHASIZE THAT
WE
ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE
KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S
OFFICE ON THIS MAKING SURE WE
ARE
WELL-ALIGNED.
THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE
AND I THINK IT BEARS SORT OF
PAUSING ON IT, THE REGIONAL
HOMELESS
AUTHORITY IS VERY
COMPLICATED AND INCLUDES FUNDS
FROM
A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
FUNDERS, THE COUNTY, CITY,
STATE,
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY SERVES MULTIPLE
PURPOSES.
IT IS A MAJOR
ACTOR, THE CITY'S MAJOR ACTOR
IN HOMELESS SPACES
AND THE SAME FOR THE COUNTY AS
A REGIONAL CONVENER OF THIS
TOPIC AND SERVES CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT
FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NOT EASILY
UNWOUND AND THAT ARE --
ENSURE COMPLIANCE FOR THE
CITY AND THE COUNTY TO RECEIVE A
SUBSTANTIAL
AMOUNT OF FUNDING.
SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT IT'S BENEFICIAL TO HEAR
HOW
ALIGNED WE ARE AND I THINK
CLEAR IN OUR COMMUNICATION
BECAUSE
AS WE SORT OF EMBARK ON THIS
PATH AND RECEIVE THE
INFORMATION FROM THE REGIONAL
HOMELESS
AUTHORITY ON THE 23rd, EVALUATE
THAT,
PROVIDE OUR FEEDBACK TO ALL OF
YOU AND OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT WE REMAIN
VERY CLOSELY
ALIGNED BECAUSE WE --
THE SIGNIFICANCE IN HOW
THESE DOLLARS SHOW UP AND HOW
THIS ORGANIZATION LEADS AND HOW
WE HEAR FROM OUR SERVICE
PROVIDERS
AND HOW WE HEAR FROM THE
LIVED EXPERIENCE COALITIONS AND
FOLKS
IS PARAMOUNT IN HOW WE DO THIS
WELL.
SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
REALLY APPRECIATE
THIS CONVERSATION AND THE SPIRIT
OF ALIGNMENT IN THIS SPACE AS
WE STEP FORWARD.
SO I AM HAPPY TO HEAR FROM
ANY AND ALL OF YOU WITH
QUESTIONS
YOU MIGHT HAVE AS WE STEP
FORWARD.
IT IS COMPLEX.
I HAVE SPENT A GOOD PORTION
OF THE TIME IN PUBLIC
SERVICE WORKING IN HOUSING AND
HOMELESS
SPACES.
LINDSEY TO MY RIGHT HAS STAYED
WITH THIS FOR MANY YEARS
AND KNOWS THIS PROBABLY AS WELL
AS
ANYBODY AND I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK YOU AS WELL HAVE
DEEP EXPERIENCE IN THIS SPACE AS
DO
OTHERS.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE ARE
WELL- EQUIPPED TO TAKE
THESE STEPS AND WE TAKE THESE
STEPS WITH SERIOUSNESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT,
RECOGNIZING COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MY QUESTION IS TO THE CITY AND
FOLKS AT THE TABLE WHEN YOU
KEEP SAYING THIS FOUR- CORNER
APPROACH, AND I'M GOING TO
SAY THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM,
YEAH, I WAS AROUND WHEN WE
CREATED 2019 WITH THEN COUNCIL
PRESIDENT
HERRO AND MAYOR JURKIN AND I
BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER SIGNED
THE ORIGINAL AND THEN AT THE
TIME, EXECUTIVE CONSTANTINE,
GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THOSE
ORIGINAL CREATION ORGANIC
DOCUMENTS, SO WHEN YOU SAY
WE ARE ALIGNED WITH HOW ARE WE
ALIGNED WITH OTHER CITIES
WHO MAYBE DON'T FEEL THE SPIRIT
OF ALIGNMENT RIGHT NOW THAT
WE'VE BEEN SEEING THAT ARE NOT
HAPPY
WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
HAS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THE
CITIES
THAT ARE NOT HAPPY AND ARE
PROPOSING COMPLETE DISSOLVEMENT
OF THIS
ORGANIZATION?
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK WE HAVE NOT
HEARD DIRECTLY FROM OTHER
CITIES AT THIS POINT.
THAT -- ALSO, YOU KNOW,
ARE OPERATING IN AND I THINK WE
TRY TO REMAIN ALIGNED WITH
THE COUNTY IN PARTICULAR AS SORT
OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENT.
I THINK TO THE POINT
YOU'RE MAKING AS WELL,
COUNCILMEMBER, I THINK IT IS
VERY IMPORTANT AS
WE THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT
AND I THINK FUTURE STATE OF
THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY THE CORE PREMISE TO
CREATION
OF KCRHA WAS THE REGIONAL
CONCEPT OF COLLECTIVE APPROACH
TO HOMELESSNESS AND THAT HAS
WORKED BETTER AND WORSE
TO CERTAIN DEGREES AS WE SORT OF
STEPPED INTO THAT SPACE.
I THINK THAT CONVERSATION
STILL NEEDS TO BE HAD AND -- IN
A PUBLIC WAY FROM ALL OF THE
OTHER 38 CITIES IN THIS COUNTY
ABOUT HOW THOSE ENTITIES WANT
TO I THINK CONTRIBUTE AND
PARTICIPATE IN THAT CONVERSATION
AND I
THINK WE WILL LOOK TO OURSELVES,
THE FACT THAT YOU ALL GET AS
ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT KCRHA
AND IMPORTANTLY KING COUNTY AS
THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IN THAT
SPACE.
I HEAR YOU CLEARLY TO
SAY LIKE LET'S ENSURE THAT WE
ARE HEARING
AND OPEN TO COMMENTS BACK
FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
>> YEAH.
I UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS CREATED.
I GET IT.
I WAS THERE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,
BECAUSE
SHE UNDERSTAND IT FROM A
MOLECULAR LEVEL AS WELL.
MY POINT IS WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OF
ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE
AND THE KING COUNTY
COUNCIL, AND THEN CREATING THIS
AND THE CITY
OF SEATTLE, CORRECT ME IF
I'M WRONG, MADAM CHAIR,
CONTRIBUTES AT LEAST 06% TO THE
KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESS BUDGET, I
GUESS MY POINT IS, HOW IS THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE REACHING OUT
TO THE OTHER 38 CITIES OR
WHOMEVER, WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE
CONTRIBUTED, WE'VE SEEN
IT IN THE PRESS WHERE THEY'RE
NOT
HAPPY, HOW IS THE -- WHAT
IS YOUR MEDIA STRATEGY?
WHAT IS YOUR ALIGNMENT
STRATEGY? WHAT IS YOUR
COMMUNICATIONS WITH
SOME OF THOSE CITIES
THAT, IF YOU WILL, USING YOUR
WORDS, NEED TO BE BROUGHT INTO
THE SPIRIT
OF
ALIGNMENT?
>> YEAH. SO I THINK WHAT I CAN
-- I
THINK WE ARE
COMMITTED AND THE MAYOR HAS SAID
THIS, COMMITTED TO SORT
OF THE CONTINUATION OF A
REGIONAL APPROACH AND WHEN WE
COME BACK IN JUNE TO PRESENT
SORT OF OUR FINDINGS, I
THINK WE CAN
ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE DOING
THE CONNECTIONS AND THE
OUTREACH TO THE OTHER
CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN
THIS
SPACE. I THINK TO THE POINT YOU
ALSO
MADE, COUNCILMEMBER, THE --
AND, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE
ORIGINAL IDEAS WAS THAT KCRHA
WOULD
BE SORT OF A GALVANIZING
PRESENCE
TO BRING IN FUNDING
FROM MULTIPLE PLACES AND
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS
THROUGHOUT
THE CITY TO SUPPORT OR THE
COUNTY TO
SUPPORT HOMELESS EFFORTS AND BY
AND LARGE WITH POTENTIALLY A FEW
EXCEPTIONS, THAT HASN'T SORT
OF MATERIALIZED AS ONE OF THE
MAIN
OUTCOMES OF THIS.
I THINK THAT SPIRIT REMAINS
AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE
ACTUALLY MAKE
ACTIONS IN THAT SPACE HAPPEN.
>> OKAY.
LET ME TRY THIS AGAIN.
THIS IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
WHAT IS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
DOING RIGHT NOW TO TALK TO THE
OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE
CONTRIBUTED
AND ARE PART OF THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESS WHO ARE
NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE $8 MILLION
AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHAT ARE
YOU
DOING RIGHT NOW TALKING TO THESE
CITIES? WE HAVE MAY 23rd FOR
THE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND KNOW
MORE
INFORMATION.
IF THERE ISN'T ANYTHING GOING
ON, THAT'S OKAY, TOO.
I NEED TO KNOW WHEN WE HEAR
FROM OTHER CITIES OFF LINE, ALL
OF
THEIR ELECTED, WHAT THE
MAYOR'S TEAM IS DOING OUTREACH
TO
THOSE FOLKS WHO SIT ON THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY BOARD TO SAY THIS IS
WHAT
WE'RE WORKING ON, THIS IS HOW
WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THIS?
IS THAT HAPPENING NOW?
THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING
AT?
>> GOT IT.
I AM UNAWARE OF AN
ACTIVE CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD
WITH
ANOTHER CITY ON THIS TOPIC
PRESENTLY. SO IF -- BUT I HEAR
YOU LOUD
AND CLEAR ABOUT THAT SHOULD BE
OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE HEARING
THOSE
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM OTHER
JURISDICTIONS, WE WANT TO
HEAR THAT AS WELL AS WE WORK
WITH THOSE CITIES, OUR OFFICE OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING THOSE
CONNECTIONS.
>> IT'S BEEN IN THE
PRESS. IT ISN'T ME GETTING A
PHONE
CALL EVERY OTHER DAY.
IT'S BEEN IN THE MEDIA.
THEY'RE SAYING, YOU
KNOW, DISSOLVE IT.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF
THIS.
WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU ANYMORE
MONEY.
SO I -- I'M NOT GOING TO
BELABOR THE POINT.
ANYWAY, THANKS.
THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. GOOD TO HEAR THE FOCUS
AND
ASK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO BE
RAMPING UP THIS ENGAGEMENT.
I WANT TO UPLIFT
VICE CHAIR FOSTER AND I HAVE
BEEN DOING
OUR OUTREACH TO LEADERSHIP TO
ENGAGE EARLY ON WHEN THE INITIAL
AUDIT FINDINGS CAME OUT, AND
THEN AS WELL OVER THE PAST
COUPLE
WEEKS THAT WE'VE BEEN
NAVIGATING
THESE RESOLUTIONS THROUGH THIS
CHAMBER AND KING COUNTY COUNCIL.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT AND
WOULD LOVE PARTNERSHIP FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IN NAVIGATING
THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
QUESTION.
THANK YOU.
RECOGNIZING COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL BE SUPER QUICK.
SENDING MY APPRECIATE TO YOU,
CHAIR, AND COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD AND
HAVING THIS DIFFICULT
CONVERSATION. I DO WANT TO
REITERATE
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ'S PIECE AND
IF I HEARD THIS WRONG, I
THINK WHERE WHAT I HEAR SEATTLE
HAS
TO LEAD ON THIS.
WE PROVIDE A LARGE AMOUNT OF --
YOU SAID HOUSING AUTHORITY, MY
MOM WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN
YOU, SHE WORKED THERE 30
YEARS, IT IS NOT THE
SAME.
>> MY BAD.
SORRY.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
BUT THE FUNDING THAT WE
HAVE TO LEAD ON THIS, AND SO
THAT'S
WHY I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE
CHAIR AND COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER
WITH BRINGING THIS FORWARD, WE
NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AND FIGURE
THIS
OUT, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE
TO LEAD IN, WE HAVE TO BE --
IF THERE'S NOT AN ALIGNMENT
WITH KING COUNTY REGARDING THIS,
BUT
WE SEE IT A DIFFERENT
PATHWAY, LIKE WE NEED TO BE LOUD
AND CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO KNOW THAT AS WE
KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT
ARE FRUSTRATED AND SO A
MEASURED APPROACH MAKING SURE
OUR COMMUNICATION IS ON POINT
WHEN WE'RE ARTICULATING THINGS
AND ALSO THAT THERE IS A PLAN.
I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING
FORWARD ON THE DATES.
I PERSONALLY AND I'VE STATED
THIS, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE
VOTING ON ANYTHING
FINANCIALLY IN ADDITION TO GIVE
KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY UNTIL THERE'S A PLAN
WE SEE FORWARD, ME
PERSONALLY, TO FIGURE OUT HOW
THESE ARE BEING
SPENT WELL AND THE PLAN TO
IMPLEMENTING SO THEY HAVE
THE GREATEST IMPACT.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE
WORKING HARD ON THAT AND AGAIN
JUST
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS BEING
BROUGHT FORWARD, MEASURED
APPROACH, SO WE CAN KIND
OF CONTINUE THAT PROCESS
FORWARD.
REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
WORK ON THIS. THANK
YOU.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'M GOING
TO INTERJECT
BRIEFLY.
>> YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I WANT TO FOLLOW-UP WITH
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
IT'S HOMELESS.
NOT HOUSING.
MADAM CHAIR, I WANT TO THANK YOU
AND VICE CHAIR FOSTER, I'VE
BEEN WATCHING YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND WATCHING YOU SHEPHERD THE
SHELTER ISSUE, THE HOUSE ISSUE,
THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN
TRANSMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH, CITY COUNCIL, AND NOW
TRYING TO SHEPHERD, MANAGE IN
A MEASURED APPROACH THIS
ISSUE IS -- IT'S BEEN -- WE'RE
ALL
TRYING TO HAVE ALL
HANDS ON DECK, BUT IT'S BEEN
YOU TWO
THAT HAVE PROVIDED THE
LEADERSHIP
AND I HOPE PEOPLE SEE THAT AND
THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE
ON HOW WE, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS
THIS, FIX THIS.
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN
THE KING COUNTY REGIONAL
HOMELESS ON THE
BOARD, ON HOW YOU GET THE
INFORMATION BACK TO YOUR
COLLEAGUES, AND ALL OF THIS
DOVETAILS WITH THE SHELTER
LEGISLATION WE'RE DEALING
WITH AND I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC
TO SEE THAT THIS ISIS HARD
WORK AND YOU GUYS HAVE
REALLY STEPPED UP TO DO IT.
AND I'M JUST VERY PROUD TO BE
A COLLEAGUE AND HONORED TO
WORK WITH YOU TWO AND WATCH YOU
GROW AS LEADERS, YOU WERE
ALREADY
LEADERS, IN THESE DIFFICULT --
YOU KNOW I DON'T LIKE
USING THESE WORDS -- DIFFICULT
SPACES.
IT'S NOT EASY AND YOU'RE DOING
IT.
I WANT TO JUST KIND OF ECHO
WHAT COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUST
SAID.
THESE ARE DIFFICULT ISSUES
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH.
AND YOU TOO, JENNIFER, THANK
YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN IN ALL OF
IT. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING PAGE
NUMBERS ON THE
POWERPOINT.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE GENEROUS
WORDS.
DON'T MAKE ME TEAR UP WHILE
I'M TRYING TO CHAIR A MEETING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
RECOGNIZING VICE CHAIR
FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH, CHAIR. WE KNOW SHE HAD TO
END ABOUT
THE POWERPOINT BEING NUMBERED.
THAT WAS A CLASSIC ENDING.
I JUST WANTED TO -- I'M
GOING TO BE PREVIOUS.
I WANTED TO RESPOND TO COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH AND MAKE
SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU
NEED.
WE DIDN'T DIVE INTO THIS
IN DEPTH TODAY, BUT ONE OF
THE ACTIONS WAS -- THAT WAS
BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE GOVERNING
BOARD LEVEL WAS ESTABLISHING A
FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE -- FOR
KCRHA AND THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT I WANT TO APPRECIATE KING
COUNTY
MEMBER BARRONE WHO WAS
WORKING ON THAT AT THE BEGINNING
OF
THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE AUDIT AND
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE DID TO
BRING CHANGES TO THAT.
THAT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND JUST
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, SERVING
AS
CO-CHAIR OF THAT FINANCE
COMMITTEE, WE'RE WORKING ON
THE DETAILS AROUND THIS AND IF
THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE TO YOU IN THAT
ROLE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
YOU
KNOW YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND
I HEAR YOUR POINT AROUND
THE CONCERNS WITH THE
RESOURCING.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE
SURE YOU HAVE THAT AWARENESS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT
INFORMATION, VICE CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
AND
CO- CHAIRING IT.
NOT SEEING ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS.
COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR
THE DISCUSSION AND ENGAGEMENT ON
THIS.
WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR
US ON THIS ONE, AND I
SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP,
KIND
WORDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH THE LEGISLATION
TODAY FOR
A VOTE BY WAY OF PROCESS.
I'M FIRST GOING TO MOVE
THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE WILL
MOVE AMENDMENT ONE, WHICH IS
THAT
TECHNICAL AMENDMENT, JUST IN
TERMS OF PROCESS.
AND SO WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 32202.
THIS A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF THE
RESOLUTION. AND NOW I MOVE TO
AMEND
RESOLUTION
32202 AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT
ONE ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK
YOU. IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION
AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT 1.
ARE THERE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
ON AMENDMENT 1 BEFORE WE TAKE A
VOTE?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION
OF AMENDMENT
1.
>> CHAIR
RINCK.
>>
YES.
>> VICE CHAIR
FOSTER.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>>
YEA.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> YEA.
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR,
ZERO OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND
AMENDMENT 1 IS ADOPTED.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL COMMENTS ON
THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED?
WITH THAT, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO
ADOPT
THE RESOLUTION AS
AMENDED?
>> CHAIR
RINCK.
>>
YES.
>> VICE CHAIR
FOSTER.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH?
>>
YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>>
YEA.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> YEA.
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR,
ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO
ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED
WILL BE
SENT TO THE JUNE 2nd FULL
COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES, JEN,
MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. I APPRECIATE IT.
AND WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE
END OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE?
HEARING NONE, THE NEXT
MEETING OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
LABOR
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE WILL TAKE PLACE
FRIDAY,
MAY
29th.
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE
ARE ADJOURNED.
IT IS