Attachment 3

Task Force Meetings

Following is a list of Public-Private Partnership Task Force meetings and a brief summary of speakers and discussion.

11/24/98 – First meeting, convened by Mayor Schell and Council President Sue Donaldson. Task Force members, Facilitator David Harrison, and project assistant Sara Levin were introduced. Task Force members were then given their charge by the Mayor and Council President: to develop a set of standards for future public-private partnerships between the City and private parties. The Mayor suggested that standards be limited to partnerships between the City and a profit-making entity, and be focused on development of physical space.

12/8/98 – Briefings: Susan Baugh and Susan Cohen (Office of City Auditor) on their joint study of citizen participation and public-private partnerships; Sandra Cohen (City Law Dept.) on definition of public purpose, gifts, and legal issues involved in public-private partnerships; Vanessa Murdock (Seattle Design Commission) on the Commission’s review of public-private partnerships; and Mary Bourguignon (1994 Citizens’ Capital Investment Committee) on the successes and challenges of a task force recommending changes in City approaches to capital projects. Task Force member Neil Peterson presented the first draft of a definition of partnerships to be considered within the group’s purview.

1/13/99 – Presentations of research results. Susan Baugh (Office of City Auditor) discussed her study of public-private partnerships in other jurisdictions. Sara Levin presented information on national organizations and best practices models for public-private partnerships. She also provided an annotated bibliography of readings on various issues related to PPPs. David Harrison walked the group through a draft "typology" of standards for public-private partnerships. This document outlined areas of conceivable inquiry, including disclosure and public review and the nature of public expenditure.

1/28/99 – Mary Jean Ryan, Director of the Office of Economic Development, presented information on the financing strategies the City uses to engage in public-private partnerships, and a list of potential partnerships that her department could undertake in the future.

2/9/99 – David Harrison and Mary Jean Ryan briefed the Government, Education & Labor Committee of the Seattle City Council on the Task Force’s work to date.

2/18/99 – Four City of Seattle department heads discussed upcoming public-private partnerships, and ways in which the Task Force’s proposed standards could be helpful. Department heads: Virginia Anderson (Seattle Center); Dwight Dively (Executive Services Department); Deborah Jacobs (City Librarian); and Lizanne Lyons (Strategic Planning Office).

3/4/99 – Private Sector Panel: Gerry Johnson (attorney with Preston, Gates & Ellis) discussed his involvement with several recent public-private partnerships of note, including Pacific Place Garage and Pacific Medical Center. He recommended steps that the City could take to ensure that the objectives of a public-private partnership are made clear to the public. Bruce Lorig (Lorig Associates, LLP) reminded the group that a successful public-private partnership needs clear objectives on the public side, and well-defined projects. Both speakers took questions from the Task Force and observers.

3/18/99 – Group discussion of the Task Force’s progress. Each Task Force member present summarized their learning to date and outlined which issues are important to them. Areas of importance included the need for the City to have a compelling reason for entering into a public-private partnership; the value of a clear process and timeline for review of projects; and ways to accomplish more effective citizen participation and confidence in the process.

4/8/99 – Public Interest Panel: Rick Aramburu (land use attorney), Kent Kammerer (Seattle Neighborhood Coalition), and Chris Van Dyk (Citizens for More Important Things) discussed the need for: public trust in the City’s partnerships; accessibility for small businesses wanting to engage in PPPs; measurement of public benefit; and better analysis of the costs and benefits associated with a potential project. Representatives from Elevated Transportation Company also spoke to the Task Force about potential public-private partnerships in building a monorail.

5/8/99 – Public Working Session, Rainier Community Center. (See Attachment 4.)

5/13/99 – Group debriefing on recommendations made at the public workshop. The group also discussed the draft "Framework" for public-private partnerships, a three-stage process incorporating connection of projects to City goals and public review of projects. An "independent review panel" was first discussed in depth by the group, with no consensus on its makeup or function.

5/27/99 – Further discussion of an independent review panel. The group generally agreed that a panel would be appropriate for limited use in late "stage 2" of the proposed framework, after clarification of City goals and initial review by City staff. The group also heard from the Chair and Director of the Ethics and Elections Commission, who outlined standards from the Ethics Code which may be relevant to public-private partnerships.

6/8/99 – Task Force briefing with Mayor Schell. The Mayor commented on the group’s work to date and took questions from Task Force members. He suggested that whatever standards are proposed be revisited after a one year test period. The Mayor found the group’s work on a protocol for reviewing partnership dimensions to be very useful. He expressed concern over some elements of the potential partnership review panel.

6/24/99 – Task Force discussion focusing on revisions to the protocol and further deliberation over the nature and use of a review panel. The group also revised the definition of PPPs subject to the proposed standards, and proposed a financial "trigger" for automatic review of partnerships.

7/22/99 – Group members reviewed a DRAFT Report to the Mayor and City Council and suggested various edits and content changes. Discussion continued on the timing and use of a project panel. The group adjourned with plans to officially present their final report to the Mayor and Council at the September meeting of the City Council’s Government, Education & Labor Committee.

9/14/99 – The PPPTF met to make final amendments to the DRAFT report, and to discuss their presentation to the City Council’s Government, Education & Labor Committee scheduled for September 28, 1999. Some of the revisions to the DRAFT were based on comments from a representative of the City Law Office and the Executive Director of the Seattle Design Commission.