WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME
HEARING YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER -- [ AUDIO
DIFFICULTY ]
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> HERE.
>> JODY, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> HERE.
>> JODY?
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> HERE.
>> JODY, WE ARE HAVING HIGH
LEVEL OF INABILITY TO BE ABLE
TO HEAR YOU.
CAN EVERYBODY ELSE HEAR JODY?
YOU GUYS CAN HEAR JODY.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
I'M SORRY, JODY.
GO AHEAD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> HERE, HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERPLE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ.
>> HERE.
>> NINE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBERS BEFORE WE GO
AHEAD AND START THIS MORNING'S
MEETING, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUES RELATED TO SUSPENSION OF
THE RULES SO THE COUNCIL RULES
ARE SILENT ON ALLOWING
ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION AT
COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETINGS.
TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING
REMEETING I AM GOING TO MOVE TO
SUSPEND THE COUNCIL RULES
THROUGH JUNE 17th, 2020, TO
ALLOW THIS MEETING TO OCCUR
WHILE PARTICIPATING THROUGH
ELECTRONIC MEANS.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION?
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
COUNCIL RULES ARE SUSPENDED AND
COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETINGS WILL
CONTINUE TO BE HELD WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS PARTICIPATING
ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH JUNE
17th, 2020.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES OF MAY 26th, 2020 WILL
BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE ADOPTED.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE WE
BEGIN TODAY'S SUBSTANTIVE
CONVERSATION OF ISSUES, I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS
KNEW AT THE TOP OF TODAY'S
AGENDA THAT THE ORIGINAL
PROCLAMATION 20-28 RELATED TO
THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT
AND PORTIONS OF THE PUBLIC
RECORDS ACT AS WELL HAS BEEN
EXTENDED, BUT IT HAS BEEN
EXTENDED ONLY THROUGH JUNE
17th OF 2020.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE
TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND
HIS TEAM AND TO THE ASSOCIATION
OF WASHINGTON CITIES AND OTHERS
FOR CHIMING IN ON THAT
CONVERSATION AND CONSISTENT
WITH THE ADVOCACY WE HAVE
CHAMPIONING OUT OF MY OFFICE
RELATED TO SOME FLEXIBILITY ON
PROCLAMATION 20-28, WE WERE
ABLE TO RECEIVE A NEW
PROCLAMATION THAT WAS NOT ONLY
EXTENDED BUT REVISED TO ALLOW
FOR A HIGHER LEVEL OF
FLEXIBILITY IN ALLOWING LOCAL
AGENCIES WHO ARE SUBJECT TO
THE -- TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL
MATTERS THAT ARE NOT JUST
STRICTLY WITHIN THE CONSTRUCT
OF THE COVID-19 RESPONSE.
SO WE, THROUGH THAT
PROCLAMATION 20-28.4 ARE ABLE
NOW TO CONSIDER MATTERS THAT
THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD NORMALLY
CONSIDER, BUT WE ARE STILL
REQUIRED TO DO THAT BY
PROVIDING A REMOTE TOOL LIKE
THE ONES WE ARE USING NOW.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF
READ SOME OF THE LANGUAGE FROM
THAT PROCLAMATION TO MAKE SURE
FOLKS UNDERSTOOD THE PARAMETERS
OF THAT AND THE PROCLAMATION
READ, QUOTE, WE INTEND THIS
ORDER TO BE THE SUPERSEDING
ORDER ON THIS TOPIC.
WE INTENDED TO ALLOW THE
GOVERNMENT'S GREATER
FLEXIBILITY IN THE CONTENT OF
THEIR OPMA MEETINGS BY REMOVING
THAT LIMITATION.
THE DEEPER WE GET INTO THIS
EMERGENCY THE HARDER IT IS FOR
GOVERNMENTS TO TACKLE THE
BUSINESS WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AT THIS JUNCTURE WE WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF
JUNE TO DO REMOTE MEETINGS AND
I AM REALLY GRATEFUL THAT 20-28
WAS REVISED IN A WAY THAT
ALLOWS US TO DO OUR BUSINESS AS
NORMAL WITH THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT WE ARE STILL REQUIRED TO
PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH A MEANS
TO VIEW OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND
REALLY GRATEFUL THAT NOW THIS
PROCLAMATION TAKES INTO ACCOUNT
THAT THIS TECHNOLOGICAL TOOL IS
SUFFICIENT FOR US TO CONTINUE
TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR
PIECE IF FOLKS HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR WANT TO MAKE ANY
COMMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, PLEASE.
>> I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT ADVOCACY EFFORT WITH
OLYMPIA.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
WANTED TO ALSO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA WHO IS
HELPING ME WITH -- FOR
CONTINUING TO REPRESENT OUR
INTERESTS THERE.
OF COURSE WE ONLY HAVE THIS
PROCLAMATION IN PLACE FOR
ANOTHER TWO WEEKS, BUT I AM
CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE
TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
OUR OPERATIONS SHOULD ROLL OUT
IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 AND
THE PANDEMIC.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE
US THROUGH OUR MEETING,
COLLEAGUES.
I WANT TO START OFF AT THE TOP
OF THE AGENDA BY ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT TODAY WE START THIS
MEETING WITH A RATHER HEAVY,
HEAVY HEART AND HEAVY MIND.
WE KNOW THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND CERTAINLY HERE IN SEATTLE
WE SAW A WEEKEND OF
DEMONSTRATIONS AND PROTESTS
ACROSS THE NATION THAT WERE
SPURN BY THE LATEST LOSS OF
BLACK LIFE AND THAT IS THE LIFE
OF GEORGE FLOYD.
MANY OF YOU, I'M SURE, HAVE
SEEN THE VIDEO IN WHICH MR.
FLOYD USES HIS LAST BREATH TO
CALL FOR HIS MOTHER. IT IS A
DIFFICULT MOMENT FOR MANY OF
US, WHETHER YOU'RE A MOTHER OR
NOT, AND I KNOW THAT MANY
PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY ARE FEELING THE
LOSS AS THOUGH IT WAS THEIR
OWN, AND THAT HAS RESULTED IN A
LOT OF ANGER AND A LOT OF
FRUSTRATION THAT IS NOT NEW TO
OUR COMMUNITIES AND
PARTICULARLY TO COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN OUT ON THE STREETS IN
SEATTLE ARE A PRODUCT OF THAT
FRUSTRATION.
IT IS A PRODUCT OF YEARS OF
OPPRESSION, OF BEING LEFT OUT
OF ECONOMIC SYSTEMS, OF BEING
SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE IN OUR
OWN COMMUNITIES, IN HAVING FEAR
OF THE VERY THING THAT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE THERE TO PROTECT
YOU.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION THAT I KNOW WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE HERE ON ZOOM, AS
LEADERS OF OUR CITY, I CALL ON
US TO BE RESPECTFUL AND
COMPASSIONATE OF EACH OTHER, TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT OUR
COMMUNITY WANTS RIGHT NOW IS
UNITY AND UNITY DOESN'T MEAN
THAT WE DENY FRUSTRATION.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE IGNORE
THE REALITIES OF THE PAIN AND
THE GRIEF.
IT DOES MEAN THAT WE CALL UPON
EACH OTHER AS LEADERS AND AS
MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO
STAND TOGETHER, TO HELP OUR
COMMUNITY GRIEVE AND TO HELP
CHART FORWARD A PATH OF HEALING
AND UNDERSTANDING AND THAT IS
NOT AN EASY TASK FOR ANYBODY TO
DO, AND I SIT HERE THINKING OF
THE FACT THAT MY OWN PERSONAL
LIFE HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY
POLICE VIOLENCE.
I HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS TO
POLICE VIOLENCE.
I HAVE BEEN FACED WITH THE
REALITY OF HAVING A YOUNGER
BROTHER WHO HAS CALLED THE
POLICE ONLY TO HAVE A GUN
PULLED OUT ON HIM WHEN HE WAS
CALLING FOR HELP.
AND I AM GRATEFUL EVERY DAY
THAT HE IS STILL ALIVE TODAY IN
SPITE OF THAT SITUATION.
SO THIS IS PERSONAL TO MANY OF
US.
AND MANY OF US ARE SURVIVORS OF
THIS SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION.
AND WHAT I SAW THIS WEEKEND WAS
A MANIFESTATION OF THAT
FRUSTRATION AND THAT ANGER AND
IT'S UP TO US TO FIGURE OUT HOW
WE CAN EXPRESS OUR FRUSTRATION
IN A WAY THAT WILL HAVE
SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND THERE'S A
LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT CAN
LOOK AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT
SHAPES THAT THAT CAN TAKE.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN
ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO HOLD
EACH OTHER IN COMMUNITY, TO NOT
SUBJECT EACH OTHER TO
ADDITIONAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE AND
TRAUMA AND TO HOLD THOSE WHO DO
ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY
IF THEY HAVE A BADGE,
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT VIOLENCE.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SYSTEM
IN PLACE IN LARGE PART BECAUSE
OF THE LEADERSHIP OF MANY
MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY, IN
PLACE RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, THROUGH OUR POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT WE
PASSED IN 2017 THAT WAS
COMMUNITY DRIVEN AND I HAVE
CONFIDENCE IN THAT SYSTEM TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATION
AND TO DOLE OUT JUSTICE AS
APPROPRIATE IN THE CONTEXT OF
SEATTLE, AND THIS MASSIVE
EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE GOING
THROUGH HERE IN OUR OWN CITY IS
GOING TO BE A STRESS TEST FOR
THAT SYSTEM.
AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND IT WILL BE UP TO US AND IN
PARTICULAR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD TO
LEAD US WHAT WILL BE AN
EXTRAORDINARY TEST OF OUR
SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT
IS CIVILIAN LED.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED
TIRELESSLY OVER THE YEARS AND
HAVE BEEN PART OF MANY CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENTS TO GET US TO
WHERE WE ARE AT NOW AND I HOPE
THAT WE CAN ALL CONTINUE TO
WORK TOGETHER TO HOLD THOSE IN
POWER ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT
INCLUDES US.
I WANT TO END MY REMARKS BY
ACKNOWLEDGING -- BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAIN AND THE
GRIEF THAT SO MANY IN OUR
COMMUNITY ARE FEELING.
AND TO SAY THAT WE STAND WITH
THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO BE
SUBJECTED TO POLICE VIOLENCE
AND TO THE LOSS OF THEIR
CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS AND
THEIR SISTERS AND THEIR
BROTHERS AS A RESULT OF
SOMETHING THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
PREVENTABLE AND OUR CHALLENGE
IS TO FIGURE OUT EVERY DAY HOW
TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING
AGAIN.
AND I AM READY FOR THAT
CHALLENGE.
AND I AM READY TO WORK WITH
EACH OF YOU AND EACH MEMBER OF
OUR COMMUNITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW
WE RISE TO THE OCCASION AND TO
SEE HOW THAT LOOKS.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
THE WORK THAT I KNOW YOU ALL
ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO DO FOR
YOUR TENACIOUS ADVOCACY IN THIS
SPACE AND, MOST OF ALL, FOR
YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR
COLLABORATION, AS I KNOW WE ARE
ALL STRUGGLING WITH THIS, NOT
JUST HERE IN SEATTLE, BUT
ACROSS THE NATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND
IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WHO IS GOING TO LEAD US
THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION.
WE DO HAVE TO DO REPORTS OF THE
WORK THAT IS BEFORE US AND THAT
WE HAVE DONE, BUT IN REALITY IT
ALMOST FEELS HOLLOW TO GO
THROUGH OUR REGULAR AGENDA THIS
MORNING, SO I DO WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FOR THOSE OF
YOU WHO WANT TO GIVE REPORTS OF
YOUR COMMITTEE WORK, YOU ARE
ABSOLUTELY LOUD TO DO THAT.
BUT I DO WANT -- I DO THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE IN A
UNIQUE SPACE THIS MORNING AND
FOR THOSE WHO FEEL THEY NEED TO
DISPENSE WITH THEIR COMMITTEE
REPORTS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO
SO.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I LIKE
TO YOU NOW FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND YOUR GUIDANCE TO THIS
CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
THANK YOU FOR SETTING THE
CONTEXT AND SETTING THE TONE
FOR THE COUNCIL'S EFFORTS AND
ENGAGEMENT MOVING FORWARD.
YOU HAVE DONE SO WITH WORDS OF
LOVE AND COMPASSION AND
HEALING, WITH ALSO RECOGNIZING
THAT THERE'S A LOT OF RAGE IN
OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, NOT
JUST HERE IN SEATTLE, BUT ALL
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE PROTESTS THIS WEEKEND
IN OVER 70 CITIES ACROSS THE
NATION.
IN MOVING FORWARD WITH MORE
CONTEXT AROUND LOVE AND
COMPASSION, HEALING AND RAGE, I
WAS REALLY PROUD TO ATTEND NOT
THIS TIMES EVENT AT WESTLAKE ON
SATURDAY AT 3:00 P.M.
I THANKED ANDRE TAYLOR FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP AND FOR HIS PUTTING
FORWARD AND LEADING AND LIFTING
THE VOICES OF IMPACTED FAMILY
MEMBERS WHO HAVE LOST FOLKS.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT
CLERGY CAME OUT TO PARTICIPATE
AND, AGAIN, LIFTING THE WORDS
OF RAGE AND SORROW DOES NOT
MEAN WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD
WITH NONVIOLENCE.
I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY NOT
THIS TIME'S USE OF LOVE IN THE
FACE OF LOSS OF LIFE TO
SUCCESSFULLY MOVE POLICYMAKERS
IN THIS PHASE AND IN THIS STATE
TOWARDS REFORM SO BLACK AND
BROWN PEOPLE DO NOT SUFFER FROM
TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCES WITH
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INSURING
THOSE OFFICERS THAT CALLUSLY
TAKE PRECIOUS LIFE ARE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
EMBRACING NONVIOLENCE DOES NOT
HAVE TO CONSTRAIN OUR RIGHTS
FROM EXPRESSING RAGE, SORROW
AND HEART BREAK FOR THE
FAILURES OF THIS NATION THAT
BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE BUILT,
FAILURES TO DELIVER JUSTICE IN
LAW ENFORCEMENT, DELIVER
ECONOMIC EQUALITY AND DELIVER
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY.
THIS WAS THE TONE THAT WAS SET
AT THE EVENT THAT I ATTENDED AT
3:00 P.M.
AT WESTLAKE.
AND, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE
COMMITMENT TO EFFORTS THAT
EMBRACE NONVIOLENCE WAS REALLY,
AGAIN, EMBRACED AND INTEGRAL TO
THE COMING TOGETHER AT
WESTLAKE.
BUT JUST A BLOCK AWAY IT WAS A
VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT
SCENE, AND I WAS TRAVELING KIND
OF BACK AND FORTH FROM
LISTENING TO SPEAKERS, TO
TRYING TO SEE WHAT WAS
HAPPENING ON SIXTH AND PINE
THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON, AND
WHILE I -- WHEN I WAS AT THE
LOCATION, I WAS WILLING TO
BELIEVE THAT EVERY TIME I HEARD
A FLASH BOMB OR SAW A RELEASE
OF TEAR GAS, THAT MAYBE I
WASN'T CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR
WHAT WAS HAPPENING OR SEE WHAT
WAS HAPPENING.
BUT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH
PEOPLE AFTER THE EVENT, PEOPLE
CONFIRMED FOR ME THAT THEIR
EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THEY WERE
NOT RECEIVING ADVANCED NOTICE
OR RECEIVING ORDERS TO DISPERSE
WHICH ARE REQUIRED UNDER CITY
LAW.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT
AND READ THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THE -- OF THE CITY IN OUR
LEGISLATION AND THIS IS
LEGISLATION THAT -- AROUND
CROWD DISPERSAL THAT RESULTED
FROM THE ENGAGEMENT AND
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION.
THE SECTION STARTS, UPON
DETERMINING THAT THERE ARE ACTS
OR CONDUCT WITHIN A GROUP OF
FOUR OR MORE PERSONS THAT
CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF
CAUSING INJURY TO ANY PERSON OR
SUBSTANTIAL HARM TO PROPERTY,
THE INCIDENT COMMANDER MAY
ORDER THAT THE CROWD BE
DISPERSED.
BEFORE ORDERING THAT THE CROWD
BE DISPERSED, THE INCIDENT
COMMANDER SHALL CONSIDER
WHETHER LESS RESTRICTED MEANS
OF CROWD MANAGEMENT ARE
AVAILABLE.
SUCH MEANS MAY INCLUDE
STRATEGIES, SUCH AS AREA DENIAL
AND/OR SEEKING VOLUNTARY
COMPLIANCE.
UPON DETERMINING THAT DISPERSAL
IS APPROPRIATE, THE INCIDENT
COMMANDER SHALL ENSURE THERE IS
AN AVENUE OF EGRESS SUFFICIENT
TO ALLOW THE CROWD TO DEPART.
THE INCIDENT COMMANDER OR
DESIGNEE WILL ISSUE THE ORDER
TO DISPERSE PRIOR TO
INSTRUCTING OFFICERS TO
DISPERSE THE CROWD.
UPON DETERMINING THAT THE CROWD
PRESENTS AN INTIMATE RISK TO
PUBLIC SAFETY OR THAT LARGE-
SCALE PROPERTY DESTRUCTION
APPEARS LIKELY, THE INCIDENT
COMMANDER MUST CONSIDER PLACING
OFFICERS AT THE REAR OF THE
CROWD TO VERIFY THAT THE ORDER
TO DISPERSE WILL ACTUALLY BE
HEARD BY ALL, AND THEY ISSUE
THE FOLLOWING ORDER, I AM, RANK
AND NAME, OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
I AM NOW ISSUING A PUBLIC
SAFETY ORDER TO DISPERSE AND I
COMMAND ALL OF THOSE ASSEMBLED
TO IMMEDIATELY DISPERSE, WHICH
MEANS YOU MUST LEAVE THE AREA.
IF YOU DO NOT DO SO, YOU MAY BE
ARRESTED OR SUBJECT TO OTHER
POLICE ACTION.
OTHER POLICE ACTION COULD
INCLUDE THE USE OF CHEMICAL
AGENTS OR LESS LETHAL MUNITIONS
WHICH MAY INFECT SIGNIFICANT --
OR RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.
IF YOU REMAIN IN THE AREA JUST
DESCRIBED REGARDLESS OF YOUR
PURPOSE YOU WILL BE IN
VIOLATION OF CITY AND STATE
LAW.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE COMMANDS
THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE ISSUED
BEFORE EACH AND EVERY ORDER TO
DISPERSE -- OR BEFORE EACH AND
EVERY ACTION TO DISPERSE A
CROWD.
THIS SECTION GOES ON TO SAY
THAT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF
TIME MUST BE GIVEN FOR THE
CROWD TO DISPERSE AND THAT
AMOUNT OF TIME MUST BE STATED,
AND THE ORDER TO DISPERSE MUST
BE REPEATED BEFORE EACH ACTION
ON THE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF
CIVILIAN-LED POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND WE KNOW THAT
THE OPA HAS ALREADY RECEIVED
COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF
COMPLAINTS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA
HAS GENERATED A LOT OF VIDEO
EVIDENCE, AND I WANT TO ALSO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
FOR COMPILING A NUMBER OF THOSE
VIDEOS AND SENDING TO THE
POLICE CHIEF JUST THIS WEEKEND,
WHICH I ALSO FORWARDED ON TO
DIRECTOR MEYERBERG.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ARE
PROVIDING FOR THE COUNCIL TO
COME TOGETHER ON WEDNESDAY, OUR
HOPE IS TO NOT ONLY HEAR FROM
THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE FIRE
CHIEF AND THE EXECUTIVE ON
ISSUES RELATED TO INJURIES, THE
LOSS OF WEAPONS IN THE INSTANCE
THAT ASSAULT WEAPONS WERE TAKEN
FROM A POLICE CAR AND AT LEAST
TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS,
HEARING ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO
PROPERTY DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO TO
REALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND HEAR
FROM THEM ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCES, SO WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT ASSEMBLING A PANEL BEFORE
THE MEETING BEGINS.
THERE WILL OF COURSE, AS THERE
ALWAYS IS, THERE WILL ALSO BE
PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE MEETING THAT WE WILL BE
HAVING ON WEDNESDAY.
THE TIME HAS NOT YET BEEN
IDENTIFIED.
HE ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE THE
OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY, THE OFFICE OF
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION AND
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
HAS A MEETING THAT MORNING AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
ARE ABLE TO BE PRESENT.
AS MENTIONED, THE OFFICE OF
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY DIRECTOR
ANDREW MEYERBERG HAS
ACKNOWLEDGED THE WORK THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO BE DOING MOVING
FORWARD.
HE HAS CONFIRMED THAT INCIDENTS
THAT COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
SENT ON AS WELL AS SCORES OF
OTHERS ARE UNDER ACTIVE
INVESTIGATION.
HE HAS CONTACTED US TO SAY THAT
THE OPA IS IN THE PROCESS OF
IDENTIFYING THE INVOLVED
OFFICERS AND ARE REVIEWING THE
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VIDEO
THAT WAS RECORDED BOTH BEFORE,
DURING AND AFTER THE INCIDENTS.
DIRECTOR MEYERBERG SAYS HE WILL
BE IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE
MORE INFORMATION OVER THE NEXT
FEW DAYS AND WELCOMES THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF US.
HE MENTIONS THAT NO
DETERMINATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE
BY THE OPA REGARDING THE
PROPRIETY OF ANY OF THE USE OF
FORCE AND FINDINGS WILL NOT BE
ISSUED UNTIL AFTER A FULL
INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN
CONDUCTED, WHICH WILL INCLUDE,
FORENSIC VIDEO REVIEW AND
WITNESSES' COMPLAINT AND
OFFICER INTERVIEWS.
I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE FACT
THAT THE OPA IN DOING ITS
INVESTIGATIONS, DOES CONSULT
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE
WITNESSED THESE EVENTS AND I
THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A
REALLY SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE
OPA'S INVESTIGATION, IS THE
TIME AND EFFORT NECESSARY TO
INTERVIEW THE MANY, MANY, MANY
PEOPLE WHO HAVE WITNESSED THESE
EVENTS OF THE WEEKEND.
AGAIN, IN, I THINK, THE LAST --
THE LAST THING I WANT TO CLOSE
OUT WITH IS JUST, I WANT TO,
AGAIN, THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN
THIS AREA.
I WANT TO MENTION AS WELL THAT
-- I'M SORRY.
I'M LOSING TRACK HERE.
I WANT TO PUBLICLY MENTION THAT
FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LISTENING WHO
HAVE COMPLAINTS REGARDING
OFFICER MISCONDUCT, THE --
AGAIN, THE CITY HAS A THREE-
PRONGED ACCOUNTABILITY
STRUCTURE AND YOU CAN FILE
COMPLAINTS ANONYMOUSLY BY
EMAILING OPA @SEATTLE.GOV AND
YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITE TO
READ MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS AT
HTTP -- IN ADDITION, THERE'S A
PHONE NUMBER THAT YOU CAN USE,
206-864-8797.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT CALL VOLUME
IS VERY HIGH RIGHT NOW AND
THAT'S, OF COURSE, TO BE
EXPECTED.
AND, YOU KNOW, I ALSO JUST WANT
TO -- AGAIN, I DON'T THINK I
NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL OF WHAT
I HAVE SEEN OVER THE WEEKEND ON
SOCIAL MEDIA BUT SUFFICE IT TO
SAY THAT THERE IS A LOT VIDEO
EVIDENCE OUT THERE THAT
CONFIRMS THAT OUR CITY HAS WORK
TO DO AS IT RELATES TO PROPERLY
HANDLING INTERACTIONS WITH
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
PARTICULARLY AT TIMES LIKE THIS
AND I REALLY AM LOOKING FORWARD
TO DOING THAT WORK AND TO
JOINING WITH THOSE OF YOU ON
THE COUNCIL WHO I KNOW ARE AS
COMMITTED AS I AM AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ IS IN
ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES TO HEAR
FROM COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE LIFTING THEIR
VOICES IN MAKING US A BETTER
CITY.
AND SO I THINK BEFORE MOVING ON
TO OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS, IT
MIGHT BE GOOD FOR COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ TO HEAR
WHETHER OR NOT FOLKS ON THE
COUNCIL HAVE COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS.
>> YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD
ALLOW FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION, COMMENTS
AND REMARKS HERE BEFORE WE MOVE
ALONG.
SO I KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE
A LOT OF INTEREST BY MY
COLLEAGUES ON THIS -- WHICH IS
WHY I ASKED COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD BEFORE THE MEETING TO
AGREE TO GO FIRST SO WE CAN
HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ADDRESS
THIS ISSUE.
SO, COLLEAGUES, NOW IS THE TIME
TO INDICATE TO ME THAT YOU ARE
INTERESTED.
I SAW COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
HAND GO UP, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS' HAND WAS RAISED AND THEN
WE WILL HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST ONE SECOND.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
JOSH FLOYD SAID, I CAN'T
BREATHE AGAIN AND AGAIN WHILE
HIS LAST BREATH OF LIFE WAS
LATCHED AWAY BY THE MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS MURDER.
IT IS MURDER AT THE HANDS OF
THE POLICE AND THE RACIST STATE
AND IT IS COMMONPLACE IN
CAPITALIST AMERICA WHERE WE
HAVE JUST SEEN THE RACIST
KILLINGS OF BRIANNA TAYLOR AND
AHMAUD ARBERY, AMONG OTHERS.
ON SATURDAY I WAS HONORED AND
PROUD TO SPEAK AT THE JUSTICE
FOR GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST WHICH
WAS HELD IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
AND ORGANIZED BY COMMUNITY
LEADERS AS PART OF THE
NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT AGAINST
POLICE VIOLENCE AND RACIST
KILLINGS OF BLACK AND BROWN
PEOPLE AND OF POOR PEOPLE AND
OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS.
AT THAT PROTEST I PERSONALLY
WITNESSED THE UNACCEPTABLE
ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE FROM THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND
WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS, IF NOT
THOUSANDS OF ACCOUNTS FROM
ORDINARY PEOPLE, COMMUNITY
MEMBERS OF UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT
FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
IT IS TRAGICALLY IRONIC THAT WE
LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE A
PROTEST AGAINST POLICE
BRUTALITY AND VIOLENCE WAS MET
WITH POLICE BRUTALITY AND
VIOLENCE.
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS
COMMUNITY USED TEAR GAS, MACE,
FLASH BANG GRENADES AND OTHER
TYPES OF EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE
ON THE PEACEFUL PROTESTS.
TO GIVE EXAMPLES OF WHAT I MEAN
BY INDISCRIMINATE, ONE OF THOSE
IS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE REPORTING
BEING ENVELOPED IN CLOUDS OF
TEAR GAS, REPEATED FLASH BANG
GRENADES WHICH I WITNESSED
MYSELF.
MANY OF US HAVE SEEN THE VIDEO
OF A 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL MACED BY
POLICE OFFICERS AND THERE ARE
COUNTLESS OTHER EXAMPLES.
MANY PROTESTERS REPORTED THAT
POLICE OFFICERS HAD THEIR
IDENTIFICATION COVERED UP WITH
BLACK TAPE AND WHETHER OR NOT
POLICE OFFICERS ARE LEGALLY
REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY
THEMSELVES, IT IS CLEARLY AN
ATTEMPT TO PREVENT
ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN PEOPLE WHO
ARE AMONG POLICE WHO ARE
VIOLENTLY SUPPRESSING PROTESTS
ARE ACTIVELY HIDING THEIR
IDENTITY.
ASTOUNDINGLY, THERE ARE ALSO
VIDEOS OF AN SPD OFFICER
KNEELING ON SOMEONE'S NECK
DURING AN ARREST ON SATURDAY.
IT IS UNSPEAKABLE.
INSTEAD OF ANSWERING THE
DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY
NATIONWIDE, THE ESTABLISHMENT
IN EVERY CITY KEEPS ESCALATING.
THERE ARE CALLS FOR THE
NATIONAL GUARD, DECLARATIONS OF
CURFEW, AND MAYOR DUR CAN AND
OTHER POLITICIANS WHO CLAIM TO
BE SADDENED BY THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD HAVE ENABLED THE
SYSTEMATIC RACISM AND VIOLENCE
FROM THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY
ACCOUNTABILITY ACTUALLY AS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY DON'T
AGREE THAT THERE HAS BEEN ANY
ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHERE IS THE OUTRAGING FROM
POLITICIANS OVER THE KILLING OF
CHARLEENA LYLES, SHAY TAYLOR,
THE 24-YEAR-OLD JUST A FEW
WEEKS AGO WHO WAS KILLED BY THE
POLICE, SHOT IN THE HEAD WHILE
HOLDING HIS BABY IN HIS ARMS.
AND NONE OF THESE KILLINGS AT
THE HANDS OF THE POLICE HAVE
BEEN PROSECUTED OR PUNISHED.
THE OUTRAGING ON THE STREETS
REPRESENTS THE DEEP COMMUNITY
ANGER ABOUT POLICE VIOLENCE ON
TOP OF THE PROFOUND AND LONG-
STANDING SUFFERING CAUSED BY
THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT'S
FAILURE TO MEET THE BASIC NEEDS
OF WORKING PEOPLE BEFORE AND
DURING THE CRISIS.
THE MAYOR SAID, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE -- THIS IS A QUOTE,
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MUCH
OF THE VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION
BOTH HERE IN SEATTLE AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN INSTIGATED
AND PERPETUATED BY WHITE MEN.
THESE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE A
HEIGHT OF PRIVILEGE AND --
MEANT TO -- PARTICULARLY BLACK
AMERICANS, UNQUOTE.
I'M SORRY.
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL
APPLICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY
FOR A STUNNINGLY VIOLENT POLICE
FORCE.
THERE WERE FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN THERE, MANY FAMILIES
WITH CHILDREN, WITH ELDERLY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE.
AS ACTIVIST AND COMMUNITY
LEADER NIKKITA OLIVER SAID,
QUOTE, THE GOOD VERSUS BAD
PROTEST -- IS A FALSE
DICHOTOMY.
IT IS INTENDED TO DISTRACT US
FROM THE REAL ISSUE, VIOLENT
POLICE AND POLICE BRUTALITY.
IT IS MASS VICTIM BLAMING AND
GAS LIGHTING, UNQUOTE.
WHERE WAS THE CURFEW AND
MILITARIZED POLICE PRESENCE
WHEN ARMED WHITE -- RIGHT
WINGERS WERE PROTESTING TO OPEN
THE STATE AGAINST THE VIRUS.
I AM CONFUSED, SHE SAYS, ON HOW
YOU ARE PROTECTING THE FIRST
AMENDMENT OF OUR HOME.
SEATTLE DOESN'T NEED A CURFEW,
PEPPER SPRAY, DOESN'T NEED
MACE, TEAR GAS OR FLASH BANG
GRENADES.
WE NEED AN END TO RACIST POLICE
VIOLENCE.
WE NEED ECONOMIC AND HOUSING
SECURITY, INCLUDING IMMEDIATE
COVID RELIEF HOUSING AND JOBS
O THE AMAZON TAX.
WE NEED AN END TO HUMANE
HOMELESS SWEETS.
WE NEED THE CANCELLATIONS OF
RENTS, MORTGAGES AND UTILITY
PAYMENTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE
LOST INCOMES WHO ARE
PREDOMINANTLY WORKING CLASS AND
POOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
WE NEED AN ELECTED COMMUNITY
OVERSIGHT BOARD WITH FULL
POWERS OVER THE POLICE
INCLUDING HIRING AND FIRING.
I AM GLAD THAT A CITY COUNCIL
MEETING IS BEING ORGANIZED FOR
WEDNESDAY BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE
THAT REAL ACCOUNTABILITY WILL
COME WITHOUT ORDINARY PEOPLE
BUILDING A MASS -- MOVEMENT.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE LAUNCHED A
COMMUTE COMPETITION AS A FIRST
STEP DEMANDING THAT MAYOR
DURKAN AND THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL -- LAUNCH -- MISCONDUCT
AT THE JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD
PROTESTS AND DISCIPLINE OR FIRE
ALL OFFICERS WHO ENGAGED IN
EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE,
BRUTALITY AGAINST PROTESTERS
AND OTHER MISCONDUCT.
NEARLY 2600 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED
THIS PETITION AND IT WAS
LAUNCHED ONLY AT AROUND 8:30
LAST NIGHT.
THERE IS TREMENDOUS ANGER AMONG
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND A DEMAND
THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY ADDRESSED
FINALLY, AND I WILL SAY, IN
CLOSING, THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH
TO HAVE WORDS AND RHETORIC.
THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS VOTED ON
A POLICE CONTRACT THAT THE
COMMUNITY SAID PLEASE VOTE NO
ON THIS POLICE CONTRACT.
IT TAKES AWAY ACCOUNTABILITY.
UNFORTUNATELY I WAS THE ONLY
"NO" VOTE ON IT AND
UNFORTUNATELY SECTIONS OF THE
LEADERSHIP ALSO WERE -- ABOUT
THAT CONTRACT.
I AM PROUD THAT OVER 40 RANK
AND FILE UNION LEADERS AND RANK
AND FILE AND UNION LEADERS
STOOD WITH ME SUPPORTING THAT
BLACK COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE THE
UNDERSTAND AN INJURY TO ONE IS
AN INJURY TO ALL.
I WILL MENTION AN HONORABLE
THING THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY
MEMBERS OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT
HAS LED BY A MEMBER OF
SOCIALIST -- ADAM BURCH IN
MINNEAPOLIS.
HE IS A BUS DRIVER AND HE'S A
MEMBER OF ATU LOCAL 1005 AND HE
DECLARED THAT HE WILL NOT BUS
PROTESTERS TO JAIL.
HIS FELLOW MEMBERS, THE UNION
HAVE JOINED HIM.
ATU INTERNATIONAL ISSUED A
STATEMENT FOLLOWING THAT,
MINNEAPOLIS NURSES, MINNEAPOLIS
TEACHERS, AND I AM ALSO
ANNOUNCING THAT -- AND DECLARED
THAT AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN
INJURY TO ALL.
THAT IS THE KIND OF COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING WE NEED LED BY
MEMBERS OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE
ABSOLUTELY CANNOT ACCEPT THE
LIFTING OF THE CONSENT DECREE
FOR EXCESSIVE POLICE FORCE
BECAUSE THAT IS THERE FOR GOOD
REASON.
I KNOW MAYOR DURKAN AND THE
POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT ARE
ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE THE
POLICE FORCE FROM THAT CONSENT
DECREE IN ONE BREATH AND THEN
SAY THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY
GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I DON'T THINK THE TWO THINGS
ARE CONSISTENT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A CONSENT
DECREE AND AN INSTANT COMMUNITY
LED INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT
HAPPENED ON SATURDAY ALONGSIDE
DISCIPLINE AND FIGHTING OF
OFFICERS WHO WERE INVOLVED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DID YOU
WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND
TO ANY OF COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S COMMENTS OR WOULD YOU
LIKE FOR EVERYBODY TO COMMENT
BEFORE THAT?
>> I AM TAKING NOTES.
I CAN -- IF I COULD, JUST DO
SOME WRAP-UP COMMENTS AT THE
END.
>> GREAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL DO SO.
NEXT UP WAS COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THERE'S A VERY LOUD NOISE
OUTSIDE MY WINDOW.
IF I COULD MAYBE LET
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS GO FIRST
AND THEN I WILL GO AFTER HIM.
>> GREAT.
YEAH, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
ARE YOU READY TO GO NOW?
>> YES.
THANK YOU.
>> THERE YOU GO.
FLOOR IS YOURS AND WE WILL HEAD
BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND
THEN COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> WHAT I SAW THIS WEEKEND WAS
PAIN.
I SAW THE ACCUMULATION --
PERPETUATED AGAINST AFRICAN-
AMERICANS COME TO A HEAD.
CAUSE DESTRUCTION.
I AM A WHITE MAN.
I FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WILL
NEVER TRULY UNDERSTAND THE PAIN
OF MY BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORS
AND THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT I
DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WHAT I CAN DO IS LISTEN AND USE
MY POWER AND PRIVILEGE TO
DISRUPT THE CYCLE OF OPPRESSION
IN HOUSING AND EDUCATION AND
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND
IN HEALTHCARE.
TO MY FELLOW WHITE FOLKS, WE
MUST BELIEVE PEOPLE WHEN THEY
TELL US ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES
WITH RACISM AND WE MUST
CONFRONT RACISM.
SUBTLE OR OVERT.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE COMPLICIT OF
PERPETUATING THESE SYSTEMS AND
RACIST ACTIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP MORE
SPACE HERE AND NOW TO MY BLACK
AND BROWN NEIGHBORS.
PLEASE KNOW I SEE YOU, HEAR YOU
AND FIGHT WITH YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
NEXT UP WE WILL HEAD BACK OVER
TO COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT AND I WANT TO THANK
ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE
SPOKEN SO FAR ON THEIR REALLY
IMPORTANT WORDS THIS MORNING
AFTER A WEEKEND THAT HAD SO
MUCH POWER IN IT.
YOU KNOW, AND I STRONGLY JOIN
-- I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR
EVERYONE ON THIS COUNCIL IN
CONDEMNING THE CALLOUS AND
HORRIFIC KILLING OF GEORGE
FLOYD BY AN OFFICER OF THE
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
WHICH IS WHY IT WAS SO GREATLY
INSPIRING TO SEE HUNDREDS OF
DEMONSTRATORS ASSEMBLE UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF NOT THIS TIME
AT WESTLAKE PARK IN THE HEART
OF DISTRICT SEVEN ON SATURDAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE BRAVE
JOURNALISTS NATIONALLY AND
LOCALLY WHO IN SOME CASES AT
GREAT PERIL TO THEMSELVES HAVE
COVERED THESE DEMONSTRATIONS
FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE.
OUR COMMUNITY IS BENEFITING
FROM THE MASSIVE AND RIGHTEOUS
AIRING OF THE EXTREME
INEQUALITY AND THE EXTREME
SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT UNDERPINS
OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IN
THE UNITED STATES.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE
CAN'T LET THE ACTIONS OF A FEW
PEOPLE WHO ENGAGED IN LOOTING
DISTRACT FROM THE CORE MESSAGE
OF THOSE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO
TOOK TO AMERICA'S STREETS TO
DEMONSTRATE.
OF COURSE WE ALL FLATLY CONDEMN
LOOTING.
BUT TODAY THAT CAN'T BE THE
NARRATIVE AND THAT CAN'T BE
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT WE HAVE TO BE TALKING
ABOUT IS THE RACIAL BIAS AND
POLICING IS REAL, THAT IT'S
ONGOING, AND THAT IT FREQUENTLY
RESULTS IN THE TRAGIC LOSS OF
LIFE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND WE CAN'T ABANDON, LIKE THE
PRESIDENT HAS, OUR ROLE IN THIS
HISTORIC MOMENT AS LEADERS WITH
THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO
DEMAND CHANGE AS A CITY
COUNCIL.
WE AS A SEE COUNCIL HAVE POWER
TO CONTINUE TO REFORM AMERICAN
POLICING AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF OUR OWN
OVERSIGHT AGENCIES THAT WE
RECORDED IN FEBRUARY IN LETTERS
ATTACHED TO RESOLUTION 31-930
PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR PATHS
TOWARDS MORE ACCOUNTABLE
POLICING THAT WE CAN WORK
TOWARDS AS A COUNCIL AND A
COUPLE THOSE HIGHLIGHTS, BROAD
SUBPOENA POWER, A PREPONDERANCE
STANDARD FOR FINDINGS OF
MISCONDUCT, AN EXTENSION OF THE
180 TIMELINE FOR INVESTIGATIONS
OF MISCONDUCT, PROHIBITING
DENOVO REVIEW ARBITRATORS OF
THE POLICE CHIEF'S DISCIPLINARY
ACTIONS.
THESE MEASURES AND MANY OTHERS
DEMAND FULL ATTENTION OF THIS
COUNCIL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING ON THESE ISSUES WITH
ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, AS DOES
UNDERPINNING ALL OF THIS, THE
NEED FOR SUPPORT, PROTECTION
AND THE EXPANSION OF THE HARD
FOUGHT ACCOUNTABILITY AGENCIES
THAT MADAM PRESIDENT YOU WORKED
SO HARD, THE OFFICE OF POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL DURING
DIFFICULT BUDGET DISCUSSIONS
THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THIS
YEAR.
AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I
LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMITTEE
MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY.
I WILL CERTAINLY COME PREPARED
WITH MY QUESTIONS.
AND WE CANNOT FORGET THAT AT
THE CORE OF THIS WEEKEND WHAT
WE WITNESSED WAS HISTORY AND
THAT AS LEADERS WE BEAR A
RESPONSIBILITY TO RISE TO THIS
CHALLENGE AND TAKE ON THE HARD
WORK OF REFORM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO DIGGING INTO
THAT WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS,
FOR THOSE REMARKS.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND THEN
HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, PLEASE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, CAN
YOU MUTE, PLEASE.
NOW WE CAN HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A FEW OF
THE VIDEOS THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD MENTIONED THAT I SHARED
WITH THE DIRECTOR MEYERBERG AND
THE CHIEF.
THESE ARE VIDEOS AND REPORTS
THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY
SEEN.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT MENTIONED
THEM AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ
REFERENCED THEM AS WELL.
A 9-YEAR-OLD PEPPER SPRAYED IN
THE FACE AND SCREAMING IN
TERROR, HOLDING TO HER DAD
WHILE MILK WAS POURED OVER HER
FACE.
A THUMB AMPUTATED BY A FLASH
BANG DEVICE AND THE MEDICAL
CREW AMONG THE DEMONSTRATORS
HAD TO TEND TO THIS PERSON.
MULTIPLE REPORTS THAT AUDIBLE
WARNINGS WERE NOT GIVEN TO A
DIVERSE CROWD, INCLUDING
CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES.
TEAR GAS FIRED JUST A BLOCK
AWAY, 100 YARDS AWAY WAS
REPORTED ONLINE FROM THE MAIN
RALLY, PUSHING PEOPLE INTO THE
MAIN RALLY INSTEAD OF
SEPARATING THOSE WHO MAY BE
USING DIVERSE PROTESTING
TACTICS.
GAS CANISTERS FIRED INTO THE
CROWD, HITTING PEOPLE, HITTING
BODIES, HITTING FACES INSTEAD
OF GOING UP INTO THE AIR.
WE HEARD STORIES FROM PEOPLE AT
THE PROTESTS THAT THERE WERE
PARENTS RUNNING DOWN THE
STREETS HOLDING THEIR TODDLERS
UNDER THEIR ARM, AND I SAW TV
REPORTERS ECHOING THE SAME
SENTIMENT.
PEOPLE RUNNING AWAY BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO
GET OUT OF HARM'S WAY FROM THE
POLICE AND THEIR DISPERSAL
TACTICS, TEAR GAS, NOISE
DEVICES, USING BIKES.
I SAW A COUPLE WHO APPEARED TO
BE SHOCKED AND COVERED IN RED
MACE OR SPRAY FROM THE PEPPER
SPRAY IN THEIR FACE, REACHING
FOR EACH OTHER BECAUSE THEY
COULDN'T SEE EACH OTHER.
THEY WERE ON THE SIDEWALK.
THEY HAD BEEN PUSHED TO THAT
SIDEWALK BY THE SAME POLICE
USING THOSE BIKES.
I HAVE BEEN IN THOSE
SITUATIONS, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN
IN THOSE SITUATIONS.
WE EXPECT TO HEAR A NOTICE FOR
DISPERSAL AND THOSE WHO ARE
USING DIVERSE PROTESTING
TACTICS BECAUSE ALL TACTICS ARE
SOMETIMES NEEDED TO CALL
ATTENTION TO ISSUES IF IT IS AN
EFFORT TO DRAW ATTENTION AND
USE A SIT-IN STRATEGY OR TO
BLOCK A STREET, DIVERSE TACTICS
ARE OFTEN USED.
BUT IN THAT SITUATION WHERE
PEOPLE WERE STANDING ON THE
STREET, NOT CAUSING HARM, NOT
ASSAULTING OFFICERS, NOT
HARMING PROPERLY, IN THOSE
VIDEOS THAT WE SAW, THERE WAS
NO DISPERSELE FORMING.
PEOPLE WERE ACTIVELY HARMED BY
THE STRATEGIES USED.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
MINNEAPOLIS OR NEW YORK OR LOS
ANGELES OR AUSTIN OR ALL OF THE
CITIES THAT WE SAW AN EXTREME
USE OF FORCE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE IN
OUR CITY, RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN
BACK YARD, RIGHT HERE ON THE
SAME STREETS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
PROUD OF OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO
REFORM STRATEGIES AND USE DE-
ESCALATION TACTICS.
NONE OF THOSE TACTICS APPEARED
TO BE USED AND IT WAS A UNITED
STRATEGY, APPARENTLY, ACROSS
EACH OF THE CITIES BECAUSE IT
IS INHERENT AND EMBEDDED IN
SYSTEM THAT NEED REFORM.
MORE THAN THE REFORMS THAT WE
HAVE IMPOSED IN THE PAST.
THE VERY THING THAT EVERYBODY
WAS PROTESTING, EXCESSIVE
POLICE FORCE, WAS MET BY A
MILITARIZED RESPONSE.
A MILITARIZED RESPONSE.
YES, IT WAS STOKED BY THE
PRESIDENT AND, YES, IT WAS
STOKED BY OTHERS, BUT IT WAS
CARRIED OUT RIGHT IN OUR CITY,
AND AS THE PRESIDENT OF
MINNEAPOLIS' CITY COUNCIL SAID,
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW HER, LISA
BENDER, A LEADER WITHIN LOCAL
PROGRESS, SHE SAYS TWO YEARS
AGO THE CITY CREATED -- EFFORTS
TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY
THROUGH THE LENS OF PUBLIC
HEALTH AND SHE WENT ON TO SAY,
IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT OUR
ATTEMPTS TO INCREMENTALLY
REFORM OUR POLICING HAVE
FAILED.
WE NEED DEEP STRUCTURAL CHANGE.
IT IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, IT IS
IMPERATIVE AND WE HAVE LAID THE
GROUNDWORK FOR IT.
I THINK SEATTLE IS IN THE SAME
PLACE WE HAVE LAID THE
GROUNDWORK BUT MUCH MORE
STRUCTURAL CHANGE IS NEEDED.
SO I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO GET TO
THE ACCOUNTABILITY ELEMENTS OF
THIS, AS YOU HEARD, I E-MAILED
THE POLICE CHIEF AND HAVE BEEN
IN CONVERSATIONS, THANKS TO
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, WITH
ANDREW MEYERBERG, THE DIRECTOR
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VIDEOS,
ONLY THE FEW VIDEOS THAT I HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO COMPILE AND I KNOW
THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE LOOKING AT
HOURS AND HOURS OF VIDEOS, BUT
AS WE -- AS WE KNOW THAT THERE
WILL BE A PROCESS, WE CANNOT
WAIT, WE CANNOT LOSE SIGHT OF
THE REASON BEHIND THE THOUSANDS
IN THE STREET AND THIS COUNTRY,
THE OUTRAGING, THE FEAR, THE
GRIEF, AT THE SENSELESS AND
VIOLATE KILLING -- HERE IN
SEATTLE AS WELL.
AND MILITARIZED RESPONSE ONLY
FUELS MORE UNREST AND MORE
DISTRESS AND IT ENDANGERS OUR
UNARMED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO
ARE JUSTIFIED IN BEING IN THE
STREETS.
ABUNDANT AND EXCESSIVE FORCE
ONLY BRINGS GREATER ANGER AND
FURTHER SILENCES OF VOICE OF
THOSE ARE ALREADY UPSET THAT
THEIR VOICE CONTINUES TO BE
SILENCED AND IGNORED.
PROTESTS TAKE MANY FORMS AND WE
IN SEATTLE HAVE SHOWED WHAT IT
MEANS TO HAVE CIVIL
DISOBEDIENCE OF VERY DIFFERENT
KINDS.
SO, YES, LET'S NOT GET INTO THE
RHETORIC OF THE GOOD PROTESTER
AND THE BAD PROTESTER.
AS ONE MINNEAPOLIS ORGANIZER,
MAIN ORGANIZER WHO HAS BEEN
TRYING TO WORK WITHIN THE
SYSTEM TO CHANGE AND REFORM THE
SYSTEM SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY
SPENT MANY HOURS SITTING DOWN
WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR
AND THEIR CITY COUNCILS AND HE
SAYS I DON'T CONDONE
DESTRUCTION BUT I UNDERSTAND
IT.
SO, COLLEAGUES, I HOPE WE ARE
ALL SAYING WE UNDERSTAND WHY
THE DESTRUCTION HAPPENED, AND
WE UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE
UPSET AFTER CENTURIES OF
OPPRESSION, SLAVERY, SENSELESS
KILLINGS, IT IS NO WONDER THERE
IS ANGER AND OUTRAGE HERE AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO BE ANGRY
OR UPSET WITH THE POLICE AND IT
DOES NOT WARRANT THE TYPE OF
RESPONSE THAT WE SAW THAT
ESCALATED BY THE POLICE ACTIONS
IN THE STREET.
AND TO HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS,
HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WHO E-MAILED ME AND THEN ALSO
WERE REPORTED ON -- IN "THE
SEATTLE TIMES" AND OTHER
OUTLETS OVER THE WEEKEND SAY
THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS NOT
ACTUALLY WHAT THE EXPERIENCE
WAS, PEOPLE ARE REPORTING IN
THE "SEATTLE TIMES" THEY FELT
GAS LIGHTED, THAT THEIR
EXPERIENCE BEING IN THE TREAT
WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE WAY IN
WHICH THE LEADERSHIP IN THE
CITY WAS RESPONDING TO THE
CONCERNS OUT THERE.
PEOPLE HAD CHILDREN WITH THEM.
THERE WERE PARENTS WITH THEM.
THERE ARE FAMOUS WITH THEIR AND
THAT IS THE TYPE OF RESPONSE
THEY FACED.
I WANT TO EXPRESS HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGH ON
THESE ACCOUNTABILITY
CONVERSATIONS.
I THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THE THEIR FOR HAVING THE
MEETING ON WEDNESDAY.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE DON'T FORGET TO UNDERSCORE
THE BRAVERY AND THE SOLIDARITY
AND THE CAMARADERIE THAT WE SAW
AMONGST THE PROTESTERS IN
SEATTLE, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER
WHAT YOUR TACTICS WERE, WE SAW
PEOPLE COMING OUT AND ENJOYING
SOLIDARITY ACROSS THE CITY FOR
FOLKS WHO SAW THE RESPONSE
ACROSS THE NATION, WE KNOW THAT
IT IS IMPERATIVE TO INTERRUPT
BUSINESS AS USUAL TO GET
ATTENTION AND WE CANNOT ALLOW
OURSELVES TO FALL INTO
RESPECTABILITY POLITICS WHEN
THIS DEMANDS ACTION AND
ATTENTION.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO
STOOD IN THE STREETS, WHO
DEMANDED JUSTICE, WHO SHARED
THEIR STORIES ONLINE IF THEY
WERE NOT ABLE TO GO OUT THIS
WEEKEND, AND WHO ARE INTERESTED
IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ACT TO
THIS CALL TO ACTION SO THERE'S
NOT ANOTHER NAME IN OTHER TWO
WEEKS IN OTHER CITY OR EVEN IN
ANOTHER TWO HOURS.
AND I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH
THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
MADE ALREADY BY THIS COUNCIL
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE
COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO LED THE
ACTIONS OVER THE WEEKEND.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
NEXT UP WE WILL HEAR FROM
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES MORALES
AND IF THERE ARE OTHER MEMBERS
LET ME KNOW.
YOU ARE ON MUTE, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ AND COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD FOR ALL THE WORK YOU
HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE
WEEKEND.
WE KNOW THE LAST COUPLE OF
WEEKS HAVE BROUGHT INTO RELIEF
THE DEPTHS OF THE STRUCTURAL
RACISM IN OUR SOCIETY.
WE WERE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT
THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF COVED
AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACTS THAT IS HAVING ON BLACK
AND BROWN COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
THEN TO SEE THE CALLOUSED
DEMEANOR OF A POLICE OFFICER AS
HE KNEELS ON A MAN'S NECK AND
LISTENS TO HIM PLEAD FOR HIS
LIFE FOR EIGHT MINUTES AND
KILLS HIM, OR THE CONFIDENCE OF
A WHITE -- TO SET UP AN
INNOCENT BLACK MAN.
OR EVEN THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE
SEEN UNFOLD IN OUR OWN CITY.
THESE BLATANT EXPRESSIONS OF
RACISM OPERATE WITHIN ALL
SYSTEMS OF OUR SOCIETY IN THE
WAY IT'S STRUCTURED AND IT HAS
UNLEASHED A FURY OF OUR BLACK
NEIGHBORS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
AND IN SEATTLE AND IT'S A FURY
WE SHOULD ALL SHARE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS DOWN THERE THIS
WEEKEND AT WESTLAKE AS MANY OF
YOU WERE, AND I HAVE BEEN
HEARING ALL WEEKEND FROM
CONSTITUENTS, CLERGY WHO WENT
TO BEAR WITNESS, PEOPLE WHO
WENT TO SERVE AS ALLIES, YOU
KNOW, AND WHAT EVERYBODY
REPORTS IS THAT THEY WERE
ENGAGED IN PEACEFUL
DEMONSTRATION AND THINGS WERE
FINE UNTIL THE S.W.A.T.
TEAM ARRIVED, UNTIL THE BIKE
PATROL ARRIVED, YOU KNOW, AND
THE FEELING OF THE FOLKS WHO
WERE DOWN THERE IS THAT THERE
WAS AN EXPECTATION, THERE WAS
JUST WAITING ON THE PART OF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE
PROVOKED AND THERE WAS -- THERE
DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A PREPARATION
FOR DE-ESCALATING ANYTHING.
INSTEAD, THERE WAS THE KIND OF
REACTION THAT WE SAW THIS
WEEKEND.
I WAS ALSO DOWN IN THE CID
YESTERDAY AND I WANT TO SAY
THAT I WAS HAPPY TO SEE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING OUT TO
HELP REPAIR WINDOWS, YOU KNOW,
TO CLEAN GRAFFITI OFF OF THE
WALLS AND I FEEL FOR THOSE
SMALL BUSINESSES AND I AM HAPPY
TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING
TO HELP DO THESE REPAIRS AND I
AM EXTREMELY THANKFUL THAT
NOBODY WAS INJURED THERE.
BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT TO HEAR
IS FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS TO BE
TOLD TO BE CIVIL, NOT TO BE
REACTIONARY, TO BE TOLD THAT
LOOTING DOESN'T SOLVE ANYTHING,
AND, YOU KNOW, IT DOES MAKE ME
WONDER AND ASK THE QUESTION WHY
LOOTING BOTHERS PEOPLE SO MUCH
MORE THAN KNOWING THAT ACROSS
THE COUNTRY BLACK MEN AND WOMEN
ARE DYING EVERY DAY AND FAR TOO
OFTEN AT THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO
ARE SWORN TO PROTECT AND SERVE.
YESTERDAY'S HEADLINE IN THE
"NEW YORK TIMES" WAS "FACING
PROTESTS OVER USE OF FORCE,
POLICE RESPOND WITH MORE
FORCE."
IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN HERE OR
IN MINNEAPOLIS.
IT HAPPENED IN EVERY CITY
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO IT'S TRUE THAT WE NEED
TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT THAT'S NOT
ENTIRELY IN OUR CONTROL.
WHAT IS IN OUR CONTROL IS HOW
WE ACT HERE IN SEATTLE AS LOCAL
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND HERE'S
HOW WE LEAN INTO OUR ANTIRACIST
VALUES AS THE MAYOR SUGGESTED
YESTERDAY.
WE WITHDRAW THE MOTION TO
TERMINATE THE CONSENT DECREE,
WE RESTORE THE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT
COMMUNITY FOUGHT SO HARD FOR.
WE REALLOCATE OUR BUDGET TO
IMPROVE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
THAT CAN CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY
úGAP AND REPAIR THE HARM DONE T
OUR BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES.
WE INVEST IN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY FOR
OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES
IN A CREDIBLE AND THOUGHTFUL
WAY.
WE DISMANTLE GENERATIONAL
LANDOWNERSHIP THROUGH COMMUNITY
OWNERSHIP.
WE FULLY FUND THE OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE --
PROGRAM.
WE CAN'T KEEP TOKENIZING THIS
PROGRAM.
THE WORK OF THOSE CITY
EMPLOYEES IS CRITICAL TO THE
WAY THE CITY OPERATES AND THE
POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES
EMBEDDED IN THE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVE NEED TO
ACTUALLY SHOW UP IN THE
CRITICAL DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE
ABOUT THE POLICE FORCE.
NO ONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED BY
THIS UPRISING.
WE ALL KNOW THE BRUTAL HISTORY
OF OPPRESSION IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE HAVE AN ENTIRE LEXICON OF
PROTEST SONGS THAT GO BACK
GENERATIONS, JUST IN MY
LIFETIME I LISTED SOME THAT
CAME TO MIND IMMEDIATELY THIS
MORNING, A CHANGE IS GOING TO
COME, GET UP, STAND UP, TAKING
IT TO THE STREETS, KNOW YOUR
FIGHTS, TALKING ABOUT A
REVOLUTION, PEOPLE HAVE THE
POWER.
THIS IS NOT NEW IN THIS
COUNTRY, BUT IT IS TIME TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
MY CONSTITUENTS ARE TIRED. MY
STAFF IS TIRED.
AND AS AN ALLY, I WILL CONTINUE
TO CHECK IN WITH THE
COMMUNITIES THAT I REPRESENT,
THE COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED
BY THIS.
AND WILL LEVERAGE MY POSITION
IN OFFICE TO CALL FOR REAL
CHANGE AND REAL ACCOUNTABILITY
BECAUSE OUR BLACK NEIGHBORS
HAVE CARRIED THE BURDEN OF THIS
EMOTIONAL TRAUMA FOR TOO LONG.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES FOR THOSE REMARKS.
AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY
WHO HAS SPOKEN THUS FAR FOR
YOUR REMARKS.
DO WANT TO OFFER ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY TO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER
THAN ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SPOKEN
BEFORE ME AND I JUST WANT TO
LET YOU KNOW I STAND IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH MY COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES ON THIS.
I HAVE PLEDGED TO BE A GENUINE
ALLY AND HELP ENSURE WE CENTER
THE VOICES OF THOSE HARMED BY
POLICE OFFICERS ACTING
INAPPROPRIATELY, AND TO ENSURE
ACCOUNTABILITY WITH OUR
OVERSIGHT AND OUR POLICY MAKING
POWERS AS A CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN. COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER
COMMENTS BEFORE WE -- BEFORE WE
ALLOW COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD TO
HAVE THE LAST WORD?
I KNOW WE PROCESS GRIEF AND
TRAUMA DIFFERENTLY SO I WANT TO
BE RESPECTFUL OF THOSE FOLKS
WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN UP YET.
I THINK WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE ARE ALL PROCESSING THIS
IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I SAW COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
HAND GO UP AGAIN.
WE WILL HEAR FROM SAWANT AND IF
THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, WE
WILL HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ.
I WANTED TO MAKE TWO POINTS.
ONE IS IN JUST -- BECAUSE WE --
IF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE
CITY'S POLITICAL OFFICIALS ARE
SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING -- WE
HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACTS AS
WELL, AND ONE OF THE FACTS IS
THE STUNNING CONFERENCE AND
COMMENTS BY MAYOR DURKAN AND
CHIEF BEST.
IT IS EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE,
THE COMMENTS THAT THEY HAVE
MADE AND I HAVE ALREADY SHARED
ONE OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE
WHOLE BAD PROTESTER VERSUS GOOD
PROTESTER THAT MAYOR DURKAN IS
-- THIS IS THE LENGTH THAT HER
ADMINISTRATION IS PUTTING
FORWARD.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER ASPECT TO
IT AS WELL.
IN OUR MESSAGE ABOUT GEORGE
FLOYD'S KILLING, SEATTLE POLICE
CHIEF BEST SAID, QUOTE, BECAUSE
OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S HIGH LEVEL OF
TRAINING, OUR COMMITMENT TO DE-
ESCALATION AND OUR TRACK RECORD
OF -- I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD NOT
OCCUR IN OUR CITY, UNQUOTE.
I AM STAND BY THIS.
IS CHIEF BEST BEING SERIOUS?
THIS IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WITH A LONG AND NOTORIOUS TRACK
RECORD OF SYSTEMATIC VIOLENCE
AGAINST COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,
POOR PEOPLE, HOMELESS NEIGHBORS
AND PEOPLE FACING MENTAL
ILLNESS.
THIS IS THE SAME POLICE
DEPARTMENT THAT HAS BEEN UNDER
U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONSENT
DECREES SINCE 2012.
CHIEF BEST SAYS SOMETHING LIKE
GEORGE FLOYD WOULD NOT OCCUR IN
OUR CITY.
ANYBODY WITH A MODICUM OF
HONESTY WILL KNOW AND ADMIT
THAT IT HAS HAPPENED AND
CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IN OUR CITY
AND NOT ONE SINGLE SPD OFFICER
HAS BEEN PROSECUTED.
LAND IN GLOVE WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS GUILD WHICH HAS
BEEN BIG COMPONENT OF
OBSTRUCTION TO POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE OTHER POINT IS THAT GEORGE
FLOYD'S MURDER IS A CHILLING
PREVIEW OF THE STAGED RESPONSE
NATIONWIDE DURING A DEEPENING
ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT HAS
ALREADY RESULTED IN NEARLY 14
MILLION PEOPLE BECOMING
UNEMPLOYED AND IT IS NOT A
COINCIDENCE THAT THIS BRUTAL
SUPPRESSION OF PROTEST WAS
PRESIDED OVER AND HAS BEEN
PRESIDED OVER BY THE SAME
ADMINISTRATIONS IN CITY AFTER
CITY THAT ARE GOING TO BE
CARRYING OUT OR ARE ALREADY
CARRYING OUT -- TO FUND SOCIAL
PROGRAMS.
THROUGHOUT HISTORY THE GREATER
THE INEQUALITY IN OUR SOCIETY,
THE MORE RESOURCES USED TO
MILITARIZE THE POLICE, TO
ENFORCE THAT INEQUALITY.
THAT IS WHY IN SEATTLE WE
ABSOLUTELY NEED TO FIGHT FOR AN
AVENUE THAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE
TO AUSTERITY THAT HAS ALREADY
BEEN DECLARED BY MAYOR DURKAN
AND WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY ACT
ON PASSING PROGRESSIVE REVENUES
TO INVEST IN HOUSING, JOBS AND
IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR WORKERS
BUT MOST IMMEDIATELY, OF
COURSE, WE NEED A COMMUNITY
LED, AN INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATION OF WHAT HAPPENED
ON SATURDAY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S REAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
CONVERSATION HERE BY HEARING
LASTLY FROM COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
I DO, BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR
COMMENTS, I WANT TO PUT ONE
LAST THING ON YOUR LIST OF MANY
THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE
TRACKING, THAT I APPRECIATE YOU
TRACKING ON OUR BEHALF AS OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR HERE.
BUT I AM HEARING THE POTENTIAL
THAT THE MAYOR IS CONSIDERING
RENEWING HER EXECUTIVE ORDER
AROUND THE CURFEW.
OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT EXPIRED
AT 5:00 A.M.
THIS MORNING.
I JUST WANT TO FLAG MY ONGOING
CONCERN ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF A
CURFEW RENEWAL.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
AS A COUNCIL ARE COMMUNICATING
BACK TO THE MAYOR A COLLECTIVE
POSITION ON THAT, PARTICULARLY
SINCE AN EMERGENCY ORDER THAT
IS GOING TO BE ONGOING RELATED
TO A CURFEW OR ANY OTHER ISSUES
COULD BE TAKEN UP BY THE CITY
COUNCIL, SO, AGAIN, I THINK THE
FOCUS HERE SHOULD BE ON MAKING
SURE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
IS RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF
PROTESTERS WHO WANT TO
DEMONSTRATE IN THE STREETS AS
OPPOSED TO ISSUING, YOU KNOW,
ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY ORDERS AT
THIS POINT.
I THINK THAT I HAVE SEEN OVER
THE LAST 48 HOURS THAT IT
DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE AS
EFFECTIVE AS I THINK SHE HAD
HOPED.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SORT OF
PUT THAT ON OUR COLLECTIVE
RADAR.
I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF THAT
WILL -- IF THAT EXTENSION WILL
OCCUR OR NOT, BUT TO THE EXTENT
THERE IS THINKING AROUND THAT,
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US
TO COMMUNICATE EARLY WITH THE
EXECUTIVE ON OUR COLLECTIVE
PERSPECTIVE ON THAT ISSUE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I DID
WANT TO TOUCH UPON BEFORE
CLOSING OUT DOES RELATE TO NOT
A CURFEW MOVING FORWARD, BUT
THE WAY THE CURFEW WAS PUT INTO
PLACE ON SATURDAY, BUT I DO, AS
IT RELATES TO POTENTIAL CURFEWS
MOVING FORWARD, I DO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT FROM THE
EXECUTIVE'S POSITION, THE
UTILITY OF THE CURFEW AS
DESCRIBED BY THE MAYOR IS TO
ALLOW THEM TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE.
THE FOCUS -- THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES ON
PEOPLE WHO STAY BEHIND WHEN A
CURFEW HAS BEEN CALLED, BUT
WHEN YOU CALL CURFEW AND YOU
HAVE A CITY FULL OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE COMMITTED TO PEACEFUL
DIRECT ACTION AND CIVIL
DISOBEDIENCE, I DON'T THINK
THAT THE UTILITY OF THE CURFEW
CREATES THE RESULTS OF, AGAIN,
HAVING THE SORT OF GOOD
PROTESTER/BAD PROTESTER
SEPARATION, BECAUSE LOTS OF
GOOD, WELL-MEANING PEOPLE WHO
ARE DRIVEN TO BE IN THE STREETS
BECAUSE OF THEIR COMPASSION AND
THEIR LOVE AND THEIR DESIRE FOR
CHANGE, STAY BEHIND EVEN WHEN
THE CURFEW WAS CALLED AND SO IF
THAT IS SOME SORT OF A -- YOU
KNOW, I'M SORRY FOR LACK OF A
BETTER WORD, ATTEMPT TO
SEPARATE OUT GOOD PROTESTERS
FROM BAD PROTESTERS, I DON'T
THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE THAT
SAME UTILITY.
THAT SAID, I MEAN, I DO
UNDERSTAND -- HAVING, YOU KNOW,
BEEN DOWN THERE ON SATURDAY AND
I DO UNDERSTAND WHY THE CURFEW
WAS CALLED.
I DO ALSO BELIEVE THAT MANY OF
THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO
THE CALLING OF THE CURFEW COULD
HAVE BEEN DIFFERENTLY EXECUTED
BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DE-
ESCALATION.
THE THING I WANT TO MENTION
ABOUT THE CURFEW, I GOT THE
CALL AT 4:57, I BELIEVE, FROM
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT THERE
WAS GOING TO BE A CURFEW AT
5:00, AND I SPENT THE NEXT HALF
HOUR, 45 MINUTES WALKING UP TO
EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT WOULD
RECEIVE ME, YOU KNOW, AFTER
TRYING TO MAKE EYE CONTACT
THROUGH MY MASK TO OTHER PEOPLE
WEARING MASKS, WENT UP TO EVERY
SINGLE BLACK PERSON THAT I
COULD -- THAT I COULD REACH TO
NOTIFY FOLKS THAT THIS CURFEW
HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED.
AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON
RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION IN A
WAY THAT WAS APPRECIATED AND
EVERY SINGLE PERSON EXPRESSED A
WISH THAT THAT INFORMATION HAD
BEEN CONVEYED WITH MORE
ADVANCED INFORMATION.
IF THE TACTICS OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND OUR CITY ARE
INTENDED TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR,
MANAGE CROWDS, THEY HAVE TO BE
DELIVERED IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE
CAN ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THEM,
MUCH LIKE I SHARED AT THE
BEGINNING OF MY REMARKS, THE
CITY'S LAW AND THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S POLICY FOR THE
CROWD DISPERSAL EFFORTS THAT
ARE REQUIRED, VERBAL COMMANDS
IN ADVANCE OF TAKING ACTIONS
LIKE PEPPER SPRAY, TEAR
GASSING, IF YOU -- IF THE CITY
WANTS PEOPLE TO TAKE AN ACTION
SUCH AS RESPONDING TO A CURFEW,
ADVANCED NOTICE REALLY NEEDS TO
BE MADE, AND THE OTHER ISSUE
THAT I HEARD FROM A LOT OF
PEOPLE ABOUT, AND I KNOW ALL
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE, IS THE
FACT THAT THERE WAS NO
COORDINATION WITH SOUND TRANSIT
AND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE
RESPONDING FAVORABLY TO THE
ORDER -- THE CURFEW ORDER AND
SEEKING TO LEAVE DOWNTOWN AND
GO HOME HAD NO WAY OF DOING SO
BECAUSE SOUND TRANSIT
OPERATIONS HAD CEASED DOWNTOWN.
I ALSO WANT TO FLAG ANOTHER
ISSUE THAT I HAVE HEARD A LOT
FROM FOLKS ABOUT, AND THAT IS
THE OBSERVATION, THE MORNING
BAND OBSERVATION OF POLICE
OFFICERS WHO HAVE A STRIP OF
BLACK TAPE ON THEIR BADGES, IN
THE CENTER OF THEIR BADGES THAT
COVERS THE BADGE NUMBER AND THE
RESPONSE FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, FROM CHIEF BEST WAS
A RECOGNITION THAT BANDS ARE
PERMITTED UNDER POLICE POLICY.
I ALSO WAS REMINDED THIS
WEEKEND BY FORMER COUNCILMEMBER
PETER STINEBROOK THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS PASSED A LAW THAT
REQUIRES THAT OFFICERS NOT
COVER THEIR NAMES AND THIS LAW
ITSELF DOES NOT OPINE OVER THE
COVERING OF BADGE NUMBERS ON
THE POLICE BADGES ITSELF BUT IT
REQUIRES THAT NAMES NOT BE
OBSCURED.
I THINK THERE IS A WAY AND THAT
WE SHOULD EXPLORE A WAY BECAUSE
I THINK THE PUBLIC IS RIGHT TO
EXPECT TO NOT JUST SEE
OFFICERS' NAMES BUT ALSO TO BE
ABLE TO RECORD THEIR BADGE
NUMBERS.
I THINK WE NEED TO WORK TO
AMEND THE CITY LAW THAT RELATES
ONLY TO PEOPLE'S NAMES, TO ALSO
REQUIRE THAT BADGE NUMBERS NOT
BE OBSCURED WHILE ALLOWING THE
TRADITION THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS HERE IN THE CITY
AND ALL ACROSS THE NATION OF
ALLOWING FOR MORNING BANDS.
I DON'T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE
A CONFLICT AND I THINK THE
PUBLIC IS RIGHT TO EXPECT TO BE
ABLE TO RECORD BADGE NUMBERS,
PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE
FACT THAT USE OF CELL PHONES IS
SUCH AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF
COLLECTING EVIDENCE ABOUT
POLICE ACTIVITY.
I THINK THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS
ALL THE MORE THE FACT THAT
BEING ABLE TO POSITIVELY BEING
ABLE TO IDENTIFY AN OFFICER IS
REAL IMPORTANT WHEN WE HAVE SO
MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES
WHO TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
AS CIVILIAN BYSTANDERS SO
SERIOUSLY AND THEY TAKE THAT
RESPONSIBILITY AND THE RISK
ASSOCIATED WITH BEARING WITNESS
TO THESE INTERACTIONS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THOSE
TWO ADDITIONAL, WHAT I SEE AS
REALLY POLICY ISSUES AROUND HOW
CURFEWS ARE DELIVERED AND WHAT
OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR POLICE
IDENTIFICATION.
AND THEN FINALLY I JUST WANT TO
RESPOND TO THE REQUEST FOR A
COMMUNITY-LED INVESTIATION.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE COUNCIL
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ON A THREE-
LEGGED ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
THAT IS CIVILIAN LED.
THE OPA DIRECTOR IS A CIVILIAN.
THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL IS LED BY A CIVILIAN,
AND, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE
COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION,
WHICH IS A CIVILIAN-LED
ORGANIZATION.
I DO AGREE, THOUGH, THAT WE DO
NEED A WAY TO PUT MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC AT THE CENTER OF THE
WORK THAT WE EXPECT OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM TO DO,
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE,
CREATING A PROCESS BY WHICH WE
ARE INSURING THAT THE OPA IS
TALKING TO AS MANY INDIVIDUAL
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE
FIRSTHAND WITNESS ACCOUNTS OF
THE ACTIVITIES.
I THINK FIGURING OUT A WAY TO
BOLSTER THAT ROLE WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME,
PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING THAT,
AGAIN, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE
WHO HAVE THESE FIRSTHAND
EXPERIENCES, AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO TALKING MORE WITH
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW
WE CAN LIFT THE VOICES OF THE
PUBLIC WITH THESE EXPERIENCES
AND WHILE RESPECTING THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM AND AN INVESTIGATION
PROCESS THAT IS LED BY
CIVILIANS, BUT REALLY
COMMITTING TO CENTERING THE
VOICES OF IMPACT TO COMMUNITIES
IN THOSE INVESTIGATIONS.
AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO
WRAP UP MY COMMITTEE REPORT,
KIND OF RETURNING TO OUR
NORMALLY SCHEDULED EMERGENCY,
JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE
LEARNED LAST WEEK THAT THERE
WILL BE A PROPOSAL -- OR THERE
THAT HAS BEEN A PROPOSAL FROM
THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO
THE SEATTLE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO
USE ALKI PLAY FIELD AND WALT
HUNDLEY PLAY FIELD AS EMERGENCY
HELI PADS TO TRANSPORT
EMERGENCY PATIENTS TO
HARBORVIEW, IN THE EVENT DURING
AN EMERGENCY IN THE -- THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT WILL BE CONDUCTING
PRACTICE RUNS IN EARLY JUNE
FROM THOSE TWO LOCATIONS.
AGAIN, THAT'S ALKI PLAY FIELD
AND WALT HUNDLEY PLAY FIELD.
I WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S
WORK IN THE COVID-19 CRISIS, AS
WE ALL KNOW, THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT HAS PIVOTED TO
WORKING ON FOOD ACCESS,
UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE LOST ACCESS TO
THEIR -- FOOD PROGRAMS AND MANY
MIGHT REQUIRES ASSISTANCE AS
THEIR WORKPLACES HAVE SHUT
DOWN.
MANY CONGREGATE MEAL SITES HAVE
CHANGED THEIR MODEL AND NOW
FOOD DELIVERED TO HOMES TO
ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS
HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD.
THOSE CONGREGATE MEAL SITES IN
THE MONTH OF MAY PREPARED
ALMOST 46,000 MEALS, THAT'S AN
INCREASE IN 12,000 MEALS OVER
THE TYPICAL NUMBER OF MEALS
PROVIDED.
I HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO
VOLUNTEER BOTH AT THE SOUTH
PARK SENIOR CENTER AND THE WEST
SEATTLE FOOD BANK, AT ONE OF
THE CONGREGATE MEAL SITES, WITH
WHICH HSD PARTNERS, AND I JUST
-- AS I DID LAST WEEK, I JUST
WANT TO AGAIN EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION FOR THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE TALENT
REDEPLOYMENT HUB AND THAT I
HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE AND THE
HONOR OF WORKING SIDE BY SIDE
WITH MAKING BAGS OF FOOD FOR
THE CENTERS TO DELIVER TO
PEOPLE IN NEED.
ALSO WANT TO APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT HSD DID OVER THE
WEEKEND TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
AS I THINK MOST OF US KNOW, THE
SEATTLE HALL SHELTER, AFTER THE
AREA WAS DAMAGED, THEY WORKED
TO FIND A NEW LOCATION FOR
PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP THERE.
21 INDIVIDUALS WERE REFERRED TO
THE SEATTLE CENTER'S FISHER
PAVILION.
NO ONE WAS TURNED AWAY.
SALVATION ARMY PROVIDED
TRANSPORTATION TO INDIVIDUALS
WHO CAME TO CITY HALL TO
ALTERNATIVE SHELTER OPERATIONS.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST WANT TO
MENTION, WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME
INFORMATION THAT THE CITY WILL
BE ANNOUNCING TWO IN ON-DEMAND
OUTSIDE TESTING SITES IN SODO
AND NORTH SEATTLE.
NORTH SEATTLE AT THE OLD
VEHICLE EMISSIONS TEST SITES.
THIS WILL INCREASE DAILY
TESTING CAPACITY BY ABOUT AN
ADDITIONAL 1600 PEOPLE A DAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE
LOOKING FOR SITES IN MY
DISTRICT IN WEST SEATTLE AS
WELL, AND GIVEN THE
DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSPORTATION
DURING -- DUE TO THE BRIDGE
CLOSURE, THAT WOULD BE WELCOMED
NEWS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE
RESIDENTS HERE IN WEST SEATTLE.
PUBLIC HEALTH JUST RELEASED A
NEW DATA DASHBOARD THAT TRACKS
KEY INDICATORS RELATED TO COVID
AND KERN COUNTY'S PROGRESS
TOWARDS MEETING GOALS AROUND
COVID ACTIVITY TESTING CAPACITY
AND HEALTH SYSTEM READINESS,
THERE ARE SOME OF THE METRICS
THAT STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS
WILL USE TO DETERMINE THE STEPS
THAT THE COUNTY CAN TAKE, AND I
APPRECIATE THEIR TRANSPARENCY
IN RELIANCE ON DATA AND SCIENCE
TO GUIDE OUR PLAN.
YOU CAN FIND THE DASHBOARD AT
KING COUNTY.GOV/COVID AND THEN
USE THE MENU ON THE LEFT TO
CLICK ON DATA DASHBOARDS AND
KEY INDICATORS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, AND FOR -- I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT ALSO IT WAS
PRETTY EXPLICIT THAT EVEN
THOUGH THIS CONVERSATION IS
GOING TO HAPPEN IN
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE, THAT THERE WILL BE,
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL
RULES THERE WILL BE AN
INVITATION TO ALL COUNCIL
MEMBERS TO ATTEND THE HEARING
SO THAT FOLKS ARE -- HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN
THAT CONVERSATION.
I WASN'T SURE IF WE EXPLICITLY
SAID THAT, BUT WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DID SO THAT FOLKS
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE ALL --
THAT YOU ALL ARE WELCOME TO
ATTEND THAT MEETING AT THE
INVITATION OF THE CHAIR,
CORRECT?
>> ALL COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
INVITED.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GONZALEZ FOR FLAGGING THAT.
NOT QUITE USED TO WORKING UNDER
THESE NEW RULES, HAVING WORKED
FOR 22 YEARS UNDER THE RULES
WHERE ANYBODY COULD ATTEND A
COMMITTEE MEETING.
BUT, YES, PLEASE.
I DO EXTEND AN INVITATION AND
WELCOME FOR ALL TO ATTEND AND
MY STAFF, AS I SPEAK, ARE
WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICES TO
IDENTIFY A TIME ON WEDNESDAY,
AS I MENTIONED, THE CPC MEETS
IN THE MORNING.
THERE'S ALSO COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES' COMMITTEE THAT MEETS
ON WEDNESDAY.
AND WE, OBVIOUSLY, ARE SEEKING
THE PARTICIPATION OF THE POLICE
AND FIRE CHIEFS AND THE
EXCLUSIVE AS WELL AS CPC,
DIRECTOR MEYERBERG AND THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL JUDGE, SO A
LOT OF COORDINATION TO DO, BUT
HOPE WE CAN LAND ON TIME THAT
WILL MAXIMIZE PARTICIPATION
FROM ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON
THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
MORE TO COME ON THAT, HOPING TO
BE ABLE TO PULL THAT TOGETHER.
I KNOW THERE'S ALSO A STRONG
INTEREST AND INTENT ON INVITING
FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN OUT
PROTESTING AND WHO CAN PROVIDE
US THAT PERSPECTIVE SO THERE'S
GOING TO BE A LOT OF MOVING
PIECES AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL
ALL COME TOGETHER AND IF THEY
DON'T, THEN COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND I WILL WILL HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT AN EIGHT
PART TWO MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ENGAGING IN
THAT CONVERSATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK
ABOUT THIS REALLY IMPORTANT
ISSUE, SO WE ARE GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND MOVE ALONG THROUGH
THE REST OF OUR AGENDA, SO I AM
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL ON
FOLKS NOW TO PROVIDE A PREVIEW
OF THEIR CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS,
COUNCIL ON REGIONAL COMMITTEE
WORK AND WE WILL DO THAT IN THE
ORDER OF TODAY'S ROLE CALL
ROTATION SO THAT WILL BE
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOLLOWED
BY MOSQUEDA, PEDERSEN, SAWANT,
STRAUSS, JUAREZ, LEWIS AND THEN
I WILL CONCLUDE TODAY'S REPORT.
SO COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
YOU ARE UP NEXT.
>> THERE ARE ITEMS FROM THE
COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE ON TODAY'S FULL
AGENDA.
AS HAS ALREADY BEEN NOTED, WE
DO HAVE THE COMMITTEE SCHEDULED
FOR WEDNESDAY, FOR THE BIA
REAUTHORIZATION,
REAUTHORIZATION AND VOTE.
WE WILL BE IN TOUCH ABOUT
WHETHER THAT TIME NEEDS TO
CHANGE OR NOT.
I THINK WE ALL WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HEAR
FROM THE MAYOR AND FROM OUR
POLICE CHIEF, IF THAT
OPPORTUNITY IS CONFIRMED.
I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE
ENCAMPMENT REMOVAL BILL FROM
LAST WEEK.
SEEMS LIKE AGES AGO, BUT LAST
WEDNESDAY DID HAVE A 5 1/2 HOUR
MEETING TO DISCUSS ENCAMPMENT
REMOVALS DURING THE COVID
PANDEMIC.
WE DID NOT HEAR EITHER DEPUTY
MAYOR ADDRESS OUR LEGISLATION
DIRECTLY.
WE ALSO DIDN'T HEAR AN ANSWER
TO THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW THEY
ENSURE THAT REFERRALS ARE
HAPPENING TO APPROPRIATE
SHELTER SPACE, AND WE REALLY
DIDN'T HEAR AN ANSWER TO THE
QUESTION OF WHAT CRITERIA WE
SHOULD BE USING FOR REMOVINGAN
ENCAMPMENT DURING COVID.
WE ARE CONTINUING CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T
GET TO THE DEEP ISSUES ABOUT
CITY POLICIES THAT CAUSED OUR
HOMELESS NEIGHBORS -- OUR
NEIGHBORS TO EXPERIENCE
HOMELESSNESS.
SO WE STILL NEED TO DISCUSS THE
PARAMETERS OF THE BILL.
WE CAN FOCUS ON HOW TO INCREASE
CAPACITY THROUGH TINY HOME
VILLAGES OR MORE ENHANCED
SHELTER OR SANCTIONED
ENCAMPMENTS WITH -- THAT
INCLUDE SERVICES, BUT THIS
CONVERSATION ISN'T OVER.
WE NEED TO ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW
TO SUPPORT THE NAV TEAM IN
MAKING REFERRALS THAT ARE MORE
APPROPRIATE AND THEREFORE MORE
LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE REAL ISSUE
IS THAT THERE SIMPLY ARE NOT
ENOUGH PLACES FOR UNSHELTERED
NEIGHBORS TO GO AND WE ALSO
KNOW THAT MERELY MOVING THEM
FROM ONE SIDE OF THE STREET TO
ANOTHER IS NOT A REAL SOLUTION.
SO I HAVE ASKED THE MAYOR AND
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS TO SCHEDULE
THE MEETING THAT DEPUTY MAYOR
FONG OFFERED LAST WEEK BECAUSE
WE NEED TO GET BUSY SO I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT
CONVERSATION.
>> THIS MOVEMENT BEGAN WITH THE
STONEWALL RIOTS AND THE FURY OF
BLACK AND BROWN TRANSGENDER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE
TIRED OF BEING VICTIMIZED BY
THE POLICE AND WE DID HAVE A
FLAG RAISING SCHEDULED FOR THIS
AFTERNOON.
I UNDERSTAND AND JUST GOT
NOTICE THAT THE FLAG RAISING
HAS BEEN CANCELED BUT I DO HAVE
A PROCLAMATION THAT I WILL BE
BRINGING TO THE O'CLOCK P.M.
MEETING AND ASK FOR COUNCIL
MEMBERS TO SIGN ON. I LOOK
FORWARD TO SHARING THAT WITH
YOU.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED NOTICE
THAT THIS WAS COMING.
AND WE WILL DISCUSS IT THIS
AFTERNOON.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT REPORT?
HEARING NONE, I WILL MOVE ALONG
TO COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AS THE
LEADER OF OUR CITY COUNCIL AND
THE CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT
DISCUSSION THIS MORNING.
I THINK IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE
BEGINNING OF OUR DISCUSSION, SO
I WANT TO ECHO MY APPRECIATION
FOR THE TIME THAT YOU OFFERED.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, THANK
YOU FOR CALLING OUT THE THINGS
THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR LIST FOR
FOLLOW-UP INCLUDING THE BADGES.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO TEE
UP IS ASK A QUESTION ABOUT WHO
WE ARE MORNING AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THIS
CORRECTLY AND WE WOULD LOVE TO
KNOW WHO IT IS WE ARE MOURNING.
A FALLEN OFFICER WAS LISTED IN
2009 AND PERHAPS THE WEBSITE IS
NOT UPDATED.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WANT
TO KNOW IF THERE'S A FALLEN
OFFICER AND I AM HOPING THAT IS
THE CASE BUT IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHO
IT IS THAT WE ARE MOURNING.
I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT FOR TEEING UP THE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CURFEW
AND PERHAPS THE IMPACT IT HAS
HAD IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU
FOR TAKING THAT UP.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE
DISCUSSIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO
MORE DISCUSSIONS ON WEDNESDAY.
FOR THE FINANCE AND HOUSING AND
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE, THERE
IS -- THERE ARE ITEMS FOR
CONSIDERATION ON THE FULL
COUNCIL AGENDA.
WE HAVE FROM FINANCE AND HOUSING
-- LET ME START AGAIN.
BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD OUR
COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WE HAVE
TAKEN A PIECE OF LEGISLATION
DIRECTLY TO FULL COUNCIL AND
THAT IS THE SICK AND SAFE LEAVE
ORDINANCE FOR GIG WORKERS
DURING THE TIME OF COVID.
THAT DID NOT COME THROUGH THE
FINANCE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE
AND IT DID NOT COME FROM THE
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE.
YOU ASKED FOR AN EXTRA WEEK,
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND REVIEW AND
FEEDBACK.
WE HAVE A GREAT PIECE OF
LEGISLATION FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION TODAY THAT WILL,
I THINK, MAKE A TREMENDOUS
IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF FOLKS
WHO ARE WORKING IN THE ECONOMY
DELIVERING GOODS AND SERVICES,
DRIVING PEOPLE AROUND,
DELIVERING GROCERIES.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT
ESPECIALLY IN THE TIME OF COVID
WE OFFER THEM THE TIME TO TAKE
A SICK DAY AND MAKE SURE THAT
THEIR TIME IS PAGE.
YOU HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS EMAILS
AND HER PUBLIC TESTIMONY OVER
THE LAST WEEKS INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE HAD TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE
DECISION TO GO TO WORK BECAUSE
THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO TAKE
THE DAY OFF WORKING AS DELIVERY
DRIVERS OR THOSE WHO ARE
HANDLING GROCERIES, WE WANT
THEM TO BE ABLE TO STAY HOME
WHEN THEY ARE SICK, SO THANK
YOU FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK WE
RECEIVED FROM THE ADVOCATES AND
PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE GOODS AND
SERVICES.
WE HAVE A GREAT PIECE OF
LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF YOU
TODAY.
THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL VOTE
ON COUNCIL BILL CB 119793 AND
IT IS AN ORDINANCE FOR PAID
SICK AND SEE LEAVE.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT I EARLIER
TODAY SENT YOU AN EMAIL AND
THIS INCLUDES FEEDBACK FROM THE
MAYORS OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS.
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
HAD IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS AND
WE INCLUDED THEIR FINAL
SUGGESTIONS IN THE LEGISLATION
THAT WENT OVER.
WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR
DUE DILIGENCE OVER THE WEEKEND
TO CATCH A FEW ITEMS WE HAVE
REVIEWED.
IT IS READY FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION, AND IF YOU HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO
REACH OUT TO ME AND I'M HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I WANT
TO CONFIRM THAT THE CLERK'S
OFFICE HAS CONFIRMED THAT
BECAUSE WE SENT IT EARLIER THIS
MORNING, IT WILL BE UPDATED FOR
THE SUBSTITTE TO BE CONSIDERED
FOR TODAY. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE
THE SEATTLE TIMES COVERS, WHICH
I LINKED IN THE EMAIL I SENT
YOU THIS MORNING.
IT SAYS THAT THE SIX-DAY BILL
WOULD RESEMBLE THE EXISTING
SEATTLE LAW THAT ALLOWS FOR
CONVENTIONAL EMPLOYEES TO GET
PAID SICK LEAVE AND OTHER
CIRCUMSTANCES.
DRIVERS IN SEATTLE WOULD BE
ELIGIBLE AND GET SOME SICK DAYS
UP FRONT BEFORE GETTING MORE.
THE SIX-DAY PAY WOULD BE BASED
ON THE DAILY AVERAGE ON THEIR
TOP EARNING MONTH SINCE OCTOBER.
THE IDEA IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY
CAN CHOOSE TO STAY HOME.
SOME DRIVERS WORK SICK BECAUSE
THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO GO
WITHOUT AN INCOME.
AND THE QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE
DRIVERS IS I WANT TO TAKE A DAY
OFF WHEN I'M SICK, BUT I NEED
TO EAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR
FEEDBACK AND FOR THE WORK THAT
HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION.
THANKS TO MY STAFF AND CENTRAL
STAFF AND FOR ALL OF YOU FOR
YOUR FEEDBACK.
AS FAR AS THE BUDGET COMMITTEE
GOES -- >> BEFORE YOU MOVE ON,
I TRIED TO ESTABLISH A CLEAR
POLICY THAT IF WE ASK COUNSEL
CENTRAL STAFF TO BE ON THE LINE
THAT WE GIVE THEM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE
PRESENTATION.
SO SHE IS ON THE LINE I WANT TO
MAKE SURE SHE CAN WEIGH IN ON
THE BILL THIS AFTERNOON.
I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON THIS BUT
WE ASKED HER TO TAKE TIME OUT
OF HER MORNING TODAY.
IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW IF
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL CHANGES
THAT SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED THAT
HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE
SUBSTITUTE BILL, NOW WOULD BE
THE TIME TO DO THAT, AND BEFORE
YOU MOVE ON WITH THE REPORT, I
WANT TO LET PEOPLE ASK
QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE
ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR
LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT IS
SLATED FOR THE FULL COUNCIL
THIS AFTERNOON. CORINNA.
>>, READABLE WITH COUNSEL
CENTRAL STAFF.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE
SUBSTITUTE BILL THAT WAS
RECENTLY CIRCULATED AMONG
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WAS POSTED
TO THE AGENDA IS THAT IT IS A
MERGING OF AMENDMENTS TO THE
BILL THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE
SUBSTITUTE BILL OR THAT WAS
LOADED TO THE AGENDA ON FRIDAY
AND OVER THE WEEKEND THERE WERE
ADDITIONAL CHANGES DUE TO
FEEDBACK FROM THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS IN THE
EXECUTIVE.
IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT THESE
CHANGES ARE, IT WOULD BE A
MERGING OF THE CHANGES IN THE
MEMO THAT YOU RECEIVED ON FRIDAY
, OR THAT WAS LOADED TO THE
AGENDA ON FRIDAY, ALONG WITH
THE CHART THAT THIS SUBSTITUTE
5A AS WELL.
I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THESE
AMENDMENTS REFLECT REQUESTS
FROM OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
TO BE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY
IMPLEMENT THIS LAW IN A WAY
THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THEM TO
DO RULEMAKING AND YOU WILL SEE
ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS AND YOU
WILL SEE INCORPORATION OF THE
EXISTING RULES FOR EMPLOYEES
RIGHT NOW AND INCORPORATED
DIRECTLY INTO THIS LEGISLATION
RATHER THAN SOMETHING THAT
WOULD NEED TO BE AN ADDITIONAL
RULEMAKING PROCESS.
THERE ARE SOME PIECES IN HERE
THAT WOULD SUPPORT HIRING
ENTITIES IN MAKING THIS
LEGISLATION HIT THE GROUND
EASIER.
THERE IS AN ADDITION THAT WOULD
PERMIT THEM TO GIVE THEM PAY
TIME WHEN IT WOULD ACCRUE IN
ADVANCE.
THERE WOULD BE AN ALLOWANCE TO
MITIGATE THE COST THAT WOULD BE
APPROVED PRIOR TO THE ORDINANCE
BY SUBTRACTING THE AMOUNT OF
OTHER PAID LEAVE THAT THEY HAVE
ALREADY PROVIDED FOR PAID SICK
TIME OR SAVE TIME PURPOSES FROM
THAT SICK AND SAFE TIME.
THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR
NOTICE TO WORKERS THAT CLARIFY
THAT THE NOTICE NEEDS TO BE
GIVEN TO THEM IN A WAY THAT IS
ACCESSIBLE VIA A SMART PHONE IN
LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH IF
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE
NEEDED.
AND THEN, THE MOST RECENT
CHANGES FROM THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS OVER THE WEEKEND
WOULD LAY OUT SOME SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENTS FOR WHEN WORKERS
ARE PAID FOR THEIR PAID SICK
AND SAFE TIME AND THIS IS
MODELED ON CURRENT REQUIREMENTS
FOR EMPLOYEES AND IT WOULD BE
THAT THEY ARE PAID WITH THE
HIRING ENTITIES CHOICE OF 14
CALENDAR DAYS AFTER THE
REQUESTED DATE OF USE OR THE
NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED DATE
OF COMPENSATION.
THERE'S ALSO A CLARIFICATION
THAT WORKERS CAN REQUEST
CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF USE AT A
TIME.
A VARIETY OF CHANGES THAT ARE
NOT RADICALLY SHIFTING THE
LEGISLATION THAT GAVE HIRING
ENTITIES MORE OPTIONS AND ARE
REFLECTING REQUESTS FROM THE
OFFICE OF LABOR AND STANDARDS
TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF
DRAFTING THE RULES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR CORINNA BULL?
NO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK --
CORINNA BULL, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK ON THIS ISSUE AND I
KNOW WE HAD YOU SITTING ON THE
LINE FOR A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR,
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.
THAT WAS HELPFUL AND
INFORMATIVE.
IF THERE ARE NO THE QUESTIONS
FOR HER OR COMMENTS, WE CAN GO
AHEAD AND LET HER GO ABOUT HER
DAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
WITH US.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, WE WILL
GO BACK TO YOU FOR THE REST OF
YOUR REPORT.>> THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO ECHO MY APPRECIATION
FOR HER WORK.
SHE WAS BURNING THE MIDNIGHT
OIL OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
I WANT TO NOTE FOR THE SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE, THANKS TO THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR HER WORDS
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS
MEETING.
I WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR
FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE
PROCLAMATION AND FOR HEARING
THE CONCERNS FROM ACROSS THE
STATE FROM THOSE WHO ARE GETTING
TO THE PROCESS OF GOVERNING AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBELT TO MAKE
SURE WE CAN HAVE THESE
MEETINGS.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE
GOVERNOR AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF
AND THE OFFICE OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
MY HOPE WAS TO DO AT LEAST TWO
MEETINGS IN THE FIRST PART OF
JUNE.
WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
AND MAKE SURE WE CAN COORDINATE
THOSE WITH THE NEW INFORMATION
THAT HAS BEEN SHARED OVER THE
WEEKEND.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
BEGINNING AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.
IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR
COLLEAGUES ABOUT THOSE ITEMS AS
WELL AS WE CONSIDER THE VARIOUS
PROPOSALS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER
SAWANT AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES HAVE PROVIDED.
AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP
WITH THOSE IN THE OFFICE TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THOSE
MEETINGS ON YOUR CALENDARS AS
SOON AS WE GET CLARIFICATION WE
HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION, AS I
MENTIONED, THAT BY TUESDAY,
JUNE 9th, WE WILL SEE WHAT THEY
ARE PROPOSING AND WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT
INFORMATION IN REAL TIME SO WE
WILL BE SENDING OUT THE
PROPOSAL AS WELL AS A SUMMARY
OF HOW WE WILL BE REVIEWING
THAT PROPOSED BUDGET AND
PROVIDING INPUTS AND EDITS AND
CRAFTING OUR LEGISLATIVE
RESPONSE TO THE 2020 REVISED
BUDGET.
WE ARE WORKING WITH CENTRAL
STAFF AND THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND WE
SHOULD HAVE 3 TO 5 MEETINGS,
PERHAPS MORE, BASED ON THE
CONVERSATION AND WE WILL BE
CIRCULATING A PROPOSED DRAFT
FOR YOU ALL TO PUT A HOLD ON
YOUR CALENDAR AS WELL RELATED
TO THE 2020 REVISED BUDGET.
TWO VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS AND WE
WILL HAVE TWO CALENDARS FOR YOU
TO CONSIDER AS WE LOOK AT THE
STRATEGY TO CONSIDER BOTH
ACTIONS OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR
SO.
I WANT TO ALSO NOTE THAT TODAY
MARKS THE BEGINNING OF API
HERITAGE MONTH.
MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY,
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
REELING FROM THE
DISPROPORTIONATE TARGETING OF
RACIAL BIAS AMONG OUR COMMUNITY
HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING NOT ONLY
THE HARDSHIP OF THE ECONOMIC
CRISIS BUT ALSO THE HARDSHIP OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS BEING
DIRECTED AT THEM AND WE WILL BE
DOING SOME EFFORTS TO LIFT UP
THE COMMUNITY AND THE
INVESTMENTS THAT WE WANT TO
MAKE IN THIS CRITICAL TIME TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE API
COMMUNITY IS RESPECTED AND
INVESTED IN AS WE THINK ABOUT
WHO WE ARE HONORING THIS MONTH.
LASTLY, JUST A VERY QUICK NOTE.
FOR THOSE WHO REMEMBER IMAGING
WILLIAMS, SHE CAME TO COUNSEL
MANY TIMES.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO HER
FOR HER ONGOING ADVOCACY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
OUR CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY.
SHE WILL BE MISSED AND WE SEND
OUR CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY
AND FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S REPORT.
WE WILL HAVE A NEED TO HAVE A
FORMAL SUMMER BUDGET SESSION.
WE ARE WORKING WITH HER OFFICE
ON A TIMELINE TO CONSIDER A
REBALANCING PACKAGE FOR THE
2020 BUDGET FOR THE FORECASTED
DEFICITS AND WE HAVE NOT HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO FINALIZE WHAT
THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, BUT AS
COUNCIL PRESIDENT I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS A FORMAL REQUEST
FOR SUMMER BUDGET SESSION,
WHICH IS UNIQUE GIVEN THE
ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES WE ARE
DEALING WITH.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE
MODIFICATIONS TO PROCLAMATION
2028 AND I THINK IT WILL ALLOW
US TO BE MORE NIMBLE AND THINK
ABOUT NOT ONLY SOME DIFFICULT
POSITIONS WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE
AROUND THREE APPROPRIATING
DOLLARS BUT IDENTIFYING
POTENTIAL REVENUE SOURCES AND
CONTINUE TO MEET THE BASIC NEEDS
AND IN THE COURSE OF THAT WE
WILL LIKELY DO AS WE DO WITH
BUDGET SESSIONS, WE WILL SUSPEND
OTHER LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS THAT
ARE UNRELATED TO THE BUDGET
WHILE WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE
BUDGET AND PART OF THAT IS
FIRST AND FOREMOST TO ALLOW THE
CENTRAL STAFF TO FOCUS ON THE
NEEDS AROUND THE BUDGET. SO YOU
CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE A
COMMUNICATION FROM MY OFFICE
LATER TODAY OR LATER THIS WEEK
AROUND WHAT CAN BE CONSIDERED
DURING THE SUMMER BUDGET
SESSION.
THIS IS PRACTICE THAT IS IN
LINE WITH WHAT WE ORDINARILY DO
DURING AN INTENSE BUDGET SEASON.
SO WE WILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE
OTHER NONRELATED LEGISLATIVE
ACTION WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS TO
ALLOW US TO FOCUS OUR RESOURCES
-- OUR LIMITED HUMAN RESOURCES
EMITTED TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
MORE TO COME ON THAT AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING MY CONVERSATIONS
WITH COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND
HER OFFICER ON THE TIMELINE AND
úMAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARD
TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND
SQUARELY FOCUS ON THE
REBALANCING PACKAGE AND ANY
OTHER FALL BUDGET SEASON ISSUES
THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE
PROCESS.
THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL MOVE
ON -- ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS ON COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S REPORT? HEARING
NONE, WE WILL MOVE TO
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
BUT THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
ON SATURDAY MORNING I JOINED
NEIGHBORS IN A PEACEFUL MARCH
ORGANIZED BY THE STUDENTS OF A
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL.
WE WERE GRIEVING THE DEATH OF
GEORGE FLOYD, TO PROTEST THE
NATION'S HISTORY OF
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND TO
REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT TO THE
CAUSE OF JUSTICE AND POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
AS I SAID EARLIER, I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES ON THESE URGENT
MATTERS AND I THE LEADERSHIP OF
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ AND
THE PUBLIC SAFETY SHARE CHAIR.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON THE
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES
COMMITTEE ON THE AGENDA.
THERE WAS A NEWS ARTICLE IN THE
SEATTLE TIMES ON SUNDAY, AN
EXCELLENT ARTICLE, ABOUT
BRIDGES THROUGHOUT SEATTLE AND
THE SAD STATE OF OUR BRIDGES
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING
AS TO HOW TO RESTRUCTURE THESE
BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY.
WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE AND THERE
IS A TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL
WITH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AS
WELL AS A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE
LED BY THE FORMER MAYOR.
REGARDING THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
, I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD
STATING THAT I CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF THE
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
DISTRICT, WHICH IS EXPIRING
THIS YEAR.
I BELIEVE THIS CITY COUNCIL CAN
COMPLETE WORK ON A REASONABLE
RENEWAL MEASURE -- LET ME FIX
MY CAMERA.
BUT I WAS DECIDING IF I SHOULD
TELL YOU YOU WERE SIDEWAYS.>>
THE SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION
BENEFIT DISTRICT IS EXPIRING
THIS YEAR AND I THINK WE SHOULD
RENEW IT AND I THINK WE CAN
COMPLETE WORK ON A REASONABLE
RENEWAL MEASURE IN JULY SO
SEATTLE VOTERS CAN DECIDE IN
NOVEMBER.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP WILL BE A LEFT FOR
COMMUTERS AND WORKERS OF ALL
INCOMES AS WE RESTART OUR
REGIONAL ECONOMY AND TRANSIT IS
FULLY OPERATIONAL.
UNTIL THEN THE FUNDING CAN BE
USED FOR KEY INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS SUCH AS THE URGENT
RIDGE MAINTENANCE THAT WE ARE
HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT.
REGARDING UTILITIES I WAS
DISAPPOINTED BY THE VOTE FROM
THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL THAT
THEY MADE TO RAISE RATES BY
GOING AHEAD WITH THE PRE-COVID
4.5% INCREASE FOR WASTEWATER
TREATMENT.
THESE RATES FROM KING COUNTY ARE
PASSED DIRECTLY ONTO CONSUMERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ONE
COUNCILMEMBER FOR HIS EFFORT TO
DELAY THOSE. I WANT TO THANK
THE MAYOR AND THE HEAD OF
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES.
FOR KEEPING WATER AND RECYCLING
RATES AT A MINIMUM AT THIS TIME.
I AM PLEASED THAT THE KING
COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS APPLYING TO
THE STATE FOR A MODIFIED PHASE
1, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A
PARTIAL PHASE 2 TO REOPEN SOME
BUSINESSES IN A CAUTIOUS AND
SAFE MANNER.
SPEAKING OF SMALL BUSINESSES, I
WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
WE HAD A PRODUCTIVE MEETING
LAST WEEK, WHICH INCLUDED THE
REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREA. I HAVE
AMENDMENTS.
THE PURPOSE OF MY AMENDMENTS IS
TO MAKE SURE WE ACHIEVE OUR GOAL
OF GIVING SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD
BUSINESSES A GREATER VOICE AND
MAKING SURE THERE IS A
COMPETITIVE PROCESS FOR
AWARDING WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A
ONE MILLION-DOLLAR CONTRACT. I
LOOK FORWARD TO MORE DISCUSSION
THIS WEDNESDAY IF WE CAN
ACCOMMODATE THAT.
PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO EMAIL
THEIR COMMENTS. I HELD MY
OFFICE HOURS AGAIN LAST WEEK BY
SKYPE AND TELEPHONE AND I
ENCOURAGED CONSTITUENTS TO SIGN
UP ON MY WEBSITE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT REPORT?
OKAY.
>>, PRESIDENT, YOU MIGHT BE
FROZEN.
>> I HAD SOME INTERNET ISSUES.
ARE THERE ANY FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?>> I WANT
TO THINK COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
FOR HIS STATEMENT RELATED TO
HIS COMMITMENT TO LOOK AT
EFFORTS TO RENEW THE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
THIS YEAR.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT WE
NEED TO USE TRANSIT AS A WAY TO
ADDRESS MANY OF THE IMPACT OF
COVID-19.
AND OF COURSE THERE IS THE
OBVIOUS NEED IN DISTRICT 1 NOT
JUST FOR RELIANCE ON TRANSIT
BUT ENHANCEMENT ON TRANSIT
DURING THE CLOSURE OF THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN AND
OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A
COMMITMENT FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO BRING FORWARD THIS
BALLOT MEASURE THIS YEAR.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE
TO WAIT, AND I DO THINK THE
PUBLIC IS COMMITTED TO
SUPPORTING TRANSIT PARTICULARLY
IN THIS TIME.
I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN'S THANKS OF THE KING
COUNTY COUNSEL ON WASTEWATER
RATES.
I WORKED WITH MEMBERS OF THE
REGIONAL WATER QUALITY. I
EXPRESSED OUR HOPES FOR MORE
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE REGIONAL
WATER QUALITY COMMUNITY ON THE
ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING THE
PROPOSED RATE INCREASES.
AND THAT BODY THAT ARE IMPACTED
BY THESE RATE CHANGES FEELS
VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS IS AN
ONGOING ISSUE THAT PREDATES
THIS PARTICULAR SET OF RATE
CHANGES AND FEELS THAT IT DOES
NOT HAVE A MEANINGFUL ROLE OF
INPUT TO THE DECISIONS -- THE
DECISIONS THAT LEAD TO THE
ARGUMENT THAT WE NEED TO
INCREASE RATES PARTICULARLY
AROUND PLANNING.
THEY WANTED TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CAPITAL
BUDGET BECAUSE MANY OF THE
DECISIONS AROUND RATES DRIVE
FROM ASSUMPTIONS AROUND THE
CAPITAL PROJECTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID
WHEN I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE OF THE UTILITIES WAS
A PROJECT COMPLETION RATE THAT
IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN 100%.
BECAUSE THOSE DEPARTMENTS DO
NOT COMPLETE 100% OF THE
PROJECTS ON TIME AND WE ASSUMED
A 98% COMPLETION RATE AND THAT
IS WHAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US
TO BRING RATES DOWN THAT IS THE
SORT OF THING THAT I WOULD HOPE
THAT THE COUNTY DID.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN FOR LIFTING UP THE
EFFORTS OF THE KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER IN THIS AREA.>>
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
HEARING NONE, I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR CONTINUING TO REMIND US
OF THE NEED -- AND REALLY
LIFTING UP THAT CONVERSATION.
OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC TRANSIT
CONTINUES TO BE AN ABSOLUTE
CRITICAL PART OF OUR PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN
MAKING SURE WE HAVE A PROCESS
IN PLACE TO ADVANCE THE
CONVERSATION.
WITH ENOUGH TIME TO MEET ANY
RELATED BALLOT TIMELINES OR
ELECTION TIMELINES.
OKAY.
>> THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA. THERE IS ONE ITEM FROM
MY OFFICE. THANK YOU FOR
COSPONSORING THIS LEGISLATION.
THE MOBILE HOME PARK RESIDENTS
HAVE REQUESTED THAT CITY
COUNCIL EXTEND THE TEMPORARY
ZONING RESTRICTION TO PROTECT
THEM FROM DISPLACEMENT AND
THOSE WHO WERE AROUND THE LAST
FEW YEARS WILL REMEMBER PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
MOBILE HOME PARKS AND ALMOST
EXTINCT HOMEOWNERSHIP OPTION.
SEVERAL OF THEM WERE FORMER
UNION MEMBERS.
CITY COUNCIL PAST TEMPORARY
RESTRICTIONS FOR THEM TO DO THE
WORK REQUIRED TO MAKE THOSE
PERMANENT BUT THAT WORK HAS NOT
GONE AHEAD AS PLANNED UNTIL
THIS LEGISLATION WILL EXTEND
THAT PROTECTION AND IT WILL
REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH
WILL BE HELD DURING TODAY'S
CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND I
WILL RESERVE OTHER COMMENTS FOR
WHEN WE DISCUSSED THAT THIS
AFTERNOON.
AS OTHER MEMBERS HAVE
MENTIONED, ON FRIDAY EVENING
THE GOVERNOR AMENDED A
PROCLAMATION REMOVING ANY LIMITS
ON THE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] THAT
THE COUNCIL CAN TAKE UP.
THE GOVERNOR COULD NOT LEGALLY
STOP THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE
AMAZON TAX LEGISLATION AND ANY
PRETEXT FOR DELAYING
LEGISLATION VOTE IS NOW GONE
AND CITY COUNCIL MUST NOW
PROCEED URGENTLY. THE GOVERNOR'S
REVISED PROCLAMATION, TELLS
THEM PRECISELY [ INDISCERNIBLE
] TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR USES
EMERGENCY POWERS TO CLARIFY FOR
THE DURATION OF THE PANDEMIC
ALL VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE AN
ACCEPTABLE WAY FOR PUBLIC
AGENCIES TO MEET AND LEGISLATE.
THE NEW PROCLAMATION MAKES CLEAR
AS WE SET A MAY 15th THAT THE
MARCH 24th PROCLAMATION WAS
UNLAWFUL FOR HIM TO MICROMANAGE
THE EXERCISE BY CITIES AND
COUNTIES OF THE POWERS VESTED
IN THEM BY THE WASHINGTON STATE
CONSTITUTION.
IT PREVENTED CITIES AND
COUNTIES OF FULFILLING THEIR
CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED
OBLIGATIONS AND FOR NINE WEEKS
IN THE CHILD JESUS CHALLENGES
POSED.
AS WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS A
DELAYED MANEUVER THEY SOUGHT TO
DIVERT THE ATTENTION OF WHO
WILL PAY FOR THIS CRISIS.
WILL BE BIG BUSINESS OR WORKING
PEOPLE OR RAISING PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE?
DURING THAT TIME SEVERAL
COUNCIL MEMBERS PUBLICIZE
INFORMATION OF A COALITION,
WHICH DESPITE A GREAT DEAL OF
BRANDING IS SOMETHING THAT IS
BEEN DUSTED OFF THE SHELF FROM
A YEAR AGO AND IS NOT
IDENTIFIED A SINGLE DOLLAR FOR
THE FOR HOUSING.
OUR MOVEMENT CANNOT STOP. IN
THE MEANTIME, THE MAYOR IS
ROLLING OUT BUDGETING INCLUDING
A HIRING FREEZE IN THE SEATTLE
TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD IS
DEMANDING STATE BUDGET CUTS.
DISPLACES THE COST OF THE
RECESSION ON THE SHOULDERS OF
WORKING PEOPLE WHO ARE
OVERBURDENED WITH MASSIVE
JOBLESSNESS, LOSS OF INCOME AND
A WORSENING HOUSING PUBLIC
CRISIS.
THE LAST FEW WEEKS THEY SAID
THEY WOULD NOT MEET AND HONOR
THE OBLIGATIONS BECAUSE OF THE
GOVERNOR'S RESTRICTIONS. UNLESS
MEMBERS CLAIM THAT THE GOVERNOR
CANNOT THINK ABOUT OUR
MOVEMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE
HAD AN EXTRA THREE WEEKS TO
PREPARE FOR THE VOTE AND
EVERYONE SHOULD BE MORE THAN
READY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BUDGET
MEETINGS BEING HELD THIS IS
POSSIBLE AND I THINK
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. THE DELAYS HAVE HAD
DIRE CONSEQUENCES. JUST A
MONTH'S DELAY IN THE EFFECTIVE
DATE OF THE LEGISLATION RESULTS
AND $40 MILLION OF TAXES THE
CITY OF SEATTLE WILL NEVER
COLLECT AND MONEY THAT IS NOT
AVAILABLE TO THE MOST
MARGINALIZED HOUSEHOLDS OR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS NOW
UNFUNDED.
THIS IS ALMOST AS MUCH AS THIS
ANNUAL BUDGET.
I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME IN
PASSING THIS AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
I WANTED TO NOTE FROM LAST WEEK
THAT THE RESPONSES FROM THE
MAYORS OFFICE OF THE COMMITTEE
LAST WEEK WERE TONE DEAF IN
DEVOID OF FACTUAL EVIDENCE,
ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE
MEETING DID NOT HAVE ONE PERSON
ON THE PANEL WHO IS ACTUALLY
EXPERIENCED THE SWEEP THAT I'VE
NOT HEARD A SINGLE PERSON SAY
THAT THE SWEEP HELP THEM.
I ALSO THINK THAT IF COUNCIL
MEMBERS WANT TO PUT ACTIONS TO
THEIR WORDS, THEY WILL MEET ON
THIS MODEST LEGISLATION
LIMITING HOMELESS SWEEPS DURING
THE PANDEMIC.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WAS MY
HONOR TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE
IMOGENE WILLIAMS SEVERAL DAYS
AGO RIGHT AFTER SHE SUFFERED A
FRACTURE AND A FEW DAYS BEFORE
WE LOST HER.
MANY COMMUNITY PEPPERS MEMBERS
KNOW HER AS A FIGHTER OF SOCIAL
JUSTICE AND SOMEONE WAS OLDER
THAN MOST OF US BUT PUT US TO
SHAME BY HER ENERGY AND HER
COURAGE.
WERE THANKFUL THAT SHE WAS
SURROUNDED BY HER FAMILY AND
LOVED ONES IN HER LAST MOMENTS.
WHILE MANY MAY HAVE GIVEN UP OR
SOLD OUT IN THE FACE OF THE
OBSTACLES FROM THE POLITICAL
ESTABLISHMENT IN THIS HOSTILE
SYSTEM, IMOGENE WILLIAMS WAS A
REAL LEADER WHO NEVER LOST HER
COURAGE OR INTEGRITY.
HER LOVE NEVER DOLED AND SHE
NEVER STOP FIGHTING.
WHEN SHE SPOKE IN CITY HALL SHE
SENT FIRE THROUGH MY VEINS.
OUR LOVE AND SOLIDARITY TO HER
FAMILY, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO
FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU. OUR
MOVEMENT WILL CONTINUE TO
STRUGGLE.
>> THANK YOU. ESPECIALLY FOR
THAT RECOGNITION OF IMOGENE
WILLIAMS.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THAT REPORT?
HEARING NONE, WILL GO AHEAD AND
HANDED OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.>> THERE ARE
NO ITEMS FROM THE LAND-USE AND
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE TODAY
LAND-USE AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE AS CURRENTLY PLANNED
TO RESUME A MEETING AND WE WILL
BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU TO DISCUSS
WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE. LAST WEEK
I CONTINUED TO HOLD WEEKLY
OFFICE HOURS TO SPEAK TO
CONSTITUENTS AND WE SPOKE WITH
CONSTITUENTS ABOUT NAVIGATION
TEAM, PUBLIC SAFETY, HELPING A
RESIDENT NAVIGATE PUBLIC
UTILITIES AND HOW COMMUNITY
MEMBERS CAN ASSIST WITH COVID-
19 TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING
EFFORTS.
ANY RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 6 AND
ACROSS THE CITY, I'VE SPOKEN TO
THOSE WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF
DISTRICT 6, FREE TO SIGN UP ON
MY WEBPAGE OR EMAIL MY OFFICE.
ON WEDNESDAY WE WILL JOINED THE
ADVISORY BOARD TO PROPOSE
CHANGES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN
THE OMNIBUS BILL.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
MEETINGS AS WELL.
FROM LAST WEEK I'M GLAD TO HEAR
THAT AN ARREST WAS MADE IN THE
CRIMES THAT HAPPENED IN BALLARD.
THE ACTS OF VIOLENCE AND
AGGRESSION TOWARD ASIAN AND
PACIFIC ISLANDER NEIGHBORS ARE
NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WILL NOT BE
TOLERATED.
IGNORING THIS WILL NOT MAKE IT
GO AWAY.
WE ARE SEEING A TREND IN THE
CITY AND AROUND THE REGION AND
NATIONWIDE AND IT NEEDS TO BE
CONFRONTED AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH
MEMBERS OF THE API COMMUNITY
AND ASK THAT ALIENATE MEMBERS.
WE MUST UNITE AGAINST ANYONE
WHO TARGETS ASIAN PACIFIC
ISLANDERS, ANYONE ELSE, OR
ANYONE WHO ENGAGES IN EMILY
RACIALLY BIASED BEHAVIOR.
IN OTHER WORK, MY OFFICE
CONTINUES WORKING ON BRINGING A
PILOT PROGRAM ONLINE.
WE ALSO CONTINUE TO ADVISE
SMALL BUSINESSES ON A DAILY
BASIS.
LAST WEEK WE WERE IN TOUCH WITH
RESTAURANTS AND SALONS
INQUIRING ABOUT PHASE 2. WE
TALKED TO TENANTS AND LANDLORDS
ABOUT EVICTION MORATORIUMS AND
SOLE PROPRIETORS NAVIGATING THE
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE FREMONT
ARTS COUNCIL BOARD MEETING,
WHICH WAS FANTASTIC AND AMAZING.
TO FOLLOW-UP ON THE
ACCOMMODATIONS, THE CITY HAS
PROVIDED THEM WITH UTILITIES
AND DISCUSSED HOW TO HELP THEM
AS AN ORGANIZED ORGANIZATION
MOVING FORWARD.
THEY ARE EIDETIC CREATED GROUP
OF LEADERS AND I'M PROUD TO BE
WORKING WITH THEM.
WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED
, THE ARTS AND CULTURE
ORGANIZATION DID NOT SEE THE
TROLL AS BEING A WORTHY PIECE
OF OUR.
IT WAS A RENEGADE ART
INSTALLATION AND WE ARE
CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE
FREMONT ARTS COUNCIL IN THEIR
OWN ART INSTALLATION, WHICH IS
THE TROLL. ONCE AGAIN, A GREAT
GROUP AND THEY ARE DOING A LOT
OF WONDERFUL WORK DESPITE THE
FREMONT SOLSTICE PARADE NOT
GOING FORWARD THIS YEAR.
I'M ALSO HAPPY THAT PARKS AND
RECREATION OPENED THE SALTWATER
BUT RAMPS. PARKS IS CONTINUING
TO GET THE FRESHWATER SITE OPEN
SOON AND A HUGE THANKS TO THE
PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR GETTING
THAT DONE AND PROVIDING PEOPLE
WITH RECREATION ACCESS THAT
THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED.
ALSO THINK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE
HARBOR PATROL AND DR. FISHER
AND EVERYONE FOR BEING
ATTENTIVE TO THE CONCERNS ABOUT
BEING ABLE TO CALL THE HARBOR
PATROL DIRECTLY.
LASTLY, I WANT TO THINK
EVERYONE WORKING IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO A
CONSISTENTLY CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT WITH THE LAYERING
OF CRISES AND CHANGING
ENVIRONMENTS.
WE ARE AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN
OUR HISTORY AND IT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO BE
KIND, HELPFUL, AND RESPONSIVE
TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
FOR COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
THE PUBLIC ASSETS COMMUNITY
MEETING IS CANCELED.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND THE WORK THAT WE DID
WITH FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER
JOHNSTON TO PROTECT THESE TYPES
OF COMMUNITIES WHERE WE CAN
WITH PARTICULAR TYPES OF ZONING
LEGISLATION.
IN REGARD TO PARKS, AND UPDATE
WILL BE MAILED TO YOU.
I BELIEVE MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
BEEN GETTING THESE ONCE WE.
I WANT TO THANK THE
SUPERINTENDENT AND MY STAFF
THAT WE GET DAILY REPORTS ABOUT
USAGE, FOR TRAFFIC, WHICH PARKS
ARE OPEN AND WHICH ARE CLOSED.
SECOND, PARKS AND REC, THE TWO
SALTWATER BOATS RAMPS DID OPEN.
THE SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES ARE
NEAR GOLDEN GARDENS.
THEY ARE READY TO GO AND SIGNS
HAVE BEEN POSTED.
THE REST ARE CLOSED AND BEING
EVALUATED FOR NEAR FUTURE
OPENINGS DEPENDING ON PUBLIC
HEALTH GUIDELINES.
AS OF THIS DATE, TWO OPENED.
THE HYGIENE SHOWER PROGRAM WILL
REMAIN OPEN EXCEPT AT THE
MILLER COMMUNITY CENTER.
MORE DETAILS ON THAT LATER.
SECONDLY, THE ADA ONLY PARKING
SPACES FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE
AT THE WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM
AT THE GRAND VISITORS CENTER
PARKING LOT.
SEATTLE PARKS AND REC IS
EXPLORING DIFFERENT STRATEGIES
TO SUPPORT SOCIAL DISTANCING
GUIDELINES THAT WILL BE IN PLACE
IN PHASE 2 OF THE REOPENING.
THIS PAST WEEK THE ENVIRONMENT
STAFF MOVED CHECKERBOARD
PATTERNS INTO THE GRASS AT CAL
ANDERSON PARK TO KEEP SOCIAL
DISTANCING MEASURES.
I THINK SOME OF YOU SAW IN THE
MEDIA ABOUT THE CIRCLES THAT
WERE MADE. LAST FRIDAY PARKS
HELPED WORLDVISION DISTRIBUTE
BOXES OF FOOD AT AN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
EACH BOX CONTAINED ENOUGH FOOD
TO FEED A FAMILY OF FIVE FOR
ONE WEEK. THE BOXES ALSO
INCLUDED HAND SANITIZER, TOILET
PAPER, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND
BOARD GAMES.
A BIG THANK YOU TO SENATOR
CLAUDIA KAUFMAN AND THE NATIVE
ACTION NETWORK. EMPLOYEES AT
THE CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB AND THE
TRIBE IN TUKWILA PROVIDED A
LUNCH PROVIDED BY THE NATIVE
ACTION NETWORK AND WAS LED BY
CLAUDIA AND IRIS.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR
CONTINUED SERVICE AND A SHOUT-
OUT TO OUR FRIEND AT THE HEALTH
BOARD.
AND COLLEEN AT THE CHIEF
SEATTLE, FOR MOBILIZING AND
RESPONDING TO THE HOMELESS AND
GETTING FOOD OUT THERE AND
WORKING WITH TRIBAL LEADERSHIP.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO NOT
KNOW, THE NATIVE ACTION NETWORK
IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO
PROMOTE NATIVE WOMEN SCHOOL
REPRESENTATION PARTICIPATION
AND LEADERSHIP. I WAS ONE OF
THE FOUNDING MEMBERS 15 YEARS
AGO.
IN REGARD TO DISTRICT 5, THE
NORTHGATE BIKE PEDESTRIAN
BRIDGE UPDATE, WORK ON THE I-5
MEDIAN NEAR THE I-5 EXPRESS
LANE OFFRAMP WILL CONTINUE THIS
MONTH INTO EARLY JUNE.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN
GOING ON SINCE 2014. WE ARE
FINALLY ALMOST THERE.
NIGHTTIME WORK WILL TAKE PLACE
BETWEEN 9:00 PM AND 5:00 AM.
DURING THIS TIME THE CREWS WILL
CONDUCT QUALITY ASSURANCE
TESTING.
WE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
NORTHGATE COMMUNITY ON THIS FOR
MANY YEARS.
ALSO I WANT TO THANK, AS
COUNCIL MEMBER SUE PETERSON
SHARED, THE NATHAN HALE HIGH
SCHOOL RACIAL EQUITY TEAM AND
THE ANTIRACISM DRIVE TO THE
CITY.
I JOIN THEM IN STANDING FOR
SOLIDARITY.
IN REGARD TO TRANSIT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I WANT
TO RESPOND BRIEFLY.
WE DID GET A FLURRY OF EMAILS
FROM THE CEO SOUND TRANSIT.
THEY STARTED AT ABOUT 7:50 IN
THE EVENING AND THEN AT 10
O'CLOCK AT NIGHT ON SATURDAY
AND THEY ARE IN CONSULTATION
WITH THE CITY.
ON MAY 31st WE GOT ANOTHER
EMAIL BLAST ABOUT THE CITY AND
SOUND TRANSIT WORKING TOGETHER
IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY
OF WESTLAKE AND NORDSTROM IN
THE OTHER ACCESS POINTS THAT
THEY WERE CLOSING, AND, FINALLY,
SUNDAY AT ABOUT 8:00 PM, WE
WERE PRICE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
ZONE.
ONE POINT I WANT TO SHARE IS
FROM AN EMAIL THAT I RECEIVED
ON SATURDAY FROM MR. ROGOFF.
SO MUCH OF THE VOLATILE
ACTIVITY IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
WAS ADJACENT TO WESTLAKE
STATION.
WE HAD TO CLOSE A MAJOR
ENTRANCE TO THE STATION AT THE
NORDSTROM AS WAS TWO ELEVATOR
ENTRANCES.
ON RECEIVING WORD THAT THE CITY
ANTICIPATED REQUESTING THE FULL
CLOSURE WESTLAKE STATION, WE
ACTIVATED THE PROTOCOL THAT WAS
ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING THE SEA-
TAC AIRPORT PROTEST IN 2017.
CONSISTENT WITH THAT PROTOCOL
KING COUNTY METRO GENERAL
MANAGER AND I CONCURRED THAT AN
IMMEDIATE SAFETY DANGER EXISTED
AT THE STATION.
IN THE END THE CITY DID NOT
SUBMIT THE REQUEST, WE
INDEPENDENTLY DECIDED TO CLOSE
THE STATION WHILE MAINTAINING
ACCESS AND EGRESS TO THE AREA
OF THE STATIONS AT UNIVERSITY
STREET IN CAPITOL HILL.
THIS WAS SENT SATURDAY, BUT AS
YOU KNOW WE STARTED LOOKING AT
MOE CLOSURES.
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET
THIS.
I ATTENDED THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS MEETING LAST THURSDAY
AND SOUND TRANSIT STAFF AND THE
CEO ARE WORKING ON SETTING A
FOUNDATION FOR THE PROCESS AND
PROGRAM REALIGNMENT.
THAT IS THE TERM TO DESCRIBE
COVID-19 IMPACTS ON THE TRANSIT
SYSTEM.
I WILL JOIN A WORKSHOP WITH MY
COLLEAGUES TO LEARN FROM EACH
OF THEIR PRIORITIES.
THEY WILL ASSESS THE FISCAL
CONSTRAINTS AND WHICH PROJECTS
MUST BE KEPT UNCHANGED, DELAY,
OR SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY.
THERE WILL BE MORE TO FOLLOW.
I WANT TO ADD ON A PERSONAL NOTE
AND THEY GOLF MY COLLEAGUES FOR
THEIR GOOD WORDS AND THOUGHTS
THIS MORNING I USUALLY DO NOT
SAY MUCH. I WANT TO SHARE THAT
FIVE TRIBES SENT ME A WONDERFUL
EMAIL TO SEND TO CITY COUNCIL
AND TO THE MAYOR AND TO CHIEF
BEST SENDING LOVE AND SUPPORT
AND I WANT TO QUOTE ONE LEADER
SAYING THEY WERE SENDING US THE
STRENGTH OF THEIR ANCESTORS.
IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, AND I
WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT FOR TALKING TO ME OFF-
LINE ABOUT WHAT OUR THOUGHTS
WERE. I BELIEVE I AM THE OLDEST
PERSON ON THIS COUNSEL AND I'VE
BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO SEE
PEOPLE ARRESTED ON THE PUYALLUP
RIVER WATCHING MY ELDERS AND
FAMILIES BEING BEATEN BY
OFFICERS AND WATCHING THEM BE
JAILED AND GOING TO COURTHOUSES
AND TAKING OVER BUILDINGS. I'M
NOT SMARTER, JUST OLDER.
IN LIGHT OF THAT, I KNOW THAT
GOOD LEADERS MAKE CHANGES.
THAT IS WHAT POWER IS AND THAT
IS VISION AND THAT IS WITHOUT
ANGER OR MALICE, AND I BELIEVE
IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE THAT NOW,
BUT I DO SEE HOPE AND LIGHT.
COVID-19 MADE US LOOK WITHIN
AND LOOK AT OURSELVES AND
HUMANITY AS A NATION.
THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD MADE
US AWARE OF HOW THE WORLD SEES
US.
SOMETIMES WE ARE VERY VIOLENT
RACE OF PEOPLE AND THAT IS ONE
DIMENSION OF US, BUT THAT IS
NOT US.
I HOPE THAT -- I GOT A
WONDERFUL TEXT FROM
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD THAT WE
CAN MOVE FORWARD, THAT WE DO
NOT REPEAT THE MISTAKES, THAT
WE MAKE THE CHANGE, THAT WE
CONTINUE TO EMBRACE OUR HUMANITY
AND THAT WE DO HAVE THIS TRAUMA
IN OUR DNA AND WE KNOW HOW THIS
COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED.
MY PEOPLE CERTAINLY KNOW THE
RAVAGES OF GENOCIDE AND RACISM.
I STAND HERE TODAY AS A SIX-
YEAR-OLD NATIVE AMERICAN
KNOWING THAT WE GOT THIS.
I HAVE MY MOMENTS OF ANGER, BUT
I HAVE MORE MOMENTS OF
COMPASSION.
I HOPE WE CAN GO FORWARD IN A
MORE POSITIVE WAY.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS IN
YOUR REPORT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FOR COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ?
HEARING NONE, WE WILL MOVE OVER
TO COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS. THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.>> YOU SO MUCH.
I WANT TO START BRIEFLY BY
THINKING COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
FOR HER COMMENTS JUST NOW.
I FEEL PROFOUNDLY FORTUNATE TO
HAVE HER AS A MENTOR AND A
COLLEAGUE HERE AND REALLY
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT SHE
JUST SAID.
I DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH TO ADD
IN TERMS OF AN UPDATE TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
THEIR PATIENCE AND THEIR
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HEARING
ABOUT HOMELESS STRATEGIES LAST
WEEK, WHICH WAS THE AIRING OF A
LOT OF ISSUES BEYOND THE FOUR
CORNERS OF COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES'S BILL AND I WANT TO
THINK COUNCILMEMBER MORALES FOR
STARTING THAT CONVERSATION THAT
IS SO NECESSARY AND NEEDED AND
I DO WANT TO UPDATE THE COUNCIL
AND LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT I'M
WORKING CLOSELY WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES TO ACCEPT
THE OFFER. WE HAD A
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
UNDERLYING ISSUES AROUND THE
PROBLEMS AND INEQUITIES THAT WE
SEE THE POLICIES AND WORK
COLLABORATIVELY TO MAKE PROCESS
TO MAKE PROGRESS AND IT IS AN
ONGOING CONVERSATION AND I AM
IN CONTACT WITH COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AS WELL TO MAKE SURE WE
CAN HAVE A FRAMEWORK FOR GOING
FORWARD ON THAT.
IS AN IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL
CONVERSATION.
I WANT TO ADDRESS AS WELL THE
BILL ON PREMIUM PAY FOR WORKERS
IN THE GIG ECONOMY.
WE ARE HOLDING THAT BILL FOR
ONE MORE WEEK TO CONTINUE TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH
STAKEHOLDERS AND COLLEAGUES
ABOUT POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, SO
THAT VOTE WILL NOT BE THIS
AFTERNOON.
WE WILL WAIT ONE MORE WEEK TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPOSAL IS
VETTED AND MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR SAY IN
SHAPING THAT. DO NOT HESITATE
TO REACH OUT TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT POTENTIAL
AMENDMENTS OR CONCERNS OR
COMMENTS ON THAT LEGISLATION.
WITH THAT, I DO NOT HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO ANOTHER WEEK AT THE
CITY COUNCIL.>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> I WANT TO ADD IN ADDITION TO
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS'S COMMENTS
AROUND THE GIG WORKERS HAZARD
PAY LEGISLATION THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND I ARE
DEVELOPING A SUBSTITUTE BILL.
AND THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT
HAVE AMENDMENTS ARE WILLING TO
SHARE THEM WITH US AS SPONSORS
OF THE LEGISLATION AND IT WOULD
BE GREAT TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT BECAUSE
WE COULD THEN, ASSUMING THAT
THERE IS CONSENSUS BETWEEN THE
SPONSORS OF AMENDMENTS AND THE
SPONSORS OF THE LEGISLATION, WE
COULD ROLL THEM INTO THE
SUBSTITUTE BILL AND I KNOW THAT
IT REALLY HELPS CENTRAL STAFF
IN STREAMLINING THINGS IN THIS
COMPRESSED TIMELINE THAT WE
HAVE OF WORKING THROUGH
LEGISLATION.
SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
IF YOU HAVE AMENDMENTS AND YOU
ARE WILLING TO SHARE THIS WITH
US, LET US KNOW.
AS SOON AS WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW A
SUBSTITUTE, WE WILL LET YOU
KNOW AND TELL YOU WHAT
SUBSTITUTE CONTAINS CURRENTLY.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ALONG
TO MY REPORT.
IT WILL BE BRIEF.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
CONVERSATION AT THE TOP OF OUR
MEETING TODAY. I EACH OF YOU
AND YOUR RESPECTIVE HUMANITY
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH ALL OF
YOU AS LEADERS IN OUR GREAT CITY
TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD.
A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS THAT I
WANTED TO MENTION.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND
THE PUGET SOUND REGIONAL
COUNCIL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE LAST WEEK.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS WAS ALSO ON
THE LINE AND THE MAYOR WAS
PRESENT.
IN THAT MEETING WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PERSUADE OUR
FELLOW EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
TO LAOS ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY
WITH REGARD TO 2020
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
FUNDING. SO THE PROPOSED PROJECT
LIST FOR 2020 FUNDS INCLUDED A
$3.5 MILLION APPROPRIATION FOR
SEATTLE'S ONE CENTER CITY
CONTINGENCY LIST PROJECT, AND
WE SAW AN APPROVAL OF AN
EXEMPTION TO USE THOSE FUNDS
FLEXIBLY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT
THE CITY'S PLANNING EFFORTS
AROUND THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE.
SO THE FUNDS WOULD BE SPLIT TO
SUPPORT THE PLANNING STUDY AND
THEN ALSO STILL BE ALLOWED TO
PROVIDE US SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR
DOLLARS FOR TRANSPORTATION
EMAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES IN
WEST SEATTLE AND DOWNTOWN TO
HELP ADDRESS THE REALITY OF THE
TRAFFIC IMPACTS RESULTING FROM
THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSURE.
THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A HIGH
PRIORITY ON OUR LIST IN TERMS
OF REPRESENTATIVES AT THE PUGET
SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING.
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT
REQUEST AND WE DID RECEIVE THE
FLEXIBILITY.
IT IS NOT ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT
WAS APPROPRIATED TO US THROUGH
THE PROCESS, BUT IT IS MUCH
NEEDED FLEXIBILITY THAT WE
NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO
USE THE FUNDS THAT MET THIS
EMERGING NEED.
IT IS GREAT NEWS FOR US AS A
CITY.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE
PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL
STAFF AND TO THE OTHER MEMBERS
OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD WHO
ASKED TOUGH QUESTIONS BUT ALSO
SIGNALED THEIR STRONG SUPPORT
FOR IT AND WE WERE ABLE TO
RECEIVE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR
THAT PARTICULAR FUNDING
REQUEST.
THAT IS WELCOME NEWS NOT JUST
FOR THE DISTRICT 1
REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE ENTIRE
CITY. WE KNOW THAT THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE IS CRITICAL TO
MOVE TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE THROUGH
OUR REGION.
IT IS A REGION WIDE ISSUE AND
THESE DOLLARS WILL BE HUGELY
HELPFUL IN OUR ENDEAVOR TO PLAN
ACCORDINGLY SO THAT WE CAN
MITIGATE IMPACTS AS WE LOOK AT
NEXT STEPS RELATED TO THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I
COULD REPORT TO ON THAT.
I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO,
THE PRIOR WEEK, ATTEND KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESS
AUTHORITY GOVERNING COMMITTEE
MEETING.
THIS WAS THE FIRST MEETING OF
THE YEAR SINCE THE COUNCIL
APPROVED THE INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO
IDENTIFY COCHAIRS, BUT I WANTED
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE
THAT I IDENTIFIED AND SUPPORTED
THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK
OUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT
WERE LEFT OVER LAST YEAR
RELATED TO VOTING AND EVIDENCE-
BASED PRACTICES AND THAT THOSE
THINGS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO
THE BYLAWS.
I WOULD EXTEND AN OFFER TO EACH
OF YOU THAT IF YOU CONTINUE TO
HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE
STRUCTURE OF THE REGIONAL
HOMELESS AUTHORITY THAT YOU
REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE TO SIGNALED TO ME
WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE
NEGOTIATED IN THE BYLAWS PROCESS
. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING
ABLE TO COMMUNICATE PROACTIVELY
WITH THOSE NEEDS ARE LATER THIS
WEEK, AND THEN, I WANTED TO LET
YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE
MIDST OF CONSIDERING WHO WILL
BE THE COCHAIRS.
THERE WAS A MOTION TO ADVANCE
THREE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE
COCHAIRS. THERE WAS A COUNTER
MOTION TO HAVE ONE OF THE THREE
COCHAIRS, IF THEY WERE GOING TO
BE THREE COPY PERSON WITH
EXPERIENCE.
I SUPPORTED THAT MOTION AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO
SUPPORT THAT KIND OF A MODEL
WHERE SOMEONE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCES ELEVATED TO A
POSITION OF LEADERSHIP AMONGST
THE GOVERNING COMMITTEE, EVEN
IF IT IS FOR SHORT-LIVED PERIOD
OF TIME, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE CENTERING THE
EXPERIENCES OF THOSE IN THAT
NEW STRUCTURE OR WE WILL RISK
THE REALITIES OF HAVING AN
ENTITY THAT IS OVERLY
POLITICIZED AND IT HAS TOO MUCH
POWER CENTERED IN ELECTED
OFFICIALS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO
WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.
AND I'M AVAILABLE TO EACH OF YOU
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
FAITHFULLY REPRESENTING THE
INTERESTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
AS A WHOLE IN THOSE ROOMS AND
IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE NOTHING
ON THIS AFTERNOON'S AGENDA.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING
SURE THAT WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL
PUBLIC HEARING.
PUBLIC COMMENT PREREGISTRATION
IS NOW OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO
THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT THIS AFTERNOON AT 2:00
PM, INCLUDING ON THE BILL
REFERENCED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
WANT AND COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T
HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO REPORT.
I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON MY
REPORT.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF
THE ORDER? COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD.
IN THE REPORTING ON WEDNESDAY
THEY REMINDED US OF TONY'S
FRIENDSHIP TO SO MANY IN THE
COMMUNITY AND HIS COMMITMENT TO
JUSTICE AND TO SHARED ACCESS
AND OPPORTUNITY TO WEALTH AND
INEQUALITY IN OUR CITY.
HE SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL AREA OF
MOTIVATION PROGRAM AND HE
WORKED FOR SEVEN YEARS AS THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
WASHINGTON STATE COMMISSION ON
AFRICAN-AMERICAN AFFAIRS, AND
DURING HIS TIME IN SEATTLE HE
úSERVED ON MORE THAN 20
COMMISSIONS.
I WANT TO SHARE THE WORDS OF
LARRY GOSSETT IN RECOGNIZING
TONY ORANGES PASSING.
HE SAID A LONGTIME FRIEND AND
COLLEAGUE AND HE WAS ONE OF THE
TRULY GREAT ACTIVIST LEADERS
SEATTLE PRODUCED DURING THE
SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT HIS
ATTITUDE AND COMMITMENT TO THE
PEOPLE WAS ALWAYS ON AND ABOUT
BEING INVOLVED.
HE STUDIED THE ISSUES AFFECTING
OPPRESSED PEOPLE WAS ON DISPLAY
IN EVERYTHING HE DID DURING HIS
CAREER IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
IT WAS EXEMPLIFIED BEAUTIFULLY
DURING THE PERIOD HE SERVED AS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
WASHINGTON STATE AFRICAN-
AMERICAN COMMISSION.
'S ARTICULATION OF THE FINER
POINTS OF ISSUES WAS ADMIRED BY
ALL AND LUCKY ENOUGH TO HEAR
HIS CLEAR EXPLANATION.
THE KILLING OF AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION WAS ONE SUCH ISSUE HE
WORKED ON.
AND HE DID A GREAT JOB OF
MOBILIZING THE PEOPLE TO RESIST
THOSE TRYING TO KILL IT.
HE COULD ALWAYS BREAK DOWN
COMPLEX ISSUES SO THAT EVERY
DAY PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND
WHAT THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR AND
WE APPRECIATED THAT ABOUT HIM.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN TAKE SOME
TIME TO OBSERVE THE LEGACY OF
TONY ORANGE. I KNOW HE WAS A
FRIEND AND MENTOR TO MANY ON
THIS COUNSEL AS WELL AS MANY IN
THE COMMUNITY AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH FOLKS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
THIS IS THE LAST ITEM OF
BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA.
WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN IN
TWO HOURS AT 2:00 PM THIS
AFTERNOON AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
OUR MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.