>>> CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THE JULY 6, 2022 MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC
ASSETS AND HOMELESSNESS
COMMITTEE.
I'M CHAIRMAN LEWIS.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[ ROLL CALL ]
>> VICE CHAIR MOSQUEDA, I SEE
YOU SIGNED IN.
ARE YOU PRESENT?
CHAIR LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR
MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> AND MR. CLERK, I DIDN'T HEAR
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
AFFIRMATIVELYDECLARE SHE WAS
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, CAN
YOU CONDITION FIRM YOU'RE HERE?
>> I'M HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO APPROVAL
OF THE AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MATTERS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PURSUING
TODAY.
WE ARE CONSIDERING AN
APPOINTMENT.
APPOINTMENT 02265.
OF YAZMIN FATIMA MEHDI OF THE
SEATTLE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE HEARING
A PRESENTATION FROM OUR
PARTNERS AT KING COUNTY.
AND I SEE COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-
WELLES IN THE AUDIENCE.
IT'S GREAT.
COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES AND
SOME MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE OF KING COUNTY GOVERNMENT,
TO TALK ABOUT OUR ONGOING
CONVERSATION REGARDING THE
FUTURE OF CITY HALL PARK.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HEAR A
PRESENTATION FROM SEATTLE PARKS
AND RECREATION, ABOUT THE
ONGOING SITUATION OF THE
SEATTLE PARKS AQUATICS
FACILITIES AND PARTICULARLY
PERSONNEL CHALLENGES AND
PARTICULARLY LIFEGUARDING.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE
CONTINUING.
WILL FOLKS IN THE GALLERY
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM TALKING
DURING THE MEETING?
THANK YOU.
WITH THOSE ITEMS OF BUSINESS,
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
SPEAKERS WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE
TO SPEAK.
WE WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN
SPEAKERS PRESENT IN THE GALLERY
AND SPEAKERS ONLINE.
I'M GOING TO PRIORITIZE GALLERY
SPEAKERS FIRST, AND THEN ONLINE
SPEAKERS.
MR. CLERK, CAN YOU REMIND THE
COMMITTEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WE
HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT?
>> THERE ARE THREE SPEAKERS
SIGNED UP IN PERSON.
AND THERE ARE SEVEN SIGNED UP
ONLINE.
>> OKAY.
MR. CLERK.
WILL YOU PLEASE MODERATE THE
POSSIBLE COMMENTS SESSION,
BEGINNING WITH SPEAKERS IN THE
GALLERY.
WE WILL THEN PROCEED TO OUR
VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
OUR FIRST IN-PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS JOYCE MODEY.
JOYCE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
>> HI.
I'M JOYCE MODEY.
25 YEARS AGO, I COLLECTED
SIGNATURES FOR THE CITIZENS
INITIATIVE CALL.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THAT
CITY HALL, CITY PARKS
DEPARTMENT, A BUNCH OF LITTLE
TINY PIECES OF LAND DO NOT
EQUATE TO AN INTACT PARK IN A
VERY CRITICAL LOCATION IN A
DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE NEED TO STOP PUNISHING
OUR PARKS FOR SOCIETY'S
BEHAVIORS.
SO PLEASE KEEP CITY HALL PARK
IN THE SEATTLE PARK DEPARTMENT.
ACTIVATE IT AND OPEN IT UP.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JOYCE.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
MARGUERITE RASHARD.
>> YES.
MY NAME IS MARGUERITE RASHARD.
I SEE TWO MINUTES UP THERE.
BUT IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE OR NO?
>> TWO MINUTES IS FINE, MS.
RASHARD.
GO AHEAD.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE MINUTE.
BUT ANYWAY THE SUBJECT MATTER
IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE SAME
BECAUSE SEATTLE HAS A HISTORY
OF NOT PRODUCING WHAT'S RIGHT.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS SO
CHAOTIC.
NO WONDER, THERE'S A COMMITTEE
ON HOMELESSNESS?
AND YOU SEE IT'S EXPANDING.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT
EXPANDED.
THEY HAVE LIKE A 10-YEAR PLAN.
THEN IT WENT FROM 10, 20, 30,
40, 50, 60, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
IT.
AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN
GOVERNMENT WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE
IN GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CHANGE.
AND THAT'S REALLY SAD.
WITH ALL THE YEARS THAT I HAVE
BEEN LIVING HERE.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE WORST
PEOPLE EVER, EVER SERVING US.
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW.
HEY, I LEARNED A WHOLE LOT FROM
MY MOTHER.
WHICH SHE HAPPENED TO BE
INDIGENOUS BLACK.
SO WE JUST SUFFERED THROUGH THE
FRAY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF
OUR SKIN.
AND YES, I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE THAT
HAVE HAD TO BE RIGHT THERE, OUT
THERE ON THOSE STREETS.
I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE WORST.
DO YOU EVER TAKE YOUR CAMERA
AND SEE THOSE PEOPLE?
HOW THEY GET ALONG?
IT'S REALLY SAD.
IT'S -- IT'S.
YEAH, YOU CAN CALL THAT A
PANDEMIC, TOO.
AND AN EPIDEMIC, TOO, OF SOME
SORT.
BECAUSE NOBODY SHOULD BE
TREATED LIKE THAT, WITH ALL
THIS LAND?
WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THOSE EMPTY
CONDOS?
LET THEM GO SLEEP UP IN THERE.
HUH?
I MEAN, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
THIS STUFF?
AND FOLK GETTING THROWN OUT
BECAUSE THE RENT IS TOO HIGH
FOR THEM, THEY EVEN PAID TO
LIVE IN A PLACE.
HUH?
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S CALLED ORGANIZED CRIME.
>> AND MR. CLERK, BEFORE GOING
ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER, IT
LOOKS LIKE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA IS INDICATING SHE IS
PRESENT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, CAN YOU
CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE NOW
PRESENT?
>> YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
MY AUDIO WASN'T WORKING.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> THE RECORD WILL NOW REFLECT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IS
PRESENT.
YOU CAN PROCEED WITH THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SESSION.
>> OUR FINAL IN-PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS ALEX TSIMERMAN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY LOVELY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALEX.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT PARK.
I LIVE 35 YEARS IN THIS CITY.
WE HAVE TOO MANY BEAUTIFUL
PARK.
YOU ARE DOING VERY GOOD JOB
WITH US, MAYOR, YOU KNOW WHAT
THIS MEAN?
YOU CLEAN YOUR PARK FROM ALL
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AMERICA.
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS AND
BRING THIS PARK ONLY FOR
ARISTOCRAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
JOB.
BECAUSE WHEN I COME TO AMERICA
35 YEARS AGO, I SUBMIT TO
CONSTITUTION EXISTS FOR
EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN IN BUT
THIS NOT HAPPEN RIGHT NOW IN
SEATTLE BECAUSE WE HAVE
OVERSEAS GOVERNMENT.
PEOPLE WHOSE CITIZENS BRANCH.
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?
IT IS MENTALLY SEA.
I CALL YOU MANY TIMES, NAZI
GESTAPO, WE HAVE ONE CLASS
NORTH AMERICAN.
ANOTHER CLASS WHO IS AMERICAN.
ONE CLASS OF PEOPLE AND A
DIVIDED NATION.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
IS THIS AMERICA OR SEATTLE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
750,000 IDIOT WHO USE PARK?
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN?
SUPPOSED TO BE THE ARISTO CAT.
AND WHAT IS NOT ARISTOCRAT,
CANNOT GO TO PARK.
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN?
CANNOT SLEEP PARK.
I CAN.
I OLD MAN, SOMETIMES I GOT TO
PARK, I START FALLING ASLEEP.
SO POLICEMAN CAN COME TALK TO
ME AND SAY, DON'T SLEEP IN
PARK, GO SLEEP IN HOME.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPEN
WITH HOMELESS NOW.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS, HUH?
THIS CONSTITUTION NOT FOR
EVERYBODY?
JUSTICE FOR ALL?
THERE IS A PROBLEM.
WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE
PSYCHOPATH?
NAZI PSYCHOPATH.
WHY?
WE ARE ALL AMERICAN.
YOU REMEMBER?
WE EXIST FOR 50,000 YEAR,
AMERICA.
THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO THE
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE
PROCEED WITH MODERATING THE
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENTS
SECTION?
>> OUR FIRST VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS CHRIS WOODWARD.
CHRIS, IF YOU PRESS STAR 69 TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU CAN BEGIN
WHEN READY.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS CHRIS WOODWARD.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
WITH THE ALLIANCE OF PIONEER
SQUARE.
I'M PROVIDING COMMENT AS A
MEMBER OF DEDICATED COALITION
OF PARK AND PUBLIC STATE
ADVOCATE, BUT REQUESTING THE
CITY NOT TRANSFER CITY HEALTH
PARK IN EXCHANGE FOR PROPERTY,
LEGISLATION.
WHILE WE HAVE HEARD AND
UNDERSTAND THE GOOD INTENTIONS
OF THE COUNTY IN PROPOSING TO
ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY -- >>
MR. WOODWARD, COULD YOU SPEAK
INTO THE MIKE A LITTLE MORE?"
WIRE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING
YOU IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE CAN TOLL YOUR TIME.
>> OKAY.
LET ME -- OKAY.
I'M JUST GOING TO RESTART.
MY NAME IS CHRIS WOODWARD,
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
WITH THE ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER
SQUARE.
I'M PROVIDING COMMENT AS A
MEMBER OFDEDICATED COALITION OF
PARK AND PUBLIC SPACE ADVOCATES
THAT IS REQUESTING THE CITY NOT
TRANSFER CITY HILL PARK IN
EXCHANGE FOR COUNTY PROPERTIES
UNDER THIS CURRENT LEGISLATION.
WHILE WE HAVE HEARD AND
UNDERSTAND THE GOOD INTENTIONS
OF THE COUNTY, IN PROPOSING TO
ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY, WITHOUT
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE CODIFIED IN
LEGISLATIONS, THOSE INTENTIONS
WILL CHANGE, BASED ON THE
OUTCOMES OF FUTURE ELECTIONS
AND FUTURE REALITIES.
HAVE YOU HEARD AND SEEN A
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW
THROUGH WITH THESE SHORT-AND
LONG-TERM INTENTIONS?
WE BELIEVE THE CITY AND COUNTY
SHOULD INCLUDE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY IN COMMUNICATIONS
ABOUT HOW THIS LAND SHOULD BE
PROTECTED OR MAINTAINED BEFORE
ANY TRANSFER OF PROPERTIES
OCCUR.
CITY HALL PARK IS AN
IRREPLACEABLE PART OF COMMUNITY
AND CITY ASSET THAT SERVES
RESIDENTS WITHIN A TWO-BLOCK
RADIUS, PRIOR TO TEMPORARILY
BEING CLOSED AFTER AN
ENCAMPMENT WAS CHEERED.
SIMPLE JURISDICTION WITHOUT
PROPER ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING
REDUCE WHAT THESE RESIDENTS
HAVE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE.
WE FURTHER BELIEVE THAT THE
PARCELS DO NOT MEET THE METHOD
OF [ INAUDIBLE ] AND INTENT
OF INITIATIVE 42, WHICH IS TO
ENSURE A LAND SWAP BENEFITS THE
SAME COMMUNITY.
NONE OF THESE PARCELS ARE
WITHIN PIONEER SQUARE OR SERVE
THE SAME POPULATIONS.
WE FAIL TO SEE THIS AS AN IN-
KIND TRADE FOR THE PIONEER
SQUARE COMMUNITY.
IN CONCLUSION, CITY HELP PARK
SHOULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED FROM
THE CITY TO THE COUNTY, AS THE
CURRENT PRO POSAL, BYPASSES
IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS AND
DOES NOT ADDRESS [ INAUDIBLE ]
IMPACTS
[ INAUDIBLE ] DRAMATIC
MEASURE.
WE BELIEVE THE ONLY SOLUTION IS
FOR THE COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH
THE COUNTY AND CITY TO MAKE
THIS A SUCCESSFUL STATE.
AND WITH ALL OF THESE SESSIONS
CARRIED ON [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, CHRIS.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
JACOB SHEER.
JACOB, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
>> HI.
THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS JACOB SHEER.
I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF REAL
CHANGE.
TO STATE OPPOSITION OF THE
TRANSFER OF CITY HALL PARK FROM
THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO COUNTY.
IT IS ONE OF THE LAST GREEN
SPACES AND IT HAS A HIGH
POPULATION OF LOW-INCOME
HOUSING.
AND THESE FOLKS LIVING OUTDOORS
DESERVE ACCESS TO PARKS TOO.
AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE CITY
SELL OFF VALUABLE LAND.
WE NEED PUBLIC HOUSING AND
PUBLIC PARKS ON CITY LAND.
NOT LUXURY APARTMENTS WITH A
FEW GATED AND INACCESSIBLE
AREAS.
SO KEEP IT OPEN AND REACTIVATE
THE PARK.
THANK YOU.
[ SILENCE ]
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO
BETH PURCELL.
BETH -- >> I'M -- >> OH.
THANKS, BETH.
GO AHEAD.
>> I'M HERE.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
I WASN'T PROMPTED SO I DIDN'T
CATCH ON TO THAT.
MY NAME IS BETH PURCELL.
AND I'VE WORKED WITH PARK SPACE
AND THE CITY FOR THE PAST 30
YEARS.
IN PREVIOUS YEARS, CITY HALL
PARK, OCCIDENTAL PARK AND
PIONEER PARK HAVE HAD THEIR
CHALLENGES.
IN EACH CASE, IT TOOK ADJACENT
PROPERTY OWNERS AND EFFECTIVE
COMMUNITIES TO PRODUCE POSITIVE
EXPERIENCES THERE.
I BELIEVE WE CAN PARTNER WITH
THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO MAKE
THIS ASSUCCESSFUL PLACE AND
TRANSFER OF PROPERTY IS NOT
NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH OUR
COLLECTIVE GOALS.
I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER ABOUT
THE PROPOSED TRANSFER.
THE COUNTY'S PROPOSED TRANSFER
LANGUAGE IS BROAD AND
SUBJECTIVE.
THE COUNTY HAS NO URBAN PARKS
IN HIS PORTFOLIO.
AND HAS PROVIDED NO INFORMATION
ABOUT HOW THEY WILL FUND AND
MANAGEMENT OR OPERATE THE PARK
IN THE FUTURE.
AN EXAMPLE IS THAT THE FENCE
COULD BE CHANGED.
>> ADDITIONALLY, THE PROPOSED
TRANSFER OF COUNTY PROPERTIES
INCLUDES FRAGMENTS OF
PROPERTIES.
ONLY ONE NEW PARK, WHICH IS IN
SOUTH PARK.
LIKELY CONTAINS CONTAMINANTS.
THE TRANSFER LANGUAGE STATES
THAT ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP WILL
BE THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY
AND THERE ARE NO FUNDS INCLUDED
FOR THAT WORK.
I UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES TO
THE CITY ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE
COUNTY.
HOWEVER, THIS TAKES SOUTH PARK
IN PIONEER SQUARE BY
TRANSFERRING CRITICAL PUBLIC
SPACE, AND TAKING IT AWAY FROM
ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
CITY HALL PARK IS AN
IRREPLACEABLE PARK.
AND PROVIDES THE ONLY GREEN
SPACE IN AN AREA SOUTH THAT
SERVES THE LOWEST POPULATIONS
IN ALL OF KING COUNTY.
CITY SHOULD MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP,
ACTIVATEING.
>> THANK YOU, BETH.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
REBECCA BEAR.
PRESS STAR 69 AND BEGIN
SPEAKING WHENEVER READY.
>> HELLO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> OKAY.
GREAT.
>> THIS IS REBECCA BEAR, I'M
THE CEO OF THE SEATTLE PARKS
RECREATION.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE ROLE.
TO ENSURE THAT CITY HALL PARK
REMAINS IN PERPETUITY A PARK
FOR THE COMMUNITY.
TO THE PRESERVATION -- THROUGH
THE PRESERVATION OF THE PARK.
CODIFIED IN LEGISLATION.
AND IT NEEDS TO ENSURE,
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT OR
KING COUNTY WE NEED TO ENSURE
THE PARK REMAINS A PARK.
IN ADDITION, WE REALLY WANT TO
ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS
ENGAGED AS YOU HEARD A FEW
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPEAK TODAY,
IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGN TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE TAKING
INTO ACCOUNT IN THE LONG-TERM
CARE AND USAGE OF THE PARK.
FUNDING FOR THE PARK IS ALSO
VERY SIGNIFICANT.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS
FUNDING FOR THE PARK, LONG-
TERM, FOCUSED ON FUNDING THE
ACTIVE SPACE FOR THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY.
AND TO THAT END, THERE HAS BEEN
A LOT OF WORK DONE BY THE CITY.
AROUND AS REFERRED TO EARLIER
IN THIS AREA.
OCCIDENTAL PARK, PIONEER
SQUARE, ET CETERA, BOTH PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE INTERESTS HAVE
FUNDED ACTIVATION AND COMMUNITY
BUILDING IN THOSE SPACES AND
THEY HAVE TRANSFORMED
SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THEN FINALLY, MANAGEMENT OF
THE PARK IS COMPLEX AND
REQUIRES INCLUSION OF THE
COMMUNITY AS A PART OF THAT
PROCESS.
WE ARE CONCERNED, AGAIN, THAT I-
42 IS NOT BEING FULFILLED HERE
BECAUSE THE CURRENT PERSONALS
ARE NOT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE
COUNCIL CONTINUE TO DO WORK ON
INSURING THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE
QUESTIONS ANSWERED AROUND
FUNDING, MAINTENANCE,
OPERATIONS AND ENSURING THAT
THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY REMAINS
A PARK IN PERPETUITY, BEFORE
ANY LAND TRANSFERS OR IF LAND
TRANSFERS WERE TO HAPPEN.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PATRICK
OISHI.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS PATRICK ALISHI.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS THE
PRESIDING JUDGE OF KING COUNTY
COURT.
AS WELL AS LONG-TIME CITIZEN OF
THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK
COMMITTEE CHAIR LEWIS AND THE
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
ALLOWING ME TO GIVE PUBLIC
COMMENT ON ITEM 2, WHICH IS THE
CITY HALL PARK LAND TRANSFER.
I NOW ASK TO SUPPORT THE LAND
TRANSFER FOR THREE IMPORTANT
REASONS.
ONE, CITY HALL PARK IS QUITE
LITERALLY THE FRONT YARD OF THE
KING COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WHICH
IS THE SEAT OF KING COUNTY
GOVERNMENT.
AND IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE
COUNTY'S DOWNTOWN CIVIC CAMPUS.
SECOND, THE LAND TRANSFER WOULD
PRESERVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN
THE ACCESS TO THE COURTHOUSE
FOR ALL LITIGANTS, JURORS, AND
EMPLOYEES, WHO VITALLY NEED
ACCESS TO THE COURTHOUSE.
AND THIRD, THE LAND TRANSFER
WOULD SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR
ALL.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS, AGAIN, I
WOULD RESPECTFULLY THAT THE
CITY SUPPORT THE LAND TRANSFER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
DAVID HAINES.
DAVID, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID HAINES,
DISTRICT 7. THE CENTRAL
LIBRARY IS A WAREHOUSE ECHO.
A NOISE-POLLUTING DISTRACTING
IRRITATION, WITH IRRESPECTFUL
PEOPLE, DUMPING THEIR DRAMA ON
YOU.
WHEN YOU'RE MINDING YOUR
BUSINESS, READING OR ON A
COMPUTER, THERE'S ALL OF THESE
PEOPLE CONSTANTLY MAKING NOISE
AND DISTRACTING YOU.
IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.
LIBRARY LEADERSHIP HAS NEVER
DONE ANYTHING OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS TO GIVE PATRONS A
REPRIEVE FROM THE RIDICULOUS
LACK OF PERSONAL QUIET SPACE.
IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
SECONDLY AND SEPARATELY, THE
FACT CITY COUNCIL IS
TRANSFERRING A CITY PARK TO THE
COUNTY, IS PROOF CITY HALL IS
AN UTTER FAILURE AT PUBLIC
SAFETY THAT IS ROOTED IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S POLICIES OF
EXEMPTING CRACK, METH, HEROIN
AND QUINTANO PUSHERS FROM JAIL.
ESCALATING MOST OF THE
VIOLENCE, IMPLODING SOCIETY,
VICTIMIZING, AND MAKING THE
HOMELESS CRISIS MORE DIFFICULT,
AS UNQUALIFIED WRAP-AROUND
SERVICES PROFIT OFF OF FAILED
EFFORTS, ALL WHILE THE COUNTY
CONTINUES TO EXEMPT DRUG
PUSHERS FROM JAIL, TOO.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH COUNTY
EXERCISES THE PARK, ESPECIALLY
KING COUNTY JUDGES.
NOW, THE FACT THAT HOMELESS
CRISIS CONTINUES WITH NOTHING
FOR HOMELESS THIS WEEK ON THE
COUNCIL AGENDA IS PROOF CITY
COUNCIL DOESN'T CARE AND NEVER
SHOULD HAVE REDIRECTED A LOT OF
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
DOLLARS TO BUY OFF GEORGE FLOYD
AND BLACK LIVES MATTER
PROTESTORS, WITH TWO SEPARATE
LUMP SUM PAYMENTS OF $30
MILLION EACH, FOR $60 MILLION,
STOLEN FROM THE HOMELESS
CRISIS, SO COUNCIL COULD BUY
OFF ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN RE-
ELECTION SUPPORT, QUELLING
PROTESTS, USING ORGANIZERS,
PAID AS IF EXPERTS ON PUBLIC
SAFETY, ALTERNATIVE POLICING,
AND EQUITY, CREATING AND
RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR EVIL
CRIMINALS WHO HAVE BEEN
PRIORITIZING -- >> THANK YOU.
OUR FINAL PUBLIC COMMENTER
TODAY IS DUSTIN FREDERICK.
DUSTIN, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
>> THIS IS DUSTIN FREDERICK.
AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 2.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PROVIDE COMMENT.
I REPRESENT THE KING COUNTY
COALITION OF LABOR UNIONS.
WE REPRESENT ABOUT 6,000 KING
COUNTY EMPLOYEES, THROUGH 62
DIFFERENT BARGAINING UNITS.
AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON OUR
INTEREST INO AND SUPPORT FOR
THE LAND TRANSFER.
THERE MUST BE SOME
MISCOMMUNICATIN OUT THERE
BECAUSE EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD
IS THAT THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED
AMENDED COMMENT LANGUAGE THAT
ENSURES THAT THE PROPERTY
REMAINS A PARK.
AND PLAY, IN AND AROUND THE
PIONEER SQUARE AND COUNTY
DOWNTOWN CAMPUS.
GIVEN THAT, AS THE BASIS, I SEE
TREMENDOUS BENEFIT FOR THE LAND
TRANSFER.
AND I WOULD SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
HOMELESS, AREN'T HOMELESS
PEOPLE ENTITLED TO A BEAUTIFUL
PARK, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE?
THANK YOU.
>> MR. CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES
OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SIGNUPS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
1 INTO THE RECORD.
>> ITEM 1. APPOINTMENT 02265.
APPOINTMENT OF YAZMIN FATIMA
MEHDI AS MEMBER OF SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF
TRUSTEES FOR A TERM TO APRIL 1,
2027, FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION
AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK.
AND I SEE THAT WE HAVE CHIEF
LIBRARIAN TOM FAY JOINING US.
LIBRARIAN FAY IS THE NOMINEE
FOR THE BOARD PRESIDENT,
VIRTUALLY OR IN COUNCIL
CHAMBERS.
>> YES, CHAIR LEWIS.
THE APPOINTEE IS PRESENT AS
WELL AS OUR PRESIDENT OF THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
>> EXCELLENT.
WELL, LIBRARIAN FAY, I WILL
HAND IT OVER TO YOU TO
INTRODUCE THE NOMINEE.
AND CUE UP THE DISCUSSION.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR LEWIS.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.
WE HAVE A BOARD VACANCY.
AND YAZMIN HAS EXPERIENCE
WORKING AT THE CITY, AS A
SENIOR FISCAL AND POLICY
ANALYST WITHIN THE CITY BUDGET
OFFICE.
AND LATER AS A SPECIAL
ASSISTANT TO THE MAYOR, FOR
ARTS AND CULTURE.
SHE WORKED AT S.P.L.
IN EARLY 2000S, BRIEFLY, AS A
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF
LIBRARIAN.
FOLLOWED BY TIME AS THE
LIBRARY'S FOUNDING DIRECTOR.
MOST RECENTLY, SHE'S BEEN BOTH
DEPUTY AND INTERIM DISTRICT
DIRECTOR, FOR CONGRESSWOMAN GIA
POLD.
YAZMIN HAS ALSO SERVED ON MANY
NONPROFIT BOARDS OVER THE
YEARS.
AND SHE'S WELL POSITIONED AT
SIGNIFICANT SKILLS AND
EXPERTISE AS WE NOW SEE A 10-
YEAR BOARD MEMBER, CHRISTY
ENGLAND LEAVING US.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR MAYOR HAROLD
FOR REVIEW.
YAZMIN?
>> HELLO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
IT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE HONOR
TO SERVE ON THE LIBRARY BOARD.
I'M HONORED THAT THE MAYOR HAS
PUT MY NAME FORWARD.
HAVING MOST RECENTLY SERVED ON
THE LIBRARY SEARCH COMMITTEE, I
WAS GIVEN THE CHANCE AND
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BRING TOM
FAY FORWARD AS OUR CHIEF
LIBRARIAN.
AND ALSO TO REACQUAINT MYSELF
WITH THE ISSUES FACING THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY TODAY.
WHICH ARE NOT INSIGNIFICANT.
BUT DEFINITELY ISSUES THAT NEED
TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
OPPORTUNITY.
I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
FOR ME.
AND I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOES THE BOARD CHAIR ALSO WANT
TO MAKE REMARKS BEFORE WE GET
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS?
>> NO.
I JUST -- I AGREE WITH THE
APPOINTMENT.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YAZMIN, IF HER
APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FOR THE RECORD, THAT WAS CARMEN
BENDIXEN FROM THE LIBRARY
BOARD.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR THE NOMINEE?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
IF I MAY, IS IT OKAY TO CALL
YOU YAZMIN?
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL
YOU "MISS."
FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME BACK.
I HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT YOUR
APPOINTMENT PACKET.
AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY,
TO OUR CITY AND EDUCATION.
IT'S INCREDIBLY AMAZING AND
STELLAR.
I SEE THAT YOU SERVED ON THE
LIBRARY FOUNDATION IN THE PARK
COMMISSION AS WELL.
AND WORK FOR ONE OF OUR MAYORS
AS WELL AND SOME OF OUR FOLKS
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT COME
FORWARD TO WANT TO SERVE AGAIN
FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE BECAUSE
YOU CARE ABOUT OUR GREAT CITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
STEPPING UP AND DOING IT.
AND THANK YOU, TOM, FOR
BRINGING YAZMIN BACK IN THE
FOLD.
I KNOW YOU WORKED CLOSELY WITH
Y.T.
AND I WAS KIND OF LAUGHING, NOT
LAUGHING BUT WONDERING WHEN I
WAS LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME.
I WAS LIKE, WHAT DID SHE DO
WITH THE HARVARD FOOTBALL
MANAGER?
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?
IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO PUT
ON YOURRESUME.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR
PANEL?
I'M SEEING NOW, LOOKING AT OUR
VIRTUALLY PRESENT
COUNCILMEMBERS AND NOT SEEING
ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
APPOINT A NEW BOARD MEMBER.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE VIEWING IN
ADVANCE, NOMINEE MEHDI'S
CREDENTIALS WAS JUST A GREAT
EXPERIENCE.
AND BEING IN THIS POSITION NOW,
OF CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE THAT
OVERSEES SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY, IN ADDITION TO SEATTLE
PARKS, IT'S BEEN A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY, TOO, TO GET TO
KNOW THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION,
WHICH COMMISSIONER NOMINEE
MEHDI HAS SERVE ON.
AND I WONDER IF I MIGHT ASK, AS
A QUESTION BEFORE WE PROCEED TO
A VOTE.
THE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER
INCREASE THE COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE
FOUNDATION.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TRANSITIONING IN AT THE SAME
TIME.
TOM HAS BEEN TRANSITIONING AS
CHIEF LIBRARIAN.
TO BE ABLE TO REALLY NETWORK
WITH AND COLLABORATE WITH THE
FOUNDATION AS A RESOURCE, WHICH
A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS DON'T
HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING, SUCH
AN INVOLVED AND ACTIVE
FOUNDATION.
AND I JUST WONDER WHAT SOME OF
YOUR VISION, HAVING BEEN
EXTENSIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT
PROGRAMMING AND NOW TAKING ON
THIS ROLE, WHAT SOME OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES ARE TO INCREASE
THAT LEVEL OF PARTNERSHIP.
>> I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY
FUNDAMENTAL THAT THE LIBRARY
FOUNDATION AND THE LIBRARY AND
THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WORK
TOGETHER, IN BOTH PROVIDING A
VISION FOR THE CITY AND THEN
ACTUALLY GARNERING THE
NECESSARY SUPPORT FOR THAT.
BACK WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE
LIBRARY AND THEN THE LIBRARY
FOUNDATION, THERE WAS THAT,
SORT OF SYNCHRONICITY, IF YOU
WILL.
AND IT ALLOWED FOR THE LIBRARY
TO ACTUALLY CREATE PROGRAMS AND
MOVE IN FORWARD, IN PRETTY
QUICK AND EARNEST FASHION.
AND I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT
IS NECESSARY.
IF THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING THE
LIBRARY PUBLIC AND THEY'RE AT
ODDS, IT'S JUST A WASTED
OPPORTUNITY.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I COULD
SAY RIGHT NOW WHAT THOSE -- HOW
THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WORKING
WITH JONNA WARD, AT THE
FOUNDATION, WORKING WITH THE
FOUNDATION BOARD, AND I KNOW
THAT THE EXISTING BOARD HAS
BEEN DOING THAT, BUT DOING MORE
AROUND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO
BRING FORTH A VISION AND
ACTUALLY BRING IT TO FRUITION.
>> GREAT.
WELL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT
CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO BE
ABLE TO FILL THIS VACANCY.
ON AN EXPEDIENT TIME LINE AS
CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY TO BE
ADMITTED EARLIER.
WITH THAT.
I'M GOING TO MOVE APPOINTMENT
02265, THE APPOINTMENT OF
YAZMIN MEHDI, AS MEMBER OF
SEATTLE LIBRARY OF TRUSTEES FOR
A TERM APRIL 1, 2027.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> HAVING BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED, CAN THE CLERK CALL A
VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO
FULL COUNCIL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> YES.
>> MOSQUEDA.
YES.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR AND NONE
OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CLERK.
SO YAZMIN, THIS IS GOING TO GO
FORWARD TO THE NEXT POSTED FULL
KOWS COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH I
BELIEVE WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT
FOR THAT FINAL VOTE.
BUT YOU'RE, OF COURSE, MORE
THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND AND
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONFIRMING YOUR NOMINATION AT
FULL COUNCIL AND APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU A
LITTLE BIT THIS AFTERNOON.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND CONGRATULATIONS.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU IN
THE EVENT YOUR NOMINATION IS
SUCCESSFUL NEXT TUESDAY, WHICH
I FULLY EXPECT IT WILL BE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY.
MR. CLERK.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEM 2
INTO THE RECORD?
>> ITEM 2. CITY HALL PARK,
INTERGOVERNMENTAL LAND TRANSFER
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO WE HAVE A PANEL FROM KING
COUNTY THAT WILL BE BOTH
VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON.
AND COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-
WELLES IS IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND CAN COUNCIL MEMBER KOHL-
WELLES JOIN US AT THE TABLE?
IS IT SET UP FOR THAT?
MR. CLERK?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
GREAT.
AND I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE.
I SEE KARAN GILL.
WHO ELSE IS PART OF THE COUNTY
PRESENTATION, WHO IS COMING IN
ONLINE?
>> THOMAS KONEY IS HERE.
>> THOMAS KONEY.
WITH KARAN GILL.
SO WHO IS GOING TO BE
COORDINATING THE PRESENTATION?
I BELIEVE THERE'S A SLIDE DECK
THAT HAS BEEN SENT ALONG IN
ADVANCE.
SO MR. CLERK, DO WE HAVE THAT
AVAILABLE?
>> TOM KONEY FROM THE COUNCIL
SHOULD BE SHARING THE
PRESENTATION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO MR. KONEY, IF YOU WANT TO
WORK WITH THE CLERK HERE ON
GETTING THE SLIDE DECK UP.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU GUYS
TO DETERMINE HOW YOU WANT TO
COORDINATE THE PRESENTATION.
BUT WELCOME.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS KARAN GILL.
FROM THE COUNTY.
ALSO JOINED BY KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES WHO
IS IN CHAMBERS AND WHO
INTRODUCED THE TRANSFER
ORDINANCE AT THE COUNTY
COUNCIL.
WE ALSO HAVE TOM KONEY, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF THE KING COUNTY
EXECUTIVE SERVICES, WHO WILL
GET MORE INTO THE WEEDS WHEN WE
BEGIN THE POWER POINT
PRESENTATION.
TONY WRIGHT, DIRECTOR OF OUR
FACILITIES IS DIRECTING TODAY.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER ANY
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
AND IF WE CAN'T, WE'LL FOLLOW
UP ONCE HE GETS BACK.
AND I BELIEVE I'VE MET WITH
EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY.
OR SOMEONE FROM OUR OFFICE HAS.
APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE FOR SOME
OF THE REPETITIVENESS.
AND YOU'LL HEAR IN OUR BRIEF
PRESENTATION.
I'LL START WITH THIS.
IT STARTED IN DETAIL.
THE UPDATED COVENANT LANGUAGE
EXPLICITLY SAID THE CITY HALL
PROPERTY SHAWL, IN PERPETUITT
PETUITY.
AND AS WE SAID, IN VISIONS,
THIS SPACE WILL BE A SAFE,
HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR
EVERYONE TO USE AS OPEN SPACE.
THE CAMPUS SURROUNDS SPACE.
AND HAVING THE PARK WILL ALLOW
US TO HAVE CONTINUITY WITH THE
PROPERTIES.
AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE
CAMPUS.
DAY RESOURCE OFFICER FOR THOSE
WHAT NEED IT.
THIS WILL, INDEED BE A SAFE
SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SURE EVERYONE WILL BE
IN LINE WITH THAT.
AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS PRIOR
TO.
AND AFTER THE LAST COMMITTEE
HEARING, ENSURING THAT THE PARK
WILL REMAIN OPENSPACE.
THE LANGUAGE WILL REFLECT THAT.
WE ALSO TRANSMITED THE PLANS
TO COUNTY COUNCIL AS WELL AS IN
COUNCIL KOHL-WELLES.
IT WILL BE DONE HAND IN HAND
WITH THE COMMUNITY IF AND WHEN
THAT TRANSFER IS COMPLETE TO
THE CITY.
WITH THAT, BEFORE I PASS IT
OVER TO TOM, TO BE IN THE SHORT
POWER POINT.
THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES FOR
REMARKS.
THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KARAN.
AND THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US
ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY.
I'M JEAN KOHL-WELLES, COUNCIL
DISTRICT WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
AND I LIVE IN BELLTOWN.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE
AT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WHO
HAVE PUT IN AN EXTRAORDINARY
AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT ON
THIS PROJECT, NOT JUST OVER THE
PAST YEAR.
BUT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE
COUNCILMEMBER SALLY BAG SHOT
DOWN STRAUS, ROD DAMBOWSKI, OUR
CURRENT PRESIDING SUPERIOR
COURT JUDGE, PARICK OISHI, AND
JIM ROGERS.
AND JUDGE JIM -- EXCUSE ME,
JUDGE SEAN O'DONNELL AND
DIRECTOR CAROLINE WALAN EVER
THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT
EXECUTIVE SERVICES.
AND CHAIR OF THE IMPORTANT
COURTHOUSE VICINITY IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT GROUP THAT WORKED WITH
THE CITY, WITH SEATTLE PARKS,
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, MANY
OTHERS.
ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE
VICINITY OF THE COURTHOUSE.
AND THAT IS UNTIL COVID STRUCK.
I ALSO GIVE A LOT OF THANKS TO
MAYORS HARRELL AND DURKAN AND
COUNCILMEMBER DEBORA JUAREZ, AS
CHAIR OF THE PARKS COMMITTEE
LAST YEAR.
AS HAVING CHAIRED OUR BUDGET
COMMITTEE OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS, NOW I CHAIR THE
COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE.
I BECAME ACUTELY AWARE OF THE
PANDEMIC'S EFFECTS ON OUR
COUNTY OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO ON
THE ONCE-BEAUTIFUL CITY HALL
PARK, ADJACENT TO THE
COURTHOUSE.
HOWEVER, WHEN COVID STRUCK,
EMPLOYEES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AT PIONEER SQUARE, MANY OF THEM
STOPPED COMING TO THEIR
WORKPLACES.
BUSINESSES CLOSED.
INCLUDING RESTAURANTS.
AND THE PARK PARK'S ONCE
BEAUTIFUL PRESENCE, BEGAN TO BE
USED FOR UNINTENDED PURPOSES.
WE'RE SEEN WHAT IMPROVEMENTS
HAVE BEEN SEEN, WHICH WERE
STELLAR.
A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE OF
COUNCILMEMBERS STRAUS AND
DOMBOWSKI.
AND OF COURSE, WE BECAME AWARE
OF THE HARDSHIPS FOR SO MANY
DISPLACED AND EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
MANY FOR THE FIRST TIME A LOT
OF THOUGHT AND COLLABORATION,
BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE
FACTORS, WENT INTO THE
LEGISLATION THAT I INTRODUCED A
YEAR AGO AND THAT IS NOW BEFORE
YOU.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WALKED
PAST THIS BEAUTIFUL PLAZA,
RIGHT OUT HERE, ADJOINING CITY
HALL OUT TO THE WEST.
AND A CELEBRATION WAS GOING ON.
I HEARD MUSIC.
AND LAUGHTER, AS THE CITY AND
COUNTY EMPLOYEES, ENJOYED A
FREE LUNCH, PUT ON BY THE CITY.
AS THEY WERE RETURNING TO THEIR
WORKPLACE.
SO IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL
EVENT.
ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT,
THOUGH, WAS HOW FORTUNATE THIS
CITY IS, AND CITY EMPLOYEES
ARE, TO HAVE THIS FACILITY,
ADJOINING CITY HALL.
AND I KEPT THINKING ABOUT THE
THAT I WAS FEELING THAT WE DID
NOT HAVE A SIMILAR PLACE.
AND HOW WONDERFUL IT WOULD BE,
IF WE COULD ACTUALLY ACQUIRE
CITY HALL PARK, SO THAT WE
COULD HAVE SUCH A JOYOUS,
WONDERFUL, WELCOMING PLACE FOR
NOT ONLY OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT FOR
JURORS, VISITORS TO THE
COURTHOUSE, PEOPLE LIVING IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES IN
THE COMMUNITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS NOT NOW
THE CASE.
BUT I HOPE THAT WE ARE CLOSE TO
REALIZING THAT VISION THAT I
HAVE HAD.
AND I THINK IT IS A GOOD DEAL
FOR ALL.
A REAL WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR
THE CITY AND ITS PRINTS, ITS
WORKERS, ITS BUSINESSES.
BUT ALSO FOR THE COUNTY AND ALL
IN PIONEER SQUARE.
THIS AGREEMENT THAT COULD OCCUR
WITH THIS TRANSACTION, WILL
HELP BOTH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT
AND THE CITY GOVERNMENT, AND
THE PARKS THROUGHOUT OUR
REGION.
SEATTLE WILL GAIN EVEN MORE
GREEN SPACE IN ITS PARKS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND KING COUNTY WILL HAVE A
PARK OF ITS OWN, IN THE HEART
OF THE COUNTY SEAT.
A PARK THAT WILL REMAIN A PARK
FOR.
THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS SPACE
WILL NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
IT'S ALSO FOR US TO CONSIDER
ORIGINAL JEFFERSON STREET.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE A SLIDE ON
WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AT ONE
POINT IN TIME.
THE FRONT COURTGUARD OF THE
BUILDING FLOWED INTO THE PARK.
THEY COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER
FOR NEARLY 80 YEARS.
JUST THINK OF THAT.
HOWEVER, IN 1967, THIS ENTRANCE
WAS CONVERTED INTO A LOADING
DOCK, WHICH IS CURRENTLY FULL
OF SUPPLIES AND DUMPSTERS.
THE ORIGINAL EXTRAVAGANT,
ALASKAN MARBLE INSIDE THE
BUILDING, IS STILL PRESERVED.
WHILE THE MARBLE ON THE
ORIGINAL ENTRANCE HAS BEEN
DAMAGED OR COVERED IN THE LAYER
OF CONCRETE.
A LOT OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN
DONE.
WE COULD RESTORE THAT ORIGINAL
ENTRANCE, THAT HISTORIC
ENTRYWAY.
WHICH WOULD ALSO PROVIDE A VERY
FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE THAT WOULD
LEAD TO MORE FOOT TRAFFIC IN
THE PARK.
AND OFF OF THIRD AVENUE, WHERE
THERE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE BEEN A
NUMBER OF VIOLENT, HIGH-PROFILE
INSTANCES OF VIOLENCE.
ADDING NATURAL FLOW TO THIS
AREA.
WOULD RESULT IN A SAFER SPACE,
WITHOUT HAVING TO RELY ON HEAVY
LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUNITIVE
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.
OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT REFERS TO
KING COUNTY AS THE PARK IN YOUR
BACKYARD.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE WILL
TREAT CITY HALL PARK, LIKE OUR
LITTLE FRENCH PORCH.
OR AS IT WAS REFERRED TO, AS
THE COURTHOUSE'S FRONT YARD,
DECADES AGO.
A WELCOMING SPACE FOR ALL TO
ENJOY, JUST LIKE THE PLAZA THAT
YOU HAVE RIGHT OUT HERE.
BUT CONSIDER THIS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS
REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.
IF YOUR PLAZA, WHICH IS SO
WONDERFUL, RIGHT HERE, WERE
OWNED BY ANOTHER JURISDICTION.
IF IT WERE OWNED BY KING
COUNTY, OR SOMETHING ELSE, AND
YOU DID NOT HAVE A SAY OVER
WHAT WERE TO HAPPEN IN IT AND
WHAT KIND OF CELEBRATIONS THAT
YOU COULD HOST, I'LL TELL YOU.
IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR US
THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE PARK IN
OUR NAME.
WE'VE HEARD ARGUMENTS FROM SOME
THAT THIS TRANSITION WILL
SOMEHOW READ TO THE COUNTY,
HAVING A HEAVY HAND OVER WHAT
HAPPENS IN AND AROUND THE PARK.
AND THAT WE WILL SOMEHOW LOSE
SIGHT OF OUR VALUES AND
POLICIES, WEIGHTED IN EQUITY.
AND THAT COULDN'T BE FARTHER
FROM THE TRUTH.
WE AS A COUNTY HAVE A PROVEN
HISTORY OF WORKING WITH SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITIES TO
DELIVER SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
TO THOSE MOST IN NEED.
AND IN A WAY THAT INCLUDES
ROBUST ENGAGEMENT AND
COLLABORATION.
AND WE DO SO, VERY IMPORTANTLY,
BY CENTERING EQUITY, AS OUR
GOVERNMENT'S TRUE WORTH.
LET'S NOT FORGET, TOO, WHEN THE
ENCAMPMENT BEGAN TO GROW IN
CITY HALL PARK TWO YEARS AGO,
WE DIDN'T SWEEP IT.
WE DIDN'T ASK THE CITY OF
SEATTLE TO SWEEP IT EITHER.
BUT INSTEAD, WE PARTNERED WITH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, THE PD
A'S JUST CARE PROGRAM.
THE CITY, CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB,
AND OTHERS TO WORK WITH THE
OCCUPANTS OF THE PARK TO MEET
THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS.
AND HUMANELY TRANSITION THEM TO
SUPPORTIVE OR TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING.
AND THAT DID HAPPEN.
WHAT ALSO HAPPENED, THOUGH, WAS
A MURDER.
A 2-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GIRL,
WANDERING AROUND THE PARK,
WITHOUT ANY ADULT WITH HER.
STABBINGS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF
VERY, VERY CHALLENGING
SITUATIONS, WHICH COULD BE
WORKED WITH THE CITY TO HAVE
RESOLUTION THERE.
BUT THERE'S A FENCE UP AROUND
THE PARK NOW.
WE WANT TO BRING THAT DOWN.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
PARK REMAINS IN PERPETUITY AS A
BEAUTIFUL, WELCOMING PARK.
WE'VE HAD TO WEIGH ALL OF THIS
IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
VERY DIFFICULT.
WE'VE HEARD THAT THIS PROCESS
HAS BEEN RUSHED, BUT IT'S BEEN
OVER A YEAR NOW, WITH JUST
COUNTLESS MEETINGS,
COLLABORATIONS, VERY HARD WORK
ON IT, VERY THOUGHTFUL WORK,
AND WE ARE HERE NOW, AS YOU
KNOW, AND KARAN MENTIONED, WELL
WILLING TO NEGOTIATE AND BRING
ABOUT THE BEST POSSIBLE
RESOLUTION FOR ALL CONCERNED.
WE, AS A BODY, THE KING COUNTY
COUNCIL, APPROVED MOTION
20210328 LAST FALL, AFTER
MULTIPLE HEARINGS, CALLING ON
THE EXECUTIVE TO TRANSMIT THIS
DEAL TO MAKE THE PARK A PARK.
WE HAVE A VERY LENGTHY REPORT
FROM THE EXECUTIVE TRANSMITTED
LAST JANUARY THAT REALLY SPELLS
OUT THE DETAILS OF WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THAT PRIOR TO ANY ACTIVATION OF
THE PARK, WE WILL BE GOING
THROUGH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN A
SPECIFIED AMENDMENT TO OUR
ORDINANCE, SENDING OVER THIS,
TRANSMITTING THIS AGREEMENT TO
YOU.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS
PARK.
AND I KNOW THIS WILL HAPPEN, TO
REMAIN A PARK.
WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN.
TO REMAIN A PARK.
BUT IT WILL BE A MORE
BEAUTIFUL, INVITING, WELCOMING
PARK THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
IT WILL BE FUNCTIONAL.
IT WILL BE THE PRIDE OF PIONEER
SQUARE.
IT WILL STAY IN THE CITY, BUT
WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE IT
SERVE MANY PURPOSES THAT WILL
PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
FOR PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO WALK
THROUGH THE PARK WITH THEIR
DOGS.
AND BE ABLE TO HAVE AN
ENJOYABLE TIME.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE
CITY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KOHL-WELLES.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DID YOU
HAVE A QUESTION EARLIER?
I APOLOGIZE?
>> NO.
THAT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-
WELLING, KOHL-WELLES WE
APPRECIATE YOUR THOROUGH
ARGUMENT.
>> I'M HAVING A HARD TIME
HEARING YOU.
I'M SORRY.
>> YOUR ARGUMENT RESONATED WITH
ME THAT YOU WERE MAKING,
RELATED TO THE FACT THAT WE
HAVE OUR OWN PLAZA, THAT WE CAN
PROGRAM.
AND YOU WOULD LIKE THE SAME.
SO JUST WANT TO, AT THE START,
SAY THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YOU HAD MENTIONED THE
COVENANT LANGUAGE WHEN THE
COUNTY WAS HERE LAST, IT
SOUNDED LIKE FROM YOUR REMARKS
THAT THAT LANGUAGE IS
AVAILABLE.
IS THAT THE CASE?
AND IS IT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC
REVIEW?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
COUNCILMEMBER.
I BELIEVE IT'S WITH CITY
CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL.
>> YES.
IF WE WANT TO DELVE INTO THAT,
WE DO HAVE A WISH LIST FROM
CENTRAL STAFF.
AND WE COULD DO AN OVERVIEW.
>> IT'S UP TO YOU, CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WHAT I
THOUGHT I HEARD THAT IT HAS
BEEN DRAFTED, IT IS AVAILABLE.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO GO
INTO THAT.
I HAVE MY QUESTION ANSWERED FOR
THE TIME BEING.
I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION,
THOUGH, ABOUT THE SIPA PROCESS,
WHICH I THINK IS PROBABLY
SOMETHING THAT LISH WOULD HAVE
TO ANSWER AS WELL.
>> YEAH.
SO I'M HAPPY TO GET INTO ALL OF
THAT, IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL
PROCESS.
LIKE WHERE THE COVENANT
LANGUAGE IS AND THE SIPA ANALIS
AND CENTRAL STAFF.
AND I BELIEVE SUPER INTENDANT
WILLIAMS WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR
PARSING IN THAT.
I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE HELPFUL
INFORMATION IN COUNTY
PRESENTATION.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T
CUT THAT SHORT.
SO WHY DON'T WE FINISH THAT UP.
AND THAT MIGHT BE A COMPONENT
OF THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
SO SHOULD WE TURN IT OVER TO --
BACK TO YOU?
, KARAN?
>> SOUNDS GOOD.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
AND I'LL LET TOM PULL UP THE
POWER POINT.
>> GREAT.
THIS IS TOM.
I'M JUST CHECKING.
CAN YOU SEE THE POWER POINT?
>> NO.
>> OKAY.
HANG ON.
>> MR. CHAIR.
IF I MIGHT FILL THE AIR SPACE
HERE FOR A QUICK SECOND.
>> YES.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU.
IT JUST SAYS THE POWER POINT IS
BEING BROUGHT UP.
FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT ME WHEN
I GET THERE.
I WANT TO SAY A QUICK THANK YOU
TO COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES
WHO IS IN THE CHAMBER TODAY.
I APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP AND
STEPPING UP ON THIS MUCH-NEEDED
ACTION PLAN, IN GETTING THE
GEARS INTO MOTION.
SHE MENTIONED OUR COLLEAGUES,
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSTRAW, AND
STRAUS.
BUT I WANT TO THANK HER FOR THE
ACTION THAT WAS SHOWN.
SHE STEPPED UP AND MADE A CALL
TO ACTION.
APPRECIATE THAT AND THE SHARED
INTEREST IN USING THE SPACE IN
PERPETUITY FOR OPEN PUBLIC USE
AND MAKING SURE WE'RE CODIFYING
THAT IN PUBLIC STATUTE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF
INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THIS
REMAINS A SHARED SPACE FOR THE
FUTURE.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I
EXTEND MY APPRECIATION FOR HER
WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WHILE THAT LLOYDS UP.
CAN YOU SEE IT NOW?
>> YES.
>> GREAT.
OKAY.
FOR INTRODUCTIONS, MY NAME IS
TOM KONEY.
I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
KING COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF
EXECUTIVE SERVICES.
I WORK WITH CAROLINE WAYLAN.
AND PRIOR TO MY CURRENT
POSITION, WHICH I CAN BE IN FOR
13 YEARS, I WAS ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR OF KING COUNTY PARKS
FOR SEVEN YEARS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THIS
POWER POINT IS IN YOUR
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGES.
EXCEPT FOR THE LAST PHOTO,
WHICH WE, HAS BEEN UPDATED.
>> HEY, TOM?
>> YES.
>> WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT
ANYTHING, TOM.
>> YES, WE'RE JUST SEEING YOUR
DESK TOP THERE.
>> WHICH IS INTERESTING.
>> PRETTY.
>> DO YOU LIKE IT?
>> WHERE'S THE POWER POINT,
THOUGH.
>> DOW LIKE MY COMPLIATED
WORLD?
>> BOY, WE NEED TO GET ONE OF
THOSE DES'S IN THE MIDDLE OF
EVERYTHING.
>> YES, INDEED.
THAT IS EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR
DEPARTMENT.
>> WOW.
OKAY.
>> OKAY.
NOW WE CAN SEE.
>> OKAY.
GREAT.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU MAY WANT TO HIT
PRESENTATION MODE IN THE BOTTOM
CORNER.
TEAM EFFORT, MR. CHAIR.
>> YES.
TAKES A VILLAGE.
>> THERE YOU GO.
>> YEAH, VICE CHAIR MOSQUEDA IS
OUR SLIDE DECK TROUBLESHOOTER.
>> HOW IS THAT?
>> BEAUTIFUL.
>> PERFECT.
>> AWESOME.
THANKS.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS GOING
TO BE A RECAP OF THE POINTS
BROUGHT UP BY KARAN AND
COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE
POINT.
BUT JUST IN SUMMARY, IN
CONSUMMATE DIRECTION FROM THE
COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE CONSTANTINE
WORKED WITH THEN-MAYOR DURKAN
TO PROPOSE A COUNCIL TO CITY
OWNED PARK IN EXCHANGE FOR
COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY WITHIN
THE CITY LIMITS.
THIS IS ALMOST A YEAR AGO, AS
MEMORY SERVES.
AND THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE
PROPOSED TRANSFER THROUGH AN
ORDINANCE IN DECEMBER OF 2021.
SO JUST FOR REFERENCE, WHAT
YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS A PHOTO
OF THE PROPERTY TEMPORARY USAGE
BY KING COUNTY.
AND THIS IS A GENERAL BOX
AROUND THE AREA OF CITY HALL
PARK.
AND FOLLOWING IT, I HAVE ALSO
INCLUDED A PHOTO OF THE PARCELS
TO BE RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
>> TOM, CAN WE SLOW DOWN ON
THIS?
>> SURE.
>> CAN WE GO BACK TO THIS PAGE.
JUST TO CLARIFY.
, JUST BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF
AWKWARDLY SHAPED.
WE.
>> WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.
THIS IS JUST A GENERAL BOX
AROUND THE AREA.
IT IS NOT SPECIFIC TO THE
POINT.
DON'T USE THE RED BOXES,
PROPERTY LINES.
THIS IS NOT THE PROPERTY
DESCRIPTION.
LIKE THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION, YOU
WILL SEE OF PROPERTY
TRANSFERRED.
>> INCLUDING DILLING WAY.
AND JEFFERSON STREET HERE.
AND THIS PROPERTY ACROSS THE
STREET, THIS GREEN AREA HERE AS
WELL.
>> I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, IN
CASE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE
CONFUSED BY THE BOX.
>> THE ACQUISITION.
I WANT WANT TO ASK TO WORRY.
WE WERE GIVING THAT RIGHT AWAY.
>> WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
AND THERE IS ANOTHER SLIDE
LATER THAT SHOW NEGLIGENCE MORE
SPECIFICITY.
LEGISLATION THAT IS BEFORE YOU,
THERE ARE PROPERTY
DESCRIPTIONS, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
VERY SPECIFIC.
JUST LIKE AN APPRAISAL, OR A
SURVEYOR WILL DO.
>> GREAT.
>> THANKS.
>> AND THE FOLLOWING THREE OR
FOUR PAGES ARE THE PROPERTIES
RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THERE ARE PROPERTIES, ROADS
PROPERTY, WASTEWATER PROPERTY,
AND METRO PROPERTY ON THIS
SHEET.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE TLIKE
PARTICULARLY, THE WASTEWATER
PROPERTY IS ALREADY NOTED AS A
PARK.
AND SOME FACILITIES AND TAX
TITLE PROPERTIES AGAIN.
AND VIEWPOINT PARK.
A RAVINE OPEN SPACE AREA.
GREEN BELTS.
GREEN SPACE.
AND PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO THE
BURT GILMAN TRAIL.
>> NOW, ON THIS SLIDE, WHAT I'M
TRYING TO DEPICT HERE IS THE
COUNTY PROPERTY AND CITY
PROPERTY IN GREEN ARE CITY
PROPERTIES.
SO THIS IS KIND OF CITY HALL
PARK.
AND DILLING WAY RIGHT OF WAY.
JEFFERSON STREET HERE AT THE
COURTHOUSE.
AND THEN THIS, IF YOU'RE
FAMILIAR IS THE FIRE STATION
AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
FOR THE CITY.
THAT'S WHAT THAT SQUARE IS.
BUT THESE BLUE SPACES HERE ARE
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
AND WE OWN AND OPERATE SEVERAL
FACILITIES IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
MOST OF WHICH ARE ON THIS, WHAT
WE REFERRED TO AS OUR CIVIC
CAMPUS, CENTERED ON FOURTH
AVENUE, BETWEEN JAMES AND
YESLER.
THESE INCLUDE THE CONTY
COURTHOUSE, THE ADMINISTRATION
BUILDING, THE CORRECTIONAL
FACILITY, CHINOOK BUILDING, AND
THE YESIR BUILDING.
KING STREET CENTER.
LOCATED IN PIONEER SQUARE.
>> THE COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO A
PUBLIC PROCESS PRIOR TO
ACTIVATION OF THE PARK, AND IT
WILL REMAIN GREEN SPACE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO REITERATE HERE
IS THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF
A VERY INTENSIVE CIVIC CAMPUS
PLANNING EFFORT.
IT'S EXPECTED TO LOOK AT OUR
FUTURE FACILITY NEEDS.
OUR COUNTY CAMPUS HAS SERVED
CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES FOR
MORE THAN 100 YEARS.
YOU'LL SEE IN PICTURES WHAT IT
WAS LIKE PREVIOUSLY.
AND A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE
COUNTY COUNCIL, WHEN EVALUATING
THE BUDGET FOR THE FACILITIES
MANAGEMENT DIVISION, THEY
WANTED TO GET SOME AS-BUILT
DRAWINGS FOR THE COURTHOUSE TO
HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT TO
PRIORITIZE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FACILITIES
THAT ARE FUNCTIONALLY OUTDATED,
NO LONGER MEET NEEDS, AND WE'RE
FACING COSTLY MAINTENANCE AND
REPAIRS THAT MIGHT PROVE TO BE
UNSUSTAINABLE.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE A LONGER
TERM VIEW.
SO THAT EFFORT IS GOING ON, AS
WELL AS CITY HALL PARK
CONVERSATION.
SO IN ANY SCENARIO THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT FOR THE FUTURE OF
KING COUNTY, WE'RE NOT GOING
ANYWHERE.
THIS IS OUR HOME.
THIS IS OUR SPACE.
WE CARE ABOUT THE SPACE, AND WE
WILL CARE FOR THE PARK.
LET ME JUST LEAVE YOU WITH
THIS.
THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT IS THE
NEW ONE ADDED TO WHAT YOU HAVE
IN YOUR LEGISLATIVE PACKET.
THAT'S FROM 1917.
AND AS COUNCILMEMBER INDICATED,
THIS SHOWS KIND OF THE ENTRANCE
WHAT WE CALL THE SOUTH
ENTRANCE, THE COUNTY
COURTHOUSE.
THE BIG LOVELY TREES AREN'T
THERE QUITE YET.
BUT THIS IS THE OPEN SPACE, THE
GATHERING AREA FOR THE
COURTHOUSE, THE GRAND SOUTH
ENTRANCE.
NOW YOU SEE WHEN YOU MOVE UP
THE KEY TO THE RIGHT YOU WILL
SEE A 1949, THE ADDITION TO THE
COURTHOUSE, AND WE STILL HAVE
THE ENTRANCE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
THE NEXT PHOTO JUST TO THE
RIGHT OF THAT IS WHAT IT
CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE.
SO THAT IS CURRENTLY JEFFERSON
ALLEY, WITH CARS PARKED, AND
THE FENCE BETWEEN JEFFERSON
ALLEY AND CITY HALL PARK.
THIS IS WHAT IT CURRENTLY LOOKS
LIKE.
AND ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS A
DEPICTION, VISION OF WHAT IT
MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE,
IF WE HAVE, AGAIN, WE'RE
WORKING WITH THE CITY OR HOPING
TO WORK WITH THE CITY ON THE
VACATION OF JEFFERSON ALLEY AND
DILLING, WHICH WOULD OPEN UP A
LITTLE MORE SPACE FOR ACCESS
AND OPEN SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO
ENJOY.
THE IDEA IS POTENTIALLY
REOPENING THAT SOUTH ENTRANCE
AND KIND OF ACTIVATING --
HELPING TO ACTIVATE THAT PARK.
BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE ALL TRIED
BEFORE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL, PRE-
COVID, WAS ACTIVATION OF THE
PARK.
WE ACTUALLY SAW THAT PARK
TURNING AROUND.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING IN AND
AROUND THIS AREA FOR OVER 30
YEARS.
I'VE SEEN THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF
THIS PARK.
IT WAS DEFINITELY ON THE UP
SWING ON THE TIME BEFORE COVID.
SO WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID,
THIS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE
FUTURE THAT WE'RE ENVISIONING
FOR OUR CIVIC CAMPUS.
WE ARE ABOUT -- JUST ABOUT
READY TO BEGIN A VIGOROUS
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM, BOTH
ON THE CIVIC CAMPUS MASTER
PLAN, AND WE'RE HOPING CITY
HALL PARK AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT I WILL CLOSE AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE
IN GETTING THIS UP BEFORE YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
CAN WE STAY ON THAT SLIDE FOR
JUST A MOMENT BEFORE YOU -- OR
GO BACK TO THAT?
>> SORRY.
I UNSHARED TOO QUICKLY.
>> UNLESS IT'S TBIERND PUT THAT
BACK UP THERE.
>> WELL, WE'LL SEE.
HOW'S THAT?
>> PERFECT.
AWESOME.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE
KIND OF SEEN CONCEPT ART LIKE
THIS, OR RATHER WHEN THE SLIDE
DECK WAS SHARED PRECOMMITTEE.
WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD SEEN A
CONCEPT LIKE THAT, THAT IS VERY
COMPELLING AND GOES TO THE CORE
OF WHAT I THINK THERE'S
UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT WE WOULD
LIKE THE ONGOING USE OF THAT
SPACE TO BE.
CAN I JUST CONFIRM THE IMAGE
WE'RE LOOKING AT?
THAT IS JEFFERSON.
THAT IS AN ANGLE LOOKING DOWN
JEFFERSON FROM FOURTH AVENUE,
TOWARDS 5th.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING FROM FIFTH
TOWARDS FOURTH.
OR, WAIT, FOURTH TO THIRD.
>> FOURTH TO THIRD.
>> SORRY.
>> TOWARDS THIRD.
SO JUST TO CONFIRM, THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT?
>> CORRECT.
AND THE WAY I ENVISION IT, IN
THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF
THE FENCE ALONG THE LINE THERE,
THAT WELCOME BACK KIND OF THE
EDGE OF THE SIDEWALK.
THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
>> SOUGHT LOOKS LIKE FROM THIS
CONCEPT THE COUNTY IS PROPOSING
BRINGING DOWN FENCES, RATHER
THAN ADDING ANY, JUST FORSAKE
OF --
>> FOR THE SAKE OF THIS, YES.
>> YES.
>> I KNOW THERE HAD BEEN SOME
DISCOURSE FROM PEOPLE
UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PLANS IN
THE PUBLIC RECORD.
INDICATING THAT THE OPPOSITE
MIGHT BE THE CASE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE THIS DESIGN
PROOF THAT OPENING UP THE OPEN
SPACE IS MORE OF THE GOAL.
SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER, YOU WERE
ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THIS JUST SHOWS THE PARK NEXT
AVENUE.
BUT WE HAVE OTHER SLIDES, TOO,
BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
PRESENT HERE, THAT ARE SHOWING
DESIGN FOR THE PARK EVERYAWFUL.
IT'S REALLY EXQUISITE.
THIS REALLY DEMONSTRATES IN A
NARROW WAY HOW IT WOULD CHANGE
DRAMATICALLY WITH THE FENCE
DOWN AND A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.
>> IT'S A VERY COMPELLING
IMAGE.
>> AND IT IS, LIKE FOR US --
SORRY TO INTERRUPT --
>> GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO
THOUGHTFULLY PLAN FOR A
REIMAGINED CAMPUS THAT BRACES
FOR LIKE LOW CARBON
DEVELOPMENT, RENEWAL OF URBAN
ECOLOGIES, WHICH YOU SEE IN
THIS DEPICTION, SUSTAINABLE
DESIGN, AND WE WANT SOMETHING
THAT CAN SUSTAIN AND SUPPORT
THE REGION FOR THE NEXT 100
YEARS.
AND THE FACILITIES WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW JUST DON'T DO THAT.
AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN
EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT WE'RE
ABOUT TO EMBARK ON.
>> CAN MORE OF THOSE CONCEPTS
BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC?
OR ARE THEY AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC?
>> IT IS PART OF WHAT IS
PLANNED FOR THE ENGAGEMENT
PROCESS.
AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BE
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE ENGAGE
THE PUBLIC AND BE EQUITABLE IN
OUR PLANNING AND OUTCOMES FOR
THE HEART OF THE CAMPUS, SO IT
WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
WHAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES IS
CRITICAL FOR PUBLIC STITCHES IN
REGION.
WE HAVE AN AREA THAT'S
WELCOMING FOR PEOPLE.
AN AREA THAT THE NEIGHBORS CAN
FEEL COMFORTABLE IN, VISITORS,
JURORS, EVERYBODY THAT USES
BOTH THE SPACE AND COUNTY
FACILITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO
FEEL SAFE AND ENJOY THE SPACE.
>> MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO
SAY I HAVE SEEN MANY IMAGES,
REALLY A WHOLE LOT OF THEM.
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON,
ARCHITECTURAL STUDENTS,
DEVELOPING PLANS, THERE HAVE
BEEN MANY, MANY STUDIES.
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
RETICENCE FOR SHARING THEM IS.
I GUESS WHAT I WOULD -- IT
SOUNDS LIKE THERE ISN'T ANY
RETICENCE ABOUT SHARING THEM,
BUT OUR PANELISTS LISTENED
THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY,
AND THERE IS A LOT OF
CONSTERNATION AND CONCERN IN
THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT MIGHT
HAPPEN TO THE SPACE.
AND WAY THINK THAT THE SUREST
ARGUMENT TO BUILD MOMENTUM FROM
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD
BE SHARING IMAGES LIKE THIS.
I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHY WE
WOULD WANT TO HANG ON TO THEM
UNTIL THE FUTURE.
THE COMMUNITY SEEMS TO BE
FORCING AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
NOW.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE
A GOOD TIME TO MAKE THESE MORE
PUBLIC.
>> ABSOLUTELY NO RHETT TIE 70s.
WHEN I SAY WE ARE ABOUT TO
EMBARK ON A ROBUST ENGAGEMENT
PROCESS ON THIS WHOLE PLAN,
WE'RE LOCKED AND LOADED AND
READY TO GO, LIKE IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF -- WE
ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH CITY
HALL PARK, BECAUSE, FRANKLY,
THERE'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF
PLANNING THAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU'RE WORKING WITH ANOTHER
JURISDICTION, THAN IF THE
COUNTY HAS CONTROL OF THE
PROPERTY.
FRANKLY, IT'S KIND OF A
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
IT'S MORE PARTIES INVOLVED.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET SOME
RESOLUTION TO THIS QUESTION AND
THEN PROCEEDING FORTH.
THERE'S NO OPTION IN ANY OF OUR
PLANS THAT SHOW THIS BEING
ANYTHING OTHER THAN CHERISHED
PARKLAND.
>> THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE
AND HEAR.
DO CALLERS HAVE QUESTIONS OF
THE PANEL BEFORE WE PIVOT TO
MORE PROCESS-ORIENTED LANGUAGE,
THINGS OF THAT NATURE?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> I DO.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
HAD THE HAND UP.
>> I'M SORRY.
THERE YOU GO.
>> I DO.
I AM SURE THAT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD'S QUESTION THAT SHE
STARTED WITH WILL NICELY ALIGN
WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE
LATER ON BUT I WANTED TO GET A
QUESTION IN BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT
LAST IMAGE.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND FROM THE
CHAIR AND THE COUNTY'S
PRESENTATION, IT'S MORE LIKELY
THAT YOU'VE NOTED YOU HAVE A
NUMBER OF VARIOUS SCENARIOS
THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE
GETTING READY TO SHARE AT A
FORUM OR A SERIES OF FORUMS.
SO WHILE IT MAY NOT BE HERE
NOW, IT IS PLANNED.
THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERPRETING.
SO FEEL FREE TO OPINE ON THAT.
AND AS YOU DO GET FEEDBACK FROM
COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT
IS THE INTEREST IN CONTINUING
TO HEAR ABOUT A BAKE CORRIDOR.
I UNDERSTAND FOLKS USE THE
FOURTH AVENUE BIKE LANE, AND AS
YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
IMPACT.
I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THIS
EVERYWHERE WE CAN BUT ALSO WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE BIKE LANES
THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND THAT
DON'T CAUSE A PEDESTRIAN AND
CYCLIST INTERACTIONS.
WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF FOR
INCLUDING A NOD TO WHAT THAT
COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE ON
PAGE 5 OF THE CENTRAL STAFF
MEMO.
BUT SUNS THIS PICTURE WAS UP,
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS THAT
YOU INITIALLY HAD ABOUT HOW YOU
ARE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE
PRESERVATION OF BIKE LANES
ALONG FOURTH THERE?
>> ONE, TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
WE HAVE BEEN WORK IN REAL TIME,
CURRENT TIME WITH S-DOT ON BIKE
LANES AND THE DILLING WAY
PIECE.
I KNOW THAT'S A PART OF THE
EQUATION.
IF THERE'S ANY RETICENCE THAT
YOU SENSE FROM ME ABOUT SHARING
IMAGES, ABOUT OUR FUTURE
VISION, IT'S THAT WE ARE TRYING
TO DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN A
DIFFERENT WAY FOR THIS VERSION
OF THE CIVIC CAMPUS PLAN.
WE DON'T WANT TO JUST SHOW THE
COMMUNITY OPTIONS, A, B, C, D,
E, AND SAY, HEY, WHICH ONE DO
YOU LIKE BETTER?
PUT DOTS ON THE MAP, OR
WHATEVER.
WE REALLY WANT TO ENGAGE AND
HEAR WHAT PEOPLE ARE
INTERESTED, AND WHAT'S
IMPORTANT TO THEM, WHAT THE
VALUES THEY HAVE ARE, AND HOW
THAT SHOWS UP IN CIVIC SPACES,
AND KIND OF WORK FROM THAT,
INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING PRE
CANNED OPTIONS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T TRIED TO
LOCK IN SPECIFIC OPTIONS A
THROUGH F KIND OF THING.
OBVIOUSLY IN THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE
ARE EMBARKING ON IT.
IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, WHERE
PEOPLE ARE VOICING THEIR
INTEREST AND CONCERNS ABOUT
THIS REMAINING PARK SPACE.
AND BIKE LANES AND
TRANSPORTATION.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO
CONNECT TRANSIT.
THERE MAY BE OPTIONS SOMETIME
IN THE FUTURE, THINKING ABOUT
AN ENTRANCE OFF THE PARK THAT
MATE HELP ACTIVATE THAT EVEN
MORE SO PEOPLE CAN COME
DIRECTLY INTO THAT SPACE.
WHO KNOWS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE
LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY,
EVEN MORE THAN WE HAVE HEARD ON
THE SPECIFIC OF CITY HALL PARK
ABOUT THE ENTIRE CAMPUS.
>> I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING,
MR. CHAIR.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION
FOR OUR COUNCIL IS THAT THERE
BE IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN
WALKWAYS.
OBVIOUSLY IN THE PARK NOW THERE
ARE, IF IT WEREN'T FENCED, BUT
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THE BICYCLING, BUT NOT JUST
BICYCLING.
ALL WHEELS.
WE SEE A PERSON THERE, LOOKS
LIKE THAT'S SITTING IN A
WHEELCHAIR.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S
ACCESS FOR ALL WHEELED
VEHICLES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
I WANT TO PUT MY QUESTION HE
WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE
LANGUAGE CONTAINED IN I-42.
I-42 REQUIRES THAT IN CHANGE
FOR PARK PROPERTY, THE CITY
MUST RECEIVE LAND OR A FACILITY
OF EQUIVALENT OR BERT SIZE,
VALUE, LOCATION, AND USEFULNESS
IN THE VICINITY SERVING THE
SAME COMMUNITY AND THE SAME
PARK PURPOSES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ASKED
FOR US TO CONSIDER AS WE
DISCUSS THIS IS FOR THE
COUNCIL, AS A DELIBERATIVE
BODY, TO CONSIDER OF THE
ELEMENTS OF I-42, WHICH PARTS
OF THAT INITIATIVE ARE
IMPORTANT TO US.
I THINK WE ARE DEMONSTRATING BY
OUR WILLINGNESS TO HEAR THE
PROPOSAL FOR A TRANSFER, I
THINK WE ARE DEMONSTRATING THAT
WE ARE READY TO FORGO THE
REQUIREMENT THAT THE LAND THAT
WE ARE RECEIVING SERVE THE SAME
COMMUNITY AND THE SAME PARK
PURPOSES WITH THE COVENANT THAT
WE WOULD HOPEFULLY RECEIVE FROM
THE COUNTY THAT THE PARK ITSELF
WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE
COMMUNITY.
BUT AS RELATES TO THE SWAP
ELEMENT CONTAINED IN I-4 2,
WHICH REQUIRES EQUIVALENT OR
BETTER SIZE AND VALUE, I THINK
WE NEED MORE INFORMATION TO
EVALUATE, ONE, HOW IMPORTANT
THAT COMPONENT IS IN I-42, AND
WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO
CONSIDER DIVERTING FROM THE
SPIRIT OF I-42 IN THAT -- IN
THOSE PARTICULAR COMPONENTS OF
THE INITIATIVE.
AND SO THIS IS JUST ME GOING A
LONG WAY AROUND SAYING THAT I
WOULD STILL VERY MUCH LIKE TO
HAVE THE ASSESSMENTS FOR THE
OTHER PARCELLS THAT WE WOULD
RECEIVE SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT
ANALYSIS AND THAT EVALUATION OF
WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN SAY AT
THE END OF THIS PROCESS, SHOULD
IT BE SUCCESSFUL, THAT WE JUST,
YOU KNOW, WE THREW OUT ALL OF I-
42, OR WE MAINTAINED SOME PART
OF I-42 BECAUSE WE KNOW FOR A
FACT THAT WHAT WE'RE GETTING IN
EXCHANGE FOR WHAT WE'RE GIVING
UP IS OF EQUAL VALUE.
SO JUST WONDERING WHERE WE'RE
AT ON THE STATUS OF THAT.
I KNOW BACK IN APRIL THAT WAS A
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, THE
APPRAISALS FOR THE PARK
PROPERTIES THAT KING COUNTY
PROPOSES TO GIVE TO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
JUST WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT
WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
>> I CAN COMMENT BRIEFLY ON
THAT.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> BUT I DON'T KNOW MUCH MORE
THAN WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY.
OUR COUNCIL DID NOT PARTICIPATE
IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS ON WHICH
PROPERTIES, WHICH PARCELLS
WOULD BE OFFERED TO THE CITY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BOTH
THE DURKIN ADMINISTRATION AND
THE CONSTANTINE ADMINISTRATION,
THAT THE COUNTY HAD NEGOTIATED
ON THAT, AND THAT THOSE
PARCELLS WERE AGREED TO BY
BOTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNTY CAME
UP WITH THEM ALL AND OFFERED
THEM, OR IF THERE WAS A
COMBINED EFFORT TO DETERMINE
WHICH PARCELLS WOULD WORK FOR
THE CITY.
AND MAYBE KARAN OR TOM WOULD
HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
>> I'M FLAT-OUT ASKING FOR THE
VALUE.
I APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING THAT
PROCESS.
I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY IT'S
IMPORTANT TO ME, AS PART OF THE
DELIBERATIVE PROCESS.
>> JUST TO JUMP IN ON THIS,
TOO, WE DO HAVE SUPERINTENDENT
WILLIAMS FROM COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF WHAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO
WEIGH IN ON.
I KNOW THAT TOM KONEY HAS HIS
HAND RAISED SO MAYBE THERE IS
AN UPDATE.
WHY DON'T WE GO TO YOU, TOM,
FIRST, SINCE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND
RAISED.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT --
>> I WAS TRYING TO WAVE
AUTOMATIC.
>> SORE REE.
>> JUST BEFORE WE TALK TO
PARKS, I WANT TO GO BACK IN THE
TIME MACHINE HERE BECAUSE I WAS
INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE EXECUTIVE AND MAYOR
DURKAN AT THE TIME BEFORE
DECEMBER 2021 WHEN WE -- AND
JEANNE KOHL-WELLES AND WORKED
CLOSELY ABOUT THESE 13 PIECES
OF PROPERTY.
IF WE COMPARE THEM APPLES TO
APPLES, MY UNDERSTANDING NOW,
AND WE DON'T HAVE JESUS, BUT WE
HAVE CHRISTOPHER, WAS THAT IT
WAS A GOOD DEAL, IF YOU ARE
JUST LOOKING AT MONEY AND DIRT
AND WHAT THE CITY WOULD GET.
I WAS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH
JESUS, HOW WE DID THE SWAP,
WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN.
I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING AND
WHAT I ACTUALLY HEARD A YEAR,
18 MONTHS AGO, WHICH THANK YOU,
JEANNE KOHL-WELLES, YOU'VE
ALWAYS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
LATER, WAS THAT THE INTENT WAS
THE SAME, THAT WE MADE SURE THE
CITY WALKED AWAY WITH A GOOD
DEAL, NOT A BETTER DEAL, NOT
JUST COMPARING DIRT FOR DIRT
BUT ALSO THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF
13 PIECES OF PROPERTY ALL OVER
THE CITY BUT ALSO SOMETHING
THAT YOU ARTICULATED THAT I
DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND BUT NOW
I UNDERSTAND IT BETTER, AND
THANK YOU, IS THAT -- AND FROM
THE EXECUTIVE BACK THEN, AND
YOU, IS THAT THE COUNTY WANTED
TO HAVE THE SAME ACCESS AND
PRIVILEGE AND GREEN SPACE THAT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS WITH
OUR PARK TO ACTIVATE IT.
BECAUSE WE ARE LANDLORDS OVER
THERE, WE'RE REALLY NOT PAYING
ATTENTION WHAT'S GOING ON OVER
THERE TO ACTIVATE IT, TO HAVE
EVENT.
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS MUCH OLDER,
AND I'VE BEEN WORK DOWNTOWN
SINCE 1986, I HAVE NEVER SEEN
THAT PARK IN A GOOD CONDITION,
EVER, IN ALL THE YEARS THAT
I'VE BEEN COMING HERE AND
WORKING DOWNTOWN.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE.
I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF
YEARS WE TRIED TO ACTIVATE IT
WITH LIGHTS, AND WE TRIED TO
HAVE MUSIC DOWN THERE, AND I
KNOW OTHERS DID THE SAME THING.
WE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH
IT, AT LEAST I HAVE FOR THE
LAST SIX YEARS AS FORMER CLAIRE
OF PARKS, SO I WAS VERY HAPPY
WHEN COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES
CAME TO ME.
I APPRECIATE THE HUMANE
POSITION THE COUNTY TOOK WITH
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS ON CITY PARK
GROUNDS, THAT YOU MADE THE
DECISION NOT TO REMOVE THOSE
PEOPLE AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
THERE'S A LOT OF HIT.
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ASKED,
AND TURN IT OVER TO MR.
WILLIAMS WHO IS NOW THE ACT
SUPERINTENDENT.
BUT THESE DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN
GOING ON QUITE AWHILE.
THERE WAS NEVER THIS LAND GRAB
FOR THE CITY TO HAND OVER THEIR
PARK TO THE COUNTY AND THE
COUNTY WASN'T GOING TO USE IT
AS A PARK AND BUILD ALL KINDS
OF THINGS ON THERE THAT WOULD
BE A VIOLATION OF INITIATIVE 4
2. THOSE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN
PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS, IF I
CAN JUST SHARE THAT.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, FOR GIRKZ VING US
THAT OVERVIEW AS WELL.
IT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR
THESE DELIBERATIONS.
NOW WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF
TECHNICAL ANSWERS ON THESE
THINGS WE'RE DANCING AROUND,
FROM OUR CENTRAL STAFF.
SO WHY DON'T WE LET LIZ GO
FIRST, THEN TOM I KNOW YOU HAD
YOUR HAND RAISED.
AND IF SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS
HAS ANYTHING TO ADD ON THIS
QUESTION, THEN WE'LL PROCEED TO
COUNCILMEMBER MOSS KAY COULD.
SO LISCH, WHY DON'T YOU GO
FIRST.
>> I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE
ON THE TWO QUESTIONS
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ASKED
ABOUT THE DETERMINATION BEFORE
THE PRESENTATION STARTED AND
THEN THE APPRAISALS.
THEY'RE VERY RELATED.
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS &
RECREATION HASN'T YET ISSUED A
DETERMINATION UNDER THE STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT.
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
DETERMINATION CLEARLY REFLECTS
THE ACTIONS REQUIRED TO
TRANSFER THE PARK TO KING
COUNTY, AND WORKING THROUGH A
NUMBER OF ISSUES AROUND THE
COMPLICATED PROPERTY STATUS OF
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PARK.
THESE ISSUES WILL IMPACT THIS
TRANSFER AND WILL REQUIRE
MODIFICATIONS AUTHORIZING THE
TRANSFER.
AT THE BEGINNING OF LOOK AT
THIS LEGISLATION, THE BELIEF
WAS THAT IN ADDITION TO
TRANSFERRING THE PARK, A FEW
ATTRACTIONS WOULD VACATE
JEFFERSON STREET.
WE HAVE SENSE DETERMINED THAT
DILLING WAY IS NOT A PUBLIC
STREET.
INSTEAD, IT WAS DESIGNATED AS A
PRIVATE WAY BY CITY COUNCIL 85
YEARS AGO.
THE PRIVATE WAY DESIGNATION
WILL NEED TO BE VACATED.
AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA NOTED
THERE'S A REQUEST TO ENSURE
THERE'S A NEW BIKE PATH THAT
RUNS ALONG DILLING WAY AND THAT
THAT BIKE PATH BE MAINTAINED BY
THE COUNTY IF THE TRANSFER IS
APPROVED.
AND WHILE DILLING WAY IS NOT A
PUBLIC STREET IT HAS BEEN
DETERMINED THAT THERE ARE
ALLEYS RUNNING THROUGH THE CITY
HALL PARK THAT WOULD NEED TO BE
VACATED.
AND WOULD NEED TO BE EXCLUDED
FROM THE PROPERTY TRANSFERRED
TO KING COUNTY UNDER THIS
AGREEMENT.
SO WE NEED TO STILL REVISE THE
COVENANT LANGUAGE O REFLECT
THE CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF
THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD BE
TRANSFERRED.
AND WILL NEED TO COME TO
AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY ON
THAT NEW COVENANT LANGUAGE
STILL.
ONCE THE COVENANT LANGUAGE IS
FINALIZED, IT WOULD BE ANALYZED
AS PART OF THE REVIEW AND WOULD
BE PROVIDED TO AN APPRAISER WHO
WILL CONDUCT THE REQUESTED
APPRAISALS ON ALL OF THE
PROPERTIES INVOLVED IN THE
PROPERTY TRANSFER.
CENTRAL STAFF, PARTICULARLY
TRACY WHAT IS TRAVELING TODAY,
WORKING WITH PARKS & RECREATION
AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
TO SORT OF COMPLETE THESE
STEPS.
>> THANK YOU.
TOM, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO
ADD TO THAT OR IS THAT A GOOD
SUMMARY THAT WE CAN REST ON?
>> THAT'S FINE.
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, THIS
IS PART OF YOUR CONVERSATION,
AND I'M NOT THE EXPERT ON I-4
2, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE
SPIRIT OF IT IS NO LOSS OF PARK
USE, NO NET LOSS OF PARK USE.
AND WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU
HAVE BEFORE YOU AND THAT
CONTINUES TO BE REFINED, AS WE
GO ALONG, I THINK WHAT YOU ARE
FINDING IS THAT THERE'S NO LOSS
OF PARK USE IN THE AREA OF CITY
HALL PARK AND THERE'S
ADDITIONAL PARCELLS THAT ARE
ADDED TO THE CITY'S INVENTORY
AND OTHER AREAS.
WITH THAT I'LL LEAVE TOUT.
>> SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS, DID
YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS
BEFORE WE HEAR COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S QUESTION?
THEN I THINK IT MIGHT BE
HELPFUL TO HEAR AN OVERVIEW OF
WHERE THE COVENANT LANGUAGE IS
AND MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION
ABOUT.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE
HEARD FROM YOU BEFORE WE MOVED
FORWARD.
>> YOU BET.
YOU THINK COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
CAPTURED MY THOUGHTS PRETTY
WELL WHEN SHE SAID YOU COULD
WAVE OR ADOPT ALL OF THE
COMPONENTS OF I-42, MAKING A
DECISION ABOUT FUR GOING TO
MEET THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF I-
42, RECOGNIZING THAT SOME OF
THE LANGUAGE IS MAYBE NOT
EXACTLY APPLICABLE IN TERMS OF
WHERE THE REPLACEMENT
PROPERTIES ARE.
THERE'S THAT QUESTION.
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT WAS
RAISED WAS ABOUT SIFA.
IT'S OUR GOAL TO DO A PROCESS
AFTER WE'VE CONCLUDED THESE
CONVERSATIONS.
WE WANT TO DO THE CHECKLIST
BASED ON THE FINAL COVENANT
LANGUAGE AND THAT'S ALSO
ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME
WE'D BE WORKING ON APPRAISALS
AND THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.
WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT YOU'VE
GOT SOME LATITUDE IN HOW YOU
INTERPRET I-42 AND HOW YOU WANT
TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DO YOU
HAVE A FOLLOW-UP NOW THAT WE'VE
HEARD FROM EVERYBODY HERE ON
THE PANEL?
>> I APPRECIATE THE ANSWERS
ABOUT THE QUESTION AROUND THE
PROCESS AND THE COVENANT.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO KNOW THAT
WE'RE FINALIZING THE LANGUAGE
BEFORE THE PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS DECIDED
WHEN WE MET LAST IN APRIL.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT.
IF WE WANT TO MAKE THIS
ARGUMENT, THAT THE IMPACTS ARE
MINIMIZED, BECAUSE OF THE
COMMITMENTS IN THE COVENANT.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD MAKE
THAT ARGUMENT IF WE HAD TO
CHANGE THE SEQUENCING OF THE
PROCESS.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, FROM
WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS A SHIFT,
WHEN WE DISCUSSED BACK IN
APRIL.
NOT SO MUCH A FOLLOW-UP BUT A
RESTATEMENT OF MY QUESTION.
I DO WANT TO KNOW WHETHER OR
NOT THE OTHER PROPERTIES HAVE
RECEIVED AN APPRAISAL.
>> AND I THINK PER LISCH'S
COMMENTS THAT WILL HAPPEN AS
PART OF THE PROCESS.
>> I'M SORRY, IF YOU SAID THAT
I DIDN'T HEAR THAT.
>> ONCE WE DETERMINE EXACTLY
WHAT PARTS OF CITY HALL PARK
ACTUALLY ARE PARKLAND THAT
WOULD BE TRANSFERRED, THEN THAT
WILL BE APPRAISED ALONGSIDE ALL
OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES.
>> FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU.
MY APOLOGIES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ.
>> CAN YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG, AND CHRISTOPHER, ARE YOU
STILL ON?
>> YEAH HE.
>> I SEEM TO REMEMBER, I ASKED
FOR ANALYSIS, AND I GOT A
NUMBER ABOUT HOW MUCH THOSE 13
PARCELLS WERE WORTH.
DID WE NOT GET A COMPARISON?
GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
>> I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT, BUT
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THAT MAY
HAVE EXISTED UNDER THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION AND WASN'T
TRANSMITTED.
>> WERE YOU WORKING WITH US ON
THIS OR WAS TRACY?
>> TRACY WAS -- I GOT PULLED IN
AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
>> MR. WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER,
DIDN'T WE GET A NUMBER?
BECAUSE I REMEMBER ASKING IF WE
-- AND I JUST WANTED A NUMBER.
I DIDN'T WANT TO WED ANYONE TO
IT.
I JUST WONDERED HOW MUCH IS THE
PARK WORTH, CITY HALL PARK, AND
THEN HERE'S 13 PROPERTIES.
JUST A NUMBER.
I COULD HAVE SWORKS AND I DON'T
HAVE MY OLD FILES THAT WE HAD A
NUMBER.
DID WE, CHRISTOPHER?
>> I DON'T RECALL A NUMBER.
I THINK WHAT WE PROVIDED WAS
ACREAGE COMPARISON NUMBER.
SO THE BEST NUMBER WE HAD WAS
COMPARISON OF ACREAGE TO CITY
HALL PARK.
>> OKAY.
SO WE HAD A COMPARISON OF
ACREAGE.
FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT WE
HAD FAIR MARK VALUE.
I MAY BE CONFUSING IT.
I APOLOGIZE.
I DON'T HAVE MY FORMER ANALYSIS
FROM WHEN I WAS WORKING ON THIS
WITH TRACY.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CLAIRE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, YOU HAD
A QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE TO
THE NEXT TOPIC.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIR.
ACTUALLY, MAYBE JUST A LEAD-IN
TO THE NEXT TOPIC, THEN I'LL
PUT MYSELF BACK ON MUTE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO GET INTO THE COVENANT
DISCUSSION NOW AND ON PAGE 4 OF
THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO IT
CLEARLY SAYS FOR THE CITY HALL
PARK THE COUNCIL COMMITS THAT
THE CITY HALL PARK WILL
CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR OPEN
PUBLIC SPACE, PARKS RECREATION
AND COMMUNITY FACILITY, THE
EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING
COUNTY FACILITIES WITH PUBLIC
BENEFIT PROVIDING ANY SUCH
PURPOSE SHALL BE USED BY THE
GENERAL PUBLIC AND PRIMARILY
NON COMMERCIAL IN NATURE.
I THINK THAT'S VERY MUCH ALONG
THE LINES OF WHAT I AND OTHERS
HAD EXPRESSED EARLIER, AND I
HEARD IT AGAIN FROM
COUNCILMEMBER KOHL-WELLES, AND
IT ALIGNS THAT THERE IS A
DESIRE TO BE NOT ONLY A PUBLIC
PROCESS BUT THE PUBLIC PROCESS
THAT LEADS TO USING THE SPACE
IN PERPETUITY AS AN OPEN PUBLIC
PARK AND THAT WE ACTIVATE THE
SPACE.
AND I ALSO HEARD TODAY THAT WE
ENSURE THAT THERE'S RESOURCES.
SO LISCH, AS WE GO INTO THE
NEXT ITEMS, I'M JUST WONDERING
IF YOU, CENTRAL STAFF, OR MR.
CLAIRE, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE
BEEN WORKING ONN THERE'S
ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO ADD TO
THIS LANGUAGE BECAUSE I THINK I
TAKE AWAY FROM THAT OPEN PUBLIC
SPACE THAT THERE WILL BE
ACTIVATION IN THAT ORDER TO %
ACTIVATE, THERE WILL BE
RESOURCES AND THAT WE ARE
RELYING ON THE COUNTY PARTNERS
TO CONTINUE UPKEEP AND
MAINTENANCE OF THIS PUBLIC
SPACE TO.
YOUR POINT, MR. CHAIR, THE
FENCES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE
WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AND IT WILL
TRULY BE ACTIVATED.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT MORE WE
MIGHT NEED TO ADD, IF ANYTHING,
THAT REALLY HELPS CODIFY THIS.
YES, THIS WILL CHANGE, BUT WE
WANT THIS TO REMAIN IN
PERPETUITY.
I THINK THE LANGUAGE LOOKS GOOD
BUT LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO
THAT NEXT SECTION, MR. CLAIRE.
>> MAYBE IT MIGHT BE MOST
FRUITFUL TO ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS BY PUTTING THE
LANGUAGE UP AND DOING AN
OVERVIEW.
I'M GETTING THE SENSE FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT'S THE
DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO IN.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO PUT
THAT UP ON THE SCREEN?
IT'S NOT A VERY LONG SET OF
LANGUAGE.
SO I THINK WE COULD JUST SHARE
A SCREEN AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
>> I AM NOT SURE THAT I HAVE
WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IS
REFERRING TO.
>> IT'S THE COVENANT LANGUAGE
THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDERGOING
SIPA.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
STILL ISN'T FINALIZED.
>> I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 4 OF
YOUR MEMO, FROM THE COMMITTEE
DISCUSSION ON APRIL 4th.
>> THAT IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT,
AND IF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE
INPUT THEY'D LIKE TO PROVIDE ON
WHETHER THEIR FUTURE SHOULD BE
PART OF THIS COVENANT, PLEASE
HE LET TRACY KNOW, AND WE WILL
WORK WITH KING COUNTY TO MAKE
SURE THAT IT IS INCORPORATED.
AND I'M STALLING FOR TIME AS I
TRY TO PULL THAT UP FOR YOU.
SEE IF I CAN SHARE MY SCREEN.
I HOPE THIS IS THE RIGHT
DOCUMENT.
YES.
CAN YOU SEE THAT?
>> YEP.
>> YES.
SO THIS IS THE EXISTING
LANGUAGE.
LET ME ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT
MORE.
THE COUNTY COMMITS THAT CITY
HALL PARK WILL CONTINUE TO BE
USED FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE, A
PARK, RECREATION, COMMUNITY
FACILITY.
IN DISCUSSIONS AFTER THE LAST
COMMITTEE, THIS LANGUAGE HAS
BEEN NARROWED TO PUBLIC OPEN
SPACE OR PARKS USE, RATHER THAN
ANOTHER COMMUNITY FACILITY OR
THE EXPANSION OF COUNTY
FACILITIES.
SO THAT'S ONE CHANGE THAT YOU
WILL SEE IN THE NEXT DRAFT OF
THE COVENANT, AND THERE ARE
ADDITIONAL CHANGES RELATED TO
THE VACATION OF JEFFERSON
STREET AND THE ALLEYS THAT
WOULD NEED TO BE VACATED, AND
WE STILL NEED TO UPDATE THE
LANGUAGE, BASED ON THE NEW
INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATUS OF
DILLING WAY AS A PRIVATE --
DILLING STREET AS A PRIVATE WAY
RATHER THAN A CITY STREET.
>> I HAVE A SLIGHTLY MORE
EXPANSIVE SET OF LANGUAGE THAT
WAS SHARED WITH US AND THAT'S
BEEN DELIBERATIVE COVENANT
LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN SHARED
WITH STAKEHOLDERS THAT IS --
THIS LOOKS LIKE A SUMMARY OF
THAT LANGUAGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE CLERK COULD
MAYBE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SHARE
WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
I'M LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW ON
MY COMPUTER.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER.
LISH, IF YOU WOULD STOP SHARING
YOUR SCREEN, I THINK I HAVE A
COPY OF WHAT THE SHARE IS
REFERRING TO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> KNOWING COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, I THINK SHE REALLY
WANTS TO REALLY GET INTO THE
GUTS OF THE FULL COVENANT
LANGUAGE.
>> THANKS, MR. CLAIRE.
>> YES.
>> I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT I
HAVE TO LEAVE.
>> WELL, IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO
HAVE YOU HERE.
>> I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW MY STAFF IS WATCHING
THIS ON SEATTLE TV.
I WILL BE FILLED IN BY KARAN AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
>> THANK YOU.
I ENJOYED IT A LOT.
AND I'M FEELING VERY OPTIMISTIC
THAT WE ARE GOING TO COME UP
WITH SOMETHING BETTER HE THAN
OUR KING COUNTY COUNCIL
ENVISIONED.
I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ARE
DOING.
>> THANK YOU.
THERE WE GO.
SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, THIS IS THE
DELIBERATIVE COVENANT LANGUAGE
JEFF ONE CAN SEE THIS NOW,
RIGHT?
IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN.
>> AS MENTIONED, THIS NARROWS
THE FUTURE USE OF THE PARK TO
JUST PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.
WE NEED TO UPDATE THE LANGUAGE
RELATE TO DILLING WAY, BUT
OTHERS THIS IS WHERE WE ARE,
AND WE NEED TO ADD IN THE
ALLEYS AS WELL AS A FUTURE
STREET VACATION ACTION.
>> IF YOU COULD MAKE SURE THIS
IS DISTRIBUTED TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
I WAS ACTUALLY UNDER THE
IMPRESSION IT HAD BEEN
DISTRIBUTED, BUT I GUESS I WAS
MISS TAKEN IN THINKING THAT.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ALL
COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS
TO THIS.
>> IT SHOULD BE POSTED AS WELL
TO YOUR AGENDA YES,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE
POINT THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA WAS MAKING AROUND THE
RESOURCES NECESSARY TO OPERATE
AND MAINTAIN THE PARK IN A
MANNER CONSISTENT WITH ITS
CURRENT USE AS A PUBLIC PARK.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE
REFLECTED AS WELL.
THAT SEEMS APPROPRIATE.
>> LIKE A DEFINED RESOURCE
COMMITMENT?
>> I DON'T HAVE STRONG FEELINGS
THAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER NEEDS TO
BE REFLECTED IN THE COVENANT,
BUT I THINK SOME REFERENCE TO
THE FACT THAT THERE IS AN
EXPECTATION FOR AN ACTIVATION
BUDGET THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE
COVENANT.
>> I HAD SHARED WITH -- AND
MAYBE OUR COUNTY PARTNERS WHAT
ARE STILL ON THE LINE HERE, TOM
AND CURRAN, I HAD PROFFERED THE
POSSIBILITY OF LANGUAGE TO THE
EFFECT OF A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
ACTIVATION PLAN FOR THE SPACE,
LIKE THERE COULD BEA
REQUIREMENT THAT THE COUNTY
MAINTAIN A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
PLAN FOR ACTIVATION
PROGRAMMING.
SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
BUT, YES, I UNDERSTAND THE
POINT OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO
GET AT, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
AND I THINK THERE COULD BE
MULTIPLE WAYS TO GET THERE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF TOM OR
CURRAN WANT TO WEIGH IN ON
THAT.
IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THEY DO
AT THIS TIME.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
MAYBE WE COULD JUST PIVOT TO
TALKING ABOUT SOME PROCESS
LOOKING FORWARD ON WHERE WE
MIGHT GO ON THIS.
SO THE CURRENT PLAN WOULD BE TO
HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS
MATTER FOR AUGUST 3rd LATER
THIS SUMMER TO GIVE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO WEIGH
IN AS PART OF PUBLIC PROCESS ON
THIS TOPIC.
AND THAT IS THE TENTATIVE DATE
WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THAT,
WHICH WOULD BE WEDNESDAY,
AUGUST 3rd.
AND THE SIPA TIMELINE, LISH
KIND OF COVERED THAT, BUT I
DON'T KNOW -- MAYBE IF YOU
COULD REMIND THE COMMITTEE WHEN
WE WOULD ANTICIPATE A RESPONSE
ON A DETERMINATION FOR THE
POLICY ACT CHECKLIST.
>> I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT
WILL TAKE PARKS TO DRAFT THAT
DETERMINATION ONCE IT'S
PUBLISHED, THEN THERE IS A
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND A
POSSIBILITY OF APPEAL.
WE ARE LOOKING AT A MEMO IN A
COUPLE OF MONTHS AND PROBABLY
LONGER FOR THAT PROCESS TO PLAY
ITSELF OUT.
>> SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS, DO
YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT.
>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A
LITTLE WHILE TO GET APPRAISALS
AND A FINAL SIPA CHECKLIST
COMPLETED.
I WOULD MAYBE HAZARD THROUGH
THE END OF THE YEAR ON
APPRAISALS AND SIPA WITH THE
REQUIREMENT FOR A HEARING.
>> OKAY.
WELL, IF -- I MEAN, IF THAT'S
THE TIMELINE, THAT'S THE
TIMELINE.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO
COORDINATE WITH PARKS AND WITH
CENTRAL STAFF.
WE DID WORK ON OUR END AT THE
COUNCIL TO COME UP WITH SOME
TENTATIVE COVENANT LANGUAGE
WHICH WAS THAT LANGUAGE THAT
WAS JUST ON THE SCREEN SO THAT
WE COULD GET THAT MACHINERY IN
MOTION TO START THAT SIPA
PROCESS.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
OUR EXECUTIVE SIDE PARTNERS ON
GETTING THAT HURDLE TAKEN CARE
OF.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS BEFORE
WE MOVE ON TO OUR FINAL AGENDA
ITEM OF THE AFTERNOON?
OKAY, SEEING NONE --
>> MR. CLAIRE?
>> IS THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA?
>> SORRY.
MR. CLAIRE?
>> YES.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU TO CENTRAL STAFF AND THE
FOLKS WHO HAVE PUT THIS
TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN
GOING FOR SO LONG.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH THE COUNTY AND GETTING
THIS TRANSFERRED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ONE TO
END IT ON.
SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR
JOINING US FROM THE COUNTY.
APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON
THIS AND BEING SO GENEROUS WITH
YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THIS DISCUSSION ON AUGUST 3rd
WHEN WE WILL AFTER PUBLIC
HEARING.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
THE COMMUNITY ON AUGUST 3rd ON
THIS TOPIC.
MOVING ON, MR. CLAIRE, WILL YOU
PLEASE READ OUR FINAL AGENDA
ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> ITEM 3, SEATTLE PARKS
AQUATICS UPDATE.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE NOW JOINED BY MICHELLE
FINNEGAN AND SUPERINTENDENT
WILLIAMS FROM SEATTLE PARKS &
RECREATION.
JUST TO CUE THIS UP AND DO A
LITTLE BIT OF TABLE SETTING, IT
WAS IN THE NEWS LAST MONTH THAT
SEATTLE IS EXPERIENCING A VERY
ACUTE SHORTAGE OF LIFEGUARDS
JUST AT THE TIME WHEN WE NEED
LIFEGUARDS MOST IN THE SUMMER.
I BELIEVE THAT THE AVERAGE
NUMBER THAT WE'VE EXPECTED IN
THE PAST OF 420 LIFEGUARDS IS
DOWN TO SOMETHING LIKE 200
LIFEGUARDS, AND IT IS STARTING
TO BECOME A COVID ERA
CONSISTENT LABOR SHORTAGE
ISSUE.
SO I FELT, GIVEN THE COVERAGE
AND THE TIMING, THAT IT WOULD
WARRANT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR US
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH
PARKS & RECREATION ABOUT STEPS
FORWARD AND HOW TO ADJUST OUR
STRATEGY ON THIS ISSUE, GIVEN
THAT IT'S LIKELY NEXT SUMMER
WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE SIMILAR
CHALLENGES AROUND LIFEGUARDING.
I DID ALSO JUST WANT TO START
BY WAY OF A LITTLE BIT MORE
TABLE SETTING.
I HAD SOMEONE ON MY STAFF,
MALIK ON MY STAFF, GO AND FIND
THE SECOND FLOOR'S ADDITION OF
THE ECONOMIST THIS WEEK.
THERE'S AN ARTICLE IN THE
ISSUE, JULY 2nd, 2022, TITLED
"WHERE HAVE ALL THE LIFEGUARDS
GONE" ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNITED
STATES SHORTAGE OF
LIFEGUARDING.
AND IT CITES IN THE BODY OF
THAT ARTICLE THAT A POLL IN MAY
BY THE NATIONAL RECREATION PARK
ASSOCIATION FOUND THAT ONLY 12%
OF PARK AND RECREATION LEADERS
WERE FULLY STAFFED ON
LIFEGUARDS FOR THE SUMMER.
SO WE'RE NO EXCEPTION IN THIS
NATIONAL TREND.
WE ARE PART OF THAT 88% THAT IS
EXPERIENCING A STAFFING ISSUE
WITH LIFEGUARDS THAT IS
IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO FULLY
STAFF THE AQUATIC OFFERING
VTION PARKS & RECREATION.
AND WITH THAT TABLE SETTING I'M
EXCITED TO INTRODUCE OUR PARKS
AND REC PANEL AND TALK ABOUT
WAYS WE MIGHT WORK TOGETHER AS
A LEGISLATIVE BRANCH IN THE
PARKS DEPARTMENT TO REVERSE
THAT TREND AND MAKE SURE ALL OF
OUR AQUATIC RECREATION CENTERS
CAN REMAIN OPEN AND FULLY
STAFFED.
SO, WITH THAT I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO SUPERINTENDENT
WILLIAMS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
AND THANK YOU FOR CALLING OUT
THAT ECONOMIST ARTICLE.
YOU ACTUALLY SAVED MAYBE THE
FIRST TWO MINUTES OF MY
PRESENTATION.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU'RE RIGHT THIS IS A NATIONAL
TREND, AND PART OF IT HAS TO DO
WITH WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE VIEW AS
KIND OF ACCEPTABLE EMPLOYMENT,
POST-PANDEMIC.
LIFEGUARDING REQUIRES A LOT OF
IN-DEPTH TRAINING.
IT IS ACTUALLY SAVING LIVES
DURING A WATER-RELATED
SITUATION.
THESE ARE NOT PLUG AND PLAY
STAFF.
BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, THE MAJORITY
OF OUR AQUATICS STAFF ARE TEMP
STAFF.
THIS IS A CLASSIFICATION OF
EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE RECEIVED
THE MOST TRAINING, MORE SO THAN
ANY OTHER GROUP OF TEMPORARY
EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE CITY.
IT'S A VERY SPECIALIZED BODY OF
WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE
WHOLE LIFEGUARD SITUATION.
WHY DON'T WE GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE THERE.
I DON'T SEE THE PRESENTATION.
WE'VE GOT A POWERPOINT
PRESENTATION BUT I'M NOT SEEING
IT ON THE SCREEN HERE.
MICHELLE, ARE YOU SHARING THE
SCREEN, OR SOMEONE SHARING OUR
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION?
>> I CAN'T.
I HAD THOUGHT THE CLERK'S
OFFICE WAS GOING TO BUT I CAN.
>> OKAY.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU
COULD SHARE THE SCREEN.
SO WHILE MICHELLE IS BRINGING
UP THE SCREEN, A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT OUR AQUATICS
PROGRAM.
WE OPERATE A HUGE INVENTORY OF
AQUATIC OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS
THE DEPARTMENT.
LET'S GO TO THAT NEXT SLIDE,
MICHELE.
THANKS.
SLIDE 2. SO HERE YOU CAN SEE WE
HAVE A $9.3 MILLION BUDGET.
ABOUT 65% OF.
>> BUDGET IS REVENUE GENERATED,
FEE FOR ACCESS TO PUBLIC POOLS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 50 FTE.
WE HAVE A HUGE INDOOR POOL
SYSTEM WITH EIGHT POOLS.
WE HAVE TWO OUTDOOR POOLS, ONE
LOCATE ON QUEEN ANNE, AND THE
OTHER AT COLEMAN PARK.
THE POOL AT COLEMAN PARK IS A
SALTWATER MOVEMENT WE'RE
OPERATING SIX OF NINE
LIFEGUARDED BEACHES ACROSS THE
CITY THIS YEAR.
THEY INCLUDE MADISON BEACH,
MADRONA BEACH, MAGNUSON BEACH,
PRITCHARD BEACH, AND WEST GREEN
LAKE BEACH.
AND OUR GOAL HERE WAS TO TRY TO
CREATE SOME GEOGRAPHIC EQUITY
ACROSS THE CITY SO THAT NO
MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU'VE
GOT ACCESS WITHIN A REASONABLE
DISTANCE TO A PUBLICLY GUARDED
SWIMMING BEACH.
WE'RE ALSO OPERATING 20 OUT OF
22 WADING POOLS.
IRONICALLY, THE SAME CHALLENGE
EXISTS WITH HIRING ENOUGH TEMP
STAFF TO WORK AT OUR WADING
POOLS, EVEN THOUGH THEY REQUIRE
A DIFFERENT SKILL SET THAN
LIFEGUARDING A BEACH.
WE'VE GOT BOAT LAUNCHES, SPRAY
PARKS ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
SO WITH THAT I'D ALSO LIKE TO
RECOGNIZE OUR AQUATICS STAFF
FOR THEIR CREATIVE SOLUTION
MAKING AND FINDING SOLUTIONS TO
WORK AROUND WHAT IS CLEARLY
BEEN A STAFF SHORTAGE.
THEY'VE COME UP WITH SOME
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND HAVE
BEEN MANAGED -- HAVE MANAGED TO
PROVIDE ALL OF THIS ACCESS
DURING A TIME WHEN WE ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY CONSTRAINED WITH
STAFFING.
SO IN SOME WAYS, THIS TEAM HAS
MADE LEMONADE OUT OF LEMONS.
BUT WE'RE WANTING TO SHARE WITH
YOU WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A GOOD
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER
TO MIKE PLYMPTON, WHO IS OUR
AQUATICS MANAGER.
>> THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER.
MICHELE, IF WE COULD BRING UP
THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT WE'RE OWE WHAT I'M
GOING TO KIND OF WALK YOU
THROUGH AND WHAT THE SLIDE
SHOWS IS REALLY FROM MARCH 2020
WITH THE COVID SHUTDOWN OF OUR
SERVICES, WHERE WE -- KIND OF
THE STEPS WE'VE GONE TO AND THE
THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
BETWEEN THEN AND NOW.
SO BETWEEN THIS SUMMER.
IN MARCH 2020 ALL OF OUR PUBLIC
POOLS CLOSED.
THE CITY PAT HIRING FREEZEN
PLACE.
AND STAFF WERE PIVOTED TO WHAT
WE REFER TO AS ESSENTIAL
SERVICES.
SO PIVOTED OUT OF ACT A SQUAT
TYKES SERVE ELSEWHERE IN THE
RECREATION DIVISION AND SPR.
IN SUMMER 2020 WE WERE ABLE TO
REOPEN FIVE BEACHES.
WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A FEW
STAFF, DESPITE THE HIRING
FREEZE TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF
LEADERSHIP AT OUR OUTDOOR
BEACHES.
SO AGAIN A IT WAS A VERY SHORT
SUMMER FOR US BUT IT WAS WITH
COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO
LIMIT CROWDING TO KEEP STAFF
SAFE, AND TO INCREASE THE
SAFETY FOR BOTH LIFEGUARD STAFF
AND FOR THE -- FOR FOLKS WHO
WANTED TO COOL OFF IN THE
SUMMER.
IN FALL OF 20 20, WE MOVED INTO
TAKING AN IMPORTANT STEP OF
RECERTIFYING OUR LIFEGUARD
STAFF.
SO AT THIS POINT, RUNG
LIFEGUARD CLASSES WAS NOT AN
OPTION, BASED ON RESTRICTIONS.
WE DID HAVE SAFETY PLANS THAT
WERE PUT IN PLACE AND APPROVED,
TO BE ABLE TO RECERTIFY OUR
CURRENT TEAM.
A RECERTIFICATION IS ABOUT AN
EIGHT-HOUR CLASS HAS.
TO HAPPEN EVERY TWO YEARS AS
OPPOSED TO A NEW LIFEGUARD
CERTIFICATION THAT'S A 30-HOUR
TRAINING PROGRAM W. COVID
RESTRICTIONS THAT WAS A
CHALLENGE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
FAST-FORWARDING, WE OPENED TWO
POOLS IN THE WINTER OF 2021
WITH RAINIER BEACH OPENING UP,
THEN TOOK THAT INTO SUMMER
WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO REOPEN
SIX OF OUR BEACHES AS WELL AS
11 WADING POOLS AND TWO OUTDOOR
POOLS, COLEMAN AND MONGER.
THAT WAS SUMMER 2021.
WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND ON THE
AMENITIES.
WITH THAT CAME ADDITIONAL
STAFFING.
WE MOVED FORWARD INTO FALL, WE
CLOSED OUR OUTDOOR FACILITIES
AND OPENED UP OUR FOUR
ADDITIONAL INDOOR POOLS WITH
MODIFIED SCHEDULES AND BEGAN
OFFERING LIFEGUARD
CERTIFICATION CLASSES TO THE
PUBLIC.
WITH COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE.
SO A SAFE VERSION WITH COVID
PRESENT FROM.
THERE WE MOVED FORWARD INTO
WINTER 2020 AND OPENED SEVEN OF
OUR EIGHT INDOOR POOLS ON A
MODIFIED SCHEDULE AND
MAINTAINED UNTIL THE VEND
SPRING WHEN WE TRANSITIONED TO
SUMMER.
WE HAD TO CLOSE A COUPLE OF
POOLS BUT HAVE MAINTAINED FIVE
AS WELL AS TWO OUTDOOR POOLS,
SIX BEACHES, AND AS CHRISTOPHER
WILLIAMS MENTIONED, 20 OF 22
WADING POOLS.
SO WITH THIS IT'S REALLY A
GRADUAL RAMPING UP OF SERVICE
AND BASICALLY A FOCUS ON TRYING
TO HELP US -- TRYING TO HELP US
GROW OUR TEAM INTO THE FUTURE.
WE'RE GROWING THROUGH THE
SUMMER.
WE ARE GROWING INTO THE FALL.
WITH THAT IS GOING TO COME 18
ADDRESSED SERVICE AS WE
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.
SO OUR STAFFING LEVELS, WE'RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT RAMP-UP.
WE HAVE200 TEMPORARY STAFF
THAT OPERATE WITH ABOUT JUST
UNDER 50 FTE OF REGULAR
STAFFING.
WHEN WE GO INTO SUMMER WE GROW
OUR STAFF BY ABOUT 200.
THAT STARTS, IN A NORMAL PRE-
COVID YEAR, IN ABOUT FEBRUARY.
WITH THAT WE'VE GOT OUR BEACH
PROGRAM THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY
TEMPORARY.
>> THERE'S ONE BENEFITED STAFF
PERSON THAT ACTS AS A
SUPERVISOR.
WE HAVE 18 TEMPORARY YOUNG
LEADERS THAT LEAD THESE SITES
AND SUPERVISE THESE SITES, THE
NINE DIFFERENT BEACHES THAT WE
HAVE.
AND WE HAVE A CADRE OF ABOUT 80
BEACH LIFEGUARDS THAT ARE THERE
THAT ARE SPREAD OUT THROUGH
THESE NINE SITES WHEN WE'RE IN
FULL OPERATION.
SO THE SAFETY TRAINING THAT
THESE FOLKS GO THROUGH, SO ON
TOP OF THE CERTIFICATION, THE
30-HOUR CERTIFICATION, IN ORDER
TO WORK AT THE BEACH THEY HAVE
ABOUT 20 ADDITIONAL HOURS OF
TRAINING, AS WELL AS THE FOLKS
THAT WE HAVE THAT WORK AT THE
POOL THAT HAVE ADDITIONAL
TRAINING IN TEACHING SWIMMING
LESSONS.
THEY'RE NOT ALL
INTERCHANGEABLE.
FOLKS ARE ABLE TO WORK
SUPPORTING CERTAIN ASPECT OF
OUR OPERATION, AND THEY'RE ALL
MEETING A CRITICAL NEED.
SO THOSE INDOOR POOLS ARE
TEACHING SWIMMING LESSONS.
THEY'RE PROVIDING WATER ACCESS
TO SENIORS TO VERY YOUNG
PEOPLE, TO THE DISABLED, AND
WE'RE PROVIDING THAT ACCESS,
AND WE'RE PROVIDING THAT
EDUCATION AND THOSE SWIMMING
SKILLS TO HELP FEED OUR FUTURE
EMPLOYEES AND TO HELP KEEP
FOLKS SAFE AS A PART OF A
DROWNING PREVENTION STRATEGY.
SO WITH THAT, IT WAS MENTIONED
WE DO HAVE A REDUCED SITE
SELECTION SO WE WERE ONLY ABLE
TO OPEN SIX OF OUR NINE BEACHES
THIS SUMMER.
PART OF THE DECISION MAKING, WE
LOOKED AT PAST ATTENDANCE TO
LOOK AT HOW MANY FOLKS USE
THOSE SITES, CONSIDERED EQUITY
AS WELL AS SITE CHARACTERISTICS
LIKE THE PRESENCE OF DIVING
BOARDS, THE PRESENCE OF PIERS
THAT COME OUT FROM THE SHORE,
THE SLOPE OF THE BEACH, THINGS
THAT CREATE -- THAT MAKE RISKS
HARDER TO MANAGE WITHOUT HAVING
LIFEGUARDS THERE.
AS A PART OF THAT, WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT IS THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF CONCERNS WITH WHAT
SITES TO OPEN.
WE MENTIONED -- I MENTIONED THE
AMENITIES, ATTRACTION OF TEENS
IS A BIG RISK MANAGEMENT POINT
WITH DROWNING PREVENTION,
BECAUSE TEENS ARE RISKTAKERS,
AND IF WE HAVE AMENITIES AT OUR
SITES TO BRING THEM IN, THAT
SERVES AS KEEPING THEM SWIMMING
AT A SAFER PLACE IN THE SUMMER.
SO THAT'S A BIT ABOUT OUR
DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
I GUESS WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE
NEXT SLIDE, MICHELE.
SO THIS SLIDE SPEAKS TO THE --
BOTH THE NATIONAL LIFEGUARD
SHORTAGE AS WELL AS THE
NATIONAL LABOR SHORTAGE IN
FRONT-FACING WORKERS.
WE ARE FACING CRITICAL STAFFING
SHORTAGE ALONG WITH MANY
INDUSTRIES WITH LIFEGUARDING,
WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST, ONE OF
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD
IS ON TOP OF THE LINE SHORTAGE,
ON TOP OF ALL THE JOBS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO FRONTLINE WORKERS,
THE NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF
LIFEGUARDS IS THERE BECAUSE OF
THE LACK OF TRAINING FOR
SEVERAL YEARS, THE LACK OF OUR
OWN STAFF DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE GOT SOME LEVEL OF
PERMANENT STAFF OF BENEFITED
STAFF THAT ARE AVAILABLE, AND
LEADERSHIP STAFF THAT HAVE
WORKED IN OUR SYSTEM AND HAVE
THE SKILLS TO TAKE THE LEAD.
BUT WE'VE LOST A COUPLE OF
YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THAT
TIME.
SO WE ARE SHORT KIND OF IN THAT
EXPERIENCE LEVEL, AND THAT IS
WHAT IS MAKING IT CHALLENGING
FOR US TO SAFELY OPEN ALL OF
OUR SITES.
WE ARE GROWING OUR TEAM,
TRAINING PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO GROW INTO NEXT
SUMMER.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WAS
TOUCHED ON EARLIER, WE HAVE A
LOWER WAGE THAN MANY UNSKILLED
SERVICE JOBS, THAN MANY ENTRY
LEVEL SERVICE JOBS.
SO FOR THE SAME -- FOR NOT MUCH
DIFFERENT OF A WAGE THAN ONE
MIGHT MAKE WORKING AT A FAST-
FOOD RESTAURANT OR STARTING AT
A GROCERY STORE, YOU COULD END
UP -- THE WORK AS A LIFEGUARD
YOU END UP HAVING TO GO AND
TAKE THIS CERTIFICATION CLASS,
COMMIT YOUR OWN TIME, HAVE THE
SWIMMING SKILLS TO GET THERE,
AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO STEP IN
AND THE WILLINGNESS TO STEP
INTO THAT ROLE WITH THAT
RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THAT IS THE -- THE WAGE IS A
BARRIER.
OUR LIFEGUARD RATE OF PAY
MOVED, OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS,
FROM ABOUT 67% ABOVE MINIMUM
WAGE TO ABOUT 13% ABOVE MINIMUM
WAGE.
SO THAT'S HOW IT'S GONE IN THE
LAST 10 YEARS IN RELATION TO
THIS.
AND THAT SPEAKS TO THE NEED FOR
TRAINING, AND IT SPEAKS TO THE
CHALLENGE OF FINDING FOLKS THAT
ARE WILLING TO STEP INTO THAT
ROLE.
WITH THAT IS ALSO THAT WEAVE
LOST FOLKS THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC WHO HAVE MOVED TO
OTHER POSITIONS, AND WE HAVEN'T
BEEN ABLE TO RECOUP THE STAFF
WE'VE LOST AT THE SAME RATE.
THAT, AS A FRAME OF REFERENCE
AND OUR BENEFITED POSITIONS,
WE'VE MOVED FROM 16 OF 26
INDOOR POOLS, SENIOR LIFEGUARDS
LAST SEPTEMBER TO 12 OF 26
SPOTS THAT ARE FILLED IN MAY.
SO DESPITE HIRING, WE'VE
ACTUALLY MOVED IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION IN TERMS OF TOTAL
NUMBERS.
SO IT'S JUST A FRAME OF
REFERENCE.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON
IT.
THE RATE OF PAY HAS BEEN A
BARRIER.
I'LL TAKE IT TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE, MICHELLE.
SO LIFEGUARD REQUIREMENTS, AS
WE MENTIONED, RECRUITMENT.
SO LIFEGUARDS TO WORK FOR SPR
HAVE TO BE 16 YEARS OF AGE.
THEY HAVE TO PASS A
PREEMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECK,
AN AMERICAN RED CROSS LIFEGUARD
COURSE, WHICH IS A 30-HOUR
COURSE, AS WELL AS PASSING A
NORTHWEST LIFEGUARD TEST,
ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR BEACH
LIFEGUARDS IS ANOTHER 20 HOURS
OF ON-SITE TRAINING TO BE ABLE
TO STEP INTO THAT ROLE.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR POOL
LIFEGUARDS INVOLVES ABOUT A
COMPARABLE NUMBER OF HOURS TO
TEACH SWIMMING LESSONS
EFFECTIVELY AND TO BE ABLE TO
STEP INTO THE ROIMS THOSE JOBS.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND THEN
MOVING INTO A LEADERSHIP
POSITION REQUIRES FAMILIARITY
WITH THE SYSTEM AND THE
EXPERIENCE TO MAKE GOOD
DECISIONS IN THOSE ROLES.
WE'VE ADD LARGE RECRUITMENT
EFFORT.
WE WORKED ON ADVERTISING ON
SOCIAL MEDIA, THE CITY WEBSITE,
WASHINGTON RECREATION AND PARKS
ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS
DROWNING PREVENTION GROUPS,
LIKE THE WASHINGTON STATE
DROWNING PREVENTION NETS WORK.
WE'VE DONE OUTREACH THROUGH
HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAMS AND
THROUGH SWIM TEAM GROUPS DUE TO
THE SWIMMING SKILLS THAT COME
INHERENT WITH THOSE GROUPS.
WE HAVE ADVERTISED AND
CONDUCTED 14 LIFEGUARD CLASSES
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR
AND ARE STILL AT THAT DEFICIT
POINT, DESPITE THIS.
SO, THOSE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS
ARE OUR NEXT CITY.
WE'RE RUNNING TEEN PROGRAMS AND
LOOKING TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE.
BUT WITH THAT, IT HAS BEEN A
CHALLENGE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE CONTINUING TO
GROW, AS WAS MENTIONED.
SO LET'S TAKE IT TO OUR NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE.
STRATEGIES WE'VE HAD, WE ARE
LOOKING TOWARD BOTH THE SHORT
TERM AND THE LONG TERM SOLUTION
FOR THE WAGE ISSUE.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A LONGER TERM
WAGE REVIEW BY PARTNERING WITH
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES AS WELL AS A NEAR
TERM SOLUTION OF HIRING STAFF
AT A HIRE STEP RATE.
SO AT A HIGHER RATE OF PAY
BASED ON THE CURRENT STEPS THAT
EXIST WITHIN THE SERIES.
AND THEN CONSIDERING OTHER
IDEAS.
>> MAYBE I'LL JUMP IN HERE.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I WANT
TO RECOGNIZE YOUR IDEA OF A
LIFEGUARD AUXILIARY AND REALLY
APPRECIATE THE ENERGY IN WHICH
YOU HAVE LEANED INTO THIS
PROBLEM.
WE DID TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
AND ONE OF THE HURDLES WE'VE
RUN INTO IS THAT WHILE POLICE
AND FIRE BOTH HAVE WATER SAFETY
CLASSIFICATIONS, THE EMPLOYEES
IN THOSE ROLES EARNED
CONSIDERABLY MORE DOLLARS PER
HOUR THAN OUR $22 AN HOUR
LIFEGUARD MAYBE, RIGHT?
I THINK JUST THINK ABOUT FROM A
LABOR STANDPOINT HAVING A
PERSON MAKING $150 IN OVERTIME
HOURS NEXT TO A PERSON WHO IS
MAKING $22 AN HOUR DOING THE
SAME JOB SEEMED LIKE A HUGE
WAGE DESPAIR HE TEE, LABOR
ISSUE THAT WE WANT TO DELVE
MORE DEEPLY INTO.
BUT I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
AND THANK YOU FOR LEANING INTO
THIS PROBLEM AND FOR PROVIDING
SOME SUGGESTIONS.
SO WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT
WE DID EXPLORE THE IDEA.
>> SUPERINTENDENT, I APPRECIATE
THAT.
MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT BE
CONFUSED, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
I'VE PUBLICLY TALKED ABOUT THIS
IDEA.
I DID SEND AN EMAIL, GIVEN THAT
WE HAVE A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES
THAT WE HAVE EMT CERTIFICATIONS
OR OTHER SUCH CERTIFICATIONS,
AND WHAT I HAD PROFFERED AS A
POSSIBLE IDEA IS OFFERING
OPTIONAL OVERTIME SLOTS IF
THERE ARE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT
HAVE APPROPRIATE CERTIFICATION
AND WOULD BE INTERESTED IN
ACCEPTING CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL
FLOATED OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE
OT.
I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOULD
POTENTIALLY NOT BE PRACTICABLE.
IF, GOING FORWARD, WE ARE
LOOKING FOR WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE
AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO KEEP UP
THEIR CERTIFICATIONS, OR IF
THERE'S PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY
FAMILY WHO USED TO BE
LIFEGUARDS AND HAVE OUT-OF-DATE
CERTIFICATIONS THAT THEY COULD
RENEW, THE FACT THAT LIFEGUARDS
ARE NOT ORGANIZED TO MY
UNDERSTANDING, THERE ISN'T A
UNION FOR LIFEGUARDS, THAT'S
POTENTIALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
SOMEONE TO ORGANIZE THAT
WORKFORCE.
BUT AT THE MOMENT, THEY'RE NOT
ORGANIZED.
I WOULD THINK WE WOULD HAVE
FLEXIBILITY TO OFFER OTHER CITY
EMPLOYEES, IF THEY DO HAVE
CERTIFICATION, TO POTENTIALLY
TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE
AN O.T.
SLOT, IF IT'S DURING A TIME
THEY WOULDN'T OTHERWISE BE HE
WORKING.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO DAYLIGHT
THAT, IF COLLEAGUES OR COUNCIL
IS CONFUSED.
BUT APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER IN
THE SESSION TODAY.
>> AND JUST TO CLARIFY,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, LOCAL 242
DOES REPRESENT OUR PERMANENT
PART-TIME LIFEGUARDS AND OUR
SENIOR LIFEGUARDS.
AND, THEREFORE, THE TEMPORARY
LIFEGUARDS FALL UNDER THE
BARGAINING AGREEMENTS RELATED
TO TEMPORARY STAFF.
SO THERE WOULD ALSO BE -- THEY
ARE REPRESENTED, JUST TO
CLARIFY.
>> SORRY, I WAS NOT AWARE OF.
OKAYG TO KNOW.
NEVER MIND.
OKAY.
SORRY, I CUT OFF THE
PRESENTATION, SUPERINTENDENT
WILLIAMS.
TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
>> I'LL JUST TURN IT BACK OVER
TO MIKE PLYMPTON.
>> WE'RE ALMOST DONE.
SO THE MAIN THING, NEXT STEP,
OTHER THAN LOOKING AT A WAGE
RELATED ISSUES, WE'RE LOOKING
TOWARDS WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET
OUR FEEDING PROGRAMS BACK IN
PLAY AS FOR THIS WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT WE HAVE A SUMMER PROGRAM
CALLED THE LIFEGUARD TRAINING
TEAM THAT OPERATES OUT OF OUR
BEACH PROGRAM THAT SERVES AS A
FEEDER THAT'S A FREE TEEN
PROGRAM AS WELL AS ONE THAT WE
HAVE GOING ON AT RAINIER BEACH
COMMUNITY CENTER AND POOL
THROUGH LATE NIGHT, THROUGH
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LATE NIGHT
PROGRAM.
THESE ARE -- THEY ARE FEEDER
PROGRAMS TO BOTH HELP GET TEENS
IN BUT TOLLS GENERATE POTENTIAL
FUTURE STAFF AND TO HELP GET
FOLKS INTO THE PIPELINE INTO
THAT PIPELINE WE REFERRED TO.
SO BEYOND THAT WE ALSO WILL BE
-- WE'RE BRINGING BACK OUR
LESSON PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN
EXPANDING, AND WITH THAT COMES
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A SWIM
AIDE AND TO LEARN THOSE
SWIMMING LESSON SKILLS.
>> CAN I ASK, IF SOMEONE WANTED
TO SIGN UP TO SERVE IN THIS
CAPACITY WITH ALL OF THE
CERTIFICATIONS YOU NEED TO GO
THROUGH AND THE TRAININGR THERE
WAYS TO -- DOES THE CITY PAY
FOR THAT OR DO YOU HAVE TO PAY
FOR THAT OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKET
AND THEN YOU GET THE JOB?
>> SO WE ARE OFFERING CURRENTLY
-- WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM
THIS YEAR THAT WE ARE --
HOPEFULLY WILL BE CONTINUING TO
OFFER FREE LIFEGUARD TRAINING.
THE TIME ISN'T PAID SO STAFF --
PEOPLE ARE TRAINED ON THEIR OWN
TIME AND THEN CONTINUE WITH A
HIRING PROCESS AFTER THEY
COMPLETE THE COURSE.
>> BUT THE CITY DOES PAY FOR
THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH
CERTIFICATION?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
>> ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS
FROM COUNCIL COLLEAGUES?
>> COUPLE QUESTIONS.
ONE, GOING BACK TO THE
REFERENCE TO COVID PRECAUTIONS,
JUST CURIOUS WHETHER OR NOT YOU
HAVE CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS AS
ANY OF THE POOLS IN PLACE THAT
ARE DRIVEN BY COVID SAFETY
CONCERNS FOR PATIENTS AND
STAFF.
>> SO ANY OF OUR CAPACITY
RESTRICTIONS RIGHT NOW ARE
BASED ON STAFFING LEVEL, NOT ON
COVID RESTRICTIONS.
>> GOT IT.
MY OTHER QUESTION RELATES TO
THE STAFFING RAMP-UP STRATEGY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LONG-TERM
STRATEGY IS THE WAGE STUDY WORK
THAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT YOU REFERENCE ALWAYS NEAR-
TERM STRATEGY AND THAT NEAR-
TERM STRATEGY I GUESS WOULD BE
ALLOWING HIRING AT A HIGHER
STARTING RATE.
I'M WONDERING, WOULD THAT ALSO
REQUIRE RETROACTIVE INCREASES
FOR LIFEGUARDS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY EMPLOYEES?
>> SO LET ME SEE HERE THE BEST
WAY TO ANSWER THIS.
SO FOR SHORT TERM, WE ARE
HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES AT -- AND
THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE
LOOKING AT PREVIOUSLY HIRED
EMPLOYEES TO GET THEM TO THE
SAME STEP TO A HIGHER PAY STEP
TO START AS TEMPORARY
LIFEGUARDS.
>> SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
>> BOTH NEW AND CURRENT
EMPLOYEES.
>> ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVING --
>> THE HIGHER RATE OF PAY.
>> GOT IT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY THAT
ARE STRUGGLING WITH FILLING
VACANCIES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE'RE
TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT,
CREATING STRATEGIES TO BRING
MORE PEOPLE IN TO FILL THESE
VACANCIES THAT WE'RE NOT
INADVERTENTLY CREATING MORALE
ISSUES FOR THE CURRENT CITY
WORKFORCE.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT
ELEMENT OF OUR RECRUITMENT
STRATEGIES IN ALL OF OUR
DEPARTMENTS.
SO THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> ONE THING I MIGHT THROW OUT
THERE, TOO, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE
THIS MORNING OF MEETING WITH
SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM AMR,
THE FOLKS THAT RUN OUR EMT
PROGRAM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY
INDICATED IS THEY HAVE A
PROGRAM A WHERE FOLKS THAT ARE
SEEKING THEIR CERTIFICATION TO
BE EMTs, THEY DO PAY THEM
DURING THAT TIME THAT THEY'RE
LEARNING WHILE PURSUING THEIR
CERTIFICATION, AND MAYBE THAT
MIGHT BE AN AREA FOR US TO
PURSUE IF THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT
COMPENSATED TIME, GIVEN THE
LENGTH -- THE EXTENSIVE LENGTH
TO GET CERTIFIED, FROM THE
EARLIER SLIDE IT LOOKED LIKE 35
HOURS OF WORK AND TRAINING TO
GET THE CERTIFICATION.
AND MAYBE THAT WOULD BE AN AREA
TO CONSIDER IF THAT TIME NOT
BEING COMPENSATED FOR IS A
BARRIER FOR ENTRY FOR SOME
PEOPLE WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE
INTERESTED IN PURSUING THIS
OPPORTUNITY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, THAT'S
A GREAT POINT.
AND, YES, THE TIME, PAID
TRAINING, AND THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT'S A BARRIER FOR FOLKS.
THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A
BARRIER.
SO THE ABILITY TO PAY STAFF TO
TAKE THE TRAINING OR PAY
PROSPECTIVE STAFF TO TAKE THE
TRAINING WOULD BE A GREAT STEP
FORWARD.
>> COULD I ASK ABOUT THE
RECRUITMENT IN HIGH SCHOOLS,
LIKE WITH HIGH SCHOOL SWIM
TEAMS?
HAS THE MOMENTUM FOR THAT BEEN
KNOCKED DOWN DURING COVID?
HOW IS THE TEMPO OF THAT
RECRUITMENT GONE RELATIVE TO
HOW IT'S BEEN IN PREVIOUS
YEARS?
AND DOES THAT REPRESENT A BIG
PERCENTAGE OF THE SEASONAL
PEOPLE THAT DO THIS WORK?
>> YOU KNOW, THE CONNECTION
WITH THOSE GROUPS, WHEN THEY'RE
IN THERE FOR SWIM SEASON, I
THINK THE BIG PUSH FOR US IS
THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION
BEFORE THE END OF THEIR SWIM
SEASON TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE
TEAM TO POTENTIALLY SET UP A
CLASS WITH MANY MEMBERS OF THAT
TEAM.
SOUGHT HASN'T CHANGED AS MUCH
DURING COVID AS THE -- THE
INTEREST IN PURSUING A JOB OR
PURSUING A TRAINING WHERE YOU
ARE HAVING TO GET IN CLOSE
PERSONAL SPACE OF OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT HAS PROBABLY BEEN THE
BIGGEST IMPACT.
NOT AS MUCH ON THE TEENS
THEMSELVES OR THE SWIMMERS
THEMSELVES, BECAUSE THEY'RE
ALREADY DOING THAT SORT OF
THING, BUT IN THE GENERAL
PUBLIC TO SAY, I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN DOING THIS,
KNOWING THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE
TO BE RIGHT IN SOMEONE'S SPACE,
AND BECAUSE OF COVID, I'M NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH THAT RIGHT
NOW.
THAT'S KIND OF THE BIGGER
IMPACT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> YES, THAT MAKES PERFECT 70s.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP AGAIN
IF COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR OUR PANEL ON
THIS.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T
MENTION THAT THIS DOES ALSO
SEEM LIKE A RIPE AREA FOR
EXPLORATION IF THERE ARE
ONGOING STRATEGIES THAT MIGHT
REQUIRE SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES
AS PART OF OUR METROPOLITAN
PARK DISTRICT DISCUSSIONS, I
THINK IT WOULD FALL WITHIN THE
SCOPE OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE
CAN PROGRAM AND EQUIP OUR
AQUATICS PERSONNEL STRAT GOES
TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING LABOR
MARKET AND CHANGING
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE LIVE.
ING THE PUBLIC'S ACCESS TO
THESE FACILITIES.
MY DOOR IS OPEN TO CONTINUE TO
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I WILL ALSO JUST ADD THAT I
REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE TRIAGE
WORK OF SEATTLE PARKS AND OF
THE AQUATICS DIVISION IN REALLY
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING
AS MANY FACILITIES OPEN AS WE
ARE DURING THESE SUMMER MONTHS.
YOU SHARED THAT STORY FROM
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, WHICH IS
CLOSING HALF OF THEIR AQUATIC
FACILITIES DUE TO THEIR
SHORTAGE.
SO THE ADAPTABILITY AND THE
MITIGATE UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE
IS VERY ADMIRABLE, AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP OF
THIS TEAM AND MAKING THAT
HAPPEN.
SO MY DOOR CONTINUES TO BE OPEN
ON THIS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEND LEADS
FOR POTENTIAL LIFEGUARDS AS
THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
AND I WILL CERTAINY CONTINUE
TO USE MY PLATFORM TO ADVERTISE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE
PEOPLE OF THE CITY THROUGHOUT
MY ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH
POTENTIAL APPLICANTS, AND WITH
THAT, ARE THERE ANY FINAL WORDS
FROM THE PANEL BEFORE WE CLOSE
TODAY'S COMMITTEE SESSION?
>> JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, FOR
THE KIND WORDS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> OKAY, GUYS, THANK YOU.
AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH ON THIS
AND OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO
OUR PARKS.
OKAY.
WELL, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, THAT
WAS OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, THIS
COMMITTEE IS HERE BY ADJOURNED.
IT IS 4:18 P.M.
THANK YOU.