>> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. GOOD
MORNING, EVERYBODY. TODAY IS
THURSDAY , FEBRUARY 16th , AND
THIS IS THE MEETING OF THE
GOVERNANCE, NATIVE COMMUNITIES,
AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
COMMITTEE. THE TIME IS 9:30.
I'M DEBORA JUAREZ, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK PLEAS
CALL THE WORLD?
>> COUNCILMEMBER TRANSIT?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> PRESENT.
>> FOUR ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE
QUORUM.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. TODAY WE HAVE A GOO
AGENDA. WE HAVE FIVE
REAPPOINTMENTS, BUT LET ME GET
TO THAT IN A MINUTE. SO IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE AGEND
WILL BE ADOPTED. I'M NOT SEEING
ANY OBJECTIONS. THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. THE CHAIR'S REPORT.
AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH THREE
WILL BE THE PRESENTATION AND
JOINT CONSIDERATION OF THREE
REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE LABOR
STANDARDS ADVISORY COMMISSION,
AND THEY ARE JEANIE CHUNN,
ILONA LOHREY, AND PLEASE CORREC
ME IF I'M SAYING IT LONG,
LOHREY, AND GAY GILMORE, AND I
BELIEVE KEREM LEVITAS WILL
SPEAK TO THESE REAPPOINTMENTS.
AND FOR AGENDA ITEMS 4 AND 5, W
WILL BE HEARING PRESENTATION
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE BATTLE ETHICS ELECTIONS
COMMISSION, MR. WAYNE BARNETT.
MS. WAYNE HERE? YUP, WAYNE'S
HERE. HE WILL BE SPEAKING TO
THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF SUSAN
TAYLOR AND ZACH JONES PEKELIS
TO THE COMMISSION. SO WE'LL MOV
INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. MADAM
CLERK, HOW MANY FOLKS DO WE GOT
EITHER REMOTELY OR IN CHAMBERS?
>> AT THE MOMENT, THERE ARE
NONE.
>> ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANY
REMOTE, OR NOT HEARING OR SEEIN
ANY REMOTE, AND THERE ARE NO
FOLKS IN CHAMBERS, PUBLIC
COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED. LET'S
KEEP MOVING ON INTO OUR AGENDA
TO OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS. AS I
SHARED, WE GOT FIVE
REAPPOINTMENTS, SO MADAM CLERK,
LET'S DO THIS. LET'S READ ITEM
1, 2, AND 3 INTO THE RECORD, AN
THEN WE'LL DISCUSS THE
NOMINATION PACKETS. GO AHEAD,
MADAM CLERK.
>> AGENDA ITEMS 1 THROUGH 3, TH
APPOINTMENTS OF JEANIE CHUNN AN
ILONA LOHREY AS MEMBERS OF THE
LABOR STANDARDS ADVISORY
COMMISSION FOR TERMS TO APRIL
30th, 2024, AND OF GAY GILMORE
FOR A TERM TO APRIL 30th, 2023.
>> THANK YOU. AND I SEE, I SEE
KEREM LEVITAS, AND I SAYING
THAT CORRECTLY, SIR?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> CAN I CALL YOU KEREM?
>> PLEASE.
>> OKAY. SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS,
KEREM. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO
WALK US THROUGH THE FIRST THREE
REAPPOINTMENTS, AND WE ALL HAV
THE NOMINATION PACKETS IN FRONT
OF US, SO I'M GOING TO HAND THE
FLOOR OVER TO YOU, THAT I'LL
OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUE AND
SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
OR WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS. S
PLEASE GO AHEAD WITH
>> GREAT, THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'LL JUST PROVIDE A
QUICK BACKGROUND. I SERVE AS TH
POLICY MANAGER, AND IS THE
COMMISSION LIAISON. VALUABLE
ADVISORY FUNCTION TO OUR OFFICE
TO THE EXECUTIVE, OR GENERALLY
INTO CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. AND
IT'S UNIQUE IN THAT IT BRINGS
TOGETHER BUSINESS OWNERS,
BUSINESS ADVOCATES, WORKERS,
WORKER ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO PROVIDE INSIGHT ON
ADVANCING LABOR STANDARDS.
COMMISSIONERS REPRESENT A WIDE
RANGE OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY
GROUPS, WORKERS, BUSINESS GROUP
AS WELL. AND ARE INVESTED IN
IMPROVING WORK CONDITIONS FOR
WORKERS AND ENSURING THAT
BUSINESSES HAVE THE TOOLS THAT
THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH OUR
LABOR STANDARDS. AS THIS
COMMITTEE KNOWS, FREQUENTLY,
SEATTLE'S NOT NEARLY BALANCING
THE STANDARDS FOR LABOR
PRACTICES, BUT CREATING THEM.
I'M THRILLED TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY ALREADY TO WORK WIT
THE THREE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE
BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE
APPOINTMENT TODAY, GAY GILMORE,
ILONA LOHREY, JOHN JEANIE CHUNN
AND ALL OF THEM BRING VALUABLE
INSIGHT AND HOW TO INCORPORATE
LABOR STANDARDS. GAY GILMORE,
WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS TH
CHAIR FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IS THE
DAUGHTER OF OPTIMISM BREWERY AN
CAPITOL HILL, AND HAS
IMPLEMENTED A LIVING WAGE AND
NO TIPPING POLICY AT HER
BUSINESS AS A WAY TO ELIMINATE
SOME OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
úTIPPING. ILONA LOHREY IS
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GSBA,
WASHINGTON'S LGBTQ AND ILIFE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE , WHICH
REPRESENTS OVER 1300 BUSINESSES
SHE MANAGES A TEAM FOCUSED ON
EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY
THROUGH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE , SUPPLIER
DIVERSITY, AND SCHOLARSHIP
FUNDING AND PROGRAMS. AND
LASTLY, JEANIE CHUNN HAS SERVE
AS THE NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT
DIRECTOR FOR R.A.I.S.E.: HIGH
ROAD RESTAURANTS, A NATIONAL
COALITION OF RESTAURANT WORKERS
COMMITTED TO WORKER RIGHTS.
THEIR INSIGHT IS IMPROVED
ALREADY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM.
>> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY , I
KNOW YOU ALL GOT THE NOMINATION
PACKETS. LET'S SEE. JEANIE
CHUNN IS COMING OUT OF DISTRIC
3, AND IS AUTHORIZING PERSON IS
ME. IT LOOKS LIKE -- AM I
SAYING THAT RIGHT, ILONA LOHREY
LOHREY?
>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
>> YEAH, SHE'S OUT OF SNOHOMIS
COUNTY. AND THEN WE HAVE GAY
GILMORE OUT OF DISTRICT 3 AS
WELL. ALL OF THESE ARE
APPOINTMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE WITH MY
SIGNATURE. I WAS HOPING THAT
JEANIE WAS HERE, BECAUSE I WANT
TO KNOW HOW SHE WENT FROM BEING
AN IMPROV ACTOR TO A SOLO
THERE. AM I SAYING THAT
CORRECTLY? A ONE PERSON. A WINE
EXPERT. THAT'S PRETTY, PRETTY
IMPRESSIVE.
>> SOMALI A.
>> SOMALI A. THANK YOU SO MUCH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. FORGOT.
THOUGHT YOU WERE MORE OF A BEER
GUY, BUT I'M GLAD YOU GOT THAT,
YOU CORRECTED ME ON THAT.
>> I AM MORE OF A BEER GUY.
>> KEREM, THANK YOU FOR
PROVIDING THE OVERVIEW OF WHAT
THE LABOR STANDARDS ADVISORY
COMMISSION IT DOES. THESE THRE
NEW APPOINTMENTS,
REAPPOINTMENTS, I'M SORRY, AND
ALSO THE LEADERSHIP THAT ALL
THREE OF THEM HAVE NOT ONLY
SHOWN, BUT ALSO WANT TO CONTINU
TO SERVE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MY
COLLEAGUES REGARDING ALL THREE
OF OUR REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE
LABOR STANDARDS ADVISORY
COMMISSION?
>> NO.
>> KNOW? OKAY. SO I DO NOT SE
ANY QUESTIONS . SO WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO, THEN, IS I AM GOIN
TO MOVE TO RECOMMEND THE
CONFIRMATION, THE REAPPOINTMENT
OF 02431, WHICH IS MS. CHUNN
02432, WHICH IS MS. LOHREY, AN
02442, WHICH IS MS. GILMORE.
OKAY. WELL , REAPPOINTMENTS,
WE FINISHED IT . THE FEBRUARY
21st CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR
CONFIRMATION BY THE SEATTLE CIT
COUNCIL. SO WITH THAT .
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. THE MOTION HAS
BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. THERE'
NO FURTHER DISCUSSION . MADAM
CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE O
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES.
THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE CITY
COUNCIL CONFIRMED THE
REAPPOINTMENTS OF ALL THREE
INDIVIDUALS. SO WITH THAT, THAN
YOU, KEREM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU CAN STAY IF YOU WANT, YO
DON'T HAVE TO GO. IT'S PRETTY
EXCITING. BUT ANYWAY, WE GOT
WAYNE HERE, SO GOD KNOWS WHAT'L
HAPPEN. LET'S SEE. MADAM CLERK,
CAN YOU PLEASE READ ITEMS 4
THROUGH 5 INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 4 THROUGH 5, THE
REAPPOINTMENTS OF SUSAN R.
TAYLOR AS A MEMBER OF THE
SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO
DECEMBER 31st, 2024 , AND OF
ZACH JONES PEKELIS AS A MEMBER
OF THE SAME FOR A TERM TO
DECEMBER 21st, 2025.
>> THANK YOU. MADAM CLERK . I
WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BACK OUR
FRIEND, THE SEATTLE ETHICS
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR. COMMISSION DIRECTOR.
MR. WAYNE BARNETT. WAYNE, I
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE GOING
TO SPEAK TO THESE TWO
APPOINTMENTS, SO I'M GOING TO
HAND THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MADAME
CHAIRWOMAN.
>> IT'S MADAM PRESIDENT.
>> NO, I'M SORRY. THE COMMITTEE
>> I'M JUST KIDDING, WAYNE.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS MADAM MAYOR
RIGHT NOW.
>> IT IS. IT'S PRO TIME, SO IF
YOU WANT THING, THIS IS THE
TIME.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE A
SEVEN-MEMBER COMMISSION WITH
THREE APPOINTEES FROM THE
MAYOR, THREE APPOINTEES FROM TH
COUNCIL, AND OUR COMMISSION
CHOOSES THE SEVENTH, AND WE ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THA
CITY EMPLOYEES ARE BEHAVING
ETHICALLY AND RESPONSIBLY WHEN
THEY ASK FOR ADVICE. I'M HAPPY
TO ADVISE THEM ON HOW TO DO
THAT. IF I DON'T ASK FOR ADVICE
WE SOMETIMES LET A PENALTY. SO
THAT'S OUR ROLES. WE ARE BOTH
AN ADVISER AND AN ENFORCER. ON
THE ELECTIONS FRONT, WE MAKE
SURE THAT OUR CITY'S ELECTIONS
CODE IS COMPLIED WITH BY ALL TH
CAMPAIGNS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS
YEAR'S GOING TO BE A VERY BUSY
YEAR FOR US. WE'RE HEADING INT
A VERY, VERY, A BUSIER YEAR THA
I THINK WE'VE EVER HAD, SO A
LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD. AND WE
ALSO ADMINISTER THE DEMOCRACY
VOUCHER PROGRAM, WHICH IS VERY
MUCH A LARGE PART OF OUR
COLLECTION YOUR WORK. SO THAT'S
-- AND THOSE WILL GO NEXT WEEK
I'LL PUT IN THE PLUG RIGHT NOW.
LOOK FOR YOUR VOUCHERS IN YOUR
MAILBOX NEXT WEEK. IF WE DON'T
GET THE NEXT WEEK, SIT TIGHT FO
A COUPLE WEEKS. BUT, YOU KNOW,
THEY'LL BE THERE. SO THEY'RE ON
THEIR WAY.
>> I'M GOOD. YOU DON'T HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT ME. I'M GOOD.
>> BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL
ADMISSION TO OUR, TO OUR
ELECTIONS CODE WORK. YOU KNOW,
IT HAS REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB,
I THINK, INCREASING THE NUMBER
OF CANDIDATES, AS WELL AS THE
DIVERSITY OF THE CANDIDATE
WHOLE, AS WELL AS OUR DONORS,
YOU KNOW? MANY MORE PEOPLE
CONTRIBUTING TO RACISM. WE
THINK. SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO .
FOR THESE TWO COMMISSIONERS,
SUSAN TAYLOR JOINED US FROM
TEKTRONIX A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE
NORTHWEST ETHICS NETWORK, SO WE
GENERALLY LOOK TO WHEN WE'RE
TRYING TO GET NEW COMMISSIONERS
SHE'S BEEN A VERY GOOD
COMMISSIONER. SHE RELUCTANTLY
ASKED IF SHE COULD STEP OFF LAS
YEAR, BUT WE SUCCESSFULLY WAITE
HER OUT UNTIL SHE HAD NO CHOICE
BUT TO RE-UP , AND SO WE'RE
RE-UPPING HER, LIKE, A YEAR IN
HER TURN. SO THAT WAS, THAT'S A
GREAT ADDITION FOR US. SHE'S
VERY THOUGHTFUL AND VERY, VERY
GOOD AT WHAT SHE DOES. AS FOR
ZACH, ZACH JONES PEKELIS, HE I
NOW OUR CHAIR. HE WAS THE VICE
CHAIR LAST YEAR. HE BECAME CHAI
THIS YEAR. HE IS A LAWYER AT
PACIFICA , FORMERLY WITH THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. SO
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM
CONTINUING TO SERVE, SO.
PUTTING THEM BEFORE YOU FOR YOU
VOTE.
>> THANK YOU, WAYNE. I HAD A
CHANCE, OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL DID,
TO GET A COPY OF THE NOMINATION
PACKETS FOR SUSAN TAYLOR AND
ZACH JONES PEKELIS. SO SUSAN,
OF COURSE, LIKE YOU'VE BEEN
SAYING, IS A REAPPOINTMENT
COMING OUT OF DISTRICT 1, AND
THIS IS, YOU'RE THE PERSON THAT
ASKED THAT SHE BE APPOINTED BAC
TO THE COMMISSION. YOUR
SIGNATURE ON THAT. AND THAT WAS
ZACH JONES PEKELIS, THIS IS A
MAYORAL APPOINTMENT, SO MAYOR
HAROLD ASKED THAT THIS PERSON B
, BUT THE REAPPOINTED COMING OU
OF DISTRICT. AS WELL, SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK IT'S WHA
THE GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. I
THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON
HERE. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF YO
THINK HUSKY OR NOT, BUT THAT
USUALLY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WIT
IT. SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NOMINEES
AND THE PACKETS AND THE
REAPPOINTMENTS FOR MY
COLLEAGUES?
>> NO, MADAM, THERE ARE NOT AT
THIS TIME.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THANK
YOU, WAYNE, FOR BRINGING THESE
TWO GUYS. THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY
GREAT REAPPOINTMENTS, AND
HOPEFULLY WILL WE'LL HELP YOU
FILL THAT LAST SEAT, THAT LAST
VACANCY.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, I
MOVED TO RECOMMEND CONFIRMATION
OF REAPPOINTMENTS OF 02443,
WHICH IS MS. SUSAN TAYLOR, AND
02444, WHICH IS MR. ZACH JONES
PEKELIS, TO BE SENT TO THE
FEBRUARY 21st CITY COUNCIL
MEETING. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. THE MOTION HAS
BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IF
THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS?
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> FOUR IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU. THE MOTION
CARRIES, AND THE COMMITTEE WILL
MAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WIL
BE HEARD NEXT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY
21st. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WAN
TO SAY, WAYNE, BEFORE WE MOVE
OUT OF HERE TO ADJOURNMENT?
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> I WILL JUST ADD WE ARE
LOOKING FOR A SEVENTH
COMMISSIONER. IT WOULD BE REALL
GREAT IF WE COULD GET THAT
SOON, SO. I MEAN, IT IS GOING T
BE A VERY BUSY ELECTION YEAR, S
IF YOU'RE AT FULL STRENGTH, THA
WOULD BE WONDERFUL, SO.
>> AND WE DID SEND OUT PACKAGE
THAT YOU SENT US TO EVERY
COLLEAGUE, AND I KNOW THAT WE
PUT IT IN OUR NEWSLETTER, AND
I'M SURE MY OTHER COLLEAGUES PU
THEM IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS AS
WELL, AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN
CHECKING AROUND, SO HOPEFULLY
WE'LL GET THAT DONE IN THE NEXT
MONTH.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. BEFORE
WE MOVED TO ADJOURNMENT, IS
THERE ANYTHING FROM MY
COLLEAGUES? NOPE. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR ITEMS
OF BUSINESS FOR TODAY. ALL ITEM
OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT WERE
PASSED WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE
FULL COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 21st
FOR FINAL ACTION , AND OUR NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR MARCH 16th. THANK YOU,
COLLEAGUES. THE TIME IS 9:44.
THINK I'VE BEEN A RECORD HERE.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED
>> THANK YOU.
>>