>>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. TH
JUNE 13, 2023 MEETING WILL COME
TO ORDER. IT IS 9:31 A.M. I AM
LISA HERBOLD, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> HERE.
>> VICE CHAIR LEWIS.
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR HERBOLD.
>> HERE.
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> ON TODAY'S AGENDA WE WILL
HEAR THREE ITEMS. THE FIRST IS
PROPOSED BILL THAT WOULD MAKE
SOME OPERATIONAL AMENDMENTS TO
THE ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE.
THIS WILL BE A BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION OF AN UN-INTRODUCED
DRAFT BILL. SECOND WE WILL BE
HEARING AND DISCUSSING AND
VOTING ON RESOLUTION 32094, THE
WAGE EQUITY FOR NONPROFIT HUMAN
SERVICES PROVIDERS RESOLUTION
AND LASTLY WE WILL BE
RECEIVING A TIMELY BRIEFING
FROM THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT ON THE HEAT AND SMOK
PREPAREDNESS PLAN. WITH THAT,
WE WILL MOVE TOWARD APPROVING
OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY'S COMMITTE
MEETING. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, TODAY'S COMMITTEE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARIN
NO OBJECTION, TODAY'S AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. NEXT WE WILL BE MOVING
INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL
MODERATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN ONE
MINUTE TO SPEAK. I WILL
ALTERNATE BETWEEN VIRTUAL AND
IN-PERSON COMMENTERS. I WILL
CALL ON EACH SPEAKER BY NAME AN
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE AND THE SIGN IN FORM. I
YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED TO
SPEAK, BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO
SO, YOU CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE
END OF THE SESSION. IF YOU ARE
USING THE VIRTUAL OPTION, YOU
WILL HEAR A PROMPT AND ONCE YOU
HAVE HEARD THAT PROMPT, YOU
NEED TO PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOUR SELF. WE ASK THAT YOU BEGI
SPEAKING BY STATING YOUR NAME
AND THE ITEM YOU ARE ADDRESSING
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN
10 MINUTES ARE LEFT OF THEIR
ALLOTTED TIME. ONCE A SPEAKER
HEARS THAT TIME, WE ASK THAT YO
BEGIN TO WRAP UP PUBLIC
COMMENTS. IF YOU DO NOT ENDURE
PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END OF
THE TIME ALLOTTED, THE SPEAKERS
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED AFTER
10 SECONDS, SO WE CAN HEAR FROM
THE NEXT SPEAKER. ONCE YOU HAVE
COMPLETED YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT,
WE ASK THAT YOU DISCONNECT FROM
THE LINE IF YOU ARE CALLING IN
AND IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THE MEETING, WHICH WE
ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO, YOU CAN
FOLLOW ALONG VIA THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL OR THE LISTENING OPTION
LISTED ON THE AGENDA. WE'VE GOT
17 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. 12 ARE VIRTUAL AND FIV
ARE IN PERSON. AND I AM GOING T
ALTERNATE BETWEEN FOLKS WHO AR
SIGNED UP VIRTUALLY AND THOSE
WHO ARE IN PERSON AND I WILL
START WITH THE IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS. THE FIRST IN SPEAKER
-- FOLLOWED BY VALERIE.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE WORKED IN
THE HUMAN SERVICES FIELD IN
SEATTLE FOR OVER A DECADE AND
THIS SUMMER I WILL BE EARNING M
MASTERS DEGREE IN MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELING FROM SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY. I WOULD LIKE TO
SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE NEED FO
WAGE EQUITY FOR HUMAN SERVICES
PARTNERS. THINK YOU FOR
RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR HIGHER
WAGES FOR US IN THE FIELD AND
WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT EQUITABL
PAY IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. AT
ONE OF MY JOBS IN PARTICULAR I
WAS A CASE MANAGER FOR A LARGE
HOUSING ORGANIZATION. MY WAGES
WERE NEVER ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH
THE COST OF LIVING AND I FOUND
MYSELF LIVING IN SUBSIDIZED
HOUSING, WHILE WORKING AT AN
ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDED THOS
SAME SERVICES. AT THE SAME JOB
WAS FACED WITH THE SEEMINGLY
OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF
HELPING VULNERABLE CITIZENS
CONNECT WITH MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. AT THIS ORGANIZATION
IN 2020, A COWORKER OF MINE WA
MURDERED BY A CLIENT WITH SEVER
MENTAL ILLNESS. IT IS A TRAGEDY
I BELIEVE COULD'VE BEEN
PREVENTED WITH ENOUGH FUNDING
FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM,
INCLUDING ACCESS TO TREATMENT
BEDS AND A LOWER THRESHOLD FOR
THE INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT
PROCESS. I IMPLORE YOU TO NOT
ONLY CONSIDER INCREASING OUR
WAGES TO HELP HUMAN SERVICES
WORKERS, MAKE ENDS MEET IN THE
VERY CITY THAT WE SERVE --
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS VALERIE AND VALERIE WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY VIC.
>> AT CPC'S REGULAR PUBLIC
MEETING LAST WEEK, THE COCHAIRS
PRESENTED A WILDLY INACCURATE
AND DANGEROUS DESCRIPTION OF OU
ATTENDANCE AT THEIR PREVIOUS
MEETING, WHEN WE ATTENDED THAT
PUBLIC MEETING TO SILENTLY
PROTEST THEM SHUTTING DOWN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. THE CPC COCHAIR
PATRICIA HUNTER STATED LAST WEE
THAT THERE WAS YELLING,
DISTRACTIONS DURING THE MEETING
CONCERN FOR THE PHYSICAL SAFETY
OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF AND
SECURITY WAS CALLED. WE EXPECT
TO DO OUR WORK WITHOUT
INTERFERENCE OR THE FEAR OF
VIOLENCE, UNQUOTE. REVEREND
HARRIETT WALDEN ADDED THAT THE
LEVEL OF WHAT WAS GOING ON WIT
THE CAMERAS WAS OVER-THE-TOP. I
THAT EVER HAPPENS TO ME AGAIN,
THEN I WILL ABSOLUTELY MAKE
SURE THAT I WILL CALL SPD. WE
WERE A GROUP OF FIVE WHO
REMAINED AT OUR SEATS AND IN
SILENCE DURING THE ENTIRE
MEETING. ENGAGING AND NO
DISRUPTIONS OR DISTRACTIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIC,
FOLLOWED BY MOVING ON TO ONLIN
SPEAKERS, MEGAN STEWART.
>> I AM ANOTHER ONE OF THE FIV
PEOPLE PRESENT AT THE MEETING
VALERIE SPOKE ABOUT. THE ENTIRE
TIME WE WERE IN THE ROOM ON MA
17, DURING AND AFTER THE
MEETING, WE REMAINED IN OUR
SEATS. CELL PHONE CAMERAS WERE
NEVER AT ANYONE'S FACE, AS
ALLEGED. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE
VIDEO OF WHAT TRANSPIRED AFTER
THE MEETING ENDED, WE MADE
COMMENTS ABOUT HOW DURING THE
JUST FINISHED MEETING THE CPC
MISREPRESENTED THE PROGRAM
DRAWN UP LAST FALL BY TWO PEOPL
PRESENT IN THE MEETING. SOME
CPC STAFF MEMBERS, NOT COCHAIRS
HUNTER OR WALDEN, THEN CHOSE TO
ENGAGE WITH US. SINCE THE
MEETING ATTENDED, EVERYONE WAS
FREE TO LEAVE THE ROOM AT ANY
POINT, AS SEEN IN THE VIDEO. OU
INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF MEMBERS
CAME ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE
MISREPRESENTATION OF THE PROGRA
AND FOR THE REASONS OF THE
PROGRAM NOT MOVING FORWARD, AS
WELL AS THE CPC IGNORING THE
PRESENCE OF THE PEOPLE WHO
CREATED IT RIGHT THERE IN THE
ROOM. THERE WAS NO YELLING.
ESPECIALLY THOSE MADE BY THE
INTERIM DIRECTOR, CALI ELLIS,
WHO TOLD US THAT ARE IN
EXISTENCE AND ENGAGING WITH CPC
STAFF WAS A VIOLATION OF
ORDINANCE.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER --
>> HI, MY NAME IS MEGAN AND I A
HERE TO COMMENT TODAY ABOUT CB
-- I BELIEVE THAT IT IS
MISGUIDED TO APPLY THIS
ORDINANCE TO PLATFORMS THAT
PROVIDE IN-HOME SERVICES, LIKE
PET CARE. WHEN I USE ROVER, I
HAVE NEAR STRANGERS COMING INTO
MY HOUSE. IT PROVIDES ME PEACE
OF MIND THAT TODAY IT IS A
STANDARD PRACTICE FOR BUSINESSE
THAT PROVIDE THESE IN-HOME
SERVICES, INCLUDING PET SITTING
SERVICES, TO REQUIRE SERVICE
PROVIDERS TO PASS COMPREHENSIVE
BACKGROUND CHECKS. THE RISK
THAT PET OWNERS LIKE MYSELF TAK
WHEN HIRING A PET SITTER TO COM
INTO THEIR HOME AND CARE FOR
THEIR PET WHILE THEY ARE AWAY
IS EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER THAN TH
RISK WE TAKE WHEN WE HAVE FOOD
DELIVERED TO OUR DOORSTEP. THIS
ORDINANCE DOES NOT TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THOSE RISKS. MY DOGS
CAN'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
I AM AWAY, SO I AM RELYING ON
ROVER TO DO ALL THEY CAN TO
PROMOTE A SAFE EXPERIENCE FOR
PET OWNERS AND THEIR PETS. THIS
BILL WOULD INTERFERE WITH THESE
EFFORTS. I ASK YOU TO PLEASE
PROTECT PET OWNERS FROM THIS
PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS JAKE. I AM SORRY, OUR NEXT
SPEAKER IS CASTEEL HIGHTOWER,
WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JAKE. M
APOLOGIES.
>> MY BROTHER WAS SHOT AND
KILLED BY SEATTLE POLICE WHEN H
WAS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALT
CRISIS. EARLIER THIS MONTH,
MYSELF AND SEVERAL COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM
AND WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM
HELD A SILENT PROTEST OVER THE
REFUSAL TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT
AND HAVE SINCE BEEN THREATENED
BY CPC COCHAIRS WITH POLICE
VIOLENCE FOR EXERCISING OUR
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. THIS IS
A PATTERN OF ESCALATION OF
VIOLENCE TO CONTINUE TO SILENCE
UNDERMINE, BELITTLE, MOCK, AND
NOW THREATEN TO SILENCE THE VER
COMMUNITIES THEY ARE INITIALLY
CREATED TO CENTER. IN RESPONSE
I AM HERE TO DEMAND THAT THE CP
RELINQUISH ANY CONTROL OF THE
APPEALS PROCESS AND THE
CONTINUED INTERFERENCE WITH THE
CREATION OF THE AFFECTED PERSON
PROGRAM. I AM ALSO DEMANDING AN
INVESTIGATION IS LAUNCHED INTO
THE COCHAIRS ATTEMPTS TO SLANDE
AND ENDANGER COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
SIMPLY FOR EXERCISING THEIR
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. MY
BROTHER WAS KILLED. HOW DARE
YOU THREATEN US WITH VIOLENCE.
HOW DARE YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS JAKE AND JAKE WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY ARTHUR -- MOVING
BACK TO THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.
JAKE.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS JAKE AND I
LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS'S DISTRICT.
I HAVE USED ROVER FOR SEVERAL
YEARS TO FIND PET CARE FOR MY
DOG AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A
COMMENT ON CB 120520. I BELIEV
THIS PROPOSAL WAS CLEARLY
DEVELOPED FOR DELIVERY SERVICES
WITHOUT CONSIDERING WHETHER IT
IS APPROPRIATE FOR OTHER TYPES
OF SERVICES, LIKE PET CARE. FOR
EXAMPLE THE ORDINANCE LISTS
FAILING TO MAINTAIN A DRIVERS
LICENSE AS EXAMPLE OF CONDUCT,
BUT DOES NOT CITE NEGLECT AS
PROBLEMATIC. AS A PET OWNER WHO
HIRES PET SITTERS TO STAY AT
HOME WITH MY PET ALONE WHILE I
TRAVEL, I ASSURE YOU I VIEW
ABUSE AS EGREGIOUS MISCONDUCT.
IN MY OPINION IT WOULD CREATE
NEW RISKS FOR PET OWNERS LIKE
ME, BECAUSE THE BILL WAS NOT
DRAFTED WITH PET CARE IN MIND.
URGE THE COUNCIL TO AVOID
HASTILY PASSING LAWS THAT COULD
HURT SEATTLE RESIDENCE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ARTHUR GILFORD, FOLLOWED BY
HOWARD GAIL.
>> HELLO, I AM ARTHUR GILFORD
AND I AM CONTINUING THE COMMENT
ON THE CPC MEETING. I WANT TO
REITERATE THAT AT NO POINT DID
WE LEAVE OUR SEATS TO FOLLOW
THEM OR FORCE UNWANTED
INTERACTION. IT IS DEEPLY
DISMAYING TO SEE STATEMENTS
WHOSE ONLY PURPOSE IS TO SLANDE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IT IS
MEANT TO SERVE. YOU NEEDN'T TAK
OUR WORD FOR THIS DECADE-LONG
PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR. TOP OF LIN
CONCLUSION FROM LAST YEAR
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
STATES, QUOTE, THE CBCS
ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC IS
SUBJECT TO MUCH CRITICISM
REGARDING WHO IT ENGAGES AND
WHO. ENGAGEMENT IS LACKING
DEPTH. CPC IS VIEWED AS
UNINVOLVED AND DISCONNECTED FRO
THE COMMUNITY, ONLY ENGAGING
WITH VOICES THEY AGREE WITH AN
ARE TRANSACTIONAL IN THE
ENGAGEMENT. THIS BEHAVIOR HAS
WORSENED OVER THE COURSE OF THE
LAST YEAR. THE NEARLY $2 MILLIO
BUDGET SHOULD NOT BE USED TO
BULLY AND SILENCE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WITHOUT MONEY OR
OFFICIAL POWER. I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE
COUNCILMEMBERS A PRINTOUT OF
THAT SAME STUDY, IF YOU WOULD.
>> MISTER CLERK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> HOWARD GAIL.
>> HI, HOWARD GAIL, ONE OF THE
FIVE PEOPLE ATTACKED BY THE CPC
LAST WEEK. GIVEN THE INCREASIN
ATTACK, AS WE OUTLINED IN THIS
LETTER, THE LETTER THAT WE
HANDED WELL OF YOU GUYS, ON THE
COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE MOST
SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE,
THE CPC MUST RELINQUISH ANY
CONTROL OF THE APPEALS PROCESS
AND END INTERFERENCE OF THE
CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT
AFFECTED PERSONS PROGRAM, A
PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SERVE THE
VERY PEOPLE THAT THE CPC HAS
SYSTEMATICALLY EXCLUDED OVER TH
PAST DECADE AND NOW SEEKS TO
SILENCE. WE DEMAND AN
INVESTIGATION INTO ATTEMPTS TO
SLANDER AND ENDANGER COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY
COUNCIL SHOULD REJECT THE
REQUEST BEFORE YOU TODAY BY THE
CPC TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE
ORDINANCE THAT MADE THEM
PERMANENT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A
PUBLIC, COMMUNITY PROCESS TO
ADDRESS CHANGES NEEDED TO THE
ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO RADICALLY
REALIGN THE CULTURAL GOALS OF
THE CPC, SO THEY CAN HONESTLY
AND FULLY ENGAGE WITH THE
COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THOS
MOST IMPACTED BY POLICE
VIOLENCE. AGAIN, PEOPLE WERE
ONLY EXERCISING FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHTS ON MAY 17.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT
SPEAKER IS SHOWING IS NOT
PRESENT. IF THAT CHANGES WE WIL
COME BACK TO KRISTEN PEDERSEN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER SIGNED UP THA
IS SHOWING PRESENT IS DRESDEN
GARDNER AND IS FOLLOWED BY
TAMMY --
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DRESDEN AN
I AM A PET OWNER THAT LIVES IN
DISTRICT SEVEN. I AM SHARING A
COMMENT TODAY ON 120580. THERE
ARE A LOT OF US PET OWNERS IN
SEATTLE THE SEATTLE TIMES
REPORTED IN 2022 THAT BASED ON
CENSUS DATA APPROXIMATELY 30% O
HOUSEHOLDS OWN CATS, MORE THAN
25% OWN DOGS. A LOT OF PET
OWNERS RELY ON SOMEONE, WHETHER
A PET SITTER FOUND ON ROVER, AN
INDEPENDENT PET SITTING BUSINES
OR A FRIEND TO WATCH THEIR PET
WHEN THEY ARE AWAY. I NOW USE
ROVER TO COVER MY CAT. THE
SEVICE IS CALLED HOUSESITTING,
WHICH IS WHEN THE PET SITTER
STAYS AT MY HOME WITH HER. THEY
WILL BE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME I
MY HOME, I VALUE THE OPPORTUNIT
TO INTERVIEW PET SITTERS BEFOR
I HIRE THEM, AS WELL AS
PRECAUTIONS ROVER TAKES, WHICH
INCLUDES COMPREHENSIVE
BACKGROUND CHECKS AND OPERATING
A 24 7/TRUST AND SAFETY TEAM.
IT WOULD LIMIT ROVER'S ABILITY
TO TAKE MEASURES TO PROMOTE A
SAFE EXPERIENCE. PET SITTERS
DON'T DROP A MEAL OFF ON THE
DOORSTEP. THEY PROVIDE CARE FO
THE PET. PLEASE PROTECT PET
OWNERS FROM THIS BILL.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS TAMMY, FOLLOWED BY MARIA
CURRY.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
TAMMY -- I REPRESENT THE
WASHINGTON FOOD INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION, THE INDEPENDENTLY
OWNED GROCERY, CONVENIENCE, AN
SPECIALTY STORES. WE ARE ASKING
THAT YOU DO NOT PASS 120580.
THIS ORDINANCE INTERFERES WITH
THE RIGHTS OF PRIVATE BUSINESSE
TO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS
IMMEDIATELY. WHEN DELIVERY
DRIVERS POSE A RISK TO THEIR
EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS. SAFETY
OF THESE EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMER
ARE TOP PRIORITY OF MEMBER
STORES. THIS WOULD INFRINGE ON
THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE WHE
THE RISK IS IDENTIFIED. OUR
MEMBERS ARE EXPERIENCING
DANGEROUS INCIDENTS IN THEIR
STORES AND EMPLOYEES ARE BEING
ATTACKED OR STORES ARE BEING
VANDALIZED BY DELIVERY DRIVERS.
THIS IS NOT OFTEN. SOME STORES
REPORT ONE EVERY TWO MONTHS, BU
WHEN IT HAPPENS THEY NEED TO
STOP IT AT THE STORE BEFORE THE
GET TO THE CUSTOMER'S DOOR.
POLICE DO NOT HAVE TIME OR
RESOURCES TO INTERVENE. IT IS
THE QUICK RESPONSE OF THE
BUSINESSES WHO TAKE ACTION TO
PROTECT EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS
PLEASE DO NOT RESTRICT OUR
ABILITY TO PROTECT CUSTOMERS.
MANY TIMES TH DELIVERIES ARE
VULNERABLE ADULTS WHO CANNOT
MAKE IT TO THE STORE. THANK YO
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS SHOWING IS NOT PRESENT. NEXT
WE HAVE MEGAN MURPHY AND MEGAN
WILL BE FOLLOWED BY COLLEEN.
>> HI, I AM REACHING OUT, I HAV
REACHED OUT TO COUNCILMEMBER
TERESA MOSQUEDA IN THE PAST AND
SEVERAL COUNCILMEMBERS, SEVERAL
TIMES. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS
BECAUSE I AM AN ACTIVIST OR
BECAUSE I TURNED DOWN A FORMER
CLIENT OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN TO
LIVE WITH HIM WHEN I WAS 21 AND
OFFERED A LOT OF MONEY, WHO WAS
A CEO OF A COMPUTER COMPANY IN
SIOUX CITY, IOWA. SOME SORT OF
FEAR. I AM BEING STALKED BY
SOMEBODY WITH QUITE A BIT OF
MONEY AND IT IS TERRIFYING AND
THE PERSON I TURNED DOWN WHEN I
WAS 21 HAS $8 BILLION AND THEY
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE PEOPL
TO FOLLOW ME OR TO INFLUENCE
PEOPLE TO TRY TO MAKE ME THINK
OF THEM AND IT IS TERRIFYING
AND I GO TO MEETINGS. IT IS A
BLATANT ABUSE OF POWER AND IT
NEEDS TO STOP AND I AM ASKING
FOR HELP. ANYONE IN THE
COMMUNITY WHO IF THEY KNOW WHAT
IS HAPPENING TO DEMAND THAT
PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF MONEY, THE
ARE -- SORRY, TO SEXUALLY
HARASS WOMEN FROM A DISTANCE.
BECAUSE IT FEELS DISGUSTING AN
WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE POLIC
ABOUT THIS 12 YEARS AGO, IT HAS
ESCALATED TO WHERE I WAS --
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS COLLEEN LANG AND COLLEEN WIL
BE FOLLOWED BY -- COLLEEN?
>> SORRY, I PRESSED POUND 6,
SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. ON BEHALF OF
UNITED WAY, I AM ASKING YOU TO
PASS A RESOLUTION 32094
REGARDING WAGE EQUITY. IT
RECOGNIZES WAGES FOR SERVICE
PROVIDERS SUCH AS HOME VISITORS
ARE SUPPRESSED DUE TO
HISTORICAL RATES AND GENDER CFO
BIASES AND RECOMMENDS A MINIMUM
7% INCREASE. WE ARE GRATEFUL T
CHAIR HERBOLD AND THE COMMUNITY
FOR CONSIDERING THE RESOLUTION.
AS A LONGTIME PARTNER WITH THE
CITY, UNITED WAY IS WORKING
WITH OTHERS TO ADDRESS WAGE
EQUITY IN OUR FUNDING AND WE AR
GRATEFUL THE CITY IS
CONSIDERING ADDRESSING THIS AS
WELL. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO PAS
THIS RESOLUTION AND INCLUDE AL
CITY HUMAN SERVICE CONTRACTS IN
THE RESOLUTION, REGARDLESS OF
THE CONTRACTING DEPARTMENT.
CONTRACTS HAVE NOT BEEN ELIGIBL
FOR THE 7% INFLATION ADJUSTMENT
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE SOME
PROVIDERS OUT. THAT PERPETUATES
INEQUITY. LOW WAGES LEAD TO HIG
VACANCIES AND IMPAIR QUALITY O
SERVICES. PLEASE PASS THIS
RESOLUTION AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER
THAT IS SHOWING AS PRESENT --
APOLOGIZE IF I AM MISPRONOUNCIN
YOUR NAME. IF YOU COULD HIT
STAR 6 TO UNMUTE YOUR SELF.
THANK YOU. I AM GOING TO ASK
AGAIN, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME --
WE DO NEED YOU TO HIT STAR 6 T
UNMUTE YOURSELF. AND IT IS
FADUMO -- I AM SORRY, I AM
GOING TO ASK ONE MORE TIME AND
THEN WE HAVE TO MOVE ON. MY
APOLOGIES. FADUMO -- CAN YOU
HIT STAR 6, SO WE CAN HEAR YOU
OKAY, AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE ON.
YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY SHARE YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT INTENDED FOR
TODAY WITH COUNCILMEMBERS, VIA
EMAIL, OR YOU CAN CALL OUR
OFFICES. THANK YOU FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT
WILL CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR
JOINING US TODAY TO SPEAK MOSTL
ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. SOME
NOT. AND WE WILL MOVE INTO THE
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ AN AGENDA
ITEM NUMBER ONE.
>> COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION,
CPC, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE.
>> THANK YOU, AND AS OUR
PRESENTERS ARE JOINING US AT TH
TABLE, I WILL MAKE SOME BRIEF,
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. THIS IS
THE FIRST BRIEFING ON PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS TO THE 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. THESE
AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT
FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION BY
THE COMMUNITY POLICE COMMISSION
THESE AMENDMENTS ARE ONLY
REGARDING THE OPERATION OF THE
POLICE COMMISSION. IT IS NOT
INTENDED TO BE A DEEP DIVE INTO
THE POWERS AND AUTHORITY OF THE
COMMISSION. MANY OF THESE ARE
THE TYPES OF AMENDMENTS THAT WE
MIGHT CONSIDER TECHNICAL IN
NATURE. THE LEGISLATION LINKED
TO THE AGENDA IS DRAFT AND
UN-INTRODUCED AND THE
LEGISLATION WILL BE FORMALLY
INTRODUCED AFTER ADDITIONAL
REVIEW AND DISCUSSION AT THE CP
AND THIS ITEM WILL BE BEFORE TH
COMMITTEE AT A MEETING IN JULY.
WITH THAT I AM GOING TO HAND IT
OFF TO THE CPC COCHAIR, JOEL
MERKEL, AND THE INTERIM DIRECTO
ALICE, FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF WILL ALS
BE JOINING US, GREG DOSS, AND H
CAN PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
BILL AND THE PROVISIONS PROPOSE
AFTERWARDS. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR HERBOLD
AND COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE
RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS TO TH
2017 POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
ORDINANCE. MY NAME IS JOEL
MERKEL. I AM ASSISTANT ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND COCHAIR OF THE CPC
AND I AM JOINED BY THE INTERIM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CALI ELLIS
TO MY LEFT. I WOULD LIKE TO
START TODAY WITH CONTEXT ON WHY
WE ARE RECOMMENDING CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. AS YO
KNOW, THE CPC IS NEARLY 11 YEAR
OLD. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN
JULY, 2012, BY A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE
CITY, WHICH WAS A CENTRAL PART
OF THE CONSENT DECREE. THE CPC
WAS SET UP AS AN INDEPENDENT
OVERSIGHT COMMISSION ORIGINALLY
MADE UP OF 15 MEMBERS. WHEN THE
CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE
LANDMARK ORDINANCE THAT MADE TH
CPC A PERMANENT AND INDEPENDENT
POLICE OVERSIGHT ENTITY WITHIN
THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM,
ALONGSIDE THE ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS -- AT THAT TIME, THE
CPC WAS EXPANDED IN SIZE TO 21
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UNDER THE
CONSENT DECREE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE, THE
CPC IS EMPOWERED TO PROVIDE
COMMUNITY INPUT ON NEEDED
REFORMS AND THE VISION IS FOR
COMMUNITIES TO BE ALIGNED AND
SHARE GOALS OF SAFETY, RESPECT
AND ACCOUNTABILITY. OUR MISSIO
IS TO LISTEN TO, AMPLIFY, AND
BUILD COMMON GROUND AMONG
COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY POLICIN
IN SEATTLE. WE WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS TO ENSURE POLICE
SERVICES IN SEATTLE ARE ROOTED
IN THE CONSTITUTION, JUSTICE,
EQUITY, AND TRANSPARENT
ACCOUNTABILITY. CURRENTLY THE
CITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF
TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM FEDERAL
OVERSIGHT UNDER THE CONSENT
DECREE AND RETURNING PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY OF POLICE
OVERSIGHT ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE
COMMUNITY AND CITY GOVERNMENT.
THAT IS WHY IT IS EVEN MORE
ESSENTIAL NOW THAT THE CPC HAV
THE RESOURCES THAT IT NEEDS TO
FULFILL ITS MISSION UNDER THE
2012 MOU AND THE ACCOUNTABILIT
ORDINANCE.
>> THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHED [
INAUDIBLE ] WE CURRENTLY HAVE
16 COMMISSIONERS.
REPRESENTATIVES OF SEATTLE'S
DIVERSE POPULATION. [
INAUDIBLE ]
[ INAUDIBLE ] AND AT LEAST TWO
ATTORNEYS WITH EXPERIENCE IN
PUBLIC DEFENSE AND CIVIL
LIBERTIES. THESE WORKGROUPS
EVALUATE POLICIES AND MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON
COMMUNITY INPUT AND FEEDBACK.
SO TO SUPPORT THIS WORK, THE
CPC HAS NINE FUNDED STAFF
POSITIONS INCLUDING THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THREE
DEPARTMENTS THAT ANSWER TO THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
>> IS YOUR MICROPHONE ON? I AM
SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
>> IT IS ON. IT MIGHT HELP JUST
TO GET RIGHT UP ON IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> EXCUSE ME.
>> IT IS NOT ON.
>> CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THA
GREEN LIGHT IS ON? AND WE COULD
NOT HEAR WHAT SHE STATED. GIVE
THAT MICROPHONE A TRY NOW
PLEASE.
>> IS THAT BETTER?
>> THAT IS BETTER, YES. THE
GREEN LIGHT NEEDS TO BE TURNED
ON AND YOU MAY NEED TO REPEAT
WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
>> SURE, I AM HAPPY TO. SO, THI
IS THE LAST SLIDE, FOR THOSE OF
YOU IN THE ROOM. THE 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
ESTABLISHED 21 VOLUNTEER
COMMISSIONER POSITIONS WITH
THREE APPOINTING AUTHORITIES,
THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND
CPC, EACH HAVING SEVEN
APPOINTEES. EACH COMMISSIONER I
CONFIRMED BY CITY COUNCIL AND
SERVES A THREE-YEAR TERM. WE
CURRENTLY HAVE 16 COMMISSIONERS
THE ORDINANCE STATES
COMMISSIONERS SHALL BE
REPRESENTATIVE OF SEATTLE'S
DIVERSE POPULATION, DRAWN FROM
DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC
BACKGROUNDS AND RACIAL AND
ETHNIC GROUPS AND SHALL HAVE
EXPERTISE IN AREAS SUCH AS LAW
ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL
CHANGE, CONSTITUTIONAL,
CRIMINAL, OR LABOR LAW, TO
OBTAIN A BALANCE THAT ALLOWS CP
AS A WHOLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE OF ITS
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. THE
ORDINANCE ALSO MANDATES SPECIFI
POSITIONS ON THE CPC. A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM -- A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SEATTLE
POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
AND AT LEAST TWO ATTORNEYS WITH
EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC DEFENSE
AND CIVIL LIBERTIES. MUCH OF TH
WORK IS CARRIED OUT BY
WORKGROUPS MADE UP OF THESE
VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONERS. THESE
WORKGROUPS EVALUATE POLICIES AN
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND TO
SUPPORT THIS WORK THE CPC
CURRENTLY HAS NINE FUNDED STAFF
POSITIONS INCLUDING THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THREE
DEPARTMENTS THAT EACH ANSWER TO
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. POLICY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND
COMMUNICATIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE
HERE, THE CPC STAFF IS THE
SMALLEST OF EACH OF THE
OVERSIGHT PARTNERS. OPA HAS
ABOUT 28 WITH ABOUT HALF WORKIN
IN AN INVESTIGATIVE CAPACITY AN
THE OIG HAS 21, WITH THREE MOR
BEING HIRED TO TAKE ON THE
RESPONSIBILITIES. BY COMPARISON
CPC ONLY HAS NINE FTES TO
FULFILL OUR MANDATES TO REVIEW
AND PROVIDE INPUT -- ENGAGE IN
COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO OBTAIN TH
PERSPECTIVES OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. MAINTAIN CONNECTIONS
WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF
DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES AND
OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ALL
OF THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS, A
WELL AS DEMOGRAPHIC AND ADVISOR
COUNCILS. PROVIDING COMMUNITY
FEEDBACK. PROVIDING TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE ON COMMUNITY MATTERS
AND IDENTIFYING AND ADVOCATING
FOR REFORMS TO STATE LAWS THAT
WILL ENHANCE PUBLIC TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE IN POLICING AND THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE
CPC'S MISSION AND WORK ARE
GUIDED BY THE 2017
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE. WE
WORK CLOSELY WITH ACCOUNTABILIT
PARTNERS AT OIG AND OPA.
HOWEVER, EACH ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNER HAS A UNIQUE ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SYSTEM.
OPA IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE
FOR INVESTIGATING AND
ADJUDICATING INSTANCES OF POLIC
MISCONDUCT. OIG WORKS TO ENSURE
THE FAIRNESS AND INTEGRITY OF
THE POLICE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE AN
CPC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING
THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM,
PRIMARILY THROUGH COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS IS OUR
MISSION, SPELLED OUT IN SECTION
3.29010, TO HELP ENSURE PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE AND THE
RESPONSIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM TO
PUBLIC CONCERNS BY ENGAGING THE
COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM AND
PROVIDE COMMUNITY-BASED
PERSPECTIVE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT
BASED POLICIES PRACTICES, AND
SERVICES AFFECTING PUBLIC TRUST
ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING
CONSTITUTIONAL, AFFECTIVE, AND
RESPECTFUL POLICING.
>> SO, IN JUNE, 2022, ABOUT A
YEAR AGO, THE CPC ELECTED
PATRICIA HUNTER AND MYSELF AS
NEW COCHAIRS ALONGSIDE REVEREN
HARRIETT WALDEN. AT THAT TIME
THE COCHAIRS BEGAN THE PROCESS
OF A TOP TO BOTTOM REVIEW OF TH
WORK AND AUTHORIZING
AUTHORITIES, INCLUDING THE MOU
AND OUR BYLAWS. WE WERE LOOKING
AT WHAT WAS WORKING WELL, WHAT
COULD BE IMPROVED AND WHERE
COULD WE DO BETTER. PARTICULARL
UNDERSTANDING THAT AT SOME POIN
THE CONSENT DECREE WAS GOING TO
GO AWAY AND THROUGH THE
EXPERIENCE OF COCHAIRING THE
COMMISSION AND IN ROLE AS THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SUPERVISOR,
IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE
COCHAIRS IDENTIFIED SEVERAL
AREAS WHERE THE BYLAWS AND
ORDINANCE COULD BE AMENDMENT T
BETTER ALLOW THE CPC TO FULFILL
ITS MISSION AND SERVE THE
PUBLIC. THIS BEGAN MONTHS OF
ENGAGEMENT WITH KEY PARTNERS. W
ENGAGED WITH MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS. PRIOR COCHAIRS. PRIOR
COMMISSIONERS. OTHER CITY
COMMISSIONS. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
THE MONITORS OFFICE AND CITY
COUNCIL STAFF. AND ON MAY 3 OF
THIS YEAR, THE CPC HELD A
DISCUSSION AT A PUBLIC MEETING
TO RECOMMEND THE IDENTIFIED
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BYLAWS AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE AND
FOLLOWING THAT DISCUSSION, THE
CPC UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO
APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES
TO THE BYLAWS AND THE ORDINANCE
-- AND THE ORDINANCE CHANGES
ARE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TODAY.
AT THE RECENT HEARING ON THE
CONSENT DECREE, AS THE JUDGE
SAID, HE APPLAUDED FROM THE
BENCH THE COLLABORATIVE APPROAC
AND THE WORK COMING OUT OF THE
CPC OVER THE PAST YEAR AND WIT
THESE RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS
WE BELIEVE THE CPC WILL BE
BETTER POSITIONED MOVING FORWAR
AS THE CITY'S ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEM ABSORBS THE WORK OF THE
POLICE MONITOR. WITH THAT, DR.
CALI ELLIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO
SUMMARIZE A FEW OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> THE FIRST PROPOSED CHANGES T
ESTABLISH A POSITION OF DEPUTY
DIRECTOR. THIS IS AN EQUITY
ISSUE, SUPPORTING THE MANDATED
WORK OF THE CPC AT THE SAME
LEVEL OF OUR OVERSIGHT PARTNERS
THE ORDINANCE PROVIDES A
CIVILIAN DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT OPA
QUOTE, TO PERFORM SUCH DUTIES
AND HAVE SUCH POWERS AS THE OP
DIRECTOR MAY PRESCRIBE AND
DELEGATE. THE ORDINANCE ALSO
PROVIDES FOR A CIVILIAN DEPUTY
INSPECTOR GENERAL TO PERFORM
SUCH DUTIES AND HAVE SUCH POWER
AS THE IG MAY PRESCRIBE AND
FULFILL AND MANAGE THE DUTIES
SET FORTH FOR THEM. GIVEN THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE CPC'S WORK T
POLICE OVERSIGHT AND THE BREADT
OF THE DIRECTORS
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDING
ADMINISTRATION, REPRESENTING TH
COMMISSION EXTERNALLY WITH
STAKEHOLDERS, INTERNALLY TO
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICIALS,
LIAISING WITH OTHER AGENCIES AN
MEETING WITH COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS, THE ADDITION OF A
DEPUTY FOR INTERNAL AND
PHYSICAL STAFF MANAGEMENT OF TH
CPC PROVIDES CRITICAL STABILITY
FOR THE AGENCY, WHICH IT HAS NO
HAD SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN
2017.
>> THE NEXT CHANGE IS TO
ESTABLISH MINIMUM QUALIFICATION
FOR THE DIRECTOR POSITION.
CURRENTLY THE ORDINANCE IS
SILENT ON THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR'S QUALIFICATIONS. THE
ORDINANCE IS NOT SILENT WITH
RESPECT TO OPA AND OIG
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
QUALIFICATIONS. SINCE THE 2017
ORDINANCE, THE CPC HAS HIRED
ONE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND WE
ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF
HIRING ANOTHER PERMANENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE
EXPERIENCE WE HAVE HAD AS
COCHAIRS LEADS US TO BELIEVE
THAT HAVING QUALIFICATIONS
WRITTEN INTO ORDINANCE WOULD BE
HELPFUL FOR THAT PROCESS. THE
NEXT IS TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS
FOR REMOVING AN EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR. THE ORDINANCE WAS
INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE
THE CPC WAS AN INDEPENDENT
ENTITY WITHIN THE ACCOUNTABILIT
SYSTEM AND CITY GOVERNMENT AND
AUTHORIZED THE COMMISSION TO
REMOVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
UNDER CERTAIN PROCESS, BUT THAT
PROCESS CREATES TENSION WITH
THE COCHAIRS CURRENT
RESPONSIBILITY AS A SUPERVISOR
BUT IT ALSO INCREASES THE
LIKELIHOOD THAT CERTAIN PRIVATE
HR MATTERS COULD BE DESCRIBED
IN PUBLIC. SO WE HAVE PROPOSED
DIFFERENT PROCESS THAT WOULD
MAINTAIN THE CPC'S INDEPENDENCE
AND ALSO ALLOW COMMISSIONERS
AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO
ENGAGE ON THAT PROCESS, IF THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT THE COCHAIRS
COME TO DECIDE. THE NEXT CHANG
IS TO RETURN THE SIZE OF THE
COMMISSION TO 15, AS IT WAS
ORIGINALLY IN 2012. THE
COMMISSIONS EXPERIENCE FROM 201
TO 2017 WAS A PERIOD OF GREAT
PRODUCTIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION
AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL ABOUT
POLICY AND POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN IN
2017 THERE WERE OTHER CITY
COMMISSIONS THAT WERE LOOKING A
EXPANDING THEIR SIZE TO 21 AND
THE CPC, GIVEN THE WORKLOAD THA
IT WAS TASKED WITH, THOUGHT IT
MIGHT BE USEFUL TO HAVE MORE
COMMISSIONERS AND KIND OF
BOARDED THAT TRAIN. HOWEVER, TH
EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT. MORE COMMISSIONERS
HAS NOT MEANT MORE PRODUCTIVITY
IT IS ALMOST LIKE MORE COOKS I
THE KITCHEN. SO BASED ON THAT
EXPERIENCE AND CONVERSATIONS
WITH COCHAIRS WHO WERE INVOLVED
WITH THE COMMISSION, BEFORE AN
AFTER THE CHANGE, ALONG WITH
COMMISSIONERS AND OTHER
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS, WE
BELIEVE RETURNING THE
COMMISSION TO 15 MEMBERS WOULD
IMPROVE OUR PRODUCTIVITY. NEXT
IS TO CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY TO
REMOVE COMMISSIONERS FOR CAUSE.
THIS IS ALREADY IN CITY
ORDINANCE, HOWEVER THERE IS
LANGUAGE IN THE CITY ORDINANCE
THAT SEEMS TO CONFLICT WITH
THIS. ESSENTIALLY THE ORDINANCE
ON ONE HAND AUTHORIZES THE CPC
AS AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO
REMOVE COMMISSIONERS FOR CAUSE
THAT IT APPOINTS, A CPC
APPOINTED COMMISSIONER, BUT IN
THE NEXT SENTENCE IT SAYS ANY
COMMISSIONER REMOVED SHALL BE
SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL
CONFIRMATION. WE ARE
RECOMMENDING TO MAINTAIN THE
CPC'S INDEPENDENCE THAT IF THE
CPC DECIDES TO REMOVE A CPC
APPOINTED COMMISSIONER, THAT
SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO A CITY
COUNCIL VOTE.
>> THIS IS ANOTHER POINT ABOUT
CLARIFYING THE MISSION OF THE
CPC. ORDINANCE 125315 HAS
LANGUAGE IN SEVERAL AREAS AROUN
THE ROLE TO BE ENSURING
CONFIDENCE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS
AND PROFESSIONALISM OF SPD, BUT
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING
BECAUSE ONLY SPD CAN DO THAT.
THE ONUS SHOULD NOT BE ON CPC.
THE CPC'S JOB IS TO ENGAGE WITH
THE COMMUNITY IN A HOLISTIC WA
TO UNDERSTAND CONCERNS AND WORK
WITH THE COMMUNITY TO RECOMMEND
CHANGES TO POLICIES AND
PRACTICES BASED ON THOSE
CONCERNS. THE LANGUAGE MAKES IT
SOUND LIKE THE CPC IS THERE TO
AMELIORATE THE IMAGE OF THE SPD
RATHER THAN TO PROVIDE
COMMUNITY-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY.
OUR REQUEST IS TO CUT THAT
LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT THE
ORDINANCE AS IT RELATES TO THE
ROLE OF THE CPC.
>> THE NEXT RECOMMENDED CHANGE
IS WITH RESPECT TO COMMISSIONER
QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMISSIONER
ASSIGNMENTS. ESSENTIALLY THERE
IS A SECTION WITHIN THE
ORDINANCE THAT CREATED
COMMISSIONER ASSIGNMENTS TO CIT
COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND REQUIRED
THAT THOSE ASSIGNED
COMMISSIONERS ESSENTIALLY ACT
AS CAUSE I CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR THE COMMISSION IN THOSE
COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND THE
CHALLENGE IS THE PROVISION AND
THE ORDINANCE THAT ASKED
COMMISSIONERS TO DO THAT. IT
REQUIRES COMMISSIONERS TO DO A
LOT MORE THAN THEY CAN DO AS
VOLUNTEERS. THAT MIGHT BE
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE POSSIBL
IF THESE WERE FULL-TIME
EMPLOYEES, BUT COMMISSIONERS
ARE VOLUNTEERS. SO, THE FIRST
CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS JUST NO
POSSIBLE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN
DONE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN
COMPLIED WITH, ESSENTIALLY,
BECAUSE THIS IS BEYOND THE
CAPABILITY OF VOLUNTEER
COMMISSIONERS. MORE TO THE
POINT, THE WORK OF POLICE
OVERSIGHT AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT SHOULD BE BASED ON
COMMUNITIES. IT SHOULD BE BASED
ON PEOPLE IMPACTED BY POLICING
AND NOT DICTATED BY GEOGRAPHIC
OR POLITICAL BOUNDARY LINES. SO
THE CPC IS RECOMMENDING WE
STRIKE THE COUNCIL DISTRICT
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENT IN THE
ORDINANCE.
>> THE NEXT PROPOSED CHANGE
SPEAKS TO COMMISSIONER STIPENDS
AS OUTLINED IN CITY ORDINANCE
124543 FROM 2014 WHICH
AUTHORIZED MONTHLY STIPENDS BE
PAID TO COMMISSIONERS. THE
RATIONALE FOR THIS ORIGINALLY I
THAT THE CPC IS RESPONSIBLE FO
REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AND
POLICE PRACTICES, TRAINING, AND
OUTREACH AND COMMISSIONER SPEND
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME
EACH MONTH WORKING ON THE
VARIOUS TASKS ASSIGNED TO THE
CPC. THE EXPECTATION IS A
MINIMUM OF 10 HOURS PER MONTH.
BECAUSE THE CITY RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING
DIVERSITY OF VIEWS ON THE
COMMISSION, THE CITY IMPLEMENTE
A STIPEND PROGRAM SO AS TO NOT
PREVENT INDIVIDUALS FROM
BECOMING COMMISSIONERS DUE TO
THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL
HARDSHIP. AT THE SAME TIME THEY
SPEND OR THAN 10 HOURS PER MONT
ON THIS WORK. BYLAWS PRESCRIBE
MANY MORE DUTIES TO THE COCHAIR
THE MOST COMMISSIONERS, SUCH AS
DRAFTING LETTERS AND OP-ED'S T
THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY,
PLANNING FOR MEETINGS, AND
PROVIDING OVERSIGHT TO THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THIS
PROPOSAL SEEKS TO RECOGNIZE
THAT EXTRA WORK. AND FINALLY IF
YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT THE CPC
IS UP TO, HOW WE ARE ENGAGING
WITH THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNIT
SPACES, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISI
OUR WEBSITE. HERE IS THE URL. W
HAVE A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND ALL OF THI
IS DOCUMENTED AND UPDATED ON OU
WEBSITE. WE ALSO POST DOCUMENTS
RELATED TO THE ONGOING WORK
ABOUT OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE AND
REQUESTS FROM SPD. FOR EXAMPLE
ONE POSTED RECENTLY ABOUT
EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATIONS. W
ALSO WELCOME PUBLIC COMMENT
WHICH WE EMPHASIZE ON EVERY
PAGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU BOTH. I WILL HAND
IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GRE
DOSS, COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF,
HERE TO GIVE YOU A TOUR OF THE
BILL. I THINK THAT THEY GAVE YO
A GOOD OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY
CHANGES THAT ARE SOUGHT BY THE
CPC. YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A
DRAFT BILL THAT INCORPORATES
THOSE POLICY CHANGES. I AM JUST
GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF
MINUTES AND POINT OUT HOW THOSE
CHANGES WERE MADE AND TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE
TECHNICAL TRANSACTIONS. I AM NO
GOING TO FOCUS ON ALL OF THE
CHANGES MADE IN THE BILL,
BECAUSE MOST ARE PRETTY
STRAIGHTFORWARD. THERE ARE SOME
CHANGES, HOWEVER, THAT ARE A
BIT TRICKY AND REQUIRE
EXPLANATION. SO I WILL PROVIDE
SOME BACKGROUND ON THOSE AND I
WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THERE
MIGHT BE SOME TWEAKING TO THIS
BILL BEFORE IT IS INTRODUCED. I
IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
CHAIR IS GOING TO ALLOW THIS
BILL TO CIRCULATE FOR A FEW
WEEKS AND THAT THE AYE WILL BE
TAKING A LOOK AT IT AGAIN IN ON
OF ITS REGULAR MEETINGS AND THA
ALL OF THAT WILL OCCUR BEFORE
IT IS INTRODUCED AND THERE WILL
BE ANOTHER HEARING ON IT WITH A
CHANCE FOR POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS
BEFORE IT IS PASSED. SO ALL OF
THAT BY WAY OF SAYING THAT THIS
IS STILL A DRAFT, BUT I WANT TO
LET YOU KNOW THAT IT IS A DRAF
IN PROGRESS. SO, JUST THREE
THINGS REALLY THAT I WANTED TO
POINT OUT, RELATIVE TO THE
POLICY CHANGES. THE FIRST ONE
HAS TO DO WITH THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR QUALIFICATIONS. THERE
IS SOME LANGUAGE THAT
EFFECTUATES THE QUALIFICATIONS
THAT THE COCHAIR AND THE
DIRECTOR TALKED ABOUT THAT THEY
WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THEIR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND AS JOEL
MENTIONED THIS LANGUAGE IS
SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD FIND
IN THE ACCOUNTABILITY ORDINANCE
FOR THE OPA AND OIG. THE ONE
THING THAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT
THE SECTION IN THE CPC IS THAT
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE LAW
ENFORCEMENT OVERSIGHT
EXPERIENCE, AS IS REQUIRED IN
THE OTHER TWO AGENCIES. INSTEAD
IT REQUIRES CRIMINAL, LEGAL
SYSTEM, AND POLICE REFORM ISSUE
OVERSIGHT, BUT NOT OVERSIGHT
EXPERIENCE IN THOSE ISSUES. THA
WOULD ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO
HIRE SOMEBODY THAT NECESSARILY
HASN'T WORKED IN A LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY HAVING
SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE. THEN,
ON PAGE 6, SECTION E, THERE IS
SOME LANGUAGE ABOUT THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THEIR
DUTIES. WHERE IT READS THAT TH
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOW SHALL, I
CONSULTATION AND UNDER THE
SUPERVISION OF THE COCHAIRS,
PERFORM SUCH DUTIES AS HIRING,
SUPERVISING, AND DISCHARGING
EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE OF THE
CPC. THIS LANGUAGE IS ADDED TO
MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE CLEAR THA
THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF TH
COMMISSION IS CHANGING AND THER
IS A CLOSER TIE BETWEEN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE
COCHAIRS. THE NEXT THING I WILL
POINT OUT, I JUST HAVE TWO MOR
THINGS. THE NEXT THING I WILL
POINT OUT IS PROBABLY THE MORE
COMPLICATED ONE. IT IS THE
REORGANIZATION OF THE
COMMISSION. CENTRAL STAFF TOOK
NOVEL APPROACH TO MAKING CHANGE
TO EFFECTUATE THE CHANGES
REQUESTED BY THE CPC AND TO DO
SO ALSO WITHIN THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THE CODE. ONE OF THE MORE
TRICKY POSITIONS WITHIN THE
CODE REQUIRES THE STAGGERING OF
VACANCIES, WHICH I UNDERSTAND
HAS BEEN A BIT OF A CHALLENGE
FOR THE COMMISSON OVER TIME.
THE APPROACH THAT CODED VISOR
USES, ALONG WITH CENTRAL STAFF
AND THE BILL, ALLOWS THE
COMMISSION COMPLETE FLEXIBILITY
TO MANAGE ITS OWN COMMISSION.
IT CAN CONTROL HOW AND WHEN IT
REACHES 15 POSITIONS AND DO SO
IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE
STAGGERING OF FUTURE POSITIONS.
SO, REALLY QUICKLY, HOW IT DOES
THIS, IT REDUCES ON PAGE 8,
IMMEDIATELY, WELL, NOT
IMMEDIATELY, IT ALLOWS FOR THE
REDUCTION OF THE COMMISSION FRO
21 TO 15 MEMBERS AND ASSIGNS
THE SPECIALIZED POSITIONS TO
EACH AUTHORITY. THE SEATTLE
POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
POSITION IS REASSIGNED TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THIS IS
CONSISTENT WITH THE CPC'S
REQUESTS. SECTION C ELIMINATES
THE POSITION NUMBERS. THE CPC
MAY CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE ITSELF
BY NUMBERS, BUT THIS IS NOT
SOMETHING NECESSARY IN STATUTE
AND IT TENDS TO CREATE
COMPLICATED SITUATIONS WHEN
POSITION NUMBERS BECOME OFF
FROM APPOINTMENT PACKETS AND IT
BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR THE AGENC
AND FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
TO TRACK. A NEW, CODIFIED
SECTION IN SECTION 6 IS ADDED
THAT ALLOWS THE TRANSITION OF 2
TO 15 MEMBERS AND SUBSECTIONS
AND B ELIMINATE, IMMEDIATELY,
ALL CURRENT VACANT POSITIONS
AND SAY NEW VACANCIES WILL
CONTINUE TO BE ELIMINATED UNTIL
THERE IS A COMMISSION MADE UP
OF 11 GENERAL MEMBERS AND FOR
SPECIALIZED MEMBERS. SPECIALIZE
MEMBERS OF COURSE ARE THE
SEATTLE POLICE MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATION, POLICE OFFICERS
KILLED, CIVIL LIBERTIES AND
PUBLIC DEFENSE POSITIONS. THIS
SECTION DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE
REAPPOINTMENT OF EXISTING
MEMBERS. SO IN THAT SENSE IT I
AGAIN AT ONCE CONFORMING WITH
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CPC THAT
NO EXISTING MEMBER LOSES THEIR
POSITIONS. DEPENDING ON HOW
VACANCIES BECOME AVAILABLE, THE
MAKEUP OF THE COMMISSION MAY
VARY. SO WHEN IT FINALLY REACHE
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 15, IT MAY
BE THAT ONE APPOINTING AUTHORIT
HAS MORE SITTING MEMBERS THAN
THE OTHER. SAY THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE OR THE CITY COUNCIL MAY
HAVE ONE MORE POSITION THAN TH
CPC. IN SUCH CASE THERE ARE
PROVISIONS UNDER SECTION D,
WHEREBY A METHOD IS ESTABLISHED
THAT WILL ALLOW APPOINTING
AUTHORITIES TO BE SKIPPED OR
FORGO APPOINTING TERMS UNTIL
THE COMMISSION IS BALANCED AND
EACH HAS FIVE MEMBERS. AND THER
IS A REGULAR TAKING OF TURNS
METHOD ESTABLISHED SO THAT EACH
AUTHORITY GETS TO TAKE A TURN
WHEN VACANCIES BECOME AVAILABLE
THAT IS HOW THE COMMISSION WIL
SHRINK FROM 21 TO 15 AND AS I
SAY, AGAIN, IT WILL BE
CONTROLLED BY THE COMMISSION
THE SECTION THAT LAYS OUT
REQUIREMENTS FOR STIPENDS USED
TO .2 CITY ORDINANCE -- AS TH
REQUIREMENTS FOR HOW STIPENDS
ARE DETERMINED AND REIMBURSED.
THAT IS NOW LAID OUT IN FULL I
THIS BILL AND WHAT THAT MEANS I
THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING
REQUIREMENTS AROUND THE
STIPENDS, REQUIREMENTS THAT
DIRECTOR ELLIS SPOKE TO AROUND
KNOWN HOURS, SPECIFIC DUTIES, O
ATTENDING MEETINGS. NOW THE
SECTION SAYS THE PURPOSE OF
úSTIPENDS IS TO COMPENSATE FOR
THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF
PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF A
COMMISSIONER AND IT GOES INTO
SOME LOGISTICS OF HOW THOSE
STIPENDS ARE REIMBURSED. THOSE
ARE REALLY THE TECHNICAL ASPECT
OF HOW THE POLICIES THAT YOU
HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMISSION
TODAY ARE IMPLEMENTED INTO THE
BILL AND AS I SAID BEFORE, THE
MAY BE TWEAKED BETWEEN NOW AND
THE TIME THE BILL IS INTRODUCED
SO, OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH, TO
EVERYBODY ON THE PANEL. WE
APPRECIATE THE DEEP DIVE INTO
THE REQUESTED CHANGES. THERE IS
ALSO, ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA,
HELPFUL MATRIX THAT DESCRIBES
THE REQUESTED CHANGES FROM THE
CPC. TAKING A PAUSE TO SEE IF
ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS. NO
QUESTIONS. I HAVE A COUPLE. I
JUST WANT TO GET ON THE RECORD
WE DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY
RESOLVE THEM. I WILL GET TO THE
QUESTIONS IN ONE SECOND, BUT I
DID WANT TO COMMENT ON SOME OF
THE CHANGES FIRST. NAMELY I JUS
WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE
REQUEST ON THE SIZE OF THE
COMMISSION IS A REQUEST THAT
NOT JUST THE COCHAIRS WITH US
TODAY ARE MAKING, BUT ALSO
COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO WERE ON
THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME WHE
THE COMMISSION SIZE WAS
INCREASED FROM 15 TO 21. SO,
SOME CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS
WERE THERE AT THE TIME IN 2017
AND IT WAS A TIME WHEN A NUMBE
OF CITY COMMISSIONS WERE
REQUESTING TO EXPAND THEIR SIZE
WITH THE IDEA THAT MORE PEOPLE
WOULD MEAN MORE PRODUCTIVITY
AND I THINK THE CPC IS NOT
ALONE IN FINDING THAT THIS
NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS HAS BEE
CHALLENGING. ALSO I JUST WANT T
NOTE THAT THE MONTHLY STIPEND
THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR
CPC MEMBERS HAS NOT BEEN
UPDATED SINCE 2014, SO I DO
AGREE THAT SOME ATTENTION TO
THIS ITEM IS MERITED. THE FIRS
QUESTION I HAVE IS RELATED TO
THAT. I AM WONDERING IF YOU
COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HO
WE ENDED UP ON THE PARTICULAR
RECOMMENDATION OF $1500 A
MONTH. I JUST WOULD LOVE TO KNO
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THINKING
THERE. IF IT IS THE ESCALATION
DATING BACK ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW
OF THE ORIGINAL NUMBER, OR IF
IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION
OTHER FACTORS?
>> I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, BECAUSE
THAT NUMBER WAS MY SUGGESTION.
SO, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
SINCE I BEGAN IN MY PRIOR ROLE
SINCE OCTOBER TO WORK CLOSELY
WITH THE COCHAIRS AS THEY WENT
THROUGH A NUMBER OF
ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESSES, SOME
OF WHICH YOU SEE HERE, BUT NOT
ALL OF IT. AS I SAID, THE
EXPECTATION OF COMMISSIONERS IS
ABOUT 10 HOURS A WEEK, ALTHOUGH
IT ENDS UP BEING MORE. THIS IS
A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF VERY
IMPORTANT WORK. I HAVE SEEN
COCHAIRS DO MORE THAN THREE
TIMES THE AMOUNT OF WORK OF AN
AVERAGE COMMISSIONER AND PART O
THAT IS DUE TO THE REQUIREMENT
IN THE BYLAWS. THE EXPECTATIONS
OF THINGS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO
DO THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS
DON'T DO, BUT ALSO MAKING
CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS. PROPOSED
CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.
GATHERING FEEDBACK TO DO THIS I
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK. WE
CURRENTLY HAVE THREE COCHAIRS,
BUT FROM LEARNING ABOUT THE
BUDGET SINCE JANUARY, PREPARING
OUR BUDGET FOR 2024, IT IS
CERTAINLY OUR EXPECTATION THA
THE REWARD, IT IS NOT A REWARD,
BUT ACTUALLY PROVIDES THE
COMPENSATION THAT THE COCHAIRS
ACTUALLY DESERVE FOR THE
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT
THEY DO TO KEEP THIS RUNNING
SUCCESSFULLY.
>> THANK YOU AND I AM JUST
WONDERING, THINKING OUT LOUD, W
DISCUSSED THIS, THE IDEA OF
PERHAPS APPLYING SOME SORT OF
INFLATIONARY ADJUSTMENT TO ALL
OF THE COCHAIRS. IN ADDITION -
I'M SORRY, ALL OF THE MEMBERS O
THE CPC, IN ADDITION TO
ADJUSTING UPWARDS A DIFFERENT
AMOUNT FOR THE COCHAIR POSITIO
IF THEY DO MORE WORK AND MAYBE
WE COULD FIND A BALANCE THERE,
BECAUSE IT DOES OCCUR TO ME
THAT THE STIPEND FROM 2014, FO
ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CPC,
MIGHT BE ADJUSTED. I ALSO WANTE
TO ADD TO OTHER QUESTIONS. ONE
RELATED TO THE REQUEST TO
REMOVE THE DISTRICT ASSIGNMENT
FOR COMMISSIONERS. COCHAIR --
YOU SPOKE TO ADDED DUTIES OF TH
DISTRICT ASSIGNED COMMISSIONER
AND LIKENED THE ADDED DUTIES T
SORT OF GENERAL DUTIES, LIKE A
COUNCILMEMBER. WHAT ARE THE
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS RELATED
TO BEING A DISTRICT
COMMISSIONER?
>> SO, THIS IS A SECTION THAT
DISCUSSED AT LENGTH WITH SOME
OF THE COCHAIRS AND
COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE ON THE
COMMISSION AND ASSISTED WITH
DRAFTING IN 2016 AND 2017 AND
THE EXPECTATION BASED ON WHAT I
IN THE ORDINANCE AS IT CURRENTL
STANDS IS THAT THE COMMISSION
SHALL ASSIGN COMMISSIONERS TO
EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT AND THAT
THEY SHOULD BE KIND OF EXPERTS
IN THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT AND
HOLD REGULAR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT IN THOSE COUNCIL
DISTRICTS AND BRING THAT
FEEDBACK TO THE COMMISSION. TH
CONCERN IS KIND OF TWOFOLD. ONE
THAT SPECIFIC ENGAGEMENT
ASSIGNMENT FOR EACH VOLUNTEER
COMMISSIONER IS A LITTLE BEYOND
WHAT A VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONER
HAS THE CAPABILITY OF DOING. BU
THE SECONDARY CONCERN IS THAT
BASED ON WHAT THE MISSION OF
THE COMMISSION IS, WE FEEL THAT
IT IS A BETTER USED TO FOCUS
ENGAGEMENT ON AFFECTED
COMMUNITIES AND COMMISSIONERS
HAVE MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP AN
ENGAGEMENT WITH NEIGHBORHOODS,
THE CITY AS A WHOLE, AND
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. NOT
NECESSARILY COUNCIL DISTRICTS,
IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> SURE, I AM JUST REALLY
FOCUSED ON THE EXTRA DUTIES OF
A DISTRICT COMMISSIONER. SO, TH
ORDINANCE REQUIRES THEM TO HAVE
MEETINGS IN THE DISTRICT THEY
REPRESENT.
>> I AM SORRY, YES. MY READING
AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE
ORDINANCE AND ALSO TALKING WITH
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WORKED
ON THIS AT THE TIME, IS THAT IT
DOES PLACE SOME RESPONSIBILITY
ON INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS TO
DO THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT IN THAT COUNCIL
DISTRICT. WHEREAS COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT HAS PROMINENTLY BEE
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKGROUP,
STAFF,AND THE COMMISSION AS A
WHOLE.
>> THANK YOU. AND MY LAST
QUESTION RELATES TO BOTH REMOVA
OF COMMISSIONERS, AS WELL AS
THE DIRECTOR. I AM JUST
WONDERING IF YOU COULD PUT A
LITTLE BIT OF A FINER POINT ON
WHAT FOR CAUSE MEANS.
>> CORRECT. WITH RESPECT TO THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOR CAUSE I
NOT DEFINED. IT IS NOT DEFINED
IN THE BYLAWS. IT IS NOT DEFINE
IN THE ORDINANCE. WITH RESPECT
TO COMMISSIONERS, HOWEVER, FOR
CAUSE IS SPECIFICALLY DEFINED I
THE BYLAWS. FOR EXAMPLE, DR.
ELLIS MENTIONED THE
REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS O
COMMISSIONERS. YOU KNOW, 10
HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK PER
MONTH TOWARD COMMISSION WORK,
BUT ALSO TO ATTEND REGULAR
MEETINGS AND WORKGROUP MEETINGS
IF A COMMISSIONER HAS MORE THA
25% OF EXCUSED ABSENCES, FOR
EXAMPLE, OR BREAKS CONFIDENCE
AND EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE. THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS
SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THE
BYLAWS. THAT RISES TO THE LEVE
OF CAUSE FOR THAT COMMISSIONER
TO BE REMOVED AND THOSE ARE THE
PROVISIONS THAT ARE IMPACTED B
ANY CHANGE TO THAT. BUT WITH
RESPECT TO THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, THAT IS REALLY UP TO
THE JUDGMENT OF THE SUPERVISORS
COCHAIRS, IN CONSULTATION WITH
HR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THOSE
ARE THE QUESTIONS I HAD. ANY
OTHERS? NO? AND I AM NOT SEEING
ANY ONLINE.
>> I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> I'M SORRY, I DID NOT SEE YOU
HAND.
>> THAT'S OKAY, MY CAMERA WAS
NOT POPPING IN RIGHT AWAY.
THANKS SO MUCH. THANKS FOR THE
PRESENTATION AND THANKS FOR
TEEING THIS UP FOR AN EARLY
CONVERSATION. I DO HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD T
TALKING WITH THE CHAIR ABOUT
THIS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY,
BUT FOR THE NEXT MEETING. I
APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS A
BRIEFING RIGHT NOW. I HAVE A
QUESTION FOR GREG DOSS OF
CENTRAL STAFF. HAVING SAT ON A
NUMBER OF BOARDS AND COMMISSION
IN THE PAST, INCLUDING THE
HEALTH BENEFITS EXCHANGE BOARD,
FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH WAS
HIGH-PROFILE AND HAD LOTS OF
SCRUTINY ON IT. I DON'T
REMEMBER THERE BEING A ROLE FOR
THE BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE,
LET'S SAY SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY
OVER PERSONNEL WITHIN AN ENTITY
OBVIOUSLY FOR A DIRECTOR THAT
IS PRETTY STANDARD, BUT CAN YOU
REMIND ME OF OTHER EXAMPLES, I
THERE ARE ANY OFF THE TOP OF
YOUR HEAD, OR PERHAPS FOR THE
PANEL AS WELL, IF THERE WAS A
BOARD OR COMMISSION THAT YOU
REFERENCED WHEN TRYING TO
IDENTIFY WAYS FOR COMMISSIONERS
TO HAVE SUPERVISORY AND, I
GUESS, REPRIMAND AUTHORITY OVE
PERSONNEL?
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, I MEAN, THA
STRUCTURE PARTIALLY ALREADY
EXISTS IN THE ORIGINAL, 2017
ORDINANCE, IN ORDER TO PRESERV
AUTHORITY. SO IT IS NOT THE
EXECUTIVE OR THE LEGISLATIVE
BODIES MEDDLING IN COMMISSION
AFFAIRS. SO WE ARE NOT ADDING
THAT, BUT WE ARE MAKING A FEW
TWEAKS TO IT.
>> S, COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU
FOR CLARIFYING. THAT IS EXACTLY
IT. THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE
REQUIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT
SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE. THE
CHANGES THAT ARE MADE IN THIS
ORDINANCE WOULD NOT REQUIRE
THAT. IT ELIMINATES THAT
REQUIREMENT AND INSTEAD WOULD
PUT IN CRIMINAL, LEGAL, AND LA
-- NOW I HAVE LOST THE EXACT
LANGUAGE.
>> THAT'S OKAY, THAT WASN'T
ACTUALLY MY QUESTION. I
UNDERSTAND THAT PART. I THINK
THAT'S GREAT.
>> I THINK SHE IS REFERRING TO
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
COCHAIRS IN SUPERVISING --
>> OH, I WILL HAND THAT OVER TO
THE CPC TO ANSWER THAT.
>> I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IS
CORRECT. THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE
STRUCTURED THE CPC TO BE MORE
INDEPENDENT AND AT THE TIME
THERE WAS SOME CONCERN,
PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE INTERVENING IN THE CPC
AFFAIRS AND THE EXECUTIVE HAVIN
SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY OVER THE
E.D. AND THAT IS WHY THE COUNCI
SHIFTED THE STRUCTURE TO HAVE
THE COCHAIRS BE MORE OF A
SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY AND THAT
ALSO HAS BEEN IN THE BYLAWS AND
THAT IS HOW THE CPC HAS
OPERATED. I KNOW THAT ONE OF
THE COMMISSIONS THAT THE CPC WA
STRUCTURED AFTER IN 2017 WAS TH
SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTION
COMMISSION AND BASED ON, YOU
KNOW, CREATING AN INDEPENDENT
STRUCTURE, AND THE ETHICS
COMMISSION HAS THE LANGUAGE
PROPOSED IN THE ORDINANCE, IN
CONSULTATION WITH AND
SUPERVISION BY THE COCHAIRS. S
THAT IS THE MODEL. THE LANGUAGE
TODAY I THINK JUST CLARIFIES
THE STRUCTURE AND BRINGS IT MOR
IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ETHICS AN
ELECTION COMMISSION STRUCTURE.
>> THANK YOU --
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA,
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
>> YOU MIGHT BE FROZEN.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, IF
YOU ARE STILL WITH US, I SEE YO
ON MUTE. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONA
QUESTIONS -- I AM WONDERING IF
YOU MIGHT BE HAVING SOME
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. I DON'
WANT TO CUT OFF THIS
CONVERSATION. OH, COUNCILMEMBE
PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE
COMMISSION LEADERSHIP HERE TO
DISCUSS THESE CHANGES. I AM
GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THEM AN
I THINK A LOT OF THOUGHT AND
EXPERIENCE HAS GONE INTO
CRAFTING THEM, SO I LOOK FORWAR
TO DISCUSSING THEM AT THE NEXT
MEETING, TOO. THANK YOU.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA? I SEE
THAT IT LOOKS LIKE SHE IS NO
LONGER WITH US. I FEAR SHE IS
HAVING SOME TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTIES. IF YOU CAN HEAR
US, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, WE
DO WELCOME YOUR ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS. WE ARE AT THE END O
THE PRESENTATION AND WE ARE
GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
ITEM. I AM FILIBUSTERING A
LITTLE BIT HERE IN CASE YOU CAN
GET ON. OTHERWISE IT DOES NOT
SEEM LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
THE REST OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITE
ON THE AGENDA. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE CPC COCHAIRS
BEING WITH US TODAY. AS
MENTIONED BEFORE, WE WILL BE
TAKING THIS BILL UP AFTER IT I
INTRODUCED AND THAT INTRODUCTIO
WILL NOT HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER TH
NEXT MEETING AND WE ARE LOOKIN
AT POTENTIALLY HAVING A VOTE O
THE DRAFT BILL AT ONE OF OUR
JULY COMMITTEE MEETINGS. THANKS
AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MISTER CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 2.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO IS RESOLUTIO
32094, A RESOLUTION CONCERNING
WAGE EQUITY FOR NONPROFIT HUMAN
SERVICES WORKERS, EXPRESSING TH
CITY COUNCIL'S INTENT TO
CONSIDER INCREASING HUMAN
SERVICES CONTRACTS TO SUPPORT
WAGE EQUITY IN COLLABORATION
WITH OTHER FUNDERS AND
REQUESTING INFORMATION AND
ACTION FROM THE EXECUTIVE TO
ADVANCE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS
WAGE EQUITY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIAT
BEING JOINED BY COUNCIL CENTRA
STAFF. I WILL HAND IT OVER TO
YOU FOR INTRODUCTIONS AND GOIN
OVER CHANGES IN THE RESOLUTION
SINCE WE LAST SAW IT. I JUST
WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THE
INTRODUCED RESOLUTION ON WAGE
EQUITY FOR NONPROFIT HUMAN
SERVICES WORKERS IS A BODY OF
WORK THAT THE COUNCIL HAS
UNDERTAKEN FOR YEARS NOW. WE
HAVE DONE SO TO ADDRESS
DISPARATELY LOW WAGES IN THE
HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR, LEADING
TO COSTLY TURNOVER FOR THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DEPEND ON
AS WE HEARD TODAY. AND ALL TOO
OFTEN CRITICAL SERVICES FUNDED
BY THE CITY GOING ON OFFERED
BECAUSE OF THAT TURNOVER IN
THOSE VACANCIES. IT HITS OUR
BIPOC WORKFORCE ESPECIALLY HARD
WHO ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN A
FIELD WHERE PEOPLE ARE
UNDERPAID. THE COUNCIL PASSED
COUNCIL BILL 9542, WHICH
REQUIRED THAT APARTMENT OFFER
ANNUAL INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS FO
CONTRACTS SO THAT NONPROFIT
PROVIDERS STRUGGLING TO RETAIN
WORKERS DON'T FALL FURTHER
BEHIND DUE TO INFLATION. MANY
THANKS TO COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUED
FOR HER STRONG LEADERSHIP IN
PASSING THIS IMPORTANT
LEGISLATION AND THE COUNCIL HA
CONSISTENTLY ACTED AGGRESSIVELY
TO PROTECT AND ENSURE THESE
INFLATIONARY INCREASES ARE
ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S
APPROVED BUDGET. JUMPING
FORWARD TO FALL, 2021, THE
COUNCIL ADDED $600,000 TO THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR
THE 2022 ADOPTED BUDGET. VIA A
BUDGET ACTION WHICH I SPONSORED
THAT FUNDING WAS USED FOR A
STUDY THAT ANALYZED THE
COMPARABLE WORTH OF HUMAN
SERVICES JOBS AS COMPARED TO
JOBS IN DIFFERENT FIELDS THAT
REQUIRE SIMILAR SKILLS,
EDUCATION, AND DIFFICULTY. I
WANT TO THANK THE COALITION FOR
YOUR VISION ON THIS RESEARCH AN
YOUR ADVOCACY. MOVING FORWARD
TO MAY, 2022, THE COALITION
CONVENED A STEERING COMMITTEE
TO SERVE AS OVERSIGHT AND IN A
ADVISORY ROLE FOR THE STUDY.
THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTED HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT REQUESTS
FOR QUALIFICATIONS PROCESS AND
PROVIDED ONGOING FEEDBACK FOR
RESEARCHERS. THE STEERING
COMMITTEE NOT ONLY INCLUDED
COALITION STAFF, BUT ALSO
EXPERTS ON WAGE EQUITY ANALYSIS
AND CITY OF CM SO -- AND CITY
OF SEATTLE COUNCIL STAFF. THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL
OF SOCIAL WORK WAS CHOSEN TO
CONDUCT THE COMPARABLE WORTH
ANALYSIS AND IN FEBRUARY OF
THIS YEAR THE WAGE EQUITY REPOR
WAS PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSIT
OF WASHINGTON. THE MARKET
ANALYSIS FOUND NONPROFIT HUMAN
SERVICES WORKERS ARE PAID 37%
LESS THAN WORKERS IN NON-CARE
INDUSTRIES WITH SIMILAR
RESPONSIBILITIES AND
QUALIFICATIONS AND THOSE WHO
LEAVE THE FIELD SEE A 7%
INCREASE IN NET PAY, JUST ONE
YEAR LATER. IT'S JOB EVALUATION
SHOWS THAT THE PAY IS LESS,
DESPITE THE HIGH LEVEL OF SKILL
RESPONSIBILITY, AND DIFFICULTY
REQUIRED BY THESE JOBS. JUST I
MARCH, WE ON THIS COMMITTEE
HEARD THAT RESEARCH PRESENTED
BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
WAGE EQUITY STUDY AND HEARD TH
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDRESSING
THE 37% PAY PENALTY. THE
COMMITTEE MEETING IN APRIL,
CENTRAL STAFF PRESENTED A DRAFT
VERSION OF THIS RESOLUTION,
ADOPTING THE UW RECOMMENDATIONS
AND STATING DAYS WHEN I SAY
ADOPTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS,
MEAN RECOGNIZING THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THE LANGUAGE
ITSELF DOES NOT COMMIT COUNCIL
TO ACTION. IT STATES THE
COUNCIL'S INTENT TO CONSIDER
INCREASES IN HUMAN SERVICES
NONPROFIT WORKER WAGES. AT THAT
MEETING I STATED MY INTEREST I
FLEXIBILITY IN WORKING WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE
EXECUTIVE TO DRAFT FINAL
RESOLUTION LANGUAGE. MY OFFICE
MET WITH DEPUTY MAYOR
WASHINGTON AND THE BUDGET
DIRECTOR SEVERAL TIMES AND
RECEIVED THEIR FEEDBACK AND
SUGGESTED EDITS TO THE
RESOLUTION, MANY OF WHICH ARE
INCORPORATED INTO THE VERSION
WE ARE CONSIDERING TODAY. I
THANK THEM FOR THEIR PARTNERSHI
IN STRENGTHENING THIS
RESOLUTION. MY OFFICE ALSO
REACHED OUT TO THE OFFICES OF
OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO OFFE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE
EDITS OR FEEDBACK AND EXTENDED
THE DEADLINE TO DO SO. WE
INCORPORATED EDITS FROM THE TW
OFFICES THAT OFFER THEM. THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN AN
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, FOR YOU
THOUGHTFUL SUGGESTIONS THAT,
AGAIN, MADE THE INTENT OF THIS
RESOLUTION MUCH CLEARER. TODAY
WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US I THINK
MUCH STRONGER AND MORE
SPECIFICALLY CLARIFIED FINAL
RESOLUTION, WHICH HAS BENEFITED
FROM THE INSIGHT, WISDOM, AND
IDEAS. AND BEFORE I HAND IT
OVER TO COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
TO TAKE US THROUGH THE
RESOLUTION AND NO CHANGES TO TH
PREVIOUS DRAFT, AS WELL AS
QUESTIONS FOR OUR CONSIDERATION
I DO SORT OF WANT TO DAYLIGHT
WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE HARRELL
ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION. THEY WRITE THAT
THE LACK OF A SIGNING OF A
RESOLUTION IN NO WAY IS AN
INDICATION OF OBJECTION TO THE
RESOLUTION. I AM GOING TO QUOTE
WE CERTAINLY WILL NOT OBJECT T
THIS LEGISLATION AND THE MAYOR
HAS ASKED THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS
ENGAGE WITH THE SEATTLE HUMAN
SERVICES COALITION, CONVENING,
CONVENING THAT IS REFERENCED IN
THE RESOLUTION ITSELF, TO
EXPLORE STRATEGIES ADDRESSING
WAGE EQUITY. REGARDLESS, PLEASE
KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE HIS NAME
IS NOT ADDED TO THE RESOLUTION,
WE REMAIN EAGER TO IDENTIFY
SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT HUMAN
SERVICES PROVIDERS. THANK YOU
AND ALWAYS FEEL WELCOME TO REAC
OUT AT ANY TIME. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THERE
ARE ROLES FOR THE EXECUTIVE
IDENTIFIED IN THE RESOLUTION AN
I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR
THAT NOT INCLUDING THE SIGNATUR
LINE ON THE RESOLUTION IS NOT
AT ALL AN INDICATION THAT THE
EXECUTIVE IS GOING TO WITHHOLD
PARTICIPATION IN THE ROLES FOR
THE EXECUTIVE AS IDENTIFIED IN
THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. GIVE ME JUST A
MOMENT TO SHARE.
>> MADAM CHAIR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> HI, I AM SORRY. I LOST
INTERNET CONNECTION, SO I JUST
WANT TO USE THIS AS A MOMENT TO
SAY THANKS FOR CALLING ON ME.
AM SORRY I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET
MY LAST TWO QUESTIONS IN FOR TH
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND CPC
MEMBERS TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW
THE COMMUNITY ELEMENT OF PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT IS SOMETHING I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE LIFTED UP AND
UNDERSCORED IN THE PREVIOUS
AGENDA ITEM, BUT I KNOW WE ARE
ON A TIGHT TIMELINE. I AM SORRY
FOR DROPPING OFF THE LINE
THERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKIN
TO GET BACK WITH US. APPRECIAT
IT.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS JEN
LABRECQUE AND I AM HERE WITH MY
COLLEAGUE, KARINA BULL. WE ARE
BOTH LEGISLATIVE ANALYSTS WITH
CENTRAL STAFF AND TODAY WE WILL
BE PRESENTING ON RESOLUTION
32094, REGARDING WAGE EQUITY FO
NONPROFIT HUMAN SERVICES
WORKERS. THIS IS TODAY'S
AGENDA. A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS
WE WILL BE DISCUSSING --
TALKING ABOUT CHANGES SINCE TH
LAST DRAFT THAT THIS COMMITTEE
SAW IN APRIL. WE WILL PROVIDE A
ASSESSMENT OF THE UW WAGE
EQUITY STUDY METHODOLOGY, WHICH
HEAVILY INFORMS THIS
LEGISLATION, AS WELL AS DISCUSS
FIVE DIFFERENT POLICY
CONSIDERATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD JUST
WALKED US THROUGH A TIMELINE,
BUT JUST A REMINDER THAT WE HAV
BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES
BEFORE AT COMMITTEE. THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL
OF SOCIAL WORK PRESENTED IN
MARCH ON THE WAGE EQUITY STUDY
FOR NONPROFIT HUMAN SERVICES
WORKERS AND IN APRIL CENTRAL
STAFF PRESENTED A DRAFT OF THE
WAGE EQUITY -- FOR DISCUSSION.
THE WAGE EQUITY RESOLUTION, AS
INTRODUCED, HAS FIVE DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS. IT RECOMMENDED --
IT DOES NOT COMMIT THE CITY TO
DOING ALL OF THEM. THE
RESOLUTION CALLS FOR
COLLABORATION BETWEEN PRIVATE
AND PUBLIC FUNDERS IN ORDER TO
MAKE JOINT PROGRESS ON WAGE
EQUITY. IT SAYS COUNCIL MAY
CONSIDER INCREASES TO CONTRACTS
ADMINISTERED BY THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR PURPOSE
OF WAGE EQUITY, INCLUDING A 7%
INCREASE IN 2025. IT REQUESTS A
PLAN FROM THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE CONTRACT
INCREASES ARE USED TO RAISE
WORKER WAGES AND IT REQUESTS TH
EXECUTIVE CONSIDER WAGE EQUITY
INCREASES FOR CONTRACTS
ADMINISTERED OUTSIDE OF THE
DEPARTMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE
ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF EARLY LEARNING. SO THIS
SLIDE WALKS US THROUGH THE
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT HAVE
HAPPENED SINCE THIS COMMITTEE
LAST SAW A DRAFT OF THE
RESOLUTION ON APRIL 25 AND I
WILL START WALKING THROUGH
THESE. THE RESOLUTION NOW HAS
TWO, NEW, WHEREAS CLAUSES
RELATED TO FUNDING THAT WERE
ADDED IN THE STATE OPERATING
BUDGET DURING THE LAST
LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND BOTH O
THEM ADD FUNDING FOR PURPOSES O
HELPING TO STABILIZE THE HUMAN
SERVICES WORKFORCE IN THE STATE
FOR THE NEXT ONE, THE FIRST
DRAFT OF THE RESOLUTION HAD
REQUESTED THAT EITHER THE
EXECUTIVE OR COUNCIL CONVENE A
NEW GROUP TO MAKE JOINT PROGRES
ON WAGE EQUITY. THE REVISED
RESOLUTION RECOGNIZES THAT THE
SEATTLE HUMAN SERVICES COALITIO
IS ALREADY DOING THIS WORK,
BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY
CONVENING A FUNDING ROUNDTABLE,
COMPRISED OF GOVERNMENT FUNDERS
INCLUDING THE SEATTLE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH
A RANGE OF FOUNDATIONS. THE
RESOLUTION REQUESTS THAT THE
FUNDING ROUNDTABLE COMMIT O
WAGE EQUITY GOALS AND DELIVER
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACHIEVING
WAGE EQUITY BY THE END OF
SEPTEMBER AND THAT THAT
INFORMATION BE DELIVERED BY THE
END OF SEPTEMBER, SO IT CAN BE
CONSIDERED DURING THE BUDGET
PROCESS. ORIGINALLY THE
RESOLUTION REQUESTED THAT ANY
SAVINGS FROM LOWER THAN
PROJECTED INFLATIONARY
ADJUSTMENTS BE USED FOR PURPOSE
OF WAGE EQUITY. THAT LANGUAGE
HAS BEEN REMOVED. THE RESOLUTIO
NOW REQUESTS A LESS DETAILED
PLAN ON HOW WAGE EQUITY
INCREASES WILL BE USED TO
INCREASE WORKER WAGES AND
FINALLY THE RESOLUTION
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT FUNDING WAGE
EQUITY IS CONTINGENT ON
SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND THAT
FUNDING EQUITY MAY REQUIRE
REDUCED SPENDING IN OTHER
AREAS. I WILL PAUSE HERE FOR
QUESTIONS IF THAT IS OKAY.
>> PERFECT TIMING. AGAIN I WAN
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
THE CHANGE IDENTIFIED IN NUMBE
FIVE WAS CHANGED IN MULTIPLE
PLACES ON YOUR REQUEST. I
APPRECIATE THAT IN MAKING
BUDGETING DECISIONS, WE HAVE TO
BALANCE THE NEEDS AND THE
DEMANDS ON THE BUDGET AND IT
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE ARE
SPENDING TRADE-OFFS. IN
ADDITION, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
ALSO REQUESTED THAT ADDITION AN
CBO. ITEMS THREE AND FOUR,
AGAIN, REQUESTS FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE CITY
BUDGET DIRECTOR. ITEM NUMBER
TWO, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT CAME UP IN OUR RECENT
DISCUSSIONS IN COMMITTEE WAS A
RECOMMENDATION THAT CITY FUNDIN
IS BLENDED WITH FUNDING FROM
PRIVATE AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL
JURISDICTIONS AND SINCE THERE I
A ROUNDTABLE THAT INCLUDES
THOSE FUNDERS, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE ALSO ENGAGE
IN THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND WAGE
EQUITY AND BEFORE WE TAKE UP
OUR BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER WE WANT
TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR PROGRESS I
GETTING SIMILAR COMMITMENTS FRO
OTHER FUNDERS, BOTH PRIVATE AN
PUBLIC FUNDERS AND ALSO MAKING
THESE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS IN
THE WORKFORCE, TO ENSURE THAT
THE CITY IS NOT GOING IT ALONE
WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL EFFORTS.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT KING COUNTY RHA EFFORTS
TO INCREASE WAGES OR THE RECEN
KING COUNTY BALLOT INITIATIVES.
ALSO FOCUSED ON RAISING WAGES
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS AN EFFORT
THAT WE ALL NEED TO DO TOGETHER
AND WE NEED TO, IN THE CITY
TAKING ITS NEXT STEP, WE NEED
TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THE
SUCCESS OF THIS ROUNDTABLE TO
GET COMMITMENTS FROM OTHER
FUNDERS. THAT IS THE BASIS FOR
THE CONCLUSION ON NUMBER TWO. I
THINK THAT REALLY CAME OUT
STRONGLY IN OUR LAST COMMITTEE
DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
AND, JUST CHECKING ONLINE.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD. I
DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR CENTRA
STAFF ON THE WORDING IN SECTIO
8 OF THE RESOLUTION. WHERE IT
SAYS THE COUNCIL INTENDS ANY
INCREASE TO CONTRACTS
ADMINISTERED FOR PURPOSES OF
WAGE EQUITY WOULD BE USED TO
INCREASE WORKER WAGES. COULD
YOU UNPACK THAT A LITTLE BIT FO
ME? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN A
PRACTICAL, OPERATIONAL BASIS?
>> THE INTENT OF THAT STATEMENT
I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER PLACE
WHERE YOU HELPED CLARIFY THE
LANGUAGE FOR US. IF CONTRACTS
GOT AN INCREASE AND THAT
INCREASE WAS INTENDED TO BE FOR
WAGE EQUITY, THAT THAT INCREASE
WOULD BE PASSED ON TO WORKERS
IN THE FORM OF INCREASED WORKER
WAGES. THAT IS WHERE THE
RESOLUTION GOES ON TO ASK FOR A
PLAN THAT WOULD GO INTO DETAILS
AND MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT THE
PROCESS BY WHICH THAT WOULD
HAPPEN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> WHEN YOU SAY THE PROCESS BY
WHICH THAT WOULD HAPPEN, WHAT D
YOU MEAN BY THAT? I WAS
WONDERING WHEN YOU WERE TALKING
HOW WE WOULD KNOW THAT THAT
INCREASE WAS PASSED ALONG, SO I
THAT WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT?
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT. AND
AGAIN, THE RESOLUTION DOES NOT
HAVE THESE SPECIFICS, BUT SOME
IDEAS COULD INCLUDE THAT THERE
COULD BE EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW
THAT INCREASE WOULD BE USED THA
WOULD BE EMBEDDED IN THE REQUES
FOR PROPOSALS. THE EVALUATION
PROCESS FOR RESPONSES TO
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS COULD
INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, DID
ORGANIZATIONS USE THE ADDITIONA
FUNDS TO INCREASE WAGES AND THE
THAT COULD BE EMBEDDED INTO THE
CONTRACT THAT IS EXECUTED AND
THEN INTO CONTRACT MONITORING A
WELL. SO REALLY A PLAN AS FOR
HOW THIS WOULD BE EMBEDDED INTO
ALL STEPS OF THE PROCESS.
>> AND I THINK THIS WAS AN ITE
THAT WAS IDENTIFIED BACK IN TH
EFFORT IN 2019 TO RAISE THE
CONTRACTS, UNDER THE LEADERSHI
OF COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA. THIS
WAS HIGHLIGHTED I THINK AND
MAYBE WE ASKED FOR A REPORT,
BECAUSE THERE WAS, EARLIER,
THIS ISSUE OF OUR WAGE EQUITY
INVESTMENTS GOING TO WAGES OR
ARE THEY PERHAPS ALSO BEING
USED FOR AGENCY OVERHEAD?
BECAUSE ALL COSTS INCREASE, BUT
THESE FUNDS ARE TO INCREASE
WAGES AND THE REPORT BACK THAT
COUNCIL BILL 1190 542 DID NOT
OCCUR PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE
COVERT EMERGENCY, SO WE ARE
RESTATING OUR INTEREST AND
DESIRE TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS
THAT THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT CAN HELP US ENSURE
THAT THESE DOLLARS ARE GOING
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE INTENT
IDENTIFIED IN OUR EQUITY
EFFORTS, WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING
THAT IT IS A REALITY THAT
AGENCIES ARE ALSO RECEIVING
OTHER INCREASED COSTS ASSOCIATE
WITH INFLATION. BUT THE INTENT
OF THESE DOLLARS ARE FOR WAGE
EQUITY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD.
SO, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HA
GONE INTO THIS AND THE SPONSOR
POSITIVE INTENT IN CRAFTING THE
SAND FOR THE GENEROUS AND
COLLABORATIVE REVISIONS THAT
WERE MADE TO IMPROVE THE
DOCUMENT AND TO THE EXTENT OUR
CITY OF SEATTLE TAXPAYERS ARE
ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
DOLLARS FOR SUCH A GOOD CAUSE.
I AGREE WE WANT TO ENHANCE THE
ASSISTANCE WE PROVIDE TO
NONPROFITS SERVING SEATTLE'S
MOST VULNERABLE. ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE CAN SHARE ADDED FUNDING
INVESTMENTS WITH OTHER LEVELS O
GOVERNMENT AND PHILANTHROPY. I
WOULD ESPECIALLY WANT TO RETAI
THOSE PRODUCTIVE, FRONT-LINE
WORKERS. THE MOST EFFECTIVE
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE BRINGING
INSIDE THE MOST PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHIC
IS A PRIORITY FOR MY
CONSTITUENTS. I CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THE POSITIVE INTENT OF
THIS RESOLUTION. I WILL BE
ABSTAINING ON THIS TODAY. THIS
IS ONE OF SEVERAL GOOD CAUSES
THAT WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING AND IT IS BEING FLOATED
OUTSIDE OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS. I STILL BELIEVE
DECISIONS ON SPENDING MORE MONE
THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE SHOULD
OCCUR DURING THE REGULAR BUDGET
PROCESS, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND
THE INTENT OF THIS. THIS IS A
PRIORITY, TOO. I JUST FOR ME,
PERSONALLY, WANT TO SEE ALL OF
THE NEEDS AND REQUESTS AND
RESOURCES IN ONE PLACE AND THEN
MAKE THE TRADE-OFFS HOLISTICALL
WITH THE PUBLIC PROCESS AT THA
TIME. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
BUDGET STARTS AT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND I APPRECIATE THEIR
OPEN-MINDEDNESS TOWARD THE GOAL
OF THIS RESOLUTION AND WORKING
WITH THE SPONSOR, EVEN THOUGH
THEY ARE NOT SIGNING THE
RESOLUTION. I JUST AM NOT ABLE
TO COMMIT TO THIS TODAY, SO I
WILL BE ABSTAINING TODAY. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN. I RESPECT YOUR INTENT
TO ABSTAIN, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC
RECORD I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY
THIS RESOLUTION DOES NOT MAKE
ANY DECISIONS. IT DOES NOT MAKE
ANY COMMITMENTS. IT SIMPLY SAY
SHALL CONSIDER, THROUGHOUT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. SORRY, I
AM ON MY PHONE, GIVEN OUR
INTERNET SITUATION. IF YOU NEED
TO STOP SHARING THE SCREEN, THA
IS FINE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
SOME COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THI
EFFORT TODAY AND ALSO TO SOME O
THE EARLIER COMMENTS THAT WERE
MADE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF
MANY WAYS WE CAN HELP REDUCE TH
COST FOR HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDER
CONTRACTS AND IT IS IMPORTANT
TO RECOGNIZE THAT HISTORICALLY
MANY PUBLIC ENTITIES, INCLUDING
OURS, HAVE OUTSOURCED OR WORKE
WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO
INVEST IN THIS CORE PUBLIC
SERVICE. SERVICES FOR OUR
ELDERS, OUR KIDDOS, OUR SENIORS
OUR VETS, OUR HOMELESS
POPULATION. FOLKS WHO ARE
UNSTABLE HE HOUSED. THESE ARE
CORE GOVERNMENTS SERVICES AND
WE HAVE HISTORICALLY OUTSOURCED
IT. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD -- COUNCILMEMBER
O'BRIEN IN HIS TENURE AS WELL
WAS A STRONG CHAMPION OF THIS
AND I, AS WELL, HAVE MADE THIS
CORE TENANT OF WHY I AM INVOLVE
IN PUBLIC SERVICE, BECAUSE THIS
IS A CORE PUBLIC GOOD AND WE
OUGHT TO BE INVESTING OUR
RESOURCES ACCORDINGLY. IT IS
ALSO IDEAL I THINK THAT THE
CHAIRS OF PUBLIC UTILITIES AND
CITY LIGHTS SEE WHAT OTHER
SOLUTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE AT
THEIR DISPOSAL, BECAUSE ONE OF
THE ISSUES WE HEARD IN 2019 WAS
THE AMOUNT THAT THESE
ORGANIZATIONS ACTUALLY PAY BACK
TO THE CITY AND PUBLIC
UTILITIES. SO, ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY. I WANTED TO LIFT U
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WORK,
BECAUSE MANY OF US, INCLUDING
FOLKS LEFT CONCERNS ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION, HAVE RAISED
CONCERNS ABOUT THE INCREASED
NUMBER OF FOLKS FEELING WITH
CRISES WHO MIGHT BE VISIBLE AS
UNHOUSED MEMBERS OF OUR
POPULATION OR THE INCREASED
CRISIS WE HAVE SEEN ONLY WORSEN
IN THE PANDEMIC, WHETHER IT IS
ELDER ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
ISOLATION AND DEPRESSION, ABUS
AND NEGLECT OF KIDDOS. THIS IS
ABSOLUTELY WORSENED DURING THE
PANDEMIC. THE CONVERSATION THAT
INITIATED IN 2019 THAT I WAS
PROUD TO WORK ON WITH MY
COLLEAGUES HAS ONLY BECOME WORS
AND I THINK THIS LEGISLATION IS
PARAMOUNT. THIS IS TIME FOR US
TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT OF BEEN
OUTLINED AND I WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIR FOR THE CONTINUED
EFFORT TO PUSH US NOT WITH NEW
REVENUE, BUT WITH EXISTING
REVENUE AND ANY REVENUE THAT
BECOMES A BILL TO OUR CITY. WE
OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT HOW WE
MAKE TRADE-OFFS AND INVEST IN
GOVERNMENT SERVICE. I APPRECIAT
THE TWO RECITALS INCLUDED IN
THIS RESOLUTION. MADAM CHAIR,
KNOW WE ARE PRESSED ON TIME. I'
GOING TO READ THEM BRIEFLY. IT'
AS WHEREAS THE SEATTLE OFFICE O
HOUSING RELEASED $25 MILLION I
2023 TO PAY FOR WORKFORCE
STABILIZATION, MAINTENANCE, AND
OPERATING. NOT JUST IN
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THIS WAS REFERRING TO JUMPSTART
INVESTMENTS MY COLLEAGUES MADE
POSSIBLE. WHEREAS THE PROPOSED
2023 SEATTLE HOUSING LEVY, IF
APPROVED BY VOTERS, INCLUDES
$122 MILLION TO PAY FOR
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES
INCLUDING WORKFORCE
STABILIZATION AND THE EXECUTIVE
HAS PROPOSED FURTHER FUNDING
FROM THE HOUSING LEVY TO BE
PAIRED WITH FUNDING FROM
JUMPSTART TO RAISE THE AMOUNT O
INVESTMENTS WE ARE MAKING
AVAILABLE TO HOUSING
STABILIZATION. I RAISE THIS AS
TWO EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE ARE
TRYING DESPERATELY TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE INVESTING IN HUMAN
SERVICE CONTRACTORS, BECAUSE
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PLYMOUTH
HOUSING, SEATTLE CLUB, CATHOLI
HOUSING SERVICES, MARY'S PLACE,
SO MANY OTHER INCREDIBLE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT RELY ON
CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY. THEY
CANNOT CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
SERVICES AT THE HIGH LEVEL OF
TURNOVER THEY WERE EXPERIENCING
SO WE HAVE MADE INROADS INTO
ADDRESSING THE COST OF LIVING
NEEDS, BUT WE HAVE NOT MADE
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THE
UNDERLYING WAGE INSTABILITY AND
DISCREPANCY THAT CURRENTLY
OCCURS WITH OUR HUMAN SERVICE
CONTRACT PROVIDERS AND WITH WHA
THEY COULD BE MAKING IN OTHER
SECTORS. MAYBE EVEN MAKING IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS A DIRECT
EMPLOYEE. IT IS CRITICAL FOR US
TO BE INVESTING IN THESE WORKER
AS IF THEY WERE WORKING
DIRECTLY FOR THE CITY AND I WAN
TO THANK OUR PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS, WHO HAVE SEEN
TURNOVER RATES DECREASE IN THE
LITTLE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INVEST IN
COST-OF-LIVING INCREASES. WE
ALSO KNOW THE TURNOVER RATES
REMAIN HIGHER RELATIVE TO OTHER
INDUSTRIES AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS, WHO DON'T HAVE
HISTORIC UNDERPAYMENT IN THEIR
WAGES. I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE
IMPORTANCE OF US DOING THIS
WITH THE CITY REVENUE THAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE AND HOPEFULLY
WHAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING I
THE FUTURE, BUT IT IS NOT
CONTINGENT ON OUR ABILITY TO
RAISE ADDITIONAL REVENUE. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA. I APPRECIATE YOUR
REMARKS AND CONTEXT AND
LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA. ARE
THERE OTHER COMMENTS OR REMARKS
FROM OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS? NOT
SEEING ANY, I DO HAVE FINAL
REMARKS. I WILL WAIT UNTIL WE
GET THIS IN FRONT OF US,
PROCEDURALLY. AND I AM GOING T
MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF
RESOLUTION 32904. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN MOVED
AND SECONDED TO RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION. ARE
THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY,
NOT SEEING ANY AT THE TABLE OR
ONLINE. SO BEFORE WE CALL THE
ROLL I WANT TO GIVE MY THANKS
TO CENTRAL STAFF, JEN LABRECQU
AND KARINA BULL, AND MY STAFF,
CHRISTINA, FOR ALL OF THEIR
WORK. THANKS AS WELL TO THE
SEATTLE HUMAN SERVICES
COALITION. ESPECIALLY JASON
WILLARD -- REALLY APPRECIATE
THE WORK OF THE RESEARCH TEAM,
LED BY -- THANK YOU TO THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHO
HELPED WITH THE ANALYSIS.
DEPUTY MAYOR TIFFANY WASHINGTON
AND BUDGET DIRECTOR JULIE DINGL
HE AND THINK YOU AS WELL TO MY
COLLEAGUES ON THIS COMMITTEE,
WHO OFFERED EDITS AND FEEDBACK
I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WH
CALLED INTO PUBLIC TESTIMONY
THIS MORNING AND IN PREVIOUS
COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO SHARE
REAL-LIFE IMPACTS OF THE PAY
PENALTY AND I DO WANT TO GIVE
SOME EXAMPLES OF THE IMPACTS O
THESE LOW WAGES. YOU MIGHT
REMEMBER WHEN KING COUNTY
PURCHASED 10 HOTELS AND
APARTMENT BUILDINGS TO HOUSE
PEOPLE LIVING ON SHELTER DURING
THE PANDEMIC, BUT COULD NOT
OPEN HALF OF THEM DO TO
WORKFORCE SHORTAGES. THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY HAS REPEATEDLY TOLD U
THAT AMONG ITS FIVE LARGEST
CONTRACTED ORGANIZATIONS THERE
ARE MORE THAN 300 VACANT
POSITIONS. THIS IS SOMETHING
THEY ARE WORKING ON WITH THEIR
WAGE EQUITY INVESTMENTS TO
ADDRESS. DURING PUBLIC COMMENT
AT THE MARCH MEETING, WE HEARD
FROM NONPROFIT LEADERS WHO
TESTIFIED THAT MULTIPLE
CHILDCARE CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING
SOME FOR INFANTS, ARE GOING
EMPTY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND
STAFF TO WORK SUCH LOW WAGES. W
HEARD PUBLIC COMMENT FROM
AMANDA, A HUMAN SERVICES WORKE
WITH 14 YEARS EXPERIENCE, WHO
HAS TO TAKE A SECOND JOB IN
FOOD SERVICES TO AFFORD TO WORK
IN THIS FIELD. WE KNOW THE
CRISIS CONNECTIONS EXPERIENCES
50% TURNOVER RATE DUE TO LOW
WAGES. EVEN AS THEY ARE ON THE
FRONT LINE FOR THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A BEHAVIORA
HEALTH CRISIS ON THE WORST DAY
OF THEIR LIVES. THE
INTERVENTION PROGRAM CAN'T
RETAIN STAFF FOR MORE THAN A
YEAR IN A KEY POSITION THAT
COOKS MEALS AND RUNS THE PROGRA
AND THEY TESTIFIED THAT MULTIPL
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE
NORTH AND HAVE SEVERELY
RESTRICTED HOURS OR HAVE CLOSED
ENTIRELY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT
ATTRACT STAFF FOR LOW WAGES. I
THINK WE CAN ALL POINT TO
MULTIPLE INSTANCES IN THE PAST
YEAR OR TWO WHEN COUNCIL HAS
PROVIDED FUNDING FOR THESE
ESSENTIAL, URGENTLY NEEDED
WORKFORCE INVESTMENTS, SUCH AS
RESPONDING TO PEOPLE IN
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS OR
SHELTERING PEOPLE LIVING ON THE
STREETS. FUNDS THAT WENT
UNSPENT BECAUSE PROVIDERS WERE
UNABLE TO HIRE STAFF. FIXING TH
PAY PENALTY IS NOT EASY AND WE
KNOW THE CITY CAN'T DO IT
ALONE. ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
FUNDING PARTNERS MUST WORK IN
CONCERT TO INCREASE WAGES FOR
THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS. WE ARE
NOT ALONE. WE SAW THAT WAGE
EQUITY EFFORTS ARE CURRENTLY
UNDERWAY OR PROPOSED BY THE
COUNTY, THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY, AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE. DURING PUBLIC COMMENT W
HEARD FROM UNITED WAY OF KING
COUNTY WHO IS ALSO SIMILARLY
WORKING TO INCREASE WORKER
WAGES, CONSISTENT WITH
RECOGNITION THAT PRIVATE
FUNDERS ARE ALSO REALLY
IMPORTANT IN ADDRESSING THESE
ISSUES. AS JURISDICTIONS AND
LEVEES MOVE FORWARD WITH
INCREASING THESE WAGES IN THE
NONPROFIT HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR
OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
WILL FIND ITSELF FALLING FURTHE
AND FURTHER BEHIND IF WE DO NO
KEEP UP. BECAUSE THERE
CONTRACTED ORGANIZATIONS WILL B
COMPETING TO HIRE THE SAME POOL
OF WORKERS, BUT POTENTIALLY
OFFERING LOWER WAGES. IF WE
EXPECT OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO
ACT ROBUSTLY AND QUICKLY IN
RESPONSE TO THIS COUNCIL'S
PRIORITIES, WE CANNOT TIE THEI
HANDS BY PROVIDING THE LOWEST
WAGES IN THE REGION. IN
CLOSING, THIS IS A CAREFUL,
MEASURED RESOLUTION THAT WILL
ALLOW THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY
TO CONTINUE OUR WORK TO ENSURE
EQUITABLE WAGES FOR WORKERS WER
TACKLING SOME OF THE MOST
DIFFICULT WORK IN THE CITY AND
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT
THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>> SORRY, MY HAND --
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> CAN YOU PLEASE READ WHAT YOU
RECEIVED FROM THE EXECUTIVE
BEFORE WE STARTED THIS
DISCUSSION.
>> SURE. WE WON'T OBJECT TO THI
LEGISLATION AND THE MAYOR HAS
ASKED THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS
ENGAGE WITH THE SEATTLE HUMAN
SERVICES COALITION, CONVENING
TO EXPLORE STRATEGIES FOR
ADDRESSING WAGE EQUITY. PLEASE
KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE HE HAS
NOT ADDED HIS NAME TO THE
LEGISLATION, WE REMAIN EAGER TO
IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT
OUR HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDER.
THANK YOU AND ALWAYS FEEL
WELCOME TO REACH OUT AT ANY
TIME. THE MAIN FUNCTION FOR THE
EXECUTIVE IN THIS RESOLUTION I
THE PARTICIPATION IN THE
ROUNDTABLE AND THIS IS A MESSAG
SAYING THAT THEY WILL
PARTICIPATE AND THEY DON'T NEED
TO SIGN THE RESOLUTION IN ORDER
TO CONVEY THAT COMMITMENT
COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU. I AM SORRY FOR
NOT SEEING YOUR HAND UP BEFORE
CALLING FOR THE ROLE. AND IF
THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS I WIL
HOLD THE CALL. NO? ALL RIGHT,
MISTER CLERK.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> ABSTAIN.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> ABSTAIN.
>> VICE CHAIR LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> CHAIR HERBOLD.
>> YES.
>> THREE YES, TO ABSTAIN.
>> THINK YOU VERY MUCH. THE
RESOLUTION WILL MOVE TO THE
FULL COUNCIL MEETING I BELIEVE
ON JUNE 19 AND WITH THAT WE CA
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM THREE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
AGENDA ITEM THREE?
>> OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT HEAT AND SMOKE
PREPAREDNESS PLAN. A VIRTUAL
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU AND YES, I SEE
THAT WE ARE JOINED VIRTUALLY
WITH THE DIRECTOR JOINING US.
WANT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF
THOUGHTS BEFORE I HANDED OVER.
WE KNOW THAT SUMMERS ARE
INCREASING IN INTENSITY. BETWEE
84 AND 2020 THE CITY ONLY
RECORDED FOUR DAYS TOTAL WITH
100 DEGREE TEMPERATURES. IN 202
THE CITY AND REGION EXPERIENCE
RECORD-BREAKING TEMPERATURES
FOR THREE DAYS, REACHING A NEW
RECORD OF 108 DEGREES FOR AN
EYE, WHICH DAMAGED CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE I-5,
OVERWHELMED HOSPITAL EMERGENCY
ROOMS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND
CAUSING SIGNIFICANT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TO LOCAL
WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
THE HEAT WAVE LED TO THE DEATH
OF OVER 30 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT
KING COUNTY. WE KNOW THAT
CLIMATE CHANGE HAS GIVEN US A
NEW TIME OF YEAR THAT MANY
SEATTLE RESIDENTS REFER TO AS
SMOKE SEASON. OUR CITY'S
LOCATION BETWEEN MOUNTAIN
RANGES HELPS TO TRAP AIR
POLLUTANTS, LIKE SMOKE,
SOMETIMES FOR WEEKS. AND THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST IS A
CORNERSTONE FOR OUR NATIONS
CONSERVATION EFFORTS. WE REALLY
RECOGNIZE THAT SEATTLE HAD TH
WORST AIR QUALITY LAST
SEPTEMBER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD,
DUE TO SMOKE FROM A FIRE IN TH
EASTERN CASCADE RANGE. WITH THI
RECOGNITION OF THESE CHALLENGES
CITY COUNCIL HAS ASKED THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
TO INTEGRATE INTO ITS PLANNING
FOR A VARIETY OF EMERGENCIES,
TO INTEGRATE AN OPERATIONS PLA
FOR EXTREME HEAT AND WILDFIRE
SMOKE, AS PART OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PLAN. TODAY DIRECTOR
CURRY MAYER IS JOINING US TO
PREVENT PRESENT INFORMATION
FROM A DRAFT OF THIS PLAN AND I
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US TODAY AND TAKING ON
THIS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK AND
YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY IS
TIMELY. THANK YOU. AND I SEE
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S HAND I
UP. DID YOU HAVE OPENING
REMARKS?
>> NOT AN OPENING REMARK, BUT I
WANTED TO COMPLEMENT WHAT YOU
SAID AS YOU HANDED OVER. AS WE
SAW NEW YORK GRAPPLE WITH THE
SMOKE AND CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBA
WARMING, THE MAYOR COMMENTED
THERE IS NO PLAYBOOK FOR THIS
AND I DISAGREE WITH THAT. I FEE
LIKE YOU AND YOUR TEAM, SEATTL
AND OUR REGION, INCLUDING KING
COUNTY, HAVE OFFERED A
PLAYBOOK, UNFORTUNATELY. THERE
IS A PLAYBOOK. OBVIOUSLY WE
CONTINUE TO TRY TO STRENGTHEN
IT AND MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE FRON
LINE AND HOPEFULLY WE WON'T
HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AS MUCH AS
WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS GLOBAL
WARMING, BUT I THINK YOU DESERV
CREDIT FOR BEING OUT THERE
EARLY. MAYBE OUR NEIGHBOR WILL
RECOGNIZE THAT.
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK
YOU, COUNCIL CHAIR HERBOLD FOR
INVITING ME TO THE COMMITTEE AN
THANK YOU COMMITTEE MEMBERS FO
BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR INTERES
IN BOTH EXTREME HEAT AND SMOKE
PREPAREDNESS. I ACTUALLY, ODDLY
ENOUGH, JUST RETURNED FROM A
CRISIS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., LAST WEEK,
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR
EXTREME SMOKE FROM CANADA. SO
THERE REALLY IS NO PLACE THAT
THESE KINDS OF EVENTS ARE NOT
IMPACTING. SO I APPRECIATE THAT
I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS
IS AN ANNEX TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PLAN, AS
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
MENTIONED. IT HAS GONE THROUGH
ALL OF THE COMMITTEES EXCEPT
THE EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE DIRECTO
-- WHICH ARE THE DEPARTMENT
DIRECTORS FOR ADOPTION AND THE
IT WILL MOVE TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR COUNCIL. AS I
MENTIONED IT IS AN ANNEX. THE
PURPOSE IS TO ENABLE THE
COORDINATED MULTIDISCIPLINARY
AND DEPARTMENTAL AND
JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSE DURING
BOTH HEAT AND SMOKE EVENTS. IT
APPLIES TO ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS. IT TALKS ABOUT
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND
HOW WE ALL SUPPORT EACH OTHER
AND ALSO TO THOSE PARTNERS THA
WE RELY ON, LIKE KING COUNTY
METRO, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND OTHER
OUTSIDE THE CITY. THE SCOPE IS
THAT IT ALIGNS WITH PROCESSES
AND STRUCTURES THAT ARE ALREADY
IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS REALL
THE LARGER DOCUMENT THAT TALKS
ABOUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIE
FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS DURING
ANYTHING THAT IMPACTS THE CITY'
ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO
RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. THERE I
ADDITIONAL DETAIL HERE ABOUT HO
WE WOULD COORDINATE THE
RESPONSE TO HEAT AND SMOKE
EVENTS AND INCLUDES ACTIONS
RELATED TO HEAT RELATED
HAZARDS. SO SOMETHING IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PLAN IS THE SEATTLE
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND
VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS, OR
SHIVA, THAT NOT ONLY LOOKS AT
HAZARDS, BUT USES THE SOCIAL
VULNERABILITY INDEX AND
COMMUNITY PROFILES SO WE CAN
REALLY PINPOINT WHICH
COMMUNITIES WILL BE MOST
IMPACTED AND WHAT ARE THOSE
ACTIONS THAT WE, AS A CITY, CAN
TAKE TO HELP PEOPLE UNDER ALL
OF THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CIRCUMSTANCES AND OF COURSE,
WITH HEAT RELATED HAZARD THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF CASCADING EVENT
THAT CAN CAUSE POWER OUTAGES,
INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER KINDS
OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE. YOU HAV
HEARD ABOUT IMPACT TO BRIDGES
AND OVERPASSES. SO, ALL OF
THOSE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT
FOR HEAT IN PARTICULAR AND THE
ALSO WE NOTE -- AND MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE KNOW -- WE MADE TO
SPECIFIC CONDITIONS AT THE TIME
OF THE ACTUAL INCIDENT. I DID
WANT TO MENTION THAT THERE ARE
COUPLE OF LIMITATIONS. CITY
DEPARTMENTS OF COURSE WILL DO
OUR BEST TO RESPOND AND HELP
PEOPLE IMPACTED, BUT THERE ARE
SOME THINGS THAT MAKE SOME OF
THAT RESPONSE MORE CHALLENGING.
ONE IS THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
WAS NOT BUILT FOR EXTREME HEAT
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, MORE THAN
HALF OF THE SEATTLE HOMES HERE
DO NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AR
GOOD FILTRATION SYSTEMS AND
ACTUALLY MANY RESIDENTIAL
BUILDINGS WERE BUILT TO RETAIN
HEAT. BECAUSE IN THE PAST, AS
YOU KNOW, IT HAD BEEN RELATIVEL
COOL AND WE ARE SO FAR NORTH
THAT WE WANTED ARCHITECTURE THA
WOULD RETAIN HEAT, WHICH NOW
MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT WHEN WE
HAVE EXTREME HEAT SITUATIONS
AND NEED TO HELP PEOPLE COOL
OFF. WE ALSO HAVE LIMITED
OPTIONS FOR COLD SPACES THAT W
CAN DIRECT PEOPLE TO GO TO. YOU
MAY REMEMBER THAT WE DID FOCUS
GROUPS ABOUT A YEAR AGO FOR
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THROUGHOU
SEATTLE AND LEARNED THAT SOME %
OF THE OPTIONS THE CITY HAD
PROVIDED IN THE PAST, FOR
EXAMPLE A COOLING CENTER THAT
WAS A COMMUNITY CENTER AND OTHE
LARGE ROOM THAT WAS COOL, BUT
THERE WAS NOT MUCH ELSE THERE.
IT WAS NOT APPEALING TO PEOPLE.
IT WAS HARD FOR PEOPLE WITH
CHILDREN OR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ELDERLY OR PEOPLE WHO HAD TO
TRAVEL A GREAT DISTANCE TO SIT
IN A ROOM THAT WAS COOL. THIS
LAST SUMMER, THE SUMMER BEFORE
THE ONE WE ARE IN NOW, WE DID
PROVIDE COOLING OPTIONS TO
PLACES PEOPLE ALREADY GO. SOME
SENIORS IN THE INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT AND OTHER PLACES WHER
PEOPLE ALREADY WERE GATHERING,
SO THEY DID NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL
AND IT WAS A PLACE THEY WERE
FAMILIAR WITH AND HAD OTHER
SERVICES AS WELL. THIS IS A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SHIVA
I MENTIONED AND REALLY THE
CONSEQUENCES OF EXTREME HEAT AN
WILDFIRE SMOKE TEND TO FALL IN
THESE THREE CATEGORIES. HEALTH,
TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND OTHER
WEATHER AND CLIMATE HAZARDS
COMBINED WITH THOSE. YOU COULD
GET, YOU KNOW, LIGHTNING STORMS
AND OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD
MAKE THE HEAT MORE
CONSEQUENTIAL. THERE ARE ALSO A
NUMBER OF CONSEQUENCES
IDENTIFIED WITH EACH OF THESE
CATEGORIES AND THOSE ARE ALL
LISTED IN THE ANNEX. IF YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN SEEING SOME OF
THOSE OTHER, THE CONSEQUENCES
AND ACTIONS. OEM, OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMEN, IS THE
PLAN COORDINATOR. YOU WILL SEE
THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENTS, MEANIN
THAT APARTMENTS WITH THE MAJOR
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HEAT AND
SMOKE ARE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE
SO, HSD. PARKS AND REC. MAYOR'
OFFICE, COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT, TRANSPORTATION,
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES AND CITY LIGHT. ON TH
RIGHT YOU WILL SEE A NUMBER OF
SUPPORTING AGENCIES THAT ALSO
HAVE REALLY IMPORTANT ROLES.
PUBLIC HEALTH, KIND OF GOES
WITHOUT SAYING. THE LIBRARY
OFTEN HAS COOLING CENTERS. THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE
DEPARTMENT, INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY. THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE CITY.
THE SEATTLE CENTER. THE OFFICE
OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
AFFAIRS. SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
KING COUNTY METRO AND THE OFFIC
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SOME O
OUR RESPONSE STRATEGIES INCLUD
THOSE THAT YOU SEE HERE.
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT MONITORS TH
POWER SYSTEM FOR LOAD AND MAKIN
SURE THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH
STRESS ON THE SYSTEM. THAT OFTE
HAPPENS DURING EXTREME HEAT
EVENTS. SYSTEM FAILURES ARE
DETECTED EARLY AND CAN BE
RESOLVED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
DUE TO THAT MONITORING. SDOT
ALSO ENGAGES IN EXTREME HEAT
MITIGATION AND LOOKS AT
POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO
INFRASTRUCTURE. THEY FOCUS ON
WATER COOLING OF ROADWAYS AND
BRIDGES. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS
TO KEEP EVERYTHING FLOWING.
THEY HAVE A RESPONSE PLAN THAT
DETAILS SPECIFICALLY WHAT THOSE
RESPONSE ACTIONS WILL BE AND OF
COURSE ALSO BOTH CITY LIGHT AND
SDOT ARE CONCERNED WITH WORKER
SAFETY. ANY DEPARTMENT THAT HA
WORKERS THAT ARE OUTSIDE,
MONITORING CONDITIONS AND
MAKING SURE THEY CAN MODIFY,
RESCHEDULE, OR CANCEL PLANNED
OUTDOOR WORK DURING PERIODS OF
EXTREME HEAT. SOME OTHER
STRATEGIES ARE THAT THE CITY
WORKS WITH OUTDOOR PARTNERS.
CITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE COOLIN
LOCATIONS, SO EXISTING PUBLIC
SPACES THAT PEOPLE ALREADY GO
TO, LIKE THE LIBRARY AND
COMMUNITY CENTERS. THE ARMORY
IS ALSO AVAILABLE, IF NEED BE.
AIR-CONDITIONED SPACES THAT ARE
NOT TYPICALLY AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC CAN ALSO BE MADE
AVAILABLE IN VERY SHORT ORDER.
THROUGH OTHERS WE CAN PROVIDE
TEMPORARY COOLING, LIKE PORTABL
AIR CONDITIONERS TO THOSE PLACE
FOR RURAL POPULATIONS SUCH AS
THE ELDERLY OR DAY CARE CENTERS
WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY
FREQUENTING. ALSO, WE PARTNER
WITH SOME PRIVATE SECTOR
ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE MALLS AND
OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE AIR
CONDITIONING, SO PEOPLE CAN GO
THERE AND GET COOLED. AS YOU
MIGHT IMAGINE, PUBLIC MESSAGING
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF
THE WAYS THAT WE DO THAT THROUG
CITY COUNCIL AND LETTING YOUR
CONSTITUENTS KNOW WHERE THOSE
PLACES ARE THAT THEY CAN GO OR
THEY SHOULD STAY INSIDE IF THER
IS A LOT OF SMOKE OR WEIGH A
MASK. ALL OF THE OTHER WAYS THE
CITY COMMUNICATES WITH THE
PUBLIC. SO, THERE ARE A FEW
ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES FOR SMOKE
DURING AN EXTENDED SEVERE
WILDFIRE SMOKE EVENT. THE CITY
WOULD WORK WITH REGIONAL
PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY INDOOR
SPACES THAT HAVE FILTRATION AN
ESTABLISH CLEAN-AIR SPACES, NOT
JUST PLACES THAT WOULD BE COOL.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, CITY
DEPARTMENTS CAN CURTAIL OUTDOOR
WORK AND ALL OF THESE THINGS
THAT WE DO ARE IN LINE WITH WHA
THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY RULES ARE
FOR HOW WE DEAL WITH SMOKE AND
HOW WE PROTECT PEOPLE. SO SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT OEM DOES.
FIRST, WE ARE CONSTANTLY
MONITORING ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT IMPACT THE CITY AND ONE OF
THE PARTNERS AS YOU MIGHT
IMAGINE IS THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. SO USUALLY THERE IS A
2 TO 5 DAY ADVANCE NOTICE FOR
HOT WEATHER AND USUALLY WE GET
SOME ADVANCED NOTICE FOR SMOKE
AS WELL. SO WHEN THE FORECASTS
INDICATE THAT THESE ARE GOING
TO BE ISSUES, WE SHARE THAT
INFORMATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS
AND OTHER GROUPS THAT WE
REGULARLY INTERACT WITH AND THE
WE SET UP A SITUATION
ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE CALL. SO
THAT WE CAN DO SEVERAL THINGS.
LOOK AT THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES
FOR KEY CITY DEPARTMENTS ALONG
WITH OUTSIDE PARTNERS, LIKE
PUBLIC HEALTH AND WE GO THROUG
THE WEATHER FORECAST. HOW LONG
IT IS LIKELY TO STAY. WE LOOK
AT THE PUGET SOUND CLEAN AIR
AGENCY RATINGS. WE ASSESS
IMPACT TO THOSE THAT THE CITY
SERVES AND THEN WE LOOK AT WHA
ARE THOSE ACTIONS WE ARE GOING
TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY. THOSE
ACTIONS, SOME INCLUDE THINGS
THAT WOULD HAPPEN PRIOR TO IT
GETTING REALLY HOT AND SMOKY AN
ALSO HOW LONG WE MAY NEED TO
HAVE COOLING CENTERS OR CENTER
WITH FILTRATION OPEN AND
COMMUNICATE THAT OUT. WE DO A
LOT OF THIS COORDINATION USING
MICROSOFT TEAMS AND SMALLER
EVENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OU
STAKEHOLDERS CAN USE THAT
PLATFORM. IT IS EASY FOR US TO
GET TOGETHER IN A HURRY. AS
OPPOSED TO BRINGING PEOPLE INTO
TH EOC, BUT WE CAN DO THAT AS
WELL IF IT LOOKS LACK LIKE THE
IMPACT WILL BE LARGER AND WE
NEED THE IN PERSON, FACE-TO-FAC
COORDINATION. SO, FOR AN EVENT
THAT IS LARGER ARE EXPECTED TO
GO ON FOR A LONG TIME, WE WOULD
ASK CITY DEPARTMENT
REPRESENTATIVES TO COME TO THE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND
OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS TYPE OF
EVENT WOULD INCLUDE, WHAT IS
THE IMPACT OF CITY SEVICES?
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, IS IT
VULNERABLE? ARE THERE LIKELY T
BE HEAT IMPACTS TO
INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT ARE
THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOIN
TO BE MOST IMPACTED AND OF
COURSE, MOST ESPECIALLY
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THEN
WHAT ARE THE OTHER ACTIONS WE
CAN TAKE TO HELP MITIGATE THAT?
WE ALSO LOOK AT THE NEED FOR
COOLING AND SMOKE-FREE
LOCATIONS, AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, AND MAKING SURE THAT
PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED NOWHER
TO GO AND HOW TO GET PROTECTIO
EQUIPMENT. HOW TO MAKE A REALLY
EASY FILTRATION SYSTEM, WITH A
BOX FAN. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS WE PUT OUT. AND MAKING
SURE WE USE ALL OF OUR
COMMUNICATION AVENUES FOR THAT.
ALSO, WE HAVE A CITY OF SEATTL
HEAT AND SMOKE WEBSITE THAT IS
JUST DIRECTED TO HERE IS WHAT
TO LOOK FOR IN THESE TYPES OF
EVENTS AND WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU
WILL FIND THAT AT
SEATTLE.GOV/HEAT IN ADDITION T
THIS ANNEX THAT I HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO YOU TODAY ABOUT. SO
IN SUMMARY THIS PLAN IS BASED
NOT ONLY ON INPUT FROM INTERNAL
AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, BUT
ALSO THE FOCUS GROUPS THAT WE
CONTINUE TO DO WITH DIFFERENT
COMMUNITY GROUPS TO MAKE SURE
THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS,
THAT WE ALL THINK THOSE ARE A
GOOD IDEA, MAKING SURE THE
COMMUNITIES IMPACTED AGREE AND
OFTEN THEY HAVE INPUT ABOUT HOW
TO CHANGE THINGS TO MAKE IT MOR
ACCESSIBLE OR EASIER TO ACCESS
AS I MENTIONED, IT IS ALL CITY
DEPARTMENTS, OUTSIDE PARTNERS,
AS WELL AS ACTIONS FOCUSED ON
CITY DEPARTMENT WORK AND HELPIN
THE COMMUNITY AND OF COURSE
OUR FOCUS AT OEM IS TO ENSURE
THIS UNITY OF EFFORT WHEN WE AR
MANAGING THE CONSEQUENCES OF
HEAT AND SMOKE, JUST LIKE WE
WOULD DO UNITY OF EFFORT FOR AN
OTHER TYPE OF INCIDENT OR
DISASTER. SO, HAPPY TO TAKE AN
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR INTEREST IN THE HEAT AND
SMOKE ANNEX.
>> THANK YOU. AS WELL AS TO AL
OF YOUR STAFF COORDINATING THI
IMPORTANT WORK. I AM JUST GOIN
TO MAYBE START OFF WITH A
QUESTION AND MAYBE MY COLLEAGUE
WILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL ONES,
BUT THE PLAN SAYS RIGHT UP FRON
THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS
UNPREPARED FOR EXTREME HEAT AND
SMOKE. I AM WONDERING, FROM
YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS THE
MOST EFFECTIVE INVESTMENT, WHAT
ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE
INVESTMENTS, THAT WE CAN MAKE I
THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO ADDRESS
THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND
BEST PROTECT VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES FROM HEAT AND SMOKE
EVENTS AND INCREASE OUR OVERALL
PREPAREDNESS?
>> SO I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A
LOT OF CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW,
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS WELL AS
HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE, ABOUT
AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. SO I
THINK A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS
OF WHAT IS, FIRST, MOST
VULNERABLE TO HEAT. WHETHER THA
IS BRIDGES, OTHER OVERPASSES
ARE THE THINGS THAT COME TO MIN
FIRST, BUT ALSO COULD BE HAVING
TO DO WITH WATER AND WASTEWATER
SO, A REALLY GOOD ASSESSMENT
OF, ONE, HOW HEAT AFFECTS THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH ONES ARE
THE OLDEST AND WHICH ARE IN BES
NEED OF REPAIR AND THEN
PRIORITIZING WHAT SHOULD BE
FIRST, SECOND, AND SO FORTH AND
ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE
COST AND HOW YOU COULD DO SOME
KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR
IN A PHASED APPROACH, SO THAT
YOU ARE NOT HAVING REALLY
EXPENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR
ALL AT ONE TIME.
>> AND JUST FOLLOWING UP ON
THAT, BECAUSE YOU DID MENTION
THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION AROUN
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT. DO
YOU THINK THAT, ASIDE FROM THE
POOR SHAPE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTUR
NATIONALLY, DRIVING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, ARE THE IMPACTS
OF EXTREME HEAT ALSO A
CONSIDERATION IN THOSE NATIONAL
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT?
>> GOOD QUESTION. YES,
ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAVE HEARD
-- FOR HEAT, ANYWAY, AND HEAT
IMPACTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE TEND
TO BE IN PLACES WHO HAVE
HISTORICALLY VERY HOT WEATHER.
AND ALSO SOMETIMES HUMIDITY CAN
BE A FACTOR, DEPENDING ON THE
AGE OF PIPES AND OTHER KINDS O
STRUCTURES. BUT I THINK IT IS
REALLY, AS YOU MENTIONED AT THE
BEGINNING OF THIS, HOW YOU KNOW
THE CHANGE IN CLIMATE HAS
REALLY, OBVIOUSLY, IMPACTED
EVERYWHERE. THAT THOSE PLACES
THAT ARE NOT USED TO HAVING TH
CONVERSATION ABOUT HEAT IMPACTS
LIKE SEATTLE, WILL NEED TO COM
TO THE FOREFRONT. BUT IT IS
DEFINITELY A CONVERSATION I HAV
HEARD IN MY PROFESSION ABOUT
INTEGRATING EMERGENCY MANAGEMEN
AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
MITIGATION WITH INFRASTRUCTURE
NOT ONLY STRENGTHENING
INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT MORE
INTERACTION BETWEEN
INFRASTRUCTURE OWNERS AND THE
PUBLIC SECTOR. YOU KNOW, IT IS
USUALLY A COMBINATION OF THE
PUBLIC SECTOR AND PRIVATE SECTO
THAT OWN INFRASTRUCTURE OR HAV
SOME SAY IN PROTECTING IT AND
STRENGTHENING IT. SO, AS WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AND GET AWAY FROM
WORRYING ABOUT EXPOSING
VULNERABILITIES TO
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN REALLY
FOCUSING ON HOW TO WE MAKE
THINGS STRONGER, I THINK IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BECAUSE
I WILL KEEP PLUGGING ALONG.
>> I WILL JUST SAY THAT WE ARE
CITY THAT IS LUCKY TO HAVE MANY
NATURAL SWIMMING AREAS, SO I
WILL PUT IN A PLUG FOR ENSURING
THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE STAFFING
FOR LIFEGUARDS AT OUR BEACHES.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> SO ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YO
FLAGGED UNDER LIMITATIONS WAS
THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
PARTICULARLY ELDERS, ARE
RELUCTANT TO USE COOLING
CENTERS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW
WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS?
>> YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU
BRINGING THAT UP. SO IT WAS NO
SO MUCH THAT THEY WERE
RELUCTANT BUT THAT THE
RELUCTANCE HAD TO DO WITH TWO
THINGS. ONE, NOBODY WANTED,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE, WANTED
TO GO AND SIT IN A ROOM THAT
WAS EMPTY BUT HAD AIR
CONDITIONING. RIGHT? SO A BIG
OPEN SPACE WITH COOLING, THAT
IS NOT APPEALING. AND I THINK
FOR ELDERS, THE TRANSPORTATION
PIECE IS HARD. IT IS KIND OF A
INTERESTING DILEMMA, BECAUSE
OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE
ELDERLY OR HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES
DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THE
COMFORT OF THEIR SPACE AND THE
THAT CAN BECOME DANGEROUS. YOU
KNOW, THEY TEND TO STAY PUT
EVEN IF THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE
AND THEY ARE HOT AND THEY ARE
PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION,
BECAUSE IT IS TOO HOT AND THEY
CAN HAVE HEALTH CONCERNS. THEY
CAN EVEN DIE FROM EXCESSIVE
HEAT. SO THE MAIN WAYS WE HAVE
LOOKED AT THAT IS, WHAT ARE TH
COMMUNITY CENTERS OR
ORGANIZATIONS OR PROGRAMS THAT
ALREADY THE TARGET POPULATION
OR AUDIENCES ARE ELDERLY? SO
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY GOING THERE,
ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH IT, AND
GIVING THEM COOLING OPTIONS.
ALSO, HOW CAN WE HELP PROVIDE
TRANSPORTATION OR PARTNER WITH
COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT CAN HELP
US SPEAK WITH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT
BE RELUCTANT, LIKE THE
GOVERNMENT SAYS I SHOULD DO
THIS. IT IS BETTER TO GET THAT
MESSAGE FROM A COMMUNITY
PARTNER THAT WORKS WITH THOSE
POPULATIONS, SO THAT IT IS A
TRUSTED PARTNER AND THEY CAN SA
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH
TRANSPORTATION OR WHAT ARE THE
OTHER BARRIERS TO YOU USING
SOMEPLACE THAT IS COOL, LIKE TH
LIBRARY? SO THOSE HAVE BEEN TH
MAIN WAYS WE HAVE ADDRESSED
THAT. WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING FOR
NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE.
>> SO WE ARE LOOKING AT
TRANSPORTATION ACCOMMODATIONS?
>> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND
DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE
EVENT AND HOW LONG IT IS, KING
COUNTY METRO HAS BEEN A GREAT
PARTNER IN HELPING PROVIDE THAT
TRANSPORTATION.
>> WHAT ABOUT FOR FOLKS WHO
DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES
AND DON'T HAVE ANY COOLING
INFRASTRUCTURE? HAS THERE BEEN
ANY THOUGHT PROVIDED TO STAFF
PROVIDING, EITHER CITY STAFF OR
CONTRACTED PROVIDER STAFF, THA
WOULD OFFER SORT OF TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO ELDERS ABOUT HO
TO DO A BOX FAN COOLER? IT
SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE REALLY
HELPFUL INFORMATION TO GET OUT
BROADLY AND TO ACTUALLY MAYBE D
SOME HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS O
HOW THAT IS A FUNCTION THAT
PEOPLE CAN DO THEMSELVES AT
HOME.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT. YEAH, WE HAVE
DONE THAT. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABL
TO REACH EVERYBODY THAT COULD
PROBABLY USE THAT SERVICE, BUT
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE
ADD TO OUR EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW,
EVEN BEFORE IT GETS REALLY HOT,
WE START TALKING ABOUT THAT.
THERE ARE HOW TO'S ON THE
WEBSITE. WE ALSO SHARE THAT
INFORMATION WITH THE TRUSTED
PARTNER COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT I
WAS TALKING ABOUT. SOMETIMES
THE PERSON DOES NOT WANT TO GO
TO A CLASS AND MAYBE THEY DON'
USE SOCIAL MEDIA. SO GIVING THA
INFORMATION TO THE TRUSTED
COMMUNITY PARTNERS IS ALSO THE
BEST WAY TO GET THAT INFORMATIO
OUT. BUT WE BLANKET SOCIAL MEDI
WITH, HERE IS HOW TO MAKE A
REALLY EASY FAN, SO IT IS ON
ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE THROUGH
TECHNOLOGY, BUT ALSO THE
IN-PERSON INTERACTIONS AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. I AM PAUSING FOR
OTHER QUESTIONS. ANY OTHERS?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR HERBOLD.
>> YOUR EARS PERKED UP WHEN THE
STARTED TALKING ABOUT BRIDGES.
>> THANK YOU NDS FOR MENTIONING
THE IMPACT TO THE BRIDGE
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE SEVERE
HEAT EVENTS. I DO WANT TO TALK
ABOUT COOLING CENTERS AND
WANTED TO KNOW IF, WHEN THE
BUDGET IS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY
COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER FOR
CONSIDERATION, WHETHER THERE
WILL BE PRIORITIZATION OF
CLIMATE RESILIENCY SO THAT
PEOPLE CAN GO INTO THE
REMAINING LIBRARIES AND
COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT MAY NOT
HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. I KNOW
THAT FOR THE NORTHEAST SEATTLE
LIBRARY IN SOUTHEAST LIBRARY,
YOU KNOW, AFTER WE BUDGETED TH
MONEY IT TOOK TWO YEARS AND THA
PROJECT STILL HAS NOT EVEN
STARTED AT THE NORTHEAST
BRANCH. IN TERMS OF BREAKING
GROUND FOR THE COOLING CENTER.
CONSIDERING THE LENGTHY LEAD
TIME TO ACTUALLY INSTALL COOLIN
AND AIR FILTRATION, ARE WE
GOING TO SEE SOME RESOURCES
DEVOTED TO THAT IN THE UPCOMING
BUDGET?
>> YEAH, THAT IS A REALLY GREAT
QUESTION AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO
EXACTLY WHAT WOULD BE INCLUDED
REGARDING THAT FOR NEXT YEAR'S
BUDGET. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME
EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING
THROUGH SOME MITIGATION FUNDING
THAT WE'VE GOT. TWO LIBRARIES
THAT I AM AWARE OF. TO PUT IN
COOLING SYSTEMS AND DO SOME OF
THE SEISMIC RETROFITTING AT TH
LIBRARIES. WHICH IS GREAT, THAT
WE GOT TO COMBINE THOSE TWO INT
ONE. I AM NOT SURE WHEN THAT
GRANT CYCLE, THAT WORK, STARTS
FROM THAT, BUT THE CITY WAS
AWARDED THAT MITIGATION GRANT
FUNDING FOR THE LIBRARIES.
THERE ALSO IS SOME BUILDING
RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE IN
COMMUNITIES GRANT MONEY THAT IS
SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO, THAT
WE RECENTLY APPLIED FOR DATES
WE HAVEN'T GOT THE MONEY YET --
BUT FOR A NUMBER OF CLIMATE
MITIGATION EFFORTS. NOT JUST
FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE, BUT OEM
HELPS COORDINATE OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS APPLYING FOR THAT
GRANT MONEY. SO I BELIEVE THERE
IS ONE FOR PARKS AND RECREATIO
AND I THINK SDOT HAS ONE. I
CAN'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE
DEPARTMENTS, BUT I WILL GET THA
LIST FOR YOU. WE ARE CONSTANTLY
LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET OUTSIDE
FUNDING TO HELP SUPPLEMENT
WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE CIT
BUDGET TO MITIGATE THOSE IMPACT
FROM ALL OF THE IMPACTS FROM
CLIMATE CHANGE. WELL, MAYBE NOT
ALL OF THEM, BUT A GOOD NUMBER
OF THEM AND OF COURSE HEAT IS
ON THE TOP OF THE LIST. THERE
ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT DIE FROM
EXTREME HEAT WORLDWIDE THAN ANY
OTHER DISASTER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, JUST A COUPLE MORE
QUESTIONS. YOU MENTIONED THAT
MORE THAN HALF OF HOMES IN
SEATTLE DO NOT HAVE OR CANNOT
AFFORD AIR PURIFYING TECHNOLOGY
OR IN-HOME ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTROLS LIKE AIR CONDITIONING
AND HEAT PUMPS. GIVEN THAT I
THINK IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT
MANY OF THOSE HOMES THAT DO NOT
HAVE IN-HOME ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTROLS MAY BE LOW INCOME
RESIDENTS, I AM WONDERING
WHETHER OR NOT THERE HAVE BEEN
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OFFICE O
HOUSING ABOUT THE LOW INCOME
HOME OWNERSHIP REPAIR PROGRAM
THAT EXTENDS TYPICALLY TO
WEATHERIZATION, MAKING HOMES
MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT. BUT SINC
THIS IS ANOTHER CLIMATE ISSUE,
I AM WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT
THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR SOME OF THESE FUNDS TO BE
USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
>> YES, SO I MEANT TO MENTION
THAT AS PART OF THIS WORK FOR
THIS EXTREME HEAT ANNEX, AND
AFTER THE FOCUS GROUPS, WE ALSO
GOT TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY
EXECUTIVE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT,
HERE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM YOU AND
FROM THE COMMUNITY AND DOING
SOME PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE IN
TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE
CAN DO RIGHT AWAY THAT WILL HEL
PEOPLE AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS
THAT WILL TAKE A LITTLE MORE
TIME AND INVESTMENT? AND THEN
THAT PRIORITIZED LIST THAT IS
FROM THIS EFFORT, ONCE IT GOES
TO THE FINAL COMMITTEE, WILL
THEN GO TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND OF COURSE WE WILL ALSO SHAR
WITH YOU TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW,
HERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO
RIGHT AWAY THAT MAYBE ONLY TAKE
A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, LIKE
BUYING PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER
FOR SOME PLACES. WE CAN'T, OF
COURSE, AFFORD TO BUY
AIR-CONDITIONING FOR EVERYBODY
IN THE CITY, BUT WE CAN
DEFINITELY DO SOME TARGETING O
THAT AND THEN WHAT ARE THOSE
EFFORTS THAT WILL TAKE A LITTL
BIT MORE INVESTMENT? WHETHER
THAT HAS TO DO WITH HOW WE
STRENGTHEN INFRASTRUCTURE OR
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GREEN SPACES
IN THE CITY WITH MORE TREE
CANOPY, PARKS, AND PLACES THAT
ARE SHADY FOR PEOPLE TO COOL
OFF, WHICH WILL TAKE MORE TIME.
THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT
THE ARCHITECTURE PIECE, YOU
KNOW, I THINK I READ JUST IN
THE LAST SIX MONTHS THAT
SEATTLE HOMES, THOSE OF US WHO
LIVE HERE IN SEATTLE, HAVE THE
LOWEST NUMBER OF
AIR-CONDITIONERS IN RESIDENTIAL
HOMES OF ANYPLACE IN THE
COUNTRY, WHICH IS SURPRISING. I
AM FROM CALIFORNIA, SO THAT WAS
SURPRISING TO ME, AS A LOT OF
PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA HAVE AIR
CONDITIONING. BUT I THINK
BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHY AND
HISTORICALLY THIS AREA HAS NOT
BEEN REALLY WARM, SO THAT HAD
NOT BEEN A PRIORITY. SO WE'RE
KIND OF CATCHING UP. I KNOW
THERE ALSO ARE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT -- AND THIS WOULD APPLY
TO SEATTLE HOUSING AND PROVIDIN
THEM WITH MORE MONEY. THERE IS
SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT LOOKING
AT, BECAUSE HEAT IS SO DEADLY
FOR PEOPLE, THAT FOR NEW
CONSTRUCTION, TALKING WITH
DEVELOPERS ABOUT HEAT
MITIGATION. WHETHER THAT IS A
HEAT PUMP OR AIR-CONDITIONING.
IT IS REALLY A PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSUE. IT IS NOT A LUXURY. IT
USED TO BE THAT PEOPLE IN THE
PAST, OH, THAT IS A LUXURY ITEM
TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONING, AND I
REALLY ISN'T. IT IS A PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUE. BUT HOW WE ENFORC
THAT, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE
WORK THAT THE CITY DOES, I DON'
KNOW HOW WE ANSWER THAT. BUT I
IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT HA
BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR QUITE
SOME TIME NOW.
>> THANK YOU. I AM LOOKING
FORWARD TO RECEIVING A COPY OF
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I
WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY FLAG
THAT THE OFFICE OF HOUSING HAS
A HOME OWNERSHIP REPAIR PROGRAM
FOCUSED ON LOW INCOME
HOMEOWNERS. SO THAT IS AN
EXISTING SOURCE OF FUNDS.
>> OKAY.
>> THAT IF THERE WAS A WAY TO
EXPAND THE USE TO ENSURE AN
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT LIKE
THIS IS CONSIDERED A REPAIR.
FOR THEIR PURPOSES. THERE MAY B
FUNDS ALREADY AVAILABLE.
THROUGH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING.
SO JUST WANTING TO FLAG THAT.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS
TWO PARTS. I KNOW A LOT OF FOLK
WATCHING THIS COMMITTEE HEARING
MIGHT BE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE
CITY SUPPORTS HOMELESS RESIDENT
DURING AN EXTREME WEATHER EVENT
LIKE HEAT AND SMOKE. I KNOW
THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE I
THE REPORT, BUT CAN YOU JUST
SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THE PROCESS FOR ADDRESSING
THOSE NEEDS, WHEN THE EEOC IS
ACTIVATED FOR THESE EVENTS? AND
THEN, SEPARATELY FROM THAT
QUESTION, I NOTED WITH INTEREST
THAT ANIMAL CONTROL IS LISTED
AS A STAKEHOLDER. BUT IT DOES
NOT GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL
ABOUT WHAT ANIMAL CONTROL'S ROL
IS IN EMERGENCIES, PROTECTING
OUR FURRY FRIENDS.
>> I WILL START WITH A SHORT
EASY ONE FIRST. I'M GOING TO
TALK ABOUT ANIMALS FIRST. SO
REALLY IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT HEAT IS
DANGEROUS FOR ANIMALS AS WELL
AND THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT, YO
KNOW, LOCKED UP IN A PLACE
OUTSIDE THAT IS HOT. THAT YOU
DON'T LEAVE AN ANIMAL IN A CAR
OR SOME OTHER STRUCTURE THAT I
TOO HOT FOR THEM. MAKING SURE
THEY HAVE ENOUGH WATER. SO
ANIMAL CONTROL HELP WITH
GETTING THE WORD OUT TO PET
OWNERS AND OTHERS WITH ANIMALS.
YOU KNOW, SERVICE ANIMALS AND
WHATNOT. TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
KNOW, WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS
THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR PETS?
NOW THE QUESTION OF HOMELESSNES
OR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, WE PARTNER WITH
PUBLIC HEALTH TO START WORKING
AHEAD OF TIME, AHEAD OF THE
FORECAST FOR EXTREME HEAT. NOW
GETTING INFORMATION TO OUR
RESIDENTS AND THE PUBLIC THAT
IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THAT THIS HEAT EVENT IS COMING.
WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS MASKS,
THROUGH SMOKE OR WHERE THE
CLOSEST COOLING CENTERS, AGAIN,
ALSO PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION.
WE ALSO WORK WITH FIRE AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ON
HOUSE STAND EXPERIENCING
HEALTH RELATED CONDITIONS.
SORRY, MY LIGHT WENT OUT. FROM
HEAT OR SMOKE AND PROVIDING
EITHER -- IT IS USUALLY ABOUT
TRANSPORTATION, GIVING THEM
SOME KIND OF MITIGATION. WATER,
MASKS, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT IS
DEFINITELY CHALLENGING AND AS
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE LEAD FO
THAT, BUT WE DO AS BEST WE CAN
TO SUPPORT OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENT ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE
OUTSIDE.
>> AND ARE THERE, I'M NOT GOIN
TO SAY SUFFICIENT, BECAUSE I
KNOW THERE AREN'T SUFFICIENT
INDOOR LOCATIONS, BUT ARE THERE
INDOOR LOCATIONS THAT ARE OPENE
UP SIMILAR TO WHEN WE HAVE
COLD-WEATHER EXTREME EVENTS? I
THAT ACCOMMODATION MADE FOR
HEAT AND SMOKE EVENTS, TO OPEN
UP MORE SPACES, AND IS THERE A
PLAN TO OPEN MORE SPACES THAN
WE HAVE OPENED IN PAST YEARS?
>> SO, WE DEFINITELY USE SOME
OF THE SAME SPACES, LIKE THE
LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS
AND BOTH OF THOSE LOCATIONS
HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE
CAN DO. COMMUNITY CENTERS CAN
BE A LITTLE BIT TRICKY. IF THER
ARE OTHER PROGRAMS GOING ON. SO
HOW WE ACCOMMODATE THOSE WHO
MIGHT BE COMING TO THE POOL AND
THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE AN
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM OR SOMETHIN
ELSE GOING ON. THE LOCATIONS AR
IN SHORT SUPPLY AND WE ARE
OFTEN LOOKING TO PRIVATE SECTOR
PARTNERS TO OPEN OTHER
LOCATIONS. AS YOU MENTIONED, WE
DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIBRARIES
OPEN DURING THE DAY, WHICH TEND
TO BE THE HOTTEST PART OF THE
DAY. THAT IS OFTEN HELPFUL. WE
ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WHA
ARE THE OTHER PLACES THAT WE
MIGHT USE AND THEN RELYING ON
THOSE PARTNERS THAT CAN HELP
WITH TRANSPORTATION AND OF
COURSE GETTING THE WORD OUT OF
WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO. THERE IS
DEFINITELY A SHORTAGE OF
FACILITIES.
>> I THINK THE NEED REALLY
EXISTS TO LEAN INTO PRIVATE
SECTOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO HELP
WITH THIS GREAT NEED DURING THE
DAY AT THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE
DAY AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK
THAT THERE ARE SOME
OPPORTUNITIES THERE THAT THE
CITY CAN PURSUE.
>> I AGREE. THAT IS DEFINITELY
SOMETHING WE ARE DOING. YEP,
THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES
ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS ONLINE?
COUNCILMEMBERS LEWIS AND
MOSQUEDA, SOMETIMES I CAN'T SEE
YOUR HAND UP. I'M JUST MAKING
SURE I AM GIVING EVERYBODY THE
OPPORTUNITY. ALL RIGHT, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK. I WANT TO CALL OUT
SPECIFICALLY YOUR WORK
SUPPORTING RESILIENCE HUBS IN
SOUTHPARK AND GEORGETOWN. REALL
THAT IS, SO GRATEFUL FOR THOSE
EFFORTS. AND ALL OF THE
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
TRAININGS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT
OFFERS VIA COMMUNITY SAFETY
AMBASSADORS. WHO YOU HAVE COME
AND TALK TO US ABOUT BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU. VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR
INVITING ME AND HAPPY TO SHARE
WITH YOU WHAT WE ARE DOING.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO IF THERE ARE N
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM
COLLEAGUES, I WILL ADJOURN
TODAY'S MEETING. THE NEXT
COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR
TUESDAY, JUNE 27. IF ANY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ANTICIPATE
BEING ABSENT FROM THAT MEETING,
I ASK THAT YOU GET IN TOUCH WIT
MY OFFICE AND AGAIN IF THERE AR
NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WE WILL
ADJOURN AND THE TIME IS 11:48
A.M. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.