Good afternoon.

Today's May 4th.

The council briefing will come to order.

The time is 2 03 p.m.

Will the court please call the roll?

Councilmember Lynn.

Councilmember Rink.

Councilmember Rivera.

Present.

Councilmember Saka.

Here.

Councilmember Strauss.

Councilmember Foster.

Here.

Councilmember Warez.

Councilmember Kettle.

Here.

Council President Hollingsworth.

Here.

Seven present.

Councilmember Wars and Councilmember Lynn R.

Excuse.

If there's no objection, the minutes of April 27th will be adopted.

Hearing no objections, the minutes are adopted.

Today there are no presentations or proclamations.

There are seven items on the introduction and referral calendar, and there are two executive sessions.

Next Monday, May 11, Council briefing is canceled.

A cancellation notice has been issued.

Colleagues, I've talked to you all, and I will go around, but um us trying to figure out a cadence for council briefing and trying to fit it into a lot of the information that we have coming down the pipeline.

So I will be talking to you all individually about uh scheduling you know our council briefings that are appropriate to uh some of the council actions as well.

So just a heads up, we have that canceled next Monday.

Um also the full council meeting on Tuesday, May 26th is canceled as well.

Um so that is May 26.

That is the day um Memorial Day uh weekend, and so that Tuesday we will have it canceled, and the following week we'll resume all of our well, we're we'll have business that week, but we'll take on the full council meeting the following week.

Um there are no signing of proclamations to sign today.

Um we will begin our discussion on the preview of city council actions, council and regional committees.

Uh I guess we'll start.

I think last time we started with our left.

Is it okay if we start on our right today?

Awesome.

Councilmember Rivera, I know.

Surprise.

Surprise.

I sat here, so I shouldn't have been that surprised.

I don't want to scare anyone from not sitting here because you never know.

But Council More.

I know you're keeping us on our toes.

I appreciate that, Council President.

Umleagues, last week, I'll go with um what I worked on last week.

Um, as you all know, last Wednesday, the Families Education Preschool Promise Implementation and Evaluation Plan was transmitted by the mayor to the council.

I know you've all received that legislation.

I'll be reviewing that legislation.

I'm working with central staff and my office will let you know next steps for the committee schedule.

Um sadly, I I do want to say the mayor had a press conference um last week to announce transmit all of the INE.

Um, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention it was impacted by gun violence, which occurred yet again in our city.

Luckily, no one was injured.

As you all know, colleagues, public safety is something I deeply care about, as I know we all deeply care about.

And as I said in a statement last week, it was jarring to realize that the local children identified the gun um fire instantly.

Uh as you know, last year I put forward um in the 2026 budget some funding for gun gun violence intervention, either summit um or symposium as part of that.

I've been having ongoing conversations with God bless you, um, national a national leader in the gun violence intervention efforts, David Kennedy, um his organization, the National Network for Safe Communities, which identify which I identified in that CBA um has worked with many cities, including Baltimore and Philadelphia to significantly reduce gun violence.

Um still working um uh uh with to figure out what this looks like.

Um as uh as we tackle um gun violence here in our city.

I will say it's really important that um we have this conversation not in silos, but together.

Um and this is really the crux of what I'm trying to do is really make sure we're all working together and having a unified voice and a unified conversation on what this looks like.

Um I've also reached out to the mayor's office about this and the and the city attorney and the prosecuting attorney.

So more to come on on all that will yield, but I know that this is something we all care about, and I want to make sure we are all having this conversation uh together at some point in the near future.

Um last Wednesday was denim day, and um council president and I had a um tour at at the at Magnuson Park, so we missed the photo, but I was wearing denim that day.

So we missed the photo.

And I also had the great pleasure and opportunity to meet with the Seattle Women's Commission.

I so appreciate what they do, and I um I really appreciated learning about their priorities and goals.

And so that was part of what I did on Denham Day, and that was really great.

They're working on some really important things, and I I am so uh I feel really lucky and fortunate that we have a women's commission, and I look forward to working with them as we you know in the in the future here.

Um also last Friday I attended the Association of Washington City's legislative priorities committee meeting.

I sit on the committee.

We talked a lot about the importance of the legislative work to all the cities, and we really had sort of a recap of the last legislative session and sort of just an opportunity to talk about what we might care about moving forward.

Um we did not set an uh legislative priorities agenda coming up, but we started the conversation.

So that was really great.

I really enjoy my participation on the association of Washington Cities.

Many of the cities are uh really all of them.

We all have similar um challenges that that we are working um, and and it feels very much like a um a unifying piece to serve on that association.

No matter how big or small, the issues seem to be very similar, and so really appreciate having the conversation together, whether we agree on some aspects or disagree on others, we come to a compromise piece on what the agenda will look like for the legislative session, and I really like I said appreciate being part of that conversation and representing our city.

Um last week I also met with a small businesses that are members of the University District Partnership, which is our BIA in the U district.

I really appreciate all the work that the BIA does.

Want to give a shout out to our friend who runs the BIA there, and I'm having one of those moments where um I cannot think what's his name.

Uh uh Don Don Blakeney.

Don Blakeney, goodness, Don, apologies.

Um I'm like thinking of five things all at once in my head.

But um Don does really great work, and he's a really great partner in the district, and all the small businesses had an opportunity to share out what their challenges and their concerns are.

Um, and I really appreciate hearing that because as I'm as I represent the district, the small businesses are also constituents that I very much care about.

And as you all know, there are a lot of challenges that run the gamut.

Uh, and I will say I've heard a lot from not just businesses in the U district but throughout the district about the break-ins and repeated break-ins that they've had to weather, um, which is not okay.

Um, and it is something that continues to be just something that we are having, I will be honest, a hard time managing for.

Um, we are working with SPD, of course, and they're great partners at SPD.

Um, and I know that SPD wants to be able to solve all of these break-ins, and it has been, as you all know, challenging because it's not unique to the district I represent.

It's across the gamut.

So I really appreciate all the small businesses in the district and all they do, you know, and I just feel for them a lot of them are mom and pops that are just trying to make a living, and so we really need to give and continued focus to the small businesses in our city.

Um, and then I will say I also attended the Alliance for Education Gala on Saturday.

It was great to see so many leaders in education and philanthropy at the event, including our very own director, Dr.

Dwayne Chappell.

Um, the mayor was there as well, uh, and our friends from Seattle Public Schools were there as well.

So that was really a great event in support of education across our city.

This week I had my regular check-in with Chief Barnes where we talked a lot about those small business break-ins.

I so appreciate the work that they're doing, and then I want to give a special note of gratitude and shout out because of their efforts at Magnuson Park, and I will say this is the first weekend, even though the weather was amazing.

That I did not get any emails or calls over the weekend or today related to Magnuson Park, and that goes to the um chiefs community policing efforts there at the park.

So I really wanted to give a a special shout out to Chief Barnes and the and the community officers that are doing the work there, our police officers who are doing the community policing work there at the park for all their efforts.

So thank you to them.

And then lastly, I will say this Thursday I'll be touring the Evergreen Goodwill location.

They invited me to come tour.

They have a proposal for this sighting of a thousand to two thousand units of affordable housing there, and they wanted to share their plans with me.

And I really look forward to touring that space because even though this may not be the district that I represent, we all very much care about affordable housing.

And um uh I appreciate all opportunities to learn more about the work that's happening across the city toward the affordable housing effort.

So unless anyone have any has any questions, I will pass it over to my colleague, Councilmember Kettle to think about your name, Bob.

Just kidding.

No questions.

All right, thank you, uh, Councilmember Barron.

To uh to bridge that moment, I do uh I always start off with the public safety committee, and I do want to thank uh Don Blakeney and uh for his work on the public safety side.

I know from a BI there's the business pieces, but uh because of the public safety challenges, he does a lot of work there, and uh it's kind of like Aaron Goodman in District One or you know, um in all the districts has their uh you know their um their equivalents to include like John Scholes and the DSA downtown, the greater downtown um pieces that are done.

So thank you to all of them because it's it's definitely value added in terms of the efforts that we're doing on public safety.

Now with that said, we have two meetings uh for the public safety committee meeting coming up this month, and we're breaking away from some of the work that we're doing to um to first on the 12th, so a week tomorrow um it's gonna be accountability partner day to two parts.

First is gonna be OIG with SPD to talk about uh Cattle Anderson protests, this uh the SEER that was done the centennial review um and kind of debrief that a bit, and then the second piece we'll have the three accountability partners um sitting side by side here at the table to basically give a state of play where they are and the issues, budget, whatever it may be uh from their perspective.

So that's for the twelve twelfth, and then uh two weeks after that um it's gonna be primarily OEM but others too, in terms of speaking to preparedness for the World Cup, emergency preparedness, all those aspects to ensure that basically give an opportunity to show and highlight the different aspects.

I just got a briefing today as it relates to the finance committee related to the World Cup and some of the finance pieces, but they relate to primarily to public safety, and so uh so it's important to have that um you know kind of brought to the surface to a degree so that the public can hear what's going on, how the different departments play uh in this.

Um so it's really important.

Okay, uh for this week, uh a lot of meetings with various departments um that's already started today.

Um I'm having a meeting with Juan Cado, um a uh community leader, um, and it's related to a honorary street designation for Kevin Shea, who was killed in action back in 2006 uh military.

Um so there's those pieces, uh, sound foundations uh with the Hope Factory uh Thursday and then Friday, our district seven neighborhood council, our quarterly meeting with all the community councils from each of the neighborhoods come together for the D7 NC, um, which now is created a offshoot by the way, the urban communities um community council, which which brings in Cap Hill into the greater downtown piece uh of that.

Um, and I think that's great because it's a way for these neighborhoods to come together.

Um that will be held in Queen Anne.

And um, and after that, will there be a discussion with Queen Anne Community Council and others related to Queen Anne Pool.

For those that don't know, there's a massive leak.

Uh it's a you know, it's a historically significant location, and there's a lot of challenges.

It's old and um a lot of research, a lot of work had to be due done to really ascertain what the issue with the pool is.

And the pool says it's the Queen Ann Pool, but it's not a Queen Ann Pool asset.

It is broad in terms of the people like indoor, you know, year-round.

And um unfortunately has a major leak.

It's like dropping four loads of each month of water.

I mean, we just can't have it.

So we're gonna step forward on that, and then better part of a year and a half to fix, it's gonna be uh painful.

And for those who have kids who particularly are in swim teams, uh the dynamic, the ripple effects in terms of schedules.

Uh you know, everybody's gonna have to get up at 3 a.m.

in order to get to practice.

Um then Saturday, Queen Anne Farmers Market is starting up.

Um, you know, it has this kind of soft start.

Um, and um, so just want to highlight you know the farmers' markets, um, in this case Queen Anne Farmers Market.

Very good.

Uh, next week, um, you know, uh I'll be doing more site visits.

I'm gonna speak to this later, but um I'll be down at McDonald's on third, and uh you know, talking it's gonna be a little different angle there with Third Pike and Pine talking about that.

Um later that day, very important.

I'm not gonna say anything more, but except to say that I'm gonna be attending a certain town hall that's basically going to be hosted by um my colleague here, Senator uh Senator Councilmember Strauss uh just promoted you for a different version of the Dan and Bob show.

Um, but this is gonna be broader uh as it relates to Sound Transit.

I'm not gonna say anything more, you got it.

Um Inspire Washington uh next Tuesday uh in Cultural Futures.

Um be doing some with MLK labor on public safety on Wednesday, and then um and also want to note on Friday of the uh Pacific Science Center, PAC Sci Ignite Luncheon.

And I bring this up because Mr.

Will Doherty, who's been the uh CEO of Pacific Science Center, it will be stepping down, and um and it's a uh a big moment uh in terms of stabilization of the Pacific Science Center, and it's also a transition where the Pacific Science Center is getting re-integrated, if you will, into the Seattle Center experience, and so that's gonna be a big moment on Friday of next week.

I just wanted to note uh from last week, had great meetings at like Lake Union Dry Dock on Wednesday and then MSc cruises.

I meet with all the various cruise lines and uh you know the work that comes in because it's incredible the what happens with that in our city, particularly because we're off we're logistical hub too, it's it's fantastic.

Um, but also highlights the maritime piece.

Going to be working this.

I'm also working with the Port of Seattle on something uh which I'll update later, but you know, just trying to keep pushing the maritime aspects, whether it's Lake Union Dry Dock, which is on the border between uh D7 and D3.

I think most of it's actually in D3, and that's not you know, I just have a sliver uh pieces of it, but uh anyways, uh that's really important.

And then uh last Thursday uh went into D6 to Catherine Blaine.

I had an hour and a half with eighth graders uh talking about federal law enforcement and and you know, kind of framing it uh as it was interesting as council member kettle, but also as commander kettle and also as uh first generation little boy in the 70s uh uh kettle um because of the the changes and I highlighted to them by the way, and I don't think a lot of people appreciate this.

9-11 had such a dramatic impact in terms of where we were before in the 70s with INS that you know, like me taking the green card down to the post office and where we are today, and it impacts what's happening as it relates to federal law enforcement today.

Um, so it was an interesting conversation for uh with these eighth graders had great questions.

And then uh, but the last thing I wanted to end is and Councilmember Lynn's not here, but on Friday uh last week we had the Rainier Beach safety walk.

It was a great event with representatives from the county, uh, from the school district, um, uh from the community, various community groups.

Um myself and obviously um council member Lynn's team.

We're kind of the host, and just to go and to these various points and talk about the issues and talk about who's who, how they we can be working better together, what things need to be happening.

Um it was a uh you know, three principals from the schools uh that are in that small geographic area, and um, and it's good to you know to see the parents because the parents were involved as well, and to hear their viewpoints and their perspectives, in addition to more broadly community uh members, and um, and it it it is a uh a team effort, and that's the takeaway is that you have to have a team effort on the government side, we really need to work with our county counterparts uh on things like gun violence um intervention prevention um and uh you know, particularly because that too is a regional problem that we have, and uh so I just wanted to thank everyone involved um for that, and particularly for council members Lynn's team who basically was the uh the coordinator of that uh that public safety walk.

And by the way, this is the second one because I did one in North Beacon Hill into Little Saigon and the CID more broadly.

So it's not just the Bob and Dan show, it's becoming the uh the Bob and Eddie or Eddie and Bob show as well.

Uh multiple uh times in community uh but it won't match uh Magnolia though.

Any questions?

All right, over to my colleague from District Six.

Uh thank thank you, Councilmember.

Uh you demonstrate that we are, especially as district electeds are elected by the people in our district, and yet we all still represent the entire city of Seattle, noting that you oftentimes have district office hours in district six, and I actually fundamentally appreciate that because it's all of our job to work together to serve all Seattleites.

And so with that, the Finance Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee will be meeting tomorrow.

We have three items on the agenda.

The first is a briefing on the Centennial Accord with Gordon James.

This is a very special experience because Gordon comes from the Washington State Governor's Office of Indian Affairs, and so Gordon will be walking us through a training on the centennial accord.

This is a very big deal, and we're very lucky to have him.

The second item is a briefing and potential vote on a bill that allows us to accept grants for putting on the FIFA World Cup and enters into a local agreement with the World Cup local organizing committee.

Colleagues, this is uh one time that I will I would like to have an exception to my two-meeting rule because we are in a tight timeline for FIFA World Cup.

So thank you, Councilmember Kettle, for already receiving your briefing.

I did ask uh the mayor's office to brief all council members, especially on the committee.

And so if everyone's comfortable, I'll bring it for a vote tomorrow, and that will go to full council next week.

This bill does have one technical amendment that cleans up a small typo in the number amounts of those grants, and so we'll be putting forward that technical amendment.

The third item is our first of two hearings on Dwight Dively's nomination to be the director of the Office of City Finance, as you may recall from my the way I run it, is the first meeting is more about the background, the resume.

Who are you?

How did you come here?

For many of us, we know uh director Dively very well.

I always remind that this is for those people watching on Seattle Channel that don't necessarily know us from Sam.

So the first meeting will be focused on the resume.

The second meeting that we'll have him will be answering the questions in which we've submitted.

We have we have passed that deadline, we have submitted the questions.

If folks still have questions that they want Director Dively to answer, please talk to me and my team.

Uh moving on to my external committees, Sound Transit.

As you have heard, there's a lot going on.

And so anyone that wants to receive a more in-depth briefing from me, I'm happy to provide it at any time.

The Sound Transit Executive Committee is the committee that is responsible for for putting forward the different approaches that they have started with.

As you heard not having Ballard on the map is unacceptable to me.

That is what the approaches have demonstrated, and so we will see this Thursday, May 7th, what we expect to receive from the executive committee from the chair's package as to what the upcoming approach will be.

So I'll be attending that meeting, even though I don't sit on the committee.

That also brings up Councilmember Sakla.

Thank you for scheduling my safe streets bill in your committee for 9 30 that morning.

I'll be with you from 9 30 to 10, and then I'm gonna go advocate for West Seattle and Ballard down in Sound Transit.

So thank you for letting me uh do well, helping each other out here.

Um so that will be this Thursday, May 7th at 10 a.m.

From there, and actually before there, tomorrow Transportation Choices Coalition is holding a town hall here at City Hall about the future of light rail.

It will be in Bertha Nightlandis room May 5th, doors at 5:30.

Program starts at 6.

This is again hosted by TCC and held here at City Hall.

Then comes this Thursday's executive committee.

Next two next Monday, I should say, is what Councilmember Kettle referenced, and I want to be thankful for my 36th delegation partners.

It's not just the state delegation, it's also Councilmember Jorge Barone, Councilmember Kettle.

We all work together as a good team.

So we will be joined by Sound Transit for what I have told them a 15-minute seven-slide maximum presentation because we're here to hear from the community.

And we will be located Monday, May 11th at 6 p.m.

at the National Nordic Museum.

You've all heard my very clear stance, leaving Ballard off the table is completely unacceptable.

And so this is a chance for the public to let Sound Transit know what they think through question form.

I am hoping that we don't have too many statement questions with that.

Uh and we will be joined by Councilmember Kettle, Senator Noelle Frame, uh Representative Liz Berry, Representative Julia Reed, King County Councilmember Jorge Barone, and we have invited all North King representatives to Sound Transit.

Members of the public can go on my website to find out more information in RSVP.

In District 6, in place of my normal weekly office hours this week, I am changing it to meet about comp plan amendments.

So I'll be going over comp plan zoning maps with residents, and we will get back to our regular cadence on office hours next week, as well as I'll be adding a weekend office hours block sometime this month.

So with that, thank you, colleagues.

That is my report.

I'll take any questions.

Seeing no questions, I will pass it on to Councilmember Rink.

Thank you.

Well, first and foremost, I hope everyone had a good weekend.

It was gorgeous out.

I hope everyone just got out in the sun and enjoyed themselves.

Um it was good to see so many of our neighbors out also enjoying themselves.

So looking forward to this summer.

Um just to dive into uh brief committee update.

Um this week, the resolution sponsored by myself and council member Foster addressing the KCRHA forensic evaluation.

Next steps will be transmitted to the IRC.

This resolution is scheduled to be heard and scheduled for a vote of the Human Services Labor and Economic Development Committee meeting on Friday, May 15th before heading to full council.

Central staff will be connecting with your offices this week to hand off copies of the resolution and will be available to answer questions ahead of the May 15th committee meeting.

Additionally, during the May 15th um committee meeting, we will hear and uh vote on the appointment confirmation for um Bedo Yarse as the director of Office of Economic Development and encourage any council members, uh committee members or not, please attend.

Um without walking through everything I was up to last week.

I just wanted to briefly touch on three big major uh community events that I wanted to highlight uh for today's briefing.

The first of which uh was last Monday.

Um I joined alongside the mayor's office.

I think folks saw that uh the mayor had administered and put out a renter survey and got thousands of responses.

Since then, they have been scheduling these kind of junk fee town halls to take a focused approach of engaging folks on different kinds of junk fees.

Um I joined for one of those, the one hosted at the University of Washington to engage our student population and just understand what are kind of some of the junk fees that they might be um experiencing or having to pay.

Um that was put on in partnership with YDSA and UAW 4121.

It was just a great discussion with um some of our students and residents.

Um the second event I wanted to highlight was um last Thursday with the Office of Labor Standards, actually uh in District 2 at the uh Chinese Information Services Center.

This is the May Day Big Outreach event.

This is a is an event that OLS does annually to do outreach to small businesses about the work that OLS does.

Um was really great to be joined alongside Councilmember Foster as well as Councilmember Lynn to do that work.

And we had a number of our labor partners and uh contracted provider organizations that work alongside businesses there as well.

Um and lastly, um, I wanted to highlight a visit that I had on Friday um to the Recovery High School and Bridges program in uh district seven.

Um for those who aren't aware of this program, it's tremendously important.

It's primarily funded through Seattle Public Schools, but when we're thinking about an after-school third space for uh teens and young people in recovery, can't underscore the importance of that.

So being able to sit down with young folks who are part of that program and just see the real value of having that community space and connection throughout recovery, it's just so important.

So I wanted to uplift that.

If you haven't had a chance to visit with the program, I highly encourage it.

And those are my updates for today.

Thank you.

All right.

Where to start?

Okay, last week was really uh busy week.

I will share over the weekend I had a fantastic time.

I was able to attend the Mount Baker neighborhood cleanup Saturday morning and do some trash pickup.

I also got my 13-year-old out there with me who is big on the micro trash.

So that was a lot of fun.

Um, but you know, colleagues, uh, we heard a lot a few weeks ago from business owners in Mount Baker in regards to the challenges that they've been having in their community.

Um, and it was really important to be out with folks.

Many of the folks who were here in council chambers testifying were also there on Saturday at the trash pickup, and really I think appreciated the engagement.

Um, and many of them are out there um every week or at least every first Saturday.

And so I just want to express my gratitude to them for their leadership.

It was also uh neighbor day, so that was a great moment.

There was lots more folks out there volunteering, but just very clear the leadership that's coming from that community and helping make sure that we are um keeping our states our streets safe and clean.

So shout out to those folks.

Um staying in South Seattle for a second.

My team also attended the safety walk on Friday.

I wasn't able to be there myself, but um, I was glad that my chief of staff was able to attend.

Um I believe at the time I was busy, I had my meeting with Amazon and their uh leadership or lobbying team just to you know start building that relationship.

So appreciate them for coming in over to D2.

Uh sorry, D3.

Um, got a meet, had a fantastic time uh with the Central District Preservation Authority and got a chance to visit their space where they are working hard to bring in entrepreneurs and um really do some really just fantastic um community relight revitalization, economic development, um, and I really enjoyed.

I know there's been other council members who've been out to their location and colleagues, as you're hearing from any small businesses who may be looking for opportunities and spaces to rent, just a really, really fantastic um opportunity there.

Um moving up, uh, I had a chance to be with the refugee artisans initiative in D5.

I know some colleagues went to, and Councilmember Juarez is not here today, their grand reopening.

Um, and we'll just put in a another plug to say a really special place where they are employing uh refugee women um and really focusing on skills training, language development, and like making really beautiful things.

Um, they shared with me there is over 300 women on their wait list to get into their program right now.

Um so that is something I just wanted to come and bring back.

And not only are they doing that work, they're activating this fantastic storefront space right in Lake City and bringing foot traffic into that community.

So I'll just share that so we all have it on our radar.

If we know of employers for their skills training program, that is something that they've asked for support with so that they can continue to graduate women from that program and bring folks off of that wait list.

So wanted to share that back with you, colleagues.

Um and I'll be brief with my last things.

Got a chance to launch Seattle Civic magazine this Saturday, which is really exciting, a nonprofit group that's bringing back another arts and culture print piece, which you just have to love today when so many things have gone online to get to walk in and get this hard copy piece of art.

Um, and as Arts Chair, it was really fantastic to see the work they were highlighting of local artists all around Seattle, and we just loved that.

All right, over to some business things.

Um I just want to share, colleagues, as you know, we are having a vote on the shelter census legislation this Wednesday.

Um we heard uh public comment last week, and we also got a chance to day daylight amendments.

Um I wanted to share Councilmember Juarez and I are working in concert on some changes on the amendment that she authored that I am sponsoring.

So we want to make sure that we're um clarifying the language in that amendment.

So we look forward to sharing more colleagues.

Um and I encourage all of you if you are working on amendments to your amendments uh to share that uh as you are able uh so that we can make sure that as we go to vote on Tuesday, uh the whole committee understands what we are looking at and voting on.

Um and lastly, I'll just close out by saying our office is working hard and we've been meeting with folks from the um Seattle Roundtable, Seattle Housing Roundtable, as well as uh HCC, the Housing Development Consortium, and others, to ensure that we are getting it right on MHA.

Um, and so we look forward to engaging more with those constituencies and this really important policy reform to make sure that we are accelerating housing production in our city all right.

Well, unless there's no questions or comments for uh Councilmember Foster, I'll I'll take the baton.

Thank you.

Uh good afternoon, colleagues.

Uh on the steps committee front, next this coming Thursday, May 7th at 9:30 in the morning.

We're gonna have our subcommittee uh where we're gonna be having three agenda items in steps.

One uh Councilmember Strauss noted, his shared streets legislation.

The second one, the second item is district project fundation briefing, status briefing from the department.

We're all familiar with the district project fund.

Uh and then third and finally is gonna be the U Alley Vacation.

So looking forward to that meeting on Thursday.

Moving on to a few select community uh highlights or involvement.

Last Tuesday, I organized, convened and participated in a round table conversation to discuss Seattle Center, the future of Seattle Center.

It included uh leaders from labor uh and private and philanthropic investors as well, uh, including Rob Johnson from the Seattle Center Foundation, partners from MLK labor, the Seattle Building Trades, and the Carpenters Union as well, among others, and a few of their individual member organizations, representatives from those discuss the future of the Seattle Center, uh including a potential funding package and and how we can best renovate the center.

And so great conversation, really appreciate meeting with those stakeholders.

Last week, I also attended the Seattle Fire Awards annual ceremony.

Such a terrific event.

Colleagues, we know that our firefighter heroes, they go on thousands of runs each and every single year to serve us and keep us safe.

Uh many of those uh runs go unnoticed by the rest of us.

Um, and so it was good to for our city to honor and our fire department to honor the heroes that serve in our fire department.

Uh among other things, I got to witness the person who was named Firefighter of the Year get received their award and receive their figurative flower, so to speak.

Our firefighters again do so much for us.

People were, and they're always on, and they're it was great to see recognition of our firefighter personnel who when they were out in their personal family vacations in Utah or where wherever it is, they intervened and helped save lives and recognize being recognized for that great work.

Uh it was excellent to see.

So honored to attend that.

Last week I also attend attended the West Seattle High School versus Chief South International High School, big annual rivalry softball game.

And that was last Thursday uh evening to be exact.

The Battle of West Seattle.

It's the biggest rivalry softball game on the West Seattle Peninsula.

Uh connected with the athletic directors, school leadership, some players.

Uh West Seattle High School Wildcats won.

I I brought was able to bring my two young boys to that, and they really enjoyed watching the girls go out there and get after it.

They're doing great things on the field on the diamond.

Um and my youngest, or my oldest rather, my daughter, she was disappointed she couldn't personally attend because of a a conflict, but love being able to show up and and and support softball, youth softball, and the biggest rivalry game that we have in terms of youth softball on the West Seattle Peninsula last week.

Uh I'm hearing a few uh of my colleagues went to schools recently.

I also, too, last week went to a school, Pathfinder, uh, which is a K through eight school in West Seattle.

Last Friday had the pleasure of speaking at an assembly uh of sixth through eighth graders at Pathfinder.

And it's great to share a little bit about my background, my journey, uh, you know, the ins and outs of local government, what we're working on here at City Hall, what my office has been focused on, uh, and then answer some questions directly from the students.

One boy asked me which city department has the highest budget allocation.

And my office confirmed and looked into it, and we learned that SDOT has the single highest budget allocation, though City Light and SPU have larger budgets, but much of their funding comes directly from ratepayers, uh, and and so SDOT.

But great to connect with our our youth uh among other things.

One of their engaging questions was what's your favorite color, Rob, and I told them purple or lavender, some offshoots thereof.

Uh I was also asked if I liked Bluey, the show Bluey.

And if you have young kids, you'll know all about Bluey.

Uh, and my response was absolutely yes, I love Bluey.

And in fact, me and my kids still play.

There's a there's a little game called Keepy Uppy with the involving a balloon that me and my kids still play.

So, yes, I love Bluey, but very inspired by our youth.

Uh, and it was great to get out there and stay engaged with youth at Pathfinder.

Uh finally, I'll share in community.

Also attended and visited New Course Steel.

Colleagues, I know many of you have as well over the years.

Uh I try to get out there every now and again personally.

I always check in with them regularly because they're such a you know important part of our local economy, and such an important part of our maritime and industrial manufacturing economy as well.

Um so great to get out there, visit, check in with their leaders, and uh learn more about what they're working on and how the city could potentially help.

There are many other workers and leaders happen to sit on a number of boards, uh nonprofit boards that serve West Seattle and beyond, including the the Center for Active Living and the Junction in West Seattle and the West Seattle Chamber, among other nonprofit boards.

So love all the cross-pollination uh that happens every day with terrific organizations uh like newcore that are a valued part of our community.

And colleagues, you know, Newcore is the second largest New Course Steel is the second largest customer of Seattle City Light.

So that is all I have in way of updates from my perspective.

I will I do welcome any comments, questions.

If not, I'll pass the bad on to Council President.

Go ahead.

I should be honest with you, it's it's not a question.

It's just that you talked about going to a sports game, and it reminded me I needed to say something really important, which is storm opening game night is this Friday.

If you weren't there to watch Flag A drop 20 last week, I suggest you find some time in your calendar.

We're really excited to celebrate the winningest team in Seattle.

Thank you.

Love it.

Love our storm.

Go storm.

I'll start there.

Oh, I was just gonna note um on the uh district on the transportation um funds that uh you know district seven definitely engaged.

Vision zero is the kind of like guiding force uh with projects across Uptown Queen Anne Magnolia, D7 part, um, and uh to ensure you know that we can move forward with some of these uh challenges that we have.

So with a little bit left over, so I'm also looking at another opportunity to um to invest in our safer streets, if you will.

Awesome.

Thank you.

And I just wanted to um say Councilmember Saka really appreciate the district fund.

Um we got a lot of input from my district on a lot of projects.

Actually, the projects total more than what's available in the fund just to show how um popular this is and how much there is that work that needs to be done across the district, not just mine, all our districts, but all this to say thank you for um working with the department to include this district fund as part of their um the the levy budget um because as you can see um the constituents very much appreciated the ability to put their projects in this district fund as a proposal for upcoming work.

So thank you.

Awesome.

Okay.

Awesome.

Thank you.

I'll be quick and brief because I know we have two executive sessions after this meeting.

So thank you, Councilmember Saka.

Yes, district fund has uh been great, and I know we've gotten a ton of feedback.

So I want to thank Councilmember Saka and Estat for all their hard work.

Um more than happy to share with uh the citywide uh positions some of the projects that people have pushed forward just so get your input as well.

So more than happy to do that as well.

Um we uh where am I at with my life?

Um sorry.

Okay, so governance utilities committee meeting will be on May the 14th.

We have a reappointment of general manager and chief executive officer, Andrew Lee appointments to Seattle Public Utilities Customer Review Panel colleagues, King County flood control district in a local agreement.

We also have our stormwater code updates, and there's also a slide from um quarter one AI report from information technology department as well.

So we have a nice packed agenda from our regional water quality committee.

Um I myself and Councilmember Lynn are working with Seattle Seattle Public Utilities to send a letter to King County.

Right now, their proposal is 12.75% for rates.

We are asking that that be uh nudged down to 10.75 for this year.

It's a small amount.

Um, however, it has a big impact, 20% of your water bill.

Uh it comes uh because of King County the wastewater.

So uh just want them to be a little bit more flexible on rates.

I know that it's gonna be um we're gonna have that conversation with Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities as well.

That's why on June 1st, uh, and I will connect with you all.

Uh we are going to propose to have central staff come and do an affordability meeting to talk about all of the legislation that has passed regarding the um library levy, the property uh taxes.

We also have a Seattle transit measure that's coming as well.

A lot of these feel like one-offs, but they add up.

And so um I think we need to see how they impact um our community and and what that looks like, just so we can kind of have a table setting before we're gonna take off take up some of the legislation that's coming this summer as well, before.

So that's what our that's what we're planning on as well.

Uh this is also a friendly reminder that we are trying to uh fix also too the Monday briefings as well.

So I will talk to you all individually about how we can make it better suit our scheduling efforts.

All right, because I know you all are very, very busy.

Um, and it's a lot, and we have a lot coming down uh June and July.

That's putting it very nicely.

Um and then I know that Councilmember Strauss you'll have your hands full with budget and all the hard work that you all do and your team and your staff.

So it's gonna be a lot, you all, and I know that we have different people that have different committees.

Seattle transit measure, you just finished the library stuff, public safety going on, housing, you know, human services, King County Regional Homeless Authority.

There's a lot going on.

Okay.

So anyways, comprehensive plan.

God bless Eddie Lynn, Councilmember Eddie Lynn.

Seriously, he's had a lot on his plate for the um land use.

Okay.

Awesome.

Is there any other questions?

Uh Councilmember Foster, followed by Councilmember.

Oh, there's everyone.

Okay, Councilmember Foster.

Very popular.

Okay, I'm not on.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Um, I appreciated the update about the letter that you and Councilmember Lynn are going to be sending over to the county.

I just wanted to ask if there will be an opportunity for other council members to sign on to that letter.

I know that you all you all do a more than fantastic job representing us on those regional committees, but just wanted to ask if there'd be an opportunity to do that.

Yeah, it's great.

Um, I'll look into it, but I'm pretty sure that we can bring it to uh council to be able to get support as long as it's an open session, I'm assuming.

Yeah.

And I understand it's timely, so you know, yeah, um, if if time permits.

Okay, awesome.

Yeah, I'll look great.

Uh that's a great suggestion, too, because I know we all care about rates.

Um awesome.

Uh Councilmember Kettle.

Thank you for that, Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Kettle, then followed by Councilmember Rivera.

I was going to say one thing, but just to add to that, we need to be mindful because it's not just the rates, because I used to serve on this committee, you know, we have with the same um transit measure with sales tax between sales tax, property tax across the board, the cumulative effects is just gonna be um substantial.

And because it's such a challenge, I just wanted to say to the CP uh Hollingsworth uh may the fourth be with you.

Thank you, Councilmember Kettle.

Councilmember Rivera.

Just to acknowledge that the water rate conversation is one that is taking place at the state level, too.

I mean, this is an issue.

Rate payer in general is a huge issue across the state as um as those REITs continue to increase and um it it really goes to the affordability piece in Seattle and and all the cities across the state.

So it's something we talked about at Association of Washington City.

So thank you for that.

And also want to thank you for um the review of um all the affordability pieces you're gonna have central staff do because um we do need to take a holistic approach at looking at when we make these decisions what impacts it has collectively because um the impacts are not small.

And we want to make sure we're being responsive to constituents and recognizing that affordability conversation and issues they're they're saddled with.

Absolutely, yeah.

June 1st, Monday, 2 p.m.

That's our target date.

Awesome.

Cool.

Does anyone have any further questions?

Thank you for that, colleagues.

All right.

So guess what?

We're gonna go and call the executive session.

So if there's no further business, we move um, we will move into the executive session.

Hearing no further business, we'll now move into the executive session.

As presiding officer, I'm uh announcing that Seattle City Council will now convene into the executive session.

The purpose of the executive session is to discuss pending potential or actual litigation.

The council's executive session is an opportunity for council to discuss confidential legal matters with city attorneys as authorized by law.

A legal monitor for the city attorney's office is always present to ensure the council reserves actions for uh policy or questions for policy uh for open session.

I expect the time of this session to end by 4 p.m.

What time?

Yeah, about one hour or so about 4 p.m.

Uh and if the executive session is to be extended upon time, I will announce the extension and the expected duration.

At the conclusion of this executive session, the council briefing meeting will automatically adjourn.

The next regular scheduled council briefing is May 18th at 2 p.m.

So next week is none, and we will reconvene here May 18th at uh 2 p.m.

The council is now in executive session and a reminder we love our security team.

Thank you.

Thank you.