The Human Services, Labor, and Economic Development Committee of the Seattle City Council met on Friday, September 18, 2026, at 9:37 AM in Council Chamber, City Hall. Chair Alexis Mercedes Rinck presided. The committee considered five agenda items: four ordinances related to City employment and an update from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) on its 90-day Corrective Action Plan. One item (CB 121275) was pulled from the agenda. All four ordinances received a unanimous 3-0 vote recommending passage to the full City Council. The meeting adjourned at 11:11 AM.
CB 121284 – Civil Service Status Changes This ordinance authorizes exempting or returning positions from the civil service system for Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, and Seattle Municipal Court. Presenters Shane Eubank (SDHR), Adrienne Thompson (SPU), and Aminah Long (SMC) described 11 affected positions moving to executive classifications or returning to civil service. The changes align with SMC requirements and have minimal budget impact, fully absorbed within existing funds. The committee voted unanimously to recommend passage.
CB 121219 – Pay Compression and Inversion Corrections This ordinance adjusts pay ranges for five non-represented classifications (11 positions citywide) to correct pay compression or inversion caused by the 2023–2026 coalition labor agreement. Presenter William Winfield (Labor Relations) explained that $537,000 was already budgeted. Questions from Vice Chair Foster confirmed budget neutrality and ongoing identification of similar issues. The committee voted unanimously to recommend passage.
CB 121285 – Retitling Automotive Sheet Metal Worker This ordinance consolidates three classification titles into one (Automotive Sheet Metal Worker – Painter) within the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS). Presenters Chris Wiley (Fleet Director) and Heather Hartley (FAS HR) noted the change impacts five employees, with a $34,000 annual cost covered by salary savings and future service rates. The change addresses grievances and improves operational efficiency for vehicle repairs. Labor partners are in agreement. The committee voted unanimously to recommend passage.
CB 121286 – Retitling Plant Ecologist to Restoration Ecologist This ordinance retitles the Plant Ecologist classification to Restoration Ecologist and creates a new Restoration Ecologist, Senior classification for Seattle Parks and Recreation. Presenter Lisa Ciecko (Ecology Team Manager) described expanded duties reflecting modern restoration ecology, including community engagement and cross-agency collaboration. Three positions are affected; one incumbent receives a pay increase ($23,000 annual impact, from existing capital budget). The change supports recruitment and career progression. The committee voted unanimously to recommend passage.
KCRHA 90-Day Corrective Action Plan Update KCRHA CEO Kelly Kinnison and COO William Towey presented an update on the corrective action plan (CAP) required by council resolution. Key points:
Good morning. The Human Services Labor and Economic Development Committee of the Seattle City Council will now come to order. It is 9 37 a.m. September 18th, 2026. I'm Councilmember Alexis Mercedes, Rank, Chair of the Committee. Will the committee clerk please call the roll and let the record reflect that Council President Hollingsworth and Councilmember Warriors are excused. Vice Chair Foster. Here. Councilmember Saka. Morning here. Chair Rink. Present. Chair, there are three members present and two excused. Thank you so much. We will now move on to approval of today's agenda. Colleagues, I'll be walking through approval or walking through the agenda shortly, but I do want to note for the record that we will be pulling an item off the agenda pertaining to commercial tenant transparency to take up at a later time. So I'll be removing that from the agenda for today. So hearing if there is no objection to that, the agenda will be adopted. Hearing no objection, the agenda is adopted. Good morning, and welcome everyone to our final pre-budget meeting of the Human Services Labor and Economic Development Committee. On today's agenda, we will be taking up five items. With the removal of the commercial lease transparency ordinance, we will then be jumping to a briefing discussion and possible votes on four pieces of legislation from Seattle Department of Human Resources, also known as SDHR, which impacts several departments in employee positions. Legislation includes an ordinance relating to correcting pay compression and inversion for certain non-represented classifications and adjusting rates of pay, an ordinance relating to exempting andor returning positions from the civil service system, an ordinance retitling existing title and automotive sheet metal worker to automotive sheet metal worker painter within the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, and an ordinance retitling the plant ecologist to restoration ecologist, creating a restoration ecologist senior classification title and establishing rates of pay with Seattle Parks and Recreation. Finally, we will close with a briefing and discussion from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority on their 90-day corrective action plan. For both my colleagues and the viewing public, as a reminder, this 90-day corrective action plan comes from the resolution passed by this committee in full council earlier this year in response to the forensic evaluation findings. A similar update was provided to King County Committee of the Whole just a few weeks ago. That was while the City Council was on recess. And with that, we will now open the hybrid public comment period. Public comments should relate to items on today's agenda or within purview of the committee. Clerk, how many speakers are signed up for today? Currently, we have two in-person speakers and one remote speaker. Thank you. Each speaker will be given two minutes, and we will start with our in-person speakers first. Can you please read the public comment instructions? The public comment period will be moderated in the following manner. The public comment period is up to 60 minutes. Speakers will be called in the order in which they are registered. Please begin by stating your name and the item you are addressing. Speakers will hear a chime 10 seconds when 10 seconds are left on their time. Speakers' mics will be muted if they do not end their comments within the allotted time to allow us to call on the next speaker. The public comment period is now open, and we will begin with the first speaker on the list. Thank you so much. Our first speaker is Joan Paulson, followed by Chris Mayhood. Joan, feel free to use whichever mic at the front. Uh best suits your height, or whichever one you want to use. Please make these proposed changes to provide more community services within the low-rise zoning areas. Secondly, um, the scene the central area senior center is just now getting reimbursed for the month of June. Um, which still means that staff and bills um for the center uh have continued to be slow due to the continued changes um in how bills are required to be provided. Please help us speed this reimbursement process forward faster. Um this is my second time that I have um spoken about this subject.