missing title

Not nervous at all.

Good afternoon, everybody.

Quiet in the house, please.

Good afternoon, everybody.

The December 2nd, 2025 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

It is 2.03.

I'm Sarah Nelson, Council President.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Juarez?

Here.

Council Member Kettle?

Here.

Council Member Lentz?

Here.

Council Member Rink?

Present.

Council Member Rivera?

Council Member...

Present.

Council Member Saka Council Member Strauss Council Member Hollingsworth Council President Nelson 9 present Thank you very much.

At this time we'll now proceed with the ceremonial oath of office for Council Member Eddie Lynn.

Hello.

The oath of office will be administered by Yvette de la Cruz.

After the oath is administered, Councilmember Lynn will have a chance to provide some comments and then council members are able to say a few words or council members can wait to speak during the ceremonial event.

So with that, I invite Yvette de la Cruz to the dais to administer the oath of office.

I Eddie Lynn swear or affirm.

I Eddie Lynn swear or affirm.

That I possess all of the qualifications prescribed in the Seattle City Charter.

That I possess all of the qualifications prescribed in the Seattle City Charter.

And the Seattle Municipal Code.

And the Seattle Municipal Code.

For the position of City Council Member.

For the position of Seattle City Council Member.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution of the State of Washington.

And the Charter and Ordinances of the City of Seattle.

And that I will faithfully conduct myself as a Seattle City Council member.

Thank you so much.

I have a few words.

Hopefully this doesn't take too long.

But thank you to Yvette de la Cruz, who's a good friend and mentor, a leading labor activist, a lifelong leader, and for swearing me in today and for all the support and guidance you've provided both to me and to my wife Jennifer over the past several years.

Thank you all for being here today and a special thanks to the voters of District 2. I'd like to start today with a quote about the importance of community.

This is from an essay by Parker Palmer entitled, There is a Season.

And he says, community not only creates abundance, community is abundance.

and as I think about community, I think about community as how we take care of each other and how we will transform our city into a more safe, affordable, equitable, inclusive, accessible, transit-rich, climate-resilient city where we can all thrive.

And as I think about community, I think about my own childhood.

Growing up in Durham, North Carolina and I think about the struggles my parents faced as an interracial couple, when that was extremely rare in 1970, just shortly after the Loving versus Virginia case.

And the struggles my brother and I faced growing up biracial when there weren't many kids who looked like us and our parents didn't understand what we were going through.

But I also think about the community that we were able to form through sports or just playing with the neighborhood kids.

I think a bit about the shame and embarrassment I felt as a kid being Chinese and Taiwanese in a culture and society without strong Asian role models versus the pride I feel now about my heritage, especially living here in Seattle where we have such strong and rich Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander history and culture and leaders.

whether that's folks like Wing Luke or Ruby Chow or David Della or Velma Valoria or Sharon Maeda in the crowd here today.

And the list is too long to name everyone.

Leaders who I follow in their footsteps and who I hope to make proud.

And as I think about community, I think about the kids today in South Seattle and in our city who are trying to find their way who might be feeling disconnected from their parents or struggling to find role models to look up to, who might be struggling with mental health and social media, things that no generation before has had to deal with.

I think about the young parents in our community who are struggling to buy a home, to find an affordable family-sized place to rent, and who might be wondering how to pay $3,000 a month per child in daycare.

I think about the Friends of Little Saigon Meet the Maker event I attended this past weekend with young artists and creatives sharing their work and creating beauty and culture and connection.

And I think about the leaders, the young leaders of Friends of Little Saigon and their FODEP initiative.

and the leaders who are bringing new ideas and strategy around how to address public safety concerns in the neighborhood with compassion, while also supporting small businesses and residents and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the neighborhood, not trying to preserve it in amber, but helping the neighborhood evolve while also honoring its history.

I think about our unhoused neighbors, especially as winter approaches, who don't have a roof or heat or safety or a bathroom to use.

And I wonder how that's possible in such a wealthy society.

And how things have only gotten harder and worse 10 years after declaring a state of emergency for homelessness.

And as I think about community, I also think about another event I attended on Saturday, organized by the Rainier Avenue Committee, a group that centers the voices of black youth.

And they held a vigil for victims of traffic of violence on the corner of Othello and MLK.

and I felt both a sense of sadness for the many lives lost to traffic violence and also hope seeing the energy of our youth and advocating for a better future where traffic violence and our addiction to vehicles as a primary mode of transportation can become a thing of the past.

And finally, I think about the celebration I also attended on Saturday at the Filipino Community Center where they had a tree lighting ceremony and were singing Christmas carols in multiple languages and traditional dance and just celebrating culture and community together.

And I think about how joy and celebration is a form of resistance and resilience.

And the essay I quoted earlier by Parker, it's about his experience as an organizer and activist and how observing the seasons he learned about the rhythms of life and how not to despair in dark times or in the winter months, which lay the seeds for rebirth and new growth.

And how summertime is a season of abundance can also teach us something about ourselves.

and he writes about how when we live life in fear and with a scarcity mindset, we tend to hoard resources and hoard power in relationships.

And in doing so, we create the very scarcity that we are afraid of.

And that the opposite is also true.

When we have an abundance mindset and share the power, our power and resources, we foster a community where we take care of others and they also take care of us.

and that is the world that I wanna be a part of helping to nurture, the world that I believe District 2 residents want to see.

and as I reflect on that world that we can foster, that world of abundance that happens when we come together as community, it becomes crystal clear to me that I am not alone in this work, that we are not alone in this work and that the resources and tools that we need, that our kids and elders need to flourish are right here in this room and all around us.

It is us working together, growing together, talking, and collaborating together.

So I wanna thank you all for being here in community today, for all the ways you contribute and participate in our democracy and advocate for a better future.

And I hope to join you all downstairs around 3 p.m.

for a reception with wonderful food from Island Soul and good conversation because nothing says community like breaking bread together.

Thank you.

thank you Chris and thank you for those remarks and welcome thank you all right colleagues I will save my remarks until the reception following the council meeting but if there are any comments right now I am I will certainly recognize you not seeing anything.

We sang your praises yesterday just for the viewing public to know as well, so you can tune into that from yesterday's meeting as well.

All right, today we've got two proclamations being brought forward by Council Member Hollingsworth.

And...

are now recognized in order to present the proclamation proclaiming Dr. Renee McCoy Day.

Proclaiming today to be Dr. Renee McCoy Day.

Surprise.

So today, this is a surprise, and I'm glad, Reverend McCoy, you did not see the meeting yesterday, because we announced it yesterday on the Seattle Channel, so I'm glad you were not watching, so we did not ruin your surprise.

Dr. Renee McCoy has been a leader in public health, HIV, AIDS, prevention across the nation, founder of organizations that have addressed health disparities and uplifts African Americans and LGBTQIA communities.

She's a scholar, she's an educator, she's an artist, and in her lifelong commitment to service and empowerment that exemplifies the highest ideals of leadership.

Reverend McCoy, excuse me, Reverend Dr. Renee McCoy was born in Detroit.

What up, doll?

What up, doe?

Detroit.

Her faith has remained grounded in the belief that God calls us to do something simple, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, and work to release those who've been imprisoned by guilt, shame, fear, and despair.

As a teenager, she was involved in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, SNCC, and Black Catholics in Action program at her local parish.

One of the things, when I was reading through your life story and conversations that we've had, you know, growing up being black and gay back in the 60s and the 70s, oftentimes when you're in a black community, you have to choose your blackness over your gayness.

And when you're in a gay community, you have to choose your gayness over your blackness.

And how you had to search for different churches that accepted who you are and your entire being.

and read about how you joined a church in Detroit, the Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit because there was a pastor there and there was a pastor there and you thought, hey, I can either go to the church and meet a good Christian woman as well.

which I thought was great.

And there was a Reverend Nancy Wilson who you met, and she talked about, you know, the connection between God and gay community.

You continued to move into your career addressing racism and homophobia and being one of the...

being a founding member of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, and that was in 1978. That was a long time ago.

Long time to be in this space.

And you started to address the concerns of LGBTQ persons of color and you decided to move to New York and expand your life experience and discover more diverse opportunities in your ministry.

You were ordained in 1981 as a minister.

In New York, you were in the NCBLG chapter that focused on important issues for African-Americans and Latinos in the LGBT, I'ma just say gay community.

I know we have, thank you.

I see some nods, y'all know what I meant.

Gay community.

And in February of that year, you also founded the Harlem Metropolitan Community Church of Harlem.

and it was the first Christian congregation in both the Metropolitan Community Church organization and the country openly governed by African Americans and LGBTQ community.

That's huge.

during that time your community was suffering from HIV and AIDS and you all had to navigate that as a church and as a community and I can only imagine what that was like to see some people dying around you and having to be family to a lot of those folks during those troubling times.

I have looked up to you, obviously ever since I heard your story, but I see so much of myself in you.

And there's not a lot of role models that are older, gay, black women who have laid the pathway and the foundation for people like me and community groups and other folks that are in this space.

And today we honor you Reverend McCoy for your leadership.

You can clap for that, leadership.

for your leadership, for your love that you have poured endlessly into this community, and for your faith in us as well.

And knowing your heart and your soul and your mind, and you are a true child of God, and we are so grateful to have you serving in this community.

And also, we are so lucky that we got you from Detroit.

What up, doll?

All right.

Thank you very much.

Are there any comments from council members?

Seeing none, I would like to ask that we suspend the rules to present the proclamation and allow our guests to make some comments on their own.

Hearing no objection, the council rules are suspended and the proclamation will be presented.

So go ahead, please.

Awesome, and so I'm gonna come down here, Reverend McCoy, I'm gonna give you this proclamation and you will say a few words.

We're gonna ask you if you say a few words.

I know this is a surprise, so.

Complete surprise.

And I'd also like to thank Deontay Damper for this request as well.

This is really a surprise.

They got me here because of World AIDS Day.

And so I got to tell you that I've never been speechless.

But thank you so much.

I just want us to never forget that there are 93 million people who have died from HIV since the disease started.

And next year, it'll be 45 years that we've been dealing with HIV.

We have 15,000 people living with HIV in the state of Washington.

there are over 40 million people who are still living with HIV in the world.

I know this is about me, and I love it when things are about me, but I just got a few numbers, because that's how they got me here, that I need to share, and probably no one else will tell you these things.

But the recent reductions in funding for HIV that came about in this year.

We got to understand the political impact on HIV and on the people that we have, and understand that because of what has happened since January around HIV and AIDS in our country, an additional 6.6 million new infections will occur.

which is about 2,300 new infections of HIV per day.

A total of 5,800 new infections per day will happen globally as compared to 3,500 in 2023. You got to know that that 660,000 additional new HIV infections among children will occur between 2025 and 2029. You got to know that an additional 4.2 million age-related deaths and over 600 additional age-related deaths will occur per day because of what we did as a country in January.

You got to know that there will be an additional 3 million orphaned children who are orphaned because of HIV in the world.

You've got to know that because of what happened at the hit of our country, an additional 300 children will die of age-related causes between 2025 and 2029. So I love that this is about me, but it's not about me.

And it's about us.

and it's about what we decide to do.

And many of us have forgotten about AIDS, we think it's not important, and we think there's nothing to do.

But if we believe the lie that there's nothing we can do, then nothing will be done.

I don't know, man.

AIDS is still a thing.

And if nothing else, my presence here and this proclamation This is so cool.

Will let me know that gives me an opportunity to invite you in partnership with me to keep AIDS a thing, to keep HIV a thing.

40% of the new diagnoses of HIV in this country, and we have 1.2 million people in this country, over 40% of the new diagnoses of HIV are among black people in this country.

Black and Latinx people constitute the majority of the people who are living with HIV in this country.

In King County, over 50% of the people who live with HIV are over 55 years of age.

It's still a thing.

I love being a thang today, so I'm going to be a thang today.

But let this be the beginning of a new thang for you, of embracing and loving it, and understanding that if we believe there's nothing we can do, then nothing will be done.

And I'm not somebody you can surprise, man.

I don't even know what to do with a surprise.

But thank you so, so much.

I'm honored.

I'm honored.

And my wife, the Reverend Dr. Patricia Hunter, is with me.

She drug me down here.

And I'm honored to be in partnership with her.

And so it's our day.

I'm so sorry.

Hello, Deontay Damper, just a community person.

I'm here as a community person and on lunch break.

But I just want to be very clear.

I know you say it's not about you.

and I know that because you've always been able to lead with heart, but I'm so happy to stand in front of this council to make it very clear that black women lead and should not feel that they have to always think about the other person.

I'm just so happy that today you get to see you, your whole self, be prioritized and uplifted in this community as a person living with HIV, you have been able to deliver chicken soups to the community members that ended up case managing me, who has taught me now to give to community.

You see, the energy that you give, Dr. Renee, that most black women give, is so contagious and should be protected.

and I just want to let you know that I protect you and I lift you up and I thank you for not only being a bridge for our community, but for showing a young queer boy that HIV is not a death sentence.

Thank you.

Are there any other people that will be speaking today?

I think that's...

One more person.

Okay.

I thought that was it.

Executive Director Steven Sawyer.

Good afternoon, everybody.

Thank you for being here.

Congratulations, Dr. McCoy.

We appreciate you so much.

So Reverend Dr. Renee McCoy, PhD, stands as one of the nation's most enduring pioneers in the HIV-AIDS prevention care.

and community-rooted research.

From her groundbreaking leadership during the HIV-AIDS programs in the city of Detroit to a transformative work in the Seattle advancing preventative education, Dr. McCoy has shaped public health response for more than four decades.

Her distinguished career includes serving as HIV programs manager for ARTH, director of HIV AIDS programs for the Detroit Department of Health and assistant director of prevention education at Lifelong.

As a professor at Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan University and the University of Washington, she has mentored generations of students in medical anthropology, gender, race and sexuality, expanding both knowledge and compassion in these fields.

As an ordained minister, pastor and ceramicist, and the community organizer, Dr. McCoy embodies public service in its highest form.

On this World AIDS Day, we honor your unwavering leadership and how you have shaped the HIV AIDS response since the earliest days of this pandemic.

And for dedicating your life-saving HIV programs in Detroit to advancing community-centered prevention and research across Seattle, you, Dr. McCoy, have worked and has worked to transform lives, systems, and generations.

And today on World AIDS Day, we proudly honor you and all those who have worked in this field and labored tirelessly in this fight.

Know that we will forever carry the legacy of the indelible impact that you've had on this fight for HIV.

We love you and thank you for your service.

Okay, thank you very much.

We'll now move on to our second proclamation.

Councilmember Hollingsworth, you're recognized in order to present the proclamation proclaiming December 2nd, 2025 to be John Jeffrey Tucker Day.

And just to clarify, we're sharing the days today.

Is that okay?

Reverend McCoy, Tucker family, we good.

Okay, awesome.

So we want to welcome Keith Tucker and the Tucker family.

Today we have a proclamation for Mr. John Jeffrey Tucker, who is the founder of Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, who dedicated his life to expanding the opportunity and community pride in Seattle.

He passed away on March 22, 2025, but his legacy has left us a lasting impact on generation and artists and Seattle residents.

A little bit about Mr. Tucker's life.

Founder of Langston Hughes, he was born May 10, 1945, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He moved to Seattle in the 1950s when his father got a job at Boeing to be an engineer.

He went to Meany Middle School, then Garfield High School.

He got a scholarship to Whitworth College in football.

He majored in business and history, and I knew I liked him because I found out he was an alpha man, Alpha Phi Alpha.

There's only one fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha.

I know there's a Kappa in the house, but we don't.

I'm just playing.

He was recruited by the brilliant Walter Hunley in Model Cities.

This program produced camp, which is now Bird Bar, and also El Centro de la Raza as well.

A lot of people, a lot of civil rights activists worked in model cities, in the greats throughout the city.

He was recruited by Judge Johnson, who was the chair of the board at the time, who oversaw Model Cities, to do some type of youth programming.

They wanted to do something to simulate the youth.

And so Mr. Tucker found an area on 17th and Yesler, which was a synagogue.

He put together a plan.

sent it to the rabbis, and they were able to...

That was birthed Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.

We could not...

The Central District would not be what it is without Langston Hughes.

art performing center.

The amount of creativity, culture, connection, community, events, love that has come out of that space because of your father is a long-lasting legacy.

For blacks, the arts is a form of education.

It's a form of community.

It's a form of connection.

It's our people.

It's in our spirit.

and without that center, that center has saved lives, it has served as family reunions, it has served as a place for spirit of joy and we are so honored today that you have allowed us to present this proclamation to honor your father, Mr. John Jeffrey Tucker.

And so we honor him and we invite you to come say a few words.

If there's no objection, the council rules will be suspended to allow for our guests to accept and provide remarks.

Hearing no objection, the rules are suspended.

Please go ahead.

I'm really emotional today.

This has been a 17 year deal for me to be able to get my father honored as the founder of Langston Hughes.

So I'm really thankful.

Can you guys hear me?

Everyone can hear me?

OK, cool.

Thank you.

My name is Keith Tucker.

I'm the first child of John Jeffrey Tucker, and I'm here to represent the Tucker family today.

I'm honored and thankful to be here representing my father on this very first John Jeffrey Tucker Day.

My father, as a council member said, was an activist.

He was an actor.

He was an athlete.

But more importantly, he was a diligent scholar.

He devoted his life to uplifting black people.

He loved his community.

And the reason why he came up with the idea to create a place where black people could have a space to thrive was because he cared about our community.

And so every year from now on, we will celebrate my father's legacy, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.

And I want to thank the three black women that made this happen.

I want to thank Ebony Aranga, Marie Kitty, and Councilmember Hollingsworth for making this happen.

And I also know that my father would be so proud of the legacy that has been fulfilled that he found in the 1970s.

and just know one thing that John Jeffrey Tucker Day will be a day of action.

We will do events.

We will continue his legacy.

It won't be just a proclamation on paper.

It will be something that is celebrated from this day forth.

Thank you so much.

No, don't.

Okay, thank you very much.

Yes?

I think there was another speaker, council president.

That's okay.

I'm sorry.

No problem.

Please go ahead.

Good afternoon, council members, community members, and most importantly, the Tucker family.

My name is Marie Kidae.

I'm a Black Seattleite of East African lineage, born and raised right here in Seattle's Central District.

I serve on the board of Langston, the nonprofit that programs and stewards Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute or Center.

And I'm also a community engagement advisor here for the city at the Department of Neighborhoods.

I'm here today with deep gratitude and reverence.

I first learned about Mr. John Jeffrey Tucker's ascension this past April through his obituary in the Facts newspaper.

That moment was very sobering.

As someone shaped by this neighborhood and now serving the very institution he helped build, it was the fact that his name wasn't already a part of the living memory that called me to action.

Mr. Tucker was a visionary.

Alongside Walter Hudley, he saw the potential in building what others had passed by.

Together, they transformed it into what is now known as Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, a sanctuary for black creativity, expression, and belonging.

His vision made space for so many of us to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Thanks to the advocacy of his son, Keith Tucker, and to the leadership of Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth, today we honor that vision.

This proclamation is more than recognition, it's an act of restoration.

It affirms that building for community, even without recognition, leaves a legacy that cannot be ignored.

To the Tucker family, please know that this unsung hero's footprint lives through every artist who has taken the stage, every youth who has found their voice within those walls, and every community member who's been held in that space.

Today, we give Mr. Tucker his flowers, we say his name, and we hold his impact as close as we carry the work forward.

Thank you.

Thank you and congratulations.

Okay, if there are no more speakers for this proclamation, before moving on to our public comment period, I'd like to recognize Councilmember Strauss.

Councilmember Strauss, you have the floor.

Thank you, Council President, colleagues.

Today has been a day of gratitude and celebration.

Councilmember Lin, your words stuck with me deeply as I reflected on the gratitude that we've shared today.

Even when things are bad outside, when we come together as community and celebrate the accomplishments that have occurred, we are able to find that spirit that fills our heart and soul.

That's what we're here doing today and it's an immense honor for me to get to call up one Mr. Albert Ward.

Mr. Ward.

I'll ask you to say a few words after this and Council President will ask to suspend the rules and have Albert join us on the dais for a photo since I don't have a proclamation for you but photos speak a thousand words.

I'll give a brief introduction to Mr. Ward and then I'll let you say a few things.

Albert as well as many of the members of the finance and administrative services team who are in the room if you want to raise your hand just so we all know Don't be shy.

Yahya, I see you back there.

These are the folks that allow us to do our work that supports the people that we celebrated today.

Whether it was the Tucker family or Reverend Doctor, all of your work, we're here celebrating you.

We're only able to do that work because of Mr. Ward and the people on Mr. Ward's team who keep this building running, who are here working at night when we're at home with our families, who make sure that every day this building is accessible, clean, and a healthy place for people to do the work of the Seattleites, to make sure the lights are on.

The water's running, the potholes are filled.

Mr. Ward, we couldn't do that work without you.

And today is a special day.

I'll read a brief biography of Mr. Ward because he started working here on August 4th, 1999. And after 26 years, today is his day of retirement.

Mr. Ward is a quiet man.

I know this because I try to say hello to everyone that I run into, and Albert's had a few words to share with me, but your presence is striking.

I've watched you work over the last eight years.

Born on September 12th, Frank and Annette Ward became proud parents.

Albert's got two brothers, Jim and Steve.

His mother, he's Native American with his mother tribe, Thompson, tribe of British Columbia, and his father tribe, the Cree tribe of Alberta, Canada.

And Council Member Juarez let me know that that traditional enemies of Blackfeet, but we're going to let it go today.

Albert went to Pacific High School and as a lifelong learner completed his GED in 2019. The work staff have a celebration for Albert completing this big life event and such large congratulations.

You started again here in the janitorial department on August 4th in 99 and today December 2nd is your last day of city employment but you won't be far from our hearts.

When asked, his favorite hobby is volleyball.

The next highlight of the career is completing the job from until today.

And one thing that struck me was when you were asked about what you could, if you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

He said, keep working.

I think that really embodies the spirit that you bring to this building, because every day that we walk in these doors, the building is warm, clean, and welcoming, and we couldn't do without you.

Thank you, Mr. Ward.

Council President, if it's all right.

If there's no objection, we can suspend the rules to allow Mr. Ward to speak.

Hearing no objection, the council rules are suspended.

Thank you for all the time that I was here.

Kind of like a struggle because at nighttime, things come out at night.

That's why I wear this.

It's turquoise and deer.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your service.

That's present.

May I say a few words?

Yes, please.

Thank you, Councillor President for recognizing me.

Where are you, Albert?

There he is.

Albert, as Councilmember Strauss said, that you are a quiet man, but when I first walked these halls in 2015 and 16, you approached me, and as we do in Indian Country, you said, who are your people?

and I said, Blackie, who are your people?

I remember you telling me, I'm gonna cry because I remember us talking and I would work late all the time and I would walk down to the garage or the first floor and you'd always be down there and you would approach me or we'd just kind of visit about what was going on and we would talk.

You reminded me of our ways and when we walk up to people with an open hand and just say, who are your people?

Where are you from?

And you told me you were Cree.

I made a joke because Blackfeeds have a ton of Cree jokes and you reminded me you had a ton of Blackfeet jokes.

And as we say at Blackfeet, my friend, and I know you told me about a week ago in the garage I was working late and I came down and you came up to me and you said I got something to share with you and you told me you were leaving.

you didn't say you were retiring, you just said you were leaving.

And I said, well, what's going on?

He said, well, I'm not gonna, well, I actually said retiring, but I can't remember how you said it.

And I go, well, let me know when that happens.

Well, you let Council Member Strauss know, so that's good.

But I just wanna say the eight or nine years that I've been here and I've watched you as Council Member Strauss said, you know, quietly just doing your job, observing and just being a kind man and sometimes we don't have a lot of kindness in the people's house.

And for that and that spirit, I want to thank you, my friend.

Last word.

Thank you, Council President.

Albert, do you want a photo with us or is that enough recognition for the day?

Come on up, let's get a photo if we could.

Oh, okay.

Three, two, one.

Thank you for your service.

Okay, colleagues at this time we'll open the hybrid public comment period.

Public comment is limited to items on today's agenda, the introduction and referral calendar and the council work program.

May I ask how many people are signed up today?

Council President, currently we have eight in person and we have seven remote.

person a minute to speak and start with, let's just do all of the in-person speakers at once.

Speaker's will be called in the order in which they are registered.

Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left of their time.

Speaker's mics will be muted if they do not end their comments within the allotted time to allow us to call on the next speaker.

We'll start with Yvette Dinesh and then Elandra Torres.

Good afternoon and welcome to District 2, Councilmember Lynn.

I also wanted to, I spoke recently about alternative housing, like PAWS and whatnot, so I actually pitted out several examples for you.

And attached, you will find today's daily work, which is all about give.

Through my awareness of divine abundance, I give generously.

And it ends with, I am in the flow of abundance when I give with love.

Because you all certainly don't serve for the glory of it all.

You serve from your heart, and I appreciate that.

Our next speaker is Alondra.

And then Alex Zimmerman.

Hello, I will be speaking about ordinance CB 12109. My name is Alondra and I live near the Lake City neighborhood, specifically in an affordable apartment complex in the Magnuson Park area.

I'm here today because my community is in crisis.

When the Lake City Fredmeyer closed its doors, or closed, it didn't just shut its doors, its doors.

It took away our last remaining nearest full-service grocery store and pharmacy.

For me and for so many of my neighbors, this has created a daily struggle to access affordable groceries and medication.

What was once a simple errand is now a long, costly trip across town, especially for my neighbors who are seniors, disabled, families without cars, and people living on fixed incomes.

The Lake City Fred Meyer also represented more than just a store.

It was a community hub for many, especially after the burning down of the Lake City Community Center.

The Fred Meyer was a place where community could meet and connect across generations and income levels.

I do ask if you could please support an ordinance that is longer lasting, can retroactively prevent restrictive covenants.

Thank you.

We have Alex Zimmerman, then it'll be Nathan Wall.

And one minute is good, it's better than 50 seconds.

Yeah.

Hi, my name Alex Zimmerman and I lived here for 40 years in Seattle always make me happy.

Combination.

when with idiot and clown, it's very unique.

And they every year go bigger and better and better.

But this election is so unique right now.

Ever President Trump, my best friend, likes this election.

So right now Seattle together with New York, you know what it means.

We'll have a line.

line of socialism or communism, not too much sure.

But everything what is up to my head right now, this line, I see before, I not see, but I know, is between We have Caroline and then after Caroline we'll have Harper

Oh, Nathan, correct.

Yes, Nathan, I apologize.

Nathan, then Carolyn.

All right, that made sense.

I would just like to welcome Eddie Linda the Dias.

Congratulations on your mandate.

I'm looking forward to both continuing the work of Council Member Morales, but also charting a new path forward on the Council, I'm looking forward to leaving some of the past divisions behind.

And I'm really happy to see that some of that has been happening already.

Really, I appreciate Council Member Kettle and Council Member Rink working together on a lot of things.

It really was nice to see you and Council Member Solomon at the ceremony.

Also, just seeing Council Member Rink and Hollingsworth's friendship grow and collaborate.

It's been nice to see.

And so I hope that we can have a council that works together despite our differences.

Our differences are important.

I do think it's important that we are united against the fascist threat from Donald Trump.

As we speak, he's consolidating power.

He's threatening our elections.

I think it's genuinely worth asking whether we're going to have a free and fair election in 2028 or not.

And it's important that we all stand up against every attempt that is made to take away these freedoms.

And then we have Carolyn.

And then after Caroline, we have Harper.

I'm Carolyn Malone.

I continue to live at Chancery Place, Apartment 910, Marion Street.

It's the most dangerous, unsafe place I've ever lived.

And because of that, I filed a complaint through the CL Office of Civil Rights.

I have a new partial.

Can't talk well.

That office is now closed.

My case is on hiatus.

I don't know what's going to happen, but this is Catholic Housing, Catholic Community Services, Housing Staff way of impeding me and keeping me from protesting the injustices that happened at Chancery Place apartment.

seven years I've lived through just horrendous things, just bedbugs, pepper spray, tasing, and now that I have an opportunity to expose what's happening, I've been shut off from SOC for $55.

We now have Harper Naley and then Howard Gale.

Hello, I'm Harper Nally from Transit Writers Union.

I forgot to write my name on the comment sign-in sheet this morning, and I'm back to ask the city to redouble its commitment to improving transit service.

One of the most important duties of the city council is the responsible stewardship of public money.

So why do we let our buses sit in traffic wasting that money?

We could have substantially improved frequency, speed, and reliability with no extra operational funding.

We could drive down the cost per passenger because we know that these three factors both drive ridership.

We also saw in the last election the immense desire in Seattleites to tackle the affordability crisis.

Cars are an immense expense that only continues to rise.

And improved transit offers an alternative to more people while improving the lives of people already using it.

Thank you.

We have Howard Gale and then Carlos Talavera.

Good afternoon, Howard Gale.

Next week this council will be discussing and possibly voting on the new police union contract, the third such contract that continues to reject key elements of the 2017 Police Accountability Ordinance.

A month after that ordinance was passed, on June 27th, there was a council meeting to discuss SPD's brutal murder of Charlena Lyles nine days earlier.

Council member Juarez said, quote, we will demand accountability, transparency, community oversight, and not allow this to happen.

More importantly, those of you who hollered out, what are you going to do?

Keep doing that.

Yet, while Juarez was a council member, nine more in similar circumstances were killed by SBD.

Ayosea Follotogo, Danny Rodriguez, Ryan Smith, Sean Lee Furt, Terry Caver, Derek Hayden, Roberto Ramilla Paello, Marshall Curtis Jones III, and just recently Jack Pellelli.

In all of these cases, they only had a knife or no weapon in their hands when shot.

In seven cases, like with Charlena Lyles, a severe mental health crisis was answered with bullets.

I did take this bit of advice and still following what are you going to do?

Are you going to look down that concept?

Thank you.

Hello?

Okay.

I want to start by saying thank you to the city council for recognizing the crisis that's going on.

in the Lake City neighborhood by taking the first step by proposing emergency legislation ordinance CB1-21094.

But I'm here today because this ordinance, as written, is not enough.

It's a temporary band-aid on a deep and systemic wound.

The people of Lake City have lost a Walgreens and a Bartels in 2023, and now the Fred Meyer in 2025. And so for the people of Lake City, the closure of our Fred Meyer isn't just an inconvenience, it's a major blow to our health, our time, and our community.

The current proposed ordinance only stops new restrictive covenants and it does nothing to remove the ones that might be blocking other grocers from setting up in what was once the Lake City Fredmire.

Ordinance 121094 expires in a year as if our need for food and medicine will expire too.

So we're asking you to take action.

We need you to not only strengthen this ordinance immediately but offer a more robust solution.

Void the covenants that are already in place and are suffocating our neighborhoods and let this just be the start, the first step towards real solutions like a city-run grocery store.

Thank you.

We have Holly Heap.

Hello there.

I was here September the 3rd and spoke on a situation that I'm going through with domestic violence.

And I spoke with Rink briefly, hello, and Kettle.

And I have not heard back from your I've left statements that they have said they put in your guys' mailboxes and I'm still going through additional domestic violence and I'm still not hearing back from detectives from SPD.

So if I could please meet with one of you guys or speak with you guys, I would really appreciate it to further to get some results.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll now move into remote public comments.

A reminder to our remote speakers to please press star six after you have heard the message that you have been unmuted.

Our first remote speaker is Scott Levy, who will be followed by Brad Elke.

Go ahead, Scott.

Yeah, thank you.

My name's Scott Levy, executive producer of The Snake and the Whale.

Just start to say I was greatly moved by the opening talks by McCoy and Lynn the wonderful community you have there.

So as I said, I produced the Snake and the Whale.

I sent a link to many of the council members to watch.

We screened the film at Island Film Festivals in the Salish Sea, October 17th through November 7th, three different festivals.

It's getting a lot of accolades and awards.

And after the screening, one Q&A lasted two hours in Annsbruck, Austria.

What can we do from here?

Well, what I want to suggest to the Seattle residents and the Seattle City Council members, what a call to action might be.

Well, Seattle City Lights is run by the City of Seattle and gets 60% of its electricity from Bonneville Power Administration.

Wow, that's a quick two minutes.

What I'm suggesting is that as they negotiate a new 20-year contract, that Seattle

Thank you, Scott.

Our next speaker is Brad Elke, and Brad will be followed by David Haynes.

Go ahead, Brad.

Hi.

Thank you, Council, for hearing my comments.

I'd like to speak on the importance of the restrictive covenants being removed to reopen grocery stores and pharmacies.

I think that the temporary legislation was a necessary step, but by no means sufficient.

I urge you to make the legislation permanent and to think of other ways to remove this harmful practice.

The free market only works through robust competition and corporate consolidation robs us of that chance.

Restrictive covenants are just more artificial constraints upon that process.

I also want to offer the Seattle Restored Program as a model for what could be done for the Lake City Freidmire location.

Since 2021, it has transformed 95 vacant storefronts into small business startups, pop-ups, and artist residencies generating $1.6 million in local sales.

Profits stay in the community, creating a circular economy.

Local businesses offer what nationals...

Okay.

Thank you for your time and please consider what you can do to help make Lake City a whole neighborhood and community again.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is David Haynes and David will be followed by Alberto Alvarez.

Go ahead, David.

All right.

Thank you.

Congratulations Councilmember Lynn.

It's time to begin to purge the bad policies that are baked into this year's and next year's budget that Bruce Harrell tainted with racist bottom-of-the-barrel policies that run interference for the criminal underworld characters that have been wrapped around and embraced and prioritized for housing and services first.

And these council members thinking that they could Ride the coattails of a corrupt mayor who's been running interference for his criminal underworld neighbors his whole career, changing the integrity of police reform, has exacerbated the crisis.

And if you notice, Councilmember Hollingsworth co-opted the entire meeting with Councilmember Strauss playing performance of politics that we have a homeless crisis that dictates a need for capacity now.

And using federal resources and state resources, notably, that certain council members are getting in the way of leadership to solve the crisis and the not-so-nices.

And we only get one minute, which is a telltale sign that y'all don't care.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Alberto Alvarez.

And then we also have Andrelin Escuerdo, who is signed up but not present.

So after Alberto Alvarez, if Andrelin signs up, then we'll let them speak also.

Go ahead, Alberto.

Thank you.

Politician landlord Maritza Rivera is on record for corruption and to try to sabotage the Black community projects through cutting EDI.

Rivera only backed down after facing a multi-hour public shaming from the community she was targeting.

Rivera also took an official vote to try and lift ethics rules to enrich herself as a landlord.

In addition, she endangered Port of Seattle operations, voting to place working-class housing in the heart of regional freight lines.

Maritza Rivera is either fully corrupt or dangerously ignorant.

It shouldn't take hours of public shaming to stop people like her from doing these things.

Have a good day.

That was our last remote speaker signed up and present to speak.

Thank you very much.

We've gotten to the end of our public comment period.

So public comment is now closed and we'll move on to the agenda.

So the IRC, excuse me.

If there is no objection, the introduction and referral calendar will be adopted.

All right, hearing no objection, the introduction and referral calendar is adopted.

And if there's no objection, the agenda will be adopted.

Hearing no objection, the agenda is adopted.

We'll now consider the proposed consent calendar.

Items on the consent calendar include the minutes of November 21st, 2025 and Council Bill 121134, payment of bills.

Are there any items that council members would like to remove from the consent calendar?

I didn't think so.

So, hearing none, I move to adopt the consent calendar.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you very much.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the consent calendar.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the consent calendar?

Council Member Juarez?

Aye.

Council Member Kettle?

Aye.

Council Member Lynn?

Aye.

Council Member Rink?

Yes.

Council Member Rivera?

Aye.

Council Member Sacca?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Aye.

Council Member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council President Nelson?

Aye.

Aye.

Dine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you very much.

The consent calendar items are adopted.

Will the clerk please affix my signature on the legislation?

and minutes on my behalf.

All right, there are no committee reports for consideration today, and there were no items removed from the consent calendar.

There is not a resolution for introduction and adoption, so we're coming up to the end of our agenda.

Is there any further business to come before Council?

All right, a reminder that we'll be having a reception welcoming Council Member Lynn immediately following adjournment in the Bertha Landis Room.

So, here we are.

It is now 3.08.

We've reached the end of today's agenda.

The next City Council meeting will be on December 9th at 2 o'clock.

Hearing no further business, we are adjourned.

Thank you, everybody.