Seattle City Council Public Hearing 1/28/2025

Good afternoon, everyone.

The January 28th, 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 Strauss.

Present.

Council member Hollingsworth.

Present.

Council member Kettle.

Here.

Council member Moore.

Present.

Council member Rink.

Present.

Council member Rivera.

Council member Saka.

Here.

Council member Solomon.

Here.

Council president Nelson.

Present.

Eight present.

Thank you very much.

And I note that council member Rivera is excused today and council member for folks in the audience, council member Moore is joining us remotely.

All right, colleagues, we've got one public hearing and five items of business.

There are no presentations today, but I wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge and welcome our new colleague and District 2's new representative, Councilmember Mark Solomon.

I'll have more remarks at his welcome reception today, immediately following this council meeting in Bertha Knight Landis.

But just for right now, Council Member Solomon, I wanted to welcome you personally and say I'm excited to have you here.

So welcome to your first day at the dais.

Thank you very much for joining.

Thank you very much for the honor.

All right, at this time, we will open the public comment period.

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

If you want to comment on the item that is regarding floodplains, please do so during the public hearing.

All right, Introduction Referral Calendar and Work Program.

How many people are signed up today?

We have two in person, one remote.

All right, let's give everybody two minutes and start with the two in-person commenters, please.

Speakers will be called in the order in which they are registered.

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

We will now begin with our in-person speakers.

Our first speaker is Bennett Halston and then followed by Bennett will be Alex Zimmerman.

Good afternoon, and congratulations, Council Member Solomon, on what is soon to be your first ever Alex Zimmerman heckle.

Bittersweet moment for any of council members who know what I mean in a second.

OK, so I have sent a proposed draft resolution to counsel at seattle.gov calling on the city attorney to answer questions about their statement they put out about Judge Vidotti.

Everybody else heard this a million times since we have a new person here.

About a year ago, the city attorney issued a statement disqualifying Judge Verdotti from hearing criminal cases.

They claimed that she improperly found that a criminal defendant was in compliance with treatment and dismissed the case, even though the defendant never got on a transport van to go to the treatment.

But they never said what the case was.

So Judge Verdotti went on TV saying, I don't know what cases is.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I filed a public disclosure request to get the case number.

And I pulled the audio from the courthouse file.

And in it, you can hear the defendant's lawyer saying defendant tried to go to treatment, but they wouldn't let her on the van.

I'll play the audio here.

I'm not sure if it's going to get through.

Just take my word for it.

It is what I'm saying it is.

OK.

But that's the defendant's lawyer explaining that.

And then Judge Vidati here saying she's declining to dismiss the case or find defendant was in compliance.

OK, so this statement that the city attorney put out about Judge Vedati saying that she and probably trying to make her look incompetent, every part of that statement was, in fact, incorrect.

So I have drafted a proposal resolution that just says there's discrepancies between what the city attorney's office said and the facts of the case.

They should either retract the false statements about the judge, or they should explain why they think the facts do support the statements that they've made.

So I just consider this to be what should be a non-controversial, non-political thing.

Anybody can introduce it during a meeting.

Council Member Solomon, I know you said you had a punch list that you wanted to deal with.

I do legitimately think this is important, and it's something that could be done just in a couple minutes at a council meeting.

Thank you.

This is abusive language which constitutes a disruption.

Please refrain from breaking the council rules.

Yeah, exactly.

For this Trump make a freedom of speech order.

Yeah, I know.

Yeah, I know you.

It's very good, so we have right now three black people here.

I'm very surprised that you elected Mr. Solomon.

So I'm totally with you guys.

So right now, this looks like a 33% black in this chamber.

So you right now can support 250,000 black who live in Seattle.

It's very good, exactly.

Nobody supports this, 250,000 who live in Seattle.

Yeah, black people.

It's very important, yeah.

But I have something about election because too many people elect this too here in agenda.

I have a little bit confused because last week I see six men go for election and no one woman.

It's totally confused me.

I don't understand.

What is going on?

30 years I come here and speak thousand and thousand times.

Each time as I come, you're so good.

You so nice, you super, you make me always happy.

So right now I'm very happy because I never see like this before in my entire life.

No one woman, why?

Why no one woman with choice for be, ah?

Possibility for election.

Can somebody explain this to me, huh?

What is going on, huh?

When the Seattle Nazi cockroaches, you know what it means, start acting like a person by definition.

That is abusive language.

Exactly.

I'm talking about elections.

You are being warned.

You have been warned.

If you choose to continue with this, you will be excluded.

No.

Please have your seat.

Stop.

Please stop me.

Please take your seat, Mr. Zimmerman.

No, please take your seat.

No.

That was our last in-person speaker.

We do have one remote speaker for general comment, and that is David Haynes.

A reminder to the remote commenter to please press star six when you hear that your line has been unmuted.

Go ahead, David Haynes.

Hi, thank you, David Haynes.

Does the city council really put 60 hours a week into their council job?

I ask because since the new year, you all have had a record amount of council committee meetings.

So it makes one wonder, in your idea of working, is it going out and enjoying the accoutrements of power as our society continues to implode?

We need legislation from you all to encourage and demand that the banks prioritize financing 21st century, first world quality new homes and new buildings with robust floor plans that go higher in the levels for multitudes of younger generations needing better choice in homes and real equity without the restrictions that some people think are justified as some sort of red line where they don't want people moving into their neighborhood unless they want to buy their double, triple, quadruple remortgaged home.

Yet some on council seems to think for-profit developers are the worst people in the world.

Yet they give carte blanche benefit of the doubt to unqualified nonprofits politically connected to their reelection apparatus who always get a pass on creating the most egregious modern third world inner city warehouse echo slum real estate in horrible locations.

that only certain skin colors get access to as if you're doing black people a favor.

And that's your sole motivation to go through the motions as if that solves the problem while making sure that you restrict the higher levels needed to create a better livable space, forcing people to live closer to loud streets and noise, appeasing sellout homeowners who've sabotaged and tainted every effort to build back better housing.

while others think it's okay to force people to live in low-level, low-quality, horrible locations, creating modern third-world inner-city housing, repeating historical discriminations and oppressions, while virtue signaling race-based priority, as if it's a lesser-of option you all are fine with.

While some on council do the bidding of greedy rental landlords offering dilapidated inflated rentals that are making people mental because they live in crappy buildings needing a renegotiation on the rates,

That was our last remote speaker for general public comment.

Thank you very much.

We've reached the end of our list.

So the public comment period is now closed.

Thank you everybody for your comments today.

All right.

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

Seeing no objection, the introduction and referral calendar is adopted.

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

Hearing none.

the agenda is adopted.

Now normally we would go into the consent calendar, but we do have a public hearing.

Item G, will the clerk please read the title of this item into the record?

Council 120927 related to flood plains, 8th extension of interim regulations established by Ordinance 126113 as amended by Ordinance 126536 for an additional six months to allow individuals to rely on updated national flood insurance rate maps to obtain flood insurance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood insurance program.

Thank you.

This might seem familiar, but in any case, normally the land use chair would be the sponsor of this legislation.

We didn't know whether or not Council Member Solomon would have had the time to, between yesterday and today, bring himself up to speed on this, and so I signed on as the sponsor and we asked council member Strauss's office.

Thank you very much as vice chair to provide the committee report for this item.

So you're recognized and welcome to speak and thank you.

Thank you.

And council member Solomon, welcome.

I'll step up to bat for you today.

This has been a perennial issue that we've been dealing with.

Little bit of history here.

In February 2020, FEMA required an update to Seattle's floodplain regulations to reflect FEMA's new flood insurance rate map.

Mapped areas included properties along Puget Sound, the Duwamish River, and areas adjacent to creeks.

In July 2020, when I was the land use chair, We passed this and the mayor signed in ordinance 126113 establishing interim floodplain development regulations, including updated floodplain maps.

I will stay in the time between July 2020 to today, there were some pretty intense negotiations with the Port of Seattle regarding the definitions within these regulations.

I got to the point where I was pretty frustrated that we were continuing to have to extend the interim regulations to address these issues and In July 2021, SDCI issued the SEPA decision on proposed permanent regulations.

The decision was appealed by the port.

SDCI withdrew the 2021 SEPA decision and worked with port staff to resolve the issues.

And then...

this is what is new, that in August of 2024, SDCI issued a new SEPA decision on updated proposed permanent floodplain development regulations.

That decision was not appealed and the reason for the extensions is that after the August SEPA, peer and business owners along the central waterfront came forward with additional concerns.

So we have done the work to address the concerns of the Port of Seattle, and now we're taking some more time to address these new concerns so that we can all move forward together as a region.

SDCI and the mayor's office are working to resolve the issue and move forward with proposed permanent regulations for city council consideration prior to the expiration of the interim regulations in August, 2025. I'm looking at the camera for all of the viewing public that I really hope that we don't have another interim extension.

That said, colleagues, I think that we should support this at this time.

And today's work is to have the 30-day published public hearing about the legislation.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

So as presiding officer, I am now opening the public hearing on Council Bill 120927. Clerk, how many people are signed up to speak today?

We have one remote speaker.

Let's give them two minutes.

Go ahead.

A reminder to our remote speaker to please press star six when you hear the message that you have been unmuted.

Our remote speaker is Sabrina Boulay.

Go ahead, Sabrina.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Sabrina Boulayou.

I'm the regional government affairs manager from the Port of Seattle.

And first off, I wanna offer a note of congratulations to our newly elected council member, Mark Solomon.

We are so excited for you and we look forward to working with you.

Council member Strauss did an excellent job laying out a comprehensive summary of why this ordinance has been extended.

And I do indeed hope that this is the final extension.

It's very important that we have adequate and proper regulations implemented by the city and the port is one of the largest landowners of public shoreline in the city of Seattle.

And we are hopeful that we can get to a final resolution and some of the property owners and businesses along the waterfront can find resolution as well.

Thank you for your good work and we look forward to getting this done.

I'll leave it at that.

Thank you.

And that was our only remote speaker.

All right, thank you very much for that comment.

Colleagues, that was our last speaker to present at the public hearing.

So the public hearing on Council Bill 120927 is now closed.

Now we'll consider the proposed consent calendar and the items are the minutes of January 17th, 21st and 23rd, 2025. Council Bill 120936, which is payment of bills, and four appointments from the Sustainability, City Light, Arts, and Culture Committee.

Are there any items that council members would like to remove from today's consent calendar?

Hearing none, I move to adopt the consent calendar.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

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 Strauss.

Yes.

Councilmember Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Councilmember Kettle.

Aye.

Councilmember Moore.

Aye.

Councilmember Rink.

Yes.

Councilmember Saka.

Aye.

Councilmember Solomon.

Aye.

Council President Nelson.

Aye.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

Thank you, everyone.

The consent calendar items are adopted.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the minutes and legislation on the consent calendar on my behalf?

Okay, moving on to committee reports.

Our first item, will the clerk please read item one into the record.

The report is sustainability, City Lights, Arts and Culture Committee, agenda item one, resolution 32160, relating to city streets, changing the name of designated portion of Second Avenue, excuse me, I believe that is incorrect.

Let me get to the agenda.

Okay, let me do that again.

Agenda item one, resolution 32160, related to City Light Department adopting updated transportation electrification strategic investment plan for a City Light Department that will guide the development of the utility infrastructure strategy and investment priorities related to the electronification of transportation.

Can we recommend the resolution be adopted?

Thank you very much.

Let's see, is this, was this in, uh, transportation or in arts?

Okay.

Sustainability.

Thank you very much.

Council member Reakins as chair of the committee, you're recognized to provide the committee report.

Fabulous.

Thank you colleagues.

This is very exciting.

The transportation electrification strategic investment plan is a critical step toward a cleaner, greener local transportation system that is more environmentally sustainable for our city and region.

we need to continue our move away from reliance on fossil fuels.

To provide a bit of background, in 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed Substitute House Bill 1512, which provides electric utility governing authorities with the ability to adopt transportation electrification plans and allows electric utilities to offer incentive programs for customers.

This includes promotion of EVs and advertising programs for utility services, initiatives, incentives, and or rebates.

And as a result, in 2020, the Seattle City Council first adopted the initial TSIP, that's our acronym for Transportation Electrification Strategic Investment Plan, first adopted this to support the work of Seattle City Light.

And the updated TCIP resolution 32160 was passed out of Sustainability City Light Arts and Culture Committee on Friday, January 17th.

So if adopted by full council today, the TCIP resolution would ensure that City Light can continue this vital electrification work by first adopting City Light's updated plan for 2025 to 2030. Second, requesting that City Light continue to consult with other city of Seattle departments, stakeholders, and community partners, as well as a wide array of customers on specific programs, services, initiatives, and incentives.

And then third, stating that City Light will uphold values of equity, the environment, and the electrical grid in the development of the implementation plan.

So colleagues, I urge you to vote yes today before full council.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Are there any questions or comments from colleagues?

Councilmember Saka.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

And I wanna thank Council Member Rink for leading this effort through her committee.

It's an important body of work as a member that sits on her committee and as chair of our transportation committee.

This is a priority of mine.

It's clearly a priority.

It's a shared priority.

between myself and Council Member Brink, and I'm gonna be supporting this legislation today, and I was proud to support it out of committee.

At the committee level, just in full transparency, had some initial concerns around adopting a new strategic plan, if you will, for electrification, you know, that's going to essentially govern the next five plus years of how we operate in the city, you know, in the face of certain notable delays and pauses on key projects that were promised to communities.

And I'm thinking of top of mind for me and my district is the Morgan Junction.

EV charging infrastructure that was long committed to and promised.

And so I had a great productive conversation with our partners at City Light to learn more about the underlying challenges and basically unprecedented challenges that they've experienced over the years with actually finally once and for all delivering on this project and including third party dependencies, supplier challenges, people exiting the lines of business and the implications and all like contracting and other stuff.

So it's complicated and I don't envy their work, but I was assured that they're on a strong path to finally delivering that and accelerating their work and making it a stretch assignment for them.

And I support them in their efforts to do exactly that.

All that is to say, this is a, and we're gonna continue the conversation with our City Light partners on that project in particular that's really important to my constituents and therefore myself.

And also proud to support this resolution today.

So, thank you.

Thank you.

Any comments?

What I would, thank you very much for that perspective.

I wanted, Council Member Inquin, you mentioned advertising.

Can you say more about that, please?

I think you said that.

There's discussion in the underlying legislation related to promotion and advertising programs for utility services, initiatives, incentives, and rebates.

And that's related to what was passed by the Washington State Legislature.

Okay, I thought that you were referring to ads on electric charging stations, which has been kind of a topic when it never ended up in legislation, but I do believe that we have to prioritize our electric charging network.

I appreciate the efforts here.

So I mean, sometimes we really do have to make sure that if our policy goal to get more people into electric vehicles is to be realized, we do have to ensure that we have to extend the grid so that more people can access that infrastructure.

All right, thank you for answering that question.

Are there any other questions or comments?

Okay, seeing none.

At this time would the clerk please call the roll.

Council member Strauss.

Yes.

Council member Hollingsworth.

Aye.

Council member Kettle.

Aye.

Council member Moore.

Aye.

Council member Rink.

Aye.

Council member Saka.

Aye.

Council member Solomon.

Aye.

Council President Nelson.

Aye.

Eight in favor none opposed.

All right, the resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

Thank you.

And would you please read item two into the record?

The report of the Transportation Committee, agenda item two, Council Bill 120846, granting Triton West LLC permission to maintain, operate a pipeline system in under, along and across 13th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Florida Street.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you very much.

And Councilmember Saka, as Chair of Transportation, you're recognized to provide the committee report.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

And colleagues, just some quick additional background, and this is more for our newest colleague, Councilmember Solomon's personal benefit, and then members of the public, of course, following along.

If someone in our city wants to put a structure in a public right-of-way, for a long period, they need specific permission from the Seattle Department of Transportation and therefore the Seattle City Council to do so.

Permission is generally granted for 15 years and can be renewed once without going through a separate standalone re-permitting process.

After approximately 30 years, however, the council will consider a new permit application.

So I set the table.

as additional background for a few of the items before us here today.

But I'll talk about the first one that was read into the record.

This legislation in front of the council today reflects the different stages of approval.

This specific pipeline, which is owned and operated by Triton West, has been in place since 1947. It carries petroleum products between a dock on Harbor Island and an oil storage plant on the island as well.

So it's a critical enablement structure, if you will.

The Council Bill 120846 would renew approval of the term permit for 20 years with enhanced maintenance obligations and indemnification and insurance requirements.

The committee recommends passage of Council Bill 120846 unanimously.

Thank you.

All right, are there any questions or comments from colleagues?

All right, seeing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council Member Kettle?

Aye.

Council Member Moore?

Aye.

Council Member Rink?

Yes.

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Solomon?

Aye.

Council President Nelson?

Eight in favor, none opposed.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

And while you are at it, please, would you please read item three into the record?

Agenda item three, Council Bill 120924, granting Pike Place Market Preservation Development Authority permission to continue maintaining and operating pedestrian skybridge over and across Western Avenue.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

All right, Council Member Saka, still Chair of Transportation, you're recognized to provide the committee report.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

So the second permit is a new permit, net new permit for an existing skybridge.

Because of their impact on the street environment, skybridges have special rules, we know.

This sky bridge in particular is one that most people in Seattle will know and recognize.

It connects the main Pike Place Market to the Pike Place Market parking garage across from Western Avenue and our colleague, Councilmember Kettle's district.

It also provides ADA access between the market and the central waterfront.

Because this is considered a new permit for a sky bridge, the Pike Place Market Public Development Authority was required to provide public benefits in exchange for possible granting of this permit.

The benefits provided include an upgrade to their elevators, which are open to the public, new bike racks, and enhanced fire escape stairs.

The committee recommends The council bill that council passed council bill 120924 unanimously.

And I ask for your support.

Thank you.

Questions or comments.

This has been this piece of legislation, not this piece of legislation, but this issue has been around for a while.

I seem to remember that this is something that the.

that Pike Place has been trying to do for a while, correct?

Okay, yeah.

Just wanting to lend legitimacy to the fact that this has been an ongoing effort.

Okay, if there aren't any other comments, will the clerk please call the roll on the bill?

Council member Strauss?

Yes.

Council member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council member Kettle?

Aye.

Council member Moore?

Aye.

Council member Rink?

Yes.

Council member Saka?

Aye.

Council member Solomon?

Aye.

Council President Nelson?

Aye.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf.

Would you please read item four into the record?

Agenda item four, resolution 32158, granting conceptual approval to install, maintain, and operate a below-grade pedestrian tunnel under and across Bourne Avenue North.

The committee recommends the resolution be adopted.

Okay, Council Member Saki, please provide the committee report.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

So first, the council considers a resolution for items such as this that essentially lay out the conditions the council would like to see in the term permit requests.

And then the council considers an ordinance that grants the permit.

Generally, if the resolution is adopted, here we have two before us, the council will pass the ordinance, assuming it is consistent with the terms in the underlying resolution.

Consequently, these resolutions are the key decision point for these term permits.

Everyone tracking?

There's a test.

You can bang your head against the desk later if you want.

All right, so resolution on Omni Boren Avenue is building a residential tower at the southwest corner of Boren Avenue North and John Street.

a block north of Denny Way in the South Lake Union neighborhood.

It is directly across the street from residential development that they have already built on the block between Boren and Fairview Avenues North and Kitty Corner from an office residential complex they're building on the north side of John Street.

There's also a test you have to map out and sketch.

No, there's no test.

Councilmember Solomon's like, oh my gosh.

They have applied for two permits to allow them to build tunnels underneath John Street.

And resolution 32158 would specifically grant approval for a pedestrian tunnel to allow for a connection between the new tower and the parking facility under the existing buildings.

This would allow for sharing of parking and loading facilities between the various buildings.

Then some other comments on the other one, the other resolution once it's read into the record, but that's that one.

Okay.

This seems to be the, uh, the over under day, but yeah.

Okay.

Are there any questions or comments?

Seeing none.

Will the clerk please call the roll.

Council member Strauss.

Yes.

Council member Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Council member Kettle.

Council member Moore.

Council member Rink.

Council member Saka.

Council member Solomon.

Council President Nelson.

Aye.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

The resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?

And please go ahead and read item five into the record.

Agenda five, resolution 32159, granting conceptual approval to install, maintain, operate the below grade private thermal energy exchange system under and across Bourne Avenue North.

The committee recommends the resolution be adopted.

Thank you.

Council Member Saka, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Council President.

And this one essentially goes hand in hand.

It's substantially related to the last item that we discussed and approved, but more specifically, resolution 32159 would grant approval for a utility tunnel, utility tunnel, That's the distinction, unlike the last one.

So this is a utility tunnel between the buildings that we talked about.

And this will allow for heat to be exchanged between the buildings, reducing energy demand.

The committee recommends that council adopt this resolution as well, 32159, unanimously so.

Thank you.

Well, I do have one question.

The mention of this technology did pique my interest.

So is this a particularly Is this an emphasis in sustainability in this building, as you mentioned, to facilitate the heat exchange?

So is this something that they're doing above and beyond what one would normally do for these kinds of projects?

Thank you, Madam Council President.

It's a great question.

It is my understanding that sustainability is absolutely a factor that's contributing to, is driving the need and requests for this specific permit.

But it's also a critical, like, infrastructure enablement tool that allows all the cool things to go on underground below our feet and, you know, keep our city humming along, so to speak in many ways.

All right.

Thank you very much for that.

Are there any questions?

Seeing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the resolution?

Council member Strauss?

Yes.

Council member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council member Kettle.

Aye.

Council member Moore.

Aye.

Council member Rink.

Aye.

Council member Saka.

Aye.

Council member Solomon.

Aye.

Council president Nelson.

Aye.

Eight in favor, none opposed.

The resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf.

All right, there were no items removed from the consent calendar and there is not a resolution for introduction and adoption today.

Is there any further business to come before the council?

Council member Strauss.

And I also, hold on a second, I see another just wanting to acknowledge I thought there were two hands up.

Nope, go ahead, please.

Thank you, council colleagues.

Yesterday was an exciting day here on council.

In the process, I did pose a trivia question.

The question being Chicundi Salisbury had a picture on chicundi.com, which is in district, one of the pictures was in district six, which band filmed which music video at that location?

Councilmember Kettle.

Temple the Dog, Hunger Strike.

And that is absolutely correct.

One of my favorite places in the city and one of my favorite songs of all time.

And just further demonstration that Chikundi is everywhere.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Rink, go ahead.

Well, thank you, Madam President.

I just wanted to take a moment to recognize the news coming out of DC today, this announcement of pausing federal grants and loans.

And we know this will have devastating consequences on universities, cities like our own, schools, and other institutions.

Senator Murray spoke out against this today, as well noting that we could see a screeching halt to our resources for housing, treatment, food access, cancer research, veteran services, child care, infrastructure, and disaster relief efforts.

And even seeing in our own committee briefing just a few weeks ago, City Light briefed us about the bomb cyclone response and that it cost the city $1.3 million for the 11 days of activation to restore power to our residents across the city.

and it is now unclear if we'll be reimbursed by FEMA.

Now, coming into this meeting, it appears as though a federal judge has now temporarily blocked this move, and this executive order comes on the heels of a lot of executive orders from the past week.

It seems like chaos is the point and cruelty is the point.

So colleagues, at this juncture, it is time for us to step up.

As the elected leaders of this city, we need to start preparing.

And I want to publicly state my intent for us to begin working as a body to prepare for what losses in federal funding may do for our local projects and what policy changes may impact our residents.

These executive orders are causing a lot of fear and uncertainty.

For many in our community, particularly our immigrant and transgender neighbors, we need to solve problems, but also affirm that all of our neighbors are welcome here and that we stand by them.

Colleagues, I look forward to working with you on this.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

All right.

Any other comments?

Okay, seeing none, we have reached the end of today's agenda and our next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be held on February 4th at 2 p.m.

And one thing I'll say before I say there is no further business, I would like to just remind folks that there is a reception downstairs in the Bertha Knight Landis room to welcome our new council member, Mark Solomon.

All right, hearing no further business, we are adjourned, thank you.