Seattle City Council Meeting 6252024

Good afternoon.

The June 25th, 2024 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

It's 2.01 p.m.

I'm Maritza Rivera, serving as Council President Pro Tem and Council President Sarah Nelson's excused absence.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Saka?

Here.

Council Member Strauss.

Present.

Council Member Wu.

Present.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Present.

Council Member Kettle.

Here.

Council Member Moore.

Council Member Morales.

Here.

Council President Pro Tem Rivera.

Present.

Seven present.

If there's no objection, Council Member Moore will be excused from today's City Council meeting.

Hearing no objection, Council Member Moore is excused from today's City Council meeting.

Council Member Strauss has a proclamation proclaiming June 28th, 2024 to be Ali Panucci Day.

This proclamation will be discussed, signed and presented today.

I will ask Council Member Strauss to first introduce the proclamation and seek any final feedback on the proclamation before I request the roll call for Council Members to affix their signature to the proclamation.

Then, Councilmember Strauss will provide final remarks before we suspend the rules to present the proclamation to our guests and allow our guests to provide brief comments.

Councilmember Strauss, you are recognized in order to introduce and comment on the proclamation.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Today is an exciting day for Deputy Executive Panucci.

You have been here for a very long time, but not forever.

Not as old as...

I've got a script, I'm just gonna go off of it, because Ali, Deputy Director Panucci, You've served as a friend, you've served as an advisor, you have given unbiased, unfiltered policy analysis to me and many colleagues.

In 11 years, I don't even know how many council members you've served.

I didn't do the math and I'm not gonna do it right now.

It just goes to show how many people you have worked with how many people you have informed.

And when I was land use chair, it was just such an amazing opportunity to get to work with you after watching you work with Chair Johnson as well for so many years.

Your fingerprints are all over the city.

It's just amazing to see your work and how it's benefited our city of Seattle.

we're going to miss you incredibly.

And we know that this is the right, it would be a poor decision to not take this opportunity.

Um, the County of Whatcom is going to really, I mean, benefit from your expertise and land use, uh, and across the field because it's not, and colleagues, I don't know if you know this, but Allie was, um, You've risen through the ranks here.

You didn't start off as a deputy director.

This is a place where you have grown into new positions and our entire city is better for it.

Again, this is a day of celebration for you because I don't think that our city would have been able to accomplish what it has without you here on central staff.

With that, colleagues, any other comments and then I'll declare it Alley Panucci Day.

Are there any further comments before seeking signatures on the proclamation?

Council Member Morales, you're recognized.

I'll be brief, I just wanna say thank you and congratulations, Ali.

We will miss you so much.

And I will say that my understanding of how policy works here and my understanding of land use, such as it is, is really like your information and advisement really forms the bedrock of that understanding.

And so I really appreciate all that you've done for us and really can't wait to go visit you up in Whatcom and see what you're doing up there.

Congratulations.

All right, and I will actually say, Ali, in my short time here, I have so appreciated your counsel, your policy expertise, your integrity, the way you work with your team and coalesce your team and help lead your team.

I am so appreciative for the short time we've been able to work together.

And our loss is Whatcom County's gain.

And I look forward to hearing about your new role.

So thank you for everything you've done while I've been here and before I got here.

So thank you.

All right.

Seeing no further discussion on the proclamation, will the clerk please call the roll to determine which council members would like their signatures affixed to the proclamation proclaiming June 28th, 2024 to be Ali Panucci Day.

Council Member Saka.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Wu.

Yes.

Council Member Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Council Member Kettle.

Aye.

Council Member Morales.

Yes.

Council President Pro Tem Rivera.

Aye.

Seven signatures will be affixed.

Thank you, clerk.

Council Member Strauss, do you have any final comments before we suspend the rules to present the proclamation?

No, thank you.

Great.

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

Hearing no objection, the council rules are suspended.

The proclamation will be presented and Ali Panucci is welcome to provide some brief remarks to the council and members of the public.

Thank you.

I usually don't prepare anything written down, but I thought I might start crying, so I wrote a few things down.

But first, I want to thank the council.

I always wanted an Allie Panucci day, so this is quite an honor.

But really, it has been such a privilege to do this work with all of you, with previous councils, and with the central staff team, and all of the public servants that serve the city of Seattle.

I've spent my professional life in public service, and I really believe passionately in government's ability to support and serve our communities.

My experience first in the city of Minneapolis and then in the city of Seattle really helped me learn to balance the need for supportive, efficient government with a concern for our most vulnerable residents centering all of our work.

Perhaps the most important thing I've learned is the need for transparency, fiscal transparency most of all.

Whether dealing with public budgets or comprehensive planning, people wanna know what's happening and why, and that agree or disagree, we know where each other stands.

Central policy debates, and I know that this incredible team will continue to provide that analysis to support your decision making.

My time as part of the central staff team is some of the most challenging and impactful work of my career.

I'm so grateful to have been part of it and look forward to serving the community in Whatcom County.

So thank you.

Thank you, central staff.

Thank you, Allie.

All right.

Colleagues, at this time, we will open the hybrid public comment period.

Madam Clerk, how many speakers are signed up today?

13 remote, sorry, 13 in person.

And if I'm not mistaken, it's only two remote.

Correct.

Thank you.

We will start with speakers and council chambers first.

Today each speaker will have two minutes.

Madam Clerk I will now hand this over to you to present the instructions and call on registered speakers.

The public comment period will be moderated in the following manner.

The public comment period is up to 20 minutes.

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

We will begin with in-person speakers.

All 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.

So again, after you hear the chime, you'll have 10 seconds to wrap up.

Thank you.

Our first three speakers is Erica Lee, Arianna Riley, and Alex Zimmerman.

Hi, thank you for this moment.

My name is Erica Lee, and I was a volunteer at Woodland Park Zoo for six years, donating over 700 hours of my time.

I was an elected member of Washington's 46 LD executive board, worked in HR at UW, and was an EEO investigator for the state of California.

I was recently asked to mentor a developmentally delayed volunteer as I have experience with the community.

I applied for a summer job at the zoo and eight young people were hired over me.

The zoo finally investigated for age discrimination and said there was none and refused to explain why I wasn't selected for work I was already doing for free, including covering the breaks of paid staff.

I posted about the situation and a link to the zoo staff speaking here at City Council in February about low wages on social media in an attempt to get the zoo to do the right thing and for public interest.

Since the city and King County partially fund the zoo and volunteer office leads Daniel Rother and Maggie Regis kicked me out of the volunteer program for posting negatively about the zoo, perceived retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint.

Worth noting is an award-winning zookeeper recently filed a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the zoo as well.

Additionally, last year I broke my ankle at the zoo in an area that required repair, and Ann Dahl-Rimple, head of HR, accused me of trying to milk the zoo for asking they reimburse me for a used $30 knee scooter.

Laura Casper was a witness.

I'd also met with President Dr. Grahal about volunteer exploitation and the hiring practices, after i wasn't hired and when asked if he'd seen the video of zoo staff here last february he told me unionized staff are posturing that they are some of the highest paid i asked about the high percentage of animal keeper turnover and he said that was normal he also said it was not unusual for unionized staff to go without a contract for this long since at least january he also conceded hr needed work dr erica johnson was a witness i'm asking for the zoo board to convene a special meeting to evaluate grahal's and dalrymple's failed leadership and to invite me to speak Both create more problems than they solve.

I'm tired of leaders acting immorally when they think no one is looking.

I'm looking for accountability for the treatment and disrespect I and others continue to experience while giving our hearts to the zoo.

Invoking the zoo's motto, is this really how we zoo?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Arianna Riley.

I'm a delivery driver and resident of District 1. Uber charges the highest fees out of any delivery app, yet in West Seattle, Uber's often my busiest app.

They'll keep me on their clock for two to three hours straight, sending me another order before I can even drop off the current one.

The fees are not stopping customers from ordering at this point in time.

Also, I've worked in the areas north of the Ship Canal recently, and DoorDash is running off the hook there.

I even drove around with another driver.

Both of us had DoorDash on, and they sent both of us order after order with no downtime.

I normally work in West Seattle, White Center, Georgetown, the South End, and don't take orders going north of Soto, but having worked in Capitol Hill, Belltown, and north of the Ship Canal and Mountlake Bridges lately, I can say that it's not just West and South Seattle that's busy.

DoorDash did change their algorithm CF to be much closer to restaurants, and the only factor they used to assign orders now is proximity.

I know some drivers are struggling with this change, but I promise if you sit in an area with a lot of restaurants like the West Yellow Junction and just sit, you will get orders.

The closest driver to the restaurant gets assigned orders now.

That's the only factor.

Also, I want to address late night since nobody has.

It is so busy.

It's busier than before January.

I can stay on the west side delivering until 1 to 2 a.m.

every single night, even weeknights.

Before this was not the case, West Seattle died down around 11. We also desperately need more late night restaurants.

The demand is there.

If you live in the south end and you want to order DoorDash after midnight, your only options are fast food or Indian food from West Seattle.

If someone wants to open a late night spot, I'm talking from 8 p.m.

to 3 a.m.

On Rainier, that would be great.

The demand is there even on weeknights.

Each week is continuing to be busier than the last.

Please keep pay up in place as is.

Following Alex Zimmerman would be Paul Deckel and Jason Ugulink.

So it's Alex, and then it's Paul.

And after Paul, it'll be Jason.

Yeah.

Hello.

My name Alex Zimmerman.

I'm president of Stand Up America.

You want today approve like a 30 people for commissioner.

Yeah.

I am dozen commissioner meeting.

They all idiot.

I am speak with dozen management.

They all idiot too.

Classic example of officer cheer.

Chief of police out.

Yeah.

I have experience with last three mayor, they all crook and all criminal.

Why I speak this to you?

Because everything come from you.

When you mentally sick, when you have this fascism, what is smell like a Nazi, Gestapo, Junta, you know what is mean?

It's a big problem.

For this I talk for last 10 year, hundred times.

Open better room in city hall.

Give people come and speak without limitation from nine to nine for three minutes without your control.

Everything what has happened is because you by definition are sick people.

And sick people cannot bring to business something different.

They will bring exactly same.

Why?

Because apple never fallen too much from tree.

You freaking are mentally sick.

You are Nazi, a Gestapo.

Why you don't open better room?

First floors cost nothing so people can come and talk about everything what they want.

Maybe we will start doing better because you probably will have different opinion.

Here is a total control.

Agenda is a total control.

And many people cannot come because they work.

You understand?

I talking about this for 10 years.

No one consul, no one mayor, no one from 750,000 slaves.

Stand up, America.

We need doing something.

We cannot fall in and fall in and fall in.

Where is Barton?

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Now it's Paul and followed by Jason.

And again, there's two microphones if you'd like to line up.

And then also following Jason would be John Strumpstown.

My turn?

Okay.

So I was going to speak about something else, but...

What I wanted to discuss is the pricing of services here in this city in consideration to these on-demand apps.

I feel because of the nature of the elevated technology that we are all dealing with today that there has to be some governmental intervention in the consumer price that they have to confront.

for the services that are rendered.

It doesn't mean that you have to have complete regulation, but there has to be some flexible compromise on both sides so companies can't just pass over the buck to the consumer, which entails a reduction in the amount of business, because there's no money to be made on any side, especially the ones who are delivering, especially ones in bikes, if there's no consumer engagement.

which undermines the whole intent of what Working Washington was trying to do.

So Working Washington can pass on legislation that they want to increase the wages, but that's not going to create an effect that they wish to manufacture for their constituents if there's no consumer engagement, because consumers are very price conscious.

So it mandates the activity of the council, of the...

the governmental jurisdiction to get involved and mandate some sort of override on what the limitations on pricing can be, whether it's this demand on demand app or any other kind of service that is necessary for people to use on a daily basis.

Otherwise, we're just spinning water and it's not going anywhere and we're just creating a constant back and forth.

And I think that's basically what should be done and I think that would solve a huge problem.

basically complete this whole situation, finalize it at least.

Following Jason will be John Stramstown.

Oh, excuse me.

Chair, point of order.

I'd just like the record to reflect that Alex Zimmerman's behavior again was disruptive in chambers to the point that the last public commenter had to stop, look behind his shoulder to see what was going on.

No action needed, just wanted the record to reflect.

Thank you, council member.

Continue.

It's extremely challenging to live in Seattle on $9.98 an hour.

Such a low wage puts me in a position where I need to work 12 days straight so I can cover my basic expenses.

Prior to pay up, I was earning an average pay of close to $25 an hour.

I was able to work 40 hours a week and save money.

Now I need to work close to 60 hours a week and I barely get by.

This past week I worked for 58 hours and earned $578 including my tips.

If I had worked the same hours and pay up space of $26.46, I would have made $1,531.

I work in the greater downtown area, the area with the highest concentration of restaurants.

It's rarely as busy as some people claim.

Restaurants will tell you this.

Pay up is a failure for couriers, restaurants, and customers.

Publicly, council has been silent for a month.

Has the issue been shelved?

We need some sort of indication of how this is moving forward.

We have John Stromstad, then Rita Holzman, and Debbie Wilson.

My name is Nicolas Moreno.

We work with these applications and the truth is that for a few months the matter has been really worrying because it has stopped ringing.

I mean, there are literally no profits.

Everything has become very hard, so we really want them to do something so that we can work again as before and that we can get the same profits as before.

we work with these applications and the truth is that for a few months the matter was really worrying because it has stopped sounding that is literally no profit everything has become very hard so we really want you to do something so that we can go back to work as before and that we can get the same profits again as before

That's Nicholas Moreno, he's a driver in Seattle and he has had his income cut by more than half.

And every driver that he knows has had the same experience.

Yesterday I worked nine hours and I made $8.71.

It's absolutely humiliating.

Year to date, I have made $12,000.

Last year at this time, I had made $30,000.

I'm making far less than half.

The food delivery market has been destroyed Please listen to actual delivery people not working Washington.

When it's super slow, the algorithm does weird things and it benefits a small handful of drivers.

Listen to the majority of workers.

Restaurants are all losing revenue.

Just ask them.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, council members.

I want to thank you all for the amendments to the transportation levy proposal in support of Vision Zero funding proposed during last week's select committee meeting.

As you may recall, my husband became a Seattle traffic fatality statistic just over six months ago and since then there have been too many additional Seattle traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

This is appalling, but your support of moving aggressively on Vision Zero to decrease fatalities and serious injuries, to paraphrase Chair Saka from last week's meeting, is most encouraging.

I am a lifelong resident and homeowner of over 40 years in Seattle, and I understand that my property taxes will rise somewhat to pay for what is in the upcoming transportation levy.

I know it is impossible to have my husband back alive and well, but if an increase in my taxes will help prevent others from suffering the same fate as all of us whose lives have been forever changed as the result of traffic collisions on our streets, I am all for it.

Please continue to think boldly and underscore the importance of Vision Zero as you refine the components of the transportation levy proposal this week.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Followed, Rita, is going to be Debbie Wilson, Ron Jenis, and Victoria Palmer.

Thank you for having me today.

And thank you guys for being here.

I'm here because my name is Debbie Wilson.

I own Fresh Family LLC.

And I want to contract with the city of Seattle to do their hazardous waste and encampment cleanup.

And just recently, on the 30th of this month, they stopped my...

staff from working.

I have 15 people working.

I want to say that because of Seattle, I was able to put 15 people to work and buy homes, and some of them are here today, and they started with us at the age of 19, and I'm up to 36. Nine of them have homes, and it was abruptly stopped on the 31st.

for no good given reason, but I guess they said it's the budget, but I'm every day seeing the other team working.

And I want to know why the black woman on team is not working.

I think it's just because I'm a black woman on business that I'm not working.

There's not any other reason because The other team is working right now, and they've been working for nine years.

And I know they get comfortable with the people that's working, but there's an order to use me.

And I can do the work, and I've done the work.

And no one at SDOT is using our business.

And I want to know, I want someone to answer the question that who holds them accountable for these contracts when this happens to a white, black woman on team?

When they say that we don't do the work or we don't have people, black women-owned businesses that do it, this is why, because we get...

This dismantled, you're dismantling this whole thing that we put together.

The city helped do this.

You guys helped get this together.

You guys are a part of this happening.

This black woman on getting the contracts.

You guys are, it's one of the contracts that I won.

I have other contracts with UW, City of Renton, but I want you to stand up to make these people accountable for why I'm not working today and why these people that have bought homes are not working today.

Why?

Please, tell me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your time.

We have Ron Jenis and followed by Victoria Palmer.

Okay.

Hello.

My name is Ron Jones.

I'm also with And yes, we have been working with the city of Seattle since 2021. This is the second time we've experienced a major displacement like this.

And we're really just coming to the council to really ask for someone to put some eyes on what's happening and help shed light on and help us correct what's been done wrong, you know?

When we came in and started, we were told, hey, do X, Y, and Z.

You guys are going to be working here for the next five years on this contract.

Hire these people.

Buy these assets.

Don't rent these assets.

You're going to be here for five years.

And we've even had been told that, hey, if something does change, you'll get 30-day notice, 60-day notice, depending on what it is.

We were given, we were told at 530-something on a Thursday that Friday would be the last day for all your workers.

And that was it.

And it's just very disheartening that we could have to go through an experience like that when, you know, there's supposed to be executive orders from the mayor that says use Wimby-owned companies or Wimby-owned business.

The only team on that contract that's being used is a non-Wimby.

It's not even that they're using another Wimby instead of us.

They're not using a Wimby at all.

which is kind of just disregarding to the purpose of, you know, providing an opportunity for our type of businesses.

And it can be crippling, you know, so it just could, if it was, because it was so unexpected, you know, if we would have been told that, hey, this could, you may work this time and we may stop at any random time, then we would have prepared our business in that fashion, but we were really skilled to function around the terms of a five-year contract that has been changed to zero.

So we just asked for some help and some light in that situation so that we can help get these people back to work and restore jobs to our community that we worked so hard to do in King County.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have Victoria Palmer, then followed by Fana Song.

Hello, my name is Victoria Palmer.

I'm a Seattle resident in District 6. I was a candidate for Seattle City Council last year, and I'm running for state representative this year.

I'm here today for two reasons.

One is to share my deep appreciation for you, the members of the City Council and the positive direction you have taken the city under the leadership of Council President Sarah Nelson.

We can feel the change.

The second reason I'm here is to speak in support of an idea I got from Alex Zimmerman.

I caught up with him after the last meeting I attended and asked him to explain more about the request for the City Council as I felt it was not being understood.

It turned out that Alex is a champion of free speech, and would like to see all people able to share their views.

He voiced concern that one minute was not long enough for anyone to share their views, but at the same time acknowledged the limited time available at a city council session.

His request to the city council is that they make arrangements to open the Bertha Auditorium for a full day of public comment on a regular basis.

Doors would open for all Seattleites to attend and speak for up to five minutes on any topic.

It would be broadcast to Seattle on Seattle TV, so city council members would not have to attend personally.

It would be a small cost to the city to use these existing facilities, but would make a big difference, allowing the free flow of communication in our city, giving anyone a place to air any issue and others a chance to step up to help.

Starting with a date in July would allow candidates in the primary race a chance to speak directly to voters, a rare opportunity these days.

I support Alex's idea and encourage him to continue his request, but to consider using a gentler approach to city council, sort of a win more support with honey than vinegar concept to bring his vision to life.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have Fana Song and then Kefentisi Alabisi and then Vern Henderson.

My name is Panasong, and I also work for Fresh Family LLC.

I am a biohazard technician, which we work with the city of Seattle Parks, and we go out and clean homeless encampments.

We were terminated not once, but twice without no notice, and I was wondering what was going on with it.

And with what is going on with the city, I think we are very important to the city, what we do, That's about it.

Yeah, I think that's about it.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, counsel.

My name is Kay Finsay Olabisi, and I'm a proud employee of Fresh Family LLC.

I'm so grateful for what this company has done for me physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I was and still am shocked from coming to work every day, being proud knowing that we are doing great work and making a positive impact in our community and for my city by helping clean up our streets to being surprised one day coming into work and being told that the city had made a decision to discontinue our contract and they would no longer need our services.

I've seen firsthand the epidemic that is happening with the increased homelessness, the increased drug use.

and the filth and trash that sits on our streets, outside of our schools, in front of some of our main businesses, in front of people houses, as well as in public parks, and on and off of our freeways.

When I first moved up to Seattle in 1999, this was a beautiful city.

And over the years, I have seen this city change drastically for the worse with this epidemic.

more people losing jobs, more people becoming homeless, more people strung out on drugs, and more people living on the streets because it decreased opportunities to work and maintain a decent living wage.

This company has given me the knowledge and the tools that I need to succeed.

Also, this company has given me the opportunity to be a productive, law-abiding citizen here in Seattle.

Fresh Family LLC has been essential for me, my family, and my fellow employees, which have become an extended family.

Fresh Family LLC has been a lifesaver for me and my family, and this company has given me an opportunity to be able to do things the right way.

This job has given me a chance to provide for myself and for my family the legal way.

We are a black-owned minority company with the ability, with the knowledge, and with the determination to bring forth the tools that are needed to be an intricate part of helping to clean up our city.

If you can only hear and see how many people and businesses thank us with sincere gratitude for the services we provide in cleaning up our city and helping to improve...

You would definitely understand why Fresh Family LLC is needed to be working for and cleaning up our community and our city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our last registered online speaker, sorry, in-person speakers, Verna.

My name is Vernon Henderson.

And I just like to say, I think it's important for our city to stay clean.

If it's important for our city to stay clean, it should be important for us to stay working because we don't just clean the city for us.

We clean the city for everybody.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our first remote before I call on the first remote speaker, I'd like to remind remote speakers that after you hear the message that you have been unmuted to please press star six, one time.

Our first remote speaker is Alex Kim, and Alex will be followed by Alberto Alvarez.

Go ahead, Alex.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes.

Hi, my name is Alex Kim, gig worker and District 2 resident, speaking today in support of pay up.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal published a pro-business anti-worker article about food delivery minimum wage in New York City and Seattle.

There was an interesting part that I want to quote now.

In April, New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection said the apps were paying workers $16.3 million more a week, more than double what they paid before the changes went into effect.

Unfortunately, we do not have any data like that here.

However, I would guess that it's been just as good or better for workers in Seattle.

Not having this data and basing everything on what the app companies and their lobbyist groups tell you is quite frankly terrible decision making.

Orders may be down, but are they increasing every month?

How much has the per order payment increased?

How much are drivers making per mile driven compared to last year?

Are restaurants as a whole profiting more or less than last year?

These are the questions the apps do not want you asking, but they're absolutely what you need to find out if you want to make the best decision for the city of Seattle.

Also, I hope you read Mupopa's excellent op-ed in the Seattle Times recently.

In it, he says in the same five months of 2023 versus 2024, he made $6,700 versus $10,000 and with less expenses in 2024 too.

This is consistent with my own earnings where I've been on pace to make 70% more.

Last week was particularly busy for me, which indicates that the market continues to adjust the pay up and the improved service quality that comes with paying workers more could be increasing demand.

As others have said, The implementation of pay up in January came at a time when all restaurants have a slow period and it has not been fair to make hasty judgments from that time period.

In fact, in November, the OLS will start to gain data collection powers and the council could work with the office to find out whether or not workers are making more and by how much.

Please vote no on the proposed drive forward revision and give pay up a reasonable amount of time to take effect as order volume has only been increasing.

If you need to make changes, then gather real data to

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Alberto Alvarez.

Go ahead, Alberto.

Hello, my name is Alberto.

I'm a driver here in Seattle.

The drop in order volume is clearly tied to the high fees DoorDash and Uber Eats applied to all Seattle orders.

The pain inflicted on local restaurants was then used as a reason for Sarah Nelson push through a bill the delivery apps wrote.

The market has found a solution.

Grubhub has been offering free food delivery while also giving the fair wages pay up brings.

The only response DoorDash and Uber have now is to continue their unfair price gouging and lose market share or truly compete with Grubhub and lower the high fees to improve order volume.

The Sarah Nelson bill needs to be dropped or voted down.

The market has found a solution.

It may take a bit more time, but Seattle deserves fair pricing and also fair wages and work protections.

PayUp has been working for six months, even if the apps have tried to undermine it.

When the consumer fees are lowered, all sides win.

Customers, restaurants, drivers.

Drop the Sarah Nelson bill and move on to the real problems council needs to handle.

I also want to share the words from Mr. Mukhopa on Seattle Times recently.

He is a retired software engineer and graduate of Washington State University.

Despite companies' attempts to reduce demand, most workers I have spoken to with are doing better now.

Yes, I'm getting slightly fewer delivery offers, but before pay up, I only rejected about 60% of them because they weren't worth doing.

Now I can accept almost 100%.

In the eyes of these companies, we're just inventory, but we are people with lives and families.

We won the right to get paid minimum wage after expenses.

Now the companies are attacking the law.

They don't want workers elsewhere to believe that something like that is possible.

Thank you, counsel.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That was our last remote speaker.

Thank you, clerk.

We have reached the end of the list of registered speakers.

The public comment period is now closed.

Thank you for your comments today.

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

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

If there is no objection, the agenda will also be adopted.

Hearing no objection, the agenda is adopted.

We will now consider the proposed consent calendar.

Items on the consent calendar include minutes of June 18, 2024, Council Bill 120803, which is payment of the bills, five appointments from the Finance, Native Communities, and Tribal Governments Committee, and 11 appointments from the Governance, Accountability, and Economic Development Committee.

Are there any items 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.

It is seconded and, excuse me, it is moved and seconded to adopt the consent calendar.

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

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Wu?

Yes.

Council Member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council Member Kettle?

Aye.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council President Pro Tem Rivera.

Aye.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

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.

Will the clerk please read item one into the record.

Agenda item one, council bill 120801 relating to city employment authorizing the execution of collective bargaining agreements between the City of Seattle and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 77.

I move to pass Council Bill 120801. Is there a second?

Second.

It is moved and seconded to pass the bill.

I'll address this bill on behalf of Council President Nelson, who's the sponsor of the bill.

Council Bill 120801 would authorize three collective bargaining agreements between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Number 77, and the City of Seattle.

These agreements would apply to three bargaining units at Seattle City Light that collectively represent 500. The agreements would establish similar terms to those in the coalition agreements and specific terms related to wage adjustments, premium pay, and reimbursements.

Though the cost of the agreements, $35 million, would exceed the costs anticipated and planned for in the 2024 budget, the cost of these agreements will be paid for by City Lights rate payers, both commercial and residential.

And just as a side note, City Lights annual budget is approximately 1.3 billion.

Are there any comments on the bill?

Seeing no comments, will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Wu?

Yes.

Council Member Hollingsworth?

Aye.

Council Member Kettle?

Aye.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council President Pro Tem Rivera?

Aye.

Seven in favor, none opposed.

The motion carries, the bill passes, and the chair will sign it.

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

Will the clerk please read item two into the record?

The report of the Finance, Native Communities, and Tribal Governments Committee, Agenda Item 2, Council Bill 120792, relating to the Department of Finance and Administrative Services authorizing the Director of Finance and Administrative Services to negotiate and execute a real property lease with Neptune 3 TT LLC.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Council Member Strauss, as Chair of the Committee, you are recognized in order to address this item.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Colleagues, before us today is a bill that allows the Finance and Administrative Services FAS Department to execute a property lease agreement on behalf of the Human Services Department for our Aging and Disability Services Division.

The topic was heard twice in the Finance Native Communities Tribal Governments Committee, and passage was recommended unanimously.

However, colleagues, I'm having some last-minute concerns that if we pass this today that Mary Mitchell and Lena Tebow will not be coming to council anymore.

Sorry, it's a sunny day, so I'm getting a little funny.

But to say Karen Gruen from FAS and Mary Mitchell, Alina Tibu, and your finance director over at HSD answered a lot of questions because I had a lot of questions, my colleagues had a lot of questions, because this year we're doing a deep review and examination of our budget to find any general fund savings possible.

The matter before us is funded...

Aging and Disability Services uses...

federal funding to provide federal services and we are the conduit.

So there are no general fund savings to be had.

Their department also has space in Seattle Municipal Tower.

This is an auxiliary location.

Mary Lena, please come back.

We would like to see you here at Council again.

It's clear that this bill is a win-win.

The new lease allows HSD workers to better serve their clients, and while there are one-time costs related to the move, the lease will result in lower annual rent payments and significant savings over the initial 10-year term.

And I already said that these expenditures are all federal funds, and there were not opportunities for general fund savings.

We did review and examine this.

Colleagues, I urge an aye vote.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Strauss.

Are there any comments on the bill?

All right.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Saka?

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Wu?

Yes.

Council Member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council Member Kettle?

Aye.

Council Member Morales.

Yes.

Council President Pro Tem Rivera.

Aye.

Seven 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.

Colleagues, there are no items.

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

Is there any other further business to come before council?

Seeing none, we have reached the end of today's agenda.

Our next regularly scheduled City Council meeting will be held on July 2nd at 2 p.m.

Hearing no further business, we are adjourned.

It is 2.46 p.m.