SPEAKER_07
Good afternoon, everyone.
The October 29th, 2024 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.
It is 2.02 p.m.
I'm Sarah Nelson, Council President.
Will the clerk please call the roll?
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Saka?
Here.
Council Member Strauss?
Present.
Council Member Wu?
Present.
Council Member Hollingsworth?
Here.
Council Member Kettle?
Here.
Council Member Morales?
Here.
Council Member Rivera?
Present.
Council President Nelson?
SPEAKER_07
Present.
SPEAKER_02
Eight present.
SPEAKER_07
Thank you.
If there's no objection, Council Member Moore will be excused from today's meeting.
Hearing no objection, Council Member Moore is excused from today's meeting.
All right, moving along.
There is no presentation today, so 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.
Madam Clerk, how many people are signed up today?
SPEAKER_10
We have six in person and one remote.
SPEAKER_07
Thank you very much.
Let's give folks two minutes each and start with the in-person commenters.
SPEAKER_02
The public comment period is up to 20 minutes, and speakers will be called in the order in which they are registered.
We will alternate between sets of in-person speakers and remote speakers until the public comment has ended.
Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left of their time.
Speakers' mics will be muted if they do not end their comments within the allotted time.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_10
The first three in-person speakers are Shannon Woodman, Ashley Barber, and Bethany Burton.
SPEAKER_05
Good afternoon.
I'm Shannon Woodman of Washington Alarm as the owner of one of 250 alarm monitoring companies responsible for protecting lives and property in the city of Seattle.
I'm deeply concerned about the new verified response policy.
Since October 1st, we, my company alone, has had 38 alarm activations in the city of Seattle that met dispatch qualifications.
For 31 of these, my dispatchers requested police response from the 911 dispatchers, and we were declined 28 times because there was no video, audio, or on-site verification.
My customers, as well as the other customers, were given two weeks notice to upgrade their alarm systems in order to meet this new ordinance.
That's 28 instances where my customers, our customers of the city of Seattle, where local businesses, schools, homes, did not receive the police assistance they once relied on.
We're ready to partner with you and provide solutions, but it's critical that we offer Seattle residents adequate time and resources to adopt this new policy.
Since hearing about this change in mid-September, as an industry, we have reached out to the chief of police multiple times and others within the city to try to collaborate on alarm industry best practices in order to reduce false alarms.
However, we have not heard back.
We are asking to please collaborate with our industry in order to address this issue.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_10
Following Ashley's, Bethany.
SPEAKER_00
Good afternoon, council members.
My name is Ashley Barber.
I am with Washington Alarm.
I am a security industry professional with 13 years of service protecting people's lives and property.
This is my third council meeting speaking to all of you.
As you are all aware, on October 1, Seattle PD no longer responds to alarms without visual, audio, or panic, but in verified evidence.
You've seen me before and I will continue to be here until this matter has been further investigated.
We are asking for your support in setting up a meeting with the Seattle Police Department and security industry professionals to clarify the data that supports this policy.
There are a lot of details and data that have been left out of this decision and no attempt has been made by SPD to resolve this issue with security companies.
Please remember that there are thousands of customers without the proper infrastructure to meet the requirements of this policy.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_06
As someone with 15 years experience in the security industry, I'm here to speak on behalf of the thousands of Seattle residents, businesses, and schools that depend on their alarm systems.
With Seattle police not responding to these alarms, I ask, does this decision made without public input align with your commitment for transparency and public safety?
The International Association of Chiefs of Police supports alarm systems as vital tools for crime prevention, recommending more open verification measures to prioritize police response and ensure lives and property are still protected.
Have you considered this evidence?
Our industry with experts in alarm management and law enforcement stands ready to collaborate on effective solutions that protect public safety while managing police resources.
We urge you to pause this policy to open it into public discussion and ensure all voices are heard before making such an impactful change.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_10
Next we have Alex Zimmerman.
Following Alex will be Arianna Riley and then Bennett Hasselton.
SPEAKER_03
My name Alex Zimmerman.
I want to speak about something, but as I speak here for almost 20 years.
A few years ago, when I got a position for mayor, yeah, six billion.
Right now, we have more than eight billion dollars.
Two billion dollars different, and nothing changed.
Nothing changed.
Problem, so you born like a natural degenerative idiot, you don't know what is mean two billion dollars.
You probably never keep in your package or in your hand 100,000 cash.
You know what it means?
Two billions is a ton of money.
It's nothing changed.
You're saying degenerative, idiotic, retarder, what we have before for the last 10, 15 years.
Every day the same.
And I give you a classic example right now so you know about what I'm talking about.
I once speak with transportation committee, what is SACA chair, you know what it means, for three months.
Every day I come to admin, admin go to his room and ask, can somebody from their staff speak with me for one minute?
I want to speak about something that has touched thousands and thousands of low income in Seattle.
Dozens of thousands.
He cannot spend time for me.
Or he stops for one minute for three months.
Guys, what are you talking about?
You same cretina, Nazi pig, like we have before for almost 20 years, what is bringing Seattle totally down?
And he's a minority.
Because no black right now in Seattle.
I know this.
You know this.
So stand up, America.
It's very important.
Make Seattle great again.
We want to make America great again.
Next week will be our last chance to bring America back.
SPEAKER_10
Ariana, following Ariana would be Bennett.
SPEAKER_01
Hi, my name is Arianna Riley.
I'm here from West Seattle by way of Corleone, Italy.
On a serious note, I'd just like to dispel some myths today because many of you seem to be unaware of my background.
When I was a teenager, a King County Family Court judge ordered me and my sister to be kidnapped and forcibly trafficked across state lines.
in order to be sent to a torture camp with my abusive mother and her abusive boyfriend.
My story's been covered in the Washington Post, King 5, NBC Bay Area, and I wrote a chapter in the book, Challenging Parental Alienation.
I'm not new to public advocacy, having worked first on laws preventing child trafficking in family court across the country, such as Peakey's Law in California, named after a five-year-old who was murdered by his father during a family court dispute.
and then later organizing for stripper safety laws with strippers or workers, which led to me being illegally blacklisted from working at most clubs in this state.
I became a sex worker as an adult and I've never been trafficked during my seven years as a sex worker.
When you say things like the sex workers that showed up are delegitimizing the experience of trafficking victims is extremely disrespectful to those of us who have been victims of actual trafficking and now choose to engage in consensual sex work.
We put ourselves at serious risk coming here and outing ourselves as sex workers in a public forum only to be insulted because we didn't trauma dump enough for you all.
I have community support, which is why I'm able to show up here and out myself.
Many sex workers do not.
We don't owe you our life stories in order to be taken seriously.
If any of you are serious and want to take serious steps to address child trafficking, I would be happy to meet with any of you and offer my expertise.
Laws going after sex work are not the way to do that.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_10
And Bennett's going to be our last registered in-person speaker.
SPEAKER_09
Good afternoon, council members.
So, Andres Suarez, you may have heard, recently ran a campaign ad which digitally darkened the face of her African-American opponent, Sean Scott.
When the stranger emailed her for comment about this, she said, verbatim, glad my videos are getting attention because Sean would be a disaster for our state and a very unpopular carry forward of lawlessness and harm because of Vu's...
That's what it says.
Vu's stupid defund the position efforts he helped push.
Very few beautiful men.
Ludicrous if his skin was darker in one video versus another, which in my opinion, even more beautiful Sudanians, Ethiopians as example.
Oh my God, guys.
As example, that it sheds in some less than or scarier.
And to suggest that it was an intentional edit to make him scarier means you are saying he's scary in the first place.
End quote.
This is ridiculous and offensive.
All of you, but especially those of you who have officially endorsed or unofficially endorsed her by appearing in photos with her, should call on her to publicly apologize and give a better answer than this.
Otherwise, withdraw your endorsement.
Second thing I wanted to talk about.
I would like to invite those of you who haven't to co-sign the open letter calling for an independent US-led investigation into the killing of Washington State citizen Ishanor Ege by Israeli forces in September 2024. Councilmember Morales and Councilmember Moore have already signed the letter, along with about 100 elected officials in the state of Washington.
The link to sign it is not publicly findable.
I'll just send an email to the council at seattle.gov address.
Just look for an email that has Bennett in the sender.
You'll be able to find it.
It'll take you a link where you can add your name if you would like to co-sign.
This is not a political issue.
This is a moral issue.
Please co-sign the letter asking for an independent investigation.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02
We'll now move on to our remote speaker, Shane Clary.
And a reminder to the remote speaker, press star six after you have heard the message that you have been unmuted.
Shane Clary, please go ahead.
Shane Clary, can you press star six, please?
SPEAKER_04
I hope I got it now.
Good afternoon.
I'm Dr. Shane M. Clary, Vice President of Code and Standards Compliance for Bay Alarm Company with 50 years of experience in the alarm industry.
And my comments today are more directed to the city attorney's office regarding the policy that the Seattle Police Department has enacted, you do have a standing ordinance for alarm systems and for unwanted alarms.
And I am curious, or we are curious, industry, of how a policy can supervent an ordinance without public hearings or such as the policy does incur additional costs to the alarm users to meet the requirements that are now required for a verified response.
And again, as you have heard today from three other speakers, all we are asking is just an opportunity to sit down with the police department and discuss options that the alarm industry has used throughout the United States to minimize unwanted alarms, but at the same time to afford the protection that these systems do afford and have been for a number of years.
And I thank you and have a good rest of your day.
SPEAKER_02
Thank you.
That concludes our remote speakers.
SPEAKER_07
Okay.
Thank you very much.
We've reached the end of our list of speakers and the public comment period is now closed.
If there's no objection, the introduction and referral calendar will be adopted.
Hearing no objection, the introduction and referral calendar is adopted.
And if there's no objection, the agenda will be adopted.
Hearing none, the agenda is adopted.
Now we'll consider the proposed consent calendar.
The items on the consent calendar are the minutes of October 8th, 2024, and council bills 120869, 120867, and 120871, which are the payment of the bills.
Are there any items council members would like to remove?
All right, hearing none, I move to adopt the consent calendar.
Is there a second?
SPEAKER_04
Second.
SPEAKER_07
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?
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Saka?
SPEAKER_99
Aye.
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Strauss?
SPEAKER_08
Yes.
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Wu?
SPEAKER_00
Yes.
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Hollingsworth?
SPEAKER_08
Yes.
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Kettle?
Council Member Morales?
Yes.
Council Member Rivera?
Aye.
Council President Nelson?
SPEAKER_99
Aye.
SPEAKER_02
Eight in favor, none opposed.
SPEAKER_07
Great, will the clerk please affix my signature to the minutes and legislation on the consent calendar on my behalf.
All right, will the clerk please read item one into the record.
SPEAKER_10
Agenda item one, council bill 120868 relating to city employment authorizing the execution of a memorandum of agreement between the city of Seattle and the professional and technical employees local 17 and ratifying confirming certain prior acts.
SPEAKER_07
Thank you.
I move to pass council bill 120868. Is there a second?
Second.
SPEAKER_05
Second.
SPEAKER_07
Thank you.
As sponsor, I will address the bill and then open the floor to comments.
So this legislation authorizes the mayor to implement a memorandum of agreement between the city 17 or protect 17 regarding the accretion of the probation counselor supervisor job classification.
This legislation affects approximately three probation counselor supervisors.
in the Seattle Municipal Court.
So on February 9th, 2024, the Washington Public Employment Relations Commission certified ProTech 17 as the exclusive bargaining representative for the probation counselor supervisor job classification.
And under the memorandum of agreement, the city and Protech 17 agree to incorporate the probation counselor supervisor job classification into the existing collective bargaining agreement between the city of Seattle and Protech 17. and ProTech 17 probation counselor unit for the period of time from January 1st, 2023 through December 31st, 2026. However, the parties agree that the probation counselor supervisor classification will be in a separate bargaining unit from the other probation counselor classification and the salary range for the probation counselor supervisors will be increased by 3.8%.
RETROACTIVE TO FEBRUARY 9, 2024. AND THAT IS ALSO IN ADDITION TO THE WAGE INCREASES OF 5% IN 2023 AND 4.5% IN 2024, SIMILAR TO THE WAGE INCREASES IN 2023 AND 2024 IN THE PROTECT 17 PROBATION COUNSELOR UNIT CBA.
The fiscal impact of the 3.8 wage increase totals approximately 18,000 to 20,000 a year starting retroactively in 2024. This amount is expected to be absorbed by the department within existing budget with no need for future legislation to appropriate these funds.
Are there any questions?
All right, seeing none, I have no further comments.
Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?
SPEAKER_02
Council Member Saka.
Council Member Strauss.
Council Member Wu.
Council Member Hollingsworth.
Council Member Kettle.
Council Member Morales.
Council Member Rivera.
Council President Nelson.
Eight in favor, none opposed.
SPEAKER_07
The bill passes and the chair will sign it.
Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf?
Thank you.
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?
All right, hearing none, we've reached the end of today's agenda.
Our next regularly scheduled city council meeting is scheduled for November 5th, and that will, oh, that is scheduled for November 5th, will be canceled due to ongoing budget deliberations.
So the next council meeting will be on November 12th at 2 p.m.
Any questions on that?
Go ahead, Council Member Strauss.
SPEAKER_08
Thank you, Council President.
Just noting that on November 12th, we will also have a public hearing starting at 5 p.m.
When I've previously managed our calendars, I've tried to leave the afternoon open.
I would be comfortable canceling council that day as we will be having a public hearing that will last probably six hours that evening.
SPEAKER_07
Got it.
I don't know what is in the hopper, but we'll keep it on the calendar for now and then cancel as needed.
going forward.
And I will say if we do have the council meeting and the hearing at the same time, if you would like to give comment on the budget, please hold comment until the actual public hearing on the budget.
All right.
Thank you very much, everyone.
Hearing no further business, we are adjourned.