Seattle City Council Economic Development, Technology & City Light Committee Public Hearing 9/13/23

Good morning, everyone.

The September 13th, 2023 meeting of the Economic Development Technology and City Light Committee will come to order.

It is 9.32.

We've got a full room here.

And I'm Sara Nelson, chair of the committee.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council President Juarez.

Here.

Council Member Sawant.

Council Member Strauss.

Present.

Council Member Herbold.

Here.

Chair Nelson.

Present.

Four present, one absent.

All right.

We will now begin the meeting.

I just want to make sure that Seattle Channel will be broadcasting public commenters, as is our new practice.

So, we have five items on today's agenda.

Two appointments to the Seattle Music Commission, a resolution relating to Seattle City Lights' compliance with federal law, an ordinance renewing the Ballard Business Improvement Area, and an ordinance making changes to the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area, or STEA.

In addition to possible votes on all of the items, we'll also hold public hearings related to the two BIA ordinances.

Are there any objections?

Seeing no objections, the agenda is adopted.

And with that, we will now move into public comment on the items listed on the agenda.

If you are here to testify on one of the BIA renewal ordinances, please hold your comments until that item, otherwise your testimony will not be officially marked as part of that public record.

We have nobody signed up for in-person comment on for regular public comment.

And I am looking to see if there's anybody signed up on the public comment sign up remotely.

Let's see.

It looks like there are two people signed up.

One is present.

I just want to call.

OK, Brian, I note that you want to speak about Stia and I will ask that you hold your comments until that public hearing.

So we'll get back to you.

Hold tight.

All right, with that, just a second, I gotta get out of this.

Hold on a second.

Okay, we can now move on to the first item.

Would you please read that into the record?

Yeah, we are going to read both of the Music Commission appointments into the record together.

Go ahead.

Agenda item number one, appointment 02653, appointment of Kelly Faryar as member of the Seattle Music Commission for a term to August 31st, 2026. And agenda item number two, appointment 02654, appointment of Nick Turner as a member of the Seattle Music Commission for a term to August 31st, 2026. Both items for briefing discussion and possible vote.

All right.

Well, come on up, Scott, please.

and Nick.

The Seattle Music Commission is a group of industry and community volunteer stakeholders assembled to advise the city in its advocacy for and policy related to the City of Seattle's support and growth of the local music industry and community.

And the 21 seats represent a broad range of music industry backgrounds from artist venue, nonprofit and label management, interactive media.

You will hear a lot more information about this commission when Scott speaks, but I just want to say thank you very much for coming in person.

We have one of the commissioners here, perspective, in person, and the other is joining us online.

Go ahead, Scott.

Great.

Thank you, Chair Nelson, and good morning, members of the committee.

My name is Scott Plooskalek.

I am the nightlife business advocate in the Office of Economic Development, and I am the administrative support for the Seattle Music Commission.

As you mentioned, the Seattle Music Commission is a 21-person advisory board.

11 seats are appointed by the mayor and 10 by the council.

The Music Commission was created in 2010 and ratified by council ordinance in 2014. And the 21 seats, as Chair Nelson mentioned, represent a broad range of music industry backgrounds from artists, venues, nonprofit, and label management to interactive media.

Before we begin with the two new appointments, I just wanted to acknowledge our two departing commissioners, Sue Ennis and Jolene Hughes.

Both served as two full terms with commission and were valuable contributors to the work of the commission.

So thank you to Sue and Jolene.

Moving into the new appointments, as you said, we have an appointment first of Kelly Farriar.

This is a mayoral appointment, and she will be replacing Jolene for a full three-year term.

And if you would like, Kelly, to say a few things.

Yes, please.

Go ahead, Kelly.

And hello.

Hello.

Hello, thank you so much for having me.

This is a great honor.

For the past 20 plus years, I've been working in the Seattle city really to amplify and support artists.

Not only playing myself as a musician, and becoming familiar with the nightlife, with the community and the importance of that, but also my time and my tenure at Northwest Folklife and working specifically with cultural communities and up and coming artists looking to really pave their way Right now, my work currently, I am supporting Friends of Waterfront Seattle, and I really see this opportunity to come in and continue to develop that ecosystem as we are coming back, as we are reviving arts and making sure that artists, specifically musicians, are front and center in some of the decisions that are being made.

as well as being mindful of that as we build the 20-acre park of Waterfront Park.

So it is an honor and I'm really looking forward to support and make a difference.

So thank you.

Thank you very much.

You have so much experience in music in the public realm, specifically with Northwest Folklife Festival, but also the waterfront is going to be a grand stage.

I know that that is simplifying things, but basically it's so great to have your perspective both at the waterfront and with your work previously with the festival.

I really appreciate you stepping up because clearly you've got a lot on your plate coming forward now.

So we will move on to Unless anybody would like to address Kelly specifically right now, let's go ahead.

I would.

Okay.

Sorry.

Go ahead.

I'm sorry, Madam Chair, for not being on the dais and being able to ring in with my little Zoom hand.

Kelly, I'm sorry.

I was waving at you earlier, and you probably thought I was being weird.

I was doing this.

Hey, Kelly.

I just want to thank Kelly for stepping up and doing this and bringing up the Waterfront Park and Friends of the Waterfront.

Um, I've been on council almost 8 years.

I'm not running for reelection, but I have spent 8 years working on the waterfront and the lid and then and the aquarium and all that stuff.

And you see how hard all these nonprofits work and we want to give a big thank you to Melinda Gates and, um.

who's our other two friends that had just recently given money, millions of dollars.

And it's all volunteers who, McKenzie Scott, just amazing people that stepped up, good civic partners for our city.

I hope a couple other organizations or corporations are listening, because we can't do it without a public-private partnership, without raising more taxes.

And I don't think people realize how hard and this all started under council member bagshaw so i god bless customer sally bagshaw because she you know started doing this 12 13 years ago so to see it all finally come to an end hopefully and see it all connected and thank council madam chair nelson for the commitment that she's made to the arts to the theater, to music.

She's been relentless in making sure that we all in the film industry, bringing all this business, revitalizing not only just downtown, but the waterfront.

So people like you, Kelly, I've been watching folks like you for eight years now who just do incredible work behind the scenes that people don't even know and see or appreciate.

So I just want to thank you.

And I'll probably say the same stuff for Nick too, but I've seen you around and I've seen your name and I know the work that you've done.

So thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for those words.

I appreciate it.

Okay, moving on.

Thank you.

Next up is the appointment of Nick Turner.

This is a council appointment replacing Sue Ennis.

an appointment to the full three-year term expiring in 826. And Nick, if you'd like to say a few words.

Sure.

Welcome.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I moved to Seattle in 2000 and immediately kind of dove into the city's grassroots and DIY music scene, knowing basically nobody here.

And I found it right off the bat an incredibly kind of welcoming and a unique experience.

and that was the era of the Teen Dance Ordinance and the sort of activism around starting the Vera Project and the All Ages Dance Ordinance.

And I kind of dove into that and between all of my work there, working subsequently at record stores, co-founding KXP's punk show, Sonic Reducer, and doing that for about 10 years, working eventually as a development director at Vera Project, and then now 12 years in at Sub Pop Records doing sales, working with independent record stores around the country, among other things, and then A&R working directly with artists.

I've really...

appreciated how Seattle's music scene is uniquely accessible and how much Seattle City values it in a lot of ways and recognizes the history and legacy of the music scene here, which, at least in terms of the grunge thing that everyone talks so much about, really came from that grassroots scene.

So as commissioner, I'm super excited for the opportunity to look out for grassroots music, the DIY scene, all ages music, and try to keep the city improving and make it a really good place for music of all kinds.

Thank you very much for throwing your hat in.

What I really like about your profile is that you were involved in a policy issue, the Teen Dance Ordinance changing into the All Ages Dance Ordinance.

And I was staffing Councilmember Richard Conlon at that time in 2002. And when that vote came down, I remember he called people in from chambers.

It was in our old building.

And put on, you know, the kids are all right.

And everybody celebrated that that was going forward.

And then ever since then, he was a champion of the Vera Project, defending funding for it.

And so you have that policy experience.

And that's important, having understanding, you know.

how the sausage is made as well as your commercial experience working at the venerable Sub Pop and all these other record stores.

And so I do think that's a perfect combination for the commission.

I will open it up to see if there are any other.

Yep, go ahead, Council Member Strauss.

Nick, thank you for everything you've already done.

I'm a direct beneficiary of your work with the Vera Project.

When I joined AmeriCorps directly after high school, I got to live with people from all over the country.

And when I moved out to Washington, D.C., I thought everyone had access to music like we did.

and I quickly realized that it wasn't the case.

I still fondly remember the shows that I went to at the Labor Temple.

Oh, yeah.

Wow.

That's early.

Yeah.

Real early.

I think some of the first shows.

Right.

And not only was it an opportunity to give kids something to do, it was exposure to a music scene that has influenced my life since then.

And so your work has rippled through many different places and parts of my life.

And I really appreciate it.

Thank you for saying that.

That's awesome.

It warms the heart.

Yeah.

And it's really, you know, I know it's a different aspect, but having Bumbershoot back was another really great way to have exposure to music of many different...

You know, because as a kid, you'd go to see one band that was maybe okay, and then you'd end up seeing all of these other amazing bands that you didn't expect to see, and that exposure has really made me a better person.

So...

I know for both you, Nick, and for you, Kelly, this is a volunteer role.

And I really just want to thank you both for taking your personal time to volunteer for the city to make our music scene better and influence policy in a meaningful way.

Thank you.

Any other comments from my colleagues?

Yeah.

I just want to briefly say, Madam Chair, I think Council Member Strauss was, yeah, I think you're in the 80s, Council Member Strauss, you were probably in junior high.

Some of us were around.

But I wanted to say to Nick, thank you.

And also to Council Member Herbold, who obviously everyone knows for Council Member Licata, who's very instrumental in the music scene and protecting the show box and all kinds of stuff.

And I never, I never understood grunge.

So I'm just going to admit it.

I don't, I just learned what mud, honey, and Pearl jam means this year.

So that's me.

But anyway, all that aside, I can't say how many people, people like customer herbal counseling, people like customer Nelson customer Bagshaw.

who all have worked hard to make sure our artist community not only stays alive, but vibrant.

And we have people who are from those communities that step up and volunteer and do this work.

It just, it means a lot.

And I just, a quick note, Nick, I had to laugh when you said you worked at a record store, because there's probably, I know my millennial children don't know what that is.

And I was one of the very first people that went to the old Sub Pop office and got one of their first t-shirts.

And that tells you how old I was.

That was in the day back in 86, 87, somewhere back then.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I wish I would have kept that T-shirt.

Damn.

But anyway, welcome.

And thank you, Nick.

Thank you.

Were you going to say you had it next year?

We can sell you our placement shirt.

For a screaming deal.

For a screaming deal, okay.

Council President.

Thank you.

I'll have you know that Gen Z does know what records are.

My son actually purchases them.

So anyway.

Oh, that's good.

All right.

They're back.

Okay.

If there are no other questions, I move that the committee recommend confirmation of appointments 02653 and 02654. Is there a second?

Second.

Second.

Thank you very much.

It's been moved and seconded to recommend confirmation of the appointments.

And will the clerk please call the roll on the committee recommendations that appointments 02653 and 654 be confirmed.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Aye.

Chair Nelson.

Aye.

Four in favor, zero opposed.

Thank you very much, everyone.

The motion carries and the committee recommendation that appointments 02653 and 02654 be confirmed will be forwarded to the Seattle City Council for final consideration at the meeting on Tuesday, September 19th.

You are welcome to go.

You don't have to.

But thank you very, very much for your service.

You and Nick and Kelly, who's on my screen, appreciate your time and expertise.

Thank you.

Thank you.

all right will the clerk please read item three into the record agenda item number three resolution 32108 a resolution relating to the city light department documenting compliance with the public utility regulatory policies act of 1978 as amended by the infrastructure investment and jobs act of 2021 briefing discussion and possible vote thank you very much um

This resolution documents City Light's compliance with the Federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, or PURPA, as amended in 2021 by the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

I will allow the experts here to make any other comments.

Introduce yourselves and please begin your presentation.

Good morning.

Jeff Windmill with Seattle City Light.

Good morning.

Kathy Leone Woods, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Seattle City Light.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Jeff Wolf, Legal Affairs, Seattle City Light.

Good morning.

I'm Eric McConaughey.

I'm the Council Central Staff.

Thank you.

You might want to pull up your, make sure that, yeah.

Thank you very much.

Okay, go ahead and begin, please.

Thank you.

Is the presentation being manned?

Thank you.

So, good morning, Council.

This resolution we are proposing to demonstrate Seattle City Lights' compliance with federal law.

And specifically, as you mentioned, Councilmember, the Jobs Act amendments to PURPA, which happened in 2021. So as a little bit of background on what PURPA is, PURPA was passed following the energy crisis in the 1970s to try to write, to steer energy policy in this country to conserve energy, promote domestic consumption, or excuse me, promote domestic supply, and ensure fair rates.

And one of the ways that this is accomplished is through a series of standards.

There was originally five standards in PURPA, and now there's up to 21, which there are 21, which Congress, as the result of Congress's work over the years.

So the way this works is, next slide please.

The way this works is Congress will pass a standard and it's incumbent upon both state utility commissions and cities like Seattle with their own consumer-owned utility to go through a procedural process where they either choose to adopt, not adopt, or revise Congress's standard.

So this is purely a procedural requirement, but it's a requirement nonetheless.

And in 2021, the JOBS Act added two new standards concerning demand response and transportation electrification.

And I'm happy to go into what specifically demand response means if anyone has any questions, but I'll just proceed unless that's the case.

So, again, this resolution documents what we...

documents our compliance activities in this space.

So next one, please.

So we're allowed to waive our formal consideration of these standards if we've already adopted a comparable standard, and we're confident that we have in both of these instances.

First, the JOBS Act requires entities like us to promote the use of demand response, and City Light already complies with a comparable Washington state standard.

CETA, the Clean Energy Transformation Act, imposes similar requirements on Seattle.

And in Seattle City Lights integrated resource planning requirements, we've gone to great lengths to integrate demand response into our future supply scenarios.

And we currently have a pilot being conducted now to implement demand response in its very initial stages.

So, next one.

And then, again, on transportation electrification, the JOBS Act requires cities like us and utilities like us to consider measures to promote electrification.

And as you're probably very well aware, You know, City Light, we're confident, already complies with this comparable standards.

specifically because of the state's Transportation Electrification Act and the subsequent four-year city strategic investment plan in transportation electrification, which the council adopted for the next four years.

And this has resulted in numerous efforts to electrify transportation in the city of Seattle on numerous levels.

And I would note also that both the...

The precursor to the electrification plan and the demand response integrated resource plan were subject to considerable public comment.

So again, we're, go to the next slide.

Again, we're confident that we have already complied with comparable standards such that no further action is necessary on part of City Light.

So, to sum up, again, the JOBS Act requires City Light to make a determination on whether to implement federal demand response or transportation electrification standards, unless we feel we already adhere to comparable standards.

We do make that determination, which we are confident in.

Again, historically, City Light has demonstrated its compliance with these purpose standards through a city council resolution in 20 the last one was in 2007 and it addressed five standards that were adopted by congress in 2005 so this resolution concludes our compliance obligation in our view if adopted and also it reiterates both the city and the utilities efforts to stay ahead of the game on clean energy efforts so that's all i have if there's any questions

You made the point that I was going to make, which is that you probably find yourself already having done that when these additional requirements are passed.

So thank you very much for your forward-thinkingness.

Do any of my colleagues have any questions?

There are no questions.

So I just have to say thank you very much for the presentation.

Thank you for reminding our rate payers that the environmental stewardship that is inherent in many of the initiatives and programs and daily operations of City Light.

So thank you very much for keeping us ahead of federal standards.

All right, thank you very much.

Okay, so I...

It is my hope to be able to vote on this today.

We've just discussed it.

So I will move now to, I move that the committee recommend approval of resolution 32108. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Chair Nielsen.

Aye.

Four in favor, zero opposed.

All right.

The motion carries and the committee recommendation that council approve resolution 32108 will be forwarded to the city council for final consideration at council's next meeting on Tuesday, September 19th.

Thank you all for coming.

Thank you.

Will the clerk please read item four into the record.

Agenda item number four, Council Bill 120634, an ordinance relating to Ballard Business Improvement Areas, establishing a new 12-year business improvement area to be known as the Ballard Improvement Area, levying special assessments upon owners of commercial property, multifamily residential property, and mixed-use property within the area, providing for the deposit of revenues in a special account and expenditures therefrom, providing for collection of and penalties for delinquencies, providing for the establishment of a ratepayers advisory board, providing for an implementation agreement with a program manager, disestablishing the existing Ballard Business Improvement Area that was established by Ordinance 125151, the 2017 BIA, suspending the issuance of assessments, and providing for the continuity of services under the 2017 BIA, providing for the transfer of any remaining funds from the 2017 BIA account, and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.

For discussion, public hearing, and possible vote.

Thank you very much.

Well, we do have folks in the room, presenters that were there last time.

You're not going to be making a formal presentation, but I invite you to please come up to the table.

Yep.

Casey and yep.

Okay, so for the viewing public, we previously had a briefing and discussion of this ordinance in the committee's August 9th, 2023 meeting.

As we heard, nearly 65% of ratepayers have approved this renewal, which essentially keeps the assessment formula for ratepayers the same, albeit updated for inflation.

The Ballard BIA does, this ordinance does make some slight changes to the existing BIA boundaries, including adding additional parcels that are part of Ballard's primary mixed-use core, and adding a secondary service area comprised of the five Ballard Blocks parcels located southeast of the primary BIA service area with limited services and assessed at a reduced rate.

And last time, there was effusive comment from me and Councilmember Strauss about how much the alliance contributes to the well-being of the Ballard, well, the whole North End business community, how well you promote your individual members.

what an ally and a resource you personally are for well you are for me personally as i uh try to chart um my path my legislative agenda to support businesses better in this town so thank you very much for all the information you provided in everything that you do and so we Today, now, we must hold a public hearing on Council Bill 120634. And this is part of the regular process, as you all know.

We are actually going, and I will provide for comments from colleagues before we get down to the actual vote.

We're going to hold two related public hearings today.

At the same time, one set by Resolution 32102 on establishing a new Ballard BIA, and a second set by Resolution 32103 on disestablishing the current BIA.

And the online registration form to speak at this hearing open two hours before our committee meeting today for remote speakers.

Sign up for in-person speakers was opened up 15 minutes prior to this meeting.

There was a line out the door, I'll have the public know.

And I will call on speakers in the order of registration and each speaker will have one minute.

Normally I give two, but I'm told that folks, that one minute would probably suffice, okay?

Beginning with in-person speakers.

And I now have this stack of in-person speakers.

So, as presiding officer, I am now opening the public hearing on Council Bill 120634, and we will begin.

I will say the first speaker is Lauren Lenbar.

Feel free to connect my...

Followed by Chris Woodward and then James Cito.

I think that James is perhaps signed up for the...

In any case.

Yeah, okay.

Go ahead.

Well, we are having two public hearings today, and this one right now is only on the Ballard BIA.

Okay.

Okay.

Good morning council members.

My name is Lauren Lundberg.

I'm the deputy director at the Soto Business Improvement Area.

I'm speaking in support of the renewal of the Ballard Improvement Area.

BIAs are unique opportunities for local investment and revitalization and management in one's community.

It creates a sustainable and equitable business for the mutual benefit of a commercial district.

Both the Ballard Improvement Area has proved to be great advocates, community conveners, and service providers through their repairs.

They have invested in their community's priorities and services equitably for the benefit of all and prioritize economic development to encourage community and vitality.

Please support the renewal of the Ballard Improvement Area.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Chris Woodward.

And then, so I'll just read the following names, let's see.

Chris, then Jurianna Spierenberg, Christine McKay, Lindy Hensley, if you could just sort of be prepared to come on up.

Hello.

Hi, good morning.

My name's Chris Woodward.

I'm the Community Development Director with the Alliance for Pioneer Square.

We're in D7.

We're a neighborhood-based community org.

We support the businesses, residents, and nonprofits in Pioneer Square.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF COUNCIL BILL 120634, ESTABLISHING THE BALLARD BIA.

BIA SUCH AS THE BALLARD BIA ARE CRITICAL TO NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMIC VITALITY.

AND THE BALLARD BIA WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THAT DISTRICT BY SUPPORTING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD'S MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT AND PROMOTION.

SO URGING YOU TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS BIA.

THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER IS Jurianna?

So James Seto is going to speak on the STIA.

Jurianna Spierenberg, Christine McKay, Lindy Hensley?

No?

Okay.

Okay.

Come on up, please.

Thank you, Council, for allowing me to testify on behalf of the Ballard Alliance.

I am the Executive Director of the West Seattle Junction Association, which is a BIA as well.

And I have to admit that I'm often humored and a little surprised when I'm in all of our neighborhoods that have BIAs, and I hear people say, didn't they do a great job putting up these flowers?

Wow, what an amazing event.

Didn't they do a great job?

Look at the cityscape, you know, in these incredible street cafes.

Didn't they do a great job?

Well, the they is the BIA.

And a lot of people don't know, I feel like we're the unsung heroes of the city.

And I think that the Ballard Alliance epitomizes the incredible work that BIAs do in terms of keeping places clean, safe, activated, fun, and vibrant.

So I really encourage you to support the Ballard BIA.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Christine.

I must note that I sing your praises, the BIA's praises, all the time.

And I also have to apologize for having read the names of the wrong sign-up sheets.

So, much apologies.

But at least it was...

These were comments in solidarity from other BIAs, so I'm assuming that some of those comments would have been directed...

Gotcha.

Okay, Michael Stewart, followed by Don Blakeney and Chris Ackerman, please.

Go ahead.

So thank you very much, Chair Nelson, Councilmember Strauss, and members of the committee who are joining us virtually today.

Mike Stewart, Executive Director of the Ballard Alliance, and we are the program manager for the BIA.

It is great to see everybody here.

As you recall, we were here a month ago and provided a very detailed presentation to you.

All I wanted to mention is that we have just a broad swath of people today supporting Ballard business owners, residents, property owners, community partners who are here to speak very briefly in support for the BIA renewal.

So greatly appreciate your consideration of this legislation and look forward to a yes vote today.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Don Blakeney.

I'm the executive director of the U District Partnership, which is the nonprofit that manages the U District BIA.

And I'm here to speak on behalf of the Ballard Alliance and what a great partner they've been in North Seattle.

I'm obviously in favor of their renewal, but I wanted to give the context of Another BIA that has to work on critical issues for the city and meeting partners in other neighborhoods nearby that we can share notes and collaborate and find creative solutions and really show up to help the city do its great work too is really important.

And so they've been a critical partner over the past few years.

We share resources.

Sometimes we even share staff, which is great.

But I just think that they're a really important piece of what makes North Seattle amazing and they're a critical asset in their neighborhood.

So please renew the BIA because it's what will fuel them to go forward and make more things happen.

Thank you.

Okay, Chris, then Sheila, and then Sarah Malin.

Good morning, Council.

My name is Chris Ackerman.

I'm the past president and current advisor to the HOA board for Yarta Condominium.

I'm also on the ratepayer board for the BIA.

One of the reasons our HOA board supports the approval of the new BIA is BIA's partnership with Uplift Northwest, new name, I got to get it, to help keep Ballard clean, safe through their removal of sharps, trash cleanup, fall leaf removal, and more, as well as their support of local business.

This keeps Ballard vibrant, attractive, and makes it the kind of place you want to live.

Over the past seven years, the BIA has also been a strong advocate for the Ballard community, issues ranging from public safety to transportation.

The BIA has done an amazing job of unifying the community and helping to ensure that our voices are heard on important issues.

YARTA is a strong supporter of the BIA renewal, and I encourage the committee to vote affirmatively and to pass this on to the full council.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Just a reminder, when you hear that ding, that means you have 10 more seconds.

Hello, Sheila.

Good morning, Chair Nielsen and members of the committee.

I'm Sheila Stickley, I represent the National Nordic Museum, and I am here to speak in support of the BIA renewal in Ballard as well.

The museum attracts visitors from around the world, highlighting art, cultural values of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, and the cultural region of the Sami.

The BAA is critical ensuring we have a clean, safe neighborhood for museum visitors which come from near and far.

Numerous safety incidents and issues have arisen for us in the last few years and the BAA has been a really good partner.

They're also a great partner in events and many of the good works that you've heard other previous speakers mention.

We see a tremendous value in renewing the BAA.

We're supportive of the assessment and I would like you to support 120634, thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Sarah Malin and I'm speaking on behalf of the owners of Annie's Art and Frame on Market Street.

The Ballard BIA has been incredibly impactful in our community over the past seven years.

Ballard has changed significantly during that time and having the BIA working creatively and strategically on our behalf has helped the neighborhood with both its growing pains and the difficult pandemic years.

Their ability in the early days of the pandemic to brainstorm and quickly implement an online marketplace for both retailers and restaurants in Ballard provided a much needed revenue stream, but also reconnected all of us to our community and customers.

Their collaborative work with retailers and other small business owners has made a difference.

From clean streets and public art to special events that draw shoppers to Ballard and broader marketing campaigns that highlight all the things to see and do in our neighborhood.

The BIA has been effective in creating a dynamic district, helping ballot businesses like Annie's flourish.

Please support the renewal.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Up next is Chris and then Lauren Lundberg, Ramona and then Britt, please.

If you would like to repeat your remarks, I'm sorry.

That was my error.

Chris Woodward, Community Development Director with the Alliance for Pioneer Square.

Speaking in support of the establishment of the Ballard BIA.

Ballard BIA, great partnership with the Alliance.

They're doing great work in Ballard.

The establishment of this BIA will help with the promotion, the clean and safe, all these great programs that support that district.

So we're in support and urge you to approve this establishment of the BIA.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just, hello again.

Lauren Lundberg, deputy director at SETO BIA.

kind of said before, but like us, the Bowery Alliance works really hard to support their rate payers and bringing sustainable and equitable funding to their area and are kind of the most similar to SOTO.

And we find really great alliances and able to use our collective voice to really focus on the bettering of our business community.

And so I support the renewal of the BIA.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Clerk, could you either turn up the microphone or could speakers speak closer to the microphone?

Thank you.

I agree, yeah.

And this microphone over here does work as well if you would like to be prepared to speak there, but it's nicer to see you head on.

Go ahead.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Ramona.

And speak more directly into the...

Oh, is that better?

Yes.

Okay.

Good morning.

My name is Ramona, and I am a business owner on Ballard Avenue.

I own Studio RA.

It's a women's boutique.

I've been there for five years, and I'm also a co-chair for the business and restaurant meetings that we meet monthly, and it's managed by BIA.

And I just want to say that I am truly grateful and I support the BIA in so many ways and I'm Sorry, I'm going to start all over.

I'm grateful for the support that BIA has given us throughout the years.

BIA supports the neighborhood and the community through the comprehensive marketing, promotional programs, and special events.

I was and continue to be blown away by all the different special events that are in place for businesses to participate in.

Art walks, wine walks, holiday events, and the main goal is always to drive visitors to Ballard.

Also grateful how the BIA in partnership has provided much needed support through the new safety coordinator.

Please support the renewal of Ballard Improvement Area and yes on Council Bill 120634. Thank you very much.

Okay, Britt, then Mary, then Tommy.

Hey, Britt Olson.

I'm the priest at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, also known to some as the Vicar of Ballard, and I am fully supportive of this renewal.

I supported the establishment of the BIA, and one of the things that our rate-paying dues create is assistance to the most vulnerable in our community.

And one of the privileges I had was to work with Council Member Strauss and the BIA and other outreach areas to find housing for people who were camping in Ballard's Commons Park during COVID.

And we put 72 people into housing.

Many of those folks I've visited in their housing and they are doing well.

And that was a huge effort that was really done collaboratively.

So I think that they are also been supportive in our effort to build the first affordable housing project for families in Ballard in over 20 years.

So I support this and my last point of privilege is that Mike Stewart is an asset to our neighborhood and not just the BIA.

So yay.

Good morning, Chair Nelson and city council members.

My name is MK Byrne and I now own two retail stores on Ballard Avenue, which is beyond my wildest dreams when I first came here about two years ago.

And the BIA has been absolutely instrumental in giving me the support, the resources and the environment to grow my business.

First, when I opened, I have a jewelry store and I was the target of several break-in attempts over the course of about a year.

And the BIA provided security, support, emotional, physical, every kind of way to make sure that I was okay and could keep going.

And then more than that, also the nutrients and the nurturing to make sure my business can grow with driving traffic, with providing community events, and with just building up communication between everyone who's in our neighborhood.

And they really weave our neighborhood together with the events that they put on, Art Walk, Wine Walk, numerous sort of sidewalk sales and things like that.

We really wouldn't be the same without them, and I wholeheartedly ask for your support.

Thank you.

Okay, Tommy, then Max.

Good morning, everyone.

Really quick, is this guy bothering anybody?

No.

Every time.

Let the record show that I got them.

My name is Tommy Patrick.

I own three bars and restaurants.

I sit on the board of directors of the Ballard Alliance.

And I recently elected the chair of the Landmark Board.

This is more than I ever could have asked for in my entire life.

Having these different businesses and having these different pieces of community involvement have always been something that I've strived for.

I will say for sure that I would not be here without the support of the Ballot Alliance, without the different access to resources, without the different access to different people that felt the same way in order to make the community better and people that didn't ask for anything in return that only wanted their community to become better from that.

And I know myself as well as other people that feel the same way that this is an absolutely important asset that we all need.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Max Gennaro.

I own and operate the Sunset Tavern, Hattie's Hat, and the Ballard Smoke Shop on Ballard Avenue.

I've been there for 23 years.

And when the Ballard Chamber of Commerce switched over to the Ballard Alliance, it's been great.

So much more support from that organization.

And You know, the landowners and the property owners are taxed to support the alliance, those business owners like me who rent, we end up paying that tax, and I'm happy to pay that, because it gets added on to my lease, and I encourage my landlords, especially with the renewal this year, I'm like, yes, re-up, we should do this because of the, just the positive support that everyone has said that we get from the Alliance.

I would like to send a special shout out to Councilman Herbald, who supported the Sunset Tavern in the early days, back in 2000 when we first opened, she was a regular customer, and...

Council Member Nelson, Council Member Strauss for their current support.

Thank you very much.

Next up is Randy, then Leigh and then Christine.

Good morning.

Can you hear me okay?

Yes.

Good.

My name is Randy Brinker and I am both a resident rate payer and a small business owner rate payer.

I also currently serve on the BIA rate payers advisory board and understand the importance of the services that it really does provide.

As someone who owns a candy shop here, I can tell you that it's so important to have these services.

And I just ask that you vote yes in support of the reorganization of the BIA.

Thank you.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Lee Burns.

My wife and I own Resoul.

It's a small boutique on Ballard Avenue.

We've been there for 21 years.

I serve both on the BIA Ratepayer Advisory Board and the Ballard Life Operations Board.

I've had the opportunity to help create the initial BIA and work on its renewal.

As you can imagine, running a small business is very time intensive.

Before the BIA, collaborating with my neighborhood businesses on shared marketing events and other programs was difficult, and sometimes, even with the best ideas, they didn't happen.

But with the BIA in place, we've had an incredible resource to get things done.

The BIA does an excellent job working with the community to identify impactful programs that has the ability to implement them.

That wasn't that way before.

Just one example.

The holiday lighting program before the BIA was cobbled together by myself with donations and a few grants and a few other people.

and it was challenged to raise funds up each year and make it sustainable.

With the BIA, we've had an amazing light program every year that draws visitors and makes for a great shopping season.

Please support renewal of the Bowen Improvement Area and vote yes on Council Bill 120634. Thank you.

The next several speakers will be Scott, Jennifer, and Chloe.

Good morning, everyone.

We're glad you're here.

My name is Christine McDonald.

I own an independent bookstore on Market Street.

We've been in the Ballard building since 2000, April Fool's Day, to be precise.

The last 23 years in Ballard have changed everything so very, very much, as you all know.

I served on the former chamber board and helped the process of morphing into a BIA, and it was an amazing experience, many, many hours, terribly worthwhile.

The outcome has been a much more equitable and reliable sense of can-do-ness for business in Ballard, everything from clean streets performed by people that really need those jobs, to safety support of all kinds, and wonderful events continue, the old and the new, Seafood Fest to .

It's been completely essential to Ballard to have this kind of reliable and equitable support.

Please pass this bill, thank you.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Scott Ingham, and I'm co-chair of the Ballard Alliance Board of Directors.

I sit here in awe thinking about how quickly seven years has gone by when we were here seven years ago asking for support to get the BIA established.

And I won't go into details because everyone else here that's speaking today is doing such a great job of talking about all the things that the BIA has done in that seven years.

And that's why we're back asking for a 12-year lease now, if you will, because there's still so much work to be done.

The BIA has been tremendously successful in the seven years, but we do sincerely have much more work to do.

We've got a broad base of support among the community, and I just urge you to support the renewal of the BIA.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

So Jennifer, Chloe, and then the next speaker will be Alex.

Hello.

Good morning.

Good morning, Councilmember Nelson.

Hello, Dan and all the other members on today.

My name is Jennifer Moran.

I'm the executive manager at Carter Subaru and Carter Volkswagen in Ballard.

Carter's properties are on the Leary corridor, which is not within the current boundary, but we are very supportive of the expansion of the district and looking forward to being part of the BIA.

The last several years have been challenging in Ballard.

However, Carter has definitely recognized the positive impact the BIA has made for the Ballard community, from its Clean Streets program, to marketing and business support, to public arts and advocacy on critical issues.

The BIA is a vital asset, and we support its continued and expanded work through the BIA renewal.

Please vote yes on the legislation and move the process forward.

Thank you.

Hello, good morning, Chair Nelson, Council Member Strauss, and all other committee members here.

My name is Chloe Gale.

I'm a policy advocacy person at the REACH Program of Evergreen Treatment Services, and it's really my honor here to support the renewal.

I may not have a T-shirt, but I am on the team Ballard BIA, so you know.

In 2017, the Ballard BIA contacted REACH to explore the possibility of contracting with REACH directly to create homeless outreach services in Ballard.

We began working with them that year and our partnership has continued ever since.

The Ballard BIA was the first BIA organization to partner with us for this work.

And I'm pleased to say that we've created a more effective geographic based outreach model that's now been adopted in neighborhoods throughout the city, including other BIAs who are represented here.

This is a really exciting partnership for us.

We love these partnerships, and we want to keep building them.

I want to say the Ballard BIA has really been on the forefront of innovating.

They continue to advocate and innovate and build as we go forward, and I really want to support their renewal.

Thank you.

Hello, good morning.

Good morning members of the Economic Development Committee.

My name is Alex Nason and I am the project director for Urban Artworks.

We're a local nonprofit public arts organization with a mission to empower youth artists and communities.

Urban Art Works recognizes that Ballard Alliance plays an important role connecting local artists to business and property owners within their BIA, resulting in the addition of more public art and placemaking throughout Ballard.

The BIA has also partnered with us on a few projects, most recently our Mural Apprentice Program.

The BIA team connected us to local business Mox Boarding House, where we spent the past two months teaching 10 Ballard youth how to engage in public art projects.

The BIA then connected us with property owners of Magnum Storage, where these mural apprentices painted a 1,000 square foot mural as the culmination of their training.

The Ballard BIA excels at relationship building and invests so much into the community.

And because of this, I strongly encourage you to approve the new Ballard Improvement Area.

Thank you.

Now we've got Andrew, Roger, and Emily, please.

Good morning, council members and company here.

I am here.

My name is Andrew Miller.

I'm a public artist here in the city.

And I have had the privilege of working with the team, Devin, Mike, and all of these other community members to bring much more of a colorful landscape to what Ballard is, working with different neighborhood groups in and around the city.

I have never experienced something like working with the organization like Ballard Alliance.

I've been a member of the public arts committee in which we set up about four years ago and watching other artists, like 48, 50 other artists with the skills and empowering them to be able to create this landscape around the city is something I'm very honored to be able to speak to and keep encouraging.

Ballard loves you.

Good morning, City Council members.

My name is Roger Lorenz, and I'm on the Ballard Alliance Operations Board.

More importantly, I play and live and work in Ballard, and I'm here today to ask for your support for the renewal of the Ballard BIA.

Throughout the first seven years of its life cycle, the Ballard BIA has created a strong track record of supporting Ballard residents, property owners, and small businesses.

Throughout the pandemic, it was amazing to see how nimble and resourceful the BIA was on behalf of our community.

The organization was a true leader in the community and stepped up to help businesses in numerous ways during and after the shutdown.

This includes the BIA being a strong advocate for street cafes to ensure our restaurants and bars' survival.

The BIA also successfully advocated for a tunnel approach to light rail in Ballard.

This is a project that will transfer the Ballard community going forward and years to come.

The BIA's continued work is critical to the continued success of the Ballard neighborhood, and I'd like to request your support for renewal of the Ballard BIA.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning.

My name is Emily Mabus and I own Other Coast Cafe on Ballard Avenue.

And I'm here to speak largely about the BIA's response to COVID and how that assisted me as a business during that time.

We really needed a hub of information and a second set of eyes to help us navigate through all of the kind of daily changing directives that were put forth by the governor, which I wholeheartedly supported.

And the alliance was that organization.

They worked with council member, with council member Strauss, I'm sorry, I'm used to calling you Dan, in getting us outdoor seating.

And without that outdoor seating, I know that my business would not have survived.

And while we were surviving and frankly thriving, I was closing my Queen Anne location.

So I know that the difference between a neighborhood that has a BIA and does not have a BIA is massive.

Thank you.

Is there Chris and Eric?

Those are the two last names I have on my list.

Are these for this?

Yes.

Okay, and then Michael Woody and Brian.

Council members Nelson and Strauss, thank you very much for leading this discussion and all the support.

It's just wonderful to hear.

My name is Eric Stoll and I'm here to support the BIA.

Obviously, it's a proud T-shirt where I have a business in Ballard.

And as an upper floor tenant, it's really important to me that the streets are clean and safe.

My clients need that kind of environment.

I work with a lot of elderly clients and The appearance of the neighborhood and the safety of the neighborhood is just really key for them to feel welcome.

As well, the street cafe life is amazing.

The work that the Alliance did through the pandemic that Emily just spoke about has just been tremendous.

I'm sure you know yourselves.

It's just a wonderful place to be.

Also, I'm a proud Ballard parent.

I've got two sons at Ballard High School.

And as a parent, I can say Ballard is a wonderful community for my kids to plug into.

They feel it's their place.

they're truly Ballardites.

It's my adopted neighborhood and the BIA is just so essential to that great feeling that we all have.

So I ask for your support.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Michael and Brian.

Good morning council members.

My name is Michael Woody and I represent Visit Seattle and STIA and I'm speaking today in support of agenda item number four to establish the new 12-year BIA for the Ballard Improvement Area.

STIA and Ballard BIA have had the opportunity to partner over the years on collaborative marketing campaigns as well as critical policy issues that help to ensure that vibrant neighborhoods like Ballard and the city in general are a vital part of the quality of life for our residents and for the millions of visitors that come to experience our beloved city.

As an organization working to attract visitors to Seattle from around the world, it's important to have neighborhood partners like Ballard BIA that work consistently to create attractive and thriving destinations for tourists to visit and for residents to enjoy every day.

Please support the establishment of the new 12-year Ballard Business Improvement Area.

Thank you.

Good morning, city council members.

Pardon me, I've gotten a little bit hoarse today.

My name's Brian Trickle.

I'm the chief nursing officer as well as the chief operating officer of the Swedish Ballard campus, Swedish Issaquah campuses, and Swedish Redmond campuses.

I believe we have the biggest footprint within the BIA, and I'm here to endorse them fully.

I am engaged with the BIA and currently serve on the Ratepayer Advisory Board representing Providence, Swedish.

As such, I've had the opportunity to review and discuss in detail all the work the BIA has conducted in key program areas including public safety, economic development, and public realm enhancement.

It is clear to me that the work the BIA has done over the past seven years has demonstrated tremendous value and has resulted in ensuring Ballard is a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.

As a significant owner and stakeholder in the Ballard community and the largest provider of healthcare in the state of Washington, Providence Swedish fully endorses and supports the BIA, and I encourage you to advance the renewal legislation to the full city council for approval.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Okay, that was the last public speaker on our list in person.

I don't have anybody signed up for remote public comment.

First of all, what I would like to say is as a small business owner, I appreciate that you all came out today because I understand that you have other things to do.

And so thank you very much for coming and making comment.

Thank you for hanging in there with Seattle through the past few difficult years.

And you make...

you make Seattle a better place to live.

So thank you very much for showing up.

I am impressed and I would like to say it's remarkable to see the show of public solidarity amongst all of the BIAs that spoke here today and what that represents.

I know that you meet, that you have semi-regular meetings all the time to talk about policy.

I have attended some of those meetings, but to see you come together and support each other It really is important because while you're asking council to allow you to keep taxing your members, and while the rate payers are coming up and saying, please, I would like to keep charging myself for the opportunity to make this neighborhood a better place, all of the directors are really working behind the scenes to make sure that the city and the BIAs are working in tandem, that we are listening to you.

This is all a way of saying that I just appreciate everybody coming out.

I hope that the public really does see that when they go into a neighborhood, there is a lot of sweat and blood equity that makes these neighborhoods such a great place.

So I will open it up for comments.

The couple of last things that have to happen is that I have to request that we suspend the rules so that we can take a vote on the same day as a public hearing.

And then we also have to move and vote on the legislation.

But I would like to open it up for any comments right now before I move the legislation.

She looks directly at me.

Chair, do the presenters want to share?

I'll save my comments for the end.

We had talked earlier that they are here to answer questions and to provide guidance because we had such a full discussion and presentation last time.

Yeah, I see.

I'll go last because I might take a while.

Councilmember Herbold.

I will not take a while.

I just wanted to thank the folks here today for coming out and, as you say, Madam Chair, for the solidarity from BIAs all over the city to support the efforts of the Ballard BIA.

I also want to thank In particular, the response that I received from Mike Stewart, my question from the last committee meeting, last committee meeting, I shared information that we've learned from the fire department that there are on average 11 daily overdose reversals in public places.

Um, from January to late July of this year, and more than 40% of them, um, are not administered by fire, but.

By other members of the public and, um, at that time, um.

there was an expression of the willingness of the administration of the Ballard BIA to consider the issue of requiring carrying naloxone in the procurement of future security provider.

And Mike very helpfully got back to me in the interim to let me know that that is something that they will be requiring in their next contract.

So really, really appreciate that.

And of course, in general, I echo what I've heard from so many of the testifiers as well as my colleagues.

It's great when a community sees uh needs that um aren't aren't being met and resolves to to get together and uh figure out a way to use the structures that the city and state provide to tax yourself to um to address those needs so really really appreciate um your partnership with the city in doing so thanks thank you do you have any responses nope okay

All right, go ahead, Councilmember Strauss, and then I will close us out with comments before we proceed to the moving and the vote and everything else.

Fantastic.

Thank you, Chair.

It is really wonderful to see everyone down here in City Hall today.

My first meeting, I rushed to City Hall to make my 9 a.m.

meeting.

That was with Wyatt Hoffman from the Ballard Alliance.

We were both taking the meeting virtually and realized we could just take it in my office together, which was a real pleasure.

And that meeting was set up.

It's a regularly scheduled and occurring meeting designed to help stabilize the people who are having an outsized impact in our community.

And specifically, Christy, to prevent situations that happened at your bookstore recently, right?

And this is...

the work that the Ballard Alliance does.

The Ballard Alliance has been one of the strongest partners in almost every aspect of change for local Ballard businesses, neighbors, and community.

Really, the Alliance is a forum for relationship building and community building.

Just looking in this room, everyone has a very different background.

And together, we come together through the Ballard Alliance.

I can say that my relationships with individuals in this room would not be as strong as they are today if it were not for the forum and the conduit of the Ballard BIA, just simply put.

Really, the BIA has so many different hats, one of them being government relations, problem-solving and providing small business support and creating neighborhood vibrancy.

As Chloe Gale mentioned, Ballard Alliance has been one of the forefront and innovators of creating policy changes that occur and better our entire city.

So they occur citywide, and it's for the betterment of our city.

The Ballard Commons Encampment Resolution has informed and changed city policy.

The children's playground at Ballard Commons that is the finally broken ground has been going on so long...

It was a campaign even before I thought I would ever run for office.

I remember Max Gennaro at Hattie's Hat, you had placemats for the children to draw and advocate for this children's playground.

I'm just so excited to finally see it happening today.

For the large part of the BIA's life cycle, they've essentially been a team of three and a half staff.

As Don Blakeney mentioned, sharing staff sometimes is a resource, is a way to bolster resources.

And it's my opinion that the BIA has been doing the work of at least 10 people.

A lot of that is because of the volunteer hours and the community work that everyone in this room does together.

The BIA represents everyone from St. Luke's to Sephora.

and engages in parks activation to hiring Uplift Northwest to create employment opportunities and to clean our streets.

You have small business support to supporting people living in public spaces, getting the services that they need.

One of the things that was brought up last time with Tom Malone was that the BIA has done a really amazing job of stewarding the growth that Ballard has experienced.

We've been one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the city, and growth, they call it growing pains.

And I can tell you that the growing pains of Ballard have been eased because of the stewardship that Mike, your team have provided, as well as engaging everyone In our community, the outcomes are not anecdotal.

We have a higher foot traffic on Ballard Avenue today than we did in 2019. When I was growing up as a teenager, we would go to the mall.

We would go to Northgate Mall, right?

The parents of teenagers today are reporting to me that their teens aren't going to the mall, and it's not because Deborah Juarez helped get it turned into a Kraken iceplex, but they're going to Ballard Avenue now because that's where the vibrancy and that's where teens want to go and be together.

You know, my wife is a real big fan of Love is Blind, so I also watch it.

Watching the recap recently, it was mostly filmed in Ballard.

It didn't seem like it was Love is Blind in Seattle.

It was Love is Blind as Ballard.

And MK, I did see Tommy on the show.

He has reassured me that he was not a participant in the experience.

Um...

I lost my place there.

The BIA has been nimble and adaptive, willing to jump in at no moment's notice to get whatever needed to be done done.

When I look at the Ballard Commons reopening, it was the BIA that really organized 35 different businesses and neighborhood stakeholders to participate to make it a success.

You've helped create solutions that are used throughout the city.

The Street Cafe program, we are working to create a model so that it can be implemented throughout the city.

It's really amazing.

And I really love the t-shirts because it has Ballard City Hall on it.

You know, that fateful day, May 29th, 1907, we lost the annexation vote by 86 votes, and we were ultimately annexed to the city of Seattle.

At that time, we were the second largest city in King County, seventh largest in the state of Washington.

And I see in these chambers that the BIA has mobilized about 40 people to come down to City Hall.

While it was rumored that the vote was scheduled for in 1907 for just after the fishing fleet left for Alaska, I am confident that if we had the BIA in May of 1907, we would have remained independent.

I'm an enormous champion of the BIA's renewal and its geographic expansion.

I have heard from business owners that have been on the edge of the BIA, that they have been frustrated in the past that the services come just up to their property boundary, and not in front of their shop.

And so I think that this expansion is well-timed and a little bit overdue.

And so again, an enormous champion of the expansion.

We have so much more work to do.

I'm not gonna air all of our plans here in public.

And I just look forward to the city partnering with the Ballard BIA for years to come.

Thank you, Mike, for all of your work.

Thank you, Scott, for all your work.

And I know Tom's probably listening.

Thank you to him as well.

Just really great to see everyone here.

Okay, just so, because some of the rate payers are here, I will have you know that last time, you should just watch the tape of last meeting because I did sing the praises of your director who is working on behalf of your interests, at least when it comes to working with City Hall, working with my committee, on ways of advancing the interests of small businesses and other non-profits and entities within Ballard.

All right, so if there are no other questions or comments from colleagues, I'm sorry that we have to move along here.

I have to ask for permission to suspend the rules that require that we cannot take a vote the same day that we have a public hearing.

And so I am giving this opportunity for anybody to object to that.

I'm not seeing any objection to that, so that means that I will then proceed with moving the legislation.

Just one moment here, because last time I did it in the wrong place.

I move that the committee recommend approval of Council Bill 120634. Is there a second?

Second.

All right, it's been moved and seconded to recommend approval of the ordinance.

And seeing no other questions from my colleagues, will the clerk please call the roll on the committee recommendation that the council approve Council Bill 120634.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Chair Nelson.

Aye.

Four in favor, zero opposed.

Thank you very much, everybody.

The motion carries in the committee recommendation that the Council approve Council Bill 120634 will be forwarded to the City Council for final consideration at the Council's meeting on Tuesday, September 19th.

That's great news.

So, thank you very much.

One last question.

Since you are here, I feel like it would be remiss of me to ask you this.

In the Economic Development Technology and City Lights last committee of the year in December, I'm hoping to begin discussions of legislation that would allow the installation of interactive kiosks in neighborhood business districts.

And I believe that you have heard about this idea.

They provide a range of public benefits like wayfinding, transit information, emergency response announcements, as well as information that on the small businesses and other assets in the community.

So have you weighed in as an agency yet on this proposal?

Sure, we have, and the Ballard Alliance absolutely supports this technology and this use and a potential partnership with the Mid-Downtown Seattle Association, the city, for implementation of these devices.

We've had an opportunity to see them firsthand, see them working in other cities across the country.

Very effective way to communicate, not only for visitors, residents, and businesses, but also for our unhoused neighbors as well.

There's certainly an opportunity to utilize this technology to provide information about resources that our partners like Chloe Gale at Reach could use or Britt Olson at St. Luke's Church.

In addition to that, it gives us the opportunity to promote our events that we're doing on behalf of the community.

And I think there is a little bit of a revenue piece that would be really helpful for a district like ours.

I mean, even with a BIA, we certainly do fundraisers like the Ballard Seafood Fest and wine walks and we solicit grants and all of those things.

All of that additional revenue supports the work that we do as a BIA.

So this would be another small funding stream potentially that we could use for activation or other great things.

So supportive, happy to engage in the conversation as it moves forward.

Thank you very much.

A funding stream so that you can provide the essential services that make Seattle better.

All right, thank you very much for letting us know.

Hopefully the paperwork will all come through in time.

All right, thank you very much, everybody.

Congratulations.

All right, will the clerk please read item five into the record?

Agenda item number five, Council Bill 120641, an ordinance relating to Seattle Tourism Improvement Areas, establishing a new 15-year business improvement area to be known as the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area, levying special assessments upon owners of businesses offering transient accommodations with 60 or more rooms within the area, providing for the deposit of revenues and a special account and expenditures therefrom, providing for collection of and penalties for delinquencies, providing for the establishment of a ratepayers advisory board, providing for an implementation agreement with a program manager, disestablishing the existing Seattle Tourism Improvement Area that was established by Ordinance 123714, the 2011 STIA, and later modified by Ordinance 126552, suspending the issuance of special assessments and providing for the continuity of services under the 2011 STIA, providing for the transfer of any remaining funds from the 2011 STIA account, and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.

For briefing, or excuse me, for discussion, public hearing, and possible vote.

Thank you very much.

So, hello everyone, again, some of you.

We had a briefing presentation and discussion about this important legislation only two days ago.

So, the information is fresh in our minds.

So, we're not going to go into a whole bunch of information.

I'm only asking the presenters to be at the table just in case there is some question from my colleagues, but just to inform the public if you weren't tuning in two days ago.

The Seattle Tourism Improvement Area, or STIA, is a business improvement area formed in 2011 to establish a new leisure tourism marketing fund for Seattle that enables our cities' hoteliers to compete and grow their market share.

All right, last year, the committee...

Last year, this committee...

renewed the STIA and increased the assessment from $2, which it had been for years and years and years, to $4 per night.

And now we are revisiting the structure of the assessment this year right now.

The ordinance will allow for a switch from $4 to an assessment of I believe it's 2.3% of the total per night rate for a particular room for a per room stay, and that is similar to Portland's.

And the ordinance will also allow STIA to use those funds to attract travelers for the meetings and events in conventions market instead of just for leisure travel.

That is a big, huge change that will really help everyone involved.

It's a natural nexus, and I wholeheartedly support that.

Currently not allowed to do that.

So anyway, the ordinance doesn't make any changes to the current area.

And today we have a required public hearing on council's intent to establish the new STIA and our intent to disestablish the old STIA.

And we have representatives here to answer any questions before we move on to the formal public hearing.

If there are any questions any of my colleagues have before we do that.

All right.

Seeing no questions, we are going to, again, these are going to be the intent for the two public hearings is the same.

We're going to hold a joint one and the online registration has been open for two hours.

And so we will now officially proceed to the public hearing and I will find the correct list.

Thank you very much.

On this list, we've got, and if you feel as though you made the correct, you've already made your comments, but you just want to say your name just for the record to have your name and voice associated with this agenda item, that is fine too.

On our list, Lauren, Chris, James, and Yuriana.

Yuriana.

Yuriana.

Good morning.

My name is Lauren Lundberg.

I'm the Deputy Director at the Soto Business Improvement Area.

I'm speaking in support of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

The STIA is a unique organization for stakeholders to invest in and focus on bringing people from all over to our city and neighborhoods with a focus on economic development, vitality, and activation.

and creates a sustainable and equitable funding sources for mutual benefit for the city.

And they are great partners to BIAs and elevating our businesses and their voices through marketing and policy advocacy while putting Seattle on the map.

Please support the conversion of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, third time's the charm.

This is my business Seattle shirt.

My name is Chris Woodward.

I'm with the Alliance for Pioneer Square, community-based organization.

We support the businesses, residents, and nonprofits in Pioneer Square.

Speaking in support of agenda item five, council bill 120641, the conversion of the STIA.

The Alliance and our stakeholders benefit from the tourism Stia brings in by supporting the economic activity in Pioneer Square.

This need continues as the district progresses along the path of recovery from the pandemic.

The work of the Stia makes Seattle a more dynamic and inclusive destination through promoting the city as a world-class city.

So please support the conversion of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning, council members.

My name is James Seto.

I'm the Director of Media Relations and Issues Management for the Downtown Seattle Association.

And I'm speaking in support of CB120641, the conversion of STEA.

Our job at DSA is to create a terrific downtown experience for all, and we rely on Visit Seattle and the funds they generate from seeing to bring visitors from around the world to enjoy a vibrant downtown.

DSA and Visit Seattle have held a very strong partnership over the years, and we do that to ensure alignment between the expectations of visitors and the services that we provide.

Downtown will benefit from more visitors to support our small businesses, our arts and cultural institutions, our public spaces, and our tax base.

And you've seen the impact so far this summer with an incredible tourism season, the headlines, the metrics that we track.

It's all terrific, but that work does happen year round.

Seattle.

We strongly support this legislation that will give the Seattle more flexibility and ultimately more resources to bring more people to downtown, a great deal for the city, a great deal for downtown and the entire region.

Please support the conversion of Stia.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speakers will be, we're going to get through the next couple in-person speakers, but I am reminded that Brian is still waiting on the phone.

And so after Yuriana and Christine, I am going to take a break and bring up Brian online.

Go ahead, please.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Joanna Speerenberg, and I represent Citizen M Hotels in District 1 and District 7 as the Seattle Area Hotel Manager.

And I'm speaking in support of the agenda item number five, CB120641, the conversion of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

The work of the SDIA continues to make Seattle a more dynamic and inclusive city because the conversion would make the contributions inflation-proof.

And the impact can be felt in every district, supporting small businesses and preserving the authentic experiences found in our neighborhoods throughout Seattle and King County.

I'm also a proud downtown Seattle resident, and please support the conversion of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

Thank you.

Same T-shirt.

Chris McKay with the West Seattle Junction Association.

And of course I support all of our BIAs, but in particular I think this conversion is really important to support because what happens in the downtown corridor trickles out to all of our other BIAs.

And it's really important for our little West Seattle to have a strong and vibrant downtown Seattle with a lot of tourists because they get on that little ferry and they go over to West Seattle and they visit our area, see our parks, and enjoy our restaurants as well, and do some good shopping.

So I think it's critically important that what happens today moves forward with supporting the conversion of the Stia.

So thank you very much.

Okay, I will, let's see, Brian, you are still on the line.

Press star six.

Chair Nelson, can you hear me?

Yes, I can hear you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Nelson, and good morning, council members.

I'm here to speak in support of agenda item number five, the conversion of Stia.

Thank you for the opportunity.

My name is Brian Flaherty.

I am president of Columbia Hospitality, a Seattle-based national hospitality management company.

operating over 100 assets in 11 different states.

Here in Seattle, we employ hundreds of extraordinary team members at multiple locations, including our downtown Alaskan Way office, 10 different vertical residential communities, and nine different hospitality-focused businesses in Seattle proper.

We are invested in and bullish on Seattle and on growing funding for Stia.

All of these businesses that I referenced and the hardworking team members employed by them benefit from the work of SIA and Visit Seattle because all of these businesses rely significantly on the tourism economy.

With more SIA funding, we can invest in more tourism.

Let's enable out-of-state visitors to invest in and improve our quality of life.

Let's enable our region to compete on a more level playing field.

Let's say yes to the proposed conversion of SIA.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, sir, and thank you for hanging in to make public comment during the public hearing.

We heard you.

Thank you for hanging in there with us.

Okay, next up on our agenda is Lendi, followed by Juergen and Gordon.

Hello.

My name is Lendi Hensley.

My company is Bite Society.

So in my South Lake Union kitchen, I make a line of cookies and snacks that I sell online, and most importantly, at Pike Place Market.

So the story I want to tell is about what happens to those visitors when they come and see me.

They buy my stuff, but what they really do is they take it home, and they order again, and they become my customers.

As a small business, I could not access any kind of marketing that would get me customers in California, Florida, Texas, New York, you know, BC.

And my experience is not unusual, right?

And so they're a really powerful generator for a small business like mine.

Plus, it's a really authentic experience.

I'm telling them my story.

I'm giving them a product from my Seattle kitchen.

It's growing Bites Society.

It's growing businesses like mine.

And I think it's growing Seattle.

So I really support the conversion of these.

I don't even know all the words, but I'm in.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Juergen Oswald.

I represent the Renaissance Seattle Hotel in District 7, where I'm the general manager.

And I also serve as the president of the Seattle Hotel Association, and I'm a member of the Ratepayer Advisory Board for the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

And I'm speaking in support of agenda item five, council bill 120641, the conversion of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

So my hotel benefits from the tourism that the SDIA brings by providing an occupancy base.

And the hotel would also benefit more from Seattle welcoming more visitors from both the leisure and business sectors by spreading that occupancy over the entire week.

And the work of the SDA continues to make Seattle a more dynamic and inclusive city because more visitors create a lively buzz and also increase opportunities for all levels of society.

So please support the conversion of the Seattle Tourism Improvement Area.

Thank you very much.

And also thank you Council Member Nelson and Strauss for being here in person.

We need more people on the street.

Thanks everybody here in City Hall for supporting people getting back into the offices.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning, council members.

Thank you very much for this opportunity.

My name is Gordon Dierker.

I'm the COO for FRS Clipper.

We are in strong support of this change because we are obviously a company that lives off tourism and travelers.

We look after some 200,000 guests a year.

We employ close to 100 people here in Seattle, mostly based in the Seattle city limits.

This conversion is important because for us to rebuild after the pandemic, we need to support and jointly as a tourism industry, work on getting more and more footfall into the city together.

So please vote in favor.

Thank you.

Next, we have Heather and Sheila and then Rob.

Which one is it, this one?

Good morning.

Thank you, council, for the opportunity.

My name's Heather McCurdy.

I am the general manager of Hilton Seattle right here downtown, and I also have the pleasure of serving on the Tourism Improvement Area Advisory Board.

As a hotelier, you can imagine that Tourism is the lifeblood of our business, and seeing it recover after the pandemic is key to us surviving and thriving as a business.

The work that these people do is incredible.

I see it from the back.

And they've really gone to, they're really helping to increase the tourism in areas that were not necessarily there before.

So new diverse travelers, new visitors to the area, and that's especially helpful with business travel being still depressed since the pandemic.

So thank you, please support the conversion of Seattle, a tourism improvement area.

Good morning again, Council Members Nelson, Strauss, and those on the committee.

I'm Sheila Stickler.

I represent the National Nordic Museum.

We're located north of downtown in Ballard.

It's a busy neighborhood that's a mix of commercial, industrial, residential, retail, restaurant, nightlife, and tourism.

In 2019, Congress recognized the Nordic Museum and our significance and awarded us a national designation, so we are now the National Nordic Museum.

Nordic Art Museum is more than just a museum, though.

One of the great enduring benefits that it plays is the role that it plays as a convener of U.S., Seattle, state of Washington, and the Nordic countries.

This helps with building the economy and helps us also basically with policy and cultural ties to the nations.

We also host a Nordic Innovation Summit, which attracts visitors from around the world.

So we do benefit, we believe Seattle benefits, and we ask you to support CB120641, the conversion of Stia.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we've got Rob and then Lee, Mike, although I stuck in, and Zahur, and then Paul.

That's the order of our last speakers.

Go ahead, sir.

Good morning.

Distinguished council members.

Thank you for being here in person.

Appreciate that.

I'm Rob.

I'm general manager of the Pan Pacific Hotel and board member of the Seattle Hotel Association.

Our hotel is a vibrant 153 key hotel in the intricate and an intricate part of the South Lake Union neighborhood.

Speaking in strong support of agenda number five, our hotel, just like every other, will greatly benefit from the increased visitor flow that a financially stronger SDA would fuel.

It would not only allow us to generate more tax dollars by increasing occupancy, support the local business community, but also enable us to add up to 20% more fair paid hotel worker jobs.

To welcome more visitors is vital for community safety, quality of living, and essential for downtown's revival and reemergence.

Knowing that our Knowing that our neighboring rival cities have doubled the CBB funding for years is irritating and embarrassing.

Let's change that.

We have the most vibrant and beautiful city and have to ensure we see substantially more visitors to enjoy all of our facets.

I urge you to support the conversion of the SDIA to a dynamic 2.3%.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Leigh Bazisakoff and I work at the Tractor Tavern.

I'm also the vice president of the Washington Music and Nightlife Association and a board member of the Free Cut Music Festival.

I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE CONVERSION OF SEATTLE TOURISM IMPROVEMENT AREA.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE CONVERSION OF THE SEATTLE TOURISM IMPROVEMENT AREA.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, ALL OF US WERE CLOSED FOR 484 DAYS.

Programs like Save Our Stages help us reopen our doors.

Programs like Cloudbreak continue to help us keep our doors open.

Our numbers show that 21% of our ticket sales come from outside of King County.

8% come from outside the state.

Music is an important driver for tourism, and we want to make sure that we continue these partnerships like Cloudbreak Music Festival, which supports the music venues and the artists get back on our feet.

Thank you.

I hear the emotion in your voice because I think it was a hard time, and if you're in it, you felt it.

So, thank you.

All right.

I'm looking at the order that we've got going here.

Am I cutting the line for somebody else?

Go ahead.

Mike is next on the list, but...

Mike, do you want to come over first?

No, go ahead, please.

Thank you.

All right, you can switch.

Go ahead.

Good morning, council members.

My name is Zahur Ahmed.

I represent RC Hadreen Company, which is located in District 7. I am the vice president of hotel operation and the chief financial officer for the company.

Our company owns four hotels in downtown Seattle within the STIA jurisdiction, namely the Hyatt Regency, the Grand Hyatt, Hyatt & Olivet, and the Renaissance Seattle.

We represent about 15% of total rooms in the STI area.

We employ over 700 employees in downtown Seattle.

I'm speaking in support of the agenda item number five, CB120641, the conversion of Seattle tourism improvement area.

In order for Seattle to compete with other major cities, we need to invest in marketing the city in all the right places in order to attract both the and business related travels.

In addition to our convention, the addition to our convention center facilities also demands the continued and also increased marketing of Seattle.

Please support the conversion of the Seattle tourism improvement area.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning again Council Members.

Mike Stewart, Ballard Alliance here in support of Council Bill 120641. The positive impacts of STEA can really be felt across all neighborhoods in the City of Seattle including neighborhoods like Ballard with a focus of drawing people into the city for both leisure and business.

We know that those folks also want to leave downtown and come out and explore the city on their own.

Our members, our businesses that you heard from are all very much supporters and beneficiaries of the work that STIA does.

We've had the opportunity to partner together and it has been an amazing collaborative relationship and we hope for that to continue with STIA.

That being said, I encourage you today to take a yes vote on this legislation.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

The last person on our list is Paul.

Good morning, Council.

Paul Levesick, the general manager of the Westin Seattle, also an executive board member on the Seattle Hospitality Association.

I'm here in support of the Stia conversion.

I'm gonna just take a different tact.

I agree with everything set up here.

We know all that.

Our city's in recovery.

Our hotel industry is in recovery.

This is a tool that puts us in a position to help that recovery and expedite it.

And we all want to recover.

We want the city to be vibrant, to be the place everybody wants to be.

And I want to live in that city.

And so please support this initiative.

We need to move this city forward.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

That was our last speaker.

So I am asking my colleagues for permission to suspend the rules so that we may vote on the recommendation on the same day that we've had a public hearing.

So I am looking to see if there is any, there is no objection.

Okay, do my colleagues have any questions or comments about the legislation before us?

Well, I will, go ahead.

It looks like council president came off mute, but.

Council president.

No, I was just getting ready to vote.

Sorry.

Okay.

Got it.

Well, let me just recognize here for the moment that again, what I always say when we, when we're doing this.

Yes.

Oh, council member Herbold, please.

I just want to read into the record an email, obviously, from a District 1 constituent, because I think it really illustrates what we've heard today about the promotional work that STIA does all across the city, not just downtown.

Just because the race fairs are...

confined to a small number of downtown hotels, the benefits are felt in every district.

And so a constituent from District 1 wrote, I work in the tourism industry.

I know many people in West Seattle that are employed in hotels, restaurants, and small businesses all dependent on tourism.

We all depend on those marketing dollars to promote our region to visitors.

I see those neighbors and those visitors on the West Seattle water taxi almost every day.

And please vote in favor of the legislation because it supports my family and the livelihood of many neighbors in our community.

And thought that was a great example all the way in West Seattle.

Wanted to share.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Council President Juarez.

I do have.

Thank you, Council Member Nelson.

Council Member Herbold, thank you for bringing that.

An email to Council Member Nelson.

Madam Chair, big thank you to you for doing this on having the hearing on Monday for STEA.

And great email from Mr. Michael Woody.

from one of the questions I had asked, and he sent us a lengthy letter about all the work that Stia had done, Visit Seattle, with working with tribal governments in indigenous communities, the Tulalip tribes, Nqom, promoting artists like Louie Gong and Andrew Wilbur Sago, who I know personally, who's also not with us anymore, but a dear friend of mine, Marvin Oliver.

They're all local Native American, indigenous, real artists working.

And so thank you, Mr. Woody, for providing email to not only to myself, but we also shared it with our colleagues.

Thank you, Madam Chair, for bringing the forefront so we could have that opportunity and that dialogue to find out that, as Council Member Herbal pointed out, that their efforts go beyond just downtown.

So thank you.

Ms. Thank you.

Well, thanks to you, President, for allowing this legislation to go forward so quickly before the budget.

So, it was your staff's hustle that enabled us to bring this forward in a special meeting yesterday.

And while we're doling out thanks, Of course, we have to thank the rate payers, because the 71 hotels that pay into the coffers of Stia, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, they are also paying assessments to the mid, right?

And the dollars that go into Stia, as was already said, what I've said before, they don't just promote those hotels, nor do they just promote downtown.

They are used to promote Seattle business districts, Seattle cultural institutions, Seattle life, nature, et cetera, all over the city and also to the rest of the world.

Thank you very much to your marketing team, Allie and Tammy there.

So I believe that the property owners here know that their customer base can probably support this charge that they are asking the city for the permission of charging so that these benefits can accrue to the whole city.

That is my assumption.

I support this going forward and the nexus between being able to promote our brand new and gorgeous convention center expansion using this money that also benefits from the business travelers that that use the convention center, it all just makes sense.

So I am going to ask if there are any other comments before we proceed.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Chair.

It's really great to see you all here today.

I'm really excited to vote in favor of this legislation.

Can you remind me, was this the first or one of the first BIA business improvement areas?

I'm seeing heads nodding, yes.

What I can say is that when we try new policy, we oftentimes put parameters on it to make sure that it's going to work as designed.

And so as I was reviewing this legislation, it was very apparent to me that there were parameters put on it in the early years because we weren't sure if this would work and work as intended, it clearly has.

When I was talking to Ginny Gilder, owner of the Storm, about their new practice facility in Inner Bay, I commented that this is going to be able to attract the best players so that we can win five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten more championships.

Storm is the most winningest sports team in the city.

She reminded me that as she's building this facility that other teams are also catching up.

So I can't remember who said that...

wasn't great that other cities like Portland and others have a more flexible version of what we have.

And I can just say it's because we probably did it before them and it's time to update.

And I'm really excited to have this legislation before us today because there have been national campaigns by people trying to sell advertising, showing a three block radius from a two month period in time that happened three years ago to paint a picture of Seattle that simply doesn't exist.

It's not the Seattle I know, it's not the Seattle I love, and it's not the Seattle that tourists and residents know it to be.

Visit Seattle is our entity to be able to combat that national narrative that doesn't exist, that is painted in an, it is factually inaccurate what is being painted by, and Visit Seattle is the entity that we rely on to be able to show the real Seattle to the nation and to the world.

In my lifetime, we've grown from being a small town to a global city.

And it's amazing to be able to see this change.

It's emotionally challenging at times, but it is really quite amazing to see the transformation of our city.

And it's critical that we support Visit Seattle to share this narrative nationwide.

When I look at downtown and I see the new convention center and the walk from Pike Place Market down to the waterfront and the new waterfront, it just brings me such joy.

And it's not because the tile with my name on it at the Pike Place Market was in a hidden corner that is now a central destination.

It is because It gets to, we have the best, some of the best bones in the nation for a downtown core.

And we'll be hearing in my committee later this afternoon aspects of the downtown activation plan.

I'm already seeing some sort of sport court over there by Denny going on, the murals that are up.

These soft improvements that are needed to help people feel safe and welcome.

are occurring right now.

I was meeting with a resident last night who made their first trek downtown in quite some time, and their reaction, and they'd worked downtown for many years, and their reaction was, it's back.

And Visit Seattle and providing the flexibility through the STIA is how we share that, not just with international and national folks, Judy from Kansas or Mark from New York, but for the people who live in our city.

What I see, you know, when I look at the programming that this will benefit, it's the Burke Museum in the U District.

It's the Center for Wooden Boats in South Lake Union.

National Nordic Museum in Ballard, national designation.

I believe it is the embassy for all Nordic regional governments for Seattle.

I see the Museum of Flight that is, you know, down in Soto, Wing Luke that's on Capitol Hill.

When we look at Cloud Break, the music festival, I see St. Mark's again up on Capitol Hill.

Sunset and Tractor over in Ballard.

Vera Project in the Seattle Center Campus that I already spoke about today.

High Dive and Nectar in Fremont.

The benefits of STIA are not just for tourists.

They're for our Seattle residents.

And I'm just so excited to be able to vote in favor because we need to give Visit Seattle the flexibility we need to help all of Seattle because it's not just for tourists.

It's for residents.

It's not just for our city.

It's for our entire region.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Okay, and with that, I would like to just remind folks that we, are you raising your hand, Council President?

No, okay.

All right, so if there are no other comments here today, the STIA was formed, I believe, in 2011. Is that correct?

So it's a fairly new business improvement area, but Visit Seattle had been around, I don't know for how long, and you get, I remember that you get, you have members that, one of your funding streams is memberships from businesses all over town.

Thank you very much for the work that you do.

All right.

So I will go ahead, and there is no objection to taking a vote today.

So I move to suspend council rule.

It's already been done.

And I will now move that Council Bill 120641 be recommended.

I need a second.

Second.

Thank you very much.

It's been moved and seconded.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Chair Nelson?

Aye.

Four in favor, zero opposed.

Thank you very much.

The motion carries and the committee recommendation that Council approve Council Bill 120641 will be forwarded.

to the City Council for final consideration at Council's meeting on Tuesday, September 19th.

Thank you very much, everybody.

This concludes the agenda of the September 13th meeting of the Economic Development Technology and City Light Committee.

Our next meeting is scheduled for December.

I am looking for that date here, but September 13th.

December 13th.

So it is 1123. I'm going to stop talking.

Goodbye, everybody.

Meeting adjourned.