Council Briefing 2/6/23

Good afternoon, everybody.

Today is Monday, February 6. This is the Seattle City Council briefing.

I will now call it to order.

It is 2-0-1.

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Council Member Morales?

Here.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Present.

Council Member Peterson?

Present.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes, present.

Thank you.

Council Member Herbold?

Here.

Council Member Lewis?

Present.

And Council President Juarez?

Present.

Seven, present.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Moving on to approval of the minutes.

If there's an objection, the minutes of January 30th will be adopted.

Not hearing or seeing any objection, the minutes are adopted.

Moving on to the President's Report.

On today's agenda, we will welcome OIR Director Gail Charlenton and her staff to provide a state legislative update.

This will be the first in a series of weekly presentations, which will run until the end of April, the length of the legislative session.

We have no proclamations or letters to sign today.

Let's see.

Today with roll call, we will start with Council Member Morales.

After that, we have a 30-minute executive session.

On tomorrow's agenda, the consent calendar include the minutes and the payment of the bills, as well as one appointment recommended by the Neighborhoods, Education, Civil Rights and Culture Committee.

As you all know, we take a vote on the consent calendar unless, of course, any council member requests that we remove an item from the consent calendar and discuss it later on in the agenda.

There are two committee reports on the agenda tomorrow.

The first is a MOU between the City of Seattle and Protech 17. which was referred directly to full council.

I am the sponsor of that and I will be speaking to it tomorrow.

The second is an ordinance regarding historic preservation review procedures recommended by the Neighborhoods, Education, Civil Rights and Cultural Committee.

And I believe Council Member Morales will be speaking to that information on all these items on for tomorrow's agenda is available online.

Our next council briefing will be two o'clock next Monday, February 13. So with that, I'm going to go to the state legislative session update and Director Carl Tarleton, Gail, I'll let you go ahead and introduce your staff and let you take it from there.

Thank you very much Council President Juarez.

Hello.

One month into the new year, members of the Council, we have been in the legislative session for now a month, and I'm looking forward to having you hear from Samir Junejo, our State Relations Director, and Ana Johnson, our State Legislative Liaison, to give you a macro look at what's going on in Olympia and perhaps some more details on some key issues that are moving out of committee already.

So I'll look forward to your questions and turn it over to Samir.

Before we begin, Gail, or Director Tarlington, I just want to let everyone know I'm guessing everybody got a copy of the city of Seattle legislative agenda index of topics.

The Council Bulletin bill status report and my favorite.

The 36 bills that are teed up that OIR housing bills for the week for the week.

Weeks went to four so far so those are three documents that you should have and thank you, Gail and team for getting that stuff to us I'd really really appreciate it, as well as index and page numbers.

You're very welcome.

And Samira Nana have put together this these documents, just to help you keep track as we go week by week.

And all of you know that each week some things will fall off the bill tracker because they're not moving out of committee and others might get added.

So I'll turn it over to Samir to kick off the presentation.

Thank you.

All right.

Thanks, Director Tarleton.

Thank you, Council President Juarez and council members.

scale previewed I'm going to go into a kind of broader overview of what we're following through this first month of the legislative session.

It's gonna be as a quick recap, this is a long session, it's 105 day session.

So it started in January 10th, we're now in week five of 15. And where we are in the latest session is we are in the midst of bill hearings.

And so the first cutoff, which would mean, which is when bills need to be heard by in order to continue moving forward is coming up on February 17th.

And so that is the date as to which when bills will first start moving forward.

As a reminder of the legislative process, bills get introduced, then they get a hearing, and then they need to get voted out of committee.

And then they would go to either the fiscal committee, if there's a fiscal note, or they'll go straight to the rules committee.

After that, they then go to the floor where the entire body votes on the bill to move it to the other body.

So we'll start with housing, housing is one of the top issue areas of this legislative session as you see on some of the documents we gave you there are a number of housing bills.

that we are tracking.

I'll highlight just a few of them to give you a sense as to what is being discussed.

All the ones I'm talking about and all the ones on that list are still alive and still at this point still moving and still being considered.

So a couple of some bills to highlight House Bill 1026 sponsored by Representative Wolin.

which requires any design review of housing development permit applications to be conducted administratively by government employees.

And that was an exception put into that bill in committee for structures or districts which are listed on a local, state, or federal historic register.

That bill is actually one of the ones that is furthest along.

It's now on the House floor and can be voted on by the House floor at any moment.

The next bill, House Bill 1042 by Representative Wallin as well, prohibits cities from imposing certain restrictions or requirements on new housing units constructed within an existing building that is already located in a zone that permits multi-family housing.

And then there's a couple bills related to housing and density and land use hospital 1110 by representative Bateman authorizes minimum density requirements in cities and also requirements for the for middle housing development regulations for cities.

Senate Bill 5466 by Senator Liaison in a governor request bill as well, which establishes development standards to incentivize multifamily housing near transit stations is also known as transit oriented development is another bill under consideration.

The governor also has another request bill which would authorize $4 billion in general obligation bonds to finance programs and projects that impact housing insecurity, and that bill is moved out of the Policy Committee in the in the Senate, and into the Ways and Means Committee.

Another housing regulation bill by Representative Dewar, House Bill 1167, does a couple of things.

First, it directs the State Building Council to recommend changes to apply the International Residential Code to multiplex housing.

It also prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing any regulations on multiplex housing that do not apply to detached single-family residences except for when necessary for fire and life safety.

There are also a number of permitting bills this year that attempt to streamline the permitting process by things like incentivizing consolidation of the permit process or requiring faster processing of permits for housing development.

Hey, good afternoon.

I'm Ana Johnson here, State Legislative Liaison for OIR.

I'm going to go into some of the tenant-related bills that are under consideration right now.

So starting with HB 1388 by Representative Macri, this bill prevents abusive and extreme rent increases that are used to deny tenants of rights, including protections under no-cause evictions.

HB 1389 from representative Ramel caps yearly rent increases that a landlord can charge a tenant to a fair amount, and it can only account for the cost and improvements of that rental property.

HB 1124 from Representative Peterson requires landlords to provide a six-month notice of significant rent increase, and it provides tenants with the right to quit their fixed-term lease because of the rent increase, and it caps late fees as well.

Senate Bill 5060 from Senator Cooter requires that rental property owners register their rental and vacant housing units and report monthly rental rates to the Department of Commerce every two years.

And the Department of Commerce will then create and maintain a website that tracks and discloses rental housing inventory and report that data.

And then a bill on the multifamily tax exemption, HB 1350 from representative Wallin.

It expands MFTE to include conversion of existing units of multiple unit property into affordable housing.

Next, we have HB 1474 and Senate Bill 5496. This creates a new covenant homeownership account and establishes a document recording assessment of $100 and it funds the homeownership program, covenant homeownership program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance.

And then HB 1628, a revenue bill creating a new state and local real estate excise tax.

This new state real estate excise tax threshold is five million dollars and I'll start the first of January 2025. And the selling for selling prices that are above that threshold, there will be a tax rate of four percent.

This bill also allows counties or cities to impose an additional fourth of a percent real estate excise tax for the construction and support of affordable housing.

Moving on to transportation, which in the transportation areas is the session traffic safety has been a top priority of the committee's much of the conversation will involve the transportation budget which will come out later this session but a couple of bills related traffic safety that I'll highlight.

One is House Bill 1582 by Representative Ryu and also Senate Bill 5542 from Senator Lovick.

This prohibits the right turn on a red light within 1,000 feet of high pedestrian facilities like hospitals, libraries, schools, et cetera.

Another bill is Senate Bill 5002 by Senator Lovick, which disproduces the breath or blood alcohol concentration limit for operating a motor vehicle from 0.08 to 0.05.

The next topic we are going to highlight is gun violence prevention.

This session, HB 1240 from Representative Peterson, which is also governor and attorney general request legislation, institutes an assault weapons ban, and it prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, and offer of sale of any assault weapon.

Senate Bill 5778 by Senator Peterson creates a private riot of action towards firearm industry members for those harmed by guns.

House Bill 1178 by Representative Hackney repeals the statute that preempts local jurisdictions from adopting laws to regulate firearms.

HB 1143 from Representative Berry requires gun buyers to obtain a permit before purchasing a firearm.

And HB 1143 also by Representative Berry would require safety training and an extension of a waiting period before acquiring a firearm.

Continuing on the topic of public safety, starting with a couple of bills following the work of the Missing Murdered Indigenous Women's and Persons Task Force.

HB 1177 from Representative Lakhanoff creates a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Peoples Cold Case Investigations Assistance Unit within the Office of Attorney General for the purpose of assisting law enforcement agencies with solving cold cases.

And also Senate Bill 5477 from Senator Torres reauthorizes the task force until 2025 and also requires that law enforcement authorities investigating missing, murdered, and indigenous persons to enter a case into a national missing and murdered indigenous person system.

Moving on to some of the police accountability bills that are up for consideration these first four weeks of session, starting with HB 1513 regarding traffic stops from representative street.

This bill limits officers use of stops and detentions for non-moving violations and also creates a local government grant program to focus on interventions for non-moving violations for low income road users.

HB 1025 from Representative Tai creates a private right violation of the state constitution or state law by law enforcement.

HB 1445 from Representative Hanson authorizes the AG to investigate and bring suit where there are systemic failures at an agency or department that result in violations of the Washington state constitution or state laws.

And then finally, HB 1579 from Representative Stonier authorizes the Attorney General's Office with jurisdictions concurrent with prosecuting attorneys to investigate and prosecute crimes involving police use of deadly force.

And then on the topic of the State v. Blake decision.

So if you remember in 2021, the Washington State Supreme Court decided that our, found our statute unconstitutional, resulting in the legislature passing legislation to modify our possession statutes of controlled substances.

The bill in 2021 is set to sunset in July 2023. So the legislature is re-evaluating our controlled substances statutes.

And there's a number of bills up for consideration that they all had a hearing this morning, actually, at 1030 in the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

So starting with Senate Bill 5624, This bill would decriminalize the knowing possession of a personal amount of counterfeit substances, controlled substances, and legend drugs for individuals 21 years or older, and possession for under 21 is a simple misdemeanor.

Senate Bill 5536 from Senator Robinson makes knowing possession of a controlled substance and counterfeit controlled substance a gross misdemeanor.

It provides pre-trial diversion, encourages law enforcement to refer individuals to services, and dismisses charges upon successful completion of treatment.

Senate Bill 5467 from Senator Solomon makes knowing possession of a controlled substance and counterfeit controlled substance a gross misdemeanor and provides post-conviction treatment, and defendants are automatically entered into a program upon conviction.

And it requires the court to vacate convictions if the treatment was completed successfully.

And then finally, Senate Bill 5035 from Senator Patton makes the knowing possession of a counterfeit controlled substance a Class C felony and the knowing possession of any other substance a misdemeanor.

Staying on the topic of behavioral health, there's a couple of bills related to crisis stabilization.

House Bill 1134 by Representative Orwell helps implement the new 988 behavioral health crisis hotline by doing a few things.

First, by creating an endorsement for mobile rapid crisis response teams.

It also requires the University of Washington to create a crisis training program.

It requires the state to create a public campaign to promote the crisis hotline and also creates liability protections for the hotline staff.

Senate Bill 5120 by Senator Dhingra directs the Department of Health to license a new facility type called the 23-hour crisis relief center, which is a new type of crisis diversion facility to serve people regardless of their behavioral health acuity for the purpose of crisis, short-term crisis stabilization.

All right, and now moving on to the topics of environment and sustainability.

Starting with the WRAP Act, Senate Bill 5154 from Senator Rolfes and House Bill 1131 from Representative Berry.

This bill modernizes our recycling system and proposes elements of an extended producer responsibility or EPR program for packaging and printed paper products.

This minimizes post-consumer recycled contents and establishes requirements for single use consumer products.

It also has an organ style bottle return system.

So consumers will pay 10 cent fee on beverage containers, but then can redeem the 10 cents once they return the bottles at a drop location.

A few sessions ago, we passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act, which required moving us to 100% clean energy by 2045. This session, we're looking at a couple of bills regarding transmission, planning, and siting, which will help us achieve our carbon reduction goals.

These are governor request legislation, Senate Bill 5165 from Senator Nguyen and House Bill 1216 from Representative Fitzgibbon.

Moving on to another big issue this session, abortion access in response to the U.S.

Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision.

A number of bills are moving forward on this topic.

House Bill 1286 by Representative Berry protects employers who provide support for reproductive care if they're targeted by other states.

House Bill 1155 by Rep Flatter blocks websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data, sensitive health data.

House Bill 1340 ensures that Washington's health care providers cannot be disciplined in the state because they provide reproductive or gender-affirming care, regardless of where their patients reside.

House Bill 1469, also known as the SHIELD law, protects patients and providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care from retribution by other states.

House Bill 1263, which is known as the Keep Our Care Act, prohibits hospitals from merging if the consolidation diminishes patients' access to services, including reproductive, end-of-life, and gender-affirming care.

And House Bill 115 by Representative Bateman prohibits co-pays and deductible requirements for anyone seeking abortion.

All right, and a few bills related to social services that have been heard in the first four weeks of session, starting with House Bill 1238 and Senate Bill 5339 regarding universal free school meals.

This is Office of Superintendent and Public Instruction requested bill and expands the free lunch program for all students in Washington, regardless of their family's income, starting in the 2023-2024 school year.

House Bill 1045 and Senate Bill 5125 establishes the Evergreen Basic Income Pilot Program, which is a guaranteed basic income program that would pilot and distribute funds to 7,500 participants.

The Washington Future Fund, which is treasurer request legislation, Senate Bill 5125 and House Bill 1094, establishes a program where Washingtonians who are born without generational wealth, for example, children born under Apple Health would receive $4,000 as an investment fund.

managed by the State Investment Board, and they could use that fund to buy a home, pursue post-secondary education, or start a small business.

And finally, some updates to the Washington Families Tax Credit, which actually just launched in the last few weeks.

House Bill 1075 actually adjusts the age requirement of the Working Family Tax Credit so that individuals at the age of 18 or older can qualify.

And finally, a bill that eliminates the college and the high school fees.

Senate Bill 5048 from Senator Mullett.

And this requires the institutions of higher education that provide college in the high school, provided at no cost to students that are in grades nine through 12 at public high schools.

So Anna, what do you mean that there's no cost to do what?

The running start?

So yeah, if there's students enrolled in the college and the high school courses, the state will cover the cost.

And so there's no cost for the student.

Oh, OK.

And lastly, to cannabis-related bills, both sponsored by Senator Saldana, Senate Bill 5080, which related to social equity and cannabis, amends the definitions of disproportionately impacted areas, also extends the state program until 2032, and also adds producer and processor licenses, in addition to the retailer licenses, to what the LCB can issue.

And then Senate Bill 5662 is related to job retention, requires certain outgoing cannabis employers to provide and utilize a preferential hiring list when the cannabis business undergoes a change in control and contains additional provisions regarding notice, compliance, records, protected rights, enforcement appeals, and penalties.

So that's what we have for you today, and we'll continue in the coming weeks to update you on these bills, how they've changed, how they get amended, and whether they move forward, and also new bills if they are introduced.

I'm happy to meet with any of you offline as well to get more in-depth briefings on anything.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Tarleton, before, I have a few questions, but I had a chance to talk to you guys earlier, so I want to open up the floor to my colleagues.

to see if they have any questions of the three documents that you provided for today's, four documents for today's briefing.

Colleagues, are there any questions to ask of our OIG team?

Councilor Herbold.

Thanks, I just had an organizational request.

Really appreciate the 10-page document with all of the bills and links to the bills.

That's super, super helpful.

I do notice that the 10-page document list of all of the bills is organized in a way that's numerical.

And I'm wondering, would it be too much trouble to organize it instead by issue area?

Maybe by committee.

Would that be more helpful, like housing committee bills or environment committee bills, something like that?

Yeah, I think that would be much easier for those of us who are focused on particular issue areas to be able to keep up to speed on all the good work that everybody's doing.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Kasper Nelson.

Hi there, and just just wanted to note that I was here shortly after roll call because I was updating Zoom anyway.

So the new person has another process question, which is basically all the bills that you just spoke about.

They are included on the 10 page.

And going forward, should should we assume that those are the ones that you are going to be working on or why did you, why did you highlight those ones?

Because I noticed that there were, you know, there were four Blake decision pieces of legislation.

And so how do you, how do we know which ones you're going to be working on?

Or how do you take our leadership on which ones, et cetera?

Yeah, I think, well, all the bills on that list, we are tracking and monitoring.

And I think in the coming weeks, we may highlight bills from that list, and some of these bills may not be highlighted.

I think it just depends on how they change and what seems like also it's going to pass, because we don't necessarily want to spend too much time on things that are less likely to pass.

And we take direction from you all as well as to what you want to hear about and spend more time on.

So happy to hear from you all.

what we want to go more in depth on.

So I think Council Member Nelson, if I can just clarify, because I think you and I had this conversation offline.

The 10 page list with all the bills, that's not every bill that's been introduced, right?

In the state legislature.

Not by a lot.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

So what they're pulling out are the things that we passed in our resolution of these kind of topics, general topics.

And then what I asked them to do with the 36 bills that were kind of pulled out on those are all the housing bills where I believe we have a lot of bipartisan support.

And those I wanted to focus on the housing supply, land use, streamlining the permitting and landlord tenant.

So when I met with the team last week, Director Tarlington Friday or Thursday, I can't remember, but I said, hey, if there's some bipartisan stuff on the housing, stuff and landlord and the things we talk about that are perennial issues, at least as long as I've been here.

Let's pull those up front so our colleagues can see where we're at.

So I'm guessing there's 36 today, but that doesn't mean that will be the same number of bills next week.

There could be more, there could be less.

Doesn't mean we're advocating for every one of them, because some of them are like, you know, I could pull a couple up that look the same, but one's in the House and one's in the Senate.

So with that, I just want to clarify that.

Council Member Nelson, do you have anything else you want to add before I move on to Council Member Herbold?

No.

All right.

Council Member Herbold.

Just building off of this, I think, helpful conversation.

I don't think we should assume that every bill on that list is a bill that the city has either signed in favor or opposed to.

These are bills that are being tracked, but to, I think Council Member Nelson's point, when there are different bills that are all related to perhaps a policy objective of the council and the mayor, but those different bills have different approaches, how does OIR make a determination of I mean, again, using the Blake-related bills, I know you haven't taken a position on any of those, but at some point, there may be an interest in doing so.

There are four different approaches.

And just using that particular topic as an example, what is the process that OIR goes through in making a determination whether or not it is appropriate and whether or not there's enough consensus between the mayor and the council to take a position on a particular version of the bill.

That was mostly what I was trying to ask.

And it's an excellent question.

And I'm going to observe one or two things and then turn it over to Samir and Anna because they are able to discern what is going on on the ground.

But from the city perspective, the first thing that we do, of course, is look at the state legislative agenda.

And we determine whether or not there are specific statements in that legislative agenda which are compatible with or contradict pieces of language that are in the different bills.

So, for example, in the In one of the Blake bills, the Senator Patton bill, he wants to make it a Class C felony.

That is completely contradictory to what is in the state legislative agenda.

So we track that bill just to have the full spectrum, but we are not supporting that bill, obviously.

And then I'll turn it over to Samir and Ana because the chairs of the committee for different bills like this will start signaling which bills are going to be the bills that become the working bill, right, that they want to move out of committee and see what what the legislators can do to integrate different pieces of other bills into a single bill to become the working bill to move through the process.

And I think Samir and Ana have observed some of this already starting on some of these pieces of legislation.

So I'd like Samir and Ana to offer their perspective on this.

Yeah, I think Director Charlton put it, put it very well and that a lot of it is determining, mostly on a case by case basis but on something like for example Blake, where we're trying to determine kind of one is the internal consensus on, you know, can we find some areas of agreement that were the city itself can then take a position on as it as the city as an entity, and also determining.

where at the state level, which bills are actually moving forward, which bills are being heard just to be heard, and then making sure we understand where we can put, if we do end up having a position, where should we put that effort into?

And also when, I think another question, should we put it later in the process when we figured out which, what bills are actually moving forward and what are not?

Is that, is that okay?

Is there any follow up from Council Member Herboldt or Nelson?

I see.

Are you okay?

You're good?

Okay.

So with that, Director, oh, I'm sorry, Council Member Esqueda.

Oh, sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you.

If you had other comments, too, I just wanted to offer a few comments.

Okay.

Thanks so much.

I think this is the 1st time at least I've had the chance to say publicly congratulations and thank you to the team for all that you're doing in the halls of Olympia over the last month.

I know there's a lot of excitement about people being in person.

And really a lot of attention on community safety and housing worker protections, as you've noted in your summary.

So, I just want to say, thank you for the summary today and appreciate some of the feedback on the.

The manner in which the material is being presented.

It is nice to see a roll up of the bills.

That's really helpful.

I think in the past, we've had a longer narrative document.

Both are kind of helpful, so having something maybe that gets both the committee categories and then a sense of like, you know, is this as the as the bills move forward is the city weighing in pro con concerns, et cetera will be helpful.

But I just want to say thanks for the numerated outline because that is a helpful document as we're all keeping track of bills as well on the tracking tool on.

And I wanted to say I appreciate that you've lifted up and started with the focus on housing and creating workforce housing.

In addition to that really excited about the bills that you're tracking and lifted up on firearm safety.

I think both of these items are getting a lot of attention, especially across the nation as we look to address these public health crises both lack of housing and issues related to gun violence so thank you for Lifting those bills up and your attention to that looking forward to hearing how we can weigh in with support with and the mayor on the legislation and then the other 2 areas that really excited about and look forward to making sure that the city is really strongly showing our support and that is related to the right to abortion protections and the way in which our state legislature is leading the way with protecting a person's right to choose.

And the last item, as you noted and look forward to working with you and following the leadership of Councilmember Herbold around police reforms, protecting what's already been put into statute and strengthening the police oversight and interactions with members of the public to improve community safety and avoid disastrous impacts like we've seen in the headlines over the last few weeks.

So very timely list of legislation across the board that you're following and looking forward to chatting a little bit more about some of the worker protections that we know are also moving, being led by the State Labor Council and other unions across the state.

But looking forward to working with you and thank you for lifting up some of these especially excited about early out the gate interest from our legislative members on housing items.

Before I move to you, Council Member Struss, can I ask a question, Gail?

I know that I asked you guys to pull up the 36 bills on the housing stuff up front.

Would it be hard to do that for public safety?

To do the same kind of chrono that you've done, is that more of a...

Because we kind of pulled up the housing stuff in a way of bipartisan on focusing.

I mean, I would have to say...

Yes, Mayor Nona, we're probably getting to the place where you have a a more finite set of the public safety legislation that is continuing to matter and move.

You'll be there by next week, right?

Don't you think?

Yeah, there's far fewer than 36. So yeah, yeah, yeah.

Right.

And I think offline and maybe individual counselor will have some other areas.

I think we talked about this as well, that I'm going to be asking for some kind of grid, if you will, on the consumer protection, unbanked, credit line stuff that we talked about.

And I think our office forwarded you some of the stuff we were talking about, but that's the kind of work that makes, I think, our meetings, I was gonna say bearable, but that's not what I meant to say.

What I meant to say was- Enjoyable.

So it's a good use of our time.

I'm looking at a customer her bolts, you can't suppress her smile.

Let me go to Councilmember Strauss and Councilmember Morales.

Thank you, Council President.

I think the word you are looking for is efficient.

Make our meetings efficient, because being with all of you, it's always bearable, friends.

With that, Director Charlton, Samir and Ana, I just want to take this moment.

I don't have questions for you today because you spend so much time with me outside of these briefings doing the one on ones.

Thank you for doubling the amount of time last week.

I know that I ran over with our time and I just really appreciate your work keeping me updated on what is going on in Olympia.

So thank you so much team.

OK, great.

I'm sorry.

Go ahead.

Kessler Morales.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thanks very much, everybody.

We've had a couple of meetings already, and I think it's clear one of my particular interests is in some of the transportation, particularly pedestrian safety issues that we're hearing about in Olympia.

So I'm definitely interested in following closely where the no right on read the pedestrian crossing.

Not sure.

what we're seeing about traffic cameras, but we'll definitely want to be following how those advance.

And then the work that's being done around guaranteed basic income, you know, workforce development, generational wealth building are also things that I'm really interested in making sure we're understanding what changes are being proposed at the state level and how that will impact the work that we're doing here.

I know you know that between the Office of Economic Development and the Office of the Department of Neighborhoods, there's a lot of work happening at the city.

And so we wanna make sure that we're working in sync with what's being discussed at the state level.

So thanks very much.

Thank you.

Are there any more questions that we want to put to our team while we have them in front of us?

OK, I'm not seeing any director, so we will see you next week and we will send you if we need any other additional information, because we're as good as anyone else.

You want to think before we move on?

Well, of course, I would like to thank our council president for making time for the good director and the team from O.R.

and all of our state legislators.

I'd like to start with, no, I'm just kidding.

Let's save that for the end.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you, Gail.

Thank you, guys.

Thank you, council members.

See you next week.

See you next week.

Bye bye now.

Okay, guys, let's move on into our agenda.

We do not have any letters or proclamations today.

And so we're going to go around to everyone to give their reports.

And we're going to start with Council Member Morales.

Then Council Member Mosqueda, Council Member Nelson, Peterson, Strauss, Herboldt, Lewis, and then me.

So Council Member Morales, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Council President.

This week, the Neighborhoods Education Arts and Rights Committee will be meeting on Friday at 930. We have six appointments and one panel discussion on mobility issues as it relates to neighborhood safety in particular.

And I do want to let folks know, committee members especially, that we'll be changing the appointments practice a bit and moving colleagues will be welcome to we're going to do sort of a consent agenda model so we'll have everybody on if colleagues want to pull any particular appointments happy to do that if appointees or reappointees would like to come and speak at committee happy to do that as well but because there are so many appointments particularly in my committee we're gonna change up the the practice a little bit.

So more to come on that later.

This week I have my regular check in with the Office of Civil Rights.

I'll also be meeting with deal to get briefed on implementation of the mental health resources, as well as the FEPP levy implementation.

I'll be receiving a briefing, I did receive this morning, a briefing from the Office of Sustainability and the Environment on the building emission standards that are being contemplated to decarbonize commercial and multifamily buildings.

So I want to thank Director Farrell and her team for the work that they're doing there.

Last week, I attended the PSRC Growth Management Policy Board meeting, where staff provided a really detailed review of the final results of a public opinion survey.

I'm sure you're all hearing about the results of that survey, really to understand how we can support local housing efforts, particularly as the Department of Commerce has developed their housing allocation plan As communities are moving into their, their call plan discussions.

So, public opinion survey was conducted last fall.

The survey reports found that the cost of housing is the top issue across the state I'm sure there's no surprise there.

There's also widespread support for middle housing.

A few examples 67% of folks in King County agree that our how our communities need more housing 75% agree that government should do more to provide housing that is not being delivered by the market.

72% believe more diverse housing options for teachers, firefighters and childcare workers are necessary.

Staff also briefed us on the regional housing strategy tools, they're creating a sort of interactive map so that each each jurisdiction can look at how and where they might be able to place more housing.

And are really focusing on three things supply so everybody acknowledges this is not a big city issue every municipality in the county and the state really has an obligation to start creating more housing options for their community stability so mitigating against residential displacement, they're also providing some ideas for example incentive zoning increasing public land for affordable housing, providing more housing relocation assistance.

And then subsidy is the last issue there.

So how we can create more funding options to preserve income restricted units.

And they have a few suggestions for different tools that we could use to help subsidize.

So lots of work happening there.

And these conversations will continue as we all start moving into our comp plan discussions.

This week I have my quarterly meeting with Sound Transit to discuss safety improvements along MLK.

I met last week with Director Spatz to talk about the Vision Zero update and get a little more information on when we will be able to see that report.

Last week, I was happy to host the first Seattle Within Reach Coalition meeting of 2023 with my staff.

We've got a lot of exciting things happening about our upcoming race and social justice legislation.

We have this year around mobility, around land use, we have social housing legislation, and I look forward to continuing to craft these policies in partnership with our community organizations.

I also attended a meeting with the Seattle Restaurant Alliance, alongside many small business owners from my district in Beacon Hill the CID Columbia City.

The number one priority as I know we all are aware is public safety, but we also hear a lot about the need for more commercial tenant protections.

for tenant improvement funds, for workforce housing, as workforce development as well.

I know lots of restaurant owners and they all need folks who can wash dishes and bus tables and wait tables and line cooks.

So we have a lot of work to do to help make sure that we have the workforce that these restaurants need in order to be vibrant.

And other investments in our neighborhood commercial districts.

We also kicked off Real Change Vendor Week.

Real Change holds a Vendor Week every year where they invite local celebrities, I guess that's us, and other influential people to pair up with a vendor to help sell papers.

All proceeds go directly to the vendor.

My vendor this year is Lacedo, who sells at the QFC on Rainier and McClellan.

So check out my social media council page to support Lacedo.

All donations will go directly to him.

This week, our office will be attending the monthly onboard a fellow meeting with neighbors and stakeholders.

And we also have, as I mentioned, our sound transit meeting.

This weekend, I'll be at Chumin Tofu and Deli, which is a Vietnamese small business at 12th and Jackson.

They've been serving hot meals for free to community members every Sunday for the last few years, and I'm really looking forward to joining them to see.

Assuming I get my food handlers permit, I haven't had one in about 15 years, so I think I can still pass the test.

We'll see.

And then finally colleagues, two weeks ago.

I know I talked about it last week, a family, including two children were hit by a driver in a crosswalk.

Today, an 80 year old woman died after being involved in a hit and run accident as she was cycling through Capitol Hill this weekend.

So I just want to stop for a moment because I know I talk about this a lot.

I also know that there's a perception that when we're advocating for safe streets, or for Vision Zero or for protected bike lanes, there is an assumption that we're sort of speaking on behalf of, you know, spandex wearing bike bros.

And they need to be safe too.

But I think it's important to remember that when we're talking about safety for people who are navigating the streets outside of a car we're talking about our neighbors.

we're talking about our neighbors kids we're talking about our neighbors grandparents and it's really important that our streets be safe for everybody who's out there from our kids to our elders.

I did meet last week with director spots to get an update on Vision Zero, I'll continue to push for us to move as a city, and for them to move as a department as fast as possible to increase safety for our neighbors, and whether that's doing quick build projects I know we're talking about doing some on Henderson in front of all of the schools that are on Henderson.

or finding funds to fill the gaps that were left by the federal grant we just received, which did not it will fund a lot of the projects we've identified, but not all of them.

So I think we need to find the rest of that money.

I think it's about seven million dollars or working for the state level changes that our team is informing us about.

All of those things need to be happening with urgency so that we can make sure that folks in our city are safe when they are navigating around their community.

That is all I have, unless there are questions.

I don't see any.

I will hand it over to Council Member Mosqueda.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Morales.

Colleagues, I wanted to give you a little bit of a summary of the conversation I had in our Finance and Housing Committee meeting last week.

Last week, we did have the chance to review the Capital Improvements Projects Watch List, and if you didn't get a chance to watch our Riveting Committee hearings, Don't worry, Tom and central staff have sent around to the floor, a summary of the capital improvements projects watch list every year.

The mayor transmits that list to us for projects that we are requesting additional oversight and scrutiny over making sure that projects stay on time within budget.

and get regular updates on how those major projects are moving forward.

So central staff has outlined for you the process to make sure that if you have projects that you'd like to see included, that you get a chance to connect with central staff.

We are asking folks to be judicious in adding additional projects.

Obviously each department will continue to have oversight over various projects and your committees with I am extending the invitation to amendments if they would like to see additional projects included.

I believe as you saw from the email last week, central staff is asking for you to send those over to them today so that we can make sure to have time to work with central staff on any amendments needed for the capital improvements projects watch list.

And I think, again, thanks to Council Member Herbold and our previous colleague Council Member Bagshaw for their leadership in establishing this watch list.

So we could have greater oversight over major capital projects.

The next finance and housing committee meeting is going to take up this item for any possible amendments and vote on Wednesday, February 15th.

That's next week on February 15th.

So, as I said, in our committee meeting last week, you.

I will be extending the invitation to other council members to attend our Finance and Housing Committee meeting.

If you'd like to attend that Finance and Housing Committee meeting and are not a regular committee member, please let my office know by emailing faridehcuevas at seattle.gov, and we'll make sure to announce you as part of the meeting that day.

We will take up the 2023 Capital Improvements Projects Quarterly Monitoring Watchlist Report for a possible vote first thing on our agenda.

In addition to that, we will have a conversation about the weights and measurements legislation that the city budgets office is going to be transmitting to us and a few other items that are still being discussed for possible consideration as well.

Again, that's Wednesday, February 15th at 930 am.

On Wednesday this week, I am excited to pop in and I'm going to be listening to the open house discussion that Sound Transit is holding at Union Station to talk about light rail stations, specifically impacting our city and with Seattle.

and Ballard.

I encourage folks to stop by as well.

I believe it's an open house from three on.

So there's ample opportunity to participate in that.

And perhaps Council President, as our liaison there, has more details, but I'll try to pop in as well to Union Station.

In other updates, I wanted to provide you with a preview for next week.

As you might have heard, I think I asked to be excused twice for next Monday's full council briefing.

It's not totally necessary, but you know that I'm not going to be here.

It's going to be my grandma's 93rd birthday, so Feliz Cumpleaños, Abuela.

But I wanted to make sure that in my absence, you knew that I am excited to be bringing forward a resolution that will be on the introduction and referral a calendar next week.

This is a resolution that I'm bringing forward in partnership as well with Council Member Lewis that is going to be calling for Our support as a city council to support the King County behavioral health levy, the King County executive and the King County council unanimously move forward on putting that behavioral health levy in front of the voters for this upcoming April ballot.

And we wanted to make sure to lift up the partnership at the city level with our friends at King County who are looking to provide additional behavioral health resources.

landing zones, as firefighters call it, and the supportive workforce to make sure that we can help provide the care and services for those who have behavioral health needs across our region.

So that resolution will be on the introduction referral calendar next Monday.

But since I won't be here, I wanted to flag that for you.

I wanted to thank Anne Gorman from Central Staff for her work on this, along with Sejal Parikh, who has been working in partnership with the King County partners as well.

And looking forward to making sure that we have an opportunity to show the both and, both providing the places for people to go and the workforce necessary to help them get the services they need.

Additionally, on this week's introduction and referral calendar, as you will see from the agenda posted this morning, we have a agenda item that is on this week's introduction referral calendar.

which is honoring Devon Pickett Jr. by creating an honorary street and renaming a street in his honor.

The legislation on today's introduction referral calendar provides an honorary designation of Union Street between 21st and 22nd Streets as Devon Pickett Jr.

Way.

As folks know, Devon Pickett Jr. was a pillar and a beloved community member in the Central District.

He was a father, a mentor, entrepreneur, co-owner of the Postman, along with his wife, Kiana Pickett and a lifelong community member.

Many comments were made by my council colleagues, including from district to Councilman Morales during the tragic moments that he was killed in the fall of last year.

As folks know, Devon was shot outside of the Postman on October 19th of 2022, which is a devastating loss for his family, the friends and the broader Seattle community.

He is survived by his wife.

and his three children and his extended family.

And they have been working with our office and have also reached out to Council Member Swan's office to talk about how to commemorate his life and his legacy, leaving behind many mourners in the Central District and across the city.

We have been working on this legislation with Devon's family, including his mother, Nikki Chappelle, and along with his brother, Craig First Rider, and excuse me, D as your name picket, who is his sister.

I want to thank the mayor's office and the Department of Transportation, along with Aaron House in my office, who has been working diligently on trying to bring forward the honorary street renaming.

The change is one way that we hope to honor the life and legacy of Devon's family and the legacy of the contribution that he has made to the central district.

and through the broader city of Seattle.

This legislation is in partnership with Mayor Harrell's office and is co-sponsored by Council Member Sawant, and the legislation will be up for consideration and a vote in full council on February 14th.

I will be back for that vote and looking forward to that discussion as well.

There will be an unveiling ceremony of the renaming of the street at 21st and Union on February 22nd as well.

Council President, I wanted to just also extend my condolences to the family and the community of the council member from New Jersey, 30 year old woman council member who was elected in 2020, who was shot dead in her car outside of her home.

on Wednesday last week in the town of Sarahville.

This is Council Member Duong Phuong, who was elected and remembered by her colleagues as someone who wanted to make a better community for all and for all children.

The identity of that killer and the motive is still unknown.

She leaves behind a young daughter and a husband.

And we know, especially given the National League of Cities report from late last year, how many local electeds are facing intimidation, and wanted to extend our deepest condolences to her and her family and the community in New Jersey as well.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Council Member Esqueda, I want to make sure, what you're talking about on Thursday with Sound Transit is the system expansion committee for West Seattle Ballard Link.

for public comment.

So those of you that want to, we've been obviously working on it for quite a while, show up for public comment.

It's one to five.

It's a big meeting.

We've also been doing them for, and we'll do another field trip for the International District and the CID as well.

So thank you for bringing that up.

Thank you.

And apologies, I said the wrong time.

One to five.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

One to five.

All right.

I think it's Council Member Nelson next.

Right.

I was just waiting to be called on.

Well, hello, everybody.

So I was representing New Zealand last, I mean, I was representing the city of Seattle in New Zealand last week, but before I talk about that, I first must mention that the Economic Development Technology and City Light Committee does meet on Wednesday, February 8th at 9.30, and we'll have a briefing and discussion on the 6 surveillance impact reports that make up group 4B of the technologies already in use when the surveillance ordinance was adopted in 2017. And I won't read the bill numbers or the names of the technology, but the agenda is already posted and you can refer to that for more information.

And I believe that central staff is offering committee members a briefing on the legislation in advance of the meeting, because there's so much material to cover.

And her memo is also linked on the agenda.

All right, back to my report of last week.

So Seattle and Christchurch are sister cities, and I joined a delegation last week to Christchurch.

You know, I have to say that, well, Seattle has 20 sister cities and the Seattle Christchurch sister city has been in existence for about 42 years.

And I dare to say that it's one of the city's strongest programs.

And we have a lot in common.

So there's reason for this strong relationship.

So first of all, we both have large populations of indigenous people.

And that is why Tim Raynon, who is OIR's Director of Tribal Relations, was also on this delegation.

And we broke away from the regular schedule and met with several Ngāi Tahu leaders.

And Ngāi Tahu is the corporation of the South Island's 18th Maori sub-tribes, and that's pretty much all of them, except for a handful of few on the north part of the South Island.

In any case, in such a limited time, I can't go into all that we learned, except to say that I came away with a much better understanding of their history, culture, and their successes and continuing challenges.

in the exercise of their treaty rights and also a feeling of being so honored and grateful for their warm and generous hosting of us.

So more on that to come.

Another thing that we have in common, Seattle and Christchurch together, is that we're both located on subduction zones.

And when I met with Mayor Phil Maugher, we talked a lot about what their city is still doing in terms of urban planning and urban rebuilding after their major earthquake of 2011. And that, I think it was about 7.2, maybe 7.6 on the Richter scale, and 70% of the buildings in in town were destroyed.

So you can imagine there's still a lot going on in both Seattle and Christchurch have benefited from information sharing and mutual aid over the years following our earthquakes and also in preparation for the next event toward building resiliency.

And so we met with several people in their Office of Strategic Affairs that focuses specifically on that issue.

And I'll be just going into a very brief report of my many meetings next week at the beginning of the I mean, not this week on Wednesday at the beginning of the committee meeting, but I just want to note that two of the highlights included meeting the director of New Zealand's regional film office, Screen Canterbury, as well as the director of, let's see, let me find the name, the Christchurch Antarctica office, which has a really strong and longstanding formal relationship with McCord Air Force Base.

And that's just a teaser.

Tune in later to find out why.

But it has to do with the fact that Christchurch is one of the world's five gateway cities to Antarctica.

So anyway, I've just scratched the surface of my trip, but I came away feeling that rather than dividing us, the Pacific Ocean actually unites us.

And I look forward to their governmental delegation coming to Seattle later on this summer.

While I was gone, I want to note that on Saturdays, on, let's see, on Stephen, if my staff joined the CID BIA's annual Lunar New Year celebration and also went to Ballard to celebrate the music of country legend George Strait at a benefit for Seattle musicians access to sustainable healthcare or smash.

Coming up this week, I'll meet with Dominique Stevens in the mayor's office and KCRHA CEO Mark Jones to discuss crime against small businesses and homelessness, respectively.

So in closing, I just want to say that I really to say and thank Council President Juarez for finalizing the Legislative Department's minimum two-day return to work policy.

That came out in a memo, while I was gone and I know that that took a lot of hard work negotiating with division heads and with our public employees union and striking a balance between the needs of the legislative department and employees so.

Thank you very much for that.

It's great to have that certainty.

Of course, it would come as no surprise that I would love to have more in office time for comparison.

Christchurch is has almost 100% of the 2500 city employees.

I'm talking about the city hall employees, including elected offices.

back at work full-time, and 85% of workers in the Central Business District have returned to the office full-time, where commercial office space is renting at pre-pandemic rates of about $350 New Zealand dollars per square meter on average.

And so I say this just because we know that downtown, Seattle downtown's recovery depends on workers returning to the office, and we also know that more eyes on the street will improve public safety, which will in turn, lead to more workers coming back to work, that will be a factor in when people are considering going back to the office.

And so I believe that we City Hall and the legislative department and Council has to lead by example, because we, we, I think we generally tend to encourage businesses bring their workers back.

And that basically starts with us to kind of set the tone for the kind of city that we want, both in our actions and in our messaging.

So anyway, but thank you very much for that work.

I really appreciate the effort that it took to get that out.

Thanks.

I'm glad you're back.

Glad you had a great time.

Didn't the Prime Minister of New Zealand just step down?

Yes, that's a huge thing.

She, Jacinda Ardern, last week was her last week.

I'm blanking on the name, but the person who is assuming the position, same party, Labour Party, is kind of a wonk.

So he comes from a long policy background.

definitely will probably not have the same sort of presence, but we'll see.

And thank you for the, I know you and I talked or we emailed a little bit about your trip to New Zealand and the indigenous delegation that I know has been going there for God, over a decade.

So not to get too political or radical, but I'm guessing you can tell the effects of colonialism in New Zealand and Australia and Canada and just about everywhere.

the effects that it's had in trauma and our people and residential schools and all that lovely stuff, unfortunately.

But I'm glad we talked about that, and thank you for bringing that up.

I think that's a discussion that we should be able to have openly and honestly.

We're still dealing with boarding schools and residential schools, and I'm sure some of you saw the movie Rabbit Fence.

If you've never seen that movie, it will break your heart.

And do not listen to the podcast Stolen or the Cruelty back to back because then you'll find out they did the same thing to Romanian people in Scotland and Ireland, taking their children and putting them in residential schools and putting their people in camps.

Same thing.

So with that, sorry to leave it on a negative note.

No, here's a positive note, Kate.

Okay.

You know how you always talk about land back?

Yes.

Public meetings are started not with a land acknowledgement, but an address in the Maori language that descendants of colonizers also know how to speak.

But I just wanted to say that remember all those 70% of those buildings that were destroyed left a lot of land.

And one policy that is in place there is is tribal first right of refusal for.

Thank you.

I'm so glad you brought that up.

That's been, you know, obviously, you know, you've heard that.

And I guess somebody is listening to me.

So thank you.

I appreciate that.

So land acknowledgements are nice, but we'd rather have it back.

So that's another story for another day.

I see customer Peterson is jumping at the bit to speak and get out there and say what he's got to say.

So.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Council Member Nelson.

Good afternoon, colleagues.

There are no items from the Transportation Seattle Public Utilities Committee on the full council agenda tomorrow afternoon.

Our next meeting of the Transportation Seattle Public Utilities Committee will be tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7th at 9.30 a.m.

The agenda is posted online.

It has four items.

The first item is resolution 32080, which would designate an honorary street name near Seattle's central waterfront.

The primary stretch of Alaskan way would be designated as sees the wallet, which means little crossing over place in the coast Salish language, a shoot seed that legislation is co sponsored by Councilmember Lewis and Council President for us.

If you have any questions about the resolution you can confer with our city council central staff analyst Eric Carnegie.

The second item is related, and it's Council 120507 that would designate the name of a new street, created as part of the central waterfront project questions on that legislation also directed to central staff analyst, Eric McConaughey.

Our committee will also consider two term permits Council 120506 would grant final approval to Dunlumber company for the construction maintenance and operation of a private communication conduit under and across Latona Avenue Northeast using a 15 year term permit.

This is located underground just north of North Lake Way.

Last year, the Council granted conditional approval for Dunlumber via a resolution, and that resolution directed SDOT to draft the ordinance that grants final approval for this term permit.

Because the Council already granted conceptual approval, consideration of the ordinance at our committee should be fairly routine.

You can direct questions to Central Staff Analysts The second term permit is a resolution that would provide King County with the city's conceptual approval to construct, maintain, and operate a transformer, electrical transformer, and retaining wall at 63rd Avenue Southwest intersecting with Beach Drive Southwest and Southwest Spokane Street to support the operation of Alki Wet Weather Treatment Station Facility and the 63rd Avenue Pump Station Facility in West Seattle.

As with the previous item on our committee agenda, you can direct questions to Central Staff Analyst Lish Whitson, who drafted memos to describe each of these term permits.

An important future item at our committee will be SDOT's report on Vision Zero Traffic Safety, which we will hear at committee as soon as the executive finalizes their report.

Last week, the city received a $25 million federal grant to make streets safer, and the executive is still incorporating that into its solutions package.

We made room for SDOT at our February 21st committee with March 7th committee as a backup date.

That concludes my report.

Any questions before we move to Council Member Strauss?

I have a question.

I would like you to say the crossing over place in La Chute again.

Yes, good job.

Well done.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Peterson.

Am I all wrapped up, ready to go?

Yes, thank you.

Thank you Councilmember Peterson in the land you so colleagues as you know I was of the practice of sharing everything that I'm up to.

During these council briefings and understanding that the purpose of these council briefings is to preview city council actions council and regional committees.

I have refocused my, my time before you to just focus on committees.

So, from the land use committee, there are no items from the land use committee on tomorrow's full council agenda.

The next regularly scheduled land use committee is on Wednesday, February 8 at 2pm.

We anticipate hearing the following items.

Appointments to the design commission, appointing Ben Gist, Kevin O'Neill, Phoebe Bogart, Adam Armaheen, and our famous Jill Crary.

I'd especially like to thank Michael Jenkins, our executive director of the design commission, for ensuring there's no lapse between previous members leaving and new appointments coming in.

We're also going to have a bill before the committee, arborist registration cleanup, tidy up, however you want to call it.

Councilmember Pedersen, I hope that you've been able to review the draft.

I know it's posted to the IRC for tomorrow.

As I have been sharing, these changes are changing the posting requirements from on the tree to online, requiring vehicles of arborists to have their TSP number and city-issued registration number, changing the wording of major pruning to reportable work, but not the threshold of permit requirements, adding environmentally critical areas to the bill.

And this is a product of meeting with tree service providers, high road tree service providers, and we've also received a letter from the Urban Forestry Commission regarding these changes.

Uh, I believe that we'll be having a student, a former student now, uh, I think we're going to have a lot of discussion.

With makers architecture.

To who did a project last year.

Regarding.

Nonconforming uses.

In, in our city.

So we're very excited to have that very excited to have Marcus.

Thank you, colleagues.

That is my report.

Do you have any questions at this time?

I actually do.

I think you're forgetting something.

Beth's is reopening, so if you want a 12-egg omelet and to doodle and drink coffee all day and night, you're more than welcome to.

It's one of my favorite places.

I've drank too much coffee there.

I've drawn too many doodles, and I'm just really glad to have it back open.

I'm just glad they didn't have video there in the 90s.

I will leave that to you in the 90s, my friend.

Thank you.

That's a good answer.

Thank you.

I see Council Member Nelson has her hand up.

I was just trying to find the link.

Is the tree ordinance, or is the legislation that you described first up for a vote, or is that just discussion, just for my information?

As I do in my committee, I have bills that are up for a vote heard twice so that if people want to bring amendments, they have adequate time to do so in committee, which also helps prevent bringing a full discussion to full council with amendments in full council, because that is what our committee process is for.

Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues.

With no further questions that I see now, Councilmember Herbold, welcome.

Take it away.

Fantastic.

Thanks so much.

So in the area of items on the full council agenda tomorrow, there are no items from the Public Safety and Human Services Committee on tomorrow's full council agenda.

and the Public Safety and Human Services Committee will be meeting not this week, but next Tuesday.

So I'll have more to tell you about that committee meeting next Monday.

Just a couple of quick updates.

You will see in your email the 2022 Crime Data Report.

It will be published later today via the Seattle Police Department blotter.

Well, actually, it might be published now.

As I was typing this, it was going to be later today, but I think they're planning on pushing it out at 3 o'clock today.

And just so folks know, this is going to be one of the items on the committee agenda.

Tuesday.

Also, quick update on the pedestrian death investigation that I mentioned last Monday that many of us talked about last Monday.

I did mention then that OPA also received a complaint about the officer driving that led to this death.

We have subsequently learned, I just want to share with folks that the Office of the Inspector General is working with SPD to create a formal process for notifying OPA and the Office of the Inspector General when there is an instance like this that does not fit into a use of force complaint.

but still works to ensure appropriate oversight of any ensuing investigation of a death where SPD actions were a factor.

Again, this incident was outside the realm of a use of force investigation as SPD defines use of force.

And so none of the ordinary notifications and opportunities to engage were given to oversight partners.

And just really wanted to uplift that I'm pleased that SPD and the Office of the Inspector General are working together on this and really support the position that the Office of the Inspector General has, recognizing that a formal process for oversight of incidents like this one that generates significant community concern is a really important step in building and maintaining legitimacy and confidence in our public safety system.

That last sentence was a quote from the OIG I don't want to take credit for, but I do want to say I definitely agree with that position strongly.

Other items coming up this week.

I have a Watershed Resource Inventory Area 9 meeting on Thursday.

I co-chair that body.

We will be joined by American Rivers, who will provide an overview of the research findings of a study evaluating the economic outcomes of urban floodplain restoration.

We'll also be hearing from the Puget Sound Partnership, who will provide an update on salmon related priorities in the 2023 legislative session.

We're all tracking the good work of our legislators in our various different hats that we're wearing.

Other events coming this week.

I mentioned last week that I was going to be giving testimony on one of the gun control bills, Senate Bill 32, I'm sorry, 5232. We ran out of time in committee last week.

So testimony in the hearing on that bill is actually gonna be moved to this Thursday.

So if that's some time carved out to testify in favor of that bill.

consistent with our state legislative agenda.

I also have my regular meeting with Inspector General Judge on Friday, and going to be having the first of my meetings with the interim director of CSCC, recently appointed by Mayor Harrell, Reba Gonzalez.

So looking forward to that.

So short, short briefing from me today.

Does anybody have any questions?

If not, I will pass it on to Council President Flores.

Madam President.

Oh, there he is.

Council Member Lewis.

I'm so sorry.

Thank you, Council President.

Oh, it's all right.

Don't worry about it.

They confuse us all the time.

Good to see you, colleagues.

Happy Monday.

Just a couple of updates this afternoon for our committee, public assets and homelessness.

Our next meeting will be on February 15th.

We will have one piece of legislation being promulgated by the Parks Department to allow them to apply for state Recreation and Conservation Office grants.

So we look forward to considering that legislation.

We are also going to have a couple of appointments for consideration, so we are going to be keeping that February 15th date and look forward to considering those action items.

One day earlier on February 14th, it isn't just Valentine's Day.

It is also an election day.

So folks, be sure to get in your ballots for the special election that is currently underway in the city of Seattle.

And those ballots should have arrived in people's houses by now.

You have until close of business on February 14th to get your ballots in to participate in that special election.

It is also going to be the last day of official city service for Director Robert Nellams at the Department of the Seattle Center.

Our esteemed director is retiring after serving the Seattle Center since 1996. I am thrilled to be bringing to the Council next Monday for consideration and signature a proclamation honoring Director Nellams' career and service to the city So I very much look forward to discussing that and seeking signatures next Monday.

My staff will hopefully be in a position to distribute that draft proclamation well in advance for the due consideration of colleagues as we look forward to honoring Director Nelm's contributions to our city.

Updates from the Seattle Library.

Homework help is expanding.

The program homework help restarted this past fall at six library locations with 59 volunteers and 16 substitute volunteers providing academic support to 290 students in 924 sessions in 2022. We have now finalized dates and times for the next homework help opportunity and that will be starting this week the week of February 6th on two afternoons a week at the South Park branch of the Seattle Public Library and expanded hours at the Columbia City Rainier Beach and High Point branches.

On Wednesday February 15th homework help will begin at the Northgate branch two afternoons a week.

So encourage folks to plug in to that very helpful service and thank the Seattle Public Library for their continued partnership on public education and expanding opportunity for that assistance.

Clean City Initiative Update.

For January 23rd to January 26th, the Clean City Initiative recovered approximately 1,733 needles and 64,960 pounds of trash from 67 park pickup locations.

And always good to get that information from our partners at the Clean City Initiative.

In closing, I want to thank Real Change for the opportunity to participate in the Celebrity Vendor Week that is still ongoing.

It was great to get together at Westlake Park last week with Councilmember Morales.

I was paired with Donald and it was really good to get to know Donald and to also read Donald's profile in the mid-December issue of Real Change.

So I encourage members of the public to take advantage of that to learn about Donald's story.

It was a really good opportunity to get out there and really meet people and get to know the people at Real Change who are really making a difference through the actions and through the attention being drawn to their theory of change from the Celebrity Vending Week.

And it was a real honor to participate in that.

I want to give a shout out to Executive Director Camilla Walter for her work and look forward to continuing to engage going forward.

Finally, I had an opportunity over the weekend to meet with some folks from the Seattle International Film Festival, and they shared a couple of candid pieces of feedback regarding Sound Transit.

I appreciate the opportunity that I had last week to have a briefing updating the Council on some of the decisions that we're getting close to and some of the changed recommendations from Sound Transit that at various different places along the alignment for Sound Transit 3. One of the things that I addressed when I had the opportunity to receive that council briefing was to comment on some information on one of the slides indicating the potential impacts to SIF for the new Republican Street proposed station that mitigation was possible.

to accommodate some of the concerns that have been raised by Seattle International Film Festival.

I just want to relay from my initial conversations and I'm looking forward to continuing to have these.

There are still challenges where there is not complete confidence in the neighborhood.

Some of these issues can be mitigated with the information that's currently been provided.

So I do look forward Councilmember Peterson to continuing continue to engage in this process.

And I want to thank and lift up your work in putting together a good resolution in 2022, which did fully incorporate the feedback and needs of the unique constituencies in the Uptown neighborhood on the ideal alignment that had been proposed by those groups for a Mercer Street station.

I think there's flexibility on different station locations, but they all come with their own particular challenges around mitigation.

And I do want to make sure that we continue to assert our support for our arts and cultural partners in making sure that we have the Sound Transit 3 light rail line, but without the impact of displacing some of these institutions that really can't effectively be replaced or effectively mitigated based on the choices of where we decide to sink that station.

So, with that, I don't have any other comments.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Thank you, Council Member Lewis.

I am going to be out next Monday, so I wanted to just say in public session here, I'd be honored to include my name on your proclamation.

If that could be noted for the record and be included when it's circulated, that'd be great.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Council Member Mosqueda.

We will make sure to incorporate your name into the proclamation.

Are there any other comments?

Seeing none, I will pass it on to Councilmember Herbold.

Oh, wait, hold on.

Sorry.

I will pass it on to Council President Juarez.

And everybody today is not getting it.

Come on, people.

Hey, before I start into my whole spiel here, I meant to send this to you guys Friday, but I think you just got it.

We had it in our newsletter.

I'm going to ask that you put it in yours.

We do have two new openings for two new commissioners on the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, the SEEC.

We would really like to see a lot of different kinds of people from across the city of Seattle be on that.

So you should have gotten it with what they are looking for.

I'm trying to make sure that a lot of people get an opportunity to serve on such an important commission.

It's a 7 member volunteer body that interprets and administers Seattle democracy voucher programs as well as the whistleblower protection, ethics, elections, lobbying, voter pamphlet codes, etc.

So, I'm hoping you guys will take what I sent you and put it in your newsletters as well.

Okay, let's see.

Here we go.

There are no items from the Governance Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee on tomorrow's council agenda.

The next committee meeting will be Thursday, February 16th.

As far as Natives communities, we got a lot of stuff here.

I'd like to begin with our local Native community update.

First of all, the Yeehaw, the Indigenous Creative Collective announced that they have secured a permanent home for indigenous arts and cultures in Rainier Beach.

Go D2.

This land in South Seattle is within walking distance from bus lines and light rail at Rainier Beach Station and is next door to Caputo Garden.

And we have been a big proponent of this organization, Yeehaw, for at least the last four years.

So well done.

Yeehaw's new property has over 500 trees and safe soil.

They will continue to collaborate closely with local leaders, tribal partners, and our creative community to collectively nurture the land and one another for generations to come.

Yeehaw is an Indigenous-led nonprofit.

It provides a welcoming community hub where intertribal Indigenous artists can connect with each other and the earth.

Congratulations to our friends at Yeehaw.

I'm also pleased to announce, we've got two in a row here, that the Native Action Network, opened a brand new office, first time, space located at 55 Bell Street in D7.

Again, go D7.

The office will hold space for indigenous art exhibits with the debut featuring generation after generation by our local artists and dear friend of mine, Liz Redow, who is Haida, and Sandra Sugado, who is also Haida.

Native Action Network hopes the space can be used by the community for gatherings and events.

So if you want information, you can come to our office or you can contact info at nativeactionnetwork.org for more information.

Second, we would like to acknowledge and congratulate National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp from the Quinault Nation.

Fawn, President Sharp spoke to more than 3000 government and business leaders from around the globe at the World Economics Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

President Fon Sharp's visit coincided with the release of a forum report titled Embedding Indigenous Knowledge in the Conservation and Restoration of Landscapes.

We hope to get you a copy or a somewhat of a copy of her speech from National Congress of American Indians.

U.S. President, Vice President, I'm sorry, Al Gore, who spoke after President Sharp, praised her support for Washington State's green energy initiatives.

So that's actually pretty exciting.

We've had four or five tribal leaders that have been the president of National Congress of American Indians in the last probably 70 years, actually a half a dozen.

I think we're the only state that can actually have the bragging rights on that.

Last week, we met with US Senator Patty Murray's staff regarding infrastructure needs.

We met with staff from the mayor's office regarding development at Seattle Center, and also with staff regarding the West Seattle Ballard Link Light Rail Project.

We participated in the Sound Transit Ridership and Operations Committee meeting, which was which we reviewed improvement proposals for vertical conveyance, which basically means escalators and elevators.

Our office attended the Seattle Police Department North Precinct Advisory Council.

That's called Impact Meeting, where the guest speaker was King County Prosecutor Lisa Mannion.

Topics included organized retail theft, public safety near freeway encampments.

We also had our staff retreat, so we could kind of zero in on our work plan for 2023 and the year ahead.

And as you all know, Groundhog is my favorite holiday and we celebrated Groundhog's Day.

Phil says six more weeks of winter, however, a Texas armadillo known as Bee Cave Bob predicted in early spring, so I'm going with BK Bob BK Bob.

Yes, Texas.

Yes.

Councilor Morales knows coming up this week, we will be meeting with the Human Service Division regarding impacts of encampments in District five.

We'll be meeting with an advocacy advocacy group who I'm sure I'm sure a few of you have already met with them.

We are Seattle, which includes a former council member, Mr. David Della.

We'll be meeting with the Sound Transit North King sub area.

We also will be planning for the 2023 National Congress of American Indians NCAI Executive Conference in Washington, D.C., which will be February 19th to the 23rd.

This is an exciting year because incoming Treasury Secretary Marilyn Malebra Mohegan will be honored at NCAI.

She is the first Native American Treasury Secretary in our nation's history.

Finally, tomorrow, February 7th, the Transportation Committee will be hearing a bill that will create an honorary indigenous name for Alaska Way along our waterfront.

First, I'd like to recognize that the city has been working for more than a decade with tribal partners to elevate Coast Salish history and culture as part of the city's waterfront program.

These efforts have resulted in a series of public art, programming, and interpretive elements that will be part of the new waterfront.

It has also resulted in an opportunity to provide the newly rebuilt Alaskan Way a tribal place name.

Actually, Council Member Peterson got to it first, but I'm going to try to say it in the Lushootseed language.

So it is Zee-zel-lah-lish.

Zee-zel-lah-lish.

I think I said that right.

As you know, for time immemorial, this is what the Seattle waterfront was a center for tribal fishing and trade, and it was known by that name, which means little crossing over place.

We would like to thank the Suquamish and Muckleshoot tribal councils who provided guidance to the city and of Seattle, Mayor's Office, the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects, and the Seattle Department of Transportation during the process of selecting Zietzelowicz as the honorary name.

The renaming recognizes Seattle tribal history, culture, and representation in our city.

And for those of you who did not get a chance, if you get a chance, we had it under when Sam Asafa was writing OPCD, the great book by Carl Thrush from University of British Columbia.

He came down and did a series of indigenous places and names called Native Seattle, Histories from the Crossing Overplace.

I don't know if you guys ever had a chance to read it, but if you do, get the second edition.

and in the back there's a glossary and it is so cool because it tells you all the Lushootsea words for places like Seattle, places like Gas Work Parks, Portage Bay, Lake Union, Holler Lake, God, Pipers Creek, Golden Gardens, Shilsho Marina, Salmon Bay, Ross Creek, all of these are in here with their traditional and real names.

So with that I'm actually, we had a chance to meet with Professor thrush when he came down and did his series of naming and going back to what Councilmember Nelson was saying a more than a land acknowledgement is about land back first right of refusal and buying that land, co management of the resources, and I know Sam is office not with us right now but Rico's has taken this place.

Sam left and we don't mean he's not with us.

But he was the first city person in the city department that actually had a series on land use and implementing and interpreting indigenous ways of managing land is stewards of the land, and not a lot of people did that.

So what I'd like to say is we have come a long way since 1865 when the first city council passed four ordinances, one of them being an ordinance calling for the removal of Indians to points outside of the town limits and providing for the punishment of those who might harbor them.

So guys, we've come a long way kind of since 1865. Let's see.

I think that's it, except for I think Council Peterson said it better than I did, and I'll keep practicing.

With that, are there any questions before we go into executive session?

Do not see any.

Okay.

So folks, we're going to go into executive session, and I believe it's going to be about 30 minutes.

So let me read into the record what I need to say before we go into executive session.

If there's no further business, we will move into executive session.

Hearing no further business, we will now move into executive session.

As presiding officer, I am announcing that the Seattle City Council will now convene into an executive session.

The purpose of the executive session is to discuss pending potential or actual litigation.

The council's executive session is an opportunity for the council to discuss confidential legal matters with the city attorneys as authorized by law.

A legal monitor from the city attorney's office is always present to ensure that the council reserves questions of policy for open session.

So it is 338 and Madam Clerk will let us know when 30 minutes are up.

If the executive session is to be extended beyond that time, I will announce the extension in the expected duration.

At the conclusion of the executive session, this council briefing will be automatically adjourned.

The next regularly scheduled council briefing meeting is February 13th at two o'clock.

The council is now in executive session.

Thank you.