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THE COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA: COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
OH, I'LL NOTE COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA WILL BE JOINING US HERE
SHORTLY.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON: COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
HERE: HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH: COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
HERE: HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE: COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
HERE: HERE.
CHAIR NELSON: CHAIR NELSON?
PRESENT.
FOUR PRESENT: FOUR PRESENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO FIRST
I WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE
RECORD, AND I PUT OUT A
STATEMENT EARLIER TODAY. I --
NEVERMIND. WELL, I MIGHT AS WELL
GO AHEAD. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE FRUSTRATION, MY EXCUSED
ABSENCE, CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK
OF QUORUM YESTERDAY IN THE
COMMITTEE MEETING, AND APOLOGIZE
TO THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME
TO SHOW UP FOR THE COMMITTEE
VOTE ON THEIR APPOINTMENT TO A
RANGE OF BOARDS AND COMMISSION
INCLUDING THE RENTER'S
COMMISSION. I'M GRATEFUL FOR
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR
CITY, AND DELAYS IN THE
APPOINTMENT PROCESS SERVES NO
ONE WELL. TO MAINTAIN THE
SCHEDULE FOR THE FINAL COUNCIL
ACTION THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED,
HAD COMMITTEE VOTES BEEN TAKEN.
THE APPOINTMENTS WILL BE
INCLUDED FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION
ON NEXT TUESDAY'S CITY COUNCIL
MEETING AGENDA. THE SAME IS TRUE
FOR THE LEGISLATION REGARDING
FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS FOR HOUSING
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS TO MEET THE FEDERAL
DEADLINE OF AUGUST 16. JUST
WANTED TO GET THAT PUBLIC
INFORMATION ITEM OUT THERE. ALL
RIGHT. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. CLERK, HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY?
CHAIR NELSON, WE HAVE SEVEN
IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS, AND
WE HAVE -- FIVE REMOTE.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD
AND START WITH THE IN PERSON,
PLEASE. WE'LL DO ALL SEVEN, AND
PEOPLE CAN HAVE TWO MINUTES, AND
THEN WE'LL HAVE THE REMOTE
SPEAKERS, PLEASE.
I'LL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN
ORDER THEY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK,
STARTING WITH IN-PERSON
COMMENTERS. SPEAKERS WILL HAVE
TWO MINUTES. WHEN YOU HEAR THE
CHIME, YOU'LL HAVE ABOUT 10
SECONDS LEFT. IF YOU EXCEED THAT
TIME, YOUR MICROPHONE MAY BE CUT
OFF, SO WE CAN MOVE ONTO THE
NEXT SPEAKER. PRESS STAR SIX TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF. WITH THAT, THE
FIRST SPEAKER FOR THE IN-PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENT IS ALEX
ZIMMERMAN.
YEAH, I'M READY. MY DIRTY
NAZI, YOU FACETIOUS PIG. MY
NAME, ALEX ZIMMERMAN. I WANT TO
SPEAK WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL, WHAT'S HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW. FRUSTRATION IS
GROWING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND
BIGGER. WE CANNOT ACCEPT THIS
FOR 30 YEARS. GO BIGGER AND
BIGGER FOR ANOTHER 30 YEARS.
I'LL GIVE YOU A CLASSIC
EXAMPLE. [ INAUDIBLE ] HOW IS IT
THIS POSSIBLE? FOR THE LAST 40
YEARS, SHE NEVER HAD ONE Q&A. I
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE
DOING THIS. TO ME, IT'S LOOKING
LIKE A TYPICAL -- PRINCIPLE.
IT'S A NIGHTMARE. I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S 700,000
IDIOTS ELECTED HERE. DO THEY
LIKE -- [ INAUDIBLE ] WHEN I
COME HERE. IT'S A NICE,
BEAUTIFUL CITY. WHAT DO I MAKE
OF IT RIGHT NOW? TOTAL
FRUSTRATION. IT'S NOT ABOUT
FRUSTRATION BECAUSE FRUSTRATION
IS BETTER THAN DEMOCRACY. YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY. [ LAUGHTER ] MAKES
MIDDLE CLASS LIFE MISERABLE.
THIS IS A PROBLEM, WHAT WE HAVE.
SO RIGHT NOW I SPEAK TO
EVERYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN TO ME.
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS? STAND
UP, GUYS. WE NEED A NEW REGIME.
IT'S EXACTLY WHY I'M DOING
THIS EVERY DAY. YEAH. I SUPPORT
TRUMP. VIVA TRUMP, BECAUSE
THERE'S ONLY ONE CHANCE TO MAKE
AMERICA BACK TO THE
CONSTITUTION., STAND UP,
AMERICA.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE JEFF.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL HAVE
BRANDY OSBORNE. MY APOLOGIES IN
ADVANCE, IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR
FIRST AND LAST NAMES. THANK YOU.
HELLO. I'M HERE TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT TEMPORARY HOUSING
I'M IN RIGHT NOW. I SPENT A LOT
OF TIME IN OTHER SHELTERS AROUND
THE COUNTY. A LOT OF TIME, WHICH
ISN'T A GOOD THING. I'VE SEEN
ALL THE GOODS, THE BADS, THE
UGLIES. I HAVE NOTHING, BUT VERY
GOOD THINGS TO SAY. I'VE BEEN
HERE BEFORE AND SPOKE TO YOU
FOLKS WITH BASICALLY DUCT TAPE
OVER MY MOUTH. SAYING THINGS TO
YOU I WAS SUPPOSE TO SAY. NOW I
CAN COME UP FREELY AND ACTUALLY
TALK FREELY, WHICH I REALLY
APPRECIATE FROM THEM. THEY HAVE
MADE MY LIFE A WHOLE LOT BETTER
SINCE I WAS LIVING IN YOUR
JUNGLE FOR FIVE YEARS. MY LIFE
IS EXTREMELY BETTER SINCE I'VE
BEEN LIVING THERE. I'VE BEEN
ABLE TO -- I HAVE BLOOD CLOTS IN
MY LEGS, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE ALL MY DOCTOR'S
APPOINTMENTS. GETTING ALL MY
STUFF I NEED TO DO, SOCIAL
SECURITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THESE GUYS HELP ME OUT WITH ALL
THAT STUFF, WHICH HAS BEEN
GREAT. LIVING IN A TENT, I WOULD
NEVER BE ABLE TO GET THAT STUFF
DONE EVERY DAY. WHERE I LIVE,
THE BUILDING I LIVE IN, THE
PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE RUN --
THE RULES ARE KEPT -- THEY'RE
RUN VERY GOOD. IT'S BEEN AN
IMPROVEMENT IN MY LIFE. THANK
YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
THANK YOU: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE
BRANDY OSBORNE. FOLLOWING
BRANDY, WE'LL HAVE CHRISTOPHER
ARCHIBALD. THANK YOU.
HELLO, FOLKS. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS BRANDY. I'M A
CURRENT PARTICIPANT IN THE LEED
PROGRAM, AND I'M HERE TODAY IN
REGARDS TO THE NEWLY PROPOSED
SALES TAX. IF THIS TAX IS
PASSED, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER
ALLOCATING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
OF THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT AND
STABILIZE THE WORK OF THE LEED
PROGRAM, AND ALLOWING THEM TO
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN
SUPPORT TO THOSE OF US IN NEED.
WITH ASSISTANCE OF THEIR
PROGRAM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
ESTABLISH VERY MUCH NEEDED
MEDICAL CARE, PRIMARY CARE
PHYSICIANS, OBTAINING IMPORTANT
DOCUMENTS LIKE BIRTH
CERTIFICATES AND I.D.s, AND JUST
PROVIDING MANY THINGS FOR ME TO
BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE A
PATH THROUGH THIS LIFE. MOST
IMPORTANTLY THOUGH BECAUSE OF
THE PROGRAM, I'M FINALLY
ENDORSED INSIDE WITH STABLE
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WORKING ON
GETTING PERMIT HOUSING. AFTER 15
LONG LONELY YEARS OF BEING
HOMELESS, SLEEPING OUTSIDE,
WONDERING WHERE MY NEXT HOT
SHOWER WILL BE OR HOW I CAN WASH
MY LAUNDRY. FINALLY, AFTER 15
YEARS OF ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN
ANY SELF-WORTH, STRUGGLING TO
SURVIVE AND STRUGGLING TO EXIST,
I'M INDOORS. I NO LONGER HAVE
ANY OF THESE WORRIES BECAUSE OF
THE LEED PROGRAM. WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO LET WHAT'S WORKING
FALL APART. WE NEED TO STABILIZE
THE PROGRAM AND CONTINUE TO FILL
IN THE GAPS THAT REMAIN. BECAUSE
OF ITS IMPORTANCE, BECAUSE IT IS
IMPORTANT THIS LEVEL OF SUPPORT
PROVIDED, BE PROVIDED TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO
BETTER THEIR LIVES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE
CHRISTOPHER. FOLLOWING
CHRISTOPHER, WE'LL HAVE CHLOE
GALE. COME ON DOWN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER, AND I'M
A SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER IN THE
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT OF SEATTLE.
I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY
SALES TAX. IF THIS SALES TAX IS
PASSED, I URGE YOU TO ENSURE A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION IS USED TO
SUPPORT AND STABILIZE THE WORK
OF THE PROGRAM IN SEATTLE. WE
ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS ON UNMET
NEEDS USING AN EVIDENCE BASED
CASE MANAGEMENT APPROACH. WE DO
NOT DO THIS ALONE. WE COORDINATE
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM PARTNERS
TO ENSURE OUR WORK CONTRIBUTES
TO IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC
SAFETY, WHILE REDUCING THE
OVERALL COST OF THE CRIMINAL
LEGAL SYSTEM. IN 2019, A
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON STUDY
SHOWED PARTICIPANTS HAD 1.4
FEWER AVERAGE YEARLY JAIL
BOOKINGS. SPENT 41 FEWER DAYS IN
JAIL PER YEAR. HAD 88% LOWER
ODDS OF PRISON INCARCERATION.
SHOWED A REDUCTION IN LEGAL COST
OF $2,100 COMPARED TO AN ALMOST
$6,000 INCREASE FOR COMPARISON
PARTICIPANTS. AN INDEPENDENT
ANALYSIS, BY THE ARNOLD
FOUNDATION, SHOWED PARTICIPANTS
ARE 58% LESS LIKELY TO BE
ARRESTED FOR ANY CRIME IN ANY
JURISDICTION COMPARED TO A
CONTROL GROUP. RECOVERY IS NOT
ONE-SIZE FITS ALL. AS A PERSON
IN LONG-TERM RECOVERY FROM
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, I KNOW
I'M ALIVE BECAUSE OF THE
APPROACH THAT MODELS CORE VALUES
OF BUILDING CONNECTION FOSTERING
MUTUALITY, AND MOVING TOWARDS
GOALS COLLABORATIVELY. LEED
PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN
SEATTLE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LET
WHAT'S WORKING FALL APART. WE
HAVE TO STABILIZE THE PROGRAM,
WHILE ADDING NEW COMPONENTS TO
REMEDY UNADDRESSED GAPS IN THE
SYSTEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. COME
ON DOWN, THANK YOU.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND OTHER
MEMBERS. AS THE VP OF POLICY
NOW, BUT A LONG-TERM OUTREACH
WORKER. WE WORK WITH PDA, THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE
KING COUNTY PROSECUTORS TO
DESIGN THE LEAD PROGRAM OVER A
DECADE AGO, AND WE HAVE
CONTINUED TO ADAPT AND IMPROVE
IT TO RESPOND TO STREET
DISORDER, HOMELESSNESS, AND
ADDICTION IN SEATTLE. I'M HERE
TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED PUBLIC
SAFETY TAX AND URGE YOU TO
DEDICATE A SIGNIFICANT
PROPORTION TO STABILIZE THE LEAD
PROGRAM AT OTHER PROVEN FRONT
DOOR RECOVERY PROGRAMS. OUR TEAM
MEETS LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE
FIELD, AND THEN PROVIDES THE
CONTINUED STREET ENGAGEMENT,
LEGAL SYSTEM NAVIGATION, THE
ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT, AND
HOUSING PLACEMENT NECESSARY TO
MOVE PEOPLE WITH COMPLEX NEEDS
AND POWERFUL ADDICTIONS OFF THE
STREET. OUR PERSISTENCE WORK IS
OFTEN WHAT ALLOWS PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICERS TO BE AVAILABLE TO
RESPOND RAPIDLY TO VIOLENT
CRIME. TODAY, SOME OF US HAVE
SEEN THE HEADLINES FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE NEW
EXECUTIVE ORDER, WHICH WILL
ABANDON SUPPORT FOR SOME OF OUR
LOW BARRIER FRONT DOOR RECOVERY
PATHWAY PROGRAMS. WITHOUT
PERSISTENT, RELATIONAL, OUTREACH
WORKERS AND CASE MANAGERS ON OUR
STREETS, OUR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS
WILL BECOME OVERWHELMED. PLEASE
FUND PROGRAMS LIKE OURS WITH A
PROVEN TRACK RECORD TO MOVE
PEOPLE INTO RECOVERY CARE. THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT WE'LL HAVE
SIMONE. THE LAST IN-PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL BE JOHN.
COME ON DOWN. THANK YOU.
HELLO, OKAY. IS THAT GOOD?
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
SIMONE, AND I'M THE SENIOR LEAD
PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE WEST
PRECINCT AND THIRD AVENUE
PROJECT. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE
OF THE PROPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY
SALES TAX. IF IT THIS SALES TAX
IS PASSED, I URGE YOU TO ENSURE
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION IS USED TO
SUPPORT AND STABILIZE THE WORK
OF THE LEAD PROGRAM. REAL PUBLIC
SAFETY MEANS HAVING THE RIGHT
TOOLS TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE WITH
COMPLEX BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS,
ESPECIALLY IN OUR PUBLIC PLACES.
THIS REQUIRES HUMANE,
CONSISTENT, AND EFFECTIVE
RESPONSES. IF THIS TAX PASSES,
IT'S CRUCIAL THE FUNDING
SUPPORTS PROGRAMS THAT ARE
ALREADY DELIVERING RESULTS. LIKE
CO-LEAD, FOR EXAMPLE. OVER 95%
OF PARTICIPANTS ACCEPT SERVICES.
70% TRANSITION TO PERMANENT
HOUSING. 100% OF ELIGIBLE
PARTICIPANTS ARE ENROLLED IN
MEDICAID. MEDICAID IS THE
BACKBONE OF THIS WORK. WITHOUT
IT, PEOPLE LOSE ACCESS TO
CRITICAL SUPPORTS LIKE MENTAL
HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE
TREATMENT, PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE,
AND EVEN HOUSING. MANY HOUSING
AND STABILIZATION SERVICES RELY
ON MEDICAID FUNDED CARE
COORDINATION TO KEEP PEOPLE
HOUSED. LEAD CASE MANAGERS DO
MORE THAN CONNECT PEOPLE TO
SERVICES. THEY HELP PARTICIPANTS
WHO ARE MEDICAID ELIGIBLE AND
UNABLE TO WORK THROUGH THE
MEDICAID ENROLLMENT PROCESS. A
2016 EVALUATION BY THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON'S HARM
REDUCTION AND RESOURCE TREATMENT
CENTER FOUND THAT 18 MONTHS
AFTER ENROLLING IN LEAD,
PARTICIPANTS WERE 89% MORE
LIKELY TO OBTAIN PERMANENT
HOUSING. 46% MORE LIKELY TO BE
ON THE EMPLOYMENT CONTINUUM, AND
33% MORE LIKELY TO HAVE INCOME
OR BENEFITS. THIS IS COMPARED TO
A MONTH BEFORE THEY JOINED THE
LEAD PROGRAM. WE CANNOT AFFORD
TO LET WHAT'S WORKING FALL
APART. WE HAVE TO STABILIZE THE
LEAD PROGRAM AND ADD NEW PIECES
TO ADDRESS THE GAPS THAT REMAIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. AND THE LAST
IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL
BE JOHN. COME ON DOWN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS, CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
MY NAME IS JOHNNY. I'M A
PARTICIPANT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
SUPERVISOR WITH PDA. AND I ALSO
AM STRONGLY RECOMMENDING IF THIS
BILL IS PASSED THAT WE DO
ALLOCATE FUNDING TO THIS
PROGRAM. WE HEARD MY COLLEAGUES
AND SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EVIDENCE
ON HOW TAKING A HOLISTIC
APPROACH IS A CATALYST TO
SUPPORTING PEOPLE, TO NAVIGATE
THEIR WAY OUT OF THESE SYSTEMS.
FIRST OF ALL, I ALSO WANT TO
THANK YOU TO YOUR COMMITMENT FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY. EVIDENCE SHOWS
THAT TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH
IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO FIND OUT
HOW THEY CAN GET BETTER HELPS
THEM TO GET OUT OF THESE
SYSTEMS. I AM EVIDENCE OF THIS
FRAMEWORK WORKING. IN 2014, I
WAS AN ELITE CLIENT, AND I HAVE
SINCE BEEN ABLE TO BE STABLELY
EMPLOYED FOR THE LAST SEVEN
YEARS. RECENTLY CELEBRATED 7.5
YEARS OF UNINTERRUPTED SOBRIETY,
AND HAVE BEEN WORKING MY DREAM
JOB AT PDA FOR THE LAST FOUR
YEARS. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL PRESIDENT SARA NELSON
FOR INITIATING THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO
ACCESS TREATMENT THAT'S REALLY
QUALITY, AND NOT JUST A ONE-SIZE
FITS ALL, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO SEE PEOPLE UTILIZE THESE
RESOURCES AND GET BETTER, GET
HEALTHIER. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? THAT LOOKS LIKE RECIDIVISM
GOING DOWN, PUBLIC SAFETY
INCREASING, PUBLIC HEALTH
INCREASING. WITHOUT ACCESS TO
THESE RESOURCES, PEOPLE, OUR
BROTHERS, OUR SISTERS, OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SOME OF OUR
MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, ARE GOING TO DIE ALONE
IN THESE STREETS. AND I KNOW
WE'RE ALL EXIT HADED TO
COMMITTED TO INCREASING PUBLIC
SAFETY. I KNOW THE KEY TO THAT
IS MONEY. WE'RE HUMBLY ASKING
YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS WORK
THAT WE DO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU AND: THANK YOU AND
CONGRATULATIONS. NOW, WE'LL GO
TO THE REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
JUST A REMINDER, I'LL CALL ON
THE SPEAKER IN THE ORDER THEY
SIGNED UP VIRTUALLY. SPEAKER
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. WHEN YOU
HEAR THE CHIME, YOU'LL HAVE TEN
SECONDS LEFT. IF YOU EXCEED THAT
TIME, YOUR MICROPHONE MAY BE CUT
OFF, SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT SPEAKER. AS A REMINDER,
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF. FIRST PERSON WE'LL
HAVE IS DANIEL GODFREY. PLEASE
PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF, DANIEL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DAN GODFREY.
I WORK ADD EVERGREEN TREATMENT
SERVICES AS AN ELITE SUPERVISOR.
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE
PROPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY TAX AND
IMPLORING YOU TO DESIGNATE A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS
REVENUE TO MAINTAINING THE LEAD
PROGRAM. MY SOCIAL SERVICES
CAREER IN SEATTLE BEGAN IN 2021.
I WORKED AS A RAPID REHOUSING
CASE MANAGER IN ONE OF THE
HOTELS LEASED BY THE CITY TO
HOUSE THE UNHOUSED DURING COVID.
AS WE WORK TO REHOUSE ACUTELY
VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS IN THE
MARKET RATE, HOUSING BECAME
EVIDENT. PRIVATE MARKET HOUSING
WAS NOT GOING TO SERVE THEM. IN
THAT SAME TIME, I BECAME AWARE
OF A SMALL SUBSET OF CLIENTS WHO
WERE RECEIVING COMPREHENSIVE
CARE AND ACCESS TO MORE
APPROPRIATE HOUSING. THEY WERE
ALL WORKING WITH LEAD. AFTER SIX
MONTHS, OUR STATS MADE IT CLEAR
WE COULD NOT EXECUTE THE
REQUIREMENTS OF OUR CONTRACT,
AND MY ORIGINAL EMPLOYER ELECTED
TO RETURN MOST OF THAT FUNDING
AND DISBURSE OUR TEAM TO OTHER
SITES. I TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY
TO APPLY FOR WORK AS A LEAD CASE
MANAGER, AND I STILL SEE CLIENTS
FROM THAT HOTEL ON THE STREETS
EVERY DAY. NOW, FOUR YEARS
LATER, THE LEAD PROGRAM
CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE
EXCEPTIONAL WRAP-AROUND CARE
THAT I WITNESSED IN 2021. I SEE
NEW AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS COME
AND GO, OUTREACH CONTRACTS
CHANGE HANDS, NEW SUBSTANCES HIT
THE STREET, BUT LEAD IS MORE
CRITICAL THAN EVER. OUR
COLLABORATION WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT, DYNAMIC STREET
OUTREACH WORK, AND CLINICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE FILL A GAP IN OUR
CITY SERVICES THAT SAVES LIVES
AND ALLOWS PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICERS TO RESPOND WHERE THEY
ARE NEEDED. IN MY EXPERIENCE
COLLABORATING WITH OUR SOCIAL
SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND
EMS, THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE
PROGRAM TO SERVE OUR
EXCEPTIONALLY VULNERABLE
CLIENTS. PLEASE MAINTAIN FUNDING
FOR PROGRAMS LIKE LEAD, SO THEY
CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR
COMMUNITY BOTH ON AND OFF THE
STREET. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, DANIEL. NEXT,
WE'LL HAVE BRIDGET LOPEZ.
BRIDGET, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS BRIDGET
LOPEZ. I'M THE SUPERVISOR WITH
EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES,
WHO HAVE BEEN A PRIMARY PROVIDER
FOR THE LEAD PROGRAM. I'M HERE
TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED PUBLIC
SAFETY SALES TAX, AND ENCOURAGE
YOU TO DONATE A SIGNIFICANT
PORTION TO STABILIZE THE LEAD
PROGRAM. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE
CORNERSTONE THAT CAME IN YOUR
PACKET, WHICH I BELIEVE MAKES
OUR WORK UNIQUELY SUITED TO
ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY AS OUR
LEGAL SYSTEM WORKS. AS AN
EXAMPLE, I'LL SHARE A CLIENT
STORY THAT IS ALL TOO COMMON IN
OUR LINE OF WORK. TAKE SUSAN.
SUSAN ENROLLED IN THE LEAD
PROGRAM WITH A NUMBER OF LOW
LEVEL WARRANT, FOR MISDEMEANORS
THAT ARE ALL RELATED TO
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND
HOMELESSNESS. THESE WARRANTS
CROSSED FIVE DIFFERENT
MUNICIPALITIES. THAT MEANS WHEN
SUSAN WAS BOOKED ON ONE OF THOSE
WARRANTS, SHE HAS TO GO TO FOUR
DIFFERENT JAILS IN ORDER TO
CLEAR UP ALL OF HER DIFFERENT
HOLDS. THAT'S TALKING TO FIVE
DIFFERENT DEFENSE ATTORNEYS,
FIVE DISTINCT PROSECUTOR OFFICES
THAT ASK FOR EACH DIFFERENT
THINGS. ALL WHEN SUSAN WANTS TO
GO TO TREATMENT AND GET WELL.
THE WORST PART IS NONE OF THE
DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS TALK TO
EACH OTHER, SO SUSAN IS HIGHLY
LIKELY TO GET A NEW WARRANT FOR
THE FIRST CASE SHE WAS BOOKED ON
WHILE SHE'S IN ANOTHER JAIL,
TRYING TO CLEAR UP HER FOURTH OR
FIFTH MATTER. THIS IS WHERE LEAD
LEGAL ASSISTANCE COORDINATION
COMES IN. WE BREAK DOWN THE
SILOS ACROSS THE JURISDICTION,
GET THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
TALKING TO EACH OTHER, AND HELP
SUSAN, SO SHE CAN GET MUCH
NEEDED PATH TO RECOVERY. I'M
HAPPY TO SHARE SUSAN JUST
CELEBRATED HER THREE YEAR SOBER
DATE, AND RECENTLY BECAME HOUSE
MANAGER AT CLEAN AND SOBER HOME.
THIS SYSTEM WORK IS ONLY ONE OF
THE MANY APPROACHES THAT WE TAKE
AT LEAD TO ADDRESS PUBLIC
SAFETY, BUT WE NEED TO BE FUNDED
TO SCALE IN ORDER TO DO THIS
WORK WELL. PLEASE FUND PROGRAMS
LIKE OURS, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO
DO THIS EVIDENCE-BASED WORK THAT
WE ARE KNOWN FOR DOING SO WELL.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, BRIDGET. NEXT,
WE'LL HAVE CHAD. MY APOLOGIES.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
CHAD, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
CHAD, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOOD
AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS CHAD. I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF EVERGREEN TREATMENT
SERVICES. I'M THE ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OF HOUSING. FOR OVER 50
YEARS, WE PROVIDED SUBSTANCE
ABUSE TREATMENT AND OUTREACH
SERVICES IN SEATTLE, HELPING
PEOPLE FACING SEVERE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH NEEDS AND HOMELESSNESS
FIND STABILITY HOUSING AND
RECOVERY. IF THE PROPOSED PUBLIC
SAFETY SALES TAX MOVES FORWARD,
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO DEDICATE
A MEANINGFUL PORTION TO
EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS LIKE
LEAD AND REACH. THESE PROGRAMS
ARE EMBEDDED IN A HOLISTIC
PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM. WORKING
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DIVERT
PEOPLE FROM JAIL AND EMERGENCY
ROOMS INTO CARE HOUSING AND
RECOVERY. AS A REAL-TIME
EXAMPLE, LITERALLY RIGHT BEFORE
CALLING IN TO THIS MEETING, I
WAS IN ANOTHER MEETING WITH A
LEAD CLIENT CARE TEAM HELPING TO
NAVIGATE A COMPLEX SITUATION
WITH MULTIPLE ENTITIES, TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT HOW A CLIENT COULD
KEEP THEIR HOUSING WHILE THEY
WERE AWAY AT IN-PATIENT
TREATMENT. WITHOUT THAT KIND OF
SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
LITTLE TO NO WAY THIS PERSON
COULD REALLY FOCUS ON THEIR
RECOVERY AND STILL HAVE STABLE
HOUSING TO RETURN TO UPON THEIR
EXIT. SO THIS IS JUST ONE
EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF SUPPORT
THAT LEAD ROUTINELY PROVIDES TO
OUR CLIENTS. ULTIMATELY THAT
BENEFITS NOT ONLY THAT
INDIVIDUAL, BUT OUR COMMUNITY AS
A WHOLE. SO AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC
HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE
DEEPLY CONNECTED. WHEN PEOPLE
HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO LIVE WITH
DIGNITY, THEY HAVE HEALTHIER
COMMUNITIES. WHEN WE HAVE
HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE
SAFER COMMUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THE LAST VIRTUAL
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS DAVID
HAINES. DAVID, PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. THANK
YOU.
HI. LEAD SHOULD BE
INVESTIGATED FOR MEDICAID FRAUD
AND VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION
WITHIN PROPER POLICE REFORM.
RESOLUTIONS ARE NON-BONDING LIKE
A POLITICIAN'S PROMISE BROKEN.
SPARE US ANOTHER PUBLIC SAFETY
VIRTUE SIGNAL THAT DOESN'T HAVE
THE PROPER LEGISLATION TO FORCE
PROPER POLICY. THE MAYOR'S
GOING TO RAISE THE TAXES FOR THE
GENERAL FUND AGAIN TO HIDE HIS
MISMANAGEMENT OF THE BUDGET AND
BAD SPENDING PRIORITIES THAT
HAVE EXACERBATED THE PROBLEMS
WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS, THE
HOMELESS CRISIS, THE SMALL
BUSINESS ECONOMIC CRISIS, AND
THE WORKERS CRISIS. YET YOU'RE
STILL APPEASING THE DEVIL'S
ADVOCATE THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE
TO STOP THE IMPLOSION. IN ORDER
FOR THE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY TAX TO
BE EFFECTIVE WITH THE 25%
EARMARK FOR DRUG TREATMENT, YOU
HAVE TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF
SHELTER. YOU CAN'T PUT THESE
PEOPLE INTO THE HOUSING FIRST.
THEY HAVE TO GO INTO AN
AUTHORIZED ENCAMPMENT THAT COULD
BE BUILT WITHIN 72 HOURS BY THE
NATIONAL GUARD. SAVING MONEY ON
LABOR. AND THEN YOU FORCE THEM
TO BREAK THEIR ADDICTION, BUT
YOU CANNOT LET THEM OUT OF JAIL
AND THEN ROAM AROUND. YOU HAVE
TO SEND THEM TO THE LOW SECURITY
ENCAMPMENT AFTER THEY GET OUT OF
JAIL. THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO
VOLUNTARILY MAKE A HALF-HEARTED
EFFORT. WHEN EVERGREEN CHECKS
THEM OUT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSE TO
ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE ROAMING
AROUND WITH SERIOUS MENTAL AND
BEHAVIORAL CRISIS PROBLEMS,
STILL DEHYDRATED AND HUNGRY.
THEY HAVE TO GO TO AN AUTHORIZED
ENCAMPMENT. THE HOUSING NEEDS TO
BE USED FOR THE INNOCENT
HOUSELESS THAT HAVE BEEN
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE
PREVIOUS COUNCIL WHO DEFUNDED
THE POLICE AND CREATED ALL THESE
SPENDING PRIORITIES, WHERE LISA
DUGARD WANTS TO RUN INTERFERENCE
FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS THAT ARE
CONNECTED TO THE CRIMINAL
UNDERWORLD, AND LITERALLY PUT
THEM IN HOUSING AND SERVICES
FIRST, WHILE PURPOSELY
DISCRIMINATING, DENYING, GOUGING
THE HOMELESS CRISIS FOR INNOCENT
HOUSELESS.
THANK YOU, DAVID. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WOULD
YOU PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD? PUBLIC COMMENT IS
NOW CLOSED. OH, I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
HAS NOW JOINED US. THANK YOU.
OF COURSE. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
1, A RESOLUTION SETTING OUT
PUBLIC-SAFETY RELATED FUNDING
PRIORITIES IN ANTICIPATION OF A
PROPOSAL THAT THE CITY IMPOSE
THE ADDITIONAL ONE-TENTH OF 1%
LOCAL OPTION PUBLIC SAFETY SALES
TAX AUTHORIZED BY THE 2025 STATE
LEGISLATURE. FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO
COLLEAGUES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
NOTICED, BUT THIS COUNCIL HAS
GOTTEN A REPUTATION OF BEING
FAIRLY STRONG ON PUBLIC SAFETY,
AND LARGELY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. THIS
RESOLUTION IS -- THE GOAL OF
THIS RESOLUTION IS TO TARGET ONE
OF THE MAJOR DRIVERS OF OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEMS, WHICH IS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER.
BECAUSE FOR TOO LONG, WE HAVE
WATCHED PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM
UNTREATED ADDICTION ON OUR
STREETS, IN OUR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, WHILE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
BECOME LESS SAFE FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO THIS IS -- THIS IS AN
EFFORT TO GET AT THAT A LITTLE
BIT. I'VE BEEN FIGHTING SINCE
WHEN I FIRST GOT ONTO COUNCIL.
I'VE BEEN FIGHTING TO PUT
TREATMENT AT THE CENTER OF THE
CITY'S AGENDA. I'VE HAD SOME
SUCCESSES. STARTING WITH THE
PUBLIC, I MEAN WITH THE PILOT
PROGRAM I GOT INTO THE 2025
BUDGET, NO, IT WAS 2024'S
BUDGET. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH
YEAR IT WAS, WHICH OFFERED A
DIFFERENT FUNDING MODEL FOR
IN-PERSON TREATMENT. BUT THIS
HAS BEEN SOMETHING I'VE BEEN
FOCUSED ON FOR A LONG TIME, AND
I KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE BEEN VERY,
VERY SUPPORTIVE AND HAVE COME UP
WITH YOUR OWN INITIATIVES AS
WELL. BUT ANY WAY, WHAT I'M
DOING WITH THIS RESOLUTION IS
PREEMPTIVELY STAKING A CLAIM TO
A PORTION OF THE REVENUE THAT
WILL BE GENERATED BY THE .1%
INCREASE IN THE SALES TAX THAT
WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE
LEGISLATURE THIS PAST SESSION,
WHAT IS CALLED THE PUBLIC SAFETY
SALES TAX, THAT IT IS
ANTICIPATED MAYOR HARRELL WILL
BRING FORWARD FOR IMPLEMENTATION
USING THAT AUTHORITY GRANTED BY
THE STATE LEGISLATURE. SO I'M
BASICALLY COMING OUT AND SAYING
IF THAT HAPPENS, A PORTION OF
THAT FUNDING SHOULD BE USED FOR
THESE PURPOSES. NOW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE CONTEXT OF THAT
LEGISLATION. HOUSE BILL 2015 WAS
SPONSORED BY REPRESENTATIVE AND
ADVANCED BY THE LEGISLATIVE
BLACK CAUCUS TO GET AT, TO
BROADEN, WELL, TO ALLOW
MUNICIPALITIES TO END COUNTIES
TO INCREASE MEASURES FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY. BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR
FROM THE GET GO THAT PUBLIC
SAFETY WAS ENVISIONED AS MUCH
BROADER THAN SIMPLY OFFICERS. I
WANT TO READ A QUOTE THAT WAS
PICKED UP BY THE SEATTLE MEDIUM.
THIS BILL MAKES IT CLEAR PUBLIC
SAFETY IS NOT ABOUT MORE
POLICING, BUT ABOUT CREATING
STRONG, THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
IT'S ABOUT SMART INVESTMENTS,
BOLD POLICIES, AND ENSURING
EVERY COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY
THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY SYSTEMIC
INJUSTICE, HAS THE RESOURCES AND
SUPPORT THEY DESERVE. SO PLEASE
NOTE, I WANT EVERYONE TO
RECOGNIZE I AM NOT CALLING --
THIS RESOLUTION DOES NOT CALL
FOR AN INCREASE IN THE SALES
TAX, BUT MAYOR HARRELL HAS
EXPRESSED INTEREST IN
IMPLEMENTING IT BECAUSE IT WOULD
RAISE ABOUT APPROXIMATELY
BETWEEN $35 AND $40 MILLION PER
YEAR. SO IF WE'RE GOING THERE,
I WANT TO ALLOCATE UP TO 25% OF
THOSE FUNDS TO CREATE TREATMENT
PATHWAYS, WHICH TO ME IS AMONG
ONE OF OUR MOST CRITICAL NEEDS.
THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST SPOKEN
IN PUBLIC COMMENT HAVE ECHOED
THAT. I WANT TO FIRST THANK THE
COALITION OF PEOPLE, BUT
ESPECIALLY LISA DUGARD OF THE
PDA FOR BEING MY PARTNER IN
THIS. I RECOGNIZE EXISTING
SERVICES ARE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT
TO MAINTAIN AS WELL. SO JUST TO
BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. WHEN I
PROPOSED THIS CONCEPT TO MANY OF
THESE SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT I
WORKED WITH FOR A WHILE ON THIS.
WE HAD NO IDEA THE LEVEL OF CUTS
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WOULD
BE THROWING AT US. BUT NOW AFTER
THE BIG UGLY BILL HAS PASSED,
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A CLEARER
PICTURE OF WHAT WE, AS A CITY,
WILL HAVE TO DO, STEP BY STEP,
TO INCREASE THE RESOURCES TO
PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE. SO
AS WE HEAD -- AS WE HEARD IN OUR
PREVIOUS COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS
ON THIS TOPIC, THESE TREATMENT
AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS ARE MORE
IMPORTANT THAN EVER. SEATTLE HAS
AN OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT OUR
RESIDENTS, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE
ABANDONED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, OF COURSE, AND
ADDING DEDICATED FUNDING FOR
INNOVATIVE AND EVIDENCE-BASED
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS
IS JUST ONE AREA WE CAN SHORE UP
WHAT WE, WHAT WE STAND TO LOSE
COMING UP. SO, WE'LL GET INTO
THE DETAILS OF THIS LEGISLATION
IN THE ITEMS IT WOULD FUND, THAT
IT WOULD PROPOSE TO FUND, SHOULD
WE IMPLEMENT A .1% PUBLIC SAFETY
SALES TAX INCREASE. WE HAVE
CENTRAL STAFF DIRECTOR, BEN
NOBLE, HERE TO GIVE US A BRIEF
OUTLINE, A REMINDER OF THIS
LEGISLATION, AND ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF
SUMMARIZING THE RESOLUTION
YOURSELF. I'LL TRY AGAIN, AND
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. SO AS DESCRIBED, THE
RESOLUTION MAKES TWO POLICY
STATEMENTS, AND AGAIN, IT'S
DESCRIBED -- THE RESOLUTION IS
IN ANTICIPATION OF THE
POTENTIAL, IF NOT, THE
LIKELIHOOD THAT THE CITY
AUTHORIZE THE NEW .1% SALES TAX
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT THE STATE
HAS GIVEN THE CITY AUTHORITY
FOR. BY WAY OF SOME CONTEXT
THAT'S OCCURRED SINCE YOU LAST
DISCUSSED THIS YESTERDAY. THE
COUNTY COUNCIL VOTED TO SUPPORT
TO AUTHORIZE THE SAME .1% COUNTY
WIDE, THE STATE GAVE BOTH COUNTY
AND THE CITY THAT AUTHORITY.
WHAT THIS RESOLUTION DOES, IT
DOESN'T SAY IT MOVES TO ADOPT
THAT TAX, BUT RATHER IT SAYS IF
THE MAYOR BRINGS IT FORWARD, THE
CITY COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER IT,
AGAIN, IN THE CONTEXT TO THE
CITY'S CURRENT FINANCIAL
BUDGETARY SITUATION. WOULD NOT
BE A SURPRISE IF THE MAYOR WOULD
OPPOSE IT. SO AGAIN, TWO THINGS.
FIRST, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST
CONSIDER IT. AND THE SECOND IS
IF THE CITY WERE TO IMPLEMENT
IT, THAT UP TO 25% OF THE TAX BE
INVESTED, AND THIS IS A QUOTE
FROM THE RESOLUTION. INVESTED IN
THE ADDICTION RECOVERY TREATMENT
SERVICES, AND THE FACILITIES
NEEDED TO PROVIDE SUCH SERVICES.
RESOLUTION THEN DOES GO ON TO
LIST, KEEP GOING, A COUPLE MORE
SLIDES. KEEP GOING. RIGHT HERE.
THE RESOLUTION THEN GOES ON
SPECIFICALLY TO LIST THE TYPES
OF SERVICES THAT UP TO 25% COULD
BE USED FOR, AND THAT'S THE
LIST FROM THE RESOLUTION. SO
THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT DOES.
BOTH NOT, MORE THAN THAT, BUT
EXACTLY THAT, IF YOU WILL, AND
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS.
LOOKING TO MY COLLEAGUES TO: LOOKING TO MY COLLEAGUES TO
SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
WHILE THEY ARE THINKING, IF THEY
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I DO WANT TO
ADMIT AND RECOGNIZE AND
ACKNOWLEDGE AND PUT IT ON THE
RECORD THAT $10 MILLION IS A
DROP IN THE BUCKET WHEN IT COMES
TO FUNDING OUR NEEDS IN THIS
SPACE. CLEARLY THIS LIST IS
DESIGNED TO BE A FOR EXAMPLE
KIND OF EXPOSITION OF THE RANGE
OF OUR NEEDS. HOWEVER, WE DID
SPEAK IN DETAIL ABOUT SOME OF
THE RELATIVE BENEFITS OF SOME OF
THE THINGS ON THIS LIST COMPARED
TO OTHERS. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY,
THIS IS A START. WE HAVE TO
START SOMEWHERE. THIS IS
BASICALLY GETTING THE BODY OF
NEEDS ON THE MAP. OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR NOBLE FOR
THE PRESENTATION. FOR COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, YES, THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION
FORWARD. IT'S INTERESTING.
YESTERDAY I HAD A CONVERSATION
WITH SOMEBODY AS IT RELATES TO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. WE
WERE WALKING THROUGH A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT ISSUES. ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I SAID, AND I'VE
SAID BEFORE IS THE IDEA WE
CANNOT SUCCEED IT IN PUBLIC
SAFETY IF WE DON'T SUCCEED IT
IN PUBLIC HEALTH. THE RESOLUTION
AND THOUGHTS BEHIND THIS GO TO
THAT POINT. AND I REALLY CARE,
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT
SEAM, WHERE THEY COME TOGETHER.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE PDA AND
THE LEAD PROGRAM ARE VERY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS THAT
INTERFACE BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT LINK. AND
SO I DO SUPPORT ENSURING THAT IS
SET. CLEANING UP THE LINES, IF
YOU WILL, BUDGET WISE, TO ENSURE
THE PDA AND THAT MISSION AREA IS
SET BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
THAT PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE. WE
HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT BILLS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THE
DIVERSION. FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE
AND FOR THOSE IN NEED TO GET
THAT DIVERSION. SO THEN WE COULD
FOCUS ON THOSE THAT ARE A TRUE
PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT, FOR
EXAMPLE. AND SO HAVING THIS
PROCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO,
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS
NOT BEEN TALKED ABOUT UNTIL
RECENTLY, AND I TALKED ABOUT IT
HAD LAST COMMITTEE MEETING, AND
I TALKED ABOUT IT AT A NUMBER.
THE PDA AND EFFORTS LIKE THAT
ARE GOING TO BE SO IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT'S THAT ENGAGEMENT,
THAT DOCUMENTATION OF WORKING
WITH INDIVIDUALS IN NEED THAT
YOU HAVE THAT RECORD. IT SHOWS
THIS PERSON IS IN NEED OF THE
SERVICES. OH, BY THE WAY, AS IT
RELATES TO MEDICAID, IS STILL
ELIGIBLE REGARDING THE DIFFERENT
CHANGES THAT ARE COMING FROM THE
FEDERAL LEVEL, LIKE WITH WORK
REQUIREMENTS. AS EVERYBODY IN
THIS ROOM HERE KNOWS, EVERYBODY
IN THIS ROOM KNOWS. ON THE
STREET, THERE'S INDIVIDUALS IN
NEED. THE IDEA THEY'RE GOING TO
BE WORKING IN A MEANINGFUL WAY
IS NOT PRACTICAL. WHAT WE CAN'T
HAVE IS THOSE INDIVIDUALS KICKED
OFF MEDICAID BECAUSE THE SYSTEM
IS SO DEPENDENT ON MEDICAID. SO
GROUPS LIKE PDA AND OTHERS, I
DON'T WANT TO JUST SINGLE OUT
THEM, BUT OTHERS ARE IMPORTANT
IN THAT FACT, ENSURING THE
SYSTEM DOESN'T COLLAPSE.
BECAUSE IF THE MEDICAID PIECE
GOES SIDEWAYS, I MEAN, IT COULD
BE CATASTROPHIC FOR US, BUT ALSO
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH POSTURE. AND
SO THIS RESOLUTION GOES TO THAT.
IT'S SHOWING SOME LEADERSHIP
TOO. BY THE WAY, PARTLY BECAUSE
SHOWING LEADERSHIP AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL BECAUSE THE STATE NEEDS TO
DO ITS JOB AS IT RELATES TO
MENTAL HEALTH. THAT'S THE STATE
RESPONSIBILITY. AS I'VE SAID
BEFORE TOO, WHEN I MOVE HERE
AFTER RETIRING FROM THE NAVY,
OUT OF 50 STATES, WE ARE 46 IN
MENTAL HEALTH SPENDING. I TALKED
TO STATE REPRESENTATIVES, AND
THEY SAID YES, WE'VE INCREASED
IT. I'M LIKE GOOD BECAUSE I SAW
THE NEXSUS, BACK WHEN I WAS IN
QUEEN ANNE COUNCIL. I HAVEN'T
LOOKED RECENT RECENTLY. WE'RE
NOT EVEN IN THE TOP HALF OF THE
50 STATES IN MENTAL HEALTH
SPENDING. IMAGINE IF WE WERE IN
THE TOP TEN, NUMBER ONE. HOW
MUCH CAPACITY WOULD THAT
TRANSLATE TO? WHAT WOULD THAT DO
IN TERMS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE
IN TERMS OF THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE SEE ON OUR STREETS WITH
INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS? IT WOULD
BE HUGE. AND THE COUNTY TOO. WE
JUST HAD A COUNTY DAY, KING
COUNTY DAY WITH THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE THIS WEEK. WE
NEED TO BE ENGAGING WITH THEM.
AS I MENTIONED TO MY
COUNTERPART, KING COUNTY COUNCIL
BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A SIMILAR
PIECE. IN FACT, THEY'VE DONE
IT, THE .1% PUBLIC SAFETY TAX.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THOSE PUBLIC
HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE
COUNTY LEVEL, SO WE SHOULD BE
ENGAGING WITH THEM, ENSURING
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO AVOID
DUPLICATION, FOR ONE. BUT TO
ENSURE WE GET THE BEST ANSWER ON
THE STREET. AND I JUST WANTED TO
CLOSE BY SAYING COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THAT I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MAYBE SAVE ONE OR TWO, THAT WE
GET EVERY DAY. RIGHT NOW I FEEL
LIKE THAT TV SHOW, "UNDERCOVER
BOSS.." WHEN I'M ON THE STREETS
THOUGH MEETING WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS OR IMPORTANTLY SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND GOING OUT WITH
SERVICE PROVIDERS, I'M JUST
BOB. SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND
BRANDY AND FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN
SUPPORT OF JEFF BECAUSE WE'VE
MET BEFORE. I'M VERY, VERY
HAPPY THAT IT'S GOTTEN YOU TO
THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE. I KNOW
MORE DETAILS, WHICH I WON'T SAY
FROM HERE. BUT IT SHOWS THE
EFFORTS YOU TOOK, BRANDY. A LOT
OF TIMES THAT YOU TOOK IN
SUPPORT OF JEFF, WHICH WAS A
MAJOR DRIVER. THAT'S WHAT'S
NEEDED. AND SO I JUST WANT TO
THANK YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO
CONTINUE YOUR WORK WITH COLEAD.
YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE PIECES YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT, ALL THOSE
PIECES IN TERMS OF GETTING
DIFFERENT THINGS STRAIGHT LED TO
MEDICAL CARE. YOU'VE DONE MORE
IN TWO WEEKS THAN OTHERS HAVE
DONE IN A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND YOU, AND
ALSO FOR COMING UP, BOTH OF YOU
AND JEFF FOR COMING UP, GIVING
PUBLIC COMMENT, GIVING TESTIMONY
BECAUSE YOU'RE AN EXAMPLE OF
PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE JUNGLE
AND HAD MEDICAL ISSUES, TO WHICH
BRANDY, YOU STEPPED UP. THAT
MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BOTH
OF YOU, YOU'RE DOWN HERE GIVING
TESTIMONY, SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR DOING THAT. AGAIN, YOU
MET ME BEFORE. YOU DIDN'T
REALIZE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER,
BUT I'M VERY HAPPY YOU'RE HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I LIKE
MAKING THE LINK BETWEEN ONES
REAL LIFE AS BOB OR SARAH OUT IN
THE WORLD, AND IN THE WORLD WE
PLAY HERE. LET'S SEE, LOOKING
FOR THE COMMENTS. ONE THING I DO
WANT TO NOTE.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I
THINK MOST OF US AGREE ABOUT THE
NEED FOR MORE SERVICES ADDICTION
TREATMENT SERVICES IN THE CITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS
PARTICULARLY WITH THIS FENTANYL
CRISIS THAT WE HAVE. THERE'S SO
MANY PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP
FIGHTING THIS ADDICTION. WE'RE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THAT HELP IF WE DON'T HAVE
THOSE SERVICES TO DO SO, AND
THAT IMPACTS TO YOUR POINT AND
MANY POINTS. MANY OF US HAVE
SAID HERE, SINCE WE'VE BEEN
HERE ON COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, IT
IMPACTS ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO
STAY HOUSED INTO WORK AND BE IN
POSITIVE SPACES WITH THEIR
FAMILIES AND WITH COMMUNITY.
THAT IS A REALLY BIG DEAL. SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING
FORWARD. I'M SUPPORTING THIS
RESOLUTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE A
QUESTION, BEN. EXCUSE ME. I
REMEMBER THERE WAS A TIMING
LIMITATION ON WHEN THE PUBLIC
SAFETY TAX HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED
BY CITIES. I THINK THERE WAS
SOME NUANCE IN THE TIMING. IT
COULDN'T JUST BE THE END OF
NOVEMBER, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, THE
WAY SALES TAX IS COLLECTED, THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
COLLECTS ALL THE SALES TAXES, IF
YOU WILL. THAT'S TO SAY THE
ONES IMPOSED BY THE CITY, BY
OTHER TAXING JURISDICTIONS LIKE
SOUND TRANSIT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
COUNTIES, AND THE STATE. SO THE
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE COLLECTS
ALL THIS MONEY AND DISTRIBUTE IT
F, SO THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE, THE
ADMINISTRATION, IF YOU WILL, THE
SALES TAX. THEY ALLOW CHANGES TO
SALES TAX RATES ON A QUARTERLY
BASIS. AGAIN, YOU CAN IMAGINE
THEY NEED TO GO TELL ALL THE
RETAILERS THIS IS THE SALES TAX.
YOU NEED TO BE COLLECTING, SO WE
CAN DISTRIBUTE IT BACK TO THE
VARIOUS TAXING AUTHORITIES. SO
AGAIN, THEY DO THAT ON A
QUARTERLY BASIS. AS WE
UNDERSTAND IT, I UNDERSTAND IT,
60-DAY NOTICE AHEAD OF THAT. SO
THE TAX CAN GO INTO EFFECT ON
JANUARY 1 OF 2026, BUT ONLY IF
THERE'S NOTICE BEEN GIVEN, 60
DAYS IN ADVANCE, AND GIVEN THE
LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR,
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE FOR CITY
APPROVED ORDINANCES. THAT WOULD
IMPLY THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE
CONSIDERING THIS EARLY IN THE
FALL, POTENTIALLY BEFORE THE
BUDGET HAS BEEN PROPOSED.
ACTUALLY THE TIMING ON THIS IS
SOMETHING I PERSONALLY WANT TO
EXPLORE MORE WITH THE EXECUTIVE,
BUT AGAIN IT'S THEIR
PREROGATIVE TO DETERMINE WHEN
AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO PROPOSE
THE LEGISLATION. BUT THE TIMING
IS GROWING SHORT IF IT WERE TO
COME INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1.
THANK YOU FOR THAT: THANK YOU FOR THAT
INFORMATION. AND THAT IS WHY
THIS IS BEFORE US NOW INSTEAD OF
IN ASSOCIATION WITH ANY OTHER
BUDGET PROCESS OR DISCUSSION,
SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S PUTTING A
STAKE IN THE GROUND BEFORE AND
UNTIL THAT LEGISLATION COMES
DOWN FROM THE SEVENTH FLOOR. I
DO WANT TO READ, FOR THE RECORD,
IN CASE PEOPLE ARE WONDERING.
WELL, WHAT ARE THESE SERVICES? I
WON'T READ EACH ONE OF THEM
THAT'S LISTED IN THE
RESOLUTION, BUT THEY ARE EXPAND
ACCESS ON RESIDENTIAL AND
INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT SUBSTANCE
ABUSE DISORDER TREATMENT THAT'S
FUNDED IN A COMPREHENSIVE
TREATMENT PILOT PROJECT. THAT'S
IN REFERENCE TO THE PROGRAM, THE
PILOT PROJECT -- THE PILOT
PROJECT THAT WAS LISTED, THAT
WAS REPORTED IN THIS STORY
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR CASEWORKERS
CAN REFER SOMEONE TO AN
IN-PATIENT REHAB, AND THEN THE
CITY JUST PAYS THE BILL WHEN THE
TREATMENT IS DONE. ALSO ENHANCE
ACCESS TO RECOVERY HOUSING AS
CONSISTENT WITH THE CLINICALLY
PROVEN MODEL, AND RECOVERY BASED
SERVICES WITHIN OUR HOUSING
FACILITIES HERE IN SEATTLE.
ENSURE CAPACITY FOR LOW BARRIER
SHELTER, CASE MANAGEMENT AFTER
CARE, AND LEGAL COORDINATION AS
CONSISTENT WITH PROGRAMS SUCH AS
LEAD AND COLEAD. COORDINATE WITH
KING COUNTY TO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF DESIGNATED CRISIS
RESPONDERS OPERATING WITHIN
SEATTLE. FUND INNOVATIVE
APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING
STIMULANT ABUSE DISORDER AND
EXPANDING THE PROVISION OF
LONG-LASTING INJECTIONS, ENHANCE
ACCESS TO JOB TRAINING AND JOB
PLACEMENT SERVICES, AND
STABILIZING DIVERGENCE SERVICES
SUCH AS LEAD, ETC. CAPITAL
INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE
FACILITIES WHERE THESE TREATMENT
SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. AS YOU
CAN SEE, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT
WHEN I SAID $10 MILLION IS A
DROP IN THE BUCKET. BUT IN ANY
CASE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR
MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND
THE COURSE OF OUR DAYS, IT IS
REALLY, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T
EXPRESS HOW OFTEN I PASS SOMEONE
WHO IS BENT OVER AND, YOU KNOW,
FROM THE IMPACTS OF SUSTAINED
DRUG USE AND THINK HOW CAN WE
JUST NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
POISON THAT IS OUT THERE? YOU
KNOW, IT'S A QUESTION OF IS IT
THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY? IS
IT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY?
NO. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS
PUBLIC SERVANTS TO DO AS MUCH AS
WE CAN. SO I DON'T SEE ANY
OTHER HANDS UP HERE. I WILL JUST
ADD ONE MORE THING. WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT MONEY, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SCARCITY, AND
THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE --
THERE ARE LINES SURROUNDING
PEOPLE'S TURFS. I WOULD SAY
WHEN WE INVEST IN GETTING PEOPLE
OFF THE STREETS, WE ARE ACTUALLY
MAKING A VERY SOUND AND
RESPONSIBLE FISCAL INVESTMENT IN
NOT JUST OTHER PEOPLE'S
WELLNESS, BUT ALSO IN
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY. THAT IS --
IT'S NOT JUST THE FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO TO FUND
ADDITIONAL TREATMENT SERVICES
AND SOBER HOUSING, AND THE
THINGS THAT ARE ON THIS LIST,
BUT IT IS ALSO THE MORAL THING
TO DO. SO WITH THAT, I WILL JUST
SEE. OKAY, I'M NOT SEEING ANY
OTHER COMMENTS, SO I MOVE THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF
RESOLUTION 32174.
SECOND: SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO CONFIRM RESOLUTION 32174.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL --
ONE LAST TIME, I'LL ASK IF
THERE ARE ANY -- IT'S HARD FOR
ME TO SEE BOTH SCREEN AND
SCRIPT. OKAY. SEEING NO OTHER
COMMENTS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE
RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT
RESOLUTION 32174.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA: COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON: COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH: COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
HERE -- SORRY, YES.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE: COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
AYE.
CHAIR NELSON: CHAIR NELSON?
AYE.
FIVE IN FAVOR: FIVE IN FAVOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE
LEGISLATION PASSES, AND THE
CHAIR WILL SIGN IT. COLLEAGUES,
I WILL BE PROPOSING SENDING -- I
PROPOSE SENDING THIS ITEM TO THE
-- NEXT WEEK'S FULL COUNCIL
MEETING. THE COUNCIL RULES STATE
THAT FOR -- FOR THE ITEMS THAT
ARE VOTED ON AFTER 1:00 THURSDAY
ON, THEY NEED TO GO TO THE
FOLLOWING -- NOT THE NEXT
TUESDAY, BUT THE FOLLOWING
TUESDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING. SO I
AM -- THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER
OF ITEMS ANTICIPATED ON THE
AUGUST 5 AGENDA. IN AN EFFORT TO
ENSURE THAT MEETING CAN RUN ON
TIME, I DON'T WANT TO ADD MORE
TO THE AGENDA. I'LL BE ASKING
FOR THE SAME THING FOR THE NEXT
PIECE OF LEGISLATION ON TODAY'S
AGENDA. SO I WILL BE -- BECAUSE
THIS MEETING IS TAKING PLACE ON
THURSDAY AFTER 1:00, THE RULES
WILL NEED TO BE SUSPENDED TO
ALLOW IT TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE
JULY 29 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SO
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
RULES WILL BE SUSPENDED TO SEND
THIS RESOLUTION TO THE JULY 29
COUNCIL MEETING. ALL RIGHT,
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE RULES
ARE SUSPENDED, AND THE
RESOLUTION WILL BE SENT TO THE
JULY 29 CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR
FINAL CONSIDERATION. ALL RIGHT,
THANK YOU, EVERYONE. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 2 INTO
THE RECORD.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2, A
RESOLUTION ADOPTING GENERAL
RULES AND PROCEDURES OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL,
SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION 32096,
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION, AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
ALL RIGHT. SO, WE'LL WAIT
FOR THOSE FOLKS.
OH. PUBLIC COMMENT IS -- I
UNDERSTAND, SIR. PUBLIC COMMENT
IS CLOSED FOR NOW. SIR, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE
HAVE A SEAT, SIR. YOU ARE NOW
DISRUPTING OUR MEETING. [
INAUDIBLE ]
SIR --
I WANT TO HELP, BUT --
WE WILL HAVE TO -- THANK YOU.
POINT OF PRIVILEGE: POINT OF PRIVILEGE.
GO AHEAD: GO AHEAD.
SORRY FOR THIS INTERRUPTION,
AND I'M GLAD WE REALLY
SECURITY. THIS MAN HAS A HISTORY
OF CONTINUING TO ATTACK ME AND
MY FAMILY. HE HAS SHOWN UP HERE
TODAY, AND I'M SORRY, BUT HE
CONTINUES TO THREATEN MY SAFETY
CONSTANTLY, SO THANK YOU. I
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'M MORE
THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH HIM, AS
I HAVE, IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
FOR CANNABIS EQUITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT: THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. IT'S STILL
ON. OKAY. THESE 15 RULES WERE
GENERATED THROUGH MONTHS OF
DISCUSSIONS STEMMING LARGELY
FROM IDEAS DIRECTLY FROM CENTRAL
STAFF, OUR CITY CLERKS, AND THE
LAW DEPARTMENT. EVERY TWO YEARS
WE REVISE, REEVALUATE OUR
COUNCIL RULES, AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. WE
CONSIDERED A WHOLE HOST OF
CONCEPTS, BUT NARROWED IT DOWN
TO WHAT IS MOST NEEDED ACCORDING
TO THE PEOPLE THAT INPUT INTO
THIS LEGISLATION, AND BOY, DID I
LEAVE IT TO MOSTLY THE EXPERTS
TO SUGGEST TO OUR RULES. SO WE
WILL NOW PROCEED WITH AN
EXPLANATION OF -- FIRST OF ALL
I'LL MOVE IT, AND THEN YOU CAN
GIVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE
LEGISLATION. I MOVE THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF
RESOLUTION 32173. IS THERE A
SECOND?
SECOND: SECOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S
BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO
RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF THE
RESOLUTION. WE'LL NOW PROCEED
WITH CONSIDERATION OF THE
AMENDMENTS, AND I WILL REQUEST
THE SPONSOR MOVE THEIR
AMENDMENT. CENTRAL STAFF WILL
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
AMENDMENT, AND THEN THE SPONSOR
WILL ADDRESS IT. OKAY.
YES, THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AS WE DISCUSSED IN THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING, YES, THE
WORKING GROUP DID CONVENE, YES.
BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR: BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR
MIC.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. THE
WORKING GROUP DID CONVENE OVER
SEVERAL MONTHS AND PROPOSED FOR
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S REVIEW.
CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO EITHER
CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE OF THE
EXISTING RULES, PROPOSE
TECHNICAL CHANGES, CONFORM THE
RULES TO CURRENT PRACTICES, AND
IN SOME CASES, PROPOSE
AMENDMENTS. THE 15 PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS THAT ARE IN
ATTACHMENT ONE OF RESOLUTION
32173, WE REVIEWED AT LENGTH.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON
THEM. I CAN SAY A FEW WORDS
ABOUT THE GENERAL AREAS THAT
THEY COVER, IF THAT IS OF
INTEREST TO THE COMMITTEE.
DOES ANYBODY NEED A REFRESHER: DOES ANYBODY NEED A REFRESHER
OF THE LEGISLATION OR THE --
ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR CONTAINED
THEREIN? NOT SEEING ANYBODY.
OKAY. THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND
CONSIDER SOME AMENDMENTS,
PLEASE. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THANK YOU.
I MOVE TO AMEND RESOLUTION 32173
WITH AMENDMENT 1, VERSION 3.
SECOND: SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION PER THE
LANGUAGE IN AMENDMENT 1. GO
AHEAD.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THIS AMENDMENT COMES FROM THE
EXPERIENCE THAT PROBABLY ALL OF
US SHARED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND
A HALF OR AT LEAST THE COHORT
THAT STARTED IN JANUARY 2024,
LONGER IN YOUR CASE, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THE CHALLENGES OF THE
LAST SECOND AMENDMENTS, AND THE
STRAIN THIS PUTS ON THE OVERALL
SYSTEM TO INCLUDE THE CITY
CLERKS, TO INCLUDE THE CENTRAL
STAFF, BUT REALLY, AS WELL, US,
OUR IMMEDIATE TEAMS, THE STAFF,
AND OURSELVES IN ORDER TO MAKE
PROPER DECISIONS. WE DO NEED
THAT TIME FOR AT LEAST SOME
REFLECTION. OUT OF THAT
EXPERIENCE WE'VE HAD, OR IN MY
CASE, 18 PLUS MONTHS NOW IS THAT
THE WALK-UPS AND THE AMENDMENTS
ON THE AMENDMENTS ARE NOT
PRODUCTIVE. I THINK THEY CREATE
CONFUSION. I THINK THEY CREATE
SOME CHALLENGES ACROSS THE
BOARD. SO THIS AMENDMENT IS TO
-- I DON'T THINK IS
UNREASONABLE TO GO TO 24 HOURS
PRIOR TO THE START OF THE
MEETING AS OPPOSED TO TWO HOURS.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE BETTER FOR
THE HEALTH OF THE SYSTEM, AND IT
ALSO GIVES A CHANCE FOR THE
PUBLIC TO SEE IT TOO. WHEN IT
COMES TWO HOURS BEFORE, PEOPLE
PLANNED THEIR DAY. IF YOU ONLY
GET IT TWO HOURS BEFORE, THAT
MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE. WHEREAS
24 HOURS ADVANCED NOTICE, THEN
THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING. THAT'S
AN ADDITIONAL POINT I WOULD LIKE
TO ADD IN TERMS OF WHAT'S
DRIVING THIS AMENDMENT.
COLLEAGUES, I ASK FOR YOU TO
SUPPORT IT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. FOR
PROVIDING THE RATIONAL BEHIND
THIS. WOULD CENTRAL STAFF LIKE
TO GO THROUGH THE MECHANICS OF
HOW IT HAD WOULD WORK?
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. SO
MECHANICALLY THERE'S THREE
DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNCIL
RULES THAT ARE ADDRESSED IN
ORDER TO PROVIDE A STANDARDIZED
24-HOUR ADVANCED NOTICE SYSTEM
AS COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
DESCRIBED. SO THE FIRST IS AN
AMENDMENT TO EXISTING LANGUAGE
FOUND IN RULE 3A8. THAT'S
RELATED TO CITY COUNCIL
BUSINESS, AND AFFORDS A TWO-HOUR
WINDOW AS COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
ELUDED TO FOR AMENDMENTS TO BE
SUBMITTED TO YOURSELVES, COUNCIL
MEMBERS, THE CENTRAL STAFF
DIRECTOR, AND THE CITY CLERK. SO
THAT EXTENDS THE TWO-HOUR
DEADLINE TO A 24-HOUR DEADLINE.
SO THAT'S IN RULE THREE. AND
THEN AMENDMENT FURTHER AMENDS
RULE 6H4. THAT'S CONCERNING
STANDING COMMITTEES
ACCOMPLISHING THE SAME GOAL AND
USING THE SAME LANGUAGE. AND
THEN FINALLY IN RULE 7G4, RULE 7
IS SPECIFIC TO SELECT
COMMITTEES. THERE IT USES THE
SAME LANGUAGE TO ESTABLISH A
24-HOUR ADVANCED NOTICE RULE FOR
AN AMENDMENT TO BE SUBMITTED TO
COUNCIL MEMBERS. SUBMITTED TO
THE CENTRAL STAFF DIRECTOR, AND
SUBMITTED TO THE CITY CLERK.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER CENTRAL
STAFF COMMENTARY? OKAY. ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS
AMENDMENT FROM COLLEAGUES?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS IN
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I DO HAVE
CONCERNS. WHILE I THINK IT IS
ADVANTAGEOUS, AND OUR GOAL
SHOULD BE PROVIDING 24 HOURS FOR
AN AMENDMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN
INSTANCES WHERE IT NECESSITATED
AN AMENDMENT DAY OF FOR WHATEVER
REASON, SOMEONE MAY HAVE MISSED
THE LEGISLATION OR
MISUNDERSTOOD, AND I WORRY,
SINCE THIS IS A MUST, AND AS
WE'RE TRYING TO REPRESENT OUR
CONSTITUENTS THAT IF WE HAVE
THIS REQUIREMENT AS A MUST,
THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN, YOU KNOW, DAY OF, YOU
REALIZE OH, I NEEDED TO PROFFER
THIS AMENDMENT, OR WILL YOU HEAR
FROM A CONSTITUENCY IN YOUR
DISTRICT THAT FLAGGED THAT FOR
YOU THAT MORNING. I MEAN, I'M
TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, I
APPRECIATE, AND YES, I AGREE WE
SHOULD DO THE A LEAST 24 HOURS
IN ADVANCE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
INSTANCES WHERE IF THAT SHOULD
NOT HAPPEN, THEN YOU ARE
PREVENTED FROM BEING ABLE TO
REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS. I
MEAN, I LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE
CITY CLERK AND LAUREN FROM OUR
ATTORNEY OR EVEN YOU, BEN, AS
DIRECTOR, CENTRAL STAFF
DIRECTOR, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE
ON THIS.
I'LL OPEN AND PERHAPS EMILIA
CAN SUPPLEMENT. THIS IS A
SELF-REGULATION OF YOUR
LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY. SO IT IS
NOT THIS RULE PRECLUDES THE IDEA
OF A WALK-ON AMENDMENT, BUT
ESTABLISHES A STANDARD PRACTICE.
AND THEN VIA THE RULES, THIS
MIGHT BE SUSPENDED OR WAIVING A
COUNCIL RULE, IN ORDER TO ALLOW
FOR THAT INHERENT ABILITY.
EMILIA, IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK
TO THE PROCESS FOR THAT.
CORRECT, YES. IF THE COUNCIL,
IF THE COUNCIL MEMBER DID HAVE
AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS NOT
CIRCULATED 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE,
IT WOULD NEED TO, ONE, STILL BE
CIRCULATED, BUT ALSO A REQUEST
OF THE BODY TO SUSPEND THE
RULES. IF TWO-THIRDS OF THE
MEMBERS AGREE TO SUSPEND THE
RULES, THEN YOU CAN PROCEED WITH
THE CONSIDERATION OF THE
AMENDMENT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO: WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO?
WELL YES, THANKS, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, FOR YOUR
POINTS MADE. I UNDERSTAND THE
POINTS MADE. I APPRECIATE
CENTRAL STAFF AND CITY CLERK FOR
THAT RESPONSE BECAUSE I THINK
THAT KIND OF ANSWERS THAT
QUESTION. AND I WOULD ADD TOO AS
THINKING ABOUT THE POINT MADE.
YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT IF
SOMETHING COMES UP TWO HOURS
BEFORE, THERE MAY BE OTHER
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT
POSITION OR WHO HAVE INSIGHT
THAT COULD BE GERMAINE. WITH THE
TIGHT TURNAROUNDS, WE MIGHT NOT
BE ABLE TO GET THAT. I RECOGNIZE
THE POINT, AND I THINK MAYBE THE
WAY TOO, AS I SAY SQUARE TO
CIRCLE, THE POINTS RAISED BY THE
CITY CLERK, THAT WE USE THE
PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS. GENERALLY
THIS IS BEING PROFFERED TO KIND
OF INSTILL SOME GOOD GOVERNANCE
PRINCIPLES TO GET IN EARLY. FOR
THE GENERAL, THE 90, WHATEVER
PERCENT TIME, THAT WE HAVE THIS
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REASONS I
SAID. BUT FOR THE POINT YOU
MADE, FAIR POINT, BUT IT SOUNDS
LIKE A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT POINT
WOULD BE TO USE THE
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES OPTIONS
THAT WE DO HAVE AS COUNCIL
MEMBERS, AS NOTED, IT'S
SELF-REGULATED, AND THERE'S
DIFFERENT WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT
POINT.
AFTER JUST CONSULTING WITH: AFTER JUST CONSULTING WITH
DEPUTY CITY CLERK. REMINDED A
COUNCIL MEMBER CAN ALSO MOVE TO
HOLD A PIECE OF LEGISLATION, IF
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS NOT -- IF
MORE TIME IS NEEDED TO CONSIDER
AMENDMENTS, RECOGNIZING, AGAIN,
A SITUATION THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS
VIABLE OF AN OPTION BECAUSE
THERE MIGHT BE SOME TIME
PRESSURE AROUND THE OVERALL
LEGISLATION, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER
PARLIAMENTARY OPTION YOU WOULD
HAVE. IT'S ONE THAT ONLY
REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY. BUT
AGAIN, JUST TO SAY THOSE ARE AT
LEAST TWO OPTIONS. BUT THE POINT
IS ALSO WELL TAKEN THAT IT DOES
SHORTEN THE PERIOD, NARROWS THE
PERIOD. YEAH.
YEAH. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. I HAVE
IMMENSE RESPECT FOR YOU AND YOUR
THINGS YOU PROFFER. IN FULL
DISCLOSURE, I'M JUST SEEING
THIS AMENDMENT RIGHT NOW,
WHETHER THAT IS BECAUSE I'M A
LITTLE SHORT STAFFED THIS WEEK,
SO MAYBE NO ONE BROUGHT THAT TO
MY ATTENTION, BUT IT HAPPENS. I
HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM. SO FOR
WHATEVER REASON, IT JUST
EXEMPLIFIES LIKE AN INSTANCE
WHERE YOU DON'T SEE SOMETHING
WITH ENOUGH TIME BECAUSE I WOULD
HAVE COME TO TALK TO YOU EARLIER
AND NOT HAVE IT THIS
CONVERSATION ON THE DAY BECAUSE
WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO I STRUGGLE WITH THIS IN
THAT WAY, AND I APPRECIATE THE
ABILITY WITH TWO-THIRDS OF THE
COUNCIL, BE ABLE TO OR EVEN TO
REQUEST DELAYING A VOTE TO BE
ABLE TO GET THOSE PIECES. SO I
APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT YOU TO
UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS IS COMING
FROM.
I APPRECIATE IT. SEEING THIS
24 HOURS IN ADVANCE WOULD HAVE
HELPED. [ LAUGHTER ]
YES. EXACTLY. BUT I DON'T,
YEAH. IT ALLEVIATES THE
AWKWARDNESS OF HAVING TO POINT
OUT. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, I
WOULD HAVE COME TO YOU. SO ANY
WAY, THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, THANK YOU ALL FOR
ANSWERING THE QUESTION. I
APPRECIATE IT.
SO I HAVE TO ADMIT WHEN THIS: SO I HAVE TO ADMIT WHEN THIS
WAS PRESENTED AS AN OPTION WAS
PRESENTED TO ME IN THE UNIVERSE
OF CHANGES THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE TO DEAL WITH US, DAY IF AND
DAY OUT, WHICH IS CENTRAL STAFF,
THE CLERKS, AND OUR INTERNAL
COUNCIL. IN THAT UNIVERSE, THIS
WAS ON THE LIST OF POTENTIALS. I
DECLINED TO INCLUDE IT JUST
BECAUSE I WAS THINKING THAT
MIGHT BE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE IN
ANTICIPATING SOME PUSHBACK FROM
THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS
THE RISK OF UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES OF WALK ONS THAT
HAVEN'T BEEN REVIEWED BY LAW.
THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM I THINK
THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THIS TO
ME, AS PRESIDENT, TO PUT FORWARD
WERE REALLY THINKING ABOUT, WHEN
WALK ONS HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED
BY LAW, THEN WE GET INTO, YOU
KNOW, EVEN STICKIER SITUATION.
SO WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS,
WHEN YOU PRESENTED IT AS A
POTENTIAL ADDITION, WERE THERE
ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT
COULD GET AT THE SAME PURPOSE,
BUT THAT WOULD NOT -- BESIDES
TWO-THIRDS OF THE BODY AGREEING
TO ACCEPT A WALK ON? WHAT WERE
SOME OF THE OTHERS, IF ANY, THAT
WERE CONTEMPLATED TO GET TO IT
THIS?
I THINK YOUR POLICY LEVERS: I THINK YOUR POLICY LEVERS
HERE ARE THE AMOUNT OF TIME,
WHETHER IT'S AS WRITTEN IN THE
COUNCIL RULES RIGHT NOW FOR CITY
COUNCIL MEETINGS. TWO HOURS
PRIOR TO A MEETING VERSES
WHAT'S PROPOSED HERE, 24 HOURS.
SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A POLICY
MATTER. WHAT AMOUNT OF TIME IS
SUITABLE HERE. AND THE OTHER IS
TO YOUR POINT, THE LAW
DEPARTMENT IS LISTED AS AN
ENTITY THAT MUST RECEIVE THIS,
IN ORDER FOR THE RULE TO BE
SATISFIED. SO THE OTHER LEVERS
ARE IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME
THAT'S NECESSARY FOR LEGAL
REVIEW, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT
WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR
DISTRIBUTION INTERNALLY. THAT'S
A SEPARATE LEVER. AND SO THOSE
ARE AT LEAST A FEW OF THE POLICY
CHOICES THAT I SEE KIND OF BAKED
INTO THIS AMENDMENT HERE.
OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
THANK YOU. I WONDER,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE AND OUR
TEAM HERE, COULD IT BE END OF
DAY BEFORE THE VOTE, FOR
INSTANCE? THEN IT WOULD GIVE A
BIT MORE TIME, BUT STILL ACHIEVE
NOT DAY OF, BUT 24 HOURS IS, YOU
KNOW, THE MEETING IS AT 9:30,
YOU HAVE TO DO IT AT 9:30 A.M.
THE DAY BEFORE, SO YOU LOSE THAT
WHOLE DAY.
AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS: AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS
AND DISCUSSING IT WITH THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AS I RECALL.
THE MORNING MEETINGS ARE
PARTICULARLY PROBLEMATIC FOR YOU
ALL, POTENTIALLY, IN TERMS OF
THE TURNAROUND. BUT WE GOT TO
THE PLACE AT 5:00 TODAY BEFORE A
9:30 MEETING THE NEXT DAY IS
REALLY NOT PARTICULAR NOTICE. IF
YOU LOG OFF AND YOU DON'T LOG
BACK ON, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
ALMOST NO TIME. SO WHETHER IT'S
24 HOURS OR PERHAPS, YOU KNOW,
FOR THE EARLIER MEETINGS
SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
AFTERNOON, NOON, AND ULTIMATELY
IT WAS BOTH THE SIMPLICITY AND
THE DIRECTNESS OF 24 HOURS THAT
JUST SEEMED THE BEST WAY TO SET
THIS OUT AND TO STANDARDIZE IT
ACROSS THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE ARE
SPECIAL MEETING TIMES IN THE
LIKES, BUT THERE WAS THOUGHT
GIVEN TO THE DYNAMIC, IF YOU
WILL, BETWEEN MORNINGS AND
AFTERNOON MEETINGS. STILL CAME
TO THE PLACE OF ULTIMATELY THE
SIMPLEST AND CLEANEST WAY TO
CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS. BUT JUST
TO THAT POINT, THERE WAS SOME
DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT.
IS THERE ANY -- SO IS THERE
ANY MIDDLE GROUND HERE THAT
WOULD BE WORKABLE?
I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, DIRECTOR
NOBLE JUST MADE A GOOD POINT. I
UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBILITY AT
THE END OF THE DAY. BUT AS HE
NOTED, PARTICULARLY AS SOMEBODY
THAT HAS A HARD TIME GETTING TO
HIS E-MAIL. FOR THOSE EARLY
MORNING STARTS, MY COMMITTEE IS
A 9:30 START. THAT COULD BE
CHALLENGING. I'D LIKE TO GO
BACK TO THE POINT MADE EARLIER
THAT THERE ARE PARLIAMENTARY
RULES. THERE ARE WAYS TO ADDRESS
THE SITUATION, EVEN TO HOLD THE
BILL. BUT TO CREATE SOME
EXCEPTIONS, ESSENTIALLY IN THOSE
UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES. BUT FINE
TIMES OUT OF TEN, I THINK THIS
WOULD BE ENFORCING SOME GOOD
GOVERNANCE BEHAVIORS, AND
GETTING INTO A RHYTHM WHERE WE
ARE DOING THIS IN AN EARLIER
PROCESS. I COME BACK TO THE
POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, EARLIER IS
BETTER, AND IT WOULD ALSO GIVE
TIME FOR THE STAFF TO DO THEIR
PIECE. THAT PUTS EXTRA STRESS ON
THEM WHEN IT IS COMING IN HOT
AND LATE. I THINK FROM A
LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE THAT WE
COULD, YOU KNOW, SHOW THAT IN
SUPPORT OF THE TEAMS AND FOR
EVERYBODY INVOLVED, ALL THE
LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT TEAMS TO
DO THAT. SO AT THE END OF THE
DAY, I APPRECIATE IT, BUT I DO
THINK WE HAVE AN ANSWER BASED ON
THOSE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OR TO
USE THE PROCESSES THAT OUR
CLERKS ARE SO EXPERT ON, ALL OF
THEM. UNLIKE MY COLLEAGUE, I
DON'T HAVE ANY FAVORITES. [
LAUGHTER ] THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
I LOOKED BACK, I DIDN'T GET
AN E-MAIL ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I'M
SEEING IT NOW. IT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN IN THE AGENDA. THIS IS
REQUIRING AN E-MAIL SENT TO
COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO THIS IS LIKE
AN EXAMPLE OF THE THING WE'RE
TRYING TO AVOID. BUT I
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. THINGS
HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES,
AND I DON'T WANT -- LIKE I HAVE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES. SO ALL THAT TO
SAY, I THINK WE KNOW WHERE WE
ARE WITH ALL OF THIS, AND I'M
NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS
AMENDMENT TODAY. MAYBE IF I HAD
MORE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
CONVERSATION ABOUT A MIDDLE -- A
BETTER -- AND I UNDERSTAND AND
RESPECT COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
THAT OUR TEAM HAS SAID WITH
TWO-THIRDS OF A VOTE, YOU MIGHT
BE ABLE TO WAIVE THAT, ETC. BUT
I ALSO JUST FEEL A LITTLE
UNCOMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD
WITH THIS TODAY. BUT I DON'T
WANT TO DELAY THE VOTE FURTHER,
SO JUST TO SAY I, AGAIN, SUPER
RESPECT AND APPRECIATE YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, AND
THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY.
THANK YOU: THANK YOU.
PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS AS A
NEGATIVE AGAINST YOU, AGAIN. I
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE OUR WORKING
RELATIONSHIP.
OF COURSE: OF COURSE.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT: AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THIS -- HAS IT
HAD KIND OF AMENDMENT EVER, TO
OUR COUNCIL RULES, BEEN
CONTEMPLATED OR DISCUSSED
BEFORE?
I DON'T KNOW, BUT I
WOULDN'T KNOW. AGAIN, PRIOR TO
DUTY, I DO NOT RECALL, AND I
WASN'T HEAVILY INVOLVED IN
COUNCIL RULES PREVIOUSLY.
I CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAIN WE
DISCUSSED, IN GREAT DETAIL, THE
ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A COUNCIL
RULE. BUT I DO KNOW THE CURRENT
PRACTICE FOR SOME COMMITTEES,
WHEN THERE IS LEGISLATION WITH A
LOT OF AMENDMENTS, DO IMPLEMENT
A RULE, A DEADLINE CURRENTLY. SO
THIS AMENDMENT HERE WOULD KIND
OF HELP STREAMLINE WHENEVER
THERE ARE AMENDMENTS TO
LEGISLATION, TO ENSURE NOT ONLY
OUR DEADLINE SET IN ADVANCE WHEN
CENTRAL STAFF SUBMITS IT, BUT AS
WELL AS A STREAMLINE AS TO WHEN
IS THE LAST NOTICE WHEN
AMENDMENTS CAN BE PROVIDED TO
MEMBERS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE
MEETING.
AND WAS, JUST TO BE CLEAR,
THIS WOULD APPLY TO AMENDMENTS
IN COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS AT FULL
COUNCIL? OKAY.
IT DOESN'T AMEND THE CURRENT
CITY COUNCIL RULES. RIGHT NOW
IT'S TWO HOURS BEFORE THE
MEETING, AND THIS WOULD BE 24
HOURS IN ADVANCE.
OF ANY MEETING, NOT JUST THE
FULL COUNCIL MEETING? OKAY. ALL
RIGHT. THAT MODIFIES MY THINKING
A LITTLE BIT. I AGREE WITH THE
SPIRIT OF THIS, AND I ALSO AM
CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS
WITH GETTING AGREEMENT WITH
TWO-THIRDS OF THE BODY TO PUT
FORWARD AN AMENDMENT.
IF IT DOES NOT MEET THE: IF IT DOES NOT MEET THE
ACTUAL DEADLINE AND THE
DEADLINE, AGAIN, TO MEET THAT
DEADLINE WOULD MEAN IT IS ONE BY
LAW, AND THEN AFTER REVIEWED BY
LAW, THEN IT'S CIRCULATED TO
ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITY
CLERK, AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL
STAFF DIRECTOR AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS ON THIS?
COUNCIL PRESIDENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
GO AHEAD: GO AHEAD.
I WILL SAY I AGREE WITH THE: I WILL SAY I AGREE WITH THE
SPIRIT OF THIS, AND I DEFINITELY
AIM TO ALWAYS -- AND
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, YOU AND I
HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS. ALWAYS
AIMING TO DO THINGS NOT LAST
MINUTE, SO IT'S NOT THAT I
DISAGREE, IT'S JUST FOR THE OFF
ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENS.
SO THANK YOU.
WAS IT CONTEMPLATED THIS: WAS IT CONTEMPLATED THIS
COULD APPLY TO AMENDMENTS THAT
ARE OFFERED AT FULL COUNCIL, BUT
NOT AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS?
NO. I THINK THE LOGIC APPLIES
IN BOTH CASES, AND IN SUPPORT.
AS I'M SITTING HERE THINKING
ABOUT IT AND THE FACT WE HAVE
THREE SELECT COMMITTEES. ALL OF
OUR CALENDARS ARE BLOWN UP. I
HAVE TAX AMENDMENTS, I HAVE THIS
AMENDMENT, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO
WORK THE PIECES AND THE VOLUME
THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT
NOW IS SUCH THAT 24 HOURS, AS
I'M THINKING THROUGH THIS, IT
BECOMES EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
BOTH IN COMMITTEE AND IN FULL
COUNCIL. SO I RECOGNIZE, AND I
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S POSITION
ON THIS. I'D LIKE TO PRESS
FORWARD WITH A VOTE, BUT I
APPRECIATE AND I RECOGNIZE THE
POINTS BASTER HAD VALID POINTS.
I DON'T TAKE THEM ANY OTHER WAY
THAN VALID INPUT TO THE ISSUE.
BUT THE AMENDMENT WAS SUBMITTED
FOR THE REASONS THAT I STATED,
WHICH GO FROM THE
ADMINISTRATIVE, THE OPERATIONAL
PIECES, AND THEN JUST THE
GENERAL POLICY POINTS THAT I
MADE. AND SO, YES.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. IF THERE ARE NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS,
I'M READY, IT IF EVERYBODY ELSE
IS. WOULD YOU LIKE ANYMORE
COMMENTS? OKAY, TO PROCEED TO A
VOTE. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON AMENDMENT 1?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA: COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
ABSTAIN: ABSTAIN.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON: COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH: COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE: COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
AYE.
CHAIR NELSON: CHAIR NELSON?
ABSTAIN: ABSTAIN.
THREE IN FAVOR, TWO ABSTAIN.
OKAY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT: WE HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO ADDRESS, MOVE YOUR
AMENDMENT, THEN WE CAN HAVE
CENTRAL STAFF GO THROUGH IT?
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, I MOVE TO AMEND
RESOLUTION 32173 WITH AMENDMENT
2.
SECOND: SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT 2.
CAN WE START WITH CENTRAL: CAN WE START WITH CENTRAL
STAFF THIS TIME?
SURE. I'LL TAKE IT AWAY.
THIS IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD
AMENDMENT, A SINGLE SENTENCE
ADDED TO RULE 6B. THIS CONCERN
IS ADDRESSING THE NON-COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS, AND STATES
AMENDMENTS BY NON-COMMITTEE
MEMBERS DO NOT REQUIRE
SPONSORSHIP. SO IT DOESN'T
CHANGE THE PROCEDURAL RULES IN
ANY WAY. IT IS STILL ONLY A
COMMITTEE MEMBER THAT MAY MOVE
AN AMENDMENT AND VOTE ON AN
AMENDMENT, BUT IT WOULD ALLOW
FOR THE AUTHOR OF AN AMENDMENT,
ASSUMING THEY ARE NON-COMMITTEE
MEMBER TO BRING THEIR AMENDMENT
WITHOUT NEEDING A SPONSOR FROM A
COMMITTEE MEMBER. SO IN THAT
WAY, IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR NON-MEMBERS TO HEAR AND
DISCUSS THEIR IDEAS WITHOUT
SEEKING A SPONSOR. BRINGING MORE
MATTERS INTO THE COMMITTEE LEVEL
OF BUSINESS, RATHER THAN FULL
COUNCIL.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, IT ALLOWS
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO
CONSIDER THE AMENDMENT WITHOUT
THEMSELVES OWNING IT, IF YOU
WILL, BY BECOMING A SPONSOR,
WHICH WE KNOW IS A POINT. THAT
OWNERSHIP IS OF PRIDE, AND/OR
CONCERNS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS
DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE YOU FIND
YOURSELF ON. BUT THE IDEA IT IS
A NEUTRAL INTRODUCTION OF THE
AMENDMENT, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE
TWO MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO
BE WILLING TO PLAY, IF YOU WILL.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR
AMENDMENT?
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS
AMENDMENT IS BASED ON MY
EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST 18
MONTHS. I WILL NOTE PARTLY
BECAUSE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WE
HAVE PASSED 20 PIECES OF REGULAR
PUBLIC SAFETY LEGISLATION, PLUS
THREE CONFIRMATIONS, PLUS THE
RESOLUTION. SO FROM THAT, THOSE
24 PIECES OF RESOLUTION COMING
THROUGH COMMITTEE. MANY OF
WHICH, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT
WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE
INTERESTING, CONTROVERSIAL
MAYBE, WITH MANY AMENDMENTS. THE
EXPERIENCE OF THAT WAS SUCH THAT
TO INCLUDE AMENDMENTS COMING AT
FULL COUNCIL. AND I'VE BEEN ONE
TO, AGAIN, FROM A PERSONAL GOOD
GOVERNANCE POINT OF VIEW, WE
SHOULD BE WORKING ALL THESE
PIECES IN COMMITTEE. FOR ONE
THING, IT GAINS GREATER TIME,
GOING BACK TO AN EARLIER POINT,
TO HAVE AN ISSUE BE RAISED AND
WORKED BY THE COMMITTEE TO
INCLUDE MAYBE HAVING MEMBERS OF
THE EXECUTIVE OR THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IN THE CASE
OF PUBLIC SAFETY, OR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND COMMITTEES TO
WORK THESE ISSUES AND TO WORK
THEM FULLY. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
DON'T REALLY HAPPEN WHEN
AMENDMENTS COME TO FULL COUNCIL.
THE POINT HERE, TO GET TO THE
BEST PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT
WE CAN HAVE. I NOTED THIS, YOU
KNOW, JUST RECENTLY WITH THE
DEPARTURE OF COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
BROUGHT A LOT OF AMENDMENTS,
VERY THOUGHTFUL, AND WAS GREAT
TO WORK THEM THROUGH COMMITTEE.
I KNOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS
HAVE POSITIONS BASED ON THEIR
PERSPECTIVE WHATEVER THE TOPIC
IS THAT COULD BE WORK DURING THE
COURSE OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THIS IS THE VENUE WHERE IT COULD
BE DONE SO. AS CHAIR OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, I'M
HAPPY TO WORK WITH NON-COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, TO WORK THIS, YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF SPONSORSHIPS. BUT I
THINK FROM POINT OF VIEW FOR THE
COUNCIL OVERALL, AND TO WORK THE
PIECES MORE FULLY IS TO DO IT
WITH THIS AMENDMENT THAT WE HAVE
HERE IN AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. SO
COUNCIL PRESIDENT WITH THAT AND
FOR OUR COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE
COMMITTEE, I RECOMMEND, AND I
ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS,
THIS AMENDMENT, SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO I WANT
TO TALK ABOUT HOW OUR AMENDMENT
PROCESS -- HOW OUR AMENDMENT
PROCESS HELPS TO INFORM OR
INHIBITS INFORMATION BEING
PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC. AND I
HAVE TO SAY WHEN I WAS
CONSIDERING THE PRIOR AMENDMENT
WHEN IT WAS FIRST PRESENTED TO
ME, THERE WAS A BALANCE BETWEEN
WANTING TO MAKE SURE AMENDMENTS
WERE VETTED PROPERLY BY CENTRAL
STAFF AND LAW BEFORE THEY WERE
OFFERED TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR
TO FULL COUNCIL. AND THERE WAS
ALSO THE BENEFIT OF HAVING
AMENDMENTS PRESENTED AND
AVAILABLE FOR VIEW BY THE
PUBLIC. THAT ADDS TO, SO WITH
THE PRIOR AMENDMENT, THE BENEFIT
OF TRANSPARENCY DOES WEIGH IN
FAVOR OF PROVIDING FOR A 24-HOUR
RULE THAT AMENDMENTS HAVE TO BE
PUT FORWARD, OR YOU HAVE TO DO
THE WORK AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO
CONVINCE OTHER PEOPLE THERE
SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION TO BE
MADE. BUT THIS ONE, I HAVE A
STRONGER FEELING OF OPPOSITION
TO BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE
STRUCTURE FOR A REASON. MOST
COUNCIL MEMBERS REALLY COMMIT TO
A TWO-COUNCIL MEETING PROCESS TO
DISCUSS THE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION. SO THERE IS USUALLY
A DISCUSSION, A PRESENTATION, A
DISCUSSION IN THE FIRST MEETING,
THEN THE SECOND COMMITTEE
MEETING IS MORE DISCUSSION. AND
THEN A VOTE. WITH COMPLEX
LEGISLATION, I JUST REMEMBER,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEACTIVATION
LEGISLATION IN 2023. SOME OF THE
OTHER COMPLICATED PIECES OF
LEGISLATION, MY FIRST COUPLE OF
YEARS. THERE WERE SEVERAL
MEETINGS OVER THE COURSE OF
WEEKS AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS, IN
FACT. ONE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT
THIS IS THAT THERE IS -- THAT
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
HAVE BEEN AT THESE DISCUSSIONS,
PRESUMABLY, PREVIOUS
DISCUSSIONS. AND SO THEY WILL BE
-- WHEN SOMEBODY, A COMMITTEE
MEMBER IS NOT ON THE COMMITTEE,
ASKS FOR SOMEONE ON THE
COMMITTEE TO SPONSOR A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, THEN IT'S SORT OF
ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS
SPONSORING AN AMENDMENT FROM
SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ON THE
COMMITTEE TO WEIGH WHETHER OR
NOT THE PERSON WHO IS ACTUALLY
PUTTING FORWARD THE AMENDMENT
UNDERSTANDS THE COMPLEXITY OF
THE LEGISLATION. AND SO THERE IS
NO -- THERE IS MORE OF -- MORE
SECURITY THAT THE COMMITTEE
MEMBER HAS BEEN AT THE PREVIOUS
DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION, AND
UNDERSTANDS THE NUANCES, AND CAN
FORESEE THE POTENTIAL UNATTENDED
CONSEQUENCE OF A PARTICULAR
AMENDMENT THAT'S BEEN
PROFFEREDDED BY A MEMBER THAT IS
NOT ON THE COMMITTEE. SO THAT IS
WHY I AM GOING TO -- THAT I AM,
THAT I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS JUST
BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S -- IT IS
THE JUDGMENT OF A EXIT HAD TEE
MEMBER TO SPONSOR, TO ACTUALLY,
YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUT THEIR NAME
ON IT TO BE THE STEWART OF AN
AMENDMENT OF SOMEONE NOT ON THE
COMMITTEE. THE EDUCATION TO THE
NON-COMMITTEE MEMBER OF CERTAIN
THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN
CONSIDERED WHEN DRAFTING THIS,
THE AMENDMENT AND PUTTING IT
FORWARD. SO IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE
WE HAVE A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
FOR A REASON, THAT'S BECAUSE WE
HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT LEGISLATION. I WOULD BE
CONCERNED ABOUT, EVEN THOUGH
THIS AMENDMENT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN
THE THUMBS UP, THE THUMBS UP
FROM LAW AND CENTRAL STAFF,
THERE'S SOME OTHER INTRICACIES
AND NUANCES WITH OTHER
COMPONENTS OF THE LEGISLATION,
PERHAPS THAT WOULD MAKE IT
PROBLEMATIC. BUT I DO GET, I DO
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE
YOU'RE COMING FROM IN OFFERING
THIS. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
THANK YOU. I'M WONDERING,
EMILIA, DO YOU HAVE HISTORICAL
CONTEXT ON WHY CURRENTLY IT IS,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE SPONSOR
IT? I MEAN, I CAN THINK OF GOOD
REASONS WHY, BUT I'M WONDERING
HISTORICALLY. YOU'VE BEEN HERE
THE LONGEST, EMILIA.
THE LONGEST, BUT NOT THE MOST
KNOWLEDGEABLE. SO IN THE PAST,
WE USED TO HAVE ALL MEMBERS WHO
WERE WILLING TO ATTEND A MEETING
AND THEN CAN ATTEST TO THIS
PRACTICE, WHERE ALL COUNCIL
MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND ALL
COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND VOTE AT
ALL COMMITTEE MEETINGS. NOW
MEMBERS THAT ARE OFFICIALLY A
MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE CAN
PARTICIPATE AT THAT LEVEL.
THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN
MOVE A MOTION, SECOND A MOTION,
AND VOTE ON MOTIONS. AND SO THIS
PROPOSAL HERE IS STILL RETAINING
THAT. BUT WHAT IT'S ALLOWING IS
THE MEMBERS TO ASK A QUESTION,
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MOVE THIS
AMENDMENT. IF THERE IS NOT A
COUNCIL MEMBER'S NAME LISTED
THERE AS A SPONSOR.
THERE'S A REAL DISTINCTION
HERE BETWEEN SPONSORSHIP.
SPONSORSHIP IS SOLELY SOMETHING
A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE CAN
DO. SO WHAT THIS ALLOWS THERE
WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE -- SO A
NON-MEMBER, THEY MIGHT WANT TO
USE THE VERB SPONSOR, BUT THEY
CAN ONLY USE IT WITH A SMALL S.
IT'S NOT A FORMAL LEGISLATIVE
SPONSORSHIP. THEY WOULD BE THE
AUTHOR OF THE AMENDMENT, AND
WOULD BE INCUMBENT, INCUMBENT IS
THE WRONG WORD. IT WOULD TEN BE
UP TO THE COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER
THERE WAS ONE OF THEM, AT LEAST
WHO WAS WILLING TO MOVE IT, AND
ANOTHER WHO WAS WILLING TO
SECOND IT. AS EMILIA HAS
DESCRIBED, THOSE ARE ACTIONS
THAT ARE RESTRICTED TO COUNCIL
MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY
COMMENTS?
I DO. SO WHAT ARE WE SOLVING?
YOU STILL NEED TO HAVE THEN IT
SOUNDS LIKE A COMMITTEE MEMBER
BE WILLING TO TAKE IT UP? YOU'RE
JUST SAYING THEY DON'T WANT
THEIR NAME ON IT? AS A SPONSOR,
YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR NAME ON IT.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SOLVING FOR?
SORRY, BEN.
JUST SO I'M CLEAR ABOUT
THIS. THIS WAS NOT BROUGHT
FORWARD IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING A
STAFF CONCERN ABOUT PROCESSING
AMENDMENTS, BUT RATHER I SENSE
THE COUNCIL ITSELF HAD CONCERNS
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF SUBSTANTIVE
AMENDMENTS THAT WERE BEING
CONSIDERED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT
FULL COUNCIL, AND THAT GIVEN THE
RULES OF FULL COUNCIL, THERE
ISN'T AN OPPORTUNITY
NECESSARILY FOR FULL DIALOGUE.
AND THE IDEA, AGAIN, THAT YOU
WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING
AMENDMENTS. SO A NON-MEMBER
CURRENTLY ONLY WITHOUT A SPONSOR
HAS THE OPTION OF BRINGING IT TO
FULL COUNCIL. THE NOTION IS
THERE COULD BE MORE AMENDMENTS
CONSIDERED IN THE COMMITTEE
ENVIRONMENT, SO THE FULL COUNCIL
WOULD NOT BE BURDENED WITH --
WITH THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
DIRECTOR NOBLE: DIRECTOR NOBLE?
THAT'S REALLY ALL IT WAS.
SORRY. CAN I?
I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IT: I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IT
IS CLEAR THIS IS -- I BELIEVE
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD
BENEFIT CENTRAL STAFF FOR THE
REASONS IT WOULD PERHAPS -- IT
DRIVES MORE OF THE WORK INTO THE
COMMITTEES INSTEAD OF HAVING
AMENDMENTS COME UP AT FULL
COUNCIL. I FULLY SUPPORT THAT. I
FULLY SUPPORT THAT EFFORT.
BECAUSE LAST MINUTE AMENDMENTS,
WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH A FULL
COUNCIL VOTE, WHEN CENTRAL STAFF
IS NOT, IS NOT AVAILABLE
NECESSARILY TO GO THROUGH A BIG
LONG EXPLANATION ABOUT THE
IMPACTS OF A PARTICULAR
AMENDMENT. THAT LEADS TO BAD
POLICY, AT THE SAME TIME, THERE
ARE ALSO, THEN I WOULD SAY ONE
WOULD HOPE ALSO AMENDMENTS ARE
PROFFERED WITH THE BENEFIT OF
MANY MEETINGS OR MULTIPLE
MEETINGS OF LEGISLATION. SO I
SEE BOTH SIDES, AND I CAN SEE
THE BENEFIT OF THIS. I ALSO AM
CONCERNED THAT THE -- YOU HAVE
TO BE -- THE CONVERSATION THAT
PROCEEDS THE MEETING WHERE THE
ACTUAL VOTE TAKES PLACE IS
OFTENTIMES THE MOST IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE GET THE
FULL EXPLANATION FROM CENTRAL
STAFF, AND CAN HAVE THE MOST
RICH MEETINGS AMONG COUNCIL
MEMBERS. ANY -- OKAY. GO AHEAD.
THAT IS THE REASON: THAT IS THE REASON.
RIGHT: RIGHT.
AGAIN, FOR ME, I'M DRIVEN BY
MY EXPERIENCE. I DON'T HAVE THE
LONG HISTORY OF ELECTED SERVICE.
BUT BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE OF
THE LAST OF THE TERMS SO FAR,
AND THE DESIRE TO WORK THESE
ISSUES. BECAUSE I WELCOME EVEN
THE HARD AMENDMENTS. I SAID THAT
AT COMMITTEE WHEN COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE LEFT. SHE WORKED
AMENDMENTS HARD, AND SHE BROUGHT
IN VERY THOUGHTFUL AMENDMENTS.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM I WAS IN
AGREEMENT WITH AND SOME OF THEM
I WEREN'T. BUT HAVING THEM
ENGAGED IN COMMITTEE, IN MY MIND
IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN TRYING TO
DO IT WITH A FULL COUNCIL. THE
ABILITY TO GO BACK AND FORTH
ENGAGE IS LIMITED. THAT IS THE
REASON BEHIND THIS AMENDMENT
SOLELY OR MAINLY. YOU KNOW, SO A
PART OF ME, THIS FALLS UNDER THE
GOOD GOVERNANCE PIECE, BUT I
RECOGNIZE THE POINTS YOU'RE
MAKING. JUST LIKE I SAID BEFORE,
YOU KNOW, THE VALID POINTS, FAIR
POINTS, THIS IS JUST ME, AND
THIS IS THE REASON BEHIND THE
TWO AMENDMENTS, IN THIS CASE,
THE SECOND AMENDMENT, AMENDMENT
TWO.
GOT IT. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS,
QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM
THIS, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, ONLY
BECAUSE I DID NOT RECEIVE THIS
AHEAD OF TIME. SO I HAVE MORE
QUESTIONS, BUT I WILL JUST
ABSTAIN, AND THAT WAY WE CAN
PROCEED WITH THE VOTE. BUT
AGAIN, LIKE THE LAST TIME, THIS
IS IN NO WAY -- I HEAR WHERE
YOU'RE COMING FROM, AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS,
ALWAYS, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE
DOING THE GOOD GOVERNANCE
PIECES, AND SOMETIMES WE MAY SEE
THINGS DIFFERENTLY. BUT THANK
YOU.
OKAY. I'M NOT SEEING ANY
OTHER HANDS RAISED. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? JUST
A SECOND HERE. I'M THINKING.
OKAY. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE RECOMMENDATION,
WELL, ON AMENDMENT B, PLEASE,
AMENDMENT TWO, EXCUSE ME. DID
YOU MOVE IT? WE ALREADY MOVED
IT.
MY APOLOGIES. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
ABSTAIN: ABSTAIN.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON: COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
NO.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH: COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
ABSTAIN: ABSTAIN.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE: COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
AYE.
CHAIR NELSON: CHAIR NELSON?
NO.
ONE IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED,
TWO ABSTAIN.
OKAY. THE AMENDMENT FAILS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS
OR COMMENTS ON THE RESOLUTION AS
AMENDED? HEARING NONE, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE RECOMMENDATION THAT
RESOLUTION 32173 BE ADOPTED AS
AMENDED.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA: COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON: COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH: COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE: COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
AYE.
CHAIR NELSON: CHAIR NELSON?
AYE.
FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE
SENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. ALL
RIGHT. THERE WE GO. AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M PROPOSING
SENDING THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THE
29th. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS
WOULD DIFFER FROM PREVIOUS
COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL RULES,
INCLUDING THE SCHEDULED MEMO,
WHICH WAS DISTRIBUTED IN MARCH
AND HAD LISTED AUGUST 5 AS THE
INTENDED DATE FOR FULL COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION. A LOT, HOWEVER,
HAS BEEN ADDED TO OUR PLATE
SINCE THEN, SO I HOPE YOU CAN
AGREE WITH MY EFFORTS TO SPREAD
OUT THE AGENDA ITEMS, SO IT DOES
NOT FALL HEAVILY ON ONE MEETING.
THIS REQUIRES THE SUSPENSION OF
OUR RULES SINCE IT IS CURRENTLY
AFTER 1:00 ON THURSDAY. SO IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE RULES
WILL BE SUSPENDED TO SEND THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE JULY 29 CITY
COUNCIL MEETING. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, THE RULES ARE
SUSPENDED AND THE RESOLUTION
WILL BE SENT TO THE JULY 29 CITY
COUNCIL MEETING FOR FINAL
CONSIDERATION. ALL RIGHT. YOU
KNOW, I JUST HAVE TO NOTE EVERY
TIME THAT RULES, THAT I'VE
LISTENED TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
THE RULES AND AFTER MY SECOND
YEAR HERE BEFORE, MAYBE IT WAS
MY FIRST YEAR. WHEN REALLY IT
SEEMS REALLY BUREAUCRATIC WHEN
THESE ARE DISCUSSED. THESE RULES
ARE THE END RESULTS OF MANY,
MANY, MANY WEEKS AND MONTHS OF
WORK ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL STAFF
AND OUR CLERKS. I JUST WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU, OF
ALL PEOPLE, KNOW WHAT IS WORKING
AND WHAT ISN'T ON COUNCIL
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE, AND YOU SEE HOW
THINGS GO DOWN BEHIND THE SCENES
WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO JUST
ADVANCE OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS.
SO I JUST RECOGNIZE IT'S
SOMETHING WE GO THROUGH EVERY
COUPLE OF YEARS. WHEN WE SIT UP
HERE AND ACTUALLY VOTE ON THESE
THINGS, IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF
BUREAUCRATIC. BUT HOW OFTEN HAVE
WE, AS INDIVIDUALS, GONE TO THE
BINDER OF OUR RULES TO SEE WHAT
WE SHOULD DO NEXT AND WHETHER OR
NOT SOMETHING IS LEGAL OR NOT,
RIGHT? OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO
NOTE THAT WAS IMPORTANT, AND WE
WILL TAKE IT AT FULL COUNCIL
NEXT WEEK. ALL RIGHT, THIS
CONCLUDES THE AGENDA OF THE JULY
24 MEETING OF THE GOVERNANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. IT IS
3:38 P.M., AND OUR NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 14. IF
THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
THIS MEETING WILL ADJOURN. IT IS
3:39 P.M. THANKS, EVERYONE.