>>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL OF THE REMAINING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> JACOB, MY APOLOGIES. WE NEED
TO START THE RECORDING REALLY
QUICK. I.T., CAN WE PLEASE
START THE RECORDING?
>> MY APOLOGIES. I THOUGHT I.T.
STARTED RECORDING.
>> OKAY, WE ARE RECORDING NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, GREAT. WE WILL TRY
THAT ONE MORE TIME. THE
SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 MEETING OF
PUBLIC ASSETS AND HOMELESSNESS
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 2:05 P.M., I'M ANDREW
LEWIS, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL KNOWING COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES IS EXCUSED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR LEWIS?
>> RPRESENT.
>> THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE
HAVE A VERY PACKED AGENDA TODAY
THOUGH HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE
ANY CONTROVERSIAL AGENDA ITEMS.
I'M HOPING WE WILL BE ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH THIS LARGE BODY OF
WORK IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL'S
BUDGET PROCESS. GIVEN I
UNDERSTAND SOME COMMITTEE
MEMBERS DO HAVE A HARD STOP
LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON. I'M
GOING TO LIMIT THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SECTION ONE MINUTE PER
SPEAKER. WE WILL BEGIN PUBLIC
COMMENT NOW.
>> OUR FIRST IN-PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS LISA NITZA
FOLLOWED BY GINA HALL.
>> HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME. I'M LISA NITZER. AS THE
FORMER CHAIR OF THE
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT, MANAGED BY THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION, I
WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU
FOR RENEWING AND EXPANDING THE
PLAN FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
PLEASE PASS THE PARKS AGREEMENT
RENEWAL FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS
AND ITS EXPANSION TO ADD
PIONEER PARK AND BELL STREET
PARK TO THOSE ALREADY MANAGED
BY THE MID DSA, WESTLAKE PARK,
AND OCCIDENTAL SQUARE. IN
MEETING WITH SEATTLE RATE
PAYERS FOR THE PAST YEAR TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND JUST
WHAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE TO
HAVE SEATTLE'S DOWNTOWN FULLY
THRIVE AGAIN. THERE WAS AN
OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR THE
SERVICES AND EFFICIENT,
EFFECTIVE, AND RELIABLE WAY
THEY WERE DELIVERED BY THE DSA
MID TO BRING TO THE CITY. CLEAN
SIDEWALKS, CLEAN AND SAFE
PARKS, HELPFUL AMBASSADORS FOR
EMPLOYEES, TOURISTS, RESIDENTS
AND ACTIVATE THE PUBLIC SPACES
WITH ENTERTAINMENT AND
COMMUNITY GATHERING DRAWING
PEOPLE TO THE CITY. I HOPE THAT
YOU WILL CONSIDER THIS AND PASS
IT. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
GINA HALL FOLLOWED BY ELDEN
TAM.
>> THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON
COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
GINA HALL. I'M THE CEO OF
UPLIFT NORTHWEST, FORMERLY THE
MILLIONAIRE CLUB CHARITY. I'M
ALSO ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TO
COMMENT ON THE PARKS AGREEMENT
RENEWAL. I HAVE LIVED, WORKED,
PLAYED IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE MY ENTIRE LIFE SINCE
I'M A SEATTLE NATIVE. MY
BROTHERS AND I WERE ALLOWED BY
MY PARENTS TO PURCHASE AN
ALL-DAY BUS PASS AND TAKE METRO
DOWNTOWN AND HANG OUT. I WAS
RECENTLY INSPIRED BY MY ALL
STAFF UPLIFT NORTHWEST STAFF
MEETING THAT WE HELD AT
WATERFRONT PARK. WE AND 35 OF
MY CORE STAFF WALK FROM
BELLTOWN TO WATERFRONT PARK. WE
MOVED ALL THE CHAIRS TOGETHER.
WE COMMENCE TO -- OH, I'M
ALMOST OUT OF TIME. ANY WAY IT
WAS A GLORIOUS OCCASION WHERE
WE FELT SAFE, WE FELT PROUD AND
REFRESHED. SO EXTENDING THIS
PARTNERSHIP FOR ANOTHER SIX
YEARS AND EXPANDING IT TO
INCLUDE PIONEER PARK AND BELL
STREET PARK BUILDS ON A TRACK
RECORD OF SUCCESS. IT IS ALSO
ALIGNED WITH MAYOR HARRELL'S
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN. SO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, GINA. OUR NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS ELDEN TAM
FOLLOWED BY THATCHER BAILEY.
>> GOOD MORNING, I'M ELDEN TAM,
REPRESENTING FRIENDS OF
WATERFRONT SEATTLE. I'M IN
SUPPORT OF PASSING THE DOWNTOWN
PARKS AGREEMENT RENEWAL. SINCE
2016, DSA AND THE CITY HAVE
SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED OCCIDENTAL
PARK AND WESTLAKE PARK,
CREATING VIBRANT SPACES AND
INFUSED OUR CITY WITH ACTIVITY,
LIFE, AND JOY. THESE ARE
ESSENTIAL SPACES AND COLLECTIVE
EFFORTS TO INVIGORATE DOWNTOWN
AND DSA IN AN EFFECTIVE PARTNER
TO THE CITY, ENSURING THESE
SPACES ARE SAFE AND CREATE A
SENSE OF BELONGING.
COLLABORATING WITH OURS AND
OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS,
BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS
THROUGHOUT SEATTLE. PARKS ARE
CRUCIAL TO SEATTLE'S DOWNTOWN
LIFE AND THE COMING BACK OF OUR
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION. FRIENDS OF
WATERFRONT SEATTLE URGES YOU TO
RENEW THE PARTNERSHIP AND
EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE PIONEER
PARK AND BELL STREET PARK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS THATCHER BAILEY.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M
THATCHER BAILEY. DURING MY
TENURE AT SEATTLE PARKS OF
SEATTLE, U I WORKED IN CLOSE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
PROGRAMMING AND MANAGEMENT.
EVERYONE WINS IF THEY'RE ABLE
TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND IN THIS
PARK. URBAN PARK REQUIRES EXTRA
RESOURCES, MORE RESOURCES, AND
NIMBLE CREATIVE MANAGEMENT TO
ENSURE THEY CAN MEET THE NEEDS
OF ALL THE RESIDENTS,
BUSINESSES, VISITORS WHO RELY
ON THEM AS PLACES OF RESPITE
AND CONNECTION. THE HEALTH OF
OUR URBAN PARKS IS THE DIRECT
OF OUR DOWNTOWN. GREAT CITIES
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE FIGURED
THIS OUT, INVESTING HUGE SUMS
TO DESIGN NEW AND ENHANCED
EXISTING URBAN PARK SPACES. I
KNOW YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THIS
AND CONTINUE IN THIS INVESTMENT
AND PARTNERSHIP AS PROBABLY A
NO BRAINER FOR YOU. THANK YOU
FOR ALL THE WAYS YOU HAVE
CHAMPIONED OUR PARKS OVER THE
YEARS DURING YOUR TENURE ON THE
COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU, THATCHER. OUR
NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS RIZA
FOLLOWED BY LAUREN LUNDBERG.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS,
COUNCILMEMBER VIA ZOOM, I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
FOR THE REALTY CORPORATION AND
BOARD CHAIR OF THE METROPOLITAN
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. RATHER
THAN REPEATING ALL THE POINTS
MY PREDECESSORS HERE SAID, I
JUST WANT TO SAY I AGREE WITH
EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE SAID
ABOUT RENEWING THE PARKS
AGREEMENT. REALLY WHAT THIS IS
ALL ABOUT IF YOU'RE HAVING A
TOUGH TIME CRYSTALLIZING IT IN
YOUR MIND IS THESE THREE
INDIVIDUALS SITTING RIGHT HERE
IN THEIR BLUE JACKETS. WHEN YOU
WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
AND YOU SEE THINGS THAT ARE
CLEAN, SAFE, HEALTHY, AND
VIBRANT, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE
WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. IT
WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT WE
ASKED YOU TO RENEW THE
ORDINANCE THAT SUPPORTED MID.
SO ALL YOU'RE DOING HERE IS AN
EXTENSION OF WHAT YOU'VE
ALREADY DONE. SO PLEASE TAKE
THIS LAYUP, WHICH DOESN'T OFTEN
HAPPEN IN THE WORLD OF
POLITICS. SUPPORT THE PARKS
AGREEMENT RENEWAL, AND LET'S
MAKE LIFE EASY AND BETTER FOR
EVERYONE. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
LAUREN LUNDBERG FOLLOWED BY AP
HERD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS, MY NAME IS LAUREN
LUNDBERG HERE IN SUPPORT OF
PASSING THE PARKS AGREEMENT
RENEWAL, EXTENDING AND
EXPANDING THIS PARTNERSHIP FOR
ANOTHER SIX YEARS BUILDS ON A
PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS
AND ACTIVATING OUR PUBLIC
SPACES, CREATING CLEAN, SAFE,
AND THRIVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE TO GATHER. THE
COLLABORATION BETWEEN DSA AND
THE CITY HAS EFFECTIVELY
MANAGED THE SQUARE, BECOMING
IMPORTANT SPACES FOR RESIDENTS,
BUSINESSES OF ALL. AND CREATING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURAL,
SOCIAL, AND OUTSIDE MEETING
POINTS, RENEWING THIS AGREEMENT
PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SHAPING
OUR DOWNTOWN'S FUTURE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LAUREN, THE NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS A.P. HERD
FOLLOWED BY BRUCE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS A.P. HERD.
AND I HAVE A COMPANY CALLED
SKILL STONE THAT WORKS ON
IMPROVING THE PUBLIC REALM AND
PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED A LOT OF
BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT THE
CITY IN A LOT OF CAPACITIES
INCLUDING WORKING ON THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN,
OFFICE BUILDING REPURPOSING,
AND MANY OTHER VOLUNTEER
EFFORTS. I'M ALSO A BOARD
MEMBER OF THE DSA AND COMMUTE
SEATTLE. I ALSO COMMUTE BY BUS
DOWNTOWN. I WORK DOWNTOWN EVERY
DAY. I'LL JUST SAY ON A
PERSONAL LEVEL THAT EFFORTS AT
THE DSA AND WHAT THEY HAVE MADE
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO
IMPROVE THE PARKS THAT IS
CURRENTLY MANAGING, INCLUDING
PARTICULARLY OCCIDENTAL SQUARE,
HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE TO MY
EXPERIENCE WORKING DOWNTOWN AND
HAVE MADE THOSE PARKS INCLUSIVE
SPACES THAT FEEL SAFE FOR
EVERYBODY THERE. AS SOMEONE WHO
OFTEN TRANSFERS AT BELL STREET
ON THE BUS, I WOULD SAY THAT
SPACE DOES NOT SHOW THOSE
CHARACTERISTICS, AND I VERY
MUCH SUPPORT THE DSA IN
EXPANDING THEIR MANAGEMENT
CONTRACT, RENEWING THE PARK
AGREEMENT FOR SIX MORE YEARS,
SO THAT THEY CAN BRING THIS
QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT TO OTHER
SPACES THAT ARE A CHALLENGE AND
THAT CHALLENGE OUR DOWNTOWN
RENEWAL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, A.P. OUR NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS BRUCE
DRAGER, FOLLOWED BY KERRY
KAPLAN.
>> HI THERE. MY NAME IS BRUCE,
I REPRESENT GREEN LAKE HOMELESS
ADVOCATES. I'VE BEEN HERE
BEFORE AND TOLD YOU THAT WHAT I
DO IS I WORK WITH FOLKS THAT
ARE IN ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE IN
THE IMMINENT RISK OF BEING
SWEPT. I'M BRINGING IN WITH THE
POPULATION OF FOLKS ON LEARY
WAYS THESE DAYS AND I I HOLD IN
MY HAND HERE OVER 30 LETTERS
THAT WE HAVE ADDRESSED TO BRUCE
HARRELL, ASKING HIM NOT TO
SWEEP THAT AREA UNTIL A VIABLE
HOUSING OPTION IS MADE
AVAILABLE TO THOSE PEOPLE. LIKE
I SAID, I URGE ANYONE WHO WANTS
TO GET COPIES OF THESE LETTERS
TO LOOK AT MY WEBSITE. IF I
COULD GET THEM DOWNLOADED
QUICKLY ENOUGH. OR YOU CAN
E-MAIL ME, AND I'M GOING TO
LEAVE SOME CARDS WITH YOU GUYS
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE
LETTERS. WE WILL PROVIDE AN
ACCOMPANYING LETTER FROM BRUCE
HARRELL AND FOLKS THAT I WORK
WITH HERE, BUSINESS LEADERS,
CHURCH LEADERS, AS WELL AS
HOMELESS ORGANIZATIONS. THERE
THAT THEY ARE WORKING WITH
THOSE PEOPLE IN SUPPORT OF
THESE LETTERS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BRUCE. THANK YOU,
WE'LL PICK THOSE UP. THE NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS KERRY
KAPLAN FOLLOWED BY, EXCUSE ME,
VALERIE HEIDI MUDRA.
>> AND HERE WE GO REAL FAST. US
AGAINST THEM. I'M HERE TO
CHANGE THAT. IN ORDER TO
SURVIVE, WE MUST ALL HAVE A
SENSE OF SELF-RESPECT,
SELF-IDENTITY,
SELF-FULFILLMENT, AND
SELF-POWER. WHEN WE STRUGGLE
WITH EACH OTHER, WE GET TO GET
THOSE THINGS. NONE OF US
BENEFIT. WE ALL LOSE. SO RIGHT
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A
SING ALONG TOGETHER CALLED I
LOVE YOU, YOU CAN SING IT AT
ANY PACE, TONE, OR RHYTHM. YOU
CAN CLAP, YOU CAN DANCE, YOU
CAN HUM. WE'RE GOING TO CREATE
A BEAUTIFUL CHANGE TOGETHER FOR
GLOBAL SENSE OF SELF-IDENTITY
RESPECT, FULFILLMENT, AND
POWER. SO THERE WE GO. I WASN'T
ABLE TO GET A CHAIR HERE TO PUT
MY LEG UP HERE AND JUST PLEASE
JOIN IN. I'M VERY NEW AT DOING
THIS. BUT CHANGE HAS GOT TO
HAPPEN. SO HERE WE GO. ♪ [
MUSIC ] ♪ ♪ [ MUSIC ] ♪
>> YOU GUYS WERE SUPPOSE TO
SING ALONG FOR THIS.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK WE NEED
TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER. I WANT TO NOTE THE
INCENTIVE TO COLLEAGUES. I WANT
TO NOTE THE INCENTIVE TO
COLLEAGUES TO COME TO THESE
MEETINGS IN PERSON IN CHAMBERS
BECAUSE YOU'RE MISSING OUT
OTHERWISE. AND THANK YOU. MR.
CLERK, YOU CAN PROCEED WITH THE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS VALERIE HEIDI
MUDRA, WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY
JESSE GILLIHAN.
>> HELLO, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT
THE RENEWAL AND THE EXTENSION
OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT. I'M A 25-YEAR
RESIDENT OF BELLTOWN, CURRENTLY
ON THE BELLTOWN UNITED BOARD
AND THE MID-BOARD. I HAVE
WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY,
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE MID
TO ENHANCE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE MID DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB
OF MAINTAINING AND PROGRAMMING
WESTLAKE AND OCCIDENTAL PARKS.
IN THE LAST YEAR THEY HAVE
ASSISTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY
SCHEDULING DOWN TO THE SUMMER
SOUNDS AS WELL AS OTHER
ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK. THE
LAST OF THE SEASON SAW MORE
THAN 200 PEOPLE ENJOYING
ENTERTAIN WANT. AND THE PARK IS
THE ONLY PARK IN BELLTOWN AND
IT IS REALLY A STREET. IT IS
THE FRONT DOOR TO RESTAURANTS
AND RESIDENTS. ACTIVATION
PROVIDES VIBRANCY AND THE
ASPECT OF A SAFE COMMUNITY FOR
RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO
BELLTOWN. AND IMPACTS THE
RESTAURANTS AND RESIDENTS. WE
SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF THIS
AGREEMENT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP
IN ENHANCING BELLTOWN AS A
VIABLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS
SAFE, WELL MAINTAINED, AND
WELCOMING TO ALL. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS JESSE, FOLLOWED BY
ROBERT RODRIGUEZ.
>> HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON
COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
JESSE, PUBLIC REALMS OPERATION
TEAM; SUPERVISOR FOR THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION.
AND MY COMMENTS ARE IN SUPPORT
OF PASSING THE PARKS AGREEMENT
RENEWAL. EXTENDING THIS
PARTNERSHIP FOR ANOTHER SIX
YEARS AND EXPANDING IT TO
INCLUDE PIONEER PARK, BELL
STREET PARK BUILDS ON A TRACK
RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL WELCOMING
AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SPACES.
THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE
DSA AND THE CITY IS EFFECTIVELY
MANAGING WESTLAKE PARK AND
OCCIDENTAL SQUARE, BECOMING
IMPORTANT SPACES FOR RESIDENTS,
BUSINESSES, AND VISITORS OF ALL
AGES. THE REVITALIZATION OF
DOWNTOWN COMES IN THE FORM OF
OUR PARKS AND THE HEART OF THE
CITY TO KEEP IT CLEAN, CLEAR,
AND CARED FOR. I'M WORRIED WE
MIGHT SLIP BACK INTO A PANDEMIC
LANDSCAPE OF UNIMAGINED CHAOS.
AND I'VE WATCHED THE
TRANSFORMATION OF THE PARKS
INTO CONCERTS EVERY DAY WITH
THE SUMMER SOUND EVENTS, PUT ON
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY.
COUNTLESS FOOD TRUCKS SERVE OUR
CITY EACH DAY PROVIDING A MUCH
NEEDED PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO
GATHER AND EAT THEIR LUNCHES.
I'VE SEEN TOURISTS VISIT OUR
PARK WITH AWE AND WONDER AND
HOW CLEAN AND INVITING THEY
CURRENTLY ARE. SAYING THIS, THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN
EMPHASIZES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
PARKS AS CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND
GREEN MEETING POINTS. RENEWING
THIS AGREEMENT WILL PLAY A
CRUCIAL ROLE IN SHAPING OUR
DOWNTOWN FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, JESSIE. NEXT UP
IS ROBERT RODRIGUEZ FOLLOWED BY
KIRK.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. MY NAME
IS ROBERT RODRIGUEZ, AND I OWN
THE PONY SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT AND RENEW
THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE TO CONTINUE THE
GREAT WORK IN THE PARKS. AS A
PART OF MY TESTIMONY, I'M
HONORED. TO SUBMIT A LETTER
FROM OVER 225 DOWNTOWN
STAKEHOLDERS, WHO ARE ALSO IN
SUPPORT OF RENEWING THE PARK
AGREEMENT. THIS LETTER INCLUDES
DOWNTOWN RESIDENT AND HOTEL
OPERATORS, NON-PROFIT PARTNERS,
CHEFS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS,
RESTAURANTS, AND MANY MORE WHO
APPRECIATE WHAT THIS
PARTNERSHIP HAS BROUGHT TO
DOWNTOWN PARKS. AND WHETHER IT
IS ENJOYING LIVE MUSIC, GETTING
LUNCH ON THE FOOD TRUCK, AND IN
THE HOLIDAY EVENT, PLAYING THE
GAME OF PING-PONG, SIMPLY
ENJOYING THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS
PARK HAS BECOME A PART OF THE
CITY THAT PROVIDES THE PUBLIC
BENEFIT FOR EVERYONE. AND WE
MADE IT TO FRANCE FROM PIONEER
SQUARE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU, ROBERT. OUR NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS KIRK
FOLLOWED BY SMOOTH.
>>> HI, I'M KIRK, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUTE SEATTLE. I
STRONGLY SUPPORT THE AGREEMENT
TO REKNEW BETWEEN THE
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT AND TO ACTIVATE OUR
BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN PARKS.
COMMUTE SEATTLE IS THE
NON-PROFIT TO MAKE IT EASY TO
WALK, BIKE RIDE, ROLL FOR THE
600,000 PEOPLE THAT GO TO WORK
EVERY DAY. IT HAS ALLOWED US TO
CREATE ACTIVATIONS THAT CONNECT
US WITH THE PUBLIC, FURTHER OUR
MISSION, AND SHOWCASE SEATTLE.
THIS ACTIVATION PARTNERSHIP HAS
ALLOWED US TO HOST SCOOTER AND
BIKE SHARE DEMO DAYS FOR
DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES,
AND VISITORS. FOR THEM TO LEARN
HOW TO RIDE, PARK SAFELY. WE
POSTED FAMILY-FRIENDLY
CELEBRATIONS AT THE END OF
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES,
GIVING OVER 200 TRANSPORTATION
LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE
BEAUTY OF OCCIDENTAL PARK. AND
THE TEAM AT DSA AND DOWNTOWN
AMBASSADORS WHO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE WILL MAKE THIS
SEEMLESS. WITH THE PASSAGE OF
THIS AGREEMENT, WE'LL BE ABLE
TO BRING MORE EVENTS FOR PLACES
LIKE BELL STREET PARK. I URGE
YOU ON THE RENEWAL AGREEMENT TO
KEEP BRINGING HEM TO SEATTLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, KIRK. OUR FINAL
IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
SMOOTH.
>> I PRAY TO GOD. THAT'S THE
FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY. THE
NEXT THING I WANT TO SAY IS
WHAT I KNOW IN MY EXPERIENCE IS
THIS IS NATIONWIDE. THIS
CORRUPTION IS AFFECTING
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
ANYBODY, PEOPLE IN THE STREETS.
MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT GOING TO
HELP A KID OR ANYBODY WHO WILL
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
DECENT LIFE IN AMERICA. AND
THESE PEOPLE, POLITICS, YOU
JUST LET THEM TAKE ALL THE
MONEY AND THEN YOU DON'T PUNISH
THEM FOR CORRUPTION, CORRUPTION
IS A CRIME. I MEAN WHY DO I
NEED TO COME UP HERE AT MY AGE
AND EXPLAIN TO YOU THE PROBLEMS
THAT WILL AFFECT ME AND
EVERYBODY WITH ROOM. AND I
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE DO.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO KILL NOBODY
OR NOTHING. ALL YOU GOT TO DO
IS KEEP YOUR RIGHTS AND YOUR
POWER AS PEOPLE AND IT IS NOT
DOING WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO
DO. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
I'M VERY ON POINT.
>> THANK YOU, SMOOTH. WE WILL
NOW MOVE TO VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENTER, PUBLIC COMMENTERS
WHO HAVE CALLED IN. WHEN YOUR
NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE PRESS
STAR 6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, THEN
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT. WHEN
YOU HEAR A CHIME, THAT WILL
MEAN THERE'S 10 SECONDS LEFT.
OUR FIRST IS KEVIN SIR. KEVIN,
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M KEVIN SIR,
AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE
ORGANIZATION ARTIST HOME, A
LOCAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
PROMOTING MUSIC IN SEATTLE. AND
MY COMMENTS ARE IN SUPPORT OF
PASSING THE AGREEMENT RENEWAL
AND EXTEND ITING THE
PARTNERSHIP FOR ANOTHER SIX
YEARS TO INCLUDE PIONEER AND
BELL STREET PARK. AND IT BUILDS
ON A SUCCESS AND WELCOMING
INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SPACES.
WESTLAKE PARK AND OCCIDENTAL
SQUARE WITH IMPORTANT SPACES
FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES,
ARTISTS, OF ALL ANYONES, MUCH
OF THIS IS DUE TO THE
COLLABORATION. AND RENEWING
THIS AGREEMENT WILL PLAY A
CRUCIAL ROLE IN OUR DOWNTOWN
FUTURE, FURTHER USE OF THE
PARKS, BEING PLACES OF CULTURAL
AND SOCIAL INTERACTION, AS WELL
AS PLACES TO CONNECT WITH
NATURE. AND PLACES WHERE
ARTISTS AND MUSICIANSHAVE BEEN
ABLE TO FORM AND THRIVE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>>> OUR NEXT VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENTER IS LISA HOWARD. LISA,
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
>> HELLO, I'M LISA, I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
PIONEER SQUARE. TO THEM,
COMMENTING ON ITEM. AND FIRST
UP I JUST WANT TO THANK SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE
OUTSTANDING JOB THAT THEY HAVE
DONE AT THE WELCOMING GATEWAY
DISTRICT. WE VALUE THE WORK
THAT WAS DONE, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS
AT A FRAGILE POINT IN TIME AS
MANY OF YOU KNOW FROM VISITING
THIS SUMMER, MANY THINGS ARE
GOING REALLY WELL. YET WE
CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY THE
ISSUES THAT WILL UNDERMINE THE
LIVABILITY AND ECONOMY OF OUR
CITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WILL
TAKE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS TO
WORK AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES,
AND WE ARE NOT THERE YET. AS
YOU CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF THE
PARKS, AS WE ASK THAT COUNCIL
BE MINDFUL AND INTENTIONAL IN
THE DIRECTION OF OUR SHARED
PUBLIC SPACES. INTENTIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE URBAN
PARKS AND PARTNERSHIP WERE
CRITICAL FOR THE LONG-TERM
SUCCESS OF THE PUBLIC SPACES AS
WITH THE CITY'S STEWARDSHIP OF
THE SYSTEM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LISA. OUR NEXT
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS MORGAN
LITTLEFIELD.
>> THANK YOU. I'M MORGAN
LITTLEFIELD, DIRECTOR OF CITY
AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. I'M
CALLING TO COMMENT ON THE
APPOINTMENT AS DIRECTOR OF
SEATTLE CENTER. ON BEHALF OF
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA, WE THANK
COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE STEPS
TODAY AND FULLY SUPPORT THE
CONFIRMATION AS DIRECTOR AND
SEATTLE CENTER. AND THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE ARENA AND
ADVISORY COMMITTEE PLAYED A KEY
ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA. HIGHLY
RESPECTED ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE
AND THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
MARSHALL TOLD US TO TAKE THE
REASONABLE APPROACH THINKING,
THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WILL
BENEFIT HIM AND ALL OF US IN
THIS ROLE AS WE WORK TOGETHER
TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, GROW
SEATTLE CENTER, AND CONTINUE
BUILDING THE CENTURY 21 MASTER
PLAN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MORGAN. OUR FINAL
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENTER IS
DAVID MCCLAIN. PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE
MINUTE.
>> THANK YOU. HELLO COUNCIL
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DAVID
MCCLAIN, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
REAL ESTATE FOR HISTORIC
SEATTLE. I ASKED FOR YOUR
SUPPORT OF COUNCIL BILL 120667.
THIS ORDINANCE AUTHORIZES THE
SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN HISTORIC
SEATTLE AND THE PARKS AND
RECREATION AT THE EGAN HOUSE,
LOCATED AT 1500 LAKEVIEW
BOULEVARD. AND THEY REQUIRE THE
HOUSE IN 1988 AND SINCE
INVESTED IN OVER $175,000 AND
CAPITAL REPAIRS AND
IMPROVEMENTS. AND THIS IS THE
LANDMARK IN THE PROPERTY IN
2009 AND THEY CONTINUE TO
INVEST APPROXIMATELY $20,000
ANNUALLY IN THE SINGLE-FAMILY
HOME. AND SEATTLE PARKS AND
RECREATION OWNS THE LAND
SURROUNDING THE HOUSE AND VIA
EASEMENT, WHICH WILL EXPIRES
AND ALLOWS ACCESS TO THE HOUSE.
IT WILL ALLOW THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND THE TERM
OF THE EASEMENT WELL INTO THE
FUTURE AND WILL ALLOW THE
PROPERTY TO BE PROTECTED AND
PRESERVED AS HOUSING. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. MR. CHAIR,
THAT CONCLUDES OUR LIST OF
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENTER.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK AND
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO
COMMENTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. WE
WILL PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ONE, APPOINTMENT
02660, REAPPOINTMENT OF PHILLIP
MENG AS MEMBER, BOARD OF PARKS
AND RECREATION COMMISSIONER FOR
THE TERM OF AUGUST 26, 2026.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. WE ARE
JOINED BY THE NOMINEE, PHILLIP
MENG, REMOTELY ON ZOOM. WELCOME
TO THE COMMITTEE. CHRISTOPHER,
ARE YOU GOING TO BE --
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS FROM PARKS
AND RECREATION, THE COMMISSION
NOMINEE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND MAYBE I'LL
JUST JUMP RIGHT IN THERE. A
QUICK SHOUTOUT TO MARSHALL
FOSTER. I JUST GOT THE
INFORMATION TODAY BEFORE I GET
INTO IT TODAY. SO PHILLIP IS
HERE FOR AN APPOINTMENT ON THE
BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION
COMMISSIONERS. PHILLIP IS ANY
INDICATION OF THE FUTURE OF
ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION BY
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT OUR CITY
IS IN REALLY GOOD HANDS.
PHILLIP RECENTLY GRADUATED WITH
HONORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, WHERE HE WAS A
TRIPLE MAJOR, AN INFORMATION
SYSTEMS, GLOBAL, AND REGIONAL
STUDIES IN FINANCE AND ALSO AN
UNDERGRADUATE FELLOW AT THE
CENTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
POLITICS. AND AS THE FOUNDER OF
THE POLLING AND OPEN DATA
INITIATIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, HE BECAME
PASSIONATE ABOUT PARKS AND
NATURAL LANDS THROUGH PROJECTS
RELATED TO RECREATION AND
ECOLOGICAL HEALTH. AS A COLLEGE
STUDENT AND DOWNTOWN RESIDENT,
PHILLIP HAS BROUGHT UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVES TO THE BOARD OF
PARK AND RECREATION
COMMISSIONERS OVER THE PAST
YEAR AS THEY GET ENGAGED WITH
THE BOARD. WE ARE EXCITED TO
CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM HIS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO COME IN THE
COMING YEARS. I'LL JUST SAY
THAT PHILLIP IS ONE OF THOSE
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO JUST BROUGHT A
LOT OF ENERGY TO THE BOARD. HE
ASKS INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS. HE
IS ALWAYS WELL PREPARED. IT
WOULD BE AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH
HIM FOR A FEW MORE YEARS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH DEPUTY
SUPERINTENDENT FOR THAT
INTRODUCTION. AND WHY DON'T WE
TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR SOME
REMARKS TO THE COMMITTEE.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
SO MUCH DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
WILLIAMS FOR YOUR WORDS, CHAIR
LEWIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
CONSIDERING ME FOR AN
APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF
PARKS AND RECREATION
COMMISSIONERS. AND AS
MENTIONED, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
THE BOARD FOR THE LAST YEAR.
AND WE HAVE REALLY ENJOYED
BEING ENGAGED WITH THE
IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT AND WHAT
THEY DO. AND DOWNTOWN RESIDENT,
PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL
THAT'S HAPPENING WITH DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION AND DEVELOPMENTS
HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND
THIS IS A PART TO ADD TO IT
SELF-INTRODUCTION. OUTSIDE, I'M
A CONSULTANT WITH THE ATLANTIC
COUNCIL. AND I -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
AND WITH THE CHICAGO COUNCIL
AND THE BIPARTISAN POLICY
CENTER. SO ONCE AGAIN, I
APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION
AND LOOK FORWARD TO ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. PHILLIP,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS
THAT I'LL START BY ASKING YOU A
QUESTION THAT YOU ARE LOOKING
MOST FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT
TERM IN WORKING WITH THE
LEADERSHIP AT PARKS AND
RECREATION AS WE ALL SORTS OF
PROJECTS, AND INCLUDING THE
THINGS IN THE METROPOLITAN PARK
DISTRICT AND THINGS THAT WE'RE
ADDRESSING LIKE OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ORGANIZATION.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT YOU WANT TO TAKE ON AS A
COMMISSIONER AND IF YOU ARE
REAPPOINTED?
>> AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT
OVERARCHING AREA THAT I'M
EXCITED ABOUT IS SUPPORTING THE
WORK ON PARK DISTRICT
PERFORMANCE? AND SO I WOULD
LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE NEW
SELF-COMMITTEE, MONITORING AT
THIS SAME TIME AND HOW THE
FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT IN ORDER
TO SUPPORT PRIORITIES THAT ARE
A PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND PARTICULARLY I'M EXCITED
ABOUT THE NEW HEART THAT'S
COMING UP IN LITTLE SAIGON. I
BELIEVE THAT THAT IS RELATED TO
-- THAT'S SLATED TO THE LAUNCH
IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I KNOW THAT
AREA PRETTY WELL, AND I THINK
IT IS VERY EXCITING TO HAVE THE
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IN
LITTLE SAIGON. AND I'M
INTERESTED IN DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION. I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN SEEING MORE
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES IN THE
DOWNTOWN AREA. I WAS RECENTLY
AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MOMENTUM
RIDE SHOW. AND I KNOW THAT
THOSE KINDS OF EVENTS ARE
REALLY VALUABLE TO THE
RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY,
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT ON THESE
DEVELOPMENTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR PHILLIP?
>> OKAY, SEEING NONE, PHILLIP,
THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE WILL
PROCEED WITH YOUR APPOINTMENT.
SO I MOVE THE COMMITTEE TO
RECOMMEND APPOINTMENT 02660. IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED. FOR THE
CONFORMATION OF THE
APPOINTMENTS. ANY FINAL
COMMENTS ON THE APPOINTMENT?
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE TO AFFIRM
THE APPOINTMENT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PRESIDENT
JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA? CHAIR
LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE THREE IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU. AND THE DECISION
IS UNANIMOUS AND THE
RECOMMENDATION MOVES TO FULL
COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR COMING
TO COMMITTEE.
>> WILL THE CLERK QUICKLY
REREAD THE ROLE ON ITEM 1,
PLEASE?
>> AND A LITTLE BIT QUICKER
THERE, COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M
SORRY, I'M SORRY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> CHAIR LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR IN
FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THERE WE GO, IT IS NOW SUPER
UNANIMOUS. AND YOUR
APPOINTMENT, PHILLIP, SO THANK
YOU. AND THIS RECOMMENDED
APPOINTMENT WILL GO ON TUESDAY,
THE 26th MEETING OF FULL
COUNCIL THAT YOU DO NOT FEED TO
ATTEND THIS MEETING. AND WE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT
ANSWERING YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM TWO INTO THE AGENDA?
>> APPOINTMENT 02635,
APPOINTMENT OF MARSHALL FOSTER
AS DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE CENTER,
FOR A TERM OF SEPTEMBER 1,
2027.
>> THANK YOU, WE ARE JOINED IN
CHAMBERS BY THE NOMINEE. AND TO
INTRODUCE THE NOMINEE AND GIVE
OPENING REMARKS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN LEWIS.
OKAY, GOOD, I FORGOT HOW TO
WORK THE MICROPHONE. IT HAS NOT
BEEN THAT LONG, TIM.
>> COME ON, NOW. COME ON. YOU
KNOW HOW IT WORKS, BUDDY.
GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS HERE.
FOLLOWING THE WELL-EARNED
RETIREMENT. APPOINTING THE
SEARCH COMMITTEE TO FIND THE
BEST POSSIBLE LEADER TO FOLLOW
ROBERT. THE SEARCH COMMITTEE
INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM
OUR LOCAL ARTS, BUSINESS, AND
COMMUNITIES. INCLUDING THE
ORGANIZATIONS. AND THE SEATTLE
FOUNDATION AND THE UPTOWN
ALLIANCE. THE CENTER EMPLOYEES
WERE ASKED FOR THEIR
PERSPECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN THE
CENTER, THREE HIGHLY QUALIFIED
CANDIDATES TO THE MAYOR FOR
CONSIDERATION INCLUDING
MARSHALL. MAYOR HARRELL WANTED
TO NOMINATE THE LEADER TO BUILD
UPON THE REMARKABLE LEGACY AT
SEATTLE CENTER IN SHAPE AND
DEFINE A NEW MISSION AND
CENTER, WHERE THEY FOUND THAT
LEADER. YOU HAVE ALL WORKED
WITH MARSHALL AND YOU KNOW HIM
WELL TO SOUND TRANSIT AS
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE
WATERFRONT AND CIVIC PROJECTS,
AND IN HIS CURRENT ROLE AT
SEATTLE CENTER. HE HAS SERVED
IN EACH OF THESE ROLES WITH
DISTINCTION. PERHAPS THE MOST
VISIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS COULD BE
SEEN TODAY AT THE PARK, EXCUSE
ME, WATERFRONT PARK, WHICH IS
PARTIALLY OPEN NOW AND WILL BE
FULLY OPEN IN 2025. MARSHALL
HELPED GET THIS PROJECT UP AND
RUNNING. IT IS REMAKING OUR
WATERFRONT INTO A BEAUTIFUL
FAMILY-ORIENTED PARK AND
PEDESTRIAN THAT EVERYONE IN THE
GREATER PUGET SOUND REGION CAN
ENJOY. MARSHALL HAS POSITIVELY
IMPACTED THE CENTER IN THE LAST
NINE MONTHS AS INTERIM
DIRECTOR. HE'S OVERSEEING THE
DEPARTMENT'S LARGEST HIRING
SURGE IN OVER A DECADE. 26 NEW
HIRES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
HE HAS WELCOMED BACK THE LEGACY
EVENTS THAT WERE SUSPENDED
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. AND IN
LIGHT OF SEATTLE AND THE
CENTERS CULTURAL CENTER.
ESSENTIAL TO BOTH THE CITY AND
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
MARSHALL HAS LED THE
REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR A NEW
MEMORIAL STADIUM. HE'S
CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING A
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE
ONE ROOF PARTNERSHIP. AND THAT
AGREEMENT WILL COME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF
NEXT YEAR FOR CONSIDERATION. IN
ALL OF THIS, CHAIRMAN LEWIS,
MARSHALL HAS DEMONSTRATED AN
APPROACH TO HIS WORK THAT WILL
VALUE OTHERS, ROOTED IN ROCK
SOLID INTEGRITY. HE SEEKS
WISDOM FROM OTHERS. HE VALUES
DIVERSITY AND AN INCLUSIVE
LEADERSHIP STYLE. MAYOR HARRELL
BELIEVES MARSHALL WILL BE AN
OUTSTANDING LEADER AT SEATTLE'S
CENTER, AND WE THANK YOU FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION OF HIS
APPOINTMENT. AND I THINK YOU
WANT TO SHARE A FEW COMMENTS?
>> I WILL. YES, I WOULD LOVE
TO. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR
BURR GUESS AND GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR LEWIS AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE
TODAY TO SHARE MY STRONG
INTEREST IN BECOMING THE NEXT
DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE CENTER, AND
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I
APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS. I'LL SAY
A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT BROUGHT
ME TO THIS OPPORTUNITY. I
STARTED WORKING FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE IN 2007. SINCE THEN
I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO GET TO
WORK WITH INCREDIBLY TALENTED
PEOPLE, ON PROJECTS AND
INITIATIVES TO HELP SHAPE THE
CITY. FROM THE TIME I WAS VERY
YOUNG, I HAVE ADORED CITIES IN
THE WAY PEOPLE COME TOGETHER IN
CITIES FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
TO HAVE INSPIRING AND AT TIMES
CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES,
WHETHER IT IS THROUGH ARTS AND
CULTURE, THE DIRECT ACTION AND
PROTEST, OR ENJOYING THE MANY
THINGS THAT CITIES HAVE TO
OFFER US. THROUGH ALL THAT IN
PUBLIC PLACES THAT ARE
ACCEPTABLE TO ALL TO HELP US
RECONNECT AT A FUNDAMENTAL
LEVEL TO EACH OTHER HAS BEEN
WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. SEATTLE
CENTER IS IN MANY WAYS AN
EMBODIMENT OF THOSE IDEAS TO
ME. WHEN I LOOK AHEAD AT MY
CAREER, SEATTLE CENTER IS WHERE
I WOULD LIKE TO INVEST MY TIME
AND ENERGY. I LOOK FORWARD, AND
I FEEL LIKE MY SKILLS AND
TALENT WOULD MAKE AN IMPORTANT
DIFFERENCE THERE. I FEEL A
STRONG CONNECTION TO THE
SEATTLE CENTER IN MY LAST NINE
MONTHS. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW
IMPRESSED AND HUMBLED I'VE BEEN
BY THE STAFF AND HOW MUCH
PASSION THEY BRING AND HOW MUCH
HUMANITY THEY HAVE IN THEIR
WORK EVERY DAY. AS WELL AS THE
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT
THEY CALL IT HOME. IT IS A VERY
SPECIAL PLACE THAT WILL BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS
OF LIFE. IT'S THE ONLY CITY
DEPARTMENT THAT HAS JOY AND
DELIGHT IN ITS MISSION
STATEMENT. AND I GET TO SEE
THAT EVERY DAY. IT IS REALLY A
REMARKABLE PLACE. THE LAST
THING THAT I'LL MENTION THAT IS
VERY SPECIAL IS SOMETHING THAT
I LEARNED FROM FORMER DIRECTOR
NELLUMS, THE VALUE OF
BELONGING. THE STAFF, OUR
VISITORS, THE COMMUNITIES THAT
WILL COME TOGETHER TO HOST
EVENTS, IT IS ALL ABOUT THAT
SENSE OF PLACE AND THAT SENSE
OF CONNECTION. THOSE ARE ALL
VALUES THAT ARE DEEPLY
INSPIRING TO ME AND THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THE REST OF
MY TIME AND MY CAREER FOCUSED
ON. TODAY SEATTLE CENTER IS
VERY MUCH AT AN INFLECTION
POINT. THIS IS A TERM THAT THE
STAFF HAS PROBABLY HEARD ME SAY
MORE THAN THEY WOULD LIKE AT
THIS POINT. WE ARE REALLY IN A
MOMENT WHERE THE CITY IS
CHANGING QUICKLY. WE ARE
WORKING TO RECOVER FROM THE
PANDEMIC. THE NEED FOR A SHARED
PUBLIC EXPERIENCE IS GREATER
THAN EVER. THAT IS SOMETHING
THEY ARE VERY COMMITTED TO,
CREATING THOSE PUBLIC
EXPERIENCES, HELPING PEOPLE
OVERCOME DIFFERENCES. AT THE
SAME TIME OUR COMMUNITY IN
SEATTLE HAVE MORE URGENT NEEDS
THAN OTHERS. HAVING JUST HAD A
REMARKABLE SUMMER, BRINGING
MAJOR EVENTS BACK TO LIFE ON
CAMPUS, AS WELL AS EXPANDING
INTO OUR NEW ROLE MANAGING
WATERFRONT PARK. THE DEPARTMENT
IS HUNGRY FOR NEW STRATEGIC
DIRECTION AND REINVESTMENT,
BOTH IN THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS
IN THE PLACE. SERVING AS THE
NEXT DIRECTOR WILL REQUIRE A
LEADERSHIP STYLE THAT'S DEEPLY
ROOTED IN SEATTLE'S CENTER
VALUES, ALONG WITH THE BROADER
PERSPECTIVE NEEDED TO BUILD A
NEW SHARED VISION FOR THE
ORGANIZATION'S FUTURE. IT
REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO LEAD A
DIVERSE TEAM AND MANY INVESTED
STAKEHOLDERS WITH BOTH SOME
STRENGTH AS WELL AS A WHOLE LOT
OF EMPATHY AS THE ORGANIZATION
WILL NEED TO GROW AND CHANGE.
FUNDAMENTALLY, THE NEXT
DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE CENTER HAS
TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THOSE VALUES
AND STEWARD THEM. AND ALSO HELP
THE ORGANIZATION MOVE FORWARD
TOWARDS A NEW VISION FOR ITS
FUTURE. STRENGTHENING THE TEAM,
BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS, AND
ACCESSING NEW E ARE SOURCES TO
HELP SEATTLE CENTER REIMAGINE
ITSELF. I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE
PAST NINE MONTHS AS INTERIM
DIRECTOR THAT THIS IS A
HARDBALL LANCE TO STRIKE. I
WON'T PRETEND TO BE ANYWHERE
NEAR PERFECT FOR THIS ROLE, BUT
I DO HOPE TO BRING MY STRENGTHS
AND MY EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS
MY PASSION FOR GREAT URBAN
PLACES TO THE CHALLENGE, AND I
THINK IT IS A LOT OF WHAT
SEATTLE CENTER WILL NEED IN
THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT. I
COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED AND
READY TO STEP INTO THIS
CHALLENGE. FORTUNATE FOR ME,
THERE IS A CARING AND INSPIRING
TEAM BEHIND ME WHO LOVES
SEATTLE CENTER AND READY TO
PARTNER IN TAKING THIS ON. NOW
IS VERY MUCH THE TIME TO BEGIN
THAT NEXT CHAPTER OF SEATTLE
CENTER STORY. AND WITH IT,
RECENTRE OF ECATEPEC AS THE
CENTER FOR ARTS AND CULTURE IN
SEATTLE. THAT WAS A LOT OF
CENTERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH INTERIM
DIRECTOR FOSTER AND THANKS TO
DEPUTY MAYOR BURR JESS FOR
THOSE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
YOU'VE BEEN TO COMMITTEE
SEVERAL TIMES NOW IN YOUR
INTERIM ROLE. AND TO TALK ABOUT
THE CITY. AND IT HAS ALWAYS
BEEN GREAT TO HAVE YOUR TEAM
FROM SEATTLE CENTER COME AND
TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THE VERY
SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE
UNDERTAKING, VIA THE ACTIVATION
OF THE WATERFRONT, BE IT THE
MEMORIAL STADIUM WORK THAT
WE'RE DOING. THE ONGOING WORK
AROUND CLIMATE PLEDGE AND
SECURITY ON THE CAMPUS AND
PUBLIC SAFETY, EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND IN TERMS OF MY QUESTIONS
TODAY, I THINK I WANT TO START
WITH THE EXPANDED ROLE THAT THE
SEATTLE CENTER IS SEEING GOING
BEYOND THE BORERS OF THE
CAMPUS TO THE WATERFRONT FOR
THE FIRST TIME REALLY IN ITS
HISTORY WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY
AND PROGRAMMING SERVICES THAT
DIRECTOR ELEVATED ON CAMPUS.
AND EXPANDING THOSE TO THE
WATERFRONT. I CAN JUST SPEAK
KEEPING IT A CLEAN, SAFE, AND
OPEN CAMPUS IN A WAY THAT
RESPECTS THE DIGNITY OF
EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND A GREAT
SOCIAL SERVICES AND ALSO HOLDS
PEOPLE ACCOUNTABE FOR BREAK
THE RULES WHEN THAT OCCURS.
COULD YOU MAYBE GIVE A LITTLE
BIT OF THE UPDATE ON HOW THAT
WORK IS GOING? WHAT YOUR VISION
IS ON HOW TO KEEP AND MAINTAIN
THAT SERVICE TO REALIZE THE
VISION THAT WE WANT TO SEE ON
THE WATERFRONT ONCE THAT WORK
IS COMPLETED? AND WHAT OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES YOU SEE FOR THE
IMPACT OF THE OFFICE OF THE
SEATTLE CENTER IN OTHER PUBLIC
SPACES AROUND THE CITY?
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO. THAT'S
A GREAT AREA TO FOCUS ON FOR A
MINUTE. THE WATERFRONT IS VERY
MUCH ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS. I WANT
TO RECOGNIZE WE'RE ABOUT THREE
MONTHS IN, AND WE WOULDN'T BE
ANYWHERE NEAR WHERE WE ARE
WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
SEATTLE CENTER DIRECTORS,
SEVERAL OF WHOM CHOSE TO BE
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR
JOINING US. TIFFANY MAL AKE WHO
HAS JUMPED INTO THAT WITH BOTH
FEET AS WELL AS FRIENDS OF
SEATTLE. AND A LOT OF WHAT
WE'RE DOING THERE IS HAPPENING
BECAUSE OF VERY STRONG
PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE BUILT
OVER MORE THAN A DECADE TO MAKE
IT POSSIBLE. WE HAVE 23
DEDICATED STAFF THAT WE BROUGHT
ONLINE TO DO THAT WORK. THAT IS
FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT MADE IT
POSSIBLE. THAT WAS A BIG LIFT
FOR SEATTLE CENTER TO DO THAT
LEVEL OF RECRUITING, HIRING,
TRAINING, GETTING PEOPLE READY
TO GO. IT HAS BEEN WORKING, AND
FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A TESTAMENT
TO THE ORIGINAL IDEA, WHICH IS
THAT WE NEEDED A DEDICATED
FULL-TIME TEAM WHO THOUGHT
ABOUT NOT 15 THINGS, BUT THEY
THOUGHT ABOUT ONE THING, WHICH
IS THE QUALITY AND THE CARE OF
THE WATERFRONT. IT ALSO SPEAKS
TO THE POWER AND THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE LEARNED FROM
ROBERT NELLUMS OF BRINGING
TOGETHER PROGRAMMING,
MAINTENANCE, AND PUBLIC SAFETY
UNDER ONE UMBRELLA THAT CAN
THINK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES IN AN
INTEGRATED WAY. AND BECAUSE OF
THE INTEGRATION OF APPROACH.
THE CHALLENGE THAT WE WOULD
HAVE NOW IS THE WATERFRONT THAT
IS FAR FROM FINISH. WE ARE
OPENING NEW SPACES ALL THE
TIME. AND WE NEED TO GROW THAT
TEAM QUICKLY. WE NEED TO HAVE A
SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM THE
OFFICE OF THE WATERFRONT TO
SEATTLE CENTER. AND WE NEED TO
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. ONE OF THE
BIG THINGS THAT THEY STRUGGLE
WITH IS HOW THEY PLAN THE
CAPITAL REPLACEMENT OF ASSETS
AS THEY FAIL, WHICH
UNFORTUNATELY TAY HAD ALWAYS
DO. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE
PARKS DEPARTMENT AND SDOT ON
HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT PARK
IS GOING TO LOOK AS GOOD FIVE
YEARS IN, TEN YEARS AS THEY DO
ON OPENING DAY, BUT IT'S OFF TO
A VERY GOOD START.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING THE WATERFRONT PARK, YOU
KNOW, BE FULLY COMPLETED,
ACTIVATED, AND APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO
PREPARE FOR THAT EVENTUAL ROLE.
AND I WANT TO ASK ONE MORE
QUESTION AND THEN I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND I'M
JUST CURIOUS TO GET YOUR TAKE
ON OUTSIDE THE FOUR CORNERS OF
THE QUESTIONS THAT WE SENT IN
ADVANCE. WHEN WE HAD SEATTLE IN
LATE JULY, THERE WAS A LITTLE
CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE USE OF AN
APP, THE CHECK APP, AS THE
PRIMARY WAY FOR VENDORS TO
CONDUCT BUSINESS AND IT LED TO
A LITTLE BIT OF A PUSH BACK IN
SOME LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES AND
SOME PEOPLE REPORTEDLY STARTED
TO JUST TAKE CASH ON THE SIDE
BECAUSE THE APP WAS NOT WORKING
HAPPENING. IN TERMS OF BRINGING
TOGETHER FUTURE FESTIVALS, ARE
THERE MOVEMENTS TO INCORPORATE
THAT FEEDBACK, TO TRY TO FIGURE
OUT A WAY TO AVOID SOME OF
THOSE TECHNOLOGICAL HURDLES IN
THE FUTURE?
>> YES. AND THAT WAS A VERY
REAL ISSUE I WOULD SAY IT
WASN'T THE MAJORITY EXPERIENCE.
WE HAD MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE
REPORTED BEING VERY PLEASED
WITH HOW THE CHECK APP
FUNCTIONED. IT WAS THE FIRST
TIME WE HAVE EVER USED IT, SO
THERE WERE SOME BUMPS ON THE
ROAD FOR SURE. WE ARE WORKING
WITH CHECKS, AND WE HAVE SOME
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FESTIVAL
THAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT
FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WILL HELP
GIVE THE PUBLIC MORE OPTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT PEOPLE WHO
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT SORT OF
STREAMLINED EXPERIENCE OF ONE
APP FOR EVERYTHING BE ABLE TO
USE IT. BUT ALSO FOLKS WHO WANT
TO USE CASH. FOLKS WHO WANT TO
USE CREDIT CARDS TO HAVE OTHER
OPTIONS. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY,
SOMETHING WE'RE FOCUSED ON A
LOT THIS FALL IS SORT OF WHAT
IS OUR LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE
MAJOR FESTIVALS? WE HAVEN'T HAD
SOME OF THOSE FESTIVALS IN
SEVERAL YEARS. AND SO THAT IS
AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO
INTENTIONALLY STOP. WE ARE
TAKING IT IN, HOW SHOULD WE
MAKE SOME CHANGES IN WORKING
WITH THE PRODUCER TO SAY WHAT
WILL IT LOOK LIKE AND HOW WILL
IT BE DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR? THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN TELL
YOU THAT IT WILL BE DIFFERENT.
THERE WILL BE MORE OPTIONS ON
HOW PEOPLE PAY.
>> GREAT. IT'S GOOD TO HEAR
THAT UPDATE. ARE IT THERE
QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES FOR
THE NOMINEE? COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD IS COMING.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD? AND THEN
FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU. NOT SO MUCH
QUESTIONS, BUT MORE JUST A
STATEMENT. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE RECOGNITION THAT A
SUCCESSFUL SEATTLE CENTER IS
REALLY DEPENDENT ON THE
PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU BUILD.
LOOKING AT ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR
THE CITY AND THE SUCCESS OF ALL
YOU'VE DONE, THAT IT IS
WATERFRONT. , SOUTH LAKE UNION
OR THE TERRACE, ALL THESE
THINGS, THEY COULD NOT BE
POSSIBLE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE
SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION AND
PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE
BUILT. SO JUST SEEING THE LINE
OF YOUR SKILLS, AND YOUR
CAPABILITIES. AND TO THIS NEW
CHALLENGE, WHICH I'M REALLY
CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL. AND
REALLY APPRECIATE JUST LOOKING
THROUGH THE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FROM THE COUNCIL AS IT
RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO WORKING
WITH THE COUNCIL. AND I JUST
WANT TO SAY I STRONGLY CONCUR
WITH WHAT YOU SAY THAT YOUR
APPROACH IS TO GET TO KNOW THEM
AND THEIR PRIORITIES, AND I
FEEL THAT YOU HAVE DEFINITELY
DONE SO IN YOUR TIME WITH THE
CITY. AND TO GO UNDER YOUR
WATCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU,
MEETING NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS
SOON. AND WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF
NEW ONES. THEY'LL BE HERE. AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU FOR MAKING A PITCH
FOR THE LEGISLATION WE JUST
CONSIDERED IN MY COMMITTEE THIS
MORNING ON THAT NOTE. I CAN'T
SEE YOU, MR. FOSTER, BUT THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR FOSTER,
FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN
PARTNERSHIP OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR
INTEREST IN YOUR OPENNESS TO
ENGAGING IN THE DISCUSSION WITH
OUR LABOR PARTNERS. BOTH AT THE
WATERFRONT AND AT SEATTLE
CENTER AND SPECIFIC AS WELL TO
THE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS THAT
ARE EVOLVING ALONG THE
WATERFRONT AND MEMORIAL
STADIUM. IT HAS BEEN GREAT TO
SEE YOU ENGAGE IN THAT WAY AND
I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT
AND RECOGNIZE SIMILARLY TO THE
VISION THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FOR
SEATTLE CENTER AND WHEN WE
INVEST IN AND PARTNER WITH
LABOR AND UNIONS THAT WILL
IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR
OVERALL ECONOMY AND WORKING
CONDITIONS FOR ALL WORKERS. AND
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A HIGH
ROAD EMPLOYER ON THOSE
DISCUSSIONS. AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO WORK WITH YOU ON THE CLINIC
SERVICES THAT YOU OFFER AND THE
SEATTLE CENTER AND WE
APPRECIATE THE TOUR THAT YOU
AND YOUR STAFF OFFERED TO MY
TEAM WHEN WE WOULD WALK THROUGH
AMONG THE THINGS THAT YOU
OPENED UP THIS YEAR. AND THE
PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC, FREE
CLINIC FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND
ONE OF THOSE. AND I KNOW THAT
IT IS WELL ATTENDED AND GREATLY
APPRECIATED. AND SO
CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU MORE ON THE CONCEPTS OVER
THE YEARS TO COME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND CAN
I ADJUST A SMALL COMMENT?
>> YES.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY ON THE
POINT, HOW MUCH BEING IN THIS
ROLE NOW FOR ME HAS OPENED UP
JUST A MUCH DEEPER APPRECIATION
AND THE WATERFRONT AND THINGS
THAT WE FOCUSED ON THE HARMONY
AND HOW TO CREATE THE
OPPORTUNITY. NOW THIS JOB IS
ALL ABOUT HANDS ON
PARTNERSHIPS. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I LOVED ABOUT THE
LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN THE
MOMENTS WHERE I HAVE GOTTEN TO
GO OUT WITH STAFF AND TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SOUND CREWS
DO AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
GROUNDS KEEPING TEAM DOES AND
WHAT THE REPRESENTED TEAMS ARE
DOING ON THE CAMPUS. AND IT
JUST ENRICHES. MY UNDERSTANDING
IS HOW TO BE A GOOD PARTNER TO
LABOR TO HAVE THAT ON THE
GROUND EXPERIENCE AND IT IS ONE
OF THE COOL THINGS TO BE THERE
AND WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE YOU AT
THE CLINIC.
>> YES, THANKS AGAIN FOR THAT
PARTNERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T
SEE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I'LL GIVE A COUPLE OF CLOSING
REMARKS THAT I WILL, OF COURSE,
BE VOTING VERY ENTHUSIASTICALLY
TO RECOMMEND THE CONFIRMATION
OF FOSTER AS THE PERMANENT
DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF
SEATTLE CENTER. AND JUST AN
INCREDIBLE NOMINEE WITH THE
BROAD DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE AND
THE TRACK RECORD OF WORKING
VERY CLOSELY WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. AND ON A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN
A VARIETY OF CAPACITIES. AND IT
IS A VERY UNIQUE PLACE, AND
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING LIKE IT IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AS
SORT OF THIS CIVIC CULTURAL,
COMPLETELY PEDESTRIANIZED
CAMPUS THAT WE ELEVATE TO THAT
LEVEL OF HAVING A CABINET LEVEL
DIRECTOR AND MAKE SURE IT IS A
PRIORITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO
INVEST IN, REINVENT, AND
CULTIVATE THAT SPACE. AND
ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN WE
ARE EXPANDING THE REACH AND THE
PROGRAMMING. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE WOULD HAVE A
NOMINEE OF THE CALIBER OF
MARSHALL FOSTER RUNNING THAT
OFFICE. I THINK THAT IS IN
KEEPING CANDIDLY JUST TO
DIGRESS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
WITH THE QUALITY OF THE CABINET
NOMINEES THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN SENDING
TO THE COUNCIL OVER THE COURSE
OF THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF,
AND IF IT IS APD OR GREG SPOTS,
PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY MODELING
INNOVATION, ACCESSIBILITY,
CREATIVITY. AND THE PROBLEM
SOLVING. I KNOW THAT WE ALL
HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL
APPRECIATE THAT SPIRIT OF
COLLABORATION AND WE ARE HAPPY,
AT LEAST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF
AND SOON FOR THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION. [ CAPTIONERS
TRANSITIONING ]
I AM GOING TO MOVE
RECOMMENDATION OF THE
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT
402635.
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED RECOMMEND
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
CONFIRMATION. OTHER ANY FINAL
>> YES. COMMENTS? SEEING NO
FINAL COMMENTS, WILL THE CLERK
PLASE CALL THE ROLE AND
RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM THE
APPOINTMENT.
>>
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> SURE LEWIS. FOUR IN FAVOR
AND THEN OPPOSED.
>> WHILE THIS RECOMMENDATION IS
ADOPTED AND WILL BE REFERRED TO
THE NEXT FULL COUNCIL MEETING,
YOU NEED NOT COME IN PERSON,
BUT OF COURSE YOU'RE MORE THAN
WELCOME TO COME FOR THAT FINAL
CONFIRMATION AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONFIRMING YOU
BEFORE WE GO ON TO BUDGET.
THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
AGENDA ITEM 3. WITH THE CLERK
PLEASE READ NUMBER THREE INTO
THE RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BUILT 120664. AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION;
AUTHORIZING AN OPERATIONS AND
MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, A
WASHINGTON STATE MUNICIPAL
CORPORATION, BY AND THROUGH
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION,
AND THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, A
WASHINGTON STATE NONPROFIT
CORPORATION, TO ENTER INTO AN
OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT
AGREEMENT FOR ACTIVATION AND
PROGRAMMING SERVICES AT BELL
ST. PARK, OCCIDENTAL SQUARE,
PIONEER SQUARE AND WESTLAKE
PARK; AND RATIFYING AND
CONFIRMING CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH , MR.
CLERK. DO WE HAVE -- IS IT
GOING TO BE JOHN COMING UP IN
PRESENTING?
>> PLEASE HAVE A SEAT. WELCOME.
JON SCHOLES FROM THE DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE ASSOCIATION. FOR THE
RECORD. WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE
VIRTUALLY JOINING US.
CHRISTOPHER, ARE YOU ON THIS
PANEL AS WELL? GREAT. SO WHO
SHOULD START? SHOULD WE START
WITH JON SCHOLES OR YOU,
CHRISTOPHER?
>> I THINK I'M GOING TO KICK
US OFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
THINK IT WAS THE MID BOARD
CHAIRPERSON WHO DESCRIBED AS AS
A LAYUP AND I COULDN'T AGREE
MORE. TODAY WE ARE BRINGING
FORWARD A CONTRACT FOR RENEWAL
BETWEEN THE SEATTLE PARK AND
RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND DSA,
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION.
THIS IS A PURCHASE OF SERVICES
CONTRACT. THE DEPARTMENT IS
PARTNERING WITH THE ESSAY TO
PURCHASE ACTIVATION SERVICES
FOR DOWNTOWN. THIS IS 100%
PUBLIC ASSETS. FROM A
TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT, THE
DIRECTION OF THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION, WE DID NOT
ELECT TO DO AN RFP FOR THIS
WORK, ADDITIONALLY THIS IS
SUCH SPECIALIZED AREA OF WORK,
WE FELT THAT THE DSA HAD
PERFORMED OVER AND ABOVE
EXPECTATIONS. DSA HAS BEEN AN
INCREDIBLE PARTNER ACTIVATING
OUR DOWNTOWN PARTS. NOT ONLY
HAVE THEY REVITALIZED WESTLAKE
THEY HAVE EXCEEDED FUNDRAISING
TARGETS BY DOUBLE IF NOT MORE.
PUTTING ALL THOSE INTO
PROGRAMMING, HAS REALLY
INCREASE THE VITALITY OF OUR
DOWNTOWN PARKS. ONE OF THE
THINGS I WOULD ALSO SAY HERE IS
THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP IS IN
RECOGNITION THAT SOMETIMES
THERE ARE PARTNERS WHO DO
THINGS EXCEEDINGLY BETTER THAN
WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT. THAT IS
ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE
INTERESTED IN RENEWING THIS
ACTIVATION AGREEMENT WITH DSA
BECAUSE WHAT THEY DO IN TERMS
OF FUNDRAISING AND ACTIVATION
IS REALLY QUITE TERRIFIC. THEY
WILL PROVIDE US WITH 362 DAYS
OF PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVATION
IN OUR DOWNTOWN. PARKS. NEXT
SLIDE. RATHER, I GUESS THAT
WAS THE FIRST LIGHT. WHY DO WE
GET ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE,
CONTRACTING UPDATE GOALS.
>> JUST A MOMENT, CHRISTOPHER.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE, DO WE HAVE
THE SLIDE? IS UP IN CHAMBERS?
GREAT. GO AHEAD, SORRY, I
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAD IT UP
FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. AS WE WORK
WITH DSA, WE SHARE A COMMON
GOAL TO PROVIDE SAFE, ACTIVE
DOWNTOWN PARKS. WE WANT TO
CREATE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT
WITH ACTIVITIES THAT REFLECT
THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO
DEMONSTRATE SUCCESS, PEOPLE
COUNTS, SURVEYS AND METRICS.
AND ALL FUNDS WILL GO BACK INTO
REPROGRAMMING THE PARKS AND
ACTIVATING THEM. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE
ACTIVATION STRATEGIES ARE PART
OF A GREATER PUBLIC DATA
RATHER GREATER EFFORT TO
INCREASE THE PERCEPTION OF
PUBLIC SAFETY IN DOWNTOWN
PARKS. IT'S NOT JUST
ACTIVATION FOR THE SAKE OF
ACTIVATION, IT'S FOR THESE
PARKS TO BE SAFE PLACES FOR
FAMILIES AND KIDS. SO THE
CONTRACT OUT WILL PROVIDE A
DAILY PRESENCE AT THE PARKS
LISTED HERE . THEY WILL PROVIDE
WEEKLY LARGER SCALE EVENTS.
STAFFING FOR THE EVENTS.
SECURITY FOR THOSE EVENTS. THEY
WILL MANAGE PERMITTING FOR
OUTSIDE EVENT ORGANIZERS IN
THESE PARKS. THEY WILL WORK
WITH VENDORS. THEY WILL
ADVERTISE ONLINE , PROVIDE
SERVICES TO MARGINALIZED
POPULATIONS. THEY WILL ENSURE
THE CONTRACTING UTILIZES
VENDORS AND FUNDRAISING
SUPPLEMENT IS PUBLIC
INVESTMENT. AND REPORT BOTH ON
REVENUE AND PROGRAMMING TWICE
PER YEAR. ALSO, OUR ROLE IS TO
MANAGE FREE-SPEECH EVENTS. WE
WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE PARK
MAINTENANCE AND PROVIDE PARK
RANGER SUPPORT IN THESE PARKS.
AGAIN, THAT ACTIVATION,
MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY AND
SECURITY ARE REALLY WHAT MAKE
GREAT DOWNTOWN PARKS BASIS.
OKAY. NEXT SLIDE. SO SPECIFIC
TO DSA'S ROLE, THEY WILL BE
PROVIDING REGULAR DAILY
PROGRAMMING THAT LEADS PEOPLE
TO PERCEIVE THE PARKS ARE
INCREASINGLY SAFE. THE PUBLIC
PERCEPTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
ACTIVATION, OPPORTUNITIES WILL
BE FREE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE
PUBLIC. THE MAJORITY OF
ACTIVATIONS AND PROGRAMS WILL
FALL WITHIN THESE FOUR
CATEGORIES. EXAMPLES OF
EFFORTS FALLING WITHIN THE
CATEGORIES INCLUDE PARK
AMENITIES, THAT SUPPORT
INCREASED PARK USE. SUCH AS
PLANTINGS, FURNITURE, AND FOOD
TRUCKS. HEALTH AND WELLNESS
INCLUDE THINGS LIKE FITNESS
PROGRAMS AND DROPPING TABLE
GAMES. PROGRAMS FOR YOUTHS OR
FAMILIES INCLUDE ACTIVITIES
THAT SUPPORT INCREASED USE OF
THE PARKS FOR WOMEN AND
CHILDREN. SUCH AS CHILDREN'S
PROGRAMMING , GAMES AND
HANDS-ON LEARNING. THE REASON
THAT IS IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE
THERE IS NO GREATER INDICATION
OR INDICATOR OF HOW SAFE A
PARK IS PERCEIVED TO BE THAN
THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND
CHILDREN WHO CHOOSE TO USE
THAT PARK. BECAUSE THAT
POPULATION TYPICALLY DOES NOT
GO INTO UNSAFE SPACES. ARTS
AND CULTURE. THIS INCLUDES
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS OFTEN
OFFERED IN PERISHABLE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS PARKS.
NEXT SLIDE. CONTRACT
COMPARISON. THIS IS A
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON AND
HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE
COMPARISON CONTRACT , OR
PROPOSED CONTRACT, ON THE LEFT
IS EXISTING AND ON THE RIGHT
IS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING. THE
NEW CONTRACT RAISES FUNDING FOR
THE CITY TO COVER THE COST OF
TWO ADDITIONAL PARKS AS WELL AS
INCREASED OPERATING COSTS.
WHILE ON THE SECOND LINE YOU
WILL SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN COST, I
WOULD BE GOOD TO KEEP IN MIND
THAT THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT
INFLATION OVER THE YEARS AND WE
ARE JUST BUYING PARK AND
RECREATION PROGRAMMING
ACTIVATION SERVICES , DSA HAS
A SET OF INFRASTRUCTURE OF
STAFF TO DELIVER. THERE IS
ALSO NEW CONTRACT SUPPLEMENTS
THAT INCLUDE FUNDING FOR DSA
STAFFING. WITH CONCIERGE AND
PARK RANGER PRESENCE TO
RECOGNIZE THE ADDED CHALLENGES
OF OUR CURRENT DOWNTOWN
CLIMATE. DSA FUNDRAISING
REQUIREMENT WILL REMAIN AT 83-1
MATCH REQUIREMENT . I SHOULD
MENTION HERE THAT IN THE FIRST
CYCLE OF THIS FUNDING DSA HAS
EXCEEDED THIS COMMITMENT
ALMOST 100% OF THE TIME DURING
THE SIX YEARS OF THE FIRST
CONTRACT. THE DEPARTMENT WILL
CONTINUE TO TAKE ON
MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENTS. THIS
IS OUR COMMITMENT TO CONDUCT
REGULAR AND FREQUENT PARK
INSPECTIONS IN CONCERT WITH
DSA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
MAINTENANCE COMPLEMENTS THE
PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVATION.
ADDITIONALLY WE WILL BE
DEVELOPING A SPONSORSHIP
PROCESS MOVING TO A PROGRAMMING
MODEL THAT TAKES IN ALL THAT
ADAPTS TO THE CHANGES IN
DOWNTOWN WORKER SCHEDULES. WE
WANT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN
HOW WE OPERATE AS A DEPARTMENT
TO HELP MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL AS
WELL. NEXT SLIDE. AS MANY OF
YOU KNOW, WE STARTED THIS WITH
DSA BACK IN 2015. IT WAS THE
FIRST YEAR OF THE PARK
DISTRICT SPENDING . WE THEN
MOVED INTO A FIVE YEAR
AGREEMENT THAT WAS HIGHLY
SUCCESSFUL IN CHANGING THE
WESTLAKE PARK AND OCCIDENTAL
PARK. WE ARE ADDING BELL
STREET AND PIONEER SQUARE PARK.
PIONEER SQUARE PARK IS YOUR
PARTNER SQUARE. DUE TO COVID,
AND CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WERE
DELAYED AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A
COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE
EXTENDED THE CONTRACT BECAUSE
OF COVID. AT THIS TIME I WOULD
LIKE TO HANDED OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE , JON SCHOLES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
CHRISTOPHER. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIRMAN COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS
IS BEEN A GOOD DEAL FOR
DOWNTOWN AND THE PUBLIC AND THE
CITY. GREAT CITIES HAVE GREAT
PARKS. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS
YOU WHAT THESE PUBLIC SPACES
LOOK LIKE PRIOR TO OUR
ORIGINAL AGREEMENT IN 2016.
THEY WERE VALUALE PUBLIC
ASSETS THAT WERE LARGELY VACANT
AND UNDERUTILIZED BY MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC, WHETHER THEY BE
FOLKS WHO WORK OR LIVE OR VISIT
DOWNTOWN. THROUGH THIS
PARTNERSHIP, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO ACTIVATE THE SPACES AND MAKE
THEM SAFE AND WELCOMING FOR
EVERYBODY. THANK YOU TO THE
PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF, THE
MAINTENANCE TEAM THAT WE WORK
CLOSELY WITH, AND THANKS TO OUR
STAFF , JEN, MICHAEL, WES,
JESSE WHO YOU HEARD FROM
EARLIER, PATRICIA AND DANNY WHO
WERE ALSO HERE. ALONG WITH THE
AMBASSADORS WERE NOT WITH US
TODAY. THIS IS A CREDIT TO THEM
AND THE GREAT WORK TO ENSURE
THE SPACES ARE SPACES THAT
EVERYONE CAN USE THROUGHOUT
THE DAY, THROUGHOUT THE WEEK,
THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS. AND
COME AND HAVE A GREAT TIME AND
FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG. THOSE
WERE OUR OBJECTIVES WHEN WE
BORROWED AND DEPLOYED BEST
PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE
COUNTRY ON AN ACTIVATION
STRATEGY BEGINNING 2016. YOU
CAN CYCLE THROUGH JACOB THE
NEXT FEW IMAGES. OUR STRATEGY
IS REALLY TO HAVE A CONSISTENT
LEVEL OF AMENITIES [
INDISCERNIBLE ] THAT ARE
ALWAYS THERE AND PEOPLE CAN
COUNT ON THEM EACH AND EVERY
DAY. TO LAYER ON TOP OF THAT
REGULAR PROGRAMMING,
ICE-SKATING RINGS, ROLLER
RINKS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SELFIES, ET CETERA. AND THEN
TO INVITE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
IN OUR COMMUNITY TO PUT ON
THEIR OWN EVENTS AND
PROGRAMMING. THE IMPACTS
TODAY I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF
THESE DETAILS, BUT THEY HAVE
BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FOLKS,
2.5 MILLION PEOPLE VISITING
LAKE OCCIDENTAL . WE REGULARLY
SERVE THE PUBLIC AROUND THEIR
ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS ON
WHETHER THESE ARE SAFE AND
INVITING OR CLEAN SPACES. THOSE
PERCEPTIONS HAVE IMPROVED
DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LIFE OF
THIS AGREEMENT. AS CHRISTOPHER
NOTED, WE REPORT TWICE PER YEAR
TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON OUR
ACTIVITIES, THE LEVEL OF
INVESTMENT, THE RESULTS OF
THESE PERCEPTION SURVEYS. ALL
ACCOUNTS THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS
BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO BUILDING UPON IT,
EXTENDING IT AND EXTENDING THE
STRATEGY AND THESE ACTIVITIES ,
STAFFING AND PROGRAMMING INTO
THE TWO ADDITIONAL SPACES THE
CHRISTOPHER NOTED. YOU CAN
CONTINUE HERE, JACOB, THIS IS
SOME ADDITIONAL DATA POINTS ON
THE IMPACTS THROUGH THE
CURRENT AGREEMENT. AS
CHRISTOPHER NOTED, THE
CONTRACTS CALL 48 THREE TO ONE
MATCH OF THREE PRIVATE DOLLARS
FOR EVERY CITY DOLLAR. WE HAVE
EXCEEDED THAT EVERY YEAR OF THE
CONTRACT. CLOSE TO SEVEN
DOLLARS FOR EVERY ONE DOLLAR OF
CITY INVESTMENT. THE NEXT
SLIDE GIVES YOU A SAMPLING OF
SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH. THIS
IS A SNAPSHOT. THESE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PUT ON
THEIR OWN PROGRAMMING AND
EVENTS IN THE SPACES. WE ARE
REALLY TRYING TO LAY OUT A
CANVAS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR OTHERS TO COME IN AND PUT
ON PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS AND
TO ENSURE WE ARE DELIVERING A
VERY DIVERSE SET OF PROGRAMMING
AND CREATING INCLUSIVE SPACES
WHERE EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY
BELONG. I APPRECIATE YOU
CONSIDERING THIS TODAY. THE MID
IS INCREASING INVESTMENT IN
THESE FOUR SPACES ALONG WITH
PROPOSED INVESTMENT FROM THE
CITY. THANK YOU, AS OTHERS HAVE
NOTED, FOR YOUR STRONG SUPPORT
OF THE RENEWAL OF THE MID
EARLIER THIS YEAR WHICH WILL
RESULT IN ABOUT $3 MILLION IN
ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM
PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WILL BE
GOING INTO ACTIVITIES LIKE
THIS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THAT
EFFORT AND YOUR STRONG ADVOCACY
AND SUPPORT FOR GREAT PARKS IN
OUR DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> JOHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF
EVERYONE IN THE DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE ASSOCIATION FOR
BRINGING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS
FORWARD. ID. WE HAVE A COUPLE
REMARKS, I DON'T HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I AM
HAPPY TO TURN IT OVER TO
COLLEAGUES AND HOLD MY REMARKS
UNTIL QUESTIONS ARE DONE. WE DO
ALSO HAVE TRACY FROM CENTRAL
STAFF WHO CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS
IF COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE AGREEMENT. ARE THERE
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES FOR THE PANEL OR
CENTRAL STAFF? SEEING NONE, I
THINK THIS IS A LAYUP
PROPOSAL. I THINK THIS IS A
GREAT PROPOSAL. IT HAS BEEN
WELL VETTED AND PUT FORWARD. I
THINK PARKS FOR THAT HANDY
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF THE
PREVIOUS AGREEMENT A NEWLY
REVISED ONE. EARLIER IN THE
PRESENTATION. I THINK THAT WAS
HELPFUL FOR MYSELF AND
COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES. I WANT TO
PRETTY CALL OUT HOW PLEASED I
AM TO SEE THE EXPLICIT
INCLUSION OF BELL STREET PARK
IN THE NEW AGREEMENT. I THINK
BELL STREET PARK HAS AN IMMENSE
AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE A CRITICAL
SPINE OF ACTIVATION IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT IS HAVING LOTS OF
COMPOUNDING CHALLENGE AROUND
PUBLIC SAFETY AND OTHER
CHALLENGES AROUND ACCESS TO
OPEN SPACE. AND BY INCLUDING
THESE ACTIVATIONS IN THIS
PROPOSAL, WE CAN SEE MORE
POTENTIAL AND MORE ACTIVATION
IN THAT CRITICAL PUBLIC SPACE
THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE
COMMITTEE. BEYOND THAT, I
THINK WE HAVE SEEN AT
OCCIDENTAL PARK AND PIONEER
PARK, AND OTHER LOCATIONS
WHERE THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN ACTIVE,
THE DOING PROGRAMMING IN THESE
PUBLIC SPACES HAS BEEN A CORE
OF OUR DOWNTOWN RECOVERY AND
GETTING PEOPLE TO COME BACK
DOWNTOWN, NOT JUST FOR WORK,
BUT FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND
DIVERSION. MY WIFE AND FAMILY
AND I DOWNTOWN ON A REGULAR
BASIS TO SEE SHOWS AT THE
FIFTH AVENUE THEATER OR GO TO
PIKE PLACE MARKET. AND
ACTIVATIONS IN THESE PARKS. I
THINK IT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE
VALUE OF THIS AGREEMENT . THE
MULTIPLIER EFFECT , THE BENEFIT
WE ALL GET FROM THIS MATCHING
OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
RESOURCES. TO REALIZE THESE
GOALS. REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO PASSING AND APPROVING THIS.
AND PARTAKING IN THE
FESTIVITIES THAT WE WILL SEE
AS A RESULT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GIVEN THAT THERE IS NO
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS, I'M GOING TO MOVE
THE PASSAGE OF COUNCIL BILL
120664. IS VERY SECOND? IT
SOUNDS LIKE COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD SECONDED BUT IT WAS
FAINT.
>> SORRY.
>> THAT IS A SECOND. IT HAS
BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. WITH
THE CLERK THESE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THIS BILL PASSES. THANK YOU
FOR A PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
>>AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION;
AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF
REAL PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS
9200 18th AVE SW; AUTHORIZING
ACCEPTANCE OF A RECORDING OF
THE DEED FOR OPEN SPACE, PARK,
AND RECREATION PURPOSES;
AMENDING ORDINANCE 126725,
WHICH ADOPTED THE 2023 BUDGET,
INCLUDING THE 2023-2028 CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM; CHANGING
APPROPRIATIONS TO VARIOUS
DEPARTMENTS AND BUDGET CONTROL
LEVELS, AND FROM VARIOUS FUNDS
IN THE BUDGET; MAKING AN
APPROPRIATION FROM THE PARK AND
RECREATION FUND FOR ACQUISITION
AND RELATED COSTS; AND
RATIFYING AND CONFIRMING
CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS; ALL BY A
3/4 VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.
CLARK. I BELIEVE THIS IS
ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE
ARE JOINED BY CHRISTOPHER. I
WILL HAND IT TO YOU TO
INTRODUCE YOUR PANEL AND GET
INTO THIS BILL.
>> THANK YOU , COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS. I WANT TO EXTEND
RECOGNITION AND THANK YOU TO
YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR
HANGING WITH US FOR AN
EXTREMELY LONG AGENDA TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE HAVE A
NEW ATTACHMENT, ATTACHMENT ONE
IS A REPLACEMENT PURCHASE AND
SALE AGREEMENT FOR THE WESTWOOD
NEGOTIATION PRICE REDUCTION
THAT WILL ENABLE US TO PAY FOR
SITE REMEDIATION. THE COST
ESTIMATE RANGE FROM $90,000 TO
ONE QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS
AND WE ARE GETTING THE TOP END
OF THAT RANGE. GOOD WORK TO
LISE WARD. OUR PARKS AND OPEN
SPACE PLAN DESCRIBES WHERE WE
HAVE OPEN SPACE GAPS IN THE
CITY WESTWOOD HIGHLAND PARK
NEIGHBORHOOD IN WEST SEATTLE
CERTAINLY IS ONE OF THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS. WITH THIS
ACQUISITION WE NOW HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GET ADJACENT
LAND THAT WILL BE TRANSFERRED
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION TO CREATE A NEW
PARK FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT
WILL BE ABOUT ONE ACRE IN SIZE.
THANKS FOR PROPERTY OWNER WHO
WAS WILLING TO SELL, WE NO
LONGER -- WE NOW HAVE A LARGER
CANVAS FOR FUTURE PARKS. THIS
IS A SIGNIFICANT ACQUISITION ,
ALMOST AT AN UNBELIEVABLE
PRICE. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THAT?
>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON
COUNCIL MEMBERS. CAN I GET THE
SLIDE ? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE WESTWOOD HIGHLAND PARK
RESIDENTIAL VILLAGE IN WEST
SEATTLE HAS A PARK SERVICE
GAP. THE AREA SHADED IN ORANGE
MEANS THERE IS NO FIVE-MINUTE
WALKING DISTANCE TO A PARK IN
THE MARKED AREAS OF THE URBAN
VILLAGE. DOWN ON YOUR LOWER
LEFT. THIS SITE IS
APPROXIMATELY AT THE LOCATION
OF THE BLUE STAR. SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION SEEKS
COUNCIL APPROVAL TO ACQUIRE A
1300 SQUARE FOOT PROPERTY ON
WHICH TO DEVELOP A
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. IT MAY BE
POSSIBLE TO ACQUIRE ADJACENT
PROPERTY FROM SDOT IN THE
FUTURE. SUBJECT TO COUNCIL
APPROVAL. HE COULD INCREASE
THE SIZE OF THE FUTURE PARK TO
ALMOST 1 ACRE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. IN THIS PHOTO BEFORE
YOU, THE PROPERTY TO BE
ACQUIRED IS AT THE FAR RIGHT
BEHIND THE FENCE. THE AREA IN
THE FOREGROUND IS THE SDOT
TRIANGLE. THAT COULD BE THE
SUBJECT OF A FUTURE ACQUISITION
TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE
PARK. THIS PARTICULAR
LEGISLATION INCLUDES THE
APPROPRIATION TO PURCHASE THIS
PROPERTY. IS CHRISTOPHER
DESCRIBED , THE PURCHASE PRICE
IS $3.25 MILLION WHICH
REFLECTS A SELLERS
CONTRIBUTION OF $250,000 WHICH
REMEDIATED A POCKET OF LEAD
THAT WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE
CITY'S DILIGENCE AS WELL AS
ADDITIONAL $30,000 OF
ADMINISTERED COSTS TO PROCESS
THE ACQUISITION. THE
CONTAMINATION CONSISTS OF LEAD
AND $220,000 REPRESENTS THE
CITY'S CONSULTANT HIGH-END OF
THE RANGE FOR REMEDIATION.
AGAIN, THE FOREGROUND
REFLECTS THE SDOT OWNED
TRIANGLE AS WELL AS A PORTION
OF 18th AVENUE SOUTHWEST THAT
COULD BE CLOSED OR
JURISDICTION TRANSFERRED TO
PARKS TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF
THE PARK AND WE WILL SEE THAT
IN A FUTURE SLIDE. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE
SUPERIMPOSES AN EARLY CONCEPT
FROM AN SDOT LED PUBLIC
OUTREACH PROCESS JUXTAPOSED
AGAINST THE POTENTIAL PARK
ACQUISITION . SO THE TRIANGLE
YOU SEE THERE WAS A CONCEPT
THAT CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF
A PUBLIC PROCESS TO FIGURE OUT
HOW COULD WE USE THE TRIANGLE
FOR A PARK? SDOT ACTUALLY
SUGGESTED CLOSING OFF THE
PORTION OF 18th AVENUE
SOUTHWEST TO TRAFFIC TO
INCREASE THE SIZE OF THAT
TRIANGLE , WHICH WOULD PROVIDE
US WITH A PAVED SURFACE FOR
HALF-COURT BASKETBALL, FOR
EXAMPLE. AND THE ACQUISITION
PARCEL IS TO THE EAST OUTLINED
IN RED. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM
THE TRIANGLE, THE PUBLIC
WANTED A LOT OF THINGS
HAPPENING ON THAT TRIANGLE. AND
ACQUIRING THIS ADDITIONAL
PROPERTY WILL ALLOW THESE
ACTIVITIES TO BE A LITTLE MORE
SEPARATED PROBABLY WITH THE
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING AND, IN
PARTICULAR , THE KIND OF ORANGE
CIRCLE YOU SEE THERE IS A
PROPOSED PLAY AREA POTENTIALLY
PUTTING IT ON THE ACQUISITION
PARCEL WOULD KEEP IT AWAY FROM
DELRIDGE . ADDITIONAL FUNDING
WILL BE REQUIRED FOR DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT AND ADDITIONAL
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WILL BE A
COMPONENT OF THE PARK PLANNING
AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION IS
EXCITED ABOUT ACQUIRING A
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IN THIS
RAPIDLY GROWING URBAN VILLAGE
AND SEEKS YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS
LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. DO COLLEAGUES
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
PRESENTERS? COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD .
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT THIS IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS CAN
CONTINUE LONG AFTER THEIR
PASSAGE TO GUIDE TO THE
ACTIONS. TO FOLKS WHO SAY WE
HAVE PLANS AND THEY SIT ON THE
SHELF, GATHERING DUST, THIS IS
A TESTAMENT TO THAT NOT BEING
SO. THE DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD
ACTION PLAN WAS PASSED SEVERAL
YEARS AGO AND IT IS REALLY
ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT WE
HAVE GOT CITY STAFFERS WHO ARE
KEEPING THE COMMUNITY
PRIORITIES IN MIND WHEN
OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS COME
UP. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU . I DON'T SEE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. I DO WANT
TO JUST ADDRESS THAT I
UNDERSTAND, AND I THINK YOU
ALLUDED TO THIS EARLIER,
CHRISTOPHER, THAT PARKS HAS A
REPLACEMENT PURCHASE AND SALE
AGREEMENT AND THIS IS
ATTACHMENT NUMBER ONE ON THE
LEGISLATION. THIS HAS BEEN
PLACED IN THE AGENDA AS A
SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT ATTENTION
ONE VERSION 2. CHRISTOPHER,
CAN YOU EXPAND UPON THAT A
LITTLE BIT FOR THE COMMITTEE?
WE DO HAVE TRACY FROM CENTRAL
STAFF JUST TO MAKE SURE WE ALL
ARE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT HOW
THIS IS GOING TO DOWN.
REGARDING THE AMENDMENT.
>> SO, BASICALLY , WE
DISCOVERED THAT THIS SITE HAD
SOIL CONTAMINATION. LISE WARD
WAS ABLE TO GO BACK AND WORK
WITH THE SELLER , TO HIGHLIGHT
WHAT WE THOUGHT THE UPPER END
OF THE COST WOULD BE FOR THE
CLEANUP OF THE SITE. UPWARD OF
A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, AND
WAS ABLE TO GET THAT IS A
DEDUCTION ON THE PRICE. THAT IS
WHAT THE LEGISLATION , RATHER,
THE AMENDMENT GIVES YOU A MORE
ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT WE ARE
ACTUALLY SPENDING FOR THIS
PERSONAL PROPERTY. THAT I COVER
THAT OKAY ?
>> YES, THE APPROPRIATION
REQUEST REMAINS THE SAME. IT IS
JUST PUT IN DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES. JUST FOR A LITTLE
FURTHER EXPLANATION, THIS
PARTICULAR ACQUISITION WAS ON
A FAST TRACK , THE DEVELOPER
WHO IS FINALIZING PERMITS FOR
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT ON THIS SITE, SO
WE HAD A VERY SMALL WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE THIS
PARCEL. SORT OF THE
NEGOTIATION, LEGISLATION, DUE
DILIGENCE, KIND OF ALL WENT
PARALLEL. WE SIGNED AT ONE
PRICE, AND WE WERE PERFORMING
DUE DILIGENCE AT THE SAME TIME
WE WERE SUBMITTING LEGISLATION
FOR REVIEW . DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD THE RESULTS OF THE DUE
DILIGENCE CAME BACK AND WE WERE
ABLE TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT
AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE SELLER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO YOU
HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT OR
CAN WE REST ?
>> I THINK THEY DESCRIBED
ACCURATELY WITH THE AMENDMENT
DOES. I THINK IT IS READY TO BE
PUT FORTH AS A REPLACEMENT.
>> PERFECT. GIVEN THOSE
REMARKS, I'M GOING TO MOVE THE
SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT ATTACHMENT
ONE VERSION 2 PURCHASE AND SALE
AGREEMENT. IS HER SECOND?
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLE ON THE ADOPTION?
>> MR. CHAIR, BEFORE VOTING, I
AM WONDERING IF I CAN BE ADDED
NOT NECESSARILY TO THE
AMENDMENT BUT THE UNDERLYING
BILL AS A SPONSOR?
>> NO OBJECTION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CAN THE RECORD REFLECT
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD 'S
COSPONSORSHIP OF THE
LEGISLATION?
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLE ON ADOPTION OF
THE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT TO
ATTACHMENT ONE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
>>
>> YES.
>> CHAIR LOUIS
>> YES.
>>. THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR
AND ONE HAS BEEN ASKED TO BE
EXCUSED. NOW THE AMENDED
PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
ON THIS AMENDED BILL? HEARING
NO FURTHER COMMENTS WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE ON
THE RECOMMENDATION TO PASS THE
BILL AS AMENDED?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED. IT WILL BE REFERRED
TO THE NEXT FULL COUNCIL
MEETING. WE CAN MOVE ONTO THE
NEXT AGENDA ITEM, NUMBER FIVE.
PLEASE READ NUMBER FIVE INTO
THE RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 120644. AN
ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AN
ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION TO ENTER
INTO AN AGREED ORDER OR CONSENT
DECREE WITH THE WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY OR
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY TO UNDERTAKE WORK AT THE
DUWAMISH WATERWAY PARK SITE;
AND TO SEEK AND ACCEPT STATE
REMEDIAL ACTION GRANTS FOR
CLEANUP WORK RELATED TO THE
SITE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. I WILL
HAD A BACK TO YOU DEPUTY
SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS.
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT LISE WARD IS
OUR SECRET WEAPON IN OUR
PLANNED ACQUISITION. THANK YOU,
LISE. WE ARE PROPOSING A
SUBSTITUTE ATTACHMENT LETTER A
VERSION TWO. INCLUDES A MAP OF
THE CLEANUP LOCATION AS WELL AS
THE SCOPE AND TIMELINE FOR THE
WORK THAT WILL BE DONE AT THE
SITE. THIS IS A FAIRLY COMPLEX
PRESENTATION AND I THINK I WILL
TRY TO SUMMARIZE WE ARE HERE TO
DO BEFORE I REALLY DIVE INTO
IT. THE ROUTINE WAY WE WOULD
NORMALLY DEAL WITH A CONSENT
DECREE ORDER BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY WOULD TYPICALLY BE
AT THE FRONT END OF A LAND
ACQUISITION. WE PURCHASE THIS
PROPERTY IN 2019 AND ARE
RECENTLY DEALING WITH A
CONSENT DECREE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY. THE
PROCESS DOESN'T USUALLY GO THAT
WAY. I THINK WHAT YOU HEARD
PREVIOUSLY IS THAT WE ARE USED
TO DEALING WITH A PARK
ACQUISITION SITE THAT REQUIRE
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION .
THIS PARK IS AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK
THROUGH KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF
THE LEGISLATION, PROVIDE SOME
BACKGROUND RELATED TO THE
PROPERTY, AND THEN PROVIDE AN
OVERVIEW OF THE NEXT STEPS.
I'VE ALSO GOT SCOTT STEVENS
HERE, PARK ENGINEER, WHO WILL
HELP ME OUT WITH THIS
PRESENTATION INTO MORE COMPLEX
AREAS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE
PENDING LEGISLATION DOES TWO
THINGS. IT AUTHORIZES THE
DEPARTMENT TO SIGN AN
AGREEMENT FOR THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY IN THIS
LEGISLATION COMMITS THE
DEPARTMENT TO CERTAIN
REMEDIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL
INVESTIGATIONS AND ACTIONS
THAT MAKE THE DEPARTMENT
ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS UP TO 50%
OF THE REIMBURSEMENT COST. THE
SECOND THING THIS DOES IS
INCLUDES THE CURRENT DUWAMISH
WATERWAY PARK INCLUDING THE
ADJACENT SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION RIGHT-OF-WAY AND
PORT ARE PRETTY. THE PARK
ADDITION PROPERTY IS STILL
OPERATING UNDER A COMMERCIAL
LEASE AND I WILL GET TO THAT A
LITTLE LATER IN THE
PRESENTATION. IS THE AREA THAT
SAYS PARK ADDITION. NEXT SLIDE.
A BRIEF HISTORY, THIS IS
LOCATED AT THE SOUTH END OF
14th AVENUE SOUTHBRIDGE. WE
HAVE BEEN OPERATING AT THIS
SITE AS A PARK SINCE 1975 WHICH
I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT. AND
BASED ON SIGNIFICANT INTEREST ,
WE ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY BACK
IN 2019. AGAIN, WE WOULD
NORMALLY BE DEALING WITH ISSUES
AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP
REMEDIATION WORK AT THE FRONT
END OF AN ACQUISITION. THIS IS
A LITTLE UNUSUAL. NEXT SLIDE.
DURING THE PURCHASE OF THE
PROPERTY, ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING
IDENTIFIED ARSENIC, LEAD, AND
THEREFORE PREPARATION FOR
CONSTRUCTION, WE SUBMITTED A
REMEDIATION PLAN TO THE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF
ECOLOGY. IN JULY 2020 WE
ENTERED INTO A VOLUNTARY
CLEANUP PROGRAM ENDED SEPTEMBER
2020 THE PARK RENOVATION
PROJECT BEGUN, PRIMARILY
SUPPORTED BY THE SEATTLE PARK
FOUNDATION AND FRIENDS OF
DUWAMISH WATERWAY PARK. THE
PARK IMPROVEMENTS AT THE TIME
INCLUDED MORE WELCOMING PARK
ENTRIES, AND ALL AGES
ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND AND NEW
PARK FURNISHINGS.
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIAL ACTIONS
INCLUDED SELECTIVE SOIL
EXCAVATION, REMOVAL AND
REPLACEMENT WITH CLEAN INFILL
SOIL, CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE
PATHWAYS AND PLACEMENT OF
VEGETATION AND LAYING SAAD
MATERIALS. WE ALSO INCORPORATE
OF THE INSTALLATION OF CAPPING
TECHNOLOGIES. IN 2022 THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY , RATHER
PART OF THE ECOLOGY MOVED THE
SITE FROM THE VOLUNTARY
CLEANUP PROGRAM TO THEIR MORE
FORMAL PROGRAM REFERENCING THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE SITE. ONE OF
THE REASONS THEY DECIDED TO PUT
THIS ON COMPULSORY COMPLIANCE
IS ITS PROXIMITY TO DUWAMISH
RIVER WHICH IS A NOTED
SUPERFUND SITE. AND JUST THE
NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE
UPLAND'S WERE GIVEN I THINK
EQUALLY AS RIGOROUS
CONSIDERATION AS THE AND WATER
WORK THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE
FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE. ANOTHER
COMPLEXITY IS THAT CONCURRENT
WITH THE PARK IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT FROM 2021, THE
ADJACENT SITE WAS ACQUIRED BY
THE CITY. THIS IS THE AREA
HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. THE SITE
HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE
COMMUNITY AS A LOCATION TO MEET
MANY OF THE GOALS OF THE
PROGRAM. TO SUPPORT I
OPPORTUNITIES AND MITIGATE
PLACEMENT PRESSURES WILL THE
PARK ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY,
OPCD CONTINUES TO WORK WITH
COMMUNITY TO LEAD SITE PLANNING
THAT ADVANCES QUIDDITY
PRIORITIES FOR DEVELOPING
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED SPACES AND
OPEN SPACE. THIS INCLUDES
INCREASING ACCESS TO DUWAMISH
RIVER , RESTORING AQUATIC
HABITAT, CREATING A NETWORK OF
CONNECTED OPEN SPACES ALONG THE
DUWAMISH RIVER, AND EXPANDING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURAL
ACTIVITIES AND USES FOR THE
SITE. CONCURRENTLY THE
DEPARTMENT IS MANAGING THE
LEASE WITH THE EXISTING TENANT
AND IS RESERVING LEASE REVENUES
FOR FUTURE SITE DEVELOPMENT AND
EXPENSES. NEXT SLIDE. THE
AGREED ORDER NEXT STEPS AS
MENTIONED HERE , IT DOES NOT
IDENTIFY THE CLEANUP PLAN PER
SE. IT SETS FORTH THE PROCESS
TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT SUCH
A PLAN. NEXT STEPS IN THE
PROCESS AFTER THIS LEGISLATION
IS APPROVED, THE SUPERINTENDENT
SIGNS OFF ON THE ORDER. THIS
WILL BEGIN THE REMEDIAL
INVESTIGATION AND FEASIBILITY
STUDY PHASE. WE ANTICIPATE
THIS WILL TAKE ABOUT 18 MONTHS
. THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY
WILL BE THE LEAD -- I'M SORRY.
I THINK WE'VE 18 MONTHS. WE
WILL LEARN MUCH MORE ABOUT THIS
PROCESS AS WE WORK WITH THEM.
BUT BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW NOW,
WE ESTIMATE THE CLEANUP WILL BE
ABOUT $1.2 MILLION. WE HAVE
ALREADY IDENTIFIED ROUGHLY
HALF $1 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL
PLAN. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
ECOLOGY TO REFINE THAT $1.2
MILLION AND TWO LEAN INTO
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT
BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY. I WILL
PAUSE HERE AND ASK SCOTT
STEVENS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ADD ANYTHING.
>> NO, THANK YOU. I THINK
THAT IS THE REAL IMPORTANT
KNOWLEDGE IS WE ARE GOING INTO
THE INVESTIGATION PHASE, THAT
IS REALLY GOING TO SET A LOT OF
THE TARGETED GOALS WE ARE
TRYING TO REACH IN TERMS OF
CLEANUP FOR THIS. THE
INVESTIGATION PHASE IS GOING TO
BE DEFINING THE SCOPE.
>> GREAT. NEXT SLIDE. THANK
YOU, SCOTT. WE WANTED TO HAVE
THIS SLIDE DEPICTING THE
CURRENT USE OF THE PARK. THE
RED DOTTED AREA IS CURRENTLY
THE SHORELINE AREA AND THAT IS
CURRENTLY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.
BECAUSE IT IS A SHORELINE
AREA. A SMALL AREA OF THE PARK
REMAINS FENCED FROM COMMUNITY
USE AND AGAIN THAT IS THE AREA
IN THE RED. NO REMEDIATION WORK
WAS DONE IN THIS FENCED AREA
DURING THE PARK IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT IN PART BECAUSE OF THE
PROXIMITY TO THE SHORELINE. I
JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THERE ARE OTHER PARTNERS HERE
THAT COULD OWN SOME FUTURE
LIABILITY FOR THIS CLEANUP.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS
SITE BACK IN 2019, IN ORDER TO
PURCHASE IT FROM KING COUNTY WE
HAD TO INDEMNIFY THEM FROM
FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS .
WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY CAN'T
COME BACK LATER AND NAME THEM
AND ALSO NAME THE PORT OF
SEATTLE , THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
ARE STILL AVAILABLE. BUT THIS
IS WHERE WE STAND TODAY. THE
LEAD AGENCY ON THE CLEANUP AND
REMOVAL.
>> I WILL PAUSE RIGHT THERE
AND ASK IF THERE ARE ALREADY
ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THINK YOU SO MUCH, DEPUTY
SUPERINTENDENT. COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD .
>> THANK YOU. REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE BRIEFING ON THIS
LEGISLATION. I HAVE SOME
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, MANY JUST
TO RESTATE FOR THE PUBLIC
RECORD WHAT I HEARD IN A
PREVIOUS BRIEFING. I JUST
REALLY APPRECIATE -- THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE HIGHEST
PROPORTION OF CHILDREN IN THE
LEAST ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE
ACROSS THE CITY. THEY LOST
THEIR COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE
NEXT YEAR AND A HALF. FOR
NEEDED RENOVATIONS.
ALL-IMPORTANT WORK. BUT THE
CLOSER IS DEFINITELY HITTING
THE COMMUNITY HARD. MY
QUESTION, ARE PRIMARILY
FOCUSED ON WHAT THE IMPACTS
ARE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR
POTENTIAL FUTURE CLOSURES.
SO, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
THE MAJORITY OF THE AMISH
WATER BAY PARK WHICH IS
LARGELY UNFENCED AND OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN REMEDIATED
AND SAFER RECREATIONAL USE BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THIS
YEAR AND THE PORTION OF THE
PARK THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING
TODAY IS CURRENTLY FENCED OFF
SO AS LONG AS USERS HONOR THAT
FENCE, THERE IS NO DANGER TO
USING THE PARK. CAN YOU
PLEASE CONFIRM THAT
UNDERSTANDING?
>> YES, THE AREA, MAYBE WE CAN
GO BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES,
OKAY, THERE. THIS AREA
OUTLINED IN GREEN IS CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE AND OPEN TO PUBLIC
USE. THIS AREA OUTLINED IN RED
IS NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC USE. IS
BEING LEASED TO A COMPANY
THAT WORKS IN THAT SHADED
AREA. SO, THERE IS STILL
PUBLIC PARK USE AT THAT SITE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> LET'S SEE, WHEN WE SPOKE ,
I THINK I REMEMBER HEARING THAT
REMEDIATION CONTEMPLATED AT
THIS LOCATION WOULD REQUIRE A
DAY OR TWO OF PARK CLOSURE, BUT
YOU WERE STILL OPERATING THERE
AND WEREN'T ENTIRELY CERTAIN.
COULD YOU PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR
CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
LONG THE PARK WILL BE CLOSED.
>> I MIGHT DEFER TO SCOTT
STEVENS ON THAT. I THINK BUT WE
WERE REFERRING TO WAS MAYBE AN
INTERMITTENT ONE OR TWO DAYS
FOR THE CLOSURE FOR SOIL
TESTING. SCOTT, CAN YOU VERIFY
THAT?
>> ABSENTLY. WE ANTICIPATE
JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME OF
CLOSURE AS WE COME IN AND GAIN
ADDITIONAL SAMPLES WITH
POTENTIALLY A DRILL RIG OR
DIGGING HANDLES. THE CLOSURES
WON'T BE LONG TERM. WE WILL GO
GET SAMPLES AND SEND THEM OFF.
TO FILL DATA CAPS . AS IT
RELATES TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND
STUDY PHASES, I UNDERSTAND THAT
THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY WILL
BE MANAGING THAT, JUST WANT TO
STATE MY HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL
COUNT ON THE PARKS AND
RECREATION WONDERFUL
ENGAGEMENT CAPACITY TO ASSIST
THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY TO
WORK CLOSELY WITH OPCD AS WELL
BECAUSE THEY HAVE JUST
COMPLETED A ROBUST COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT REGARDING THE
UNITY ELECTRIC SITE WHICH IS
AN ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT THE
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ADVOCATING
FOR THE INCLUSION OF A
COMMUNITY OWNED MULTIPURPOSE
BUILDING . AGAIN, SOUTH PARK
IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS
UNDERSERVED, BUT THERE ARE
MULTIPLE CITY PROJECTS FROM
MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS MOVING
FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE FACT
THAT IT'S AN UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITY. BUT MANY PROJECTS
ARE MOVING FORWARD
SIMULTANEOUSLY. THERE IS A
DANGER OF EXHAUSTING THE
COMMUNITY WITH UNALIGNED
ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AND FAILING
TO LEARN WHAT WE HEARD , LEARN
FROM WHAT WE HEARD PREVIOUSLY.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE DOE BENEFITS FROM
WHAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE
ALREADY BEEN SAYING IN THAT WE
HAVE SOMEBODY REPRESENTING THE
CITY THAT IS SORT OF HELPING
TO MANAGE AND TRACK ALL OF
THESE DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE WILL HAVE A
PROJECT MANAGER ASSIGNED TO
THIS. WE WILL BE HAND-IN-HAND
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY
AS THEY GO INTO THE COMMUNITY
AND TALK ABOUT OUR PARK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR.
CHAIR, ONE LAST SHORT QUESTION.
>> PLEASE.
>> WHEN WE MET LAST MONTH, I
UNDERSTOOD THAT PARKS AND
RECREATION WOULD NOT , WOULD
LIKELY NEED ADDITIONAL --
WOULD NOT NEED ADDITIONAL
FUNDING BASED ON AN ESTIMATED
$1.2 MILLION IN TOTAL CLEANUP
COSTS. IS THAT STILL IN LINE
WITH YOUR CURRENT THINKING AS
FAR AS COSTS?
>> YES. THAT IS HER CURRENT
THINKING. THAT THINKING IS
PADDED I THE AWARENESS THAT WE
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY GRANT WHICH WOULD
COVER
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME
TO BRING ME UP TO SPEED FOR THE
EFFORT AND THOROUGHLY
ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF THE
COMMITTEE AND ANSWERED MY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD. ARE
THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I DON'T
SEE ANY. SO, SIMILAR TO THE
PREVIOUS PIECE OF LEGISLATION,
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A
SUBSTITUTE ATTACHMENT A VERSION
TWO FROM THE DEPARTMENT THAT
INCLUDES A MAP OF THE CLEANUP
LOCATION AND SCOPE AND TIMELINE
OF THE WORK. WE COVERED THAT IN
THE PRESENTATION. SO, THIS
AMENDMENT CAME TOO LATE TO BE
PLACED FORMALLY ON THE AGENDA,
BUT CENTRAL STAFF DID
DISTRIBUTE TO THE MEMBERS PRIOR
TO THE MEETING AND ARE PRINTED
COPIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE IN THE
CHAMBERS. THE UPDATED VERSION
WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AFTER
THE MEETING . WITH THAT I MOVED
TO VERBALLY ADOPT VERSION 2 OF
ATTACHMENT A TO COUNCIL BILL
120664. IS VERY SECOND?
>> SECOND. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED.
>> THE BILL IS NOW BEFORE US.
I MOVE THAT WE DO FINAL PASSAGE
OF THIS BILL IS AMENDED. IS
VERY SECOND? MOVED AND
SECONDED. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE AMENDED
BILL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES , THE BILL
IS AMENDED PASSES AND WILL BE
REFERRED TO THE NEXT FULL
COUNCIL MEETING. ITEM NUMBER
SIX. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX INTO THE
RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 120650. AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION;
AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF
REAL PROPERTY AT 6109 S
FOUNTAIN ST; AUTHORIZING
ACCEPTANCE OF THE DEED FOR OPEN
SPACE, PARK, AND RECREATION
PURPOSES; AND RATIFYING AND
CONFIRMING CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS.
>> HANDING IT BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE
MORE HEADWATERS OF TAYLOR CREEK
AREA . THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
SALMON BEARING STREAM IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE. TAYLOR
CREEK HELPS PRESERVE THE
SURROUNDING WATERSHED. TAYLOR
CREEK ALSO ASCENDS THROUGH THE
CITY OWNED LAKERIDGE PARK AND
DEAD HORSE CANYON NEAR THE CITY
BORDER. BEFORE IT FEEDS INTO
LAKE WASHINGTON. OUR
COLLEAGUES AT SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES HAVE HELPED RESTORE
THE LOWER REACHES OF THE CREEK.
WHICH ARE HOME TO CHINOOK
SALMON. THOUGH SMALL IN SIZE,
THE PROPERTY IS AN INVALUABLE
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT MAKES
UP THE CREEK HEADWATERS. WHICH
ARE THE NATURAL SPRINGS THAT
ARE THE WATER SOURCE OF THE
CREEK. AT THIS POINT I WOULD
LIKE TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO
THE CAPABLE LISE BOARD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SEATTLE PARKS AND
RECREATION SEEKS TO ACQUIRE
GREEN SPACE PROPERTY IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE TAYLOR CREEK
HEADWATERS USING EXISTING
APPROPRIATIONS. WE HAVE
TENTATIVELY REACHED AN
AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE A 14,000
SQUARE FOOT VACANT PARCEL . WE
HAVE PERFORMED DUE DILIGENCE
AND THE CLOSING IS PENDING
COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THIS
LEGISLATION. ACQUIRING THIS
PROPERTY WILL ADD TO EXISTING
PARK OWNED PARCELS IN ORDER TO
PRESERVE THE LAST SURVIVING
HEADWATER WETLAND SUPPORTING
THIS SALMON BEARING TAYLOR
CREEK. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> THE BLACK DOTTED LINE THERE
SHOWS THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
WATERSHED WHICH INCLUDE AREAS
OF UNINCORPORATED KING COUNTY.
THE REDLINE IS THE CITY LINE.
THE PRESERVATION OF TAYLOR
CREEK HEADWATERS IS IN
ALIGNMENT WITH SEATTLE PARKS
GOAL OF ACQUIRING AND
PRESERVING HABITAT AND A
PARCEL THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF
THIS LEGISLATION IS ADJACENT TO
EXISTING CITY OWNED PARCELS
WHICH WERE DONATED IN 2010 . IT
WILL ADD TO THE EXISTING EIGHT
ACRES THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY
OWNS , BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF
THE PROPERTY OF THE CITY LINE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> YOU WILL SEE IN THE PICTURE
THERE THE AREAS THAT ARE
ALREADY SHADED IN GREEN ARE
THE PARCELS THAT WERE DONATED
SEVERAL YEARS AGO. OF COURSE,
WITH THIS IS THE PROPOSED
ACQUISITION SITE. THE SUBJECT
PROPERTY IS APPRAISED AT
$110,000 AND WE COMPLETED TO
DILIGENCE AND ARE READY TO
CLOSE. SUBJECT TO COUNCIL
APPROVAL. WE ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO
COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FOR THE PRESENTERS? SEEING NO
QUESTIONS, I WILL MOVE
COUNCIL BILL 120650 , IS VERY
SECOND? MOVED AND SECONDED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
CALL THE ROLL
>> YES. ON THE RECOMMENDATION
TO PASS
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA. THE
BILL?
>> AYE.
>>
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU. THE BILL PASSES
AND WILL BE REFERRED TO THE
NEXT FULL COUNCIL MEETING.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE
CLERK PLEASE READ INTO THE
RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 12067. AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION;
AUTHORIZING THE SECOND
AMENDMENT TO THE EASEMENT
AGREEMENT; AUTHORIZING
ACCEPTANCE OF A RECORDING OF
THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE
EASEMENT AGREEMENT; AND
RATIFYING AND CONFIRMING
CERTAIN PRIOR ACTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.
CLERK. IN KEEPING WITH OUR
PRACTICE OF MAKING SURE EVERY
SINGLE PARKS AND RECREATION
EMPLOYEE PRESENTS TO COMMITTEE
TODAY ON OUR AGENDA ITEMS, I
AM HONORED TO WELCOME JEFFREY
BISHOP TO THE COMMITTEE.
CHRISTOPHER, I WILL HAND IT
BACK TO YOU. WHAT A DAY OF
MOVING PARKS AND RECREATION
LEGISLATION. I MOVING IT TO
YOU, CHRISTOPHER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER. OUR DEPARTMENT
USES SEVERAL WAYS TO PRESERVE
OPEN SPACE RANGING FROM
ACQUISITION TO CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS. NORMALLY WHEN WE
ACQUIRE PROPERTY AND HAS A
HOUSE ON IT WE DEMOLISH THE
HOUSE TO RETURN IT TO THE
NATURAL STATE. HOWEVER, WE
BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY IN 1998 IN
THE ST. MARKS GREENVILLE AREA
AND THE PUBLIC FELT VERY
STRONGLY THAT THE HOUSE ON THE
PARCEL SHOULD BE PRESERVED AND
FELT AS THOUGH IT HAD
SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL AND
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
HISTORIC SEATTLE WAS BROUGHT
IN TO MANAGE THE HOUSE ALL THE
DEPARTMENT MANAGED THE
GREENBELT. THIS RELATIONSHIP
HAS WORKED WELL OVER THE YEARS.
BUT ALL THINGS ARE AFFECTED BY
TIME. THIS ACTION CREATES
FLEXIBILITY FOR HISTORIC
SEATTLE TO COMPLETE THEIR GOOD
WORK ON THE SITE AND ALLOW THEM
TO CREATE FINANCIAL CAPACITY
FOR OTHER GOOD WORK . I WILL
NOW TURN THIS OVER TO JEFFREY
BISHOP OUR SENIOR PROPERTY
MANAGER.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL, JEFFREY BISHOP
PROPERTY MANAGER FOR SEATTLE
PARKS AND RECREATION. THIS
ORDINANCE, IF I CAN GET THE
SECOND SLIDE, THIS ALLOWS SPR
TO FILE A SECOND AMENDMENT TO
THE EASEMENT APPLY TO HISTORIC
SEATTLE FOR THE PRESERVATION
OF THE HOUSE. IN 1988 THE
PROPERTY INTERESTS WERE SPLIT
BETWEEN THE CITY AND HISTORIC
SEATTLE. SIMULTANEOUSLY AT
CLOSING. THE CITY THEN PROVIDED
HISTORIC SEATTLE WITH AN
EASEMENT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE
HOUSE. THE UNIQUE NATURE OF
THE DESIGN HAS MADE THE HOUSE
HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
SOMETIMES KNOWN AS THE CHEESE
WEDGE HOUSE IT'S KNOWN FOR ITS
NORTHWEST MODERNIST DESIGN. THE
PROPERTY HAS BEEN NICELY
PRESERVED THROUGH THE YEARS
THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF HISTORIC
SEATTLE. I'M NOT SURE IF KJI
KELLY IS PRESENT IN THE
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT IF NOT, I
WILL PASS ON. IF HE IS THERE
HE CAN MAKE COMMENTS. I DON'T
SEE HIM ONLINE.
>> KJI KELLY IS NOT PRESENT
IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
>> WE WILL MOVE ON. AS YOU CAN
SEE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS THE
RIGHT HAND OF THE SLIDE, THE
HOUSE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WELL
PRESERVED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE ORIGINAL EASEMENT WAS IN
1998, ONLY GRANTED INGRESS AND
EGRESS AND FOR ACCESS TO
UTILITIES TO THE HOUSE. THE
FIRST AMENDMENT WAS ENACTED
BECAUSE IT WAS DETERMINED SOME
RENOVATION NEEDED TO TAKE PLACE
INSIDE THE HOUSE. TODAY WE
HAVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT WHICH
IS BEING PROPOSED THIS YEAR.
THIS AMENDMENT NOT ONLY OFFERS
FLEXIBILITY FOR HISTORIC
SEATTLE TO MANAGE THE NATURE OF
THE PROPERTY BUT ALSO CREATES A
PATHWAY TO ALLOW FOR SOME OF
THE IMPROVEMENTS TO TRIBUTE TO
THE PROPERTY. IT ALSO OFFERS
THE POTENTIL FOR A POTENTIAL
OWNER WHO HAS A PASSION FOR
HISTORY TO CHERISH AND
PRESERVE. THE ELEMENTS OF THE
SECOND AMENDMENT ARE AS
EXTENDED BY 35 YEARS AND
OFFERS 235 YEAR OPTIONS .
MORTGAGE TERMS. IT CHANGES THE
TOTAL LOSS BY CASUALTY CLAUSE
THAT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL
EASEMENT TO ALLOW FOR REMEDY
WITHIN TWO YEARS. IT AMENDS
THE NATURE OF THE EASEMENT TO
ALLOW A POTENTIAL BUYER TO
RECEIVE FINANCING. IT ENHANCES
THE PRESERVATION OF THE
LANDMARK SHOULD THE OWNER OF
THE HOUSE , HISTORIC SEATTLE,
CHOOSE TO SELL TO A PRIVATE
BUYER , TO PRESERVATION
EASEMENT THEY WOULD PUT ON THE
PROPERTY AS WELL. IT ALSO
RECOGNIZES CORRECTION OF AN
ERROR IN THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION
DISCOVERED FROM THE EARLY 1900S
AND RATIFIES PAST ACTIONS THAT
MAY HAVE BEEN AN ERROR AS A
RESULT. WE WOULD SUBMIT THIS
ITEM FOR COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION, WE APPRECIATE
YOUR SUPPORT AND STAND READY
FOR QUESTIONS.
>> YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
PRESENTATION. DO COLLEAGUES
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
PANEL? SEEING NO QUESTIONS, I
WANT TO SAY, BECAUSE WE ARE
JOINED BY OUR FRIENDS AND
PARTNERS AT HISTORIC SEATTLE, I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK
THAT KJI KELLY AND HISTORIC
CATTLE SEATTLE PUT IN. I WANT
TO LIFT UP THE WORK OF PARKS
AND RECREATION FOR DILIGENTLY
WORKING WITH US TO GET THIS
LEGISLATION PREPARED AND IN
FRONT OF COMMITTEE AND TO DO IT
BEFORE OUR BUDGET SHUT OFF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WITH THAT I
WILL MOVE COUNCIL BILL 12067.
IS HER SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY
FINAL REMARKS ON THIS
LEGISLATION? SEEING THEN,
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO
PASS THE BILL?
>>
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> CHAIRS LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND WILL BE
REFERRED TO THE NEXT FULL
COUNCIL MEETING. ITEM NUMBER
EIGHT, PLEASE READ AGENDA
NUMBER EIGHT INTO THE AGENDA.
OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM.
>> 120629. AN ORDINANCE
RELATING TO KING COUNTY
CONSERVATION FUTURES LEVY
PROCEEDS; AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR
TO ENTER INTO AMENDMENT 1 TO
THE INTERLOCAL COOPERATION
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE KING
COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE
FOR CONSERVATION FUTURES-FUNDED
OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION
PROJECTS; AND AUTHORIZING THE
DEPOSIT OF 2021, 2022 AND 2023
ALLOCATIONS FROM KING COUNTY
CONSERVATION FUTURES LEVY
PROCEEDS INTO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE'S PARK AND RECREATION
FUND.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. I
WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO OUR
PARKS PANEL TO DISCUSS THIS
AGENDA ITEM.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS. CONSERVATION FUTURE
TAXES ARE OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF
MATCHING FUNDS FOR PROPERTY
ACQUISITION. FOR MORE THAN 30
YEARS THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION
HAVE BENEFITED FROM KING COUNTY
CONSERVATION FUTURE TAXES. TO
PRESERVE OUTDOOR RECREATION
AND OPEN SPACE . WE HAVE
RECEIVED NEARLY $100 MILLION
TO SUPPORT THE ACQUISITION OF
MORE THAN 200 PROPERTIES
THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. THIS
LEGISLATION AUTHORIZES THE
LATEST ROUND OF PURCHASES AND
COVERS 15 ACQUISITIONS, SEVEN
OF WHICH ARE COMPLETED. AND
EIGHT ARE STILL IN PROGRESS.
THIS TIME WE WILL TURN IT BACK
OVER TO LISE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING THIS ON
A VERY CROWDED AGENDA. NEXT
SLIDE PLEASE. IN ORDER TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF OVER $12 MILLION
OF SUCCESSFUL GRANT
APPLICATIONS, TO THE KING
COUNTY CONSERVATION FUTURE TAX
AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS CFT,
FOR PAST AND PRESENT OPEN
SPACE, PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS ,
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION
REQUESTS CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL
OF AMENDMENT ONE TO THE
SEATTLE KING COUNTY CFT
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY VENTURED INTO A
COUNCIL APPROVED INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT FOR RECEIVING KING
COUNTY CONSERVATION FUTURE TAX
FUNDING . EACH TIME KING
COUNTY APPROVES AROUND OF CFT
GRANTS THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO THE
INTERLOCAL WHICH AUTHORIZES
ACCEPTANCE OF THE KING COUNTY
FUNDS. THE OLD INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT WHICH WAS IN PLACE
FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS , TO
WHICH THE COUNCIL APPROVED
AMENDMENTS A THROUGH Z, AND
RAN OUT OF ALPHABET LETTERS,
THEN PROGRESSED TO AA TO EE,
A TOTAL OF 31 AMENDMENTS WAS
REPLACED BY AN AGREEMENT IN
2021. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. KING
COUNTY CONSERVATION TAXES
FUNDED BY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT
ON PROPERTY TAX BILLS, THE
MONEY SUPPORTS PROTECTION OF
FOREST AND FORM OUTDOOR
RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE.
THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH RECEIVING AND
USING THE FUNDS. THE
PROPERTIES ACQUIRED USING SEE
IF THE FUNDS CANNOT SUPPORT
SPORTS FIELDS AND COURTS. AND
SERVICES ARE LIMITED TO 15% OF
THE PROPERTIES AREA. ALL OF
THE CITY'S RECENT LAND
ACQUISITION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN
LEVERAGED CFT FUNDS SINCE 1989
AT APPROXIMATELY $98 MILLION
IN GRANTS HAVE SUPPORTED OVER
200 ACQUISITIONS RESULTING IN
OVER 150 ACRES OF PARKLAND
ACQUIRED EITHER DEVELOPED WITH
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS OR
PRESERVED AS GREEN SPACES AND
NATURAL AREAS. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. IN THIS TABLE, IT'S A
QUICK SUMMARY OF HOW
EVERYTHING ADDS UP TO $12
MILLION , JULIAN $25,000. THE
COUNCIL DISTRICTS ARE IN THE
FIRST COLUMN, THE SECOND
COLUMN DESCRIPTION, BRIEF
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACQUISITION.
THE CFT ALLOCATION,
ENGENDERED BY SUCCESSFUL GRANT
APPLICATIONS AND STATUS OF
EACH ACQUISITION PROJECT. WE
SEEK YOUR SUPPORT IN GETTING
APPROVAL OF THESE AMENDMENTS SO
WE CAN BOTH APPLY FOR
REIMBURSEMENTS OF MONIES
ALREADY EXPENDED TO COMPLETE
PROJECTS AND TO CONTINUE WITH
PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PROCESS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION
ON THIS FUND SOURCE. ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ON, TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WAYS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT
OF TURF FIELDS. TURF FIELDS
BEING A OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING
THAT IS VERY POPULAR FOR
COMMITTEE AMENITY. IS THIS AN
ELIGIBLE FUND SOURCE FOR THOSE
KINDS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS? I
NOTICED THERE WERE PLAYFIELD
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE FUNDED
ON THE LIST, TO ANY OF THEM
INCLUDE INITIAL CAPITAL ?
>> PLAYFIELD ADDITION, IT WAS
ACQUISITION, SO A PLAYFIELD, A
GRASS PLAYFIELD ADDITION. I
BELIEVE THE CFT FUNDS ARE
INTENDED FOR PASSIVE PARK USES
ONLY. I BELIEVE KING COUNTY
ALSO HAS A BALL FIELD GRANT
DEVELOPMENT GRANT. BUT IF CFT
MONIES ARE USED FOR
ACQUISITION PURPOSES, THE USES
ARE RESTRICTED TO PASSIVE USES
AND NOT COURT OR TURF FIELD
CONSTRUCTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
CLARIFICATION. I'M EXCITED TO
BE ACCEPTING THESE GRANTS.
SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I
MOVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF COUNCIL BILL
120629. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED. ARE THERE ANY
COMMENTS ON THE BILL? SEEING
NO FINAL COMMENTS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE IN
RECOMMENDING PASSAGE OF THE
BILL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD .
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> AYE.
>> CHAIRS LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THERE ARE THREE IN FAVOR AND
UNOPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES AND WILL BE
REFERRED TO THE NEXT COUNCIL
MEETING. COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
THAT CONCLUDES OUR VERY FULL
AGENDA TODAY. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PATIENCE AND THANK YOU TO
OUR TEAM FROM PARKS FOR BEING
AVAILABLE TO WALK US THROUGH
ALL OF THOSE ITEMS.