>>> ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE WE
HAVE QUORUM SO -- YEAH. OKAY.
GOOD MORNING. THE MAY 21st, 2026
MEETING OF THE SAFETY,
TRANSPORTATION AND ENGINEERING
PROJECTS SPORTS AND EXPERIENCES
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER. IT
IS 9:32 A.M. AND I'M ROB SAKA
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. WILL THE
COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL? [ ROLL CALL ]
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT. IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING AND
SEEING NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
IS HEREBY ADOPTED. GOOD MORNING
COLLEAGUES. MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC. WELCOME AND THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US TODAY. EXCITING
MEETING. VERY STACKED AGENDA AND
AMBITIOUS AS ALWAYS. FIRST AND
FOREMOST, IN ADDITION TO THE
FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT TO
TALK ABOUT TODAY, I WANT TO
BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING WHAT IS
GOING ON ACROSS THE STREET. KING
COUNTY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING A
NEW 0.1% SALES TAX. ADMINISTERED
THROUGH THE KING COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT.
THERE'S A PENDING AMENDMENT ON
THE TABLE RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD
LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE
SEATTLE RECEIVES FROM THE TAX TO
15%. WHICH ESTIMATES REFLECT
WOULD BE LESS THAN HALF THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY SEATTLE
TAXPAYERS WOULD CONTRIBUTE. NOW
SEATTLE IS DEFINITELY WILLING TO
PAY OUR FAIR SHARE. BUT
RECEIVING LESS THAN HALF OF THE
POTENTIAL REVENUE THAT WE
CONTRIBUTE TO THE BROADER
COLLECTIVE GOOD IS A BIT
CONCERNING. SO MY OFFICE IS
TRACKING THIS LEGISLATION
CLOSELY. RESPECTING A SEPARATELY
ELECTED GOVERNMENT. WORKING WITH
PARTNERS, INCLUDING OUR -- WHAT
IS IT? OFFICE OF DIRECTOR
HERSHEYMY. WHATEVER THAT OFFICE
IS AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH
PARTNERS OFFICE OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT
AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS AS WELL
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. IN ANY
EVENT. SO WE'RE MONITORING IT.
STAY TUNED.
>>> WE DO HAVE A VERY AMBITIOUS
AGENDA BEFORE YOU TODAY. AGAIN,
WITH FOUR CRITICAL ITEMS. THE
FIRST IS A BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE URGENT
OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY
TO ADDRESS THE RENOVATION AND
MODERNIZATION NEEDS AT SEATTLE
CENTER. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE
"SEATTLE TIMES" PUBLISHED AN
ARTICLE ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE
ISSUES AT SEATTLE CENTER. THE
HEADLINE READ "SEATTLE IS
FRAYING, WILL THE CITY PAY TO
FIX IT? "WELL, FOLKS, THE ANSWER
TO THAT QUESTION TODAY IS AN
EMPHATIC YES. AT LEAST IN PART.
WHEN FACTORING IN POTENTIAL
NONCITY INVESTMENTS THROUGH
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
SEATTLE CENTER IS OUR CITY'S
HUB FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION,
CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND CIVIC
LIFE. AND IT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO INVEST IN IT
FOR OUR FUTURE. THE KEY
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ARE HOW WE
WILL PAY FOR IT, AND
SPECIFICALLY, WHEN. THIS
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION WILL
CENTER AROUND THOSE TWO
QUESTIONS. OUR SECOND AGENDA
ITEM IS A JOINT MAYORAL AND
COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT AMONG
OTHER THINGS ACKNOWLEDGES THE
GREAT IMPERATIVE TO RESTORE,
RENOVATE, AND REVITALIZE THE
SEATTLE CENTER CAMPUS. ONCE AND
FOR ALL. AND ANTICIPATE A
DECISION ON A BOND MEASURE TO
FUND ITS CAPITAL INVESTMENT NO
LATER THAN 2027. AND COMMITS TO
EXPLORING ALL VIABLE FUNDING
OPTIONS TO SUPPORT SEATTLE
CENTER'S MODERNIZATION
INCLUDING ESTABLISHING AGAIN
ROBUST PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS. IN APRIL, COUNCIL
PASSED BOLD NEW LEGISLATION THAT
MY OFFICE DEVELOPED AND COWROTE
WITH MAYOR WILSON AND WHICH
UNEQUIVOCALLY DECLARED THAT
SEATTLE IS READY FOR AN NBA
TEAM. WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE
PLEDGE ARENA TODAY IS READY TO
WELCOME A NEW NBA FRANCHISE.
THIS HISTORIC BILL HIGHLIGHTED A
NUMBER OF KEY FACTORS THAT
DEMONSTRATE OUR READINESS,
RESOLVE, AND ENDURING COMMITMENT
TO BRING BACK OUR SONICS ONCE
AND FOR ALL. AGAIN, WE KNOW
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA IS NBA
READY TODAY. THAT SAID, I
BELIEVE THAT MAKING THIS FUNDING
COMMITMENT TO RESTORE AND
MODERNIZE SEATTLE CENTER ON
WHICH GROUNDS THE CLIMATE PLEDGE
ARENA SITS AND THROUGH WHICH
FANS WILL PASS BEFORE AND AFTER
GAMES IS ANOTHER CRITICAL STEP
TOWARDS BRINGING BACK OUR
SONICS. IT'S LITERALLY AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BACK OUR PRIOR
WORDS AND VALUE STATEMENTS WITH
CONCRETE TANGIBLE INVESTMENT AND
DOLLARS. AND SPECIFIC TIMELINE.
SO EVEN THIS WON'T BE THE
DECISIVE FACTOR, BUT HOPEFULLY
WILL BE A NICE CHERRY ON TOP SO
TO SPEAK. WE'RE NOT MESSING
AROUND IF I CAN PARAPHRASE A
FAMOUS PROVERB, THE BEST TIME TO
DO MAINTENANCE WORK ON SEATTLE
CENTER WAS 20 YEARS AGO AT
LEAST. THE SECOND BEST TIME IS
NOW. AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO
CONTINUE TO KICK THIS CAN DOWN
THE ROAD. THIRD, ON THE AGENDA,
IS AN IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM OUR
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT PARTNERS.
ABOUT UNPERMITTED STREET
VENDING. COLLEAGUES, YOU'LL
RECALL LAST FALL DURING THE
ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS, I PROUDLY
SPONSORED LEGISLATION REQUESTING
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO LEAD A
COMPREHENSIVE INTERDEPARTMENTAL
REVIEW POLICY REVIEW, OF
UNPERMITTED FOOD AND MERCHANDISE
VENDING. ALSO LAST FALL, THE
COUNCIL EXPANDED RESOURCES
AVAILABLE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF
UNPERMITTED STREET VENDING BY
APPROVING THE HIRING OF THREE
ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT FTEs
WITHIN SDOT. TODAY, WE WILL HEAR
-- WE'LL BE HEARING FROM
CENTRAL STAFF AND A GREAT GROUP
FROM THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM
PUT TOGETHER BY THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO HEAR ABOUT THE STATUS
OF THOSE RECENT BUDGET
INVESTMENTS, THEIR
IMPLEMENTATION, AND OUR CITY'S
PLAN TO BETTER ADDRESS
UNPERMITTED VENDING IN OUR
PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. FOURTH AND
FINALLY ON OUR AGENDA IS A
POSSIBLE VOTE ON A PETITION TO
VACATE A SPECIFIC ALLEY IN
GREENWOOD THAT WE HEARD DURING
LAST COMMITTEE MEETING. SO SUCH
AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA. AGAIN, AS
ALWAYS, WHY? WHY IS IT ANOTHER
AMBITIOUS AGENDA? BECAUSE WORLDS
CUP STARTS -- WORLD CUP STARTS
NEXT MONTH ON JUNE 15th WHICH
IS JUST 25 DAYS FROM TODAY,
BELGIUM AND EGYPT ARE SQUARING
OFF IN THE FIRST OF SIX MATCHES
THAT WILL BE PLAYED IN SEATTLE.
DISTRICT 1 TO BE SPECIFIC.
SOCCER FANS FROM AROUND THE
WORLD WILL BE CONVERGING ON TO
OUR CITY. MANY OF THEM WILL HEAD
TO THE SEATTLE CENTER CAMPUS AS
PART OF OUR DISTRIBUTED FAN
EXPERIENCE MODEL. WHETHER IT BE
FOR PURPOSES OF ATTENDING FIFA
EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS THAT WILL
TAKE PLACE THERE, OR JUST TO
VISIT OUR ICONIC SPACE NEEDLE.
TIME IS NOW TO ENSURE THAT WE
HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO FUND THE
MAINTENANCE NEEDS ON THE CAMPUS
TODAY AND TOMORROW. THANK YOU.
SO LET'S GO. WE WILL NOW OPEN
THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD
RELATE TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THIS COMMITTEE. CLERK, HIM
SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CHAIR, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE
IN-PERSON SPEAKER SIGNED UP AND
THERE ARE TWO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> AWESOME. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES
AND WE WILL START WITH THE
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. CLERK,
CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. SPEAKERS WILL
BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED AND SPEAKERS
WILL ALTERNATE. SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME WHEN TEN SECONDS
ARE LEFT OF THEIR TIME.
SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DON'T END WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME. PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST. STU HENNESSY.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING
COUNCILMEMBERS. I -- THIS IS
REGARDING THE SUPPLEMENTAL SMALL
PROJECT TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS. I'M HERE IN
SUPPORT OF A GROWING NUMBER OF
CITIZENS WEST SEATTLE DISTRICT 1
WHO ARE EXPERIENCING A DANGEROUS
STREET CROSSING AT 23rd AVENUE
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST DELRIDGE
WAY. THIS SHORT RESIDENTIAL
FAMILY STREET HAS BECOME PASS
THROUGH FOR HUNDREDS OF DRIVERS
A DAY WHO USE IT TO AVOID
CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS ALONG
SOUTHWEST ARCHWAY AND SOUTHWEST
AND OF STREET. BECAUSE IT IS AN
OPEN ACCESS TO THE ON RAMP TO
THE WEST SEATTLE FREEWAY, IT
INDUCES A GREAT AMOUNT OF CUT
THROUGH TRAFFIC THAT IS A DANGER
AND ANNOYANCE TO THE RESIDENTS
THAT LIVE ON THE STREET. 23rd
AVENUE SOUTHWEST. THIS ALSO
INCLUSIONS MORE TRAFFIC ALONG
21st AVENUE SOUTHWEST WHICH IS
THE ROUTE OF THE DELRIDGE
HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAY.
AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE
PATHFINDER SCHOOL. AT THE END OF
23rd AVENUE SOUTHWEST IS A BIKE
PATH LEADING TO THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE TRAIL. THIS CROSSING IS A
SEVERE RISK FOR BOTH CYCLISTS
AND MOTORISTS. THE ANGLED STREET
DOES NOT ALLOW CLEAR VISIBILITY
OF TRAFFIC TRAVELING NORTH ON
DELRIDGE WAY TO THE WEST SEATTLE
FREEWAY ON RAMP. THIS FORCES
DRIVERS TO BLOCK THE BIKEWAY TO
SEE APPROACHING TRAFFIC WHILE
WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC TO
CLEAR. THE DRIVERS ARE OFTEN
FOCUSED ON LOOKING TO THE LEFT
AND NEVER SEE THE BIKE RIDERS
COMING DOWNHILL FROM THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE TRAIL. ALSO A
HAZARD FOR MOTORISTS IN THE
NORTHBOUND DELRIDGE WAY TRAFFIC
IS ALREADY APPROACHING ON RAMP
ACCELERATION SPEEDS TO THE
FREEWAY. THE TIGHT CORNER IT
MAKES MOST OF THE DRIVERS
OVERSHOOT THE LANE AND THEN
PARTIALLY GO INTO THE THROUGH
LANE ON DELRIDGE WAY THAT GOES
TO SPOKANE STREET. THIS INDUCES
TRAFFIC FROM THIS STREET BEING
OPEN TO THE WEST SEATTLE FREEWAY
ON RAMP COMPRISES MOSTLY OF
DRIVERS TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC
CONTROL MEASURES AND ARE OFTEN
MOST LIKELY IN A RUSH TO DRIVE
OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS IS A
CONCERN OF THE RESIDENTS THAT
LIVE ON THIS SHORT NARROW
STREET. AND HAVE VOICED THEIR
CONCERN AND ARE ON THIS PETITION
I HAVE PROVIDED YOU TODAY. IT --
IT DIDN'T TAKE ME VERY LONG TO
GATHER 150 PLUS SIGNATURES
MASSACHUSETTS OF THE SIGNATURES
COMMENTED TOO MANY CLOSE CALL.
WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS
BELIEVE THE -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> FEEL FREE -- IF YOU HAVE
WRITTEN COMMENTS OR THE
PETITION, PHYSICAL COPY, OH,
YEAH. THERE WE GO. SUBMIT IT TO
OUR FILE. THANK YOU.
>> WE'LL NOW GO TO OUR -- REMOTE
SPEAKERS AND WE'LL START WITH
CLIVE HAYWARD. MR. HAYWARD,
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> MR. HAYWARD, IF YOU CAN
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO SPEAK. [
INAUDIBLE ]
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> OKAY. THANK YOU MR. HAYWARD.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE
HOWARD GALE. MR. GALE, PLEASE
PREZ STAR 6 TO -- PRESS STAR 6
TO SPEAK.
>> Caller: GOOD MORNING, HOWARD
GALE, DISTRICT 7. THE FIRST TWO
ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA INVOLVE
A DISCUSSION AND THE PROPOSED
RESOLUTION 32205 REGARDING
RENOVATIONS AT SEATTLE CENTER.
RESOLUTION 32205 ENDORSES A
SIGNIFICANT MODERNIZATION
PROJECT FOR THE ARMORY AT
SEATTLE CENTER. AFTER THE MAJOR
ARMORY RENOVATION DURING 2011
AND '12, IT WAS A CONCERTED
EFFORT TO MAKE THE ARMORY
INHOSPITABLE TO THE UNHOUSED
FOCUSING ON TARGETING CERTAIN
BEHAVIORS TARGETING UNHOUSED FOR
RESTING OR SLEEPING AND DENYING
PEOPLE ACCESS TO THE NEWLY
INSTALLED AC POWER OUTLETS A
CRITICAL NEED FOR THE UNHOUSED
BY INSTALLING LOCK COVERS ON
EVERY PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE OUTLET
IN THE ARMORY. THE ARMORY THEN
IS NOW REMAINING THE ONLY PLACE
IN SEATTLE BESIDES THE DOWNTOWN
LIBRARY WITH MORE RESTRICTED
ACCESS AND HOURS FOR SIGNIFICANT
NUMBERS OF THE UNHOUSED TO
CONGREGATE AND KEEP THEIR
BELONGINGS SAFE AND RECHARGE
THEIR PHONES AND COMPUTERS.
THESE HOSTILE ACTS CAME ABOUT AS
A RESULT OF DECISIONS MADE BY
FORMER SEATTLE CENTER DIRECTOR
ROBERT MELONS, DECISIONS FALLED
IN PART BY A MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
WITH LEVI RESTAURANTS, PART OF A
HUGE MULTINATIONAL BRITISH FOOD
SERVICES COMPANY, WHO ADVISED
THAT ATTRACTING HIGH END
RESTAURANTS WITH CORRESPONDING
CLIENTELE TO THE FOOD COURT
WOULDN'T SUCCEED WITH UNHOUSED
FOLKS PRESENT AT THE ARMORY. I
THEREFORE RECOMMEND THAT
RESOLUTION 32205 INCLUDE
PROVISOS TO ENSURE THAT THE
ARMORY AND ALL OF SEATTLE CENTER
BE WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE TO
ALL USERS. AND TO ALSO INCLUDE
THE UNHOUSED IN DECISION MAKING.
BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED FROM 2011
TO 2015, THERE SHOULD BE PROVE
SOWS AND CLOSE MONITORING OF ANY
PRIVATE INVESTMENTS OR CONTRACTS
TO AVOID THESE ENTITIES FROM
SHAPING POLICIES AFFECTING HOW
ANYONE IS TREATED AT SEATTLE
CENTER. THESE PROVISOS SHOULD
ADDRESS CONCERNS AROUND ACCESS
TO ALL AMENITIES AND WI-FI AND
BATHROOMS AND THE CREATION OF
HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE AND HOW
PRIVATE SECURITIES WITH
MARGINALIZED PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU MR. GALE. ALL
RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO
MORE REGISTERED SPEAKERS. SO WE
WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>>> AGENDA ITEM ONE. BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION URGENT
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SEATTLE
CENTER RENOVATION AND
MODERNIZATION NEEDS.
>> THANK YOU. WILL OUR
PRESENTERS PLEASE JOIN US AT THE
TABLE? GOOD GROUP HERE TODAY
ASSEMBLED AND I THINK WE HAVE AT
LEAST ONE PANELIST JOINING US
VIRTUALLY AS WELL? EXCITING
GROUP. WHILE EVERYONE GETS
SETTLED IN, I WANT TO SHARE SOME
BRIEF OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE
SEATTLE CENTER THAT I LEARNED IN
THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AS ASSUMING
THE COUNCIL CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT. THAT IS,
SEATTLE CENTER. AND TAKING
MULTIPLE TOURS AND SITE VISITS
IN MY SORT OF DAY JOB AND I'M
ALWAYS THERE REGULARLY WITH MY
FAMILY. I LOVE THE PLACE AND THE
SPACE. IT'S GREAT FOR FAMILIES
AND CAN BE EVEN BETTER. BUT ALSO
SPEAKING WITH LITERALLY HUNDREDS
OF STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT IT OVER
THE PAST FEW MONTHS ALONE. IT'S
VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT AFTER 60
YEARS, OF CONTINUOUS USE, MUCH
OF THE SEATTLE CENTER'S CORE
INFRASTRUCTURE HAS AGED
SIGNIFICANTLY. MANY FACILITIES
NOW REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL
REINVESTMENT TO REMAIN
ACCESSIBLE, RESILIENT, AND
RELEVANT. CORE SYSTEMS ACROSS
THE CAMPUS HAVE EXPERIENCED
DECADES-LONG DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES AND ARE
OPERATING FAR BEYOND THEIR
INTENDED LIFE CYCLE INCREASING
THE RISK OF DISRUPTION TO ONE OF
THE CITY'S MOST ICONIC CIVIC
ASSETS. VERY CLEAR THAT WE CAN
NO LONGER TAKE A PASS THE BUCK
APPROACH AND PASS THE BUCK ON TO
FUTURE DECISION MAKERS IN THE
CITY TO FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS
THE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS OR NOT. IT
NEEDS CRITICAL WORK AND THAT
WORK OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF TODAY.
SPEAKING OF WORK AND LABOR
THAT'S WHY I ALSO WANT TO THANK
OUR LABOR PARTNERS FOR JOINING
US TODAY. AND THE TERRIFIC WORK
YOU ALL DO TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY. WE KNOW THAT LABOR
UNIONS STRENGTHEN SEATTLE'S
ECONOMY BY RAISING WAGES
IMPROVING BENEFITS AND
SUPPORTING SAFER WORKPLACES.
STRONG UNIONS HELP REDUCE WAGE
GAPS, EXPAND ECONOMIC MOBILITY,
AND INCREASE CONSUMER SPENDING.
THEY ALSO SUPPORT WORK FORCE
TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS THAT SUSTAIN SEATTLE'S
CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIES. FOLKS, THIS IS ABOUT
MORE THAN BEAUTIFYING AND
MAINTAINING A VIBRANT PUBLIC
SPACE. THAT SO DESPERATELY NEEDS
IT.. THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN
INVESTING IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY,
STRENGTHENING OUR CULTURE AND
CIVIC PRIDE, AND ENRICHING OUR
PUBLIC GATHERING SPACES FOR
WORKING FAMILIES AND OUR YOUTH.
OR EVEN HELPING TO PLAY A
TANGENTIAL ROLE IN BRINGING BACK
OUR SONICS. IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE MORE GOOD
UNION, GOOD PAYING JOBS. AND
ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE. THIS IS
ABOUT GETTING HAMMERS IN HANDS
AND SHOVELS IN THE GROUND TO
KEEP PAYCHECKS COMING INTO OUR
LOCAL WORK FORCE, BUT AGAIN,
DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SUCH AN
EXCITING PANEL TODAY. QUICK RUN
OF SHOW HERE. PANELISTS IN A
MOMENT, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES INCLUDING THE ONE
ONLINE. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A
-- A PRESENTATION, A DECK SHARED
BY SEATTLE CENTER, AND THEN
WE'LL DO JUST A ROUND ROBIN AND
EVERYONE CAN CHIME IN FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVES AND SHARE ABOUT
THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THE
CRITICAL NEED DIRECTLY FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE. THAT WOULD BE
GREAT. SO PANELISTS? WE'LL
START RIGHT HERE. WELCOME.
>> GOOD MORNING. CHAIR, THANK
YOU, BRIAN SURRATT, DEPUTY
MAYOR.
>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU ALL
FOR HAVING US TODAY. RANDY
ENGSTROM, ACTING DIRECTOR OF
SEATTLE CENTER.
>> GOOD MORNING. NICOLE GRANT,
DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL
WORKERS LOCAL 46 SEATTLE.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL. MONTY
-- REPRESENTING 25,000
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS HERE IN
SEATTLE KING COUNTY BUILDING
TRADES.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL. EITEL
BRAUNSCHWEIG REPRESENTING 57,500
CARPENTERS, GRAD TO BE HERE WITH
YOU TODAY.
>> ROB JOHNSON. OGD 4.
>> THANK YOU, WELCOME. GO AHEAD.
ACTING DIRECTOR ENGSTROM. OH
SORRY. ONE OTHER PERSON. LET ME
BE --
>> ONLINE. YES. ONLINE. JENNIFER
BACON AND I'M PRESIDENT OF
IATSE LOCAL 15 AND WE REPRESENT
THE STAGE HANDS, THE STAGE
TECHNICIANS WHO HELP MAKE THE
EVENTS AT THE SEATTLE CENTER
HAPPEN EVERY WEEK. EVERY SUMMER.
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS WE WORK ON
THERE TO MAKE IT A GOOD PLACE TO
GO.
>> THANK YOU, MISS BACON. LOVE
OUR STAGE HAND PARTNERS. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I -- I KNOW THAT SEATTLE
CENTER IS A PLACE THAT'S
FAMILIAR TO MANY OF YOU BUT JUST
TO RUN THROUGH A HIGH LEVEL OF
WHO AND WHAT WE ARE, AT THE
74-ACRE CAMPUS INCLUDING 40 I OF
GREEN SPACE THAT'S A
DESTINATION FOR MOST
NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY AND
MOST REGIONS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE AND VISITORS FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD. WE HOST BETWEEN 11
MILLION AND 12 MILLION ANNUAL
VISITS EVERY YEAR. THE MOST
VISITED CULTURAL DESTINATION IN
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WE'RE AN
ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT REPRESENTS
$3.3 BILLION IN REGIONAL
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND WE SUPPORT
OVER 19,000 JOBS IN THE CREATIVE
CULTURAL TOURISM HOSPITALITY AND
EVENT SECTORS. WE'RE HOME TO
OVER 30 INDEPENDENT
ORGANIZATIONS, ARTS, SPORTS,
CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT ALL
COME TOGETHER AT THE CAMPUS.
WE'RE LARGELY SELF-FUNDED AND
WE GENERATE 70% OF OUR OWN
REVENUE TO COVER THE EXPENSES OF
RUNNING THE DEPARTMENT YEAR OVER
YEAR. WE ARE VERY PROUD TO
MANAGE WATERFRONT PARK WHICH IS
A REALLY WONDERFUL RESOURCE DOWN
ON THE WATERFRONT. WELCOMING
OTHER 9 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR
WHERE WE DO THE MAINTENANCE
OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE
HAVE OVER 240 FULL-TIME STAFF.
OVER 500 INTERMITTENT AND
SEASONAL STAFF THAT DO ALL
FUNCTIONS OF THE CAMPUS FROM
TRADES AND TECHNICAL FACILITIES
MAINTENANCE TO PROGRAMMING AND
EVENT MANAGEMENT. AND EVERYTHING
IN-BETWEEN AND WE WORK WITH TEN
CRITICAL LABOR PARTNERS MANY OF
WHOM ARE HERE AT THE TABLE OR
VIRTUALLY AND WE'RE VERY PROUD
TO BE IN DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH
OUR UNION PARTNERS. THIS IS OUR
VISION AND OUR MISSION AND I
WON'T READ IT TO YOU BECAUSE
IT'S ANNOYING WHEN PEOPLE READ
WHAT'S ON A POWERPOINT. BUT
SEATTLE CENTER HAS BEEN AN
ANCHOR AND A GATHERING PLACE FOR
THIS CITY FOR ITS ENTIRE HISTORY
SINCE 1962. IT'S WHERE WE
FILLED THE FOUNTAIN PAVILION
WITH FLOWERS ON 9/11. IT'S
WHERE WE PROTEST AND IT'S WHERE
WE CELEBRATE AND COME TOGETHER.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST DEMOCRATIC
SPACES IN THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON. WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED
A STRATEGIC PLAN. A TEN YEAR
PLAN. THAT A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE
ROOM HELPED TO MAKE HAPPEN. AND
IT'S A REALLY THOUGHTFUL
VISION. ONE, THE GOAL NUMBER ONE
IS REALLY ABOUT MAINTAINING THAT
CULTURAL HEART OF THE CITY WHICH
IS ABOUT HOW WE DRIVE AND
SUSTAIN PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND
ACTIVITY FOR PUBLIC EXPERIENCE
ON THE CAMPUS. THE SECOND IS HOW
WE REINVEST IN THE CAMPUS AS A
GATHERING SPACE. IT'S A LOT OF
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
HERE TODAY. WE DO A LOT OF
AMAZING THINGS ON THE BACK OF
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS IN MOST
CASES WELL BEYOND ITS USEFUL
LIFE. AND WE ARE HOPING THAT WE
CAN SEE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THE
THIRD IS BUILDING AND
MAINTAINING LONG TERM
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC MOD EARL
FOR THE CAMPUS ITSELF AND THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT CALL IT HOME. SO ABOUT SOME
OF OUR CRITICAL REPAIR AND
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. LOT OF THE
CORE BUILDINGS, THE ARMORY, THE
CHILDREN'S THEATER, THE SEATTLE
REP, THE NORTHWEST ROOMS, ARE AT
OR WELL BEYOND THEIR USEFUL
LIFE. A LOT OF THESE FACILITIES
WERE BUILT IN 1962 FOR THE
WORLD'S FAIR. AND IN SOME CASES
ONLY INTENDED TO LAST FOR THREE
YEARS. THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
AVAILABLE PUBLIC FUNDING HAS
BEEN VERY LIMITED OVER THE PAST
TWO DECADES. THERE HADN'T REALLY
BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN
THE CAMPUS SINCE 1991 HAS MY
FRIEND ROB JOHNSON LIKES TO SAY.
HE WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE AND NOW
HAS A SEVENTH GRADER. THAT'S
WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES. AND YOU
KNOW I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF
THE PORK THAT THE TEAM CONTINUES
TO DO. BUT IT IS -- INCREDIBLY
INEFFICIENT AND COSTS MORE MONEY
TO DO IT ON TOP OF
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S AT RISK
OF CRITICAL FAILURE AT ANY GIVEN
MOMENT. THE LAST VOTER APPROVED
LEVY LIKE I SAID WAS IN 1991 AND
THAT WAS FOR $25 MILLION. WHICH
REALLY IS ONLY SCRATCHING
SURFACE OF THE NEED. THINGS THAT
CAN HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF THIS
INVESTMENT ARE -- ADDRESSING THE
CRITICAL NEEDS AT PLACES LIKE
McCALL HALL. THE ARMORY, THE
EXHIBITION HALL AS WELL AS THE
CHILDREN'S THEATER AS I
MENTIONED IN THE NORTHWEST
ROOMS. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DECARBONIZE THE CAMPUS. WHICH IS
NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO
SEE HAPPEN LONG-TERM. SO WE'D
REALLY LOVE TO NOT ONLY
DECARBONIZE THE CAMPUS BUT SEE
ALL THE UNION JOBS THAT ARE
GOING TO COME ALONG WITH THAT
WORK AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE
WORK GOING FORWARD. WE CAN
ELEVATE THE HEART OF THE CAMPUS
TO CONTINUE TO BE A DESTINATION
FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE
TRANSFORMING THE ARMORY INTO A
MORE PERMEABLE. MORE DYNAMIC
SPACE THAT CAN HOST MORE EVENTS
AND OFFER MORE TO COMMUNITY AND
THE FESTIVALS THAT OCCUR ON
CAMPUS. EXPAND THE ARTIST AT
PLAY GROUNDS TO REALLY BE A
DESTINATION. UPGRADE THE
INTERNATIONAL FOUNTAIN AND ALL
THE FOUNTAINS THAT EXIST ALONG
THE CAMPUS. PRESERVE AND ENHANCE
THE SCIENCE CENTER COURTYARDS
AND THE ARCHES ONE OF THE ICONIC
SPACES SO GREAT THAT NOW THE
GATES ARE DOWN, AND IF WE CAN
GET THE POOLS BACK WORKING IT
WOULD BE EVEN BETTER. AND PLUG
AND PLAY INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HOST
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF EVENTS
ALL OVER THE CAMPUS. IT'S
INCREDIBLY INEFFICIENT TO SET UP
AND TEAR DOWN GENERATORS AND
ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
FENCING. EVENT OVER EVENT. WE
CAN ACTUALLY MODERNIZE AND
IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
EXISTS SO IT COULD BE PLUG AND
PLAY. SOME OF THAT IS ALREADY
HAPPENING WITH THE INVESTMENT IN
MEMORIAL STADIUM WHICH IS REALLY
EXCITING. AND THEN YOU KNOW,
THIS CAMPUS WAS BUILT TO EITHER
KEEP PEOPLE OUT OR IN DEPENDING
HOW YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN '62. I
MEAN, IT WAS AN ARMORY AND WE
REALLY WARM TO CONNECT TO
DOWNTOWN TO THE SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO SOUTH LAKE
UNION AND THE WATERFRONT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE ABOUT A
FOUR BLOCK GAP BETWEEN THE NEW
WATERFRONT PARK AND THE CAMPUS
ITSELF AND WE REALLY WANT TO
CONNECT PHYSICALLY AND THROUGH
PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSIT MEANS TO
THE WHOLE CITY. SEATTLE CENTER
IS THE HEART OF THE CITY.
CULTURALLY AND CIVICALLY. BUT A
HEART IS CONNECTED TO THE WHOLE
BODY BY A CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. SO
WE WANT TO CONNECT TO EVERY
CORNER OF SEATTLE AND MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME THERE.
WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE MONORAIL
CONNECTIONS AND THE MONORAIL IS
AN INCREDIBLY HARD WORKING
TRANSIT SYSTEM. I LEARNED A LOT
ABOUT THE MONORAIL IN THE LAST
EIGHT WEEKS. BUT THE RIDERSHIP
NUMBERS ARE PRETTY STAGGERING
AND ONLY GROWING. AND WE WANT TO
CREIGHTON ACONNIC GATEWAY THAT
REALLY ENHANCES A SENSE OF
ARRIVAL TO THE CAMPUS. THE
ARMORY IS A BIG PART OF THIS.
IT'S THE MOST VISITED BUILDING
ON THE CAMPUS AND TRUST WHERE
THE RESTROOMS ARE FOR ALL THE
EVENTS THAT COME THROUGH. IT'S
WHERE THE FOOD HALL IS AND IT'S
HOME TO MANY RESIDENT
ORGANIZATIONS WHERE ALL OF OUR
STAFF LIVES AND IT'S THE HOME
OF SEATTLE CENTER AND MILLIONS
OF VISITORS A YEAR COME THROUGH
THE BUILDING. WE TALKED A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT'S POSSIBLE ON
THE GROUNDS THEMSELVES. THERE IS
A RENDERING OF HOW THE FOUNTAIN
MIGHT CONNECT THE FISHER
PAVILION. HAVING THIS SO WE CAN
ACCOMMODATE MORE PEOPLE AND MORE
ADA ACCESS. ADA WASN'T REALLY A
THING IN 1962 IN THE WORLD'S
FAIR. THIS IS A BIG CHALLENGE
THROUGHOUT THE CAMPUS AND IN
MANY OF OUR BUILDINGS. SO WE
REALLY WANT TO -- TO SEE NOT
JUST THE BUILDINGS CONNECT OUT
TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT TO SEE
THEM CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER
AND HAVE IT BE ONE CONTINUOUS
EXPERIENCE AS YOU MOVE THROUGH
THE CAMPUS. THE SCIENCE CENTER
HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSET FOR A
LONG TIME. WE WANT TO EXPAND THE
HEART OF THE CAMPUS INTO THE
COURTYARDS. THE GATES COMING
DOWN ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
ENHANCE THE POOLS AND ARCHES AND
WE WANT TO BE THE NORTH ANCHOR
OF A REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN THAT
CAN GO THROUGH WEST LAKE INTO
HISTORIC SOUTH DOWNTOWN AND
REALLY A CATALYST TO THE
REIMAGINATION AND REVITALIZATION
OF THE ENTIRE CENTER CITY. AND
ONE OF THE EARLY THINGS WE'RE
GOING TO DO IS LOOKING AT THE
THOMAS STREET AREA. THE NEW
MONORAIL PLATFORM AND HOW WE
MIGHT TURN THAT INTO MORE OF A
DESTINATION FESTIVAL STREET THAT
KEEPS PEOPLE LINGERING AND
GATHERING. THINKING ABOUT THE
THEATER COMMONS AND HOW WE
REALLY DOUBLE DOWN ON THE
THEATER DISTRICT AND HAVING THE
GATEWAYS WITH ART WORKS THAT CAN
REALLY WELCOME PEOPLE WITH
GESTURE TO THE CAMPUS. THERE'S
A LOT HAPPENING IN SEATTLE
CENTER. WE CAN TALK ABOUT ANY
AND ALL OF IT. BUT I WANTED TO
JUST GO THROUGH THAT QUICKLY AND
MAKE TIME TO HEAR FROM OUR
PARTNERS. THANK YOU FOR THE
TIME.
>> THANK YOU ACTING DIRECTOR
ENGSTROM AND APPRECIATE YOU THIS
GREAT PRESENTATION KIND OF
FRAMING AND TEEING UP THE NEED,
OPPORTUNITY. AT THIS TIME, WE'D
LOVE TO JUST KIND OF DO AN
INFORMAL ROUND ROBIN ABOUT THE
NEED. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT. WHAT
INSPIRES YOU THE MOST. WHAT GIVE
YOU THE MOST HOPE AND OPTIMISM
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RENOVATE THE SEATTLE CENTER ONCE
AND FOR ALL. AND THEN WE CAN
KIND OF INFORMALLY RIFF OFF OF
IT. THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
SOMEONE ELSE SAYS THAT REALLY
SPEAKS TO YOU, MOVES YOU, YOU
CAN INFORMALLY RIFF OFF OF THAT
TOPIC THEN. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUES. SO -- I GUESS FIRST
GO TOWN THE LINE EXCUSE ME,
DEPUTY MAYOR, IF YOU HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
>> NOT REALLY. I THINK THE
ACTING DIRECTOR DID A GREAT JOB
OF LAYING OUT THE BIG PICTURE
VISION. AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
SUPPORT FOR HELPING USHER IN A
NEW ERA FOR THE SEATTLE CENTER.
LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION
WITH ALL OF THE FRIENDS HERE AND
I'LL PASS IT ON TO -- TAKE OVER
THE AGENDA, CHAIR.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
COUNCILMEMBERS. AGAIN, NICOLE
GRANT FROM THE ELECTRICIANS'
UNION. AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR
FOR THE INCREDIBLE PRESENTATION
ON THIS PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE,
THE SEATTLE CENTER IS SEATTLE
SPACE. AND YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR
FACE. YOU KNOW? YOU WASH IT. YOU
BRUSH YOUR TEETH. YOU PLUCK HER
EYEBROWS AND YOU WANT IT TO LOOK
GOOD AND YOU NEED IT TO
FUNCTION. THIS SEATTLE CENTER IS
NOT JUST THE FACE TO THE WORLD,
TO THE CRUISE SHIPS AND ALL THE
TOURISTS THAT VISIT US HERE,
IT'S WHERE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR
KIDS AND OUR ELDERS HAVE OUR
MOST JOYOUS MOMENTS. IT'S OUR
BACKYARD. AND AS A UNION WOMAN,
I WANT TO SAY THAT NOTHING IS
TOO GOOD FOR THE WORKING CLASS.
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT SO
THAT WE CAN BE A WORLD CENTER OF
AEROSPACE AND TECHNOLOGY AND ALL
THE TEACHERS AND HEALTH CARE
WORKERS AND TRANSIT WORKERS,
NOTHING IS TOO GOOD FOR THEM.
AND THEY DESERVE A BACKYARD, A
SEATTLE CENTER THAT TRULY BEFITS
WHAT THEY PROVIDE TO SEATTLE AND
OUR REGION. FROM A CLIMATE
PERSPECTIVE, REDOING THE SEATTLE
CENTER IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE
NEED CLIMATE RESILIENCE. IT'S
GETTING TOO HOT. THE WEATHER IS
TOO VOLATILE ON A SMOKY DAY THE
AIR IS UNFIT TO BREATHE. WE NEED
PLACES THAT ARE PUBLIC, THAT ARE
ACCESSIBLE, AND THAT ARE A GOOD
TIME. AND THEY HAVE TO BE COOL
AND THE AIR HAS TO BE CLEAN.
THEY HAVE TO BE NICE. TO HEAR
THAT 16% OF THE CARBON POLLUTION
COMES FROM THIS FACILITY IS
UNACCEPTABLE. BUT MORE THAN
ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM, WE NEED
TO MAKE IT BE THE SOLUTION.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A HEATING
AND VENTILATION SYSTEM AND A
COOLING SYSTEM AT THE SEATTLE
CENTER THAT IS GOING TO FAIL
WHEN WE MOST NEED IT. BECAUSE IT
IS ANCIENT AND IT IS COLLAPSING.
MT. CITY OF SEATTLE AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR JOIN FORCES TO
BUILD CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA, IT
WAS VISIONARY. AND THAT IS AN
ICONIC FOSSIL FUEL-FREE
FACILITY. THE WHOLE OF SEATTLE
CENTER NEEDS TO BE THAT WAY.
BECAUSE YOU CANNOT ALWAYS JUST
WALK INTO CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA
BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST WALK
INTO THE ARMORY AND IT'S SUCH A
SPECIAL PLACE. NOW IS THE TIME
TO INVEST IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE
CHANGE AND BRINGING CLIMATE
RESILIENCE TO SEATTLE. THAT'S
IT.
>> THANK YOU NICOLE. AND THAT'S
-- JUST HIT ALL THE POINTS AND I
WANT TO SAVE. ONCE AGAIN MONTY
ANDERSON WITH SEATTLE BUILDING
TRADES AND THANK YOU ALL FOR
HAVING US HERE. YOU KNOW, MY
FIRST -- I STILL REFER TO IT --
I WAS CORRECTED DOWNSTAIRS, AS
THE SCIENCE CENTER BECAUSE THAT
WAS THE BIG FIELD TRIP WHEN WE
WERE KIDS RIGHT? FORGIVE ME IF I
INTERJECT THE TWO WORDS FROM THE
SEATTLE TO SCIENCE CENTER. YOU
KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST WERE TALKING
ABOUT BUILDING THE ARENA, WE HAD
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AT THE
TABLE WERE AROUND THAT TABLE
THERE. WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE
THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WE
TALKED ABOUT THE CENTER. AND
WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THERE.
AND FOR SOME REASON, I THINK IT
WAS COVID OR SOMETHING, WE GOT
ALL THE PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND
WE GOT ALL THIS TO MAKE THE
ARENA WORLD CLASS AND THEY WERE
GOING TO UPGRADE THE SPACE
NEEDLE. WE WERE TALKING WITH THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT GETTING
TOGETHER, ABOUT FIXING MEMORIAL
STADIUM. AND SOMEWHERE IN ALL
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THE SEATTLE
CENTER JUST KIND OF GOT I THINK
JUST LEFT OUT OR THE OXYGEN GOT
SUCKED OUT OF THE ROOM OR
SOMETHING BUT I REMEMBER HAVING
THESE SAME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
FAILURES OF SYSTEMS THERE NINE
YEARS AGO. SO FOR SOMEBODY THAT
WORKS AROUND ELECTRICAL AND HVAC
AND STUFF FOR A LIVING, WHEN I
WORKED AT THE TUNNELS BACK IN
THE LATE 1990s HERE, I MEAN, WE
STILL HAD ASBESTOS DOWN THERE
FOR CRIPES' SAKE. NOW I'M OLD
AND HVAC IS OLD AND WE NEED TO
FIX IT. SO I THINK EVERYBODY
KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
WE'VE JUST NOT TAKEN CARE OF
BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH. I DON'T
THINK THERE'S ANY FINGERS TO
POINT HERE. IT'S JUST ONE OF
THOSE THINGS THAT POP UP THAT
YOU GO, YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT THE
COMPLETE THE REST OF THE PUZZLE
HERE. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S
TIME AND LOOK FORWARD AND
GETTING TO WORK AND PUTTING SOME
LOCAL HIRE APPRENTICES TO WORK
SHEER ON THIS -- HERE ON THIS
PROJECT. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING
ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH
YOU TODAY. AGAIN EITEL
BRAUNSCHWEIG. I THINK THIS CIG
ANY IF -- SIGNALS AN
INFORMATIONMENT TO OUR
CONSTITUENTS AND OUR LANDMARK.
THERE'S A PRIDE THAT COMES WITH
SEATTLE AND ITS RESIDENTS AND
REALLY THIS OPENS UP THE GATEWAY
TO OPPORTUNITIES. WE'VE HEARD A
LOT ABOUT LABOR SHORTAGES.
EVERYONE WANTS TO GO TO WORK AND
THEY WANT TO EARN A LIVING WAGE
AND THERE'S A SHORTAGE IN
OPPORTUNITIES. THIS OPENS UP
THAT PATHWAY FOR OPPORTUNITIES
AND ALSO SIGNALS TO THE REST
SEATTLE AND TO WASHINGTON THAT
THE CITY IS INVESTING IN
ECONOMIC GROWTH. AND WE WILL SEE
THAT FLOURISH FROM THIS. SO YOU
KNOW, WANT TO SEE THIS
INVESTMENT CARRIED THROUGH AND
TO NOT KICK THE CAN FURTHER DOWN
THE ROAD. YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE
GRADE IS MEDIOCRE. WE HAVE TO
ACT AND DO SOMETHING NOW. WHAT
WE BUILD AS A PORTFOLIO AND HOW
WE BUILD IT IS A LEGACY. I THINK
IT'S TIME FOR THE COUNCIL TO
TAKE THE STEPS TO SET THE
FOUNDATION FOR THAT LEGACY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS
HAPPEN.
>> MR. CHAIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
KEEP THE LABOR OF LOVE GOING AND
HAVE JENNIFER GO NEXT?
>> TERRIFIC IDEA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL FOR
INVITING ME TO ATTEND TODAY.
I'M SORRY I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE
THERE IN-PERSON. I WANT TO SAY
YOU KNOW, STAGE TECHNICIAN ARE
EXTREMELY CREATIVE AND
INNOVATIVE PEOPLE. YOU GIVE THEM
SOME ZIP TIES AND SOME DUCT TAPE
AND THEY WILL MAKE A THING
HAPPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY
REALLY HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE
LAST FEW DECADES. SO WHEN
INVESTMENTS LIKE THIS WILL
REALLY GIVE THEM THE TOOLS AND
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE
MAGIC THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF
DOING. RATHER THAN JUST TRYING
TO GET BY AND MAKE THINGS WORK.
THE SHOW WILL GO ON. STAGE HANDS
WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT
HAPPENS. BUT IT WON'T
NECESSARILY BE THE EXPERIENCE
THAT IT COULD BE AND FRANKLY,
OUR CITY DESERVES TO HAVE THE
TOOLS AND THOSE EXPERIENCES. WE
ARE A WORLD CLASS CITY. WE NEED
TO PUT THAT FACE FORWARD. THE
SEATTLE CENTER IS THAT CENTER
THAT PEOPLE COME TO SEE. AND I
THINK WE SHOULD MAKE THAT
INVESTMENT.
>> THOUSAND GRATEFUL WE ARE TO
BE NAZIIC MOMENT. ONE OF THE
PREDECESSORS USED TO SAY SHE
KNEW A MEETING WAS IMPORTANT TO
SOMEONE WHEN THEY SHOWED UP IN
HER OFFICE WEARING A TIE. ON A
HOT SEATTLE DAY I SHOWED UP
WEARING A TIE. WELL DONE
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. YOU AS
WELL. AND RANDY. I THINK RANDY
HASN'T BEEN WITHOUT A TIE IN
THE 80 DAYS HE'S BEEN ON THE
JOB. WE THE FOUNDATION SITS AS
THE NONPROFIT PARTNER FOR THE
PUBLIC SECTOR AGENCY THAT IS
SEATTLE CENTER. FOR THE LAST 50
YEARS, WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE
FOR BRINGING RESOURCES TO
SEATTLE CENTER, BRINGING
ATTENTION TO SEATTLE CENTER,
TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO FUND FREE
PROGRAMMING THAT WOULD HAPPEN AT
SEATTLE CENTER AND STEWARDING IT
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE ARE
THE -- AS RANDY SAID, SO WELL,
THE CULTURAL GATHERING SPACE.
WE'RE MORE THAN JUST THAT. IN
CONTRAST TO ONE OF YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENTERS, WE ARE A PLACE WHERE
WE HAVE A LOT OF CLIENTS THAT
COME ON A DAILY BASIS WHO ARE
USING US FOR OUR ELECTRICAL
OUTLETS AND WE ARE A COOLING
SHELTER AND HOT WEATHER EVENTS
AND WE'RE A WARMING SHELTER IN
COLD WEATHER EVENTS. WE ARE THE
EMERGENCY CITY HALL IF SOMETHING
WERE TO -- NEED TO HAPPEN. WE'RE
THE EMERGENCY GATHERING PLACE
WHERE IN THE EVENT OF A MAYOR
DISASTER THE PUBLIC WOULD BE
EXPECTED TO GATHER AND GET
ACCESS TO SERVICES. YET AT THE
SAME TIME OVER THE LAST 15, 20,
25 YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC
SET OF INVESTMENTS BUT IT'S NOT
BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR SIDE.
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE
PRIVATE SECTOR SIDE. $1.2BILLION
IN PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT AT
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA. $40MILLION
IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT AT
MEMORIAL STADIUM AND $10 MILLION
AT KAXP AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS BETWEEN SPACE NEEDLE
AND MECHANICAL HAUL ET MCCALL
HALLETT SET A. THIS IS THE NEXT
WATERFRONT PARK. THIS IS THE
NEXT CIVIC MOMENT WHERE WE CAN
DEMONSTRATE THAT WE AS A
COMMUNITY CAN DO BIG, HARD
THINGS TOGETHER. WE HAVE A
VISION FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE AND
THAT BRIGHTER FUTURE IS GOING TO
KNOCK OVER A LOT OF OTHER
IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DOMINOES. WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN
YOU PUT PUBLIC SECTOR
INVESTMENTS INTO MAJOR CAPITAL
FACILITIES, IT'S -- A REALLY
IMPORTANT SIGNAL TO THE PRIVATE
SECTOR THAT THIS IS A PLACE TO
BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND FOR THEM
TO DOUBLE DOWN AND PUT
ADDITIONAL PRIVATE SECTOR
INVESTMENT INTO NOT ONLY THAT
CIVIC CAMPUS, BUT ALSO THE SPACE
NEARBY. SO WE ARE GRATEFUL TO
YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND MADAME VICE
CHAIR, FOR CONVENING THIS
CONVERSATION TODAY. WE KNOW THAT
THIS IS THE FIRST OF WHAT WE
HOPE WILL BE MANY CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE
CENTER. AND WE STANDS AT THE
READY TO MARSHAL RESOURCES
PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND OTHERWISE,
TO THE CAUSE. THANK YOU.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU PRESENTERS, PANELISTS.
TERRIFIC CONVERSATION AND
INSIGHTS OFFERED SO FAR. SO
LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION
GOING. AT THIS POINT, I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES
FOR ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,
FEEDBACK. MY OFFER FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE. FIRST OFF, LET ME
JUST SAY NO TIES. I HAVE -- NO
TIE RULE AND I APPRECIATE MY
FELLOW COLLEAGUE COUNCILMEMBER
LIN FOR FOLLOWING THAT AND WE'RE
BOTH LAWYERS BY THE WAY. OH, AND
OF COURSE DEPUTY MAYOR AS WELL.
WE'RE BOTH LAWYERS. AND IT'S
THE SUBSTANCE OVER THE FORM IS
MY HOPE. THAT WE ALL PAY
ATTENTION TO. IN ANY EVENT,
STARTING FIRST WITH OUR VICE
CHAIR, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M AFRAID
I FORGOT MY TIE TODAY AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION AND ONE THAT I'M
SO EXCITED TO HAVE. BECAUSE
SEATTLE CENTER IS OUR FACE OF
OUR CITY. SEATTLE CENTER IS SUCH
AN IMPORTANT SPACE IN SO MANY
WAYS AND I HAVE SAID THIS A FEW
TIMES TO FOLKS IN COMMUNITY. BUT
EVERYONE HAS A SEATTLE STORY.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS CITY
AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE IS A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY
TO REALLY IMAGINE THE NEXT PHASE
FOR THE SEATTLE CENTER. THE
HEART OF OUR CITY. AND SO I'M
SO GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE HAVING
THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU TO
OUR PANEL TODAY THANK YOU FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU DO SERVING OUR
CITY AND HUGE THANK YOU
ESPECIALLY TO THE LABOR PARTNERS
HERE, PLEASE EXTEND A LOT OF
GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOUR MEMBERS
FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO
QUITE LITERALLY BUILD OUR CITY.
AND I WANT TO START WITH A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ACTUALLY FOR
OUR LABOR PARTNERS JUST BECAUSE
I HAVE BEEN BEATING THIS DRUM,
COLLEAGUES, AS WE KNOW ABOUT
JUST THE LULL THAT WE'VE
EXPERIENCED IN THE CONSTRUCTION
SPACE. AND THAT PERMITS IN THE
CITY ARE DOWN. AND TO A REALLY
DISTURBING DEGREE ESPECIALLY AS
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A HOUSING
SHORTAGE AND HOUSING CRISIS. AND
SO I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE, UNION PERSPECTIVES,
CAN YOU SPEAK TO ME RIGHT NOW
ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE THINGS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE
BROADER ECONOMY HAVE IMPACTED
YOUR MEMBERS AND IF THERE'S ANY
ALSO UPDATES WE CAN PROVIDE IN
TERMS OF INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF
THE KINDS OF JOBS THAT THIS
REVITALIZATION OF SEATTLE CENTER
WOULD BRING AND JUST THE
OPPORTUNITIES THERE I'D REALLY
APPRECIATE IT.
>> I'LL KICK THAT OFF. THANK
YOU COUNCILMEMBER. WELL, THERE
ARE 1,000 JOURNEY LEVEL UNION
ELECTRICIANS UNEMPLOYED IN
SEATTLE RIGHT NOW. AND WE'RE
ALSO -- JOINED BY OUR COLLEAGUES
FROM LIUNA 242 IN THE AUDIENCE
AND YESTERDAY, WE WERE TALKING
AND THEY HAVE 1,000 UNION
CONSTRUCTION MEMBERS THAT ARE
OUT OF WORK AS WELL. THE SCALE
OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS IN
CONSTRUCTION IS AS BAD AS WHEN
THE ECONOMY BOTTOMED OUT AFTER
THE GREAT RECESSION IN 2008. AND
WHEN WE LOOK AT PROJECTS AND
PRIORITIES LIKE THE SETTLE
CENTER. THIS IS A BRIDGE. FOR
US. TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION A
WORK FORCE THAT WE'VES INNED IN
VERY HEAVILY YOU KNOW. EVERY
JOURNEY LEVEL ELECTRICIAN IS
SOMEBODY WHO WENT THROUGH A FIVE
YEAR APPRENTICESHIP THAT THE
INDUSTRY PAID FOR. THE PRIVATE
SECTOR. AND WHEN ONE WORKER
LEAVES LIKE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW,
BY THE HUNDREDS, TO GO SOMEWHERE
LIKE BOISE OR TEXAS WHERE THE
CONSTRUCTION ECONOMY IS BOOMING,
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T COME BACK.
AND WE LOSE THE INVESTMENT OF
HAVING A CITY THAT'S FULLY
HIGHLY SKILLED CRAFTS PEOPLE AND
THINGS MIGHT BE SLOW NOW BUT
THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S GOING TO
BE IN FIVE YEARS. WE CANNOT LOSE
OUR CONSTRUCTION WORK FORCE NOW.
PROJECTS LIKE A REVITALIZED
SEATTLE CENTER CAN BE THE BRIDGE
UNTIL THE NEXT WAVE OF
CONSTRUCTION HITS SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU NICOLE. THAT'S --
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE FORGET
WHAT IT WAS LIKE HERE A FEW
YEARS AGO. I WAS GOING THROUGH
SOME OF OUR NUMBERS. ONE YEAR WE
CLOCKED ABOUT 20,000 HOURS -- I
MEAN, 800,000 HOURS A WEEK HERE
IN SEATTLE. THAT WAS $52 MILLION
A WEEK IN WAGES AND BENEFITS AND
THAT -- WAGES ALONE. I PUT -- WE
PUT IT AT A MEDIUM. THAT YEAR,
THE CITY CRANKED OUT $2.7
BILLION IN WAGES FOR PEOPLE TO
PUT THAT MONEY IN THEIR POCKET
AND GO SPENDS IN THE ECONOMY. WE
TALK ABOUT CONSTRUCTION WAGES,
WE TALK ABOUT -- NO MYSTERY.
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE NOT
SENDING THEIR MONEY OFFSHORE.
THESE CONSTRUCTION JOBS ARE
REALLY TAX BASE FOR THE CITY AND
AN ECONOMIC BOOST FOR THE CITY.
IT'S REALLY JUST AN INVESTMENT
IN YOURSELF. ROB WAS TALKING
HERE AND HE HAS IT ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT. THERE'S AN ECOSYSTEM
HERE WE'RE LOOKING TO FIND YOU
KNOW. WE CANNOT PUT ALL THE
BURDEN ON SEATTLE OR KING COUNTY
OR HOPE THAT SOME BILLIONAIRE IS
GOING TO BUILD SOME PROJECT.
IT'S AN ECOSYSTEM THAT WE'RE
OPEN FOR BUSINESS. AND I THINK
THIS REALLY SHOWS EVERYBODY THAT
WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. AND
WE'RE OPEN FOR MORE PRIVATE
INVESTMENT HERE AT THE CITY. SO
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS A
BROAD PICTURE HERE, SAT SYSTEM
OPEN FOR BUSINESS, YEAH. THEY'RE
NOT BUILDING ANY COVID CHANGE
TUNE AROUND OFFICER BUILDINGS
AND WE GET THAT. BUT WE ARE
STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND
WE'RE STILL A LOT OF THINGS WE
CAN BUILD AND MAINTAIN HERE IN
THE CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR
ASKING THAT, ALEXIS.
>> WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY ESTEEMED
PANELIST PARTNERS SAID. THEY DID
A GREAT JOB. AND REALLY WANT TO
POINT OUT WHAT ROB MENTIONED
EARLIER IS IT'S A SIGNAL IF
PUBLIC IS MAKING THE INVESTMENT
INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE. PRIVATE
WILL FOLLOW. FOR THE LAST 12, 14
YEARS SEATTLE HEAVILY DEPENDED
ON THAT PRIVATE INVESTMENT. IN A
BOOM TOWN WE HAD 60 PLUS TOWER
CRANES. A MAJORITY OF THAT WAS
PRIVATE INVESTMENT. DOING THIS
WILL SIGNAL BACK TO PRIVATE
INVESTMENT THAT IT'S TIME TO
BUILD, IT'S TIME TO REINVEST
AND BUILD AROUND SOUTH LAKE
UNION TO BUILD AROUND THE
SEATTLE CENTER. WHEN YOU KNOW,
YOU LOOK AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES FOR CONSTRUCTION IN
WASHINGTON STATE AND THEY'RE
ABOVE 10%, THERE IS AN ISSUE.
PERMITTING BEING SLOW, BUT YOU
LOOK AT THE SIGNALS THAT THE
CITY HAS DONE AND THE STATE. WE
HAVE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB AND
WE BUILT TWICE AS MANY
RESIDENTIAL UNITS AS ANY OF THE
NEIGHBORING STATES. IT'S JUST
CERTAIN POINTS THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE THE INVESTMENT INTO. TO
KEEP BUSINESS BOOMING AND
GROWING. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY AS CHAIR SAKA HAD
MENTIONED TO SIGNAL TO THE NBA
FOR THE EXPANSION. AND TO
CONTINUE THAT PATHWAY FORWARD.
SO ON THE LABOR SIDE? FOR US, WE
HAVE BEEN DOING QUITE WELL AS
THE CARPENTERS, WE DO AROUND 26
MILLION HOURS IN WASHINGTON
STATE. OUR OUT OF WORK LIST IS
NOT VERY DEEP. WE COVER 12
DIFFERENT CRAFTS. SO FOR US,
THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
UPLIFT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
LOOKING TO GET INTO
CONSTRUCTION. WHICH WE LOOK
FORWARD TO.
>> EXCELLENT. MISS JENNIFER
BACON, I THINK YOU ARE LAST FROM
THE LABOR PARTNERS TO CHIME ON
IN.
>> YES. SO YOU KNOW, STAGE HANDS
DON'T DO A LOT IN CONSTRUCTION
ALTHOUGH WE DO DO SOME. YOU
WOULD BE SURPRISED. THERE ARE
THESE RIGORS THAT INSTALLED A
NUMBER OF THINGS IN THE CLIMATE
PLEDGE ARENA. OUR WORK IS
SEASONAL AND DEPENDENT ON A GOOD
ECONOMY. SO INVESTING IN A PLACE
THAT'S GOING TO UP LIFT THE
ECONOMY IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR
US LONG-TERM. WE SAW THAT WITH
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA. THERE WAS
DEFINITELY A DOWN TIME DURING
THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION. BUT
THE JOBS THAT HAVE COME BACK TO
US AFTER THAT CONSTRUCTION IS
OVER HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT. IT IS
A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GO
TO WORK. WE SEE, YOU KNOW, THE
CONCERTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH
THERE. AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE
THAT COME TO THAT VENUE AND
THOSE ARE PROVIDING GOOD JOBS TO
OUR TECHNICIANS IN THE CITY. WE
HAVE ON OUR HIRING HALL LIST AS
WE ARE PREPARING FOR FIFA, WE
HAVE OVER 3,000 PEOPLE WHO GET
WORK THROUGH OUR HIRING HALL.
AND WE NEED THE VENUES WE NEED
THE PLACES TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON
THOSE EVENTS IN ORDER TO PUT
THOSE MEME TO WORK -- PEOPLE TO
WORK.
>> FABULOUS. THANK YOU ALL FOR
THOSE RESPONSES AND I DON'T ASK
THAT QUESTION TO BE DOWNER BY
ANY MEANS BUT RATHER TO PLACE US
IN OUR CONTEXT THAT WE ARE IN
RIGHT NOW. AND TO SAY THIS --
THIS WOULD MEAN A LOT TO OUR
COMMUNITY. IT WOULD MEAN GETTING
FOLKS TO WORK WHILE ALSO TENDING
TO REALLY THE HEART OF OUR CITY
AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THOSE
RESPONSES AND KIND OF BRIDGING
INTO JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION I
HAVE FOR TODAY, CHAIR IF I MAY.
WE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
DECARBONIZATION EFFORTS WHICH IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND VERY
EXCITING AND I'M WONDERING
RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF SEATTLE
CENTER, WHETHER ON THE
FOUNDATION SIDE OR ALSO WITHIN
SEATTLE CENTER CITYSIDE, HOW WE
MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FURTHER CLIMATE RESILIENCE
MEASURES.
>> I ALWAYS DEFER TO OUR PUBLIC
SECTOR PARTNERS FIRST.
>> WELL, IT WAS MENTIONED
EARLIER THAT ROB BROUGHT UP THE
COOLING SHELTERS, THE HEATING
SHELTERS. WE -- WE ARE I BELIEVE
A VERY WELCOMING PLACE FOR OUR
ENTIRE COMMUNITY INCLUDING OUR
MOST VULNERABLE. AND IF YOU COME
TO THE ARMORY ANY DAY, I'D BE
GLAD TO SHOW YOU HOW AND WHY. I
THINK THE CHALLENGE AS WAS
STATED IS THAT HEATING AND
COOLING SHELTER ONLY WORKS IF
THE HVAC SYSTEM WORKS AND IF THE
SYSTEM WAS BUILT IN 1962 AND
IT'S STEAM POWERED IT'S
VULNERABLE AND I THINK YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO IN THE
ARMORY RENOVATION AND THERE'S A
LOT WE CAN DO WITH THE
RENOVATION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL
BUILDING. MECHANICAL HAUL AND
CORNISH PLAY HOUSE AND
CHILDREN'S THEATER AND
NORTHWEST ROOMS HOME TO KEXP.
VERA PROJECT, THERE'S A LOT OF
BUILDING ON CAMPUS WHILE SOME
HAVE BEEN RENOVATED IN BETTER
SHAPE IN PARTICULAR THE VERA
PROJECT. THEY DID A GREAT JOB ON
THAT CAMPAIGN BUT THERE'S A
LONG WAY TO GO. WE'RE A LONG
WAY FROM BEING RESILIENT IN THE
WAY THAT NICOLE DESCRIBED. AND
WE'RE ANXIOUS TO MODEL THE
BEHAVIOR THAT WE THINK ALOINS
WITH OUR VALUES AND THE CITY'S
VALUES.
>> NICOLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO
NEXT?
>> YEAH. WELL, EVERYTHING RANDY
SAID. AND SEATTLE IS -- AN
INNOVATIVE PLACE. AND I THINK WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT COULD
ITERATE AND BUILD. BECAUSE WHEN
WE DO THE RESILIENCE HUBS AT THE
ARMORY, AND AT OTHER FACILITIES
AT THE SEATTLE CENTER, IT'S
ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT
INTEREST FROM THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, FROM THE PRIVATE
SECTOR, TO SEE IF WE CAN ALSO DO
SOLAR ON THE BUILDINGS. IF WE
CAN ALSO DO A MICROGRID. AND
HAVE A LEVEL OF RESILIENCE THAT
BUILDS UPON MAKING THE CHANGES
TO THE HEATING AND COOLING
SYSTEM. AND I THINK THAT JUST
LIKE IT HAPPENED WITH CLIMATE
PLEDGE ARENA WHERE THE CITY TOOK
A BIG STEP, MADE A BIG
COMMITMENT, AND THE PRIVATE
SECTOR ROSE TO THE OCCASION, WE
COULD DO THAT AGAIN WITH CLIMATE
INNOVATION. AND IT COULD BE A
MODEL TO THE CITY AND TO THE
REGION AND TO THE WORLD ABOUT
HOW A WORLD CLASS FACILITY
OPERATES IN YOU KNOW, CLIMATE
THREATENED ERA.
>> JUST A COUPLE OF BRIEF
THOUGHTS COUNCILMEMBER. AS THE
GUY WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AT CLIMATE PLEDGE
ARENA, I WANT TO JUST TELL ONE
QUICK STORY AND THEN USE THAT AS
A FRAMEWORK FOR I THINK THE
FUTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY AT
SEATTLE CENTER. WE WERE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION OF THAT ARENA. WE
HAD BUILT WHAT WE WERE CALLING
THE WEDDING TENT BECAUSE THE 44
MILLION-POUND ROOF WAS FLOATING
ON 75 TEMPORARY STEEL COLUMNS WE
JUST POURED THE FOUNDATION. WHEN
GOVERNOR INSLEE SENT
WASHINGTONIANS HOME IN THE
NATION'S FIRST DAY AT HOME,
COVID REQUIREMENT. WE HAD OUR
FIRST OWNERSHIP CALL ON ZOOM
THAT FRIDAY. AND ONE OF OUR
OWNERS RAISED HIS DIGITAL HAND
AND SAID WHAT IF THIS IS MOTHER
NATURE'S WAY OF FIGHTING BACK?
DURING THE COURSE OF THE NEXT
TEN WEEKS, THE CONSTRUCTION
TEAM, THE ENGINEERING TEAM,
MYSELF, A COHORT OF OTHER
OWNERS' REPRESENTATIVES
REDESIGNED AND REPERMITTED THAT
ENTIRE FACILITY TO ELIMINATE ALL
FOSSIL FUELS FROM THE BUILDING.
AND DECARBONIZE 100% OF THE
SCOPE ONE EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE FACILITY. AND I USE
THAT AS AN ANECDOTE BECAUSE THAT
WAS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
MOMENT AND THERE'S A CHANCE FOR
US TO TAKE THE LEADERSHIP OF
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA AND
TRANSITION THAT OVER TO, THIS IS
THE HEAVENS TELLING US THIS IS A
GOOD IDEA. WE CAN TRANSITION
THAT LEADERSHIP FROM THE PRIVATE
SECTOR OVER TO THE PUBLIC
SECTOR. AND DECARBONIZATION OF
16% OF CITY OWNED FACILITIES IS
IMPORTANT. AT THE TIME, CPA
DECARBONIZED CITY OWNED
FACILITIES BY 5%. SO
COLLECTIVELY, THOSE TWO ACTIONS
WOULD REDUCE THE CARBON
FOOTPRINT OF CITY OWNED
FACILITIES BY GREATER THAN 20%
BUT ON TOP OF THAT WE'VE GOT AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE WITH THE WAY WE
THINK ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF
THE FACILITY. SO SCOPE ONE IS
IMPORTANT. SCOPE TWO AND SCOPE
THREE ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE LIFE
CYCLE OF A BUILDING LIKE CLIMATE
PLEDGE ARENA, THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
SCOPE THREE EMISSIONS OF
ATTENDANCE AND OF THINGS THAT
HAPPEN IN THAT EVENT ARE MORE
SIGNIFICANT ON A YEAR OVER YEAR
BASIS THAN THE DECARBONIZATION
EFFORTS FROM SCOPE ONE. SO THE
MORE WE CAN DO TO ELIMINATE THE
FOSSIL FUELS FROM CAMPUSES IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. HOWEVER,
IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO
INVEST IN THE MONORAIL. TO GET
PEOPLE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT. TO
REDUCE THOSE SCOPE THREE
EMISSIONS TO THINK ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION OF REUSABLES
THROUGHOUT THE CAMPUS, TO REDUCE
THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THAT GOES TO
LANDFILL. TO IMPLEMENT MORE
SUSTAINABLE OPERATING PRACTICES
AT ALL OF THOSE OTHER NONPROFIT
FACILITIES THAT ARE PART OF THE
CAMPUS. THESE ARE ALL PART OF A
GRAND VISION OF DECASHNIIZATION
OF THE CAMPUS AS A WHOLE. NONE
OF IT CAN START WITHOUT A
SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SECTOR
INVESTMENT IN DECARBONIZATION OF
THE CENTRAL PLANT AND THE HVAC
SYSTEMS AND THE OTHER CRITICAL
INVESTMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN
THROUGHOUT THE CAMPUS WRIT
LARGE. THIS IS THE BIG DOMINO
THAT KNOCKS OVER ALL OF THE REST
OF THE THINGS THAT ALLOWS US TO
MEET OUR GOALS OF BEING REALLY A
CLIMATE NEUTRAL CITY BY 2040.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND COLLEAGUES I MEAN, THIS IS A
MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
LARGE-SCALE CIVIC PROJECT THAT
WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SUPPORT CLIMB RESILIENCE EFFORTS
AND INNOVATION. BRING ONLINE
GOOD UNION JOBS AND TO TENDS TO
OUR CRITICAL PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE AND I REALLY MEAN
EMPHASIS ON INFRASTRUCTURE. I
MEAN, I HAVE BEEN IN THE
PAVILION FOR EVENTS AND ALSO
BEEN IN FISHER WHEN IT'S OUR
SEVERE WEATHER SHELTER WHEN IT
IS FAR TOO COLD OUTSIDE FOR
PEOPLE TO BE OUTSIDE. SO TRULY
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SERVES SO
MANY DIFFERENT FOLKS ACROSS OUR
CITY. SO THANK YOU CHAIR AND
THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE PANEL FOR
BEING HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. FIRST I
WANT TO WELCOME DEPUTY MAYOR
SURRATT AND THE FORMER
COUNCILMEMBER JOHNSON AND
DIRECTOR JOHNSON, FELLOW ROB,
ROBERT, THANK YOU AND TIE WEARER
BUT ALSO A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME
TO THE LABOR PARTNERS. AND YOU
KNOW, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MR.
ANDERSON. WELCOME.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> YOU KNOW. [ LAUGHTER ] AND
FOR MANY REASONS I WANT TO GIVE
A SPECIAL WELCOME TO YOU. BUT
ALSO BECAUSE IN PART OF THAT IS
THAT YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF BEING
OLD AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M
RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO WE HAVE THAT IN
PARTNERSHIP. SO WELCOME
EVERYONE. AND FOR SEATTLE
CENTER, I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH
THIS REALLY EVER SINCE 2014.
FIRST WITH THE QUEEN ANNE
COMMUNITY COUNCIL. AND THEN
ESPECIALLY AS A STAY AT HOME DAD
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IF YOU WILL.
EVERY LITTLE PIECE, SEEING IT
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, AND ALL
THESE DIFFERENT ANGLES, TO THE
SCIENCE CENTER, YOU KNOW, BUT AS
A FATHER TO A YOUNG GIRL YOU
KNOW. ALL THESE PIECES. AND THEN
ESPECIALLY AS A COUNCILMEMBER,
REPRESENTING DISTRICT 7. AND I
KNOW SEATTLE CENTER AND
WATERFRONT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE THIS
YEAR BUT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN
WORKING THE ISSUES FOR THREE
YEARS YOU KNOW. INITIALLY I WAS
DOING WITH DIRECTOR NEEDHAM BUT
THEN DIRECTOR FOSTER. THE REP,
THE ARMORY AND THEN THERE'S THE
TENANTS IF YOU WILL. ALL THE
DIFFERENT PIECES AND IT'S
INTRICATE. AND WE'VE BEEN
WORKING THE -- WE'RE IN THE
THIRD YEAR OF WORKING THOSE
PIECES AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE
BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE. AND THIS
IS WHAT THIS REPRESENTS. AND WE
NEED TO DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS DOING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH
MR. JOHNSON IN HIS NEW ROLE BUT
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. ONE ROOF
IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS AND THAT'S
LATEST FORM. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
WHICH WAS HUGE AS IT RELATES TO
THE PARTICULARLY WITH THE MORAL
STADIUM AND THE MEMORIAL WALL.
BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE
PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER. YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S ELEMENTS
THAT ARE NOT TECHNICALLY PART OF
SEATTLE CENTER. BUT ARE INTEGRAL
TO IT. CIVIC SCIENCE NEEDLE AND
SPACE CENTER AND WHICH HUELY.
NOT MENTIONED BUT THE IMAX
THEATER IS A GEM. THERE'S ONLY
ONE. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE
IT IS. THIS IS YOU KNOW, AND SO
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT
PARTNERSHIP. MOPOP OF COURSE.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE WE
NEED TO HAVE PARTNERSHIP I MEAN
THERE'S ONE LINE AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE BRIEFING. BUT
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP
WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.
FIRST UPTOWN. THEN QUEEN ANNE.
SOUTH LAKE UNION AND AS VERY
WELL NOTED BY MR. ENGSTROM,
BELLTOWN. COMING BECAUSE PEOPLE
-- THOSE CONNECTIONS, YOU SEE IT
IN CRACKING GAMES FOR EXAMPLE.
BETWEEN BELLTOWN YOU KNOW, IT'S
NOT JUST WITH THE OPENING OF THE
CONNECTOR YOU KNOW, WITH --
MERLE EDWARDS AND CENTENNIAL
PARK BUT ALL THE DIFFERENT
PIECES OF BELLTOWN AS WELL.
THOSE FOUR ENTITIES BECAUSE
THEY'RE THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.
AND THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT IN
TERMS OF THAT PARTNERSHIP. AND
SO I JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT, BUT AT
THE END OF THE DAY, THE LABOR OF
PEACE GOT TO BE THERE. AND I
WILL SAY BE REPRESENTED. MR.
ANDERSON AND I HAVE HAD THESE
CONVERSATIONS. BE THERE WHEN
SHOVELS ARE GOING IN THE GROUND.
BE THERE AT THOSE IMPORTANT
POINTS TO BE REPRESENTED AND BE
SEEN. BECAUSE THAT SHOWS THE
TRUE PARTNERSHIP AND SO THAT'S
MY COMMITMENT TO YOU AS WE WORK
THROUGH THIS. WORKING WITH OUR
CHAIR AND THEN WORKING WITH THE
EXECUTIVE TO DO THAT. BECAUSE
IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S
IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE
ECOSYSTEM. THAT'S SO KEY. THAT
WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT THAT IN TODAY'S SEATTLE.
YOU KNOW? WHERE ARE WE? YOU
KNOW, AND BY THE WAY, IT'S IN
REALITY, BUT THEN ALSO
PERCEPTION OF REALITY. THE
PERCEPTION OF REALITY IS EVEN A
BIGGER CHALLENGE. AND I THINK
THAT THIS EFFORT ALONG WITH
OTHER THINGS RELATED TO BUDGET,
TAX POLICY, TRANSPORTATION, BUT
THIS PUBLIC INVESTMENT IS REALLY
KEY TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE THAT
BALANCE. THAT WE'RE ENGAGED ON
ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES TO
MOVE FORWARD AND TO IN THIS
CASE, BRING SEATTLE CENTER WHERE
IT NEEDS TO BE. AND I THINK WE
CAN DO IT. AND I THINK WE CAN DO
IT IN PARTNERSHIP. THERE'S ALSO
A LOT OF TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIP.
BUT I MAKE THE COMMITMENT AND I
MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO EVERYONE
HERE TO HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE MAYOR AND HER TEAM. I
HAVE BEEN DOING IT ON PUBLIC
SAFETY PIECES. AND THIS IS
ANOTHER AREA WHERE I THINK THAT
THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES CAN WORK
STRONGLY TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP
ON THOSE OUTSIDE ENTITIES
PARTICULARLY LABOR TO MOVE
FORWARD. AND SO AT THE END OF
DAY, IT'S ABOUT LEADERSHIP. AND
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM
CAN STAND UP AND MAKE THE
ARGUMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT
SEATTLE CENTER IS. AND YOU KNOW,
CREATE THAT EXCITEMENT. AND THAT
EXCITEMENT COMES FROM LIKE WHEN
YOU WERE THERE WITH A YOUNG
CHILD AT THE PACIFIC SCIENCE
CENTER OR AT THE ARMORY. YOU
KNOW, WITH THE -- CHILDREN'S
MUSEUM. OR THE FOUNTAIN. I MEAN,
THERE'S A MILLION THINGS THAT
CAN MAKE THIS EXCITEMENT AND
THIS EXCITEMENT IS ONLY GOING TO
BE THAT MUCH MORE BECAUSE
MEMORIAL STADIUM IS GOING TO
COME ONLINE. WE HAVE THE
IMPROVEMENTS ALREADY WITH PACK
SIGH AND MORE TO COME THERE BE
WE CAN DO MORE AS WELL WITH
SEATTLE CENTER AND CHIHUOLY. I
ALREADY MENTIONED THE IMAX. WE
CAN DO IT AND I THINK EVERYONE
AT THIS TABLE AND DAIS AND CITY
HALL WE CAN MAKE THIS
PARTNERSHIP WORK AND CHAIR,
THAT'S MY COMMITMENT HERE AS
SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THE NEXT
DOOR NEIGHBORS, BUT ALSO IN THE
BIG EVERY PICTURE, YOU KNOW, IN
TERMS OF OUR DUTIES, CITY-WIDE,
AS COUNCILMEMBERS. AND AGAIN, I
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PARTNERSHIP
WITH EVERYONE HERE. THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SETTLE. AND YOU ARE -- LUCKY TO
REPRESENT THE COUNCIL DISTRICT
WHERE THE SEATTLE CENTER IS
HOUSED. BUT TO BE FRANK, IT'S A
TREASURE FOR ALL OF US AND
THAT'S WHAT WE LEARNED HERE IN
PART TODAY. AND THEREFORE IT IS
OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. TO
REINVEST IN IT AS WELL. COUPLE
OF QUICK COMMENTS.
SELF-REFLECTIONS DIRECTLY FROM
MY PERSPECTIVE. LOVE THE
COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS
BEING A CRITICAL LARGE-SCALE
CIVIC PROJECT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S EXACTLY
WHAT'S IN THE SCOPE OF THIS
NEWLY EXPANDED TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE. AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION TODAY. HUGE
OPPORTUNITY. LOVE THE --
COMPELLING JUSTIFICATION ABOUT
THE CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY
OVERLAY AND RATIONALE TO IMPROVE
THE SEATTLE CENTER. AND SUPPORT
OUR CITY'S CLIMATE
SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. THROUGH
DECARBONIZATION EFFORTS. LOVE
ALL THAT. I KNOW TODAY SOME OF
THESE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE
SYSTEMS ARE HEAVILY
INCREASINGLY, RELIANT ON HUMAN
MAINTENANCE, CONSTANT STATE OF
HUMAN MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
AND BY MAKING THIS INVESTMENT
NOW, CAN FREE UP SOME OF THAT
TIME TO FOCUS ON OTHER STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES IN THE CENTER. BUT
THAT'S -- THAT'S THE REASON
THIS THING FRANKLY HASN'T
COMPLETELY FELL APART BEFORE OUR
EYES. IT'S BEEN CLOSE. AND I
APPRECIATE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE
SEATTLE CENTER AND THE
CONTRACTING PARTNERS AT THE
SEATTLE CENTER WHO -- WHO
ADDRESSED THIS CRITICAL
MAINTENANCE GAP. FINALLY, THE
MONORAIL. THE MONORAIL. LOVE THE
MONORAIL. AND BY THE WAY,
TOURISTS LOVE THE MONORAIL TOO.
WE WANT TO ATTRACT MORE
TOURISTS, TOURIST DOLLARS, IT'S
A -- IT'S A TOURIST FAVORITE.
AND ONE OTHER THING I KNOW ABOUT
THE MONORAIL IS IT'S A GREAT
LINE OF TRANSIT SERVICE THAT ONE
OF TWO THAT THE CITY OPERATES IN
SEATTLE. THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THE OTHER OF COURSE BEING THE
STREETCAR. BUT THE EXPERIENCE
FROM AN INGRESS EGRESS
PERSPECTIVE OF THE MONORAIL FOR
DIFFERENTLY ABLED PEOPLE, ISN'T
THE BEST. IT'S NOT AT ALL ADA
COMPLIANT TO CURRENT STANDARDS.
SO TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE
MONORAIL AND HAVING A DESIRE TO
TAKE THE MONORAIL I CAN'T EVEN
IMAGINE WHAT THAT'S LIKE FOR
SOMEONE WITH DIFFERENT MOBILITY
NEEDS BECAUSE AGAIN, IT NEEDS TO
BE UPGRADED AS PART OF THIS
REFRESH. SO HUGE OPPORTUNITY
THERE. AND FINALLY I WANT TO
KNOW THAT I THINK MR. ANDERSON
MENTIONED THE SCIENCE -- WAS
THAT? YEAH, THE SCIENCE OVERLAY.
COULDN'T AGREE MORE. AT THE END
OF THE DAY THIS IS OUR ARTS AND
CULTURAL AND CIVIC GATHERING HUB
FOR OUR CITY AND YES THAT
INCLUDES SCIENCE AND S.T.E.M..
THIS IS A PLACE OF DISCOVERY AND
THIS IS A PLACE OF IMAGINATION.
IT'S A PLACE OF EXPLORATION.
PLACE OF INVENTION. AND YES,
SCIENCE. SO I APPRECIATE THOSE
COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT.
>> CHAIR?
>> YEAH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER HAS HER
HAND RAISED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
I'M SORRY TO COME IN AFTER I
THINK WHAT YOU INTENDED TO BE
YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS. I STUCK
HAND IN THERE LATE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING AT THE TABLE
TODAY. I APPRECIATE EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF YOU. AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND ALSO THE
DIVERSITY OF THE DISCUSSION
TODAY IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT
SEATTLE CENTER IS AND WHAT IT
MEANS TO OUR CITY. I WANT TO
TURN US -- I THINK WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT OBVIOUSLY LIKE THE
BUILDING AS THESE JUST
TREMENDOUS NEEDS. AND I KIND OF
WANT TO FIRST ASK A QUESTION YOU
KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT
ABOUT OUR DEFERRED
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ACROSS THE
CITY. AND HOW WE BALANCE THAT
ALONGSIDE, YOU KNOW, AROUNDSIDE
THE IMPACT FOR COST. BUT I ALSO
THINK A LOT ABOUT THE COST OF
INACTION. OR CONTINUING TO DELAY
MUCH-NEEDED INVESTMENT AND I
WONDER IF SOMEBODY AT THE TABLE
I'M NOT SURE INTERIM DIRECTOR
ENGSTROM OR DEPUTY MAYOR COULD
SPEAK TO THAT. I THINK THAT'S
AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION AROUND WHY WE NEED
TO BE TAKING ACTION.
>> SURE. I'LL START. AND HAPPY
TO SHARE THE FLOOR. I MEAN, AT
THE MOST BASIC LEVEL IF YOU BUY
A CAR, THAT'S NOT AN ELECTRIC
CAR, AND YOU DON'T CHANGE THE
OIL, EVER, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE
TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ON THE CAR
AND WE'VE DONE AS MANY OIL
CHANGES AS WE CAN. AND WHEN YOU
ARE LITERALLY HOLDING HVAC PIPES
TOGETHER WITH DUCT TAPE, OR THE
EARTH ITSELF, YOU HAVE REACHED A
POINT WHERE IT JUST NEEDS TO BE
REPLACED. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M
GLAD COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU
SHOUTED OUT THE STAFF. THE STAFF
AT SEATTLE CENTER IS
UNBELIEVABLE. THE HEART AND
HUSTLE THEY BRING TO WORK EVERY
DAY AND THE FACT THAT THEY MAKE
THIS MACHINE KEEP RUNNING AND
KEEP DELIVERING FROM EVERYTHING
FROM HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS TO
THE KING COUNTY HEALTH CLINIC
TO, YOU KNOW, SHOWS AT THE OPERA
AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN, THAT
IS A HUGE STRAIN ON THE LABOR
FORCE. THEY ARE WORKING ABOVE
AND BEYOND WHAT'S REASONABLE TO
EXPECT IN TERMS OF THE EQUIPMENT
THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH. SO
ALL CREDIT TO THEM FOR DOING
THAT WORK. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO
SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY
COULD BE WORKING WITH
CONTEMPORARY MODERN
INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT THAT
WOULD MEAN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
TWO YEARS AGO, TWO HOURS BEFORE
THE RAINIER BEACH HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION CENTER CEREMONY WE
LOST POWER. AND HAD TO GET ON
THE PHONE AND FIND EVERY
GENERATOR IN KING COUNTY THAT
WAS NOT CURRENTLY RENTED. AND
GET IT BROUGHT TO THE CENTER AND
REWIRE THE ELECTRICAL SO THAT
THOSE KIDS COULD GREAT WATT ON
TIME. THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF
WHAT HAPPENS. WITH A SYSTEM
THAT'S AT RISK OF CRITICAL
FAILURE ALL THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH YES,
DEPUTY MAYOR, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. THE
ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS YOU
ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THERE'S A
COST FOR CONTINUED DELAY. AND AT
THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT'S
ALSO IRONICALLY THIS DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE HAS ALLOWED US TO BE
SMARTER FRANKLY ON WHAT'S
POSSIBLE. AT SEATTLE CENTER. I
THINK THE -- THE NEW
TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW VISIONS
AROUND WHAT IS DECARBONIZATION
TRULY MEAN HAS GIVEN I THINK US
LOT OF IDEAS OF WHAT AGAIN
WHAT'S POSSIBLE. AND SO I THINK
WE ALL SHARE THAT SAME URGENCY
THAT WE CAN NO LONGER KICK THE
CAN DOWN THE ROAD. THE QUESTION
BECOMES FOR US IS, LET'S BE
REALLY, REALLY TIGHT ON EXACTLY
WHAT WE WANT. AND THEN WE'LL
TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE NEXT
SESSION OF THE AGENDA. BUT YOU
KNOW THE TIMING OF IT, YOU KNOW,
IF WE WERE ASKING VOTERS TO
INVEST IN THE TREASURED ASSET IS
KIND OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
MAKE SURE WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
WE WANT TO ASK OF THE VOTERS AND
LET'S BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH DEPUTY
MAYOR. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD I
WANT TO SAY WE'VE HEARD SEATTLE
CENTER TODAY COMPARED TO A
HEART, A FACE AND A CAR. SO
IT'S -- OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF
GREAT ANALOGIES COMING FROM THE
TABLE TODAY. AND I WILL JUST
HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION CHAIR.
SO YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING I
WANT TO BRING INTO THIS
CONVERSATION AND I WOULD JUST BE
REMISS NOT TO BECAUSE I HAVE THE
PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR
OF HOUSING ARTS AND CIVIL
RIGHTS. AND THE SEATTLE CENTER
IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PLACE FOR
OUR ART COMMUNITY. I THINK ABOUT
FESTAL AND THE CONNECTION WITH
VENDORS. BUT I ALSO THINK ABOUT
THE DIVERSITY IN OUR ARTS
COMMUNITY IN SEATTLE. AND HOW
THAT DIVERSITY IS ALSO
INTERTWINED WITH SEATTLE CENTER.
SO THAT MIGHT MEAN OTHER
INDEPENDENT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
THAT PARTNER WITH THE CENTER.
AND SO I WONDER IF SOMEBODY
SPEAK TO THAT NETWORK AND THAT
CONNECTION AND HOW SEATTLE
CENTER PARTNERS WITH OUR BROADER
ARTS COMMUNITY. BECAUSE I REALLY
SEE THAT INTERCONNECTION AS
VITAL.
>> OKAY. ME AGAIN. HI. WELL, I
MEAN, ONE, AMENTIALED FESTAL. WE
HAVE 25 CULTURAL FESTIVALS THAT
ARE ALL YEAR-ROUND. CULTURAL
PARTNERS FROM ALL OVER THE
REGION. THE -- THE I MEAN, NORTH
WEST FOLK LIFE IS GOING TO
WELCOME 200,000 PEOPLE TO THE
CAMPUS AND HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS
AND VENDORS OF ALL SHAPES AND
SIZES. WE HAVE THE -- THE BITE
OF SEATTLE WHICH BRINGS A LOT OF
LOCAL FOOD VENDORS AND
HOSPITALITY VENDORS. THE FISHER
PAVILION IS HOME TO A TON EVENTS
AND I WAS AT THE PACIFIC SCIENCE
CENTER LUNCH ON FRIDAY AND THEN
I WAS AT THE PRATT AUCTION ON
SATURDAY. ALSO MARY'S PLACE WAS
THERE LAST WEEK. IT'S -- IT IS
HOME TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS
OF EVENTS AND IT SUPPORTS THE
COMMUNITY IN A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU KNOW, McCALL
HALL IS HOME TO EVENTS AND ALSO
OF ALLEY WONG THIS SUMMER AND
OTHER EVENTS THROUGH THE CITY.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY WHERE THE
STUDENTS AND PUBLIC ACCESS THAT
SPACE. THE REP AND THE
CHILDREN'S THEATER HOST OF
COURSE THEIR OWN PROGRAMMING BUT
ALSO HOST COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING
AND THEN WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT DO EVENTS ALL OVER THE
CITY. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TEAM
TICKS THAT SEND YOUNG PEOPLE TO
ENGAGE WITH ARTS AND CULTURAL
CITY-WIDE. I THINK THAT
SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD
TO DOING SOMETHING IS HOW WE CAN
BE A RESOURCE FOR THE WIDER
CULTURAL AND CREATIVE ECONOMY
ECOSYSTEM. YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORT
19,000 JOBS AT THE CAMPUS. HOW
CAN WE BE A RESOURCE TO EVERY
STUDENT IN SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL
WHO'S INTERESTED IN A CAREER
PATHWAY IS SOMETHING INTO THE
CREATIVE ECONOMY IS SOMETHING I
TALKED ABOUT WITH JENNIFER AND
THE LABOR PARTNERS. THERE'S WHAT
WE CAN DO FOR THE REST OF THE
CITY AND I HOPE WE CAN BE AN
ENGINE FOR THE WIDER ECOLOGY OF
THE CITY.
>> IF I MAY, COUNCILMEMBER I
WANT TO PUT A PIN IN ONE LITTLE
THING THERE. ONE OF THE WAYS IN
WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE A
HOME FOR ARTS AND CULTURE IS BY
BRINGING THE COSTS DOWN. RIGHT
NOW IF YOU ARE A FESTIVAL AND
YOU LIKE TO BRING SOMETHING TO
SEATTLE CENTER YOU HAVE TO PAY
FOR THE TEMPORARY POWER. YOU
HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TEMPORARY
WATER AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR
WHOLE LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT DOESN'T EXIST ON CAMPUS
TODAY. A LOT OF THE
MODERNIZATION THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT WILL MAKE IT
SIMPLER AND FASTER AND EASIER TO
KNIT TOGETHER WHILE ALSO
BRINGING THE COSTS DOWN.
MAINTAINS THAT POSITION AS AN
INCUBATOR THAT I KNOW YOU CARE
SO MUCH ABOUT FOR ARTS AND
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM NOT JUST
THROUGHOUT THE CITY BUT
THROUGHOUT REGION. INCREASINGLY
COMPETITIVE SPACE. SEATTLE
CENTER NEEDS TO MODERNIZE IN
ORDER TO STAY RELEVANT TO THOSE
FOLKS AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE
BEING AS AFFORDABLE AS WE
POSSIBLY CAN BE FOR THOSE
NASCENT GROWING AND ESTABLISHED
INSTITUTIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALSO I'D LOVE TO INVITE IF
ANY OF ARE YOU FREE, TOMORROW
BETWEEN 3:00 AND 6:00, ACTUALLY
THE OPENING OF THE FOLK LIFE
FESTIVAL WHICH IS FREE TO ANYONE
IN THE CITY. THEY WORK WITH I
THINK 1600 ARTISTS AT LAST COUNT
THAT'S WHAT BEN TOLD ME. BUT
I'LL BE THERE FROM 3:00 TO W-6
AND WOULD LOVE TO SHOW YOU
AROUND OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE
ARTISTS OR THE STAFF. COME DOWN.
AND VISIT. BECAUSE IT'S A
PRETTY MAGICAL PLACE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JUST ADD YOU KNOW, THEATER
PUGET SOUND IS BASED OUT OF THE
THE SEATTLE CENTER ARMORY. AND
THEY ARE AN AMAZING CONNECTOR IN
THE ARTS COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE WORKING WITH
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, YOU
KNOW, THEY ARE NOT THE BIG FOR
PROFIT THEATERS. OR NOT EVEN FOR
PROFIT. NONPROFIT THEATERS. LIKE
5th AVENUE THEATER YOU KNOW,
THEY ALSO CONNECT WITH ALL OF
THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THEY
MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THESE
ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THAT BY
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AT THE
SEATTLE CENTER. BUT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY ARE
CURRENTLY WORKING WITH IS VERY
LIMITED. SO THEY'RE ABLE TO
MAKE THINGS POSSIBLE AND THEY DO
THE AUDITIONS FOR ALL SMALLER
ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THEY'RE
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR A
TECH OPPORTUNITY. AND HELPING TO
CREATE SOME OF THOSE PATHWAYS
FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE A LIVING AND
A CAREER IN THE ARTS. AND THEY
ARE ALSO DOING IT ON A SHOE
STRING AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
REALLY DOESN'T GIVE THEM
EVERYTHING THAT THEY COULD USE
TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS MORE
EFFECTIVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, THANK YOU
CHAIR.
>> EXCELLENT. WELL, THANK YOU
EVERYONE AGAIN FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
THOUGHTFUL CONTRIBUTIONS AND
THIS HAS BEEN A TERRIFIC LIVELY
DISCUSSION. WE'RE ALSO ABOUT 10
TO 15 MINUTES BEHIND WHERE I
ANTICIPATED THIS WOULD LAST.
HOPING TO MAKE UP THAT TIME ON
THE BACK END OF THE AGENDA.
IT'S WORTH IT BECAUSE A LOT OF
GREAT COMMENTS. THANK YOU ALL
AGAIN AND REALLY APPRECIATE AND
YOU YOUR PARTNERSHIP. AND BEING
SO GENEROUS AND GRACIOUS WITH
SHARING YOUR FEEDBACK AND
PERSPECTIVE WITH CONTINUING TO
GUIDE THE CITY ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL -- THANK YOU. NOW
MOVE ON TO THE SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS. READ ITEM TWO INTO THE
RECORD.
>>> AGENDA ITEM TWO. BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE
RESOLUTION 32205.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WILL
OUR PRESENTERS OR NEWEST
PRESENTER PLEASE JOIN US AT THE
TABLE? WHEN READY, PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND BEGIN
YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> BRIAN SURRATT DEPUTY MAYOR.
GOOD MORNING. ERIC MCCONAGHY THE
CENTRAL STAFF. I MIGHT NEED A
SECOND TO TRANSITION TO A
DIFFERENT SLIDE DECK AND HERE
COMES THE VERY PERSON TO DO SO.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WHILE WE
FINALIZE THE TECH LET ME KIND OF
FRAME UP SOME OF THE
CONVERSATION ON THIS NEXT AGENDA
ITEM DIRECTLY FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE. WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FISCAL
STRAIN THAT MANY RESIDENTS,
FAMILIES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES
ARE UNDER THESE DAYS.
>> AFFORDABILITY IS TOP OF MIND
IN MY OFFICE. ASKING TAXPAYERS
TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT IS NOT A
DECISION THAT I HAVE TAKEN
LIGHTLY. MY OFFICE HAS SPENT
MUCH OF THE YEAR RESEARCHING THE
VARIOUS FUNDING OPTIONS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO INCLUDE THOROUGH
REVIEW OF WHAT OTHER CITIES DO
TO SUPPORT SIMILAR VENUES AND
ARTS, CULTURAL, CIVIC GATHERING
SPACES. AND AFTER CAREFUL
THOUGHT AND DELIBERATION, I HAVE
DETERMINED THAT THIS IS THE
RIGHT MOVE, THE RIGHT TIME. IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND COMMUNITY. REALLY FOR A FEW
KEY REASONS. FIRST AND FOREMOST
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS
FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL THAT WE'LL
HEAR MORE ABOUT IN JUST A MOMENT
WOULD ESTABLISH AND HEAVILY RELY
ON THE CREATION OF ROBUST
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
THAT LEVERAGE OUR PRIVATE AND
PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITIES TO
AMPLIFY THE IMPACT THAT ANY CITY
DOLLAR OR ANY CITY INVESTMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE
MODELS RIGHT NOW FOR PRIOR CITY
FUNDED INVESTMENT THAT INCLUDED
ROBUST PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS AS
WELL. AND WHATEVER THOSE
PROJECTS WERE, WE WANT THIS TO
BE THE NEW GOLD STANDARD IN
TERMS OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS. THIS IS AS WE
LEARNED ABOUT EARLIER AS WELL,
THIS IS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT
THAT OFFERS ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES AND ALSO UNLOCKS
FUTURE REVENUE AND GROWTH
POTENTIAL FOR ALL. SEATTLE
CENTER IS A KEY DRIVER OUR
TOURISM INDUSTRY. EVERY SINGLE
DOLLAR INVESTED IN THE CAMPUS
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT
VARIOUS SMALL BUSINESSES,
NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANTS, HOTELS
AND RETAIL SHOPS. RENOVATION
WOULD CREATE IMMEDIATE HIGH
QUALITY UNION JOBS, PUTTING
PEOPLE TO WORK. IT'S AN URGENT
OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN OUR
LOCAL WORK FORCE AND SEATTLE'S
LONG-TERM ECONOMIC HEALTH. NEXT,
CURRENT OPERATIONS AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER RELY HEAVILY
ON TEMPORARY FIXES AND BAND-AIDS
AND EMERGENCY RESPONSES AND
STAFF WORK AROUNDS. THIS
APPROACH IS INEFFECTIVE IN THE
SHORT TERM AND NOT AT ALL
SUSTAINABLE. THAT'S WHY
INVESTING NOW ALLOWS US TO PAY
MUCH LESS IN THE FUTURE AS
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER TEED UP. NO
SECRET THAT COSTS ARE GOING UP
AND WE ALL FEEL IT. THAT'S WHY
INVESTING IN SEATTLE CENTER IS
NOW IS FISCALLY PRUDENT AND
AVOIDS SKYROCKETING COSTS IN THE
FUTURE. FOR THE CITY AND ITS
PRIVATE PARTNERS. FINALLY I'LL
NOTE THAT VOTER APPROVED BONDS
HELP DISTRIBUTE COSTS OVER TIME.
REDUCING CURRENT YEAR FINANCIAL
IMPACTS AND MAKING SIGNIFICANT
CAPITAL INVESTMENTS POSSIBLE.
IT'S -- BORROWING AUTHORITY
AGAINST THE CITY'S FUTURE SELF
AS OPPOSED TO RAISING NET NEW
REVENUES VIA A LEVY. OR
BORROWING AGAINST OURSELVES. SO
AND AGAIN TO BE CLEAR WE'RE NOT
ASKING THE PUBLIC TO FOOT THE
ENTIRE BILL. FOR ANY POTENTIAL
SEATTLE CENTER RENOVATIONS.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WILL
BE A KEY COMPONENT OF THEIR
OVERALL FUNDING STRATEGY. ALL
RIGHT. THAT SAID, NOW --
PANELISTS, CAN YOU PLEASE
REINTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND SHARE
YOUR PRESENTATIONS? YOUR
THOUGHTS.
>> GOOD MORNING CHAIR, BRIAN
SURRATT DEPUTY MAYOR.
>> ERIC MCCONAGHY. COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF AND JUST OPEN IT
UP AND FRAME IT UP PLEASE.
>> BE REALLY BRIEF AND HAVE THE
CONVERSATION DIVE DIRECTLY INTO
THE RESOLUTION. AND YOU KNOW,
CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND
COUNCILMEMBERS, SEATTLE CENTER
AS YOU HEARD FROM THE PREVIOUS
PANEL IS A PRIORITY. IT'S
SOMETHING THAT IN MANY WAYS WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
ASSETS THAT COMMUNITIES TAKE FOR
GRANTED, I THINK SEATTLE CENTER
IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE
IT'S BEEN EVER PRESENT. RIGHT?
AND IT'S LIKE OH, IT'S THERE.
IT'S THERE. AND WHAT WE HAVE
FOUND IS OVER TIME, WE HAVE NOT
DONE WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING WITH ONE OF OUR MOST
IMPORTANT ASSETS. I THINK THE
URGENCY AND THE LITANY OF
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO SEE
DONE, YOU KNOW, THE LIST IS
LONG. AND I THINK WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING
REALLY, REALLY DRAMATIC GOING
FORWARD. ALSO APPRECIATE CHAIR,
YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMMENTS
AROUND HOW WE PUT THIS IN A
CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC. AND, YOU
KNOW, AFFORDABILITY IS ON TOP OF
MIND FOR EVERYBODY. AND WHAT WE
WANT TO DO AS WE MOVE FORWARD
WITH BEING THOUGHTFUL AND
INTENTIONAL AND DILIGENT IN
SUPPORTING ANY KIND OF FUNDING
MEASURE OR STRATEGY, WANT TO
KEEP THAT IN MIND AND IF WE'RE
GOING TO DO THIS, AND WHEN WE DO
THIS, WHEN WE DO THIS, I THINK
IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO BE
REALLY, REALLY CLEAR ON WHAT
WE'RE ASKING VOTERS TO APPROVE.
THE THRESHOLD IS IF WE DO GO
DOWN THE PATH OF THE BOND, WHICH
IS THE MOST LIKELY VEHICLE, THE
THRESHOLD IS HIGH. AND THE
CHALLENGE TO US TO COMMUNICATE
THE VALUE WILL BE HIGH. AND SO
THE PREVIOUS PANEL DID A GREAT
JOB OF OUTLINING KIND OF HIGH
LEVEL WHAT'S NEEDED. THE BIG
BUCKETS. AND THERE'S SOME
DEEPER WORK AND PLANNING THAT WE
NEED TO DO SO IF WE'RE GOING TO
ASK THE VOTERS WE NEED TO BE
THOUGHTFUL AND STRATEGIC AND I
THINK THIS RESOLUTION IS A GREAT
INITIAL STEP TO HELP FRAME THE
ISSUE AND FRAME EXACTLY THE
HOMEWORK THAT WE NEED TO DO IF
WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS RIGHT.
AND ASK THE VOTERS TO ENTRUST US
TO MAKE A CASE FOR THIS VITAL
INSTITUTION. SO GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP
WITH CITY COUNCIL. BECAUSE IF
WE'RE GOING -- WHEN WE DO THIS,
WE SHOULD BE UNIFIED. NOT JUST
AT THE EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNCIL
LEVEL. BUT ALL OF THE PARTNERS
THAT YOU SAW AT THE TABLE
EARLIER LABOR, BUSINESS, THE
ARTS COMMUNITY, I THINK -- I
THINK WE HAVE A VERY POWERFUL
COALITION BUT THAT COALITION IS
INCUMBENT UPON US TO GET THE
DETAILS RIGHT AND THE
COMMUNICATIONS RIGHT AND MAKE
THE CASE TO THE PUBLIC. SO.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. SO I'LL JUMP IN AND SO
MY JOB TODAY WILL BE TO DESCRIBE
THIS RESOLUTION IN ITS PARTS.
I'LL STAY AT A HIGH LEVEL AND
SORT OF KEEP IT LIGHT AND HAPPY
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE
ALONG. BUT THAT BEING SAID
LET'S JUMP IN. AS HAS BEEN
EMPHASIZED TODAY, THIS
RESOLUTION OPENS IN ITS FIRST
SECTION WITH FINDINGS REGARDING
THE SEATTLE CENTER. OF ITS
HISTORY AND IT IMPORTANCE AND
PERHAPS THE KEY OR THE TOPIC
SENTENCE FROM THAT SECTION IS
THAT THE SEATTLE CENTER IS THE
MOST ICONIC OF THE PUBLIC
SPACES. HUB FOR ARTS AND CULTURE
AND ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS AND
COMMUNITY GATHERING. THAT'S THE
SORT OF OPENING STATEMENT AND
HOW THE RESOLUTION BEGINS. IT
THEN -- GOES THROUGH -- IT
DESCRIBES HOW THE COUNCIL WITH
THE MAYOR CONCURRING WOULD
AFFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
SEATTLE CENTER AND ACKNOWLEDGE
THE URGENCY TO RESTORE THE
CENTER AND REQUEST THAT THE
MAYOR AND CITY DEPARTMENTS WORK
TOGETHER IN A CAPITAL PLANNING
EFFORT FOR THE SEATTLE CENTER.
IT AN DISSIPATES A BOND MEASURE
BY THE END OF 2027. IT COMMITS
TO EXPLORING ALL VIABLE FUNDING
OPTIONS TO SUPPORT ITS
MODERNIZATION. AND IT DECLARES
COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES AND IT
CALLS UPON THE EXECUTIVE TO
DIRECT RESOURCES AND BUDGET
ALLOCATIONS SORT OF IN THE
NEARER TERM IN SUPPORT OF ITS
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. REGARDING
THE EFFORT, THERE ARE SOME
THINGS HERE TO CALL OUT THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO NOTE. ONE IS TO
ASSESS SEATTLE CENTER'S LONG
TERM CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
NEEDS. IT WOULD CALL FOR
IDENTIFYING PRIORITY PROJECTS
NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN SAFETY
ACCESSIBILITY AND OPERATIONAL
CONTINUITY. IT WOULD CONSIDER
AREAS FOR MODERNIZATION OF
FACILITIES AND AMENITIES AND
CAPITAL ASSETS AND DEVELOP
ONGOING APPROACHES FOR FUTURE
INVESTMENTS. EVENTS PROJECTS
THAT WOULD BE CALLED FOR THAT
WOULD BE -- SORT OF HAPPEN SORT
OF IN PARALLEL WITH
CONSIDERATIONS FOR FUTURE
FUNDING OPTIONS WOULD BE TO LOOK
AT HAVING SEATTLE CIVIC
LIGHTNING AND SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS
GET THE CITY READY TO MODERNIZE
AND MAKE THE SEATTLE CENTER MORE
COMPETITIVE FOR GRANTS FROM THE
STATE AND OTHER BODIES FOR
APPROPRIATIONS TO DO THOSE
PROJECTS. WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS
ON THE CLIMATE COMMITMENT ACT
FUNDING FROM WASHINGTON STATE.
AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, BEFORE
THE RESOLUTION CALLS FOR
CONSIDERING AND TAKING ACTION TO
PLACE A BOND MEASURE ON THE
BALLOT TO THE VOTERS BY THE END
OF 2027, TO SUPPORT THE SEATTLE
CENTER, CONDITION OF THE BOND
ISSUANCE UP TO THE MAXIMUM
SPECIFY OF THE BOND MEASURE
WOULD BE COMMENSURATE FUNDING
FROM PRIVATE AND NONCITY SOURCES
REFERRED TODAY ABOUT THAT
INTERACTION AND THAT PRIVATE AND
NONCITY DOLLARS AS PART OF THE
SUPPORT FOR SEATTLE CENTER. AND
IN PARALLEL WITH A POSSIBLE BOND
MEASURE WOULD BE TO LOOK AT
OTHER CAPITAL FUNDING SOURCES.
COUNTY STATE AND FUNDING GRANTS.
EXCUSE ME, FEDERAL GRANTS.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. AND
ALSO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS RELATED
TO THE SEATTLE -- THE SCHOOL THE
CENTER SCHOOL WHICH IS IN THE
ARMORY. AND AS YOU KNOW, SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SEATTLE --
AND CITY OF SEATTLE ARE
PARTICIPATING IN THE MEMORIAL
STADIUM PROJECT RIGHT NOW. WITH
INVESTMENTS FROM BOTH PARTIES.
AND SUPPORTED BY SUCCESSFUL BOND
MEASURE BY SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT THEIR CAPITAL
AND SOME OF THAT MONEY IS GOING
TO OF COURSE TO THE MEMORIAL
STADIUM. COUNCIL WOULD CALL FOR
BUDGET DEVELOPMENT GOING FORWARD
FOR THE CENTER AND IT WOULD OF
COURSE BALANCE ALLOCATIONS TO
THE SEATTLE CENTER CAPITAL NEEDS
WITH OTHER CITY PRIORITIES AND
CONSIDER IMPACTS ON CITY IMPACTS
AND LEVIES AND BONDS ON
AFFORDABILITY THAT'S BEEN
EMPHASIZED HERE TODAY. BE
CERTAIN CALLOUTS OR EXPECTATIONS
FOR LOOKING FOR COMING RIGHT UP
HERE THIS FALL WITH BUDGET
EXPECTATIONS. WE LOOK FOR
APPROPRIATIONS AND POSITION
AUTHORITY FOR SEATTLE CENTER
CAPITAL PROJECTS TO GET READY
FOR PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE
COMING. SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE A
30% DESIGN FOR THE PROJECT TO
MODERNTIZE ARMORY AND PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT IN SCOPING FOR
EXPANDED VETERANS MEMORIAL ON
THE CAMPUS, CONTRACTING AND ALSO
CALLING FOR CONTRACTING WITH
CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE
WITH UNION PARTNERSHIPS AND
DEMONSTRATED HISTORY OF
COMPLIANCE WITH LABOR LAWS AND
HERE WE ARE. I GOT THERE. I
DIDN'T TIME IT BUT I THINK IT
WAS OKAY. NOT TOO FAST OR SLOW
AND HOPEFULLY HELD YOUR
ATTENTION. DEFER TO YOU CHAIR
SAKA THE SPONSOR OF THIS BILL --
THIS RESOLUTION.
>> SURE ABSOLUTELY. FIRST OFF
THANK YOU DEPUTY MAYOR ERIC AND
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I'M THE COUNCIL SPONSOR OF THIS
LEGISLATION. BUT BECAUSE IT IS A
JOINT MAYORAL/COUNCIL
RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
WHY WE HAVE OUR PARTNER FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE HERE. WE
LITERALLY QUITE LITERALLY WROTE
THIS HAND-IN-HAND. IT WAS AN
ITERATIVE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
AND LOCKSTEP WITH EACH OTHER.
AND HERE WE ARE. AND YEAH. THIS
IS -- VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY
THAT WE HAVE HERE BEFORE US. SO
I'LL SHARE THAT TO ECHO
COMMENTS FROM DEPUTY MAYOR A
MOMENT AGO, WHAT THIS IS, IT'S A
FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL. THIS
ESTABLISHES A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW,
WHEN AND WHY WE'RE GOING TO GO
RENOVATE THE SEATTLE CENTER. IT
THE CLEARLY DOESN'T INCLUDE OR
CONTEMPLATE EVERY SINGLE
CONCEIVABLE DETAIL. SOME OF THAT
A LOT OF THAT, A DECENT AMOUNT
OF THAT, NEEDS TO BE FIGURED
OUT. GOOD NEWS IS, A LOT OF THAT
WORK IS ALREADY BEEN GOING ON
FOR OVER A YEAR AS REPORTED IN
SOME OF THIS EARLY REPORTING.
ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW. IMPORTANT
LIMITATION WITH THAT, IT HASN'T
BEEN THAT WORK -- THAT WORK
HASN'T BEEN FULLY OPTIMIZED AND
VETTED WITH TODAY'S DECISION
MAKERS. IN THE -- ADMINISTRATION
AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. AND
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE
SOME CONTINUING ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REFINEMENT,
WHAT'S IN SCOPE VERSUS OUT OF
SCOPE AND ONE EXAMPLE SOME
CONVERSATIONS AROUND SHOULD IT
INCLUDE ORGANIZATIONS WITH DIRE
CAPITAL NEEDS THAT AREN'T
TECHNICALLY ON THE SEATTLE
CENTER CAMPUS? THAT'S AN OPEN
QUESTION TODAY. I THINK AT A
HIGH LEVEL, HOW I'M APPROACHING
THIS IS A MORE URGENT PRIORITY
AT THE PRINCIPAL LEVEL IS YOU
NEED ROBUST PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS. AND IF THERE'S --
IF WE HAVE AN ABILITY TO SECURE
A HIGH LEVEL OF MATCHING OR
DOLLARS TO EXCEED WHATEVER THE
CITY INVESTMENT, WORTH
EXPLORING. BUT WE NEED TO BE
DISCIPLINED AS WELL IN OUR
APPROACH. THE CITY CAN'T BE ALL
THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE AT ALL
TIMES AND EVEN IF WE AS DECISION
MAKERS THE MAYOR AND THIS
COUNCIL, DECIDED THAT WE THOUGHT
AS A POLICY MATTER IS WORTHWHILE
TO EXPAND OUTSIDE THE SEATTLE
CENTER THERE MIGHT BE LEGAL
HURDLES TO THAT AS WELL. BECAUSE
ONE UNIQUE FEATURE OF THIS IS
THERE IS A SAFEGUARD BAKED IN
WHERE YOU NEED AN INDEPENDENT
UNAFFILIATED PERSON TO CERTIFY
THAT IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS
AND IT FUNDS THE CAPITAL
PROJECTS TIED TO THE SEATTLE
CENTER THAT WE SAY IT IS. SO
THERE'S AN ATTESTATION
REQUIREMENT. WE ARE ESTABLISHING
THE FRAMEWORK. AND I'M EXCITED
ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS. WE STILL
NEED TO FINALIZE A LOT OF
DETAILS. ONE THING WE KNOW FOR
SURE THE ARMORY IN SCOPE AND WE
CALL THAT OUT AND EXPANDED
VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL. OR
MEMORIAL OF SOME SORT. WE KNOW
THAT IT'S PART OF THE SEATTLE
MEMORIAL STADIUM, PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP RENOVATION THAT'S
CURRENTLY ONGOING, WE ARE
RENOVATING THE EXISTING MEMORIAL
WALL. IT'S A TERRIFIC PLACE TO
HONOR SOME OF OUR CITY'S FALLEN
SERVICE MEMBERS. BUT A COUPLE
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING THAT REFRESHED AND
REFURBISHED MEMORIAL WALL. IT'S
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CITY'S
HISTORY. THAT SAID, IT HONORS
WORLD WAR II VETERANS WHO ARE
SPS GRADUATES. SO IF YOU ARE NOT
AN SPS GRADUATE BUT HAVE
OTHERWISE TIES TO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, YOU ARE NOT LISTED.
SACRIFICE FOUGHT AND DIED IN
OTHER ARMED CONTINUE FLICKS --
CONFLICTS GLOBALLY. NOT LISTED.
LOVE THE LOCATION AND LOVE THE
WALL BUT ALSO NOT IN THE MOST
PROMINENT OR VISIBLE LOCATION
EITHER. WE CAN FINALIZE SCOPING
DETAILS AND SHOULD BE A WALL OR
JUST LIKE SOME ARTISTIC
DEPICTION, WHO KNOWS? FINALIZE
THAT LATER. BUT AN EXPANDED
VETERANS MEMORIAL AND WANT TO
THANK COUPLE MEMBER KETTLE FOR
HIS PARTNERSHIP ON THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT'S DEEPLY IMPORTANT
TO HIM AS A FELLOW MILITARY
SERVICE VETERAN. ALL RIGHT.
COLLEAGUES? COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
REFLECTIONS FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVES STARTING FIRST
CUSTOMARILY WITH VICE CHAIR
MERCEDES RINCK.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU. EVERY TIME --
THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR. REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
I THINK FIRST JUST WANT TO START
OFF WITH SORT OF STATING MY
UNDERSTANDING WITH THIS
RESOLUTION IS THIS IS AN
EXPLORATORY RESOLUTION. SO THERE
ARE SORT OF A NUMBER OF ITEMS
THAT ARE HERE AND SOME THAT YOU
JUST SPOKE TO FROM THE DAIS
WHICH I APPRECIATE. BUT THE
INTENT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE
INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE THOSE
ITEMS ARE SORT OF STUDIED AND
ARE PART OF THE RESEARCH
PROCESS. BUT THAT THIS
RESOLUTION DOES NOT COMMIT US AS
A COUNCIL TO THOSE PARTICULAR
ITEMS AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL
STAFF, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT TO
JUST AFFIRM MY UNDERSTANDING,
SNEEZE.
>> YEAH. I THINK THAT'S AN
ACCURATE DESCRIPTION.
>> FANTASTIC. AND I JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THE
OTHER COMPONENT IN HERE THAT
STICKS OUT TO ME IS THIS REQUEST
AROUND SORT OF DEVELOPMENT FOR
WAYS THAT WE CAN MOVE SEATTLE
CENTER FORWARD. LOOKING FOR SORT
OF THINGS YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN
DO THIS YEAR TO ENSURE THAT THIS
PROJECT CAN COME INTO FRUITION
AND CAN BE MEANINGFUL. AND I
KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
THINK ABOUT A LOT WHEN WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT PROJECTS NEEDING
TO GET FIRST TO 30% DESIGN. AND
THEN 100% DESIGN. AND THEN BEING
ABLE TO GET SHOVELS IN THE
GROUND. CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO
THE CONTENTS OF THIS RESOLUTION
IN SO MUCH AS IT REFERENCES
POTENTIAL BUDGET ACTION FOR
2027, 2028?
>> SURE. YEAH. AS YOU JUST
DESCRIBED, WHATEVER YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECTS
YOU KNOW, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
NOW, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEAR
FUTURE. IN THE LONG OUT FUTURE
YOU KNOW AND IT'S SORT OF A
ROLLING PROCESS. AND I THINK
THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE
RESOLUTION, ATTEMPTS TO DO THAT
IN A WAY THAT'S CLEAR SO IT
DOES IDENTIFY WHAT WOULD BE
GOING FORWARD IN THE LONG HAUL.
FOR THE SEATTLE CENTER. BUT THEN
IT POINTS TO THINGS THAT COULD
HAPPEN AND IT IDENTIFIES
PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNCIL AND
MAYOR IN THE NEAR TERM. THAT
ALLUDES TO SOME EXPECTATIONS AND
LOOKING TOWARD WHAT COULD HAPPEN
IN THE BUDGET THIS FALL TO START
TO SUPPORT CAPITAL PLANNING FOR
EXAMPLE WITHIN THE SEATTLE
CENTER. TO GET THOSE PROJECTS
READY. SO THAT THEY'RE STAGED
FOR FUTURE FUNDING AND
INVESTMENT AND TAKING THEM ON.
DOES THAT HELP TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION? I MEAN, IT DOES
STRADDLE AT LEAST TWO SORT OF
TIME SCALES RIGHT? THE NEAR TERM
AND THAT'S SORT OF MID TO LONG
TERM. I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL.
YEAH.
>> JUST TO ADD ON TO THAT
COUNCILMEMBER. YOU KNOW, ONE OF
THE ITEMS ON THE RESOLUTION I
CALLED FOR IN THE UPCOMING
BUDGET THAT WE'RE JUST NOW
GETTING OUR HEADS WRAPPED AROUND
-- WE WANT TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND
WE WANT TO HAVE WHATEVER WE'RE
PROPOSING, WHATEVER
IMPLEMENTATION TO BE VERY CLEAR
AND AS PRECISE AS POSSIBLE.
ESPECIALLY AGAIN IF WE'RE GOING
TO ASK VOTERS TO APPROVE AN
INVESTMENT AT THE SCALE THAT WE
ALL BELIEVE THAT THE CENTER
DESERVES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'VE GOT CAPACITY AND
WE'RE CONTEMPLATING POSITION
AUTHORITY FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. WHEN WE TRANSMIT
THE BUDGET LATER THIS YEAR TO
HELP WITH THAT PLANNING. THAT
BEING SAID, WE HAVE VERY STRONG
NEW LEADERSHIP WITH ACTING
DIRECTOR ENGSTROM. AND HE HAS
TAKEN THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND
ADD ANOTHER ANALOGY TO THE FRAY
AND IS COMMITTED TO BE AS
THOUGHTFUL AS POSSIBLE IN
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS NEEDED AS
SEATTLE CENTER AND SO HE IS --
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HIS
LEADERSHIP. THERE TO HELP GUIDE
THE SHIP. AND FRANKLY SIGNAL TO
THE EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNCIL
AND THE OTHER -- REST OF THE
CITY AROUND WHAT'S REALLY
NEEDED. BUT THE PLANNING IS
ONGOING. AND WE PLAN ON
SUBMITTING BUDGET AUTHORITY OR
BUDGET REQUESTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE GET EVEN MORE EXPERTISE
TO BUILD OUT A REALLY
COMPREHENSIVE CAPITAL PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN I
WANT TO ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION
AND I'M LOOKING NOW AT --
SECTION 3 WHICH IS ON PAGE 21. I
AS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ ALSO
CALLS US TO USE OUR PAGE
NUMBERS. SO I WANT TO ASK YOU AS
I'M LOOKING AT THIS, THIS IS
HELPFUL BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS
SORT OF SAYING WHAT COUNCIL IS
REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE TO
DIRECT AND COORDINATE. HOWEVER,
I VERY MUCH READ THIS AS NOT
BEING AN EXCLUSIVE LIST TO WHAT
COULD BE POTENTIALLY CONSIDERED.
SO THIS IS PROVIDING SOME THINGS
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE
EXPLORED. IF THERE ARE SOME
THINGS THAT NEED TO BE EXPLORED
OUTSIDE OF THIS LIST, THIS
RESOLUTION DOES NOT PRECLUDE
THAT EXPLORATION. IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH.
>> TRUNK SO MUCH AND THEN JUST
HAVE ONE COMMENT WHICH I DON'T
USUALLY DO BUT OCCASIONALLY LIKE
TO THROW ONE IN. THE REASON IS I
THINK AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE
PREVIOUS PANEL DISCUSSION WHICH
WAS SO HELP. , THERE'S SO MUCH
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT SEATTLE
CENTER. AND IT'S SUCH A
MEANINGFUL SPACE FOR SO MANY
PEOPLE IN OUR CITY. I HAVE SO
MANY FOND MEMORIES OF MY KID
MAYBE NOT ALOUD TO BE BUT BEING
IN THE WATER FOUNTAIN AND I KNOW
I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. AND I
ALSO AS YOU HEART IN MY QUESTION
FOR THE PREVIOUS PANEL WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE
CONSIDERING ANY POTENTIAL ACTION
ON SEATTLE CENTER, THAT WE ARE
HAVING A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT
THE BROADER ARTS COMMUNITY AS
WELL AT THE SAME TIME AS WE KNOW
THERE ARE A LOT OF
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AT SEATTLE
CENTER. AND WITH OUR PARTNERS
WHO UTILIZE SEATTLE CENTER AS
WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCATED
THERE. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE -- WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A REALLY
ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT
MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN A POTENTIAL
BALLOT INITIATIVE AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
CLARITY AS WE'RE DISCUSSING
THIS FOR THE PUBLIC OF WHAT THE
RESOLUTION SORT OF DOES AND DOES
NOT LOCK US INTO IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE
RESPONSES. THANK YOU CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. APPRECIATE YOUR
FEEDBACK. NEXT UP WAS -- IS
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE BUT I'M
ACTUALLY GOING TO -- ALLOW
COUNCILMEMBER LIN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. FIRST.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YEAH,
APOLOGIES AND I HAD TO ACCEPT
OUT BRIEFLY FOR ANOTHER MEETING.
BUT SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND
THERE'S A FEW WAYS THAT I'M
THINKING ABOUT IT. ONE, I'M
SUPER EXCITED AND WE HAVE THE
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ECODISTRICT
AND RESILIENCY HUBS. YOU KNOW,
THERE'S BOTH SORT OF THE COST
OF WHAT THIS MIGHT COST AND
FINDING THOSE RESOURCES AND THEN
THERE'S THE BENEFITS. AND I
THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MANY
DIFFERENT BENEFITS SEATTLE
CENTER PROVIDES AND SO I THINK
ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE
CLINIC THAT WAS PROVIDED THERE.
I THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHERE WE
MIGHT NEED TO SERVE OUR
COMMUNITY IF WE HAVE A MAJOR
NATURAL DISASTER IN THE SEATTLE
CENTER SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE A
GREAT PLACE IF WE PLAN IT RIGHT
TO BE THIS RESILIENCY HUB. I
THINK ABOUT THIS IDEA OF THE
ECODISTRICT. AND YOU KNOW, AS
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE
DISCUSSIONS IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN ABOUT HOW DO WE HAVE YOU
KNOW, A TREE CANOPY AND HOW DO
WE PLAN FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU
KNOW, COULD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA, COULD THIS
BE SORT OF CLIMATE PLEDGE
SEATTLE CENTER? WHERE THE ENTIRE
CENTER IS REALLY ON THE LEADING
FOREGROUND OF, YOU KNOW,
IMAGINING HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR,
YOU KNOW, NEXT 50, 100 YEARS.
AND BE A SORT OF A THOUGHT
LEADER IN HA REGARD. AND AS WE
THINK ABOUT THESE MULTIPLE USES,
DOES THAT OPEN UP DIFFERENT
FUNDING SORT OF PARTNERS WHETHER
IT'S LIKE FEMA GRANTS IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCY. OPEN
UP OTHER PARTNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES WITH, YOU KNOW,
OTHER BUSINESSES OR OTHER FOLKS
WHO WANT TO BE LEADERS IN THE
CLIMATE, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING
CLIMATE CHANGE? ONE OTHER
THOUGHT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I
LOOK AT SORT OF THE ECONOMIC
REVENUES GENERATED BY THE
SEATTLE CENTER AND I THINK ABOUT
THESE OTHER MAJOR FACILITIES,
YOU KNOW, OUR STADIUMS AND/OR
THE CONVENTION CENTER AND
OFTENTIMES THIS IS NOT JUST A
SEATTLE ASSET. THIS IS A
REGIONAL ASSET. THIS IS A
STATEWIDE ASSET. AND SO I WOULD
REALLY HOPE THAT OUR, YOU KNOW,
REGIONAL PARTNERS, OUR STATE
PARTNERS, RECOGNIZE THE VALUE
THAT THIS SEATTLE CENTER DRIVES
IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMY AND THE
BENEFITS TO NOT JUST THE CITY,
BUT TO, YOU KNOW, TO THE COUNTY
AND TO THE STATE. AND, YOU KNOW,
CAN WE RECAPTURE SOME OF THOSE
BENEFITS SOMEHOW THROUGH SOME
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS? AND
FINALLY GOING BACK TO THE
ECODISTRICT COMPONENT. YOU KNOW,
I MET WITH THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM
RECENTLY DOWN IN THE WATERFRONT
AND THEY WANT TO REALLY BE
THOUGHT LEADERS IN SORT OF
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND
SPECIFICALLY IMPACTS TO OUR, YOU
KNOW, WATERWAYS AND OUR MARITIME
AREAS. AND, YOU KNOW, COULD THIS
SEATTLE CENTER KIND OF BE THIS
OTHER COMPONENT TO IT? YOU KNOW
THIS STRONG CONNECTION TO OUR
WATERFRONT AND THEN THE SEATTLE
CENTER AND AGAIN, THESE -- COULD
THESE BE LEADERS AS WE PREPARE
FOR THE FUTURE? SO AND I'LL
JUST SORT OF SAY WITH QUESTION
IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING, THE
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW,
WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE?
HOW DO WE START TO IDENTIFY
THOSE PARTNERS AND ENGAGE WITH
THE REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE
PARTNERS? AND ALSO HOW DO WE
ENGAGE WITH OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS?
AGAIN, AS WE REIMAGINE THE
SEATTLE CENTER, AS WE LOOK TO
SOME OF OUR STRONGEST STEWARDS
OF OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, YOU
KNOW, IT'S OFTENTIMES OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS. BOTH THE
HISTORY, THE PRESENT
CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE FUTURE
CONTRIBUTIONS. YOU KNOW, I JUST
WANT TO SORT OF SUGGEST AND
INSIST THAT WE ENGAGE WITH OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS AS WELL.
>> JUST A BRO RESPONSE. THANK
YOU COUNCILMEMBER FOR THAT. I
THINK THIS GOES BACK TO THE
COMMENT THAT COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER MADE EARLIER ABOUT THE
COST OF NOT MOVING FORWARD. AND
OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE KIND OF
DISSECTED WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE.
AND AGAIN, IRONICALLY, THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE NOT MOVED ALLOWS US
A HOLT OF SPACE TO BE AS
THOUGHTFUL AS POSSIBLE. AND LOOK
AT AGAIN, NEW PARTNERS THAT, YOU
KNOW, MAYBE TEN YEARS AGO OR 15
YEARS AGO WEREN'T THERE. NEW
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WEREN'T THERE
A DECADE AGO. WHAT I FEEL REALLY
BOLSTERED BY IN ALL THE THINGS
YOU LAID OUT AND HAVE SUGGESTED
WE ENGAGE, WE'VE GOT AGAIN
GREAT LEADERSHIP IN OUR NEW
ACTING DIRECTOR. I THINK THE
SEATTLE CENTER FOUNDATION IS A
THE STRONGEST THAT IT'S EVER
BEEN UNDER THEIR NEW LEADERSHIP
IN ROB JOHNSON. I THINK YOU HAVE
GOT A DYNAMIC COALITION OF LABOR
AND BUSINESS AND ARTS COMMUNITY
THAT, YOU KNOW, IN MANY WAYS IN
THE PAST YOU KNOW, THEY'VE
ALWAYS BEEN THERE. BUT HERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY
GALVANIZE AROUND THIS. AND BRING
ALL THESE OTHER PARTNERS THAT
YOU HAD MENTIONED TO THE TABLE.
SO I THINK WE'RE -- WE'RE IN A
REALLY, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL TIME.
AND YOU KNOW, AND EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ALL THESE
PIECES TOGETHER. SO.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND IF I
MAY ONE MORE. ONE I JUST REALLY
APPRECIATE HAVING THIS
DISCUSSION TODAY. SO THAT WE --
I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE A
WHILE TO DO THE PLANNING FOR
THIS. BOTH THE FINANCIAL
PLANNING BUT ALSO JUST SORT OF
WHAT THE CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, HOW
DO WE MAKE THE MOST OF THIS
OPPORTUNITY? AND I THINK IT'S
GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO
ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC. SO I'M
GLAD THAT WE'RE GETTING STARTED
EARLY. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME
URGENCY JUST GIVEN THE CONDITION
OF THE SEATTLE CENTER AND
OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO GET STARTED
SOONER THAN LATER TO GET THE
GREAT JOBS AND TO IMAGINE A
BETTER FUTURE. BUT ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE IT'S DONE RIGHT AS
WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
HARD WORK. THANK YOU@TO THE
CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD
SO WE CAN REALLY GET THIS WORK
STARTED.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
WELL SAID. LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
COUNCILMEMBER WHOSE HOME TURF
THE SEATTLE CENTER RESIDES IN.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> JUST FIRST THANK
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER MAKES A
GOOD POINT. THAT WAS HINTED AT
DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE PREVIOUS
ONE AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT
THEATER PUGET SOUND FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT IT'S OFF, YOU KNOW, THE
CAMPUS AS WELL. AND IT'S A
MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUE FOR SEATTLE.
AND VERY IMPORTANT FOR SEATTLE.
AND ALSO THANK COUNCILMEMBER LIN
BECAUSE KIND OF GOES TO WHAT I
WAS ABOUT TO SAY. LEEK ENGAGING
WITH THE NATIVE COMMUNITY. WE'RE
DOING THAT WITH OIR AND OTHERS
THE INDIGENOUS ADVISORY OUTREACH
AND ALL THOSE PIECES ARE GERMANE
-- ACTUALLY IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT
NOW THE L. A. BAY CONNECTIONS.
THAT'S VERY MUCH BEEN HAPPENING
BUT ALSO NEEDS TO HAPPEN HERE.
SO REGARDING THE RESOLUTION, I
WAS -- YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO MAKE
AN AMENDMENT AND I WILL JUST SAY
ON PAGE -- SLIDE TWO, YOU KNOW,
WE TALK ABOUT COMMITTING TO
EXPLORING, YOU KNOW, THIS. WE
SHOULD ALSO COMMIT TO THE
PARTNERSHIP POINT THAT I WAS
RAISING EARLIER THE EARLIER AND
THE -- TO INCLUDE COUNCILMEMBER
LIN WAS MENTIONING THE NATIVE
COMMUNITY. THIS SHOWS THE
INCLUSIVENESS AND THE INTENT TO
BE INCLUSIVE AND TO BRING THE
PIECES FORWARD. SO, YOU KNOW,
NOTHING MAJOR. BUT I DO THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU KNOW,
WITH THAT TERM PARTNERSHIP TO
HIGHLIGHT IT. AND THAT'S IT
CHAIR, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE THANK YOU FOR YOUR
FEEDBACK. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE
ON THIS TODAY BUT WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING MAKES SENSE. I'M ALIGNED
IN PRINCIPLE DEVIL'S IN THE
DETAILS AND WE'LL HAVE TO SEE
THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AND AGAIN
BECAUSE THIS IS A JOINT MAYORAL
COUNCIL PROCLAMATION, WE'LL
SOCIALIZE IT WITH THE -- WITH
THE EXECUTIVE AS WELL AND MAKE
SURE THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH
IT. BUT IT MAKES SENSE IN
PRINCIPLE. AND I'M SUPPORTIVE
IN PRINCIPLE JUST WOULD LOVE TO
SEE BEFORE IT GETS TO FULL
COUNCIL. AND BUT WE ARE -- GOING
TO VOTE ON IT TODAY. SO I MOVE
THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 32205. IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> ALL RIGHT. IT IS MOVED AND
SECONDED. TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION
OF RESOLUTION 32205. ARE THERE
ANY FINAL COMMENTS? HEARING AND
SEEING NONE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT
RESOLUTION 32205? [ ROLL CALL ]
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE VOTES
IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
>> EXCELLENT, THE MOTION CARRIES
AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE
COMMITTEE ADOPT IT WILL BE SENT
TO THE JUNE 2nd, 2026 CITY
COUNCIL MEETING. WANT TO THANK
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND DEPUTY
MAYOR ESPECIALLY BUT YOU KNOW
MAYOR WILSON FOR HER PARTNERSHIP
IN THIS. IT WAS TRULY A
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. MORE WORK
CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE
DON'T TO HAVE KNOW EVERY SINGLE
DETAIL. A LOT OF IT IS ALREADY
-- LOT OF THAT WORK HAS ALREADY
BEEN DONE. WE NEED TO TEE IT UP
FOR CURRENT DECISION MAKERS. AND
GET A FEW KEY OPERATIONAL
DETAILS RIGHT. BUT APPRECIATE
THE PARTNERSHIP FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IN THIS. THANK
YOU.
>>> ALL RIGHT, WE WILL NOW MOVE
ON TO OUR THIRD ITEM OF
BUSINESS. PLEASURED ITEM THREE
INTO THE RECORD.
>> BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION
UNPERMITTED STREET VENDING
UPDATE.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELCOME. LOOKS
LIKE OUR PRESENTERS HAVE JOINING
US AT THE TABLE. WELCOME. WHEN
YOU ARE READY, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES. AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU CHAIR. I
AM HANNAH McINTOSH EXECUTIVE
OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR MAYOR
WILSON. I'M HERE AT THE TABLE
BECAUSE THIS SLIDE RESPONSE IS
BEING LED OUT OF THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE. AND I WILL LET MY
COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
WE SKIP YOU IN YOU GOT IT.
>> I'LL DO THIS POSITION. HEY
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ALYSE
NELSON. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE
WITH COUNCIL TODAY. I'M THE
SDOT STREET USE DIRECTOR FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
>> GOOD MORNING. JULIE HOROWITZ
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH IS THE L IN
KING COUNTY.
>> GOOD MORNING. SCOTT
PLUSQUELLEC.
>> HI, YOUR CENTRAL STAFF.
>> EXCELLENT. WELCOME EVERYONE
AND WHILE WE FINALIZE THE TECH,
I THINK RUN OF SHOW WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE OUR PARTNERS FROM
CENTRAL STAFF KIND OF GIVE AN
OVERVIEW BUT LET ME FRAME UP THE
CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT JUST
FOR MY PERSPECTIVE AND ADDRESS
WHY WE'RE HERE. WANT TO FIRST
OFF REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF
A FEW THINGS. OF THIS TOPIC.
UNPERMITING -- ADDRESSING
UNPERMITTED STREET VENDING IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. ESPECIALLY
AS IT RELATES TO UPCOMING FIFA
FESTIVITIES BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY
RELATED TO THAT. IT WAS A
CHALLENGE BEFORE THAT. AND
UNLESS WE TAKE BETTER ACTION TO
ADDRESS THE ACTIVITY, IT WILL
REMAIN A PERSISTENT CHALLENGE
AFTER THAT. IT'S A UNPERMITTED
STREET VENDING IS IS A SHARED
CHALLENGE AND A SHARED
OPPORTUNITY THAT IS FRANKLY
COMING TO A HEAD NOW MORE THAN
EVER AS WE PREPARE TO WELCOME
THE WORLD TO SEATTLE. AND FIFA.
I THINK WE ALL LOVE OUR STREET
VENDORS. LIKE OUR SEATTLE FAMOUS
SEATTLE DOGS. FOR ME AND MINE, I
PREFER EXTRA CREAM CHEESE. EXTRA
ONIONS. WE APPRECIATE OUR
ENTREPRENEURS AND
MICROENTREPRENEURS. AND THE
VALUE AND THE SERVICE THAT THEY
BRING TO THE CITY. AS A WHOLE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE PUBLIC
HEALTH AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
FOOD VENDING. HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
SAFETY. TENSIONS ARE MOUNTING.
THEY'RE RISING BETWEEN
PERMITTED LICENSED BUSINESS
OWNERS AND COMPLIANT IN EVERY
MATERIAL RESPECT OF THE WAY,
LIKE NAVIGATING ALL THE
REGULATORY SOUP OF THINGS TO BE
COMPLIANT WITH, AND THEN SOMEONE
COMES UP AND SETS UP SHOP RIGHT
OUTSIDE -- LITERALLY RIGHT
OUTSIDE THEIR DOORS IN ELK HIGH
OR THE STADIUM DISTRICT AND CAN
UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION THAT
THAT MIGHT CAUSE. TENSIONS ARE
HIGH. SO ALSO OUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO ENSURE OUR MICROENTREPRENEURS
ARE OPERATING IN A COMPLIANT
MANNER. SO UNPERMITTED POP UP
VENDORS ARE BYPASSING MANDATORY
SAFETY REGULATIONS TYPICALLY
OPERATING ON THE FOOD CONTEXT.
EXCUSE ME, WITHOUT RUNNING
WATER, HAND WASHING SINKS OR
RELIABLE REFRIGERATION. THIS
KIND OF ACT UNLICENSED
UNPERMITTED ACTIVITIES POSES A
MAJOR RISK FOR FOODBORNE
ILLNESSES. SO PREVENTING
WIDESPREAD FOOD POISONING
OUTBREAKS LESSENS THE RISK THAT
OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES WILL BECOME OVERWHELMED
INUNDATED AND ALLOWING FIRST
RESPONDERS TO FOCUS ON CRITICAL
EMERGENCIES. DURING THE MASSIVE
FIFA TOURNAMENT AND BEYOND. FANS
AND RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
PURCHASE FOOD FROM LICENSED
VENDORS DISPLAYING OFFICIAL
GREEN SMILEY FACE SEATTLE KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH FOOD SAFETY
RATINGS WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND
EDUCATE AND SUPPORT OUR
ENTREPRENEURS AND
MICROENTREPRENEURS, WE ALSO NEED
THEM TO BE COMPLIANT WITH ALL
LOCAL REGULATIONS AS WELL.
ALLOWING UNLICENSED UNPERMITTED
VENDORS TO OPERATE BETRAYS THE
LEGITIMATE TAX PAYING SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT INVEST
SIGNIFICANT TIME AND MONEY INTO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE STREET USE
VENDING PERMITS, BUSINESS
LICENSE TAX CERTIFICATES, HEALTH
INSPECTIONS AND A COMPLIANCE
WITH THE ALPHABET SOUP OF OTHER
REGULATORY RIMES. THAT'S HOW I
WOULD FRAME THE CONVERSATION
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. YOU ALL
HAVE INTRODUCED YOURSELVES AND
WELCOME AGAIN. EDIN, GO AHEAD.
>> GREAT. EDIN SISIC WITH
CENTRAL STAFF FOR THE RECORD
AGAIN. I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE --
PULL UP SLIDE ONE. HERE TO
INTRODUCE THE STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND
UNPERMITTED VENDING ENFORESTMENT
PIECE OF THE LARGER PUBLIC SPACE
MANAGEMENT AND JOINT AND
ENFORCEMENT TEAMS PROGRAMS
BEFORE TURNING THE SHOW OVER TO
OUR COLLEAGUES. SO -- THIS
STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
ASKED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO
LEAD A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY
REVIEW OF THE CITY'S CURRENT
APPROACH LICENSING AND ENFORCING
UNPERMITTED VENDING. AS CONTEXT,
MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET
INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY $1.6
MILLION IN NEW FUNDING TO
SUPPORT THE BROADER UNLICENSED
VENDING ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.
COUNCIL IS SEEKING ADDITIONAL
CLARITY ON THE STRATEGY FOR HOW
THESE NEW AND EXISTING RESOURCES
WILL BE USED. IN TERMS OF SCOPE,
THIS STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE
INTENT REQUESTS THAT THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE EVALUATE CURRENT
ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS, HOW WILL
INTERDEPARTMENTAL -- WELL
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION
IS FUNCTIONING TODAY. AND
APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING PUBLIC
HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS
ASSOCIATED WITH UNLICENSED
VENDING. AND ALSO SPECIFICALLY
CALLS FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW
KEY CITY PARTNERS CAN BEST
COORDINATE TO MEET THE NEEDS
PRESENTED BY THIS ISSUE. AND AS
PART OF THE DELIVERABLES THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE IS ASKING THE
REVIEW POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES FROM OTHER CITIES.
PHYSICALLY HIGHLIGHT STRATEGIES
FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION
THAT ADDRESS POTENTIAL
ACCESSIBILITY CHANNELS AND
EQUITY IMPACTS AND BARRIERS
FACED BY INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN
UNLICENSED VENDING. AND A
WRITTEN REPORT WITH FINDINGS AND
ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS HAS BEEN
TRANSMITTED BY THE EXECUTIVE
TEAM AND THEY'LL WALK US
THROUGH THAT SHORTLY. BUT THE
OVERALL INTENT FOR THE -- IS THE
PRIDE -- PROVIDE COUNCIL WITH A
CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THE CITY'S
OVERALL STRATEGY, ENSURE
RESOURCES ARE DEPLOYED
EFFECTIVELY, AND SUPPORT A
COORDINATED EQUITABLE AND
PRACTICAL APPROACH TO VENDING
ISSUES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. WE
CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UNPERMITED VENDING ENFORCEMENT
IS ONE PART OF OUR MUCH LARGER
PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
WITHIN SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION. STREET USE
DIVISION. WITH A PURPOSE TO
OVERSEE VENDING IN THE PUBLIC
RIGHT OF WAY CONSISTENT WITH
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL TITLE 15 AND
THIS INCLUDES REVIEWING AND
ISSUING PERMITS, EDUCATING
VENDORS, AND ENFORCING CITY CODE
ON VENDING IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT
OF WAY. THE OVERALL PROGRAM
BUDGET FOR 2026 IS $8.8 MILLION.
AND UNPERMITTED VENDING
REPRESENTS A SMALL PORTION OF
THAT ESSENTIALLY. IN TERMS OF
NEW APPROPRIATIONS SPECIFIC TO
EXPANDED ENFORCEMENT, THE
COUNCIL ADOPTED TOTAL OF 1.$6
MILLION WITHIN SDOT FOR THE
PURPOSE INCLUDING THREE NEW FTEs
AND THE JOINT ENFOREST. TEAM
EXPANSION. JUST AS A -- QUICK
BACKGROUND, THE JOINT
ENFORCEMENT TEAM IS IN
INTERDEPARTMENTAL EFFORT AND
INVOLVES STAFF FROM FIRE
DEPARTMENTS, SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC
HEALTH, SEATTLE KING COUNTY, AND
THE WASHINGTON STATE LIQUOR AND
CANNABIS BOARD AND OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS ISSUES
SURROUNDING THE NIGHTTIME
ECONOMY AND CONDUCT INSPECTIONS
OF NIGHTCLUBS, BARS,
RESTAURANTS, AND OTHER
BUSINESSES AT PEAK AFTER HOURS'
TIMES. SO HELP MAINTAIN A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT FOR PATRONS AND THE
COMMUNITY. AND SO SDOT STAFFS
THESE JOINT ENFORCEMENT TEAM
OUTINGS WITH PUBLIC SPACE
MANAGEMENT INSPECTORS AND
INSPECTION LEADS AND INSPECTORS
COMMUNICATE WITH VENDORS ABOUT
WHAT PERMITS ARE THEN NEEDED TO
VENT IN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY AND
ANSWER QUESTIONS AND ISSUE
WARNINGS AND CITATIONS AND OTHER
MEASURES AS NEEDED SO WITH THAT
I THINK I HAVE TEED IT UP A LOT
AND SAID LOT.
>> OKAY. THANKS EDIN AND AS THE
COMMITTEE CHAIR KNOWS, OUR
OFFICE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS ALSO
ENGAGED WITH THIS TOPIC OF
UNPERMITTED VENDING FOR ALL THE
REASONS YOU LAID OUT. AND WE ARE
RESPONDING THE THIS STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT IN TWO
PHASES. AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TO
TALK ABOUT TODAY IS THE FIRST
PHASE. WHICH IS FOCUSED ON NEAR
TERM STRATEGIES FOR NEAR TERM
IMPLEMENTATION PARTICULARLY
DURING THE WORLD CUP. THEN GOING
TO -- IF YOU DON'T FIND BRENDAN,
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
EVEN. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A
BEAT AND LOOK AT LESSONS LEARNED
FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF ROLLING
OUT THESE STRATEGIES DURING FIFA
AND THEN COME BACK IN THE FALL
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE LONGER
TERM POLICY OPTIONS AND HOW THE
DEPARTMENTS CAN WORK TOGETHER
AND SOME OF THE LESSONS FROM OUR
PEER -- LIKE BEST PRACTICE FROM
PEER CITIES. I THINK THE OTHER
THING WE WANT TO BRING BACK AT
THE END OF THE SUMMER IS JUST
BASIC KIND OF LAY OF LAND. YOU
KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENT OUT THERE
WITH UNPERMITTED VENDING IS
CHANGING. AND SO HAVE REALLY A
LAY OF THE LAND FOR COUNCIL AND
SOME PROPOSALS AROUND SHARED
GOALS. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
CONVENED A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL
TEAM. THE FOLKS THE AGENCIES AT
THE TABLE AND DEPARTMENTS AT THE
TABLE HERE WITH ME ARE
REPRESENTED. BUT SO IS THE
OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
AFFAIRS AND LABOR STANDARDS AND
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE,
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES AND PARKS AND REC AND
SEATTLE CENTER. AND THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICER. THIS TEAM
IS TAKING AN APPROACH I HOPE
YOU'LL SEE IN THESE SLIDES AND
WHEN WE COME BACK FOR
CONVERSATION IN THE FALL WHICH
REALLY EMPHASIZES LOWERING
BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITY. PROVIDING
EDUCATION, AND THEN LOOKING AT
ENFORCEMENT AS A FINAL RESORT.
FOCUSING ON THESE STRATEGIES FOR
NEAR TERM IMPLEMENTATION, I WANT
TO JUST QUICKLY TALK ABOUT OUR
OVERALL GOALS FOR THESE. THE
BEST WAY TO ADDRESS UNPERMITTED
ACTIVITY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY IS
TO HAVE PERMITTED ACTIVITY IN
THE RIGHT OF WAY. SO THAT IS YOU
KNOW, GOAL NUMBER ONE. IT'S
REALLY ACTIVATING OUR PUBLIC
SPACES DURING FIFA. WE WANT TO
EXPAND ACCESS TO ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY, PROVIDED BY THE
WORLD CUP. FLUSH WE WANT TO TAKE
AN EDUCATION FIRST APPROACH TO
ENFORCEMENT AND REALLY FOCUS OUR
ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WHERE WE'RE
SEEING OBSTRUCTIONS TO SAVE
PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY. . WE WANT
TO TAKE STEPS TO LIMIT THE
LIKELIHOOD OUCH FOODBORNE
ILLNESS OUTBREAKS DURING FIFA
AND LEVERAGE THIS MOMENT WHEN
THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO
VEND AND MORE PEOPLE WANTING
VENDORS TO TEST NEW APPROACHES
WHERE WE CAN AND LEARN FROM
THOSE. SO OUR TEAM HAS
IDENTIFIED THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS
FOR IMPLEMENTATION THIS SUMMER.
AND THEN WE'LL LEARN FROM THOSE
AND COME BACK TO SHARE WHAT WE
LEARN IN THE FALL. I'M GOING TO
TURN OVER TO ALYSE THE TALK --
TO TALK ABOUT THE STRATEGIES.
>> OH SORRY JULIE.
>> I'LL BE SPEAKING ON THE
EDUCATION PIECE OF THIS. AND AS
YOU SPOKE TO CHAIR SAKA RIGHT?
THE MAIN GOAL IS PUBLIC HEALTH
AND SAFETY PROTECTING FOLKS FROM
FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAKS AND
WHEN WE HAVE PERMITTED FOOD
ESTABLISHMENTS RIGHT? THEY'RE
GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE
PROCESSES AND STEPS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE SAFE FOOD
FACILITIES AND HANDLING OF THOSE
FOODS FOR THE PUBLIC. UNPERMITED
VENDORS DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT
OF HAVING THOSE SAFE SETUPS
RIGHT? AS WELL AS HAVING THE
ACCESS TO HAND WASHING,
RESTROOMS, KEEPING FOOD
APPROPRIATELY HOT AND COLD.
WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES
THE RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS.
SO ON THE EDUCATION PIECE, WE'RE
COLLABORATING WITH MULTIPLE
PARTNERS ON THIS ON INFORMING
PEOPLE HOW TO FIND SAFE FOOD
DURING THE WORLD CUP. AND WE'RE
FOCUSED ON A POSITIVE MESSAGE
THAT IS FOCUSED ON HELPING
PEOPLE IDENTIFY AND FIND OUR
FOOD SAFETY RATING PLACARDS THAT
YOU CAN SEE UP ON THE SCREEN
THERE. RIGHT? SO LOOKING FOR THE
GREEN SMILEY FACE IS THE KEY
MESSAGE BECAUSE ALL OF THE
PERMITTED FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
HAVE THOSE PLACARDS. WE'RE
PARTNERING WITH SDOT TO PUT OWL
PHYSICAL SIGN -- OUT PHYSICAL
SIGNAGE IN KEY LOCATIONS
DOWNTOWN THAT WILL HELP FOLK SEE
THAT AND LOOK FOR THOSE SIGNS.
AND WE PLAN TO BUILD ON THAT
PHYSICAL SIGNAGE EFFORT AFTER
THE WORLD CUP. BOTH IN
COLLABORATION WITH STADIUMS AS
WELL AS OTHER SPACES AND
TRANSIT. WE'RE PLANNING OTHER
VARIOUS DIGITAL MEDIA EFFORTS
AND PLANNING TO HAVE BOTH
ORGANIC AND PAID SOCIAL MEDIA
WITH VIDEOS DESCRIBING WHAT THE
FOOD SAFETY RATINGS SYSTEM IS,
WHERE TO LOOK FOR IT. AND THESE
WILL BE GEOTARGETTED TOWARDS
EVENT SPACES. AND IN ADDITION
WE'RE RUNNING PSAs ON KUW AND
ELRAY SPANISH LANGUAGE RADIO
DURING JUNE AND JULY. WE'RE
EXPLORING VARIOUS OPTIONS TO
DISTRIBUTE FOOD SAFETY MESSAGES
THROUGH VARIOUS HOSPITALITY
GROUPS TO REACH HOTELS AND OTHER
THIRD PARTY ACCOMMODATIONS TO
SPREAD THAT MESSAGE. AND THAT
INCLUDES WORKING WITH OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO
DISTRIBUTE MESSAGES TO THE
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREAS AND
THROUGH OTHER BUSINESS NETWORKS.
SO IN SHORT, OUR GOAL IS TO
REACH AS MANY RESIDENTS AND
VISITORS DURING FIFA AND BUILD
ON THAT LONGER TERM TO BUILD THE
PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THIS ISSUE
DOWN THE ROAD. WITH THAT I'LL
PASS IT TO --
>> I THINK I'M NEXT. THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ALYSE NELSON WITH
SDOT AND THE STREET USE DIVISION
DIRECTOR AND ONE OF THE WAYS WE
CAN HELP ADDRESS UNPERMITTED
VENDING IS MAKING SPACE FOR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES TO THRIVE. PIONEER
SQUARE IS GOING TO BE A
PEDESTRIAN ZONE ON GAME DAYS AND
THIS IS GOING TO PROVIDE A LOT
MORE SPACE FOR MANY DIFFERENT
PURPOSES. IT WILL HELP US HAVE
SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK AND
ROLL. TO QUEUE AS THEY WAIT TO
ENTER THE STADIUMS. AND IT WILL
ALSO SUPPORT HEAVY ACTIVATION
THAT WE EXPECT IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE'LL BE
WATCH PARTIES, THERE'LL BE
ENTERTAINMENT AND ADDITIONAL
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL
ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR BOTH BRICK
AND MORTAR AND VENDING SO I'M
KIND OF PRESENTING THE HELLO
LEVEL AND NOW OVER TO SCOTT FROM
THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL DIG IN
DEEPER.
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN SCOTT
PLUSQUELLEC WITH THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. JUST
WANTED TO NOTE THAT OUR ROLE
HERE IS VERY MUCH ON THE
EDUCATION SIDE OF THIS -- THIS
ISSUE. TO THAT END WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH KING
COUNTY AND SDOT ON DEVELOPING
THE STRATEGIES FOR HOW WE DO THE
OUTREACH TO THESE VENDORS. AND
HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND EXACTLY
THE PATHWAYS THAT THEY CAN GO
THROUGH TO BECOME PERMITTED. SO
THAT'S A VERY HIGH LEVEL. ONCE
THEY ARE -- LICENSED, WE HAVE
PLENTY OF RESOURCES TO HELP THEM
AS A SMALL BUSINESS. TO MOVE
FORWARD. SO THAT'S LIKE LARGER
PICTURE. IN THIS DIRECT FIFA
MOMENT, AS ALYSE SAID, WE ARE
WORKING WITH SDOT TO PROVIDE
FUNDING AND WE HAVE $65,000 TO
PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE BRICK AND
MOR FAR BUSINESSES AND WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT LEAVING
THEM BEHIND AS WE FOCUS ON
VENDING. AND REALLY PROVIDING
THEM THE OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS
BEEN GIVEN WITH THE LEGISLATURE
THIS YEAR TO EXPAND ON SEASONAL
DINING. OUTDOOR AREA DINING. SO
WE ARE PROVIDING THIS FUNDING
THROUGH SDOT TO HELP MITIGATE
THE COSTS OF ADDING -- DOING THE
PERMITTING AND PUTTING IN THOSE
EXPANDED AREAS FOR THOSE
BUSINESSES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
OUR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS WHO
WILL BE HERE THIS SUMMER.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EDUCATION
AND OPPORTUNITY AND THEN
THERE'S ALSO ENFORCEMENT. I'LL
BE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF
THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH
THIS STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE
INTENT AROUND ENFORCEMENT AND
PILOTING NEW IDEAS. WE ALREADY
HAVE GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE
CITY AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT DO
ENFORCEMENT RELATED TO
UNPERMITTED VENDING. BUT WITH
THIS RESPONSE WE'RE SEEING HOW
WE CAN BUILD UPON THAT GREAT
RELATIONSHIP. WE DO FIND THAT
SAVVY UNPERMITTED VENDORS KNOW
THE LINE BETWEEN JURISDICTIONAL
BOUNDARIES AND THEY CAN MOVE
INTO AN AREA WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL
DEPARTMENT WHO IS OUT CANNOT
CONNECT WITH THEM. SO TO IMPROVE
OUR ENFORCEMENT EFFICIENCY AND
CAPACITY, WE ARE REVIEWING
OPPORTUNITIES TO DELEGATE
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY BETWEEN
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. SO WE'RE
LOOKING AT SEATTLE CENTER,
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION AS
WELL AS SDOT. EVERYONE WITHIN --
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS
AN EDUCATION FIRST MODEL FOR
ENFORCEMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO
HAVE THAT EDUCATION FIRST
APPROACH WITH MANY DELEGATIONS.
SO THAT IS KIND OF SOMETHING
THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING NOW. IT
PROBABLY WON'T HIT THE GROUND
BEFORE FIFA IS HERE. BUT IT IS A
REALLY EXCITING OUTCOME FROM THE
INITIAL PHASE OF THE S. L. Y..
BUT FOR FIFA, WE ARE LOOKING AT
SETTING UP A COORDINATED
ENFORCEMENT TEAM. AND WE ALREADY
HAVE THAT. WE MENTIONED THE
JOINT ENFORCEMENT TEAM WHICH IS
SAL JOAN AS J. E. T.. THAT'S A
NIGHT LIFE FOCUSED TEAM THAT
GOES OUT ALREADY AND WE HAVE
ALSO DONE AD HOC COORDINATED
ENFORCEMENT IN THE PAST FOR
THING LIKE THE ALL-STAR GAME
THAT CAME TO SEATTLE. AS PART OF
THIS RESPONSE WE'RE SENDING OUT
THE TEAM FOR FIFA. WORKING
CLOSELY WITH PARTNER AGENCIES
AND WE WILL HAVE PATROLS DURING
THE GAME DAYS TO MINIMIZE
IMPACTS FROM UNPERMITTED
VENDORS. THAT ARE -- WITHIN
SEATTLE'S PUBLIC SPACES AROUND
THE STADIUMS AND I THINK AFTER
FIFA, AS WE CONTINUE THE
RESPONSE AND REVIEW, WE'LL HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM
THIS EFFORT. AND THINK ABOUT HOW
SOME OF THE NEW THINGS WE'RE
TRYING COULD BE BUILT OUT EVEN
FURTHER FOR ADDITIONAL WORK IN
THE CITY. I GUESS THAT'S IT.
THERE'S NO -- [ LAUGHTER ] I'LL
TURN IT BACK OVER TO HANNAH FOR
ANY CLOSING REMARKS.
>> YEAH. I THINK THAT'S IT.
WE'RE -- OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH
COUNCIL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR
BEING HERE. SOME COMMENTS BUT
FIRST TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUES FOR CLARITY WE'RE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO
AGENDA ITEM FOUR TODAY. COUNCIL
-- STARTING FIRST WITH VICE
CHAIR RINCK.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR
YOUR PREPARATION WORK ESPECIALLY
WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON IN
FIFA. IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
WE'RE ALL GEARING UP FOR SO I
WANT TO VOICE MY APPRECIATION
FOR YOUR HARD WORK TO MAKE SURE
THE CITY IS PREPARED FOR THAT.
AQUESTION ON JUST THE EDUCATION
FIRST APPROACH AND I WILL SPEAK
WITH SOME CANDOR I THINK. WE'VE
DEFINITELY RECEIVED SOME
CONSTERNATION FROM COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHEN THEY SEE A -- WHAT
THEY VIEW OF A BELOVED STREET
VENDOR NEEDS TO SHUT DOWN AND
FEELING FRUSTRATED BY THAT. SO
CAN YOU SPEAK MORE ABOUT AN
EDUCATION FIRST APPROACH AND HOW
YOU ARE ALSO INCORPORATING
PERHAPS LANGUAGE ACT BESS SO
THAT AND REALLY TRYING TO
PUTEQUITY AT THE HEART OF TRYING
TO GET MORE FOLKS GOING THROUGH
THE PROPER CHANNELS AND
PROCESSES TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS?
>> YEAH. I CAN TAKE AT LEAST
WHAT SDOT DOES. WHICH PROBABLY
ALIGNS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER
CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT
HERE AT THE TABLE TODAY. WE HAVE
A LOT OF OUR MATERIALS THAT ARE
TRANSLATED INTO MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES. AND WE ALSO HAVE
ACCESS TO LANGUAGE -- LINE TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, A
PHONE FOR SOMEONE TO HEAR
DIRECTLY DURING OUR DISCUSSION
AND OUR ENCOUNTER. SO YOU KNOW,
WE DO BASICALLY GO TO A PERSON
AND TRY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
WE ASSUME THAT FOLKS DON'T KNOW
THE RULES AND WE WANT TO HAVE
EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE A
PERMITTED VENDOR BE ABLE TO VEND
IN SEATTLE. SO THAT'S ALWAYS
OUR GOAL. SO YOU KNOW, USUALLY
OUR ENCOUNTER WOULD START WITH A
CONVERSATION. WE HAVE PLAIN
LANGUAGE MATERIALS THAT ARE ALSO
TRANSLATED TO BE ABLE TO HELP
PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT THEY
CAN TAKE AWAY. AND THEN WE OFFER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COACHING SO
THAT THEY CAN COME INTO THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL TOWER FOR
COACHING OR WE CAN HAVE A PHONE
CALL OR A VIRTUAL MEETING SO,
YOU KNOW, OUR APPROACH IS ALWAYS
ONE OF TRYING TO HELP FOLKS COME
INTO COMPLIANCE FIRST AND
FOREMOST. THAT'S ALWAYS OUR
GOAL.
>> I'M GOING TO ADD TO THAT.
FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE OF
IT, SIMILARLY TO SDOT, RIGHT?
WE'RE WANTING TO PROVIDE ALL OF
THE INFORMATION ACCESS TO
INFORMATION, THROUGH BOTH OUR
INSPECTORS WHO SPEAK MANY
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AS WELL AS
THROUGH LANGUAGE SERVICES AND
JUST TO STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT
ON THIS, RIGHT? OUR GOAL IS TO
HAVE AS MANY VIBRANT VENDORS OUT
THERE SERVING FOOD, SAFE FOOD TO
OUR COMMUNITIES RIGHT? SO OUR
GOAL IS REALLY TO EDUCATE BUT TO
REDUCE BARRIERS TO BE ABLE TO
ACCESS THE SYSTEMS TO BE ABLE TO
BE A PERMITTED VENDOR. AND SO
THAT LOOKS LIKE A REALLY BROAD
RANGE OF RESOURCES FROM HOLDING
COMMUNITY BASED FORUMS -- LIKE
SESSIONS WHERE FOLKS CAN SHOW
UP. WE'VE HAD 50 PLUS FOLKS
COME TO EACH SESSION WHERE
THEY'RE SITTING DOWN ONE-ON-ONE
WITH OUR TEAMS TO GET TO KNOW
ALL OF THE PROCESSES. WORKING
WITH COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE CONNECTED
TO COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE A
COMMISSARY VOUCHER PROGRAM TO
TRY TO REDUCE A LOT OF THE
BARRIERS ARE THROUGH THE INITIAL
COST BEYOND THE PERMING. ACCESS
TO COMMISSARY KITCHENS IS
EXPENSIVE AND HAVING YOU KNOW, A
FOOD TRUCK THAT MEETS THE
REQUIREMENTS IS EXPENSIVE. RIGHT
AND SO FINDING WAYS TO REDUCE
THOSE BARRIERS AND GETTING FOLKS
ACCESS TO BECOMING PERMITTED
VENDORS. SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT WE'RE
BRINGING INTO THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. TO SUPPORT THAT.
>> JUST AS A POINT OF
CLARIFICATION, THIS VOUCHER
PROGRAM IS WITHIN PUBLIC HEALTH?
>> CURRENTLY, YES.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. SCOTT?
>> OH THANK YOU. ITS JUST GOING
TO ADD TO THAT. I MEAN, VERY
SIMILAR TO BE A JULIE JUST SAID.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR MATERIALS
ARE AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES. AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO
THE PHONE LINE AS WELL TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION. AND WE ARE
WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AND WITH THE BIAs TO BE
ABLE TO PUT IN INFORMATION OUT
AND GET IT INTO AS MANY HANDS AS
POSSIBLE. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE
ARE LOOKING THIS SUMMER TO DO
SOME VERY TARGETED WORK WITH
KING COUNTY ON SOME OF THE
VENDORS THAT HAVE BEEN CITED TO
REALLY HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE
PROCESSES AND REDUCE THOSE
BARRIERS. AS WAS MENTIONED. THAT
WE WANT TO SEE WHAT COSTS CAN WE
REDUCE AND WHAT PERMITTING CAN
BE STREAMLINED AND HOW DO WE
JUST REALLY MAKE THIS AS EASY AS
POSSIBLE FOR FOLKS? TO BE ABLE
TO GET INTO THE PERMITTED
SPHERE.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
JUST INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS TO
THE PROCESSES. BECAUSE I WAS
PARTICULARLY CAUGHT BY THE
COFFEE CART STORY THAT CAME OUT
THIS WEEK. SOUND TRANSIT. JUST
REALLY VOLATILE AS FOLKS ARE
FIGURING OUT THE CLIENT BASE AND
MODEL AND SO ON. IT'S
DISAPPOINTING WHEN OUR OWN
INTERNAL PROCESSES ARE PROVIDING
MIXED MESSAGES TO TWO VENDORS.
HOW WE'RE WORKING TO REMEDY
THAT KIND OF SITUATION? FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT IS ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT FOR THIS SECOND PHASE OF
OUR STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE
INTENT RESPONSE. THIS HAS BEEN A
REALLY EXCITING PROCESS SO FAR
THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
CONVENED AND EVERYBODY IS ALL IN
AND WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE
PARTICIPATING AND SO I THINK
THAT THROUGH THE SECOND PHASE OF
THIS WORK, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DIG INTO. RIGHT?
BECAUSE EVERYONE IS FRUSTRATED
BY THE CURRENT STATE. WE DON'T
WANT TO BE OUT THERE DOING
ENFORCEMENT AND FOCUSING ON
THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE IT SO ANY
SMALL BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO SET
UP, CAN. AND SO I THINK THAT'S
WHAT WILL BE NEXT. AND I CAN'T
WAIT TO BE BACK THIS FALL AND
TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE COME UP
WITH.
>> THANK YOU. AND ONE OTHER JUST
POINT TO MAKE ON THIS SHARE. AND
I KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE
AT THE TABLE IS -- HAS
INFORMATION OR CAN SPEAK TO IN
MATTER. BUT I KNOW KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS
FLAGGED THE CONCERNS AROUND
POTENTIAL LABOR TRAFFICKING AS
IT RELATES TO UNPERMITTED STREET
VENDING. THAT'S AN ELEMENT IN
THIS DISCUSSION AS WELL I KNOW
JUST A HUMAN TRAFFICKING
COMPONENT. I WANT TO BRING THAT
TO THE DISCUSSION.
>> YEAH. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT
IN DETAIL AT THE TABLE HERE
TODAY. BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER, THAT WE ARE IN
CONVERSATION WITH COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S OFFICE AND THAT IS
IN MY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, I
SAID I WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME
BACK WITH JUST A CLEARER PICTURE
OF THE LANDSCAPE. AND THAT IS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A REALLY
CLEAR ASSESSMENT OF LIKE WHAT --
WHAT DO WE THINK IS ACTUALLY
HAPPENING? BECAUSE IT IS -- I
THINK THE LANDSCAPE IS DIFFERENT
THAN WHEN A LOT OF THESE
PROGRAMS WERE INITIALLY SET UP.
AND WE NEED TO RESPOND TO
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. SO MORE
TO COME ON THAT AS WELL.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR
THAT RESPONSE. THANK YOU CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER LIN,
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU. THANKS FOR
ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. AND BEING
THOUGHTFUL WITH THE EDUCATION
FIRST AND YOU KNOW WITH THE GOAL
OF GETTING THESE PERMITTED. AND
JUST ONE CONCERN AND I THINK
THIS WAS TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE
BIT. BUT ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
ON JUST CONCERNS ABOUT
ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AS
PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE'S SORT
OF LARGER FOOD VENDING
OPERATIONS ON THE SIDEWALK? AND
FOLKS, ESPECIALLY IN, YOU KNOW,
WHEELCHAIRS CAN'T GET BY AND
THEN FORCED TO GO INTO THE
STREET OR THE BIKE LANE. IS
THERE SORT OF A BEST PRACTICE OR
THOUGHTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
LOCATIONS AND HAVE YOU KNOW, HOW
TO IDENTIFY BETTER LOCATIONS FOR
VENDING RATHER THAN SIDEWALKS
WHERE IT BECOMES AN ACCUSES --
ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU. THAT'S ONE OF THE
REASONS THAT SDOT ISSUES PERMITS
FOR VENDING. RIGHT? BECAUSE
IT'S KIND OF WEIRD MAYBE WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT IT. WHAT DOES A
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
HAVE TO DO WITH VENDING? BUT
THAT'S EXACTLY ONE OF THE MAIN
PURPOSES FOR US IS THINKING
ABOUT MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE
THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
BUT ALSO KEEP THE SIDEWALK AND
STREETS AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE
FOR EVERYONE. MANY OF THOSE
SETUPS ARE NOT PERMITTED AS YOU
MAY EXPECT. BUT WE ARE
INTERESTED IN LOOKING AND
TALKING TO THOSE FOLKS ABOUT HOW
COULD THEY FIND PLACE THAT WOULD
WORK RIGHT AND IS IT IN A CURB
SPACE. IS IT IN A NEARBY PARK?
WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES SO
THAT WE CAN HAVE BOTH, YOU KNOW,
HAVE THAT GREAT VIBRANT ECONOMIC
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND HAVE
SIDEWALKS THAT ARE OPEN FOR
PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> EXCELLENT. WELL, THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR JOINING US TODAY A
COUPLE OF COMMENTS
SELF-REFLECTIONS FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE. WHEN I THINK ABOUT
THIS WORK I THINK ABOUT THREE
Es. EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT,
WHICH INCLUDES LANGUAGE ACCESS,
EMPOWERING FOLKS TO BE COMPLIANT
THROUGH NOT PURELY JUST
EDUCATION, AND YES, ENFORCEMENT.
I 100% AGREE AND ASCRIBE TO THE
EDUCATION FIRST MODEL. YOU ARE
NOT AT ALL SUBSCRIBE TO THE
EDUCATION ONLY MODEL. EITHER.
AND -- AND I'M CONCERNED THAT
SOME OF THESE VENDORS OPERATING
WITHOUT PERMITS AND LICENSES
KNOW THOSE CITY BOUNDARIES
THROUGH INTERDEPARTMENTAL
JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES. IT'S
CONCERNING. WHEN MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC CALL THE CITY TO REPAIR A
POTHOLE, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD,
TRIM THE HEDGES IN THE PARK,
THEY SHOULDN'T KNOW OR BE
CONCERNED WITH OR FRANKLY CARE
ABOUT WELL, THE POTHOLE ON PARKS
DEPARTMENT PROPERTY BECAUSE IF
SO THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
IS TECHNICALLY SDOT LAND IN THE
RIGHT OF WAY? THAT THE PARK --
THE BRUSH NEEDS TO BE TRIMMED
SHOULD BE A COMPLETELY SEAMLESS
PROCESS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. EXCUSE
ME. NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE THE
INTERDEPARTMENTAL JURISDICTIONAL
BOUNDARIES ARE BEING EXPLOITED
AND THAT'S NO GOOD. WE -- HAVE
DONE A LOT COLLECTIVELY AS A
CITY. AND I APPRECIATE THE
ALIGNMENT WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE ON THIS AND THE WORK THAT
THEY'RE LEADING TO FIND A
BETTER STATE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT
THERE. TODAY. ASK ANY SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER. WE'RE NOT THERE.
BUT IN THIS BODY, WE HAVE THREE
PRINCIPAL POWERS. POWER OF THE
PURSE, POWER TO WRITE LAWS, AND
THE THIRD WHAT I'LL CALL ARE
PLATFORM OR THE PULPIT ADVOCACY.
SO WE HAVE THOUGHTFULLY
EXERCISED TAKEN ACTION ON THE
POWER OF THE PURSE. IT'S WHY WE
HEARD EARLIER WE WROTE SOME
SLIDES CALLING ON REPORTS.
FUNDED NEW POSITIONS TO HELP
WITH ENFORCEMENT. AND I HAVE --
SO EXERCISING THOSE POWERS WILL
CONTINUE TO EXERCISE THEM. I
HAVE CAREFULLY PERSONALLY
REVIEWED THE RELEVANT CODE AND
LAWS ON THIS. I DON'T THINK --
I THINK THE LAW IS SUFFICIENTLY
CLEAR ON WHAT'S PERMISSIBLE.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, WHAT'S
COMPLIANT AND WHAT'S NOT. IN
SCOPE AND WHAT'S NOT. I THINK
THE CODE IS CLEAR FROM THAT
PERSPECTIVE. IS THAT SAID AS
PART OF THIS INTERDEPARTMENTAL
REVIEW IF I ALSO DON'T FORFEIT
-- POWER ON THERE NOT EXECUTION
REIMPLEMENTATION. THAT'S THE
MAYOR'S. SO I DON'T WANT --
CONTROL EXECUTION, I HAVE BLIND
SPOTS. IF THE MAYOR IS PART OF
THIS YOU KNOW WANTS TO PROPOSE
SOME TWEAKS TO THE CODE I
WELCOME SEEING THOSE AND THEN
PLATFORM, PULPIT THAT'S EXACTLY
WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. TO TALK
ABOUT IT. BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN
ACTION AND NOW WE NEED TO CHECK
IN AND WE'LL BE INVITING YOU
AGAIN ALL LATER THIS FALL AND
WOULD EXPECT TO SEE A BETTER,
MORE REFINED STATE. AND PLAN.
AND STEPS TO IMPLEMENT. ALIGN
WITH THE THREE Es. YOU CAN CALL
THEM WHATEVER YOU WANT. WHATEVER
YOU LIKE. I THINK WE'RE ALIGNED
IN PRINCIPLE. WHICH YES,
INCLUDES ENFORCEMENT. BUT
EDUCATION ONLY IS -- NOT THE
SOLUTION. ALL RIGHT. LOVE THE
QUESTIONS. I HAD A SIMILAR
QUESTION VICE CHAIR ABOUT THE --
THE STATE OF THE POTENTIAL HUMAN
TRAFFICKING CHALLENGE. IT'S A
GREAT ONE. THE FINAL THING I'LL
ASK OUR PARTNER FROM KING COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH, WHEN EDUCATION
HAS FAILED, HOW DOES TODAY, HOW
DOES SEATTLE KING COUNTY PUBLIC
HEALTH CURRENTLY ADDRESS
UNPERMITTED UNLAWFUL STREET
VENDING? INCLUDING THROUGH
ENFORCEMENT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. YES. SO WE
DO START WITH THE EDUCATION
FIRST AND ALL OF THE PIECES TO
HELP FOLKS COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
WE HAVE SEEN A LARGE INCREASE IN
VENDORS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN
WILLING TO ENGAGE WITH OUR STAFF
IN THAT PROCESS. AND WE'VE ALSO
SEEN WITH THAT AN INCREASE IN
SORT OF CENTRALIZED OPERATIONS.
SYSTEM -- SOME OF WHICH ARE
ORGANIZED OUT OF CALIFORNIA OR
OTHER PLACES. THERE'S MORE TO
LEARN ON ALL OF THAT. BUT WE ARE
SEEING A SHIFT IN THE DYNAMICS
OF UNPERMITTED VENDING. SO SOME
OF THE PIECES THAT INVOLVES. WE
RESPOND TO EVERY COMPLAINT THAT
WE RECEIVE REGARDING UNPERMITTED
FUNDING AND ANY OTHER FOOD
COMPLIANCE. WE VISIT THE VENDOR
AND WE DO THE EDUCATION. WE --
IDENTIFY THE FOOD SAFETY RISKS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION
AND ASK THEM TO CEASE
OPERATIONS. AND SO WE CLOSE THEM
AT THAT TIME. WHAT WE FIND IS
THAT OFTEN VENDORS WILL REOPEN
AFTER WE HAVE LEFT. EITHER IN
THAT LOCATION OR NEARBY. AND WE
DO ALSO ASK THEM TO VOLUNTARILY
DISCARD THE FOOD AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING A
STICKER THAT WE PLACE ON THE
CART TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THAT
IT IS AN UNPERMITTED FACILITY.
WE ARE WORKING ON A PROCESS TO
EXPAND BEYOND THAT IN TERMS OF A
PROGRESSIVE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS
THAT BUILDS INCLUDING DISPOSAL
OF FOOD. AS WELL AS
CONSIDERATION OF MISDEMEANOR
VIOLATIONS TOWARDS THE OWNER.
NOT NECESSARILY THE OPERATOR.
WHERE THERE IS NOT ANOTHER PATH
THAT IS FOUND. RIGHT? NO OFF
RAMPS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND WHEN
THERE'S MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES.
AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF
LOOKING INTO AND DEVELOPING THE
PROGRESSIVE ENFORCEMENT. THE
GOAL IS TO REALLY GET FOLKS
PERMITTED AND TO HAVE THE
BACKSTOP AND TO FOCUS ON THE
OWNERS, NOT NECESSARILY THE
FOLKS RIGHT? THAT ARE OUT THERE
ON THE STREET. BUT THE FOLKS
THAT ARE OPERATING THESE LARGER
OPERATIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
APPRECIATE THAT. WE'RE ABOUT
THE LOSE QUORUM HERE AND I
APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE
TODAY. AGAIN WE WILL BE INVITING
YOU BACK IN THE FALL AND COME
BACK AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
HOW THE REPORT HAS DEVELOPED AND
REFINED AND MORE CONCRETE PLANS
IN PLACE TO BETTER ADDRESS THIS.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE RUN OUT OF
TIME TO HEAR AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
AND WE HEARD NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING AND THAT MEANS REACHED
THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING
AGENDA. THE STEPS COMMITTEE WILL
BE PREEMPTED IN JUNE AND JULY BY
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
DISTRICT. WHICH MEANS OUR NEXT
REGULAR MEETING WILL LIKELY BE
HELD ON AUGUST 6th , 2026. 9:30.
IS THERE ANY FINAL BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE BEFORE
WE ADJOURN? HEARING AND SEEING
NONE, WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT'S
12:04 P.M.
>> THANK YOU.