[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
-- OKAY. OKAY. PERFECT. THE
AUGUST 18th MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL COME
TO ORDER. IT IS 206. I'M JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- HERE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LINN.
-- HERE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK HERE.
-- AWESOME
-- HERE. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK
YOU. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
PRESENT. COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
-- HOLLINGSWORTH HERE
-- FIVE PRESENT.
-- AWESOME. WE ARE RIGHT AT
QUORUM. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES,
AND WE ARE GOING TO JUMP RIGHT
INTO THE MEETING. SO WE'RE GOING
TO BEGIN WITH A PROCLAMATION
RECOGNIZING AUGUST 18th, 2026 TO
BE MISS AYE LIN RUTH DAY FOR
SIGNATURE AND PRESENTATION
TODAY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- OH MY GOD, I LOVE THIS.
-- AWESOME. AND IF YOU'RE AT
HOME WATCHING ON THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL, WE HAVE THIS WONDERFUL
CHURCH FANS BECAUSE BECAUSE
SEATTLE DIDN'T PAY THEIR
ELECTRIC BILL FOR THE AIR, I'M
JUST PLAYING. ALL RIGHT, SO NOW
WE'RE GOING TO JUMP TO
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. YOU
OVERSEE THE COMMITTEE AND FOR
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. SO
WE WANT TO PASS IT TO YOU. SO
THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FROM THE
ENTIRE COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION
FORWARD AND BRINGING TO OUR
ATTENTION THAT MISS LIN IS BEEN
WORKING AT THE CITY OF SEATTLE
FOR OVER 50 YEARS. THAT CANNOT
BE. IT JUST CANNOT.
-- BE.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- AND IT IS SO, SO SPECIAL AND
EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE OF, YOU
KNOW HER. THEN YOU KNOW HOW
SPECIAL AND HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO
HAVE HER AT THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
I MET HER MANY YEARS AGO, AND
ANY TIME YOU SEE HER, WHETHER
IT'S AT THE COFFEE CART OR IN
THE ELEVATOR, ON THE FLOOR OR IN
A MEETING, SHE'S ALWAYS
SMILING, ALWAYS SO HELPFUL AND
ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE HERE. SO SHE
IS REALLY A TREASURE IN SEATTLE
SHE'S DEDICATED HER
PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND A LOT OF
HER PERSONAL LIFE TO PUBLIC
SERVICE HAS SPENT MANY OF HER
YEARS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS, AS
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, SAID IN MY COMMITTEE.
AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HAD
SOMEONE SO DEVOTED AND CARING
REPRESENTING OUR CITY. WE ARE SO
GRATEFUL. SHE BEGAN WORK AT THE
CITY OF SEATTLE IN SEPTEMBER OF
1975.
-- WHO.
-- THINK ABOUT THAT. SHE JOINED
IN 1990, SHE JOINED THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND
PROGRAM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND.
-- WHO.
-- AND FOR FOLKS THAT DON'T
KNOW, THE. THE MATCHING
NEIGHBORHOOD FUND. IT IS A FUND
THAT ANYONE, ANY NEIGHBOR IN THE
CITY CAN TAP INTO TO DO THINGS
FROM BLOCK PARTIES AND OTHER
COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL EVENTS.
IT'S A FUN THAT OUR CITY
RESIDENTS REALLY HAVE COME TO
LOVE AND APPRECIATE. AND SHE WAS
THERE IN 1990 DOING THE HARD
WORK OF MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE
GETTING FUNDS OUT TO OUR
NEIGHBORS TO DO THOSE VERY
IMPORTANT CULTURAL EVENTS AND
BLOCK PARTIES. SO A BUILDING
COMMUNITY, AS THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS DOES, AND AS LIN
HAS DONE FOR MANY YEARS, I WILL
ALSO SAY THAT SHE OVERSAW MORE
THAN $10 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS
AS THAT NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING
FUND COORDINATOR. AND, AND ALSO
FOOD EQUITY FUND PROJECT MANAGER
AS WELL. AND THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT I KNOW IS DEAR AND NEAR AND
DEAR TO YOUR HEART. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AS MINE IS TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING
FUNDING ACROSS THE CITY TO MAKE
SURE NO CHILD AND NO PERSON IN
NEED GOES HUNGRY IN OUR CITY. SO
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO
TRANSFER IT BACK TO YOU. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME
REMARKS TO SAY AS WELL, AND THEN
I KNOW WE'LL BE READING FROM
THE PROCLAMATION, WHICH I CAN DO
IF YOU WANT TO KICK IT BACK
AFTER. DO YOU WANT TO.
-- DO IT? OH, NO, NO, NO,
ABSOLUTELY NO. YOU'RE PERFECT.
DID YOU READ ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS?
DID YOU WANT TO READ SOME OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS?
-- I READ SOME OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS, BUT I CAN READ.
-- YEAH. READ THE PROCLAMATION.
AND THEN
-- AWESOME. THANKS FOR GIVING ME
THE TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE I'M
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. WHEREAS
THE CITY OF SEATTLE RECOGNIZES
LIN DENISE RUTH OF SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON, FOR HER MORE THAN 50
YEARS OF EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE
TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE. AND
WHEREAS LYNN RUTH GREW UP IN
SEATTLE, GRADUATING FROM
GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. AND
ATTENDING SEATTLE PACIFIC
UNIVERSITY BEFORE BEGINNING TO
WORK FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE IN
SEPTEMBER OF 1975. AND WHEREAS
LYNN RUTH WORKED AS A
RECEPTIONIST AND ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT AND A LEGISLATIVE
ASSISTANT FOR THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL AND THE OFFICE OF
COUNCILMEMBER PAUL CRABILL
BEFORE JOINING THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN 1984 AS
A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNER UNTIL
1989 1990, WHEN SHE JOINED THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND
PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE SHE HAS
BEEN A DEDICATED PROJECT MANAGER
AND CONTINUES HER PUBLIC SERVICE
AS A FOOD EQUITY FUND PROJECT
MANAGER. DESIGNING, MANAGING AND
IMPLEMENTING THE FOOD EQUITY
FUND. SINCE 2020. AND WHEREAS
ELLEN RUTH HAS SERVED AS CHAIR
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS BLACK CAUCUS,
SUPPORTING AND MENTORING THE
BLACK EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE WORKED
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WHEREAS ELLEN
RUTH HAS ALWAYS GONE ABOVE AND
BEYOND FOR HER COMMUNITY,
SERVING AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR
ROOSEVELT, ALUMNI FOR RACIAL
EQUITY, VOLUNTEERING WITH BIG
BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS, TEACHING
SUNDAY SCHOOL AND MENTORING MANY
YOUNG PEOPLE, AND FOSTERING A
COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND
REINVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF
THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS,
ELLEN RUTH HAS OVERSEEN MORE
THAN 10 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS
AS A NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND
AND FOOD EQUITY FUND PROJECT
MANAGER. AND WHEREAS, IN HER
ROLE AS A PROJECT MANAGER, SHE
STALWART TO COME TO COMBAT FOOD
INSECURITY IN COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE HIT HARDEST BY FOOD AND
HEALTH INEQUITY, SUPPORTED THE
DESIGN, PLANNING AND
CONSTRUCTION OF JIMI HENDRIX
PARK AND MANY MORE PROFESSIONAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT STRENGTHEN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. WHEREAS,
THE CITY OF SEATTLE HONORS THIS
DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND
HER ENDURING IMPACT ON THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT HER
WORK HAS UPLIFTED, ELLEN RUTH IS
CELEBRATED TODAY. NOW,
THEREFORE, THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL PROCLAIMS. AUGUST 18th,
2026, TO BE ELLEN RUTH DAY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
-- OH YEAH. SO HOW WILL SORRY.
SO HOW WILL HOW. WE'LL DO THIS.
WE'RE GOING TO. WE HAVE OTHER
COMMENTS AND THEN WE ARE GOING
TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO PRESENT
THE PROCLAMATION WHERE WE'LL
HAVE YOU, MISS ELLEN, COME UP
AND SAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME REAL
QUICK? NO YOU CAN'T. OKAY. WE'LL
TURN THE VOLUME UP. I'M SORRY.
ALL RIGHT, I GOT YOU, I GOT YOU,
I GOT YOU. OKAY. TESTING. ONE,
TWO. IS THAT BETTER? NO IT'S
NOT, IT'S NOT BETTER. SO THEY
LIKE IT A LITTLE LOUDER. OKAY.
TESTING. ONE, TWO. IS THAT
BETTER?
-- YES.
-- YOU GUYS JUST HAVE TO BE
QUIET. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
YOU'RE TOO LOUD. OKAY, SO I'M
GOING TO SAY MY COMMENTS REALLY
QUICK, AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP
TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY
HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD
LIKE TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR
READING THAT PROCLAMATION.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. MISS LIN,
THIS YEAR YOU SHARED WITH ME A
STORY ABOUT YOU STARTING AT CITY
HALL, AND YOU SAID THAT THERE
WERE A GROUP OF WOMEN OF COLOR.
THERE WERE BLACK WOMEN WHO
WORKED IN THE CAFETERIA AND
OTHER PLACES THAT WERE SOME OF
THE CLEANING CREWS AS WELL. AND
WHEN WHAT YOU SHARED WITH ME IS
THAT THOSE WOMEN WERE SO PROUD
OF YOU BECAUSE THEY TOLD YOU
THAT THEY WERE WORKING THOSE
POSITIONS SO YOU COULD BE IN THE
POSITION THAT YOU WERE IN. AND
THAT ALWAYS HIT HARD FOR ME,
BECAUSE I'M HERE TO TELL YOU
THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF PEOPLE
LIKE YOU, IS THE REASON WHY I'M
SITTING IN THE CHAIR THAT I AM
TODAY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- YEAH.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- STRAIGHT UP, THE SACRIFICES
THAT YOU HAVE MADE, THE DOORS
THAT YOU HAVE OPENED AND THE
PATH THAT YOU'VE BLAZED IS THE
REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY. THE
REASON WHY COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
IS HERE TODAY. COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK IS HERE TODAY. WOMEN OF
COLOR. YOU HAVE BLAZED THE PATH
FOR US AS WELL. IN THE POSITION
THAT YOU HAVE. AND IT IS MY
RESPONSIBILITY, OUR
RESPONSIBILITY, TO DO WHAT THOSE
WOMEN DID. WHO WERE THE COOKS IN
THE CITY CAFETERIA? THE ONES WHO
SWEPT THE FLOORS AT NIGHT, THE
PEOPLE THAT TOOK OUT THE TRASH,
THE ONES THAT WERE ANSWERING
PHONES, THAT WE CONTINUE TO PAY
IT FORWARD FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION, JUST LIKE YOU DID
FOR THOSE YOUNG GIRLS THAT ARE
WITHIN OUR CITY OF SEATTLE.
MAYBE WATCHING THIS ON THE
SEATTLE CHANNEL BECAUSE THEY
HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO IN THE
SUMMER. JUST WATCH OUR MEETING
AT 2:00 IN AUGUST. MISS LYNN,
THANK YOU FOR PAVING THE WAY.
GOD BLESS YOU.
-- AMEN.
-- GOD BLESS YOU. YOU ARE A
GREAT GIFT TO THIS UNIVERSE, AND
THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND
THAT YOU ARE FAVORED. OKAY, SO I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. WE LOVE
YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU.
WE LOVE YOU. WE THANK YOU. 51 I
TOLD YOU, IT'S NOT 51 YEARS.
IT'S 51. YEARS. RIGHT?
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- THAT'S HOW YOU SAY IT. YEAH,
SHE'S BEEN WORKING HERE FOR
YEARS, NOT YEARS. COLLEAGUES, I
WILL PAUSE NOW TO SEE IF ANYONE
WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE
BEFORE WE TAKE THE ROLL. FOR US
TO SIGN ON TO THE PROCLAMATION.
OKAY. AWESOME. AYE. WE SAID. WE
SAID ALL. WE SAID OKAY, WHICH IS
A LOT. SO NOW WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? ON THE
SIGNING OF THE PROCLAMATION FOR
IT TO BE MISS ELIN RUTH DAY FOR
AUGUST THE 18th.
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. I
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. YES.
YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. RIVERA.
-- YES.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH. YES. FIVE
SIGNATURES WILL BE AFFIXED.
-- AWESOME. SO IT IS OFFICIALLY
MISS ELIN RUTH DAY AND.
-- YES.
-- [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
-- OKAY, SO.
-- SO NEXT STEPS WE ARE. IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'LL WE
WILL SUSPEND THE RULES. I WILL
COME AND PRESENT THIS
PROCLAMATION TO YOU. IT DOESN'T
HAVE SIGNATURES ON IT, BUT WE'LL
GET SIGNATURES ON IT, ESPECIALLY
FROM THE COUNCILMEMBERS. WELL,
WE HAVE TO SIGN IT. NOT
ESPECIALLY FROM THE
COUNCILMEMBERS. AND THEN IF YOU
WANT OUR SIGNATURE ON THERE,
MISS. OKAY, I GOT YOU. AND THEN
WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE
HERE TO SPEAK. WE HAVE DIRECTOR
PHAM WHO'S HERE, ZACHARY
PULLEN, WE HAVE IONA MACKENZIE.
AND THEN MISS ELLEN YOURSELF. IS
THAT RIGHT? IN ORDER? NO. IF
NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE. YEAH,
THAT'S IN ORDER. OKAY. SO WE'RE
GOING TO SUSPEND THE RULES. I'M
GOING TO COME GIVE YOU THIS
PROCLAMATION AND GIVE YOU A NICE
BIG HUG. AND YOU HAVE SOME
FLOWERS WE GOT FROM THE COUNCIL.
WE GOT YOU TWO DOZEN ROSES AND
SOME COOKIES THAT ARE ONLY FOR
YOU THERE. TWO DOZEN FROM HELLO,
ROBIN. YOU CAN SHARE THEM. OKAY.
AND THEN DIRECTOR PHAM, YOU ALL
WILL COME AND SPEAK. SO,
DIRECTOR PHAM, WE HAVE ZACHARY,
WE HAVE IONA. AND THEN MISS
ELLEN. SO WE'LL SUSPEND THE
RULES. GO AHEAD. DIRECTOR.
-- DO YOU WANT HIM TO SPEAK?
OKAY.
-- GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR
ACKNOWLEDGING THIS VERY SPECIAL
DAY AND THIS VERY SPECIAL
PERSON, MISS ELLEN RUTH, IN MY
TIME WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH HAS BEEN
ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS,
I'VE REALLY HAD THE HONOR TO
GET TO KNOW THE STAFF AND THE
STORIES BEHIND WHAT MAKES OUR
DEPARTMENT GREAT. AND SO I'VE
HAD THE HONOR TO HAVE SOME
COFFEE CONVERSATIONS OR KITCHEN
CONVERSATIONS, WATER COOLER
CONVERSATIONS WITH MISS LIN TO
LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF
OUR DEPARTMENT, THE ROLE THAT
SHE HAS PLAYED, AND JUST THE
STORIES THAT SHE'S ENCOUNTERED
OVER THE YEARS. SO IT'S JUST
BEEN A TRUE HONOR TO BE A NEW
DIRECTOR AND TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
THESE STORIES DIRECTLY FROM HER.
SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU, MISS ELLEN.
I'M GOING TO JUST THROW YOU
THESE FLOWERS. I'LL HAND THEM
TO YOU. SO THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN
WE.
-- HAVE.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- OH, JUST BE BRIEF. BUT I JUST
WANT TO SAY, I STARTED HERE A
YEAR AGO, AND LIN WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST PEOPLE TO WELCOME ME AND
MADE ME FEEL VERY WELCOME. SHE
WORKS RIGHT BY MY OFFICE, AND
I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE A VERY
QUICK MEMORY I HAVE OF A LIN.
AND WE WERE RECENTLY AT THE PEA
PATCH COMMUNITY GARDENING FAIR,
AND SHE MISPLACED SOMETHING. AND
IT WAS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT
TO HER. IT WAS HER HANDBAG. AND
SHE SPENT MOST OF THE DAY
LOOKING FOR IT. AND I FOUND IT
FOR HER IT WAS PRECARIOUSLY
PLACED SOMEWHERE BY A VOLUNTEER.
BUT WHAT WAS REALLY SPECIAL WAS
THAT NOW ELLEN AND I HAVE A VERY
SPECIAL INSIDE JOKE, AND I FEEL
LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY
MUCH CONNECTED FOR THE REST OF
OUR LIVES. BUT I THINK ELLEN IS
DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST
SPECIAL PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET,
AND SHE DEFINITELY MAKES YOU
FEEL VERY WELCOME AND CONNECTED.
AND CERTAINLY PART OF THE DIONNE
FAMILY. AND SO I REALLY DO FEEL
VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF
ELLEN RUTH'S STORY. I THINK, AS
YOU MENTIONED, 51 YEARS IS VERY
SPECIAL. AND SO I LIKE TO THINK
THAT OBVIOUSLY THE UNIVERSE IS A
PARTICULARLY WILD PLACE. YOU
KNOW, WE'RE ON THE MIDDLE OF
THIS FLOATING ROCK, AND THE FACT
THAT TWO PEOPLE GET TO BE
CONNECTED HERE MIRACULOUSLY, AND
EACH OTHER'S STORY IS VERY
SPECIAL. SO THE FACT THAT TWO
RANDOM PEOPLE GOT TO BE
CONNECTED HERE IN OUR STORIES IS
VERY SPECIAL. SO I'M GRATEFUL
THAT WE GOT TO BE CONNECTED IN
OUR STORY. SO I'M SO EXCITED FOR
YOU. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 51
YEARS. I WOULD HOPE TO BE
ANYWHERE FOR 51 YEARS. SO THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR DOING THAT.
-- AWESOME.
-- THANK YOU.
-- IONA WE HAVE IONA NEXT AND
THEN MISS LYNN HERSELF, GUESTS
OF HONOR.
-- WHO DID THIS TO ME. I'M LIKE,
OH MY GOD. ANYWAY LYNN IS SUCH A
LIN. I CALL HER LYNN. SORRY,
DON'T CALL HER. HER NAME IS
ELLEN UNLESS SHE INVITES YOU TO.
SO MISS ELLEN HAS INVITED ME TO
CALL HER LYNN, SO I'M GOING TO
CALL HER LYNN. SHE IS SUCH A
SPECIAL PERSON TO ME. THE FIRST
DAY I STARTED AT DIONNE, SHE
CAME TO MY OFFICE TO MAKE SURE
THAT I WAS OKAY. YOU KNOW,
SHE'S LIKE, I'M HERE, YOU KNOW,
YOU NEED ANYTHING, COME TO ME.
AND I'VE BEEN GOING TO HER EVER
SINCE. AND I'M WAITING FOR THAT
PANCAKE RECIPE. JUST SAYING,
PANCAKE RECIPE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I'M PUTTING IT OUT IN THE
UNIVERSE I'M KEEPING HOPE ALIVE,
ELLEN. ANYWAY, THE ONE THING FOR
SURE THAT I KNOW ABOUT ELLEN IS
COMMUNITY LOVES HER. EVERY TIME
I GO IN AND. AND WHEN YOU KNOW
YOU'RE A GOOD PERSON, IT'S
WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE ROOM AND
EVERYBODY JUST HAVE GOOD THINGS
TO SAY ABOUT YOU. I'VE BEEN
GOING OUT IN COMMUNITY FOR A
VERY LONG TIME, AND EVERY TIME A
LYNN'S NAME COME UP, THEY'RE
LIKE, WOW, SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE
HELPED ME DO THIS. SHE HELPED ME
DID DO THAT. AND WHETHER IT'S
SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, LATE
AT NIGHT, EARLY IN THE MORNING,
IF COMMUNITY CALL, SHE ANSWERS
THE PHONE. SO MISS LYNN, 50
YEARS, I ONLY HAVE TWO AND A
HALF MORE TO GIVE. I'M NOT GOING
TO MAKE IT TO 50. MAYBE UNLESS I
WIN THE LOTTERY, THEN IT'S GAME
OVER. MISS ELLEN, I LOVE YOU AND
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT
YOU SUPPORT. AND EVERYONE IS
HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- FROM YOUR DORM COMMUNITY.
-- AND THEN MISS ELLEN HERSELF.
COME ON THROUGH. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
-- OH
-- OH.
-- I DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW
THESE THINGS WORK, BUT I'LL
JUST EASE ON UP HERE MY NAME IS
CLIFFORD. MY NAME IS CLIFFORD
HOLLAND, AND I WAS LYNN'S VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
OF THE RAINIER VISTA BOYS AND
GIRLS CLUB FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND SHE WAS WORKING. AND WHEN I
RETIRED IN 2003, SHE WORKED ME
HARD. BUT HEY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
ALL ABOUT. WE WERE A TEAM. BUT
I'M TELLING YOU WHAT, IT'S
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO ALL THESE
PEOPLE HERE. WHAT LYNN RUTH
MEANS BECAUSE SHE JUST DID SO
MUCH FOR THE KIDS AT RAINIER
VISTA AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD,
WHETHER IT'S RAISING FUNDS,
WHETHER IT'S DOING EVERYTHING,
I COULDN'T HELP BUT I MEAN, NOT
HELP. I JUST HAD TO BE A PART OF
HER TEAM AND LYNN, IT'S JUST
THE WORK THAT SHE DOES. SHE'S
STILL WORKING, WHICH IS WAY
BEYOND WHAT I EVEN IMAGINED. BUT
THAT JUST SHOWS HOW GOOD A
PERSON SHE IS. AND I JUST WANT
TO SAY, LYNN, YOU'RE MY HERO.
-- OH, THANK YOU. AND NOW.
-- MISS. MISS LYNN.
-- NOW, MISS.
-- LYNN
-- I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO CRY.
-- OH.
-- YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY
SPECIAL TO ME. IT'S A SPECIAL
MONTH. IT'S THE MONTH THAT MY
MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND SHE WAS
THE SINGLE MOST DRIVING FORCE IN
MY LIFE. I'M A YESLER TERRACE
KID. AND WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME
THIS WAS HAPPENING, I THOUGHT,
WHY ME? JUST. I'M JUST THIS
LITTLE KID FROM Y T AND MY
MOTHER'S WHOLE POINT WAS SHE
NEVER ASKED US WHAT WE WERE
GOING TO BE WHEN WE GREW UP. SHE
SAID, EVERYBODY DOES WHAT
THEY'RE PAID TO DO. WHAT ARE
YOU GOING TO DO THAT YOU'RE NOT
PAID TO DO TO, YOU KNOW, TO
BENEFIT OTHERS? AND I'M SO
HAPPY TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE MY
BIBLE SCHOOL STUDENTS STAND UP.
THEY CAN GIVE YOU THE BOOKS OF
THE BIBLE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- AND ORDER.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- BECAUSE THE.
-- HARD PART ABOUT WORKING IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
ISN'T THAT WE DON'T LOVE IT.
IT'S THAT WE ARE NO GOOD TO THE
DEPARTMENT UNLESS WE'RE IN
COMMUNITY. SO IT'S HOW I SHOW
UP AT MY CHURCH. IT'S HOW I SHOW
UP AS A VOLUNTEER. IT'S HOW I
SHOW UP AS A HUMAN BEING THAT
MAKES ME WORTH SOMETHING. TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. AND
I HAVE TO SAY THIS GOD HAS
REALLY SMILED ON ME. HE HAS
REALLY SMILED ON ME. I DON'T
UNDERSTAND, I'M NOT THE
SMARTEST. I'M THE SEVENTH OF
EIGHT KIDS. I'M NOT THE SMARTEST
IN MY FAMILY. PLEASE BELIEVE
THAT MY SISTER BECAME A
FIREFIGHTER AT THE AGE OF 71,
AND MY MOTHER SAID TO ME WHEN I
WAS YOUNGER, SHE. SHE ASKED ME
TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF US
EVER LIVED IN PUBLIC HOUSING
AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS SO
SHAMEFUL TO LIVE IN PUBLIC
HOUSING. AND, AND WE WERE TOLD,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GRADUATE
FROM HIGH SCHOOL. YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO DO ANYTHING. SO ALL MY
WORK AT RAINIER VISTA WITH
DETECTIVE COOKIE AND CLIFF AND
JUDGE ANITA CRAWFORD-WILLIS, WHO
HAD TO GO BACK AND ANDREW
LOFTON, ALL OF THAT WAS TO MAKE
SURE THAT NO KID FELT LIKE WE
FELT TO BE TOLD WE WERE LESS
THAN THAT. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO
GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. YOU'RE
NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF HIGH
SCHOOL. AND SO I JUST WANTED NO
KID TO EVER FEEL THAT. AND MY
MOTHER SAID TO ME WHEN I SAID TO
HER, WHY DO PEOPLE HATE US?
BECAUSE WE'RE POOR. SHE SAID,
IF YOU FAIL IN LIFE, IT WILL NOT
BE BECAUSE YOU CAME FROM ULSTER
TERRACE. IT WILL BE BECAUSE YOU
FAILED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
EVERY OPPORTUNITY I'M GOING TO
GIVE YOU. AND SHE WENT AROUND IN
SINGLE HANDEDLY CHANGED THE
COURSE OF OUR LIFE. I LISTENED
TO OPERA. SHE TOOK US TO THE
MUSEUM. SHE MADE US USE THE
KING'S ENGLISH OUTSIDE OF THE
HOUSE. BUT SHE ALSO OPENED UP
HER HOME TO EVERYONE. I'D LIKE
MY FAMILY TO STAND, STAND UP.
-- OH.
-- IF YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- ME.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- FAMILY
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- IS.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- BORN INTO THE FAMILY ARE YOU?
ACT LIKE FAMILY AND IT DOESN'T
MATTER. YOU HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS
AND PRIVILEGES. AND I'VE ALWAYS
TOLD PEOPLE IN THE CITY JUST
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WHO
LOVED ME DON'T LOOK LIKE ME. I
GOT A LOT OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO
AREN'T HERE, BUT AYE.
-- [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE]
-- THE ONLY ONE IN MY NEPHEWS I
HAD TO WHIP, BY THE WAY. BUT BUT
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT. RAISE
YOUR HAND, TONI. RUTH. I HAD I
HAD FIVE OLDER BROTHERS GROWING
UP IN YESLER TERRACE. IT WAS A
LOT OF THINGS WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED TO ME HAD I NOT HAD MY
OLDER BROTHERS AS PROTECTORS. SO
MY SENSE OF SAFETY HAS ALWAYS
BEEN ROOTED IN BLACK MEN. AND
WERE IT NOT FOR ANTHONY
DOUGLASS, RUTH, WHO CALLED ME
COLLEGE GIRL, WHO TOLD ME WHEN
GIRLS WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS, THEY WERE
SUPPOSED TO LET THE BOYS RAISE
THEIR HAND FIRST. HE TOLD ME,
YOU CAN GO TO COLLEGE. MY
STEPDAD SAID, I THINK YOU CAN DO
IT. AND WHEN I GOT INTO SEATTLE
PACIFIC, A SCHOOL THAT DIDN'T
EVEN ACCEPT BLACK KIDS, BUT THEY
DIDN'T KNOW I WAS BLACK. BUT MY
GRADES WERE BY MY NAME, HE SAID,
YOU CAN STILL DO IT. WHEN I WAS
WORKING 30 HOURS A WEEK AND
TIRED, HE JUST SAID, COLLEGE
GIRL, YOU CAN DO IT. WHEN I GOT
A JOB AT THE CITY COUNCIL AND I
DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO A BUDGET,
HE SAID, YOU CAN DO IT. HE
ALWAYS SAID THAT. AND PEOPLE IN
NEIGHBORHOODS SEE HIM. WHEN I'M
ASSIGNED SOMETHING THAT'S HARD
FOR ME, I ALWAYS HAVE MY BROTHER
BECAUSE MY FAVORITE THING TO SAY
IS, I'LL TELL MY BIG BROTHER ON
YOU AND TONY, I KNOW I'M HERE
BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS I'VE
DONE, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M HERE
BECAUSE OF YOU. AND NOW THE
WHOLE WORLD KNOWS IT. AND I LOVE
YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL.
AND HE WAS MY ONLY BROTHER TO
REALLY SURVIVE VIETNAM.
-- OH IMPOSSIBLE.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU, THANK YOU, BIG
BROTHER. BROTHERS. LOVE IS THE
ONLY LOVE YOU DON'T HAVE TO
EARN. HE WOULD TAKE ME OUT WHEN
I COULDN'T GET A DATE. KIND OF
LIKE NOW. HE TAKES ME OUT. HE
MADE ME BELIEVE I WAS BEAUTIFUL.
AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO SO LONG
ON YOU. BUT I LOVE YOU. AND I
WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU
AND MY GRANDSON. RAISE YOUR
HAND. RAISE YOUR HAND. LEMON
STEVENS. WHEN PEOPLE ASK WHY I
WORK SO LONG IS BECAUSE HE WAS.
I WANTED MY DAUGHTERS TO HAVE
HOUSES AND I WANTED MY
GRANDCHILDREN. I HAVE TEN TO
EITHER GO TO COLLEGE OR GET A
HOUSE. AND IF YOU HURRY UP, YOU
CAN GET BOTH. AND HE WORKED IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
WENT TO CHINA, AND HE'S NOW BACK
WITH HIS DEGREE IN LIBRARY
SCIENCE, AND HE'S TEACHING IN A
SCHOOL FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS.
AND HE TOOK ALL.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- HE TOOK ALL OF MY BEST QUOTES
TO SCHOOL LAST FALL FOR THOSE
KIDS. BUT IT'S OKAY, BUT I'M
GOING TO STOP NOW. BUT I JUST
THANK ALL OF YOU WHO CAME. I
CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE. AND
I GOT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
VIVIAN PHILLIPS, BECAUSE EVERY
TIME I TELL PEOPLE I KNOW HER,
THEY SAY, I DON'T.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- BUT I DO KNOW HER. I GREW UP
WITH SOME EXCEPTIONAL,
EXCEPTIONAL KIDS, EXCEPTIONAL
KIDS. AND I'M JUST I'M JUST ONE
OF THE CREW. BUT THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME
AND IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH TO MY
MOTHER IF SHE WERE HERE. SHE'D
SAY, BABY, GO SIT DOWN AND
SHE'D BE TALKING TO YOU,
TELLING YOU WHAT SHE THINKS SHE
OUGHT TO DO. AND THE OTHER PART
OF MY STORY THAT YOU DIDN'T SAY
IS THAT THE OLDER BLACK WOMEN
SAID, WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE
ABLE TO RIDE ABOVE THE FIFTH
FLOOR, BECAUSE THERE WERE NO
BLACK PEOPLE UP THERE. AND I,
THANKFUL TO GOD, TO PAUL
KRAABEL, WHO HAD THE AUDACITY TO
HAVE TWO BLACK PEOPLE ON HIS
STAFF, WHICH IS YOU THINK IT'S
NOT A BIG THING. IT WAS A BIG
DEAL. HE ALLOWED ME TO HIRE
BRUCE HARRELL, WHO HAS BEEN MY
MENTOR, MY FRIEND, THE, YOU
KNOW, THE HONORABLE MAYOR. HE
TAUGHT ME ONE LESSON I'LL NEVER
FORGET. HE SAID, FIGHT JUST AS
HARD FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE
PEOPLE WHO YOU DON'T LIKE IS THE
ONES THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE
WITH. AND THAT IS THE LESSON
I'LL NEVER FORGET. SO I'M GOING
TO I'M GOING TO JUST SAY THANK
YOU. THIS MEANS SO MUCH. AND
YOU. WE MAY NOT BE RIDING ABOVE
THE FIFTH FLOOR, BUT YOU DON'T.
YOU RUN IN THE SECOND, RIGHT?
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- RIGHT.
-- [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
-- SO NOW I KNOW WE'VE DONE OUR
TIME.
-- SO NOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
NOW WE'RE GOING TO DO DETECTIVE
COOKIE. HOLD ON. WE'RE GOING TO
I HEAR JUST ONE SECOND. WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH MISS
LIN. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO
JUMP INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND
THEN DETECTIVE COOKIE, IF YOU
WANT TO DO THAT, YOU'RE MORE
THAN WELCOME TO JUMP IN AND DO
THAT. SO WE CAN JUST KIND OF
MOVE THROUGH THE MEETING. AND I
KNOW YOU ALL GOT TO GO UPSTAIRS
TO 370 NEXT. SO WE'LL TAKE A
PHOTO. MISS LIN, IF YOU'LL COME
OVER HERE, WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO
AND THEN WE WILL JUMP RIGHT INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THEN I KNOW
THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO
TO 370 FOR A CELEBRATION. DID I
WAS THAT A SURPRISE? SURPRISE?
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN DEANNA LEE
WHERE'S DEANNA LEE?
-- THERE SHE IS. OKAY, AWESOME.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. BE IN THE
MIDDLE. YOU BE IN THE MIDDLE.
-- HERE. YOU BE HERE.
-- OKAY. AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING
RIGHT HERE. JUST RIGHT HERE.
-- OKAY.
-- WAIT, WAIT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
READY? OKAY. RIGHT THERE. YEAH.
SORRY. OKAY SORRY. OKAY. I
THOUGHT IT WAS FINE
THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- GOOD. WE HAVE ONE.
-- BROTHER, TONY. WE? YES.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YES.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- TAKE A PICTURE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- WITH YOU.
-- YES. ALL RIGHT.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- COME ON, COME ON. TONY. COME
ON.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- ALL RIGHT, ONE MORE.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- COME ON.
-- [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER]
-- NO,
-- NO, NO.
-- YOU'RE GOOD. NO WORRIES.
-- ONE MORE.
-- YOU'RE. YOU'RE OKAY. COME
ON, BROTHER TONY. COME ON, COME
ON. BROTHER. I LIKE HIS WALK.
-- OKAY.
-- ALL RIGHT. WE'RE RIGHT HERE.
-- YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO STAND
NEXT TO HER.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- I CAN'T, I CAN'T BUY YOU A
NEW CAMERA.
-- WE'RE RIGHT HERE. WE'RE
RIGHT HERE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- CAMERA BREAKS.
-- COME ON, COME ON, BROTHER
TONY. RIGHT HERE. THAT'S RIGHT.
RIGHT. READY?
-- HERE.
-- YOU.
-- AWESOME
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL
SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MISS LIN. WE
ARE SO, SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU.
AYE. 70 OH, IT'S SO NEXT. I KNOW
THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE
TRANSITIONING TO THREE 370.
YOU'RE POINTING DOWN. 303 70
OKAY. BERTHA KNIGHT LANDES OKAY.
370 WE'RE GOING TO BECAUSE
WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO
OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SO I
KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO
GO TO THREE, 370. SO. YES,
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN WE'RE GOING
TO JUMP RIGHT INTO OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD RIGHT NOW. AND IF
YOU'RE ON TV, WE'RE GOING TO
PAUSE BECAUSE THERE'S A
TRANSITION RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE
GOING TO PAUSE REALLY QUICK
BECAUSE THERE'S A ROOM CHANGE.
-- 370 FOR A RECEPTION. YES.
-- SO 370 IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE
GOING. WE'RE AT EASE. YEAH,
WE'LL SIGN HIM. SO WE'RE AT
EASE RIGHT NOW. OH YEAH. THAT'S
THAT. YEAH. THAT'S YOUR COPY.
WE'LL GET IT TO YOU
-- THAT'S FINE.
-- AND WE ARE GOING TO
TRANSITION RIGHT INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. SO WE'RE AT EASE
RIGHT NOW. BUT WE ARE GOING TO
DO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SO WE
DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
THANK YOU ALL. SO WE'RE STILL
WE'RE STILL IN A COUNCIL
MEETING. SO.
-- WHEN YOU'RE ON THERE.
-- AND THEN I DON'T WANT TO BE
ONLINE, BUT I CAN LOOK. OKAY,
GREAT. AWESOME. IF YOU HAVE BEEN
ONLINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE
GOING TO TRANSITION INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. THANK YOU ALL.
YOU'RE JUST MAKING YOUR WAY TO
370. THANK YOU ALL. SHOUT OUT.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR
EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH
WE ARE AT EASE RIGHT NOW. AND I
SEE JOYCE WALKER HERE THE BEST
BASKETBALL PLAYER THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON HAS EVER SEEN. COACH
JOYCE WALKER, MALE OR FEMALE,
DOESN'T MATTER.
-- AND AND JUDGE.
-- BASKETBALL PLAYER IN THE
ENTIRE STATE TO COME OUT OF
STATE OF WASHINGTON. JOYCE
WALKER NOT JAMAL CRAWFORD NOT
NATE ROBINSON, NOT SPENCER
HAWES. JOYCE WALKER.
-- AND I DID SEE CP JUDGE WILLIS
CRAWFORD. CRAWFORD HERE. JUDGE.
CRAWFORD.
-- CRAWFORD WILLIS IS HERE AS
WELL. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING
TO JUMP RIGHT INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT. THANK YOU. IF YOU'RE
WAITING ONLINE WE HAD A
TRANSITION. WE HAD A LOT OF
PEOPLE HERE. SO COLLEAGUES AT
THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO OPEN
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO
ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. THE
INTRODUCTION OF REFERRAL
CALENDAR, THE COUNCIL'S WORK
PROGRAM, AND THE COUNCIL CANNOT
ACCEPT COMMENTS ON
QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEMS OR CAMPAIGN
RELATED MATTERS. CLERK HOW MANY
SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP?
-- WE HAVE EIGHT IN PERSON AND
FOUR REMOTE.
-- SO WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKERS IN
PERSON AND WE HAVE FOUR REMOTE.
EVERYONE'S GOING TO GET TWO
MINUTES AND WILL THE CLERK.
WE'RE JUST. YEP, ONE SECOND.
WE'RE AT EASE. REAL QUICK. I
SEE YOU ALL RIGHT. WE'RE JUST
MAKING A TRANSITION. OKAY. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
-- SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT
OF THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS MICS
WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END
THEIR COMMENTS WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME. TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
-- OKAY, AWESOME SPEAKERS.
FIRST, WE HAVE MISS JACQUELINE
WARE. THEN WE HAVE SHELLY, THEN
WE HAVE PAUL, WE HAVE PATRICK,
WE HAVE CATHERINE, WE HAVE
PATRICIA, WE HAVE MISS YVETTE
DANISH, AND WE HAVE DAVID
HAYNES. GIVE US ONE SECOND. AND
WHEN YOUR TIME, WHEN YOU START
THE TIME WILL START. MISS
JACQUELINE.
-- I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU
GUYS TOOK AWAY MY. AMEN CORNER.
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE OVER
THERE WERE CERTAINLY GOING TO
BACK UP AND SUPPORT. AND I KNEW
A GOOD 90% OF THEM ABOUT WHAT
I'M GETTING READY TO TALK
ABOUT. SO THAT'S UNFORTUNATE
THAT YOU HAD THEM GO EAT WHEN I
HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. WITH THAT
BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO TALK
ABOUT LAKE WASHINGTON BOULEVARD,
BUT BASED UPON WITH ALAN, RUTH
SAID RUTH, WHO IS PART OF OUR
CONGREGATION. I HAVE KNOWN HER
FOR YEARS. I'M GOING TO DO A.
WHEREAS, WHEREAS ALAN RUTH
BUILDS COMMUNITY AND SHE DOES
NOT DIVIDE COMMUNITY THE WAY THE
COMMUNITY WAS DIVIDED BY THE
CLOSURE OF LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD THREE MILES AS A
RESULT OF DISTRICT TWO,
REPRESENTATIVE EDDIE LIN WITH
SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR, DEVISED
COMMUNITY. WHEREAS JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH BUILDS COMMUNITY
AND DID NOT SUPPORT THAT THREE
MILE CLOSURE OF LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD THAT BARS COMMUNITIES
THAT BARS RESIDENTS THAT BARS
ANYONE INTERESTED IN DRIVING
THAT FULL STRETCH OF LAKE
WASHINGTON BOULEVARD DURING THE
SUMMER THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR
A SPECIFIC GROUP AND A SPECIFIC
GROUP ONLY. WHEREAS JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH, WHO IS NOT A
DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE,
SUPPORTED RESIDENTS THAT LIVE
AROUND HOLGATE AND MARTIN LUTHER
KING WAY. WHEN WE HAD MY TIME IS
ALMOST UP. SO THAT BEING THE
CASE, WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SIMPLY DID
NOT DO THEIR HOMEWORK, DID NOT
PAY ATTENTION, DID NOT REALIZE
THAT RESIDENTS AND VOTERS AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT
ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THAT
THREE MILE CLOSURE OF LAKE
WASHINGTON BOULEVARD DID NOT PAY
ATTENTION AND REALIZE THAT
SURVEYS WERE NOT DONE. TOWN HALL
HOUSE HALLS WERE NOT CONDUCTED,
AND THE FULL SCOPE OF PEOPLE
THAT ENJOY THAT DRIVE WERE NOT
INVOLVED IN THE CHANGE. THANK
YOU.
-- I'M CUT OFF.
-- THANK YOU, MISS JACQUELINE.
NEXT WE HAVE SHELLEY. SHELLEY
HERE, FOLLOWED BY PAUL SHELLEY
HERE. YES. HEY, WELCOME.
-- MY NAME IS SHELLEY MORRISON
AND I'M A MEMBER OF COEXIST,
AND I'M ALSO A CYCLIST WHO HAS
BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE
BICYCLE WEEKENDS ON LAKE
WASHINGTON BOULEVARD FOR OVER 40
YEARS. BUT I'M HERE TO EXPRESS
MY DEEP CONCERN OVER THE
INSTALLATION OF LOCKED,
PERMANENT GATES BETWEEN MOUNT
BAKER BEACH AND STAN SAYERS
PARK, LAKE WASHINGTON BOULEVARD
IS A PUBLIC ARTERIAL AND A
PUBLIC PARK, AND THIS PROJECT
HAS HAD NO MEANINGFUL PUBLIC
PROCESS. IT'S BEEN RUBBER
STAMPED THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT
CITY DEPARTMENTS WITHOUT ANY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TYPICAL
PUBLIC COMMENT. A NONPROFIT
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP PROMOTED
THESE GATES UNDER THE GUISE OF
SAFETY BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO
KEEP CARS OUT, BUT THEY HAVE
PROVIDED NO DATA SHOWING ANY
ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD WARRANT
THIS REASON. BUT PROBLEM IS, AS
DESIGNED, THESE STEEL GATES WITH
CONCRETE BOLLARDS ARE CREATING
NEW HAZARDS THAT ARE LIABILITY
FOR THE CITY. THE GATES SPAN THE
ENTIRE ROADWAY AND HAVE VERY
LITTLE ROOM ON EITHER SIDE FOR
PARTICIPANTS TO GET AROUND. THEY
ARE INSTALLED AT MOUNT BAKER
BEACH AND NEAR STAN SAYERS.
EXACTLY WHERE THE MOTORIZED
VEHICLES ARE TURNING IN TO GET
TO THE PARKING PLACE. SO THEIR
INCREASING INTERACTION WITH
CARS, THE ONE AT HOLGATE NEEDS
AN ADA REVIEW. THERE'S NO WAY A
WHEELCHAIR IS GOING TO ENTER
THERE, BUT FINALLY, THE THREE
LOCKED GATES. WILL BLOCK
EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND WE CANNOT
AFFORD ANY MORE INCREASED
EMERGENCY TIME ON A MILE AND A
HALF OF LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD. WE'VE ALREADY LOST
HAD A NEAR DROWNING.
-- THANK YOU SHELLEY.
-- GO. SO PLEASE. YES.
-- THANK YOU. SHELLEY. YOU CAN.
THANK YOU. SHELLEY. NEXT WE HAVE
PAUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND
THEN PATRICK. WELCOME, PAUL.
-- HI. BECAUSE I HAVE A BIT OF
TIME, I WILL FIRST START. I
FIRST WANT TO START WITH
THANKING YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH AS WELL AS EVERY
COUNCILMEMBER FOR INSISTING ON
GIVING US AT LEAST ONE MINUTE
EVERY TIME, INCLUDING WHEN IT
MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A
FOUR HOURS LONG MEETING LIKE
LAST WEEK. SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. NOW, THAT BEING SAID, SOME
OF YOU ARE WORKING ON AN
ORDINANCE TO BAN SURVEILLANCE
PRICING. THE OTHERS WERE AWFULLY
SEE THAT LATER BUT I AM A BIT
SURPRISED TO SEE THAT IT WOULD
ONLY APPLY TO GROCERIES AND
HYGIENE PRODUCTS. SO I GET IT.
THE NECESSITIES ISSUE IS IF A
STUDENT OR AN ARTIST COMPUTER
BREAKS, THEY NEEDED TO WORK,
DON'T THEY NEED IT TO REPLACE
IT? ISN'T THAT NECESSITY? IF A
KID IS PART OF A SPORTS TEAM,
THE GEARBOX DOESN'T MATCH
COMING. DOESN'T IT NEED TO
REPLACE THE GEAR TWO WEEKS AGO,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER SAID THAT
WE DO NOT HAVE TO BUY PLANE
TICKETS. OKAY, WHAT IF WE HAVE
TO FLY TO A HEALTHCARE
SPECIALIST OR A DYING PARENTS?
IS THE PERSONALIZED EXTORTION
THEN OKAY? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT
IT IS. THAT IS PERSONAL
EXTORTION. SO, I MEAN, I GET THE
STRATEGY OF STARTING SMALL, THEN
EXPANDING. BUT THE ISSUE IS WHEN
WE LIMIT SUCH BILL TO THE
NECESSITIES, WE MISS SOME OF THE
NEEDS AND THE ACTUAL NEEDS, AND
THE BIG COMPANIES MIGHT NOT MISS
THOSE NEEDS TO TAKE AS MUCH
MONEY AS THEY CAN FROM US. SO
STILL, RESPECTING THE STRATEGY
OF STARTING SMALL, I WOULD
INVITE YOU TO CONSIDER HAVING AN
AMENDMENT READY FOR WHEN THIS
ORDINANCE COME TO THE
COUNCILMEMBERS. THAT WOULD
EXTEND THIS ORDINANCE FOR ALL
GOODS AND SERVICES WITHIN
SEATTLE. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, PAUL. NEXT WE HAVE
PATRICK. THANK YOU PAUL. THANKS.
NEXT WE HAVE PATRICK, FOLLOWED
BY KATHERINE. IT'S PATRICK
HERE. WELCOME
-- YEAH. HI. MY NAME IS PAT
MCKEE. I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE
COUNCILMEMBERS, SEATTLE TIMES
REPORTED THIS WEEK. METRO
SEATTLE IS EXPERIENCING A SURGE
IN ICE KIDNAPINGS ICE. OUT.ORG
REPORTS MORE ACTIVITY HERE LAST
WEEK THAN IN LOS ANGELES,
ATLANTA OR D.C.. A WOMAN WAS
TAKEN AT SEVENTH AND STEWART
THIS MORNING. MAYBE SHE WAS THE
WORST OF THE WORST. MAYBE SHE
WAS JUST HEADED TO WORK. LAST
WINTER WE WATCHED NEIGHBORS
STANDING UP FOR NEIGHBORS IN THE
FROZEN STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS,
PREVAILING AGAINST SECRET POLICE
AGENTS, TWO LEGALLY COMPROMISED
TO DISCLOSE THEIR OWN IDENTITIES
AND YET EMPOWERED TO USE LETHAL
FORCE WITH IMPUNITY. FOR A
MOMENT, IT LOOKED LIKE NEIGHBORS
HAD WON, AND OUR CITY MIGHT BE
SPARED. BUT ICE TACTICS EVOLVE,
AND RESISTANCE ORGS AND
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AREN'T
KEEPING UP. WHERE I LIVE, THERE
ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS SOME DAYS
AND IT HAPPENS SO FAST THEY'RE
GENERALLY GONE BEFORE RESPONDERS
ARRIVE. GONE. A NEIGHBOR
SNATCHED FROM THEIR FAMILY,
THEIR LIVELIHOOD, THEIR HOME.
MAYBE ONLY A CAR LEFT BEHIND ON
THE SHOULDER OUTSIDE THIS
CHAMBER. NOBODY CARES WHETHER
THE MAYOR SHOWED THE COUNCIL
SUFFICIENT RESPECT WHEN SHE
FIRED THE ABSENTEE POLICE CHIEF.
THAT'S YOUR PROCESS. WE NEED
THE COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THIS
URGENT CRISIS FOR PEOPLE WHO
ACTUALLY DO LIVE HERE AND HAVE,
FOR DECADES, THE GARDENER TAKING
IN WEDGEWOOD, THE CONTRACTOR IN
WEST SEATTLE, THE AMAZON
DELIVERY GUY OUTSIDE OF AMAYA.
THIS WEEKEND, I GOT A CALL FROM
A FRIEND IN TEARS ASKING WHAT HE
SHOULD DO. A MAN HE'S WORKED
WITH FOR YEARS SWUNG BY HOME
DEPOT TO BUY SUPPLIES FOR A JOB
THEY WERE DOING AND NEVER CAME
BACK. HE'S IN WDC NOW. NOT THE
FIRST GUY KIDNAPED LEAVING HOME
DEPOT, BY THE WAY. CARING
NEIGHBORS HAD TO BABYSIT HIS
PICKUP FOR HOURS SO SPD
WOULDN'T IMPOUND IT. THAT SEEMS
LIKE A PROBLEM THE COUNCIL COULD
FIX RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? SO MANY
QUESTIONS. HOW ARE YOU LEADING
ON THIS ISSUE? WHO ARE YOUR
ALLIES? ARE BIG BOX STORES
SHARING FLOC DATA? IS THERE A
ROLE HERE FOR SPD OR UNARMED
CARE TEAMS? WHY IS ISIS LANDLORD
SABY CORP STILL REPRESENTED ON
THE CITY LIGHT BOARD? WHILE
PEOPLE ARE DOING GOFUNDME'S FOR
VICTIMS FAMILIES, FASCISTS ARE
TAKING OUR NEIGHBORS. IT'S A
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO DO? THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU PATRICK. NEXT WE
HAVE CATHERINE, FOLLOWED BY
PATRICIA, MISS YVETTE, WELCOME
CATHERINE, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA.
-- WHICH ONE OF THESE? I DON'T
DO THIS VERY OFTEN, SO FORGIVE
ME OKAY. SO I'M READY. MY NAME
IS CATHERINE ALEXANDER. I'M AN
EARLY MEMBER OF COEXIST, AND
I'M SPEAKING TODAY FOR MYSELF.
I NEED TO SPEAK TO THE LANGUAGE
THAT'S BEING USED TO ARGUE FOR
CHANGES ON LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD. WE HEAR WE'RE GOING
TO CLOSE IT TO CARS AND OPEN IT
TO PEOPLE, AS IF THE PEOPLE IN
THE CARS DON'T EXIST, OR THEY'RE
NOT EVEN HUMAN. HERE ARE TWO
STORIES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DEPENDED ON CARS TO EXPERIENCE
THE LAKE. THERE ARE MORE OF
THESE STORIES. VERA WAS A
NEIGHBOR, AN ELDER WIDOW ON MY
BLOCK. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PART
OF HER SUPPORT SYSTEM. WHEN
NECESSARY, WE'D MADE SURE THAT
SHE COULD GET TO EVERYWHERE SHE
WENT NEEDED, AND EVERY TIME WE
DID, SHE'D ASK US TO DRIVE
ALONG THE LAKE OR ON THE WAY
HOME. IT MADE HER HAPPY. SHE'S
GONE NOW BUT THERE ARE OTHER
VERA'S LIVING IN THE SOUTH END
WHO STILL FIND JOY IN A DRIVE
ALONG THE LAKE. AND THESE ARE
ALL PEOPLE. LUCAS WAS A YOUNG
MAN WHO HAD A TERRIBLE CANCER.
HE STAYED WITH FRIENDS IN THE
SOUTH END WHEN HE WAS HERE FOR
TREATMENTS. HE SAID THAT THE
LAKE BROUGHT HIM STRENGTH AS
THEY DROVE UP THE BOULEVARD TO
THE TREATMENTS, AND IT BROUGHT
HIM COMFORT. ON THE WAY HOME,
LUCAS WAS A PERSON. HE'S GONE
NOW, BUT THERE ARE OTHER.
LUCAS'S STILL HERE. CANCER
DOESN'T TAKE THE WEEKENDS OFF.
FROM THE BEGINNING, I'VE SENSED
A HESITANCY. HESITANCY FROM THE
CITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STORIES,
EVEN IF IT'S AS IT'S MADE.
DECISIONS THAT AFFECT US DEEPLY.
THIS DISRESPECT IS REALLY VERY
REAL TO US. AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME.
-- THANK YOU. CATHERINE. NEXT WE
HAVE PATRICIA, FOLLOWED BY MISS
YVETTE AND THEN DAVID HAYNES
THEN WE'LL GO ONLINE.
-- THANK YOU.
-- BEFORE I START, I'M GOING TO
TALK ABOUT LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD TOO. BUT I JUST WANTED
TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR A
COUPLE OF EVENTS. THE CITY HELD
THIS THIS PAST WEEKEND. ONE WAS
THE BIG DAY OF PLAY WHERE WE GOT
TO REPRESENT OUR DETECTIVE
COOKIE CHESS CLUB AS A SPORT FOR
THE MIND, AND ALSO WE HAD A
JOINT EMERGENCY HUB DRILL IN
RAINIER BEACH AND IT WAS JUST
TERRIFIC. IT'S JUST A BRILLIANT
IT'S A BRILLIANT PROGRAM. SO I
DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT LAKE
WASHINGTON BOULEVARD, AND I'M
SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER LIN IS NOT
HERE BECAUSE OF COURSE HE IS OUR
COUNCILMEMBER. I'VE LIVED ON
ORCA STREET FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS
NOW, SO I'VE HAD A VERY GOOD
VIEW OF THIS. AND I THINK
EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE HALF
CENTURY OF BICYCLE SUNDAYS,
WHICH HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE A
MONTH. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WAS THE
WHOLE CITY, I BELIEVE, WAS USED
UNIVERSALLY HAPPY FOR THAT,
INCLUDING THE HOSTING COMMUNITY.
IT WAS MUCH BELOVED. AND NOW WE
HAVE THIS IMPOSITION. AS YOU'VE
ALREADY HEARD THE DETAILS OF
THAT, AND ALSO THE LOCKING
GATES. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE A
GATED COMMUNITY IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS I
REPRESENTED FRIENDS OF SEWARD
PARK ON THE LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD VISIONING TASK FORCE.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT TASK
FORCE WAS OVERLOADED WITH FOLKS
WHO CAME IN WITH STATING THEIR
GOAL OF CLOSING THE BOULEVARD
PERMANENTLY. I DON'T OH, IS THAT
REALLY TWO MINUTES? OKAY.
-- 10 SECONDS.
-- I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S ABOUT
180 DEGREES FROM EQUITY. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU. PATRICIA. NEXT WE
HAVE MISS YVETTE, FOLLOWED BY
DAVID HAYNES. AND THEN WE'LL
JUMP ONLINE TO L'OREAL. LAUREL.
EXCUSE ME.
-- THAT'S MY HEART
-- WELCOME, MISS YVETTE.
-- GOOD AFTERNOON. I PLEDGE
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO
THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT
STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL. I WANT TO ADD
ON TO HER STATEMENT ABOUT
CLOSING THE LAKE WASHINGTON
BOULEVARD. I'VE GOT A LOT OF
HITS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 4000
PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT AS WELL.
AND ALSO, THE BIG DAY OF PLAY
WAS HELLA FUN. RAINIER BEACH
PLAYFIELD WAS ROCKING. I WENT
THERE, MY ONLY COMPLAINT WAS
THAT THE FOOD WAS NOT FREE, BUT
THAT'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER
CONVERSATION. I ALSO WANTED TO
COMMENT ON THE FACT THAT A LIN
RUTH. I WORKED WITH HER FOR
YEARS AND I WORKED WITH THE CITY
AND IN RECOGNITION OF WHAT SHE
HAS DONE AND MY ORGANIZATION
PERSONALLY HAS GOTTEN FUNDING
FROM THE FOOD EQUITY FUND TO
HELP ME TO CONTINUE FEEDING
ALMOST 2000 PEOPLE DIRECTLY AND
DIRECTLY EVERY MONTH. SO THE
FUNDING IS VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED. AND ALSO. BACKING
UP THE LAKE WASHINGTON BOULEVARD
CLOSURE, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'RE
STILL. AND WE RELEASED LIKE AN
EXPLANATION OF HOW THAT DECISION
CAME ABOUT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE
AND PUSH FOR SOME ANSWERS ON
THAT. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU DOWNSTAIRS.
ONCE THEY GOT THE FOOD READY TO
TO.
-- THANK YOU, MISS YVETTE. NEXT
WE HAVE DAVID HAYNES, AND THEN
WE GO ONLINE TO LAUREL ONLINE.
WELCOME, MR. HAYNES.
-- HI. THANK YOU, DAVID HAYNES.
WHEN YOU EXEMPT MISDEMEANOR DRUG
CRIMES AND LOOK THE OTHER WAY ON
OVERSERVING BARTENDERS, YOU'RE
ALLOWING FOR AN ESCALATION OF
VIOLENCE WHERE RIVAL DRUG GANGS
ARE CLAIMING TERRITORY BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE BEARING
WITNESS TO PEOPLE GETTING AWAY
WITH DESTROYING OTHER PEOPLE'S
LIVES AND JUST RUINING THE
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. AND YOU
ALL ARE PAYING THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO UNDERMINE
THE PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS. WHILE
PRIORITIZING SELF-DESTRUCTIVE,
JUNKIE THIEVING REPEAT OFFENDERS
WHO HAVE CAUSED SO MANY. 911
CALLS THAT THEY'VE BEEN DEEMED
SUITABLE TO DECIDE FOR
THEMSELVES HOW MUCH OF AN EFFORT
THEY'RE GOING TO PUT INTO
SOLVING THE CRISIS OF THEIR
SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS AND
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LOOK THE
OTHER WAY ON ALL THESE EVIL,
PREDATORY DRUG PUSHERS WHO KEEP
SUPPLYING THE OPEN DRUG MARKETS
THAT THE POLICE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
STAFF KEEPS PUSHING AROUND THE
COMMUNITY, ALL ON THE OUTER EDGE
OF BELLTOWN. IT'S CALLED HELL
TOWN AND THE FRIGHT OF SEATTLE
IS BECAUSE OF YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO HIRE POLICE CHIEF EXECUTIVES
WHO GOT A TAINTED INTERPRETATION
OF COMMUNITY POLICING AND HAVE
ALLOWED FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF
EVIL PREDATORS TO GET AWAY WITH
IT BECAUSE OF THEIR ILL SUITED
TRAINING TO PROACTIVELY SHUT
DOWN ALL THESE EVIL MISDEMEANOR,
PREDATORY, LOW LIFE DRUG PUSHERS
AND PIMPS, AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE
REPEAT OFFENDERS WHO ARE
CONNECTED TO THE UNDERWORLD THAT
YOU ALL KEEP PRIORITIZING FOR
HOUSING FIRST, WHICH HAS RUINED
IT FOR EVERYBODY. YOU ALL HAVE
ALLOWED FOR A VICTIMIZATION OF
ALL THESE INNOCENT, HOUSELESS
CITIZENS, BECAUSE YOU ALL
SARCASTICALLY IN YOUR POLICIES,
CLAIM YOU CAN PULL YOURSELF UP
BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS. THE THING
IS, IS THE 2026 BUDGET IS IS A
VIOLATION OF OUR RIGHTS. AND IT
GOT BRUCE HARRELL KICKED OUT,
JENNY DURKAN KICKED OUT AND ED
MURRAY KICKED OUT, AND YOU ALL
ARE STILL APPROPRIATING THE SAME
BAD SPENDING PRIORITIES THAT
STILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. AND
YOU ALL GOT TO GET RID OF THIS
TEN SECOND BEEF. IT'S TOO NOISY
WHEN YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO
MAKE YOUR POINT. IT GETS DROWNED
OUT, ESPECIALLY ON THE PHONE.
-- THANK YOU, MR. HAINES. SO NOW
WE'RE GOING TO GO ONLINE,
LAUREL. THEN WE HAVE ROSE. WE
HAVE CEDAR AND. ANDREW. LIN.
-- HI. HI. I'M CALLING BECAUSE I
WANTED TO VOICE STRONG SUPPORT
FOR COUNCILWOMAN RIVERA'S
RESOLUTION 32217 ON USING
EVIDENCE BASED BI NATIONAL
NETWORK FOR SAFE COMMUNITIES
PROGRAMING. I'M VERY UPSET WITH
HOW LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS IN
SEATTLE HAVE BEEN FUNDED TO
TACKLE THIS PROBLEM THAT I DO
NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE
EXPERTISE TO DO. THEY SEEM TO
HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE, BUT I
THINK THAT REALLY HAS FAILED
GREATLY, AND I THINK SOME OF
THEM DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. AND
I'M DISGUSTED WHEN I SEE LIKE
THE TRAGEDY OF THE BITE OF
SEATTLE BEING USED TO DIRECT
MORE MONEY TOWARDS THESE GROUPS
WHO WORKED TO ENABLE THESE GUN
OFFENDERS, REPEAT OFFENDERS TO
CONTINUE ON THE CALL IS VERY
MUCH COMING FROM WITHIN THE
HOUSE. THE CEO OF COMMUNITY
PASSAGEWAYS CAN BE SEEN ON VIDEO
BRAGGING ABOUT KEEPING VIOLENT
YOUTH GUN OFFENDERS OUT OF
INCARCERATION AND IN, QUOTE,
COMMUNITY UNQUOTE, AND BEING
ABLE TO WORK TO REMOVE 150 YEARS
OF INCARCERATION TIME. AND THEN
THE CITY COUNCIL WAS GOING TO
GIVE THEM MORE MONEY AFTER BITE
OF SEATTLE, DESPITE THE FACT
THAT THEIR ORGANIZATION AND
SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT
THE REPEAT GUN OFFENDERS WERE
STILL ON THE STREET, IT IS CLEAR
THESE GROUPS DO NOT WANT TO SEE
PEOPLE OF THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC
INCARCERATED. BUT I'M SORRY, BUT
THE CITY PANDERING TO THAT SORT
OF RACISM, RACIAL BIAS IS
DESPICABLE AND HAS COST PEOPLE
THEIR LIVES. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON
INNOCENT PEOPLE, NOT GUILTY
PEOPLE. I'M GLAD THAT THERE'S
SOME HELP AVAILABLE FOR GANG
MEMBERS AND PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH
THIS, BUT ULTIMATELY, THE FOCUS
AND CENTERING NEEDS TO BE DONE
ON INNOCENT PEOPLE, NOT ON
TRYING TO COERCE VIOLENT PEOPLE
WITH MORE FREE PROGRAMING AND SO
ON. AND I'M FRUSTRATED WITH
SEEING HOW COMMUNITIES ARE
REWARDED FOR THEIR HIGH RATES OF
VIOLENCE. AGAIN, I SUPPORT
RESOLUTION 322, ONE SEVEN. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
-- THANK YOU. LAUREL. OKAY, NOW
WE HAVE ROSE, FOLLOWED BY CEDAR.
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
ROSE. THERE YOU GO.
-- I HOPE YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME. I
AM CURRENTLY AT UW MONTLAKE
HOSPITAL, SO I JUST WANT TO.
I'M HOPING THAT THINGS ARE
COMING THROUGH. CLEARLY THIS
WEEK. I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO
TALK ABOUT. POLICE THAT HAVE
HAPPENED IN THE QUEER COMMUNITY
THIS THURSDAY, MY PARTNER CAME
DOWN WITH MENINGITIS AND HAD
THE. I CALLED THE. HER PARTNER
CALLED 911 IN ORDER TO TRY AND
GET HER HELP AND INSTEAD OF
SENDING AN AMBULANCE, WE HAD TO
WAIT TWO HOURS AND HAVE THE COPS
SHOW UP FIRST. BEFORE SHE WAS
ABLE TO GET THE HELP SHE NEEDED.
WE'RE LUCKY THAT SHE IS LIVING
AND THAT SHE IS BETTER AND WILL
PROBABLY AND WILL BE ABLE TO
BOUNCE BACK. BUT I DON'T KNOW
WHY WE ARE HAVING SUCH A THING
WHERE WE ARE HAVING BASIC CARE
IN OUR CITY THAT IS DENIED TO
-- INDIVIDUALS. WE SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO BUG THE CITY TO SEND
BASIC HUMAN SERVICES IN ORDER TO
HAVE INDIVIDUALS GET THE CARE
THEY NEED. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
THIS IS ALSO FURTHER
UNACCEPTABLE WHEN WE HAVE
INDIVIDUALS, WE HAVE POLICE
OFFICERS THAT ARE HARASSING
HOMELESS PEOPLE, PRIMARILY IN
CAL ANDERSON PARK, FOR
CIGARETTES. I UNDERSTAND THAT IN
2015, THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY
COUNCIL, THE PARKS BOARD SAID
THAT SMOKING IS NOT LEGAL IN
PARKS, BUT IT IS NOT AGAINST A
LAW IS AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS,
AS PER THE SEATTLE WEBSITE, THAT
IT IS PRIMARILY OF EDUCATION, OF
TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY
SHOULDN'T BE SMOKING IN THE
PARKS. HOWEVER, WE HAVE
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BEING
THREATENED WITH BEING DETAINED
AND ARRESTED FOR SMOKING
CIGARETTES IN THE PARK, SMOKING.
I MEAN, LET'S BE REAL. PEOPLE
ARE SMOKING CIGARETTES, WEED AND
OTHER THINGS IN THE PARK. BUT IF
WE'RE COMING DOWN ON PEOPLE
THAT LITERALLY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE
TO GO, NOT ONLY IS IT UNFAIR TO
THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IT IS ALSO
DESTROYING WHATEVER GOODWILL
YOU'RE TRYING TO GET WITH THE
CITY TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS.
WE CANNOT HELP THE INDIVIDUALS
THAT ARE HOMELESS IN PLACES LIKE
CAL ANDERSON, IF THEY DO NOT
TRUST YOU ALL BECAUSE THE COPS
ARE COMING AFTER THEM. WE NEED
YOU ALL TO CRACK DOWN ON THE
COPS AND MAKE THEM DO BETTER.
-- THANK YOU. ROSE. NEXT WE HAVE
CEDAR FOLLOWED BY ANDREW LIN
-- HELLO, HELLO.
-- MY NAME IS PETER AND I AM
HERE TO TALK ON THE COMING
COLLAPSE OF THE COUNTRY. PART OF
IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT
WE ARE GOING THROUGH A SECOND
GREAT DEPRESSION WITH A 1930s
STOCK MARKET CRASH, IN PART DUE
TO THE FACT THAT AI AND MASS
SURVEILLANCE CENTERS ARE
REPLACING JOBS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN
OHIO, THEY SPENT $55 BILLION ON
SURVEILLANCE CENTERS, AND THEY
CREATED TEN JOBS. ANOTHER PART
OF THE REASON OUR COUNTRY IS
GOING TO COLLAPSE IS BECAUSE THE
SOLDIERS ABOVE THE LINCOLN
AREN'T GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO
COME HOME, BECAUSE AS, LIKE PAT
TILLMAN AND RACHEL CORRIE
BEFORE, THEY HAVE NOW BECOME MY
ABILITIES TO THE EMPIRE AS THEY
KNOW TOO MUCH AND THE FARMING,
THE FARMING COLLAPSE IS COMING
DUE TO EL NINO AND FARMERS NOT
BEING ABLE TO AFFORD CROPS AND
YEAH, I'M JUST ON THAT END.
I'M GLAD THAT THEY HAVEN'T. THE
PUBLIC HASN'T STARTED BLAMING
THE 1% AND OUR POLITICAL AND
CORPORATE AND BILLIONAIRE CLASS
FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT KIND OF IS
OUR FAULT. LIKE, I'M FROM A
RATHER WEALTHY BACKGROUND ON ONE
SIDE OF MY FAMILY AND YEAH
THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR ME.
-- THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE.
ANDREW LIN. STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF. LAST PERSON.
-- GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
ANGELA MOSQUITO FROM PIERCE
COUNTY DISTRICT NUMBER TWO.
TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY
SUPPORT ON THE HISTORIC
PRESERVATION OF THE WILD STREET
FIELD HOUSE AND THE BURWELL
HOUSE DESIGNATED BY THE
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD
UNDER CHAPTER 25.12 FROM COUNCIL
BILLS 12, 1274 AND 121273.
SAVING OUR LOCAL HISTORY AND
CULTURE FOR EDUCATED PURPOSES.
PROVIDES TO THE COMMUNITY A
GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE
THOSE AREAS CAME FROM, ALONG
WITH HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN IN
COMPARISON TO THE PRESENT. FOR
IMPROVEMENTS IN OTHER AREAS TO
ACHIEVE A BETTER FUTURE. EACH
PLACE HAS A STORY TO TELL, FULL
OF LESSONS TO LEARN THAT BENEFIT
OTHER AREAS UNDER UPON
APPLICATION. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I
DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MORE IN
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
CLOSED. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT
PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME OUT TO COME
DO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR US. AND
FOR THE RECORD, I THINK THERE
WAS A COMMENT COUNCILMEMBER LIN
IS PRESENT. HE'S HERE, HE'S
ON, HE'S VIRTUAL. BUT JUST
WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT HE IS
HERE. AND I KNOW THAT HE'S
LISTENING TO EVERYTHING. SO
THANK YOU ALL AS WELL. AND. YES,
WE'RE GOING TO NOW MOVE RIGHT
INTO OUR COUNCIL MEETING. SO
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND
TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY, FOR
COMING DOWN HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC
COMMENT. AND THE PEOPLE THAT
WAIT ONLINE AS WELL. WE DID A
PROCLAMATION AT THE BEGINNING,
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO POWER
THROUGH OUR WONDERFUL MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL. IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THANK YOU. IF
THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NONE, THE REFERRAL.
EXCUSE ME. HEARING NO OBJECTION.
THE INTRODUCTION REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. IF THERE'S
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE'RE NOW
GOING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ON
CONSENT CALENDAR INCLUDE THE
MINUTES OF AUGUST 11th, 2026.
COUNCIL BILL ONE, TWO, ONE 277
PAYMENT OF THE BILLS 17
APPOINTMENTS FROM THE LIBRARIES,
EDUCATION AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS
COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO
REMOVE FROM TODAY'S CONSENT
CALENDAR? YOU DON'T WANT TO
REMOVE THE 17 APPOINTMENTS AND
VOTE ON THEM ONE BY ONE. OKAY,
AWESOME. THANK YOU. HEARING
NONE, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. IS THERE A
SECOND?
-- SECOND.
-- AWESOME. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF
THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LYNN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. YES.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- FIVE IN FAVOR? NONE OPPOSED.
-- AWESOME. THE CONSENT CALENDAR
WILL. THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS
ADOPTED. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
MINUTES AND LEGISLATION ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR ON MY BEHALF?
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD.
-- AGENDA ITEM ONE, RESOLUTION
32214. REQUESTING THE CODE
REVISER TO REFORMAT TABLES
WITHIN THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL
ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES.
-- AWESOME. I'M THE SPONSOR
COLLEAGUE, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE
TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 32214. IS
THERE A SECOND?
-- SECOND.
-- IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS
SPONSOR. I'LL ADDRESS IT VERY
QUICKLY. THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE DRAFTED THIS RESOLUTION
AS A PART OF THE CITY'S
CONTINUING EFFORT TO COMPLY WITH
FEDERAL DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY
GUIDELINES THAT GO INTO EFFECT
APRIL 2027. THIS RESOLUTION
REQUESTS THE CODE IS REFORMAT TO
REFORMAT TABLES WITHIN THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE TO COMPLY
WITH ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES.
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT WILL BE
UNDERTAKING MOST OF THE WORK
BRINGING THE CITY INTO DIGITAL
ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE. ARE
THERE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE
RESOLUTION? ALL RIGHT. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION?
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- FIVE IN FAVOR. NONE OPPOSED.
-- RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AND THE
CHAIR WILL SIGN. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE FIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF? WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER TWO INTO THE RECORD?
-- THREE FOUR THE LIBRARIES,
EDUCATION NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE. AGENDA ITEM TWO.
COUNCIL 121274 RELATING TO
HISTORIC PRESERVATION. OPPOSING
CONTROLS UPON THE WILD STRATFORD
HOUSE. A LANDMARK DESIGNATED BY
THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION
BOARD. THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS.
THE BILL PASSES. EXCUSE ME. THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE BILL
PASS.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA AS CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE. YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED TO PRESENT THE
COMMITTEE REPORT.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU. I'M
JUST. I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT BOTH
BILLS. ONE, TWO, 1274 AND
121273. BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH
LANDMARKS. THE LANDMARK
PRESERVATION BOARD FORWARDED TO
US FOR OUR APPROVAL. THE
CONTROLS AND INCENTIVES FOR THE
WILD STREET FIELD HOUSE AND ALSO
THE BIRD WALL BURR WALL HOUSE.
BOTH HAD. APPROVALS FROM THE
OWNERS OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS AND
OUR COMMITTEE WENT AHEAD AND
PASSED THOSE THROUGH AND ARE
RECOMMENDING RECOMMENDING FULL
COUNCIL TO ADOPT THESE. AND
THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS WHY
THE LANDMARKS BOARD. THERE'S A
LIST OF ABOUT FIVE ITEMS THAT
THEY LOOK AT EACH OF THE HOUSE
AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOUSE
HOUSES OR THE STRUCTURES, AND IN
THIS CASE, WITH THEIR
GUIDELINES, THEY WENT AHEAD AND
PROPOSED THESE TWO. AND SO I
OFFER THEM FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
-- AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA ARE THERE
ANY COMMENTS REGARDING
RESOLUTION? EXCUSE ME ONE, TWO
OR EXCUSE ME. COUNCIL BILL
121274. OKAY, AWESOME. WELL
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
FOR YOUR WORK. I KNOW THAT YOU
HAVE A LOT IN YOUR COMMITTEE.
AND SO GETTING SOME OF THIS, YOU
KNOW, TECHNICAL STUFF THROUGH IS
ALWAYS A LIFT AS WELL. SO THANK
YOU SO MUCH.
-- THANK YOU. AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, IF I MAY JUST WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL THOSE
APPOINTMENTS AND THEN THESE
PARTICULAR LANDMARKS ALSO, AS
YOU KNOW, OUR COMMITTEE HAD BOTH
THE LIBRARIES LEVY OR THE
LIBRARY LEVY RATHER, AND ALSO
THE FAMILIES EDUCATION,
PRESCHOOL PROMISE IMPLEMENTATION
AND EVALUATION PLAN. SO MOST OF
OUR COMMITTEE WORK HAD TO BE
USED FOR THOSE TWO VERY BIG
PIECES OF LEGISLATION. AND SO
THEN WITH THIS COMMITTEE, WE
WERE TRYING TO GET IN AS MANY OF
THOSE APPOINTMENTS AS WE COULD,
INCLUDING SOME OF THE LANDMARK
WORK. SO THANK YOU.
-- NO, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHY I
MENTIONED THAT, BECAUSE I WAS.
YEAH, A LOT A LOT OF TIME SPENT
ON, ON THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT. SO WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- FIVE IN FAVOR. NONE. OPPOSED.
-- CHAIR WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE
TO THE LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF?
WILL WE PLEASE. CLERK, WILL YOU
PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER THREE
INTO THE RECORD.
-- AGENDA ITEM THREE. COUNCIL
BILL 121273. LIN HISTORIC
PRESERVATION POSTING CONTROLS
UPON THE BOROUGH HOUSE. A
LANDMARK DESIGNATION BY THE
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE
BILL PASS.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. YOU
ALREADY SPOKE TO THIS. DID YOU
HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS BEFORE
WE CALL ROLL? NO. AWESOME. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBERS? NO. WELL, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
-- COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
-- YOU'RE ON MUTE.
-- COUNCIL AGAIN
-- THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
-- YES.
-- COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
-- AYE.
-- COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
HOLLINGSWORTH.
-- YES.
-- FIVE IN FAVOR. NONE OPPOSED.
-- BILL PASSES. CHAIR WILL SIGN
IT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE FIX MY
SIGNATURE TO THE LEGISLATION ON
MY BEHALF? COLLEAGUES, THERE
WERE NO ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. THERE'S NOT A
RESOLUTION FOR INTRODUCTION AND
ADOPTION TODAY. AND ARE THERE
ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE
THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
SO JUST A LITTLE QUICK UPDATE.
WE'VE REACHED THE END OF
TODAY'S AGENDA. SO THE CITY
COUNCIL WILL BE IN RECESS FROM
AUGUST THE 21st, WHICH IS
FRIDAY. NO ONE IS COUNTING DOWN
THREE DAYS UNTIL FRIDAY. AND
THEN WE WILL RETURN HERE
SEPTEMBER THE 4th AND THE NEXT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOT BE
UNTIL SEPTEMBER THE 15th AT 2
P.M.. SO WE ARE ON RECESS FROM
THE 21st THROUGH SEPTEMBER. THE
FOURTH GIVES US A WEEK BACK TO
DO WORK, AND THEN WE WILL RETURN
BACK IN CHAMBERS TO YOU ALL ON
SEPTEMBER THE 15th AT 2 P.M. AND
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS
COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU ALL.
COUNCILMEMBER LIN COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, COUNCILMEMBER. RINCK.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOR HOLDING
DOWN THE QUORUM TODAY FOR OUR
LAST MEETING BEFORE RECESS.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME,
Y'ALL, AND. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS. THIS MEETING IS
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU
--