\GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. I'M SALLY BAGSHAW
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THIS IS THE FINANCE
AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
FOR JANUARY 23, 2019
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ
FOR BEING HERE
UM, I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE REAPPOINTING ANGELIQUE DAVIS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
AND THEN WITH MUCH THANKS TO JEFF DAVIS AND GEORGE EMERSON
WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE SEATTLE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN BOARD
YOU MAY REMEMBER AND I'M SURE YOU DO THAT A YEAR AGO WHEN THEN MAYOR TIM BURGESS
WAS WITH US HE PRESENTED AN IDEA THAT WOULD EXPAND AND EXTEND SEATTLE'S RETIREMENT
PROGRAM TO OTHER WORKING MEMBERS OF THE CITY OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
AND WE CONDUCTED A MARKET ANALYSIS THANKS TO
BOSTON COLLEGE WHO WAS A CONSULTANT THAT CAME IN
BOTH GEORGE AND JEFF WILL PROVIDE A BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT
AT THE CONCLUSION, WE DECIDED THAT. IN FACT, I WILL JUST LEAVE THAT CONCLUSION AND LET THEM
TELL YOU. JUST TO KEEP YOU ON PINS AND NEEDLES AND WATCHING.
BURY THE HEADLINE.
YEAH EXACTLY
SO, THEN WE'RE GOING TO CONCLUDE TODAY WITH A DIRECTOR'S REPORT
FROM ANDRES MANTILLA, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ANDRES, TO YOUR TEAM LAST NIGHT.
WE HAD ONE OF OUR FIRST COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT LAUNCH AND I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE FOLKS
WHO WERE THERE AND I AGAIN WANT TO EXTEND MY
THANKS TO THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMISSION
THEY HAVE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB AND
THE REAL GOAL WAS TO EXTEND
THE CITY'S REACH TO VARIOUS
AREAS THAT HAVEN'T NECESSARILY
BEEN INVOLVED OR INCLUDED SO
THAT COMMITTEE IS DOING A GREAT
JOB AND MOVING BESIDE SOME OF
OUR DISTRICT GROUPS THAT HAVE
BEEN THERE IN NEIGHBORHOODS FOR
SOMETIMES DECADES THAT WAS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT
ARE STILL ACTIVE AND THIS ADDS
ANOTHER ELEMENT TO BE ABLE TO
REACH PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN
REACHED IN THE PAST SO I
APPRECIATED THAT AND ONCE I
RAISED THE ISSUE ABOUT AGE
FRIENDLY THE COMMISSIONERS WELL
AWARE THAT AS THEY ARE DOING
THAT WORK, THAT THEY ARE
INCLUDING VOICES FROM ACROSS
OUR REGION AND ACROSS THE
NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT ALSO MAKING
EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE
SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE
THAT MAY HAVE DIFFICULTIES
GETTING AROUND, OR PEOPLE WHO
SIMPLY IN THE PAST FELT
INVISIBLE.
SO WITH THAT I THINK WE CAN
WORK ON REAPPOINTING ANGELIQUE
DAVIS.
>> APPOINTMENT NUMBER 01246,
REAPPOINTMENT OF ANGELIQUE
DAVIS AS A MEMBER OF THE CIVIL
SERVICE COMMISSION FOR A TERM
OF SERVICE UNTIL DECEMBER 21.
>> I AM JENNIFER GREENLEE,
DIRECTOR OF THE CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION AND WE ARE
REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT FOR
THE SECOND TIME OF COMMISSIONER
DAVIS SHE HAD BEEN AN ACTIVE
MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION AND
HAD PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN A
PRIVATE LAW FIRM AND LABOR
EMPLOYMENT LAW AND IS CURRENTLY
A PROFESSOR OF SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY, SO SHE HAS A GOOD
BACKGROUND THAT LEADS HER TO
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND WE
APPRECIATE HER REAPPOINTMENT.
>> SHE'S CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR
OF THE GLOBAL AFRICAN STUDIES
PROGRAM AND PRE-LOCK?
>> CORRECT.
>> VERY GOOD.
I KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO HER
BECAUSE I HAD ASKED THAT
QUESTION, CIVIL RIGHTS
CITIZENSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, POLITICS
AND SOCIETY, AND LAW, GENDER
AND RACE, AND JUST TO NAME A FEW
. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> NO.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH PROFESSR
DAVIS AND THINK SHE'S A
WONDERFUL ONGOING ADDITION TO
THIS COMMISSION.
>> GOOD THAN I WOULD LIKE TO RE-
-- MOVE THE REAPPOINTMENT
EVENTUALLY DAVIS.
>> SECOND.
ALTHOUGH SAY AYE.
NO OPPOSITION AND NO
ABSTENTION, SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR COMING . SO THE NEXT
ITEM WE HAVE IS THE SEATTLE
RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN REPORT,
AND I THINK JEFF, JASON IS WITH
YOU BUT THE OTHER JASON IS
HERE, COME ON UP, AND GEORGE.
>> ITEM NUMBER TWO, SEATTLE
RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN REPORT
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> TRAVIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. HE'S BEEN A BOARD MEMBER.
GEORGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START
INTRODUCTIONS PLEASE.
>> I'M IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE.
>> TRAVIS ROSENTHAL.
>> JEFF DAVIS, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE
RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND BOARD
MEMBER OF THE SAVINGS PLAN.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE. WHO IS KICKING OFF?
>> I WILL KICK IT OFF AND THANK
YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TO TALK
ABOUT THE SEATTLE RETIREMENT
SAVINGS PLAN.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER BAG
SHAW FOR YOUR CHAIR SHIP OF THE
BOARD. YOU MAY REMEMBER -- WITH
EVERYTHING I WAS GOING TO SAY
IN HER INTRO, BACK IN 2017 CITY
COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE
THAT CREATED THE SRS BOARD AND
ESTABLISH THE RETIREMENT
SAVINGS PLAN FOR WORKERS IN
SEATTLE THAT WEREN'T ALREADY
COVERED BY SAVINGS PLAN
RETIREMENT OPTION THROUGH THEIR
EMPLOYER. THESE PLANS OPERATE A
LITTLE SIMILARLY TO A 401(K),
IN THAT ELIGIBLE WORKERS WOULD
BE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED.
THEIR SAVINGS WOULD GROW OVER
TIME BASED ON THEIR
CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE GROWTH
AND INVESTMENT EARNINGS THAT
THEIR INVESTMENTS EARN. THE
ACCOUNTS WOULD BE IN THEIR
NAME, SO THERE WOULD BE
PORTABILITY IF THEY WERE TO
CHANGE JOBS OVER THEIR CAREER,
THAT ACCOUNT WOULD GO WITH THEM
AND IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY
COULD OPT OUT OF ANY TIME.
SO LAST YEAR THE SRSP BOARD
LOOKED AT A FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS
. WE DID A MARKET ANALYSIS,
WORKING WITH BOSTON COLLEGE, A
GROUP OUT OF THERE, WE DID A
LEGAL ANALYSIS AND THE MARKET
ANALYSIS FOUND THAT IT WAS
FEASIBLE FOR SEATTLE TO
ESTABLISH A SYSTEM LIKE THIS,
BUT IT DIDN'T FIND THAT THERE
WOULD BE -- IT DID FIND THAT
THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGES TO
PARTNERING WITH OTHER RIGS --
JUST -- JURISDICTIONS SUCH AS
THE STATE OF OREGON WHO JUST
WENT LIVE WITH A SIMILAR
PROGRAM. ON THE SIMILAR SIDE THERE WERE
NO OBSTACLES IN FEDERAL LAW
THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, BUT THERE
WERE SOME THINGS IN EXISTING
STATE LAW THAT COULD BE
BARRIERS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE
WORKED THROUGH.
SO THAT WAS OUR ANALYSIS AND AT
THE SAME TIME WE WERE DOING OUR
ANALYSIS, WE GOT WORD THAT IN
THE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
, THERE WAS MOVEMENT TO
INTRODUCE A BILL THAT WOULD DO
A SIMILAR THING AT THE
STATEWIDE LEVEL.
THE SEATTLE PLAN, THE BOARD,
FELT THAT THAT WAS A PREFERABLE
OPTION.
THE STATEWIDE PLAN WOULD OFFER
A NUMBER OF BENEFITS, OBVIOUSLY
WOULD COVER MORE PEOPLE AND
THAT'S A GOOD ONE -- GOOD THING.
THERE WOULD BE A COST SAVINGS
FOR THE ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT IN
THAT THERE ARE FIXED COSTS AND
STARTUP COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
THESE THINGS THAT WOULD BE
SPREAD ACROSS A BROADER BASE OF
PARTICIPANTS AND THE BEST PART
IS -- THE SEA -- THE SEATTLE
PLAN WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE FOR
THE STATEWIDE PLAN.
THE SRSP BOARD IS RECOMMENDING
WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN
-- DIFFER MOVING FORWARD UNTIL
WE SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT AT
THE STATE, AND WE ALSO
RECOMMEND THAT WE PROVIDE ANY
ASSISTANCE THAT WE CAN TO OUR
COLLEAGUES AT THE STATE AND
GIVING INFORMATION OR ANY KIND
OF ASSISTANCE THAT WE CAN.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT SUMMARY
AND TRAVIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
DILIGENCE. I KNOW IT TAKES TIME FROM YOUR
WORK FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE. I
BELIEVE WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH
IS A RESULT THAT WAS SURLY --
THOROUGHLY VETTED WITH BOSTON
COLLEGE, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT
THE FIRST THAT THEY'VE
REVIEWED, SO THEY GAVE US GOOD
INFORMATION AND THEY ALSO
HELPED US LOOK AT WHAT THE
COSTS WOULD BE.
AS YOU POINTED OUT MANY TIMES,
THIS WAS NOT GOING TO COST THE
CITY OF SEATTLE MONEY
IMMEDIATELY, BUT THERE WOULD BE
A PAYBACK. IT WAS GENERAL -- IT
WAS NOT GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT
WOULD BE USED, BUT THAT IT
WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE AN 18
YEAR PAYBACK BY THE TIME WE GOT
THE PROGRAM -- >> DEPENDING ON
IF YOU ARE GOING ALONE OR
PARTNERING WITH OTHER DIRECTION
-- JURISDICTIONS.
>> -- CORRECT AND WHEN THE CITY
OF OREGON HAD DONE THAT WORK I
WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON WAS DIVING IN AS WELL
. BUT WHETHER THAT LAW PASSES
AT THE STATE OF WASHINGTON OR
NOT, WE STILL HAVE ACCESS --
COULD STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE
STATE OF OREGON AS I
UNDERSTAND.
>> AND IN THE FEASIBILITY
ANALYSIS I HAD A CONVERSATION
WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
OREGON PLAN, AND I THINK THEY
WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO TALKING
WITH US AND PURSUING THAT
FURTHER.
>> COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
AND MAYBE GEORGE, THIS IS
SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO
PARTICIPATE IN AS WELL, BUT WHY
IS THIS IMPORTANT JUST IN TERMS
OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
SAVING FOR RETIREMENT RIGHT NOW
? WHY WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS
MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM?
>> I DO HAVE A SLIDESHOW IF YOU
WOULD LIKE ME TO GO THROUGH IT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER FOR
-- QUESTIONS, ALLISON IN YOUR
OFFICE HEADS SHARED SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS
AND THE DEMAND FOR RETIREMENT
SERVICES AND WHERE THINGS ARE
NOW SO I FIGURED WE COULD GO
THROUGH SOME OF THAT AND ANSWER
SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
I WILL BEGIN JUST WITH A LOOK
AT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
RETIREMENT PLANS THAT WE HEAR
ABOUT AND THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
ONE THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE
FAMILIAR WITH IS SOCIAL SECURITY
, WHICH IS A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-
SPONSORED PROGRAM THAT WE PAY
INTO, EMPLOYERS PAY INTO, AND
THEN WE GET A DEFINED BENEFIT
BASED UPON AGE AND THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY WE GET PAID IN -- THAT
PAID IN. MOST PEOPLE EXPECT TO
GET ABOUT 40% OF THEIR SALARY
IN RETIREMENT FROM SOCIAL
SECURITY. OTHER PLANS WE HEAR ABOUT OUR
DEFINED-BENEFIT PROGRAMS AND
THAT IS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO
THIS CITY'S PENSION SYSTEM,
WHERE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES
PAY IT IN A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE
OF THEIR SALARY AND THEN AT
RETIREMENT BASED UPON THEIR
YEARS OF SERVICE AND THEIR AGE,
THEY GET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE
OF THAT SALARY GUARANTEED FOR
THE REST OF THEIR LIFE. A
DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PROGRAM IS
ONE WHICH IS ALSO EMPLOYER-
SPONSORED, WHERE A COMBINATION
OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AN
EMPLOYEE AND AN EMPLOYER GO
INTO A POT OF MONEY, USUALLY
ADMINISTERED AND INVESTED BY
THE EMPLOYEE, AND THEN THAT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR
RETIREMENT BUT IT IS NOT
GUARANTEED AND ALL OF THE
INVESTMENT RISK IS ON THE
EMPLOYEE FOR RETIREMENT
SECURITY.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE A
401(K) THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT OR
THE CITY HAS A SUPPLEMENTARY
RETIREMENT PROGRAM CALLED --
VERY SIMILAR.
AND THEN THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS, IRAS AND
THEY COME IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT
FLAVORS, ONE IS TRADITIONAL AND
ONE IS A ROTH AND THEY ARE TAX
ADVANTAGE PROGRAMS TO ALLOW
PEOPLE TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT
OUTSIDE OF HAVING A PLAN, SO
YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE AND DO
THAT ON YOUR OWN, BUT THERE ARE
A NUMBER OF ADVANTAGES IN THE
TAX CODE THAT ALLOW FOR THAT.
SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE NOW?
64% OF ALL AMERICAN WORKERS
HAVE ACCESS TO A RETIREMENT
PLAN THAT IS SPONSORED FROM
WORK, BE IT A DEFINED
CONTRIBUTION OR DEFINED-BENEFIT
PROGRAM LIKE HERE AT THE CITY.
THIS IS A CHART ON THE LEFT
THAT UP TOP SHOWS ALL WORKERS
AND THEN THAT IS SPLIT OUT
BETWEEN DEFINED BENEFIT AND
DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS AND
THESE MAKE UP A SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL
RETIREMENT PLANS AVAILABLE TO
THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE.
>> PARDON ME, I CAN'T READ THE
NUMBERS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT A
LITTLE BIT MORE?
>> SO THE TOP FEW BARS IS
LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE
POPULATION OF AMERICAN WORKERS
THAT HAVE ACCESS TO A
RETIREMENT PLAN AT WORK, AND
THAT IS ABOUT 64% OR 65% OF ALL
EMPLOYEES AND THAT'S THAT VERY
TOP BAR.
THAT IS SPLIT UP INTO INCOME
LEVELS AND THEN BELOW IT GIVES
THE BREAKOUT OF THOSE THAT HAVE
ACCESS BETWEEN A DEFINED BENEFIT
PENSION AND THOSE HAVE ACCESS
THROUGH A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION
PROGRAM.
>> DOES THAT INCLUDE SOCIAL
SECURITY?
>> THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE SOCIAL
SECURITY, SO ALL WORKERS IN THE
UNITED STATES, MOST WORKERS ARE
SOCIAL SECURITY ELIGIBLE IN THE
U.S., SO THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE
THAT.
>> RIGHT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WAS THE CASE BECAUSE
YOU INCLUDED SOCIAL SECURITY AS
A RETIREMENT PLAN TYPE ON YOUR
PREVIOUS SLIDE, WHICH I WOULD
NOT CATEGORIZE THAT IS A
RETIREMET PLAN, BUT I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN
DEFINITION HERE THAT I WAS
CLEAR AS TO WHAT THAT
DIFFERENCE IS.
>> I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO A PLANET WORK, IF
THEY ARE SAVING INDIVIDUALLY,
THAT'S GOOD, BUT FOR THE MOST
PART, SOCIAL SECURITY IS THEIR
ONLY RETIREMENT OPTION.
>> SOCIAL SECURITY WILL BE THE
ONLY INCOME THEY RECEIVE IN
RETIREMENT AGE.
>> FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T SAVING
NOW, POTENTIALLY THAT'S A RISK.
SO OF THOSE 64%, THERE'S ABOUT
A 70% TAKE-UP RATE, SO WHAT WE
SEE IS THAT 45% OF ALL WORKERS
ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN A
RETIREMENT PLAN SO THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE
ACCESS TO A PLAN THAT AREN'T
CURRENTLY SAVING IN ONE AND
THEN WE CAN ALSO SEE THAT THE
BREAKDOWN OF INCOME LEVEL SHOWS
THAT BOTH LOW INCOME PEOPLE
HAVE LOWER ACCESS TO RETIREMENT
ACCESS -- RETIREMENT PLANS AND
HAVE LOWER PER DISSIPATION
RATES. >> ONCE AGAIN, THESE ARE NUMBER
FROM THE U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR
STATISTICS, SO THESE ARE
NATIONAL NUMBERS NOT SPECIFIC
TO OUR WORKFORCE?
>> YES, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A
HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING NATIONALLY.
>> I DON'T THINK I SAW IN YOUR
PRESENTATION NUMBERS THAT ARE
SPECIFIC TO OUR LABOR MARKET IN
PARTICULAR. >> WE DO HAVE THE FEASIBILITY
STUDY THAT JEFF AND
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW
HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER THAT
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ESTIMATES
FOR RETIREMENT SECURITY.
I WANTED TO USE NATIONAL DATA
THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE AS MANY
ASSUMPTIONS BUT WE WOULD BE
HAPPY TO SHARE THAT REPORT.
>> IN REVIEWING THE MATERIALS
FOR TODAY'S COMMITTEE THERE'S
REFERENCE IN THE DECEMBER 27
2018 TO THE INITIAL REPORT AND
THEN THE TWO-PAGE NEVER -- MEMO
IS LISTED IN OUR DECK AS THE
REPORTS SO IS THIS THE REPORT,
OR IS THERE MORE?
>> SO THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT
IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THE BOARD
REPORT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL ON
WITH THE FINDINGS OF THE
FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS WAS, SO
THIS IS THE OVERALL REPORT, YOU
KNOW, THE SUMMARY OF WHERE WE
ARE.
WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE
FINAL IT OUT, BUT THERE ARE
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ON THE
FEASIBILITY STUDY, THE LEGAL
ANALYSIS AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO MAKE THOSE
AVAILABLE.
>> THAT WAS ALL PRESENTED TO
THE COMMITTEE BY BOSTON COLLEGE
AND THE LAWYERS, SO THAT'S
AVAILABLE. >> I DON'T PICK IT WAS
PRESENTED TO THIS COMMITTEE.
>> NO, THE BOARD.
>> WHICH I DON'T SIT ON, SO I
DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF
HAVING THAT INFORMATION.>> WE
CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
>> NEXT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT
THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC
BREAKDOWN. WE SEE THAT FOR ACCESS TO
PLANS, THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE AMONG GENDERS, BUT
WE DO NOTICE THAT HISPANICS
HAVE LOWER ACCESS AS WELL AS
THE YOUNG, WHICH ARE
CATEGORIZED HERE AS
MILLENNIALS.
WE ALSO KNOW OUTSIDE OF THIS
CHART THAT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES
TEND TO HAVE LOWER ACCESS TO
RETIREMENT PLANS, AND SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE FAR LESS LIKELY
TO OFFER A PLAN THEN LARGER
BUSINESSES.
>> ON THAT LAST POINT THE SMALL
EMPLOYERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO
HAVE A PLAN.
WHEN I WAS WORKING A COUPLE
YEARS AGO AROUND DEVELOPMENT OF
POTENTIAL POLICY AND PROGRAM AT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO PAY
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE,
ULTIMATELY WE WERE ABLE TO
PERSUADE THE STATE LEGISLATURE
TO ACT QUICKLY TO MAKE THAT A
STATEWIDE PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND
REALLY HELPFUL IN THE OUTREACH,
AND I SPOKE WITH ABOUT OVER 100
SMALL EMPLOYERS ALL OVER THE
CITY AS IT RELATES TO THE
BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH PAID
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE, ONE
OF THE THINGS I LEARNED FROM A
LOT OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES
IS THAT PART OF THE REASON THEY
DON'T OFFER THESE OFFERINGS IS
THAT IT'S TOO DARN EXPENSIVE
FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BUY IT
FROM A THIRD PARTY VENDOR SO A
LOT OF THEM EXPRESSED A DEEP
DESIRE TO PROVIDE THESE TYPES
OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BECAUSE
FRANKLY THEY SEE THAT AS A WAY
TO MAKE THEM MORE COMPETITIVE
AS WELL, BUT IT WAS JUST TOO
EXPENSIVE.
IS THAT THE SAME DYNAMIC THAT
PLAYS OUT IN THE CONTEXT OF
DISCUSSING EMPLOYER-PROVIDED
BENEFIT PLANS AS WELL?
>> ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T WANT TO
SPEAK FOR TRAVIS HERE, BUT
THAT'S A REASON THAT THE MAYOR
AND THE WAY IN WHICH THE BOARD
WAS SET UP WAS TO HAVE
INCLUSION FROM THE BUSINESS AND
LABOR COMMUNITY AND SHOWING
THAT SMALL BUSINESSES, JUST
LIKE YOU SAID, HAVE HIGH
BARRIERS OF ENTRY PROVIDING
THESE TYPES OF PLANS. ALSO,
THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE IF YOU ARE
RELATIVELY SMALL, YOU WOULD
HAVE A COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
AND WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING, BUT
AS YOU EXPAND YOUR EMPLOYMENT
BASE, THERE'S A HIGH BURDEN OF
BOTH EDUCATION AND TIME SPENT
IN CREATING THESE PLANS, THAT I
WOULD IMAGINE A LOT OF SMALL
FIRMS DON'T REALLY HAVE ACCESS
TO OR CAN'T AFFORD.
>> I THINK YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO
BE IN SUPPORT OF SOME TYPE OF
PROGRAM LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY
ON A STATE LEVEL. EVEN BEING
MORE SUPPORTIVE OF A STATE-
LEVEL TYPE SYSTEM THAN A CITY
LEVEL, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE
THAT OPERATE WITHIN AND OUT OF
THE CITY BORDERS.
>> OKAY.
AND THEN, DID THE FEASIBILITY
STUDY ALSO INCLUDE AN
EVALUATION OR CONSIDERATION FOR
NONPROFITS?
>> THE INTENT WAS TO ENCOMPASS
ALL EMPLOYERS, SO TO THE DEGREE
THAT NONPROFITS ARE EMPLOYERS,
YES.
>> IT WASN'T A HUGE MONETARY
BURDEN FOR SMALL BIRD --
BUSINESSES TO ENACT THE
RETIREMENT PLAN THAT WE WERE
LOOKING FOR, FOR THE CITY SO I
DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A HUGE
BURDEN FOR NONPROFITS.
>> OKAY. >> OKAY, PLEASE CONTINUE,
GEORGE. >> NEXT, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME
OF THE PURPOSES OF THAT COUNSEL
BOTH ASKED AND CREATED THE
BOARD TO INVESTIGATE, REALLY,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATE OF
WHO HAS ACCESS TO RETIREMENT
PLANS AND WHO ENDS UP
PARTICIPATING IN RETIREMENT
PLANS, WE WANTED TO SEE, IS
THERE A WAY TO SEE THAT WE
COULD INVOLVE MORE PEOPLE?
SO THE INTENT REALLY WAS TO SEE
IF IT WAS FEASIBLE TO CREATE A
PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES THAT DON'T
CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS AT THEIR
JOBS, AND TO AUTOMATICALLY
ENROLL THEM IN A PROGRAM. THEY
STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
OPT OUT BUT YOU AUTOMATICALLY
ENROLL AND THAT HAS SHOWN IN A
NUMBER OF STUDIES THAT IF YOU
AUTOMATICALLY ENROLL SOMEONE,
THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO OPT OUT
, AS OPPOSED TO GIVING THE
OPTION TO OPT IN, AND THAT
REALLY GOES A LONG WAY TO
FILLING THAT GAP BETWEEN WHAT
THEY MAY HAVE FOR SAVINGS OR
RETIREMENT PLANS FROM SOCIAL
SECURITY, TO WHAT THEY WILL
NEED FOR A COMFORTABLE
RETIREMENT. >> AND THAT'S THE BULLET POINT
YOU HAVE AT THE BOTTOM THERE,
WHICH SHOWS WHAT WE KNOW FROM
THE STUDY, WHICH IS THAT
AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT LEADS TO
MUCH HIGHER PARTICIPATION THAN
IF YOU TRY TO VOLUNTARILY PUT
IN AND -- A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE
OUT OF EACH PAYCHECK.
>> I JUST WONDER IF JEFF COULD
SPEAK TO OUR PROGRAM.
I KNOW AT LEAST IN OUR
DEPARTMENT YOU HAVE TO OPT IN
FOR IT.
DO YOU SEE LESS PEOPLE OPTING
IN BECAUSE OF THAT?
>> SO, FOR THE MAJORITY OF
SEATTLE EMPLOYEES WHO AREN'T
PART OF THE LEFT PROGRAM FOR
POLICE AND FIRE, THEY ARE
AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED BY
NATURE OF THEIR POSITION.
THERE ARE SOME EXEMPT EMPLOYEES
THAT HAVE THE OPTION TO JOIN OR
NOT, AND SOME TEMPORARY
EMPLOYEES ONCE THEY MEET AN
HOURS THRESHOLD, THEY CAN OPT
IN AS WELL.
WE DON'T HAVE GREAT STATISTICS
ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE BETTER
STATISTICS ON THAT KIND OF OPT
IN AS WE GO FORWARD WITH
BUILDING OUT SOME OF OUR
CAPABILITIES, BUT THAT IS ONE
THING WE ARE GOING TO REALLY
EMPHASIZE IN THE COMING YEARS,
IS COMMUNICATING TO THAT OF
PEOPLE THAT IT'S AN OPTION TO
THEM TO JOIN OR NOT.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I
REALLY APPRECIATED, JEFF, ABOUT
YOU AND THE BOARD IS WHAT WE
ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO TO GET
INFORMATION, COORDINATED
INFORMATION TO THE EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING I WAS
TALKING ABOUT LAST YEAR, THAT
PEOPLE, AND CAN JOIN IN OR NOT
TO THE 57 PLAN AND WHY THAT'S
SO IMPORTANT AND WHY AS A
PERSON WHO IS JUST BEGINNING
HIS OR HER CREATOR -- CAREER
THAT EVEN A SMALL INVESTMENT
STARTS ADDING UP AND I THINK
THE FACT THAT McNABB RAISE THIS
AS WELL, THAT IF WE CAN MAKE
THAT COMMUNICATION CLEAR AND
MORE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE SO
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP
OPTIONS ARE, IT WILL REALLY
HELP.
>> I TOTALLY AGREE.
>> NEXT, JUST WANTED TO COVER
SOME OPTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES, WHETHER
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A PLAN AT
WORK OR NOT. A FEW YEARS AGO
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON LOOKED
AT THIS VERY PROBLEM, AND THE
LEGISLATURE WHILE DIDN'T COME
UP WITH A SOLUTION SIMILAR TO
WHAT THE SRSP IS DESIGNED TO
DO, WHAT THEY DID CREATE IS
THE RETIREMENT MARKETPLACE.
THAT IS A WEBSITE THAT BOTH
EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS CAN GO
TO, TO FIND THIRD-PARTY VENDORS
WHO'VE CREATED INVESTMENT PLANS
THAT ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN
THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN AT
WORK.
THIS IS ONE SMALL STEP TOWARDS
ADDRESSING THOSE BUSINESSES
THAT DON'T CURRENTLY OFFER
PLANS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, AS
WELL AS GIVING A ONE-STOP SHOP
FOR EMPLOYEES TO LOOK TO SEE
WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
BASED UPON YOUR NEEDS, AND YOU
CAN FILL OUT KIND OF AN ONLINE
SURVEY AND IT WILL DIRECT YOU
TO WHAT IS AVAILABLE, AND I
THINK THAT IS A GOOD FIRST STEP
úAND A GOOD RESOURCE FOR BOTH
SMALL BUSINESSES AND
INDIVIDUALS LOOKING TO START
RETIREMENT. >> I BELIEVE THAT YOU SAID
BEFORE THAT THESE ARE FAIRLY
INEXPENSIVE TO JOIN IN.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
JUST THE COSTS, AND ALSO, WHAT
THE BENEFITS WOULD BE FOR AN
INDIVIDUAL WANTING TO INVEST IN
AND NOT -- IN A ROTH IRA AS
CONTRASTED TO AN ORIGINAL ONE.
WHAT GOES INTO MAKING THAT
DECISION?
>> SURE.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO FULL MALL AND
-- KNOWLEDGE ON EVERYTHING THE
RETIREMENT MARKETPLACE OFFERS
BUT IN MY CURSORY LOOK I SAW
THAT THEY TEND TO BE LOW COST,
LOW DOLLAR, MOST IRAS YOU CAN
START WITH ZERO DOLLARS AND
MAKE AN AUTOMATIC DEDUCTION
FROM YOUR PAYCHECK OR HAVE YOUR
EMPLOYER AUTOMATICALLY SEND
SOME MONEY.
MOST OF THE FEES TEND TO BE ON
THE ORDER OF 25 TO 50 BASIS
POINTS, SO MAYBE UP TO HALF A
PERCENTAGE OF INTEREST UNDER
MANAGEMENT AND AS YOU GET
GOING, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD AND
AS YOU GET MORE ASSETS,
SOMETIMES THOSE FEES CAN COME
DOWN.
TO TALK ABOUT A ROTH AND
TRADITIONAL IRA, THOSE ARE TAX-
ADVANTAGED INDIVIDUAL
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS THAT ALLOW
YOU IN 2019 TO SET ASIDE UP TO
$6000 IN PRETAX EARNINGS TO
SAVE FOR RETIREMENT. A
TRADITIONAL IRA IS PRETAX.
A ROTH IRA IS POST-TAX AND
THERE ARE SOME ONLINE
CALCULATORS THAT CAN HELP YOU
DECIDE WHICH MAY BEST FIT YOUR
SITUATION.
BUT BOTH OF THEM, YOU ARE
ALLOWED TO CONTRIBUTE UP TO
$6000 PER YEAR.
THE ROTH IRA WHICH IS POST-TAX
DOES HAVE AN INCOME LIMIT,
WHICH I BELIEVE FOR A SINGLE
FILE OR IS ABOUT -- $130,000
PER YEAR AND FOR A MARRIED
COUPLE FILING JOINTLY IT'S ABOUT
$200,000 A YEAR.
A TRADITIONAL IRA HAS NO INCOME
LIMITS.
>> THAT'S PRETTY GOOD FOR A
CURSORY LOOK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> AND THEN, IF YOU DO HAVE
ACCESS TO A DEFINED
CONTRIBUTION PLAN AT WORK, MOST
EMPLOYEES CAN CONTRIBUTE UP TO
$19,000 A YEAR FOR 2019, BUT IT
DOES HAVE TO BE EITHER A 401(K)
OR A 457 PLAN.
THEN, BELOW, JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF BANKS, INVESTMENT
FIRMS, AND OTHER WEBSITES THAT
OFFER LOW COST WAYS TO SAVE.
TYPICALLY IN THE IRA FORMAT, OR
EVEN PERSONAL TRADING ACCOUNTS.
SOME OF THE ONES I LISTED HERE,
BUT THIS IS BY NO MEANS
EXHAUSTIVE, BUT SCHWAB, TD
AMERITRADE -- >> YOU SAID THERE
AREN'T MINIMUMS, YOU COULD PUT
IN $25 IF YOU WANTED?
>> THAT'S RIGHT, YOU CAN OPEN
IT -- AN ACCOUNT FOR ZERO
DOLLARS.>> ON THE RETIREMENT
MARKETPLACE.COM WEBSITE AS I
HAPPENED TO POP ONTO IT, THEY
REALLY DO HAVE A CONVENIENT
WIDGET THAT HELPS TO SORT OF
GUIDE YOU IN CHOOSING A PLAN
THAT MIGHT FIT YOUR NEEDS, AND
I ALSO NOTICED THAT THEY HAVE
PLANS AVAILABLE FOR SOLE
PROPRIETORS AND -- I FORGOT THE
OTHER TERM.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS
INTERESTING, THAT IT'S NOT JUST
SOMEBODY WITH AN EMPLOYEE
STATUS, BUT IT COULD BE
AVAILABLE TO SOLE PROPRIETORS
AS WELL. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> NICE.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING.
ALL RIGHT.
>> AND THEN JUST FINALLY,
ALLISON HAD SENT SOME QUESTIONS
TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH TO SAVE,
WHAT IS THE PROCESS AND AS I
MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, FOR
MANY WORKERS, SOCIAL SECURITY
MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOR A
COMFORTABLE RETIREMENT.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A CONST --
COMFORTABLE RETIREMENT CAN VARY
AT INCOME LEVELS AND WHAT IS
APPROPRIATE BUT A GENERAL RULE
OF THUMB IS SOMEWHERE ON THE
ORDER OF REPLACING YOUR SALARY
65% TO 75%. MOST WORKERS CAN
EXPECT TO SEE ABOUT 39% TO 40%
OF THEIR SALARY IN RETIREMENT
FROM SOCIAL SECURITY. LOWER
INCOME INDIVIDUALS, LOWER WAGE
EARNERS CAN RECEIVE UP TO 55%,
SO IN THAT WAY, THE SOCIAL
SECURITY PROGRAM IS SLIGHTLY
PROGRESSIVE AND GEARED TOWARD
HELPING LOWER INCOME EARNERS
MORE THAN HIGHER INCOME EARNERS
, BUT STILL, THAT REPRESENTS A
GAP IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT
RULE OF THUMB OF 65% TO 75%
WAGES.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN AND MARKET
FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS FROM
BOSTON COLLEGE ALSO CONCURRED
THAT IF YOU HAD INDIVIDUALS
SAVING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 5% AND
10% OF WAGES, THEY ARE MUCH
MORE LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO FILL
IN THAT GAP AND BE ABLE TO HAVE
A COMFORTABLE RETIREMENT. IT'S
EASY, RELATIVELY
STRAIGHTFORWARD TO OPEN THESE
ACCOUNTS, BE IT THROUGH
RETIREMENT MARKETPLACE OR
OTHERS, AND YOU CAN START WITH
AS LITTLE AS $0 AND MAKE THE
CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH AUTOMATIC
DEDUCTIONS. >> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO SAYS WELL, IF
YOU CAN DO THIS, IF AN
INDIVIDUAL OR SOLE PROPRIETOR
CAN SET SOMETHING UP THROUGH
THE RETIREMENT MARKETPLACE,
WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE FOR THE
STATE? WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE FOR
SEATTLE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN
THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM
WHAT'S AVAILABLE THROUGH THE
MARKETPLACE?
>> I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT PAGE
BACK ON THE SEATTLE RETIREMENT
SAVINGS PLAN THAT REALLY, THE
BIG BENEFIT IS GETTING PEOPLE
WHO ARE NOT CURRENTLY SAVING
FOR RETIREMENT TO AUTOMATICALLY
SAVE, AND THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A
PLAN LIKE THE SEATTLE
RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN, OR IF
THE STATE 'S PLAN, THE
RETIREMENT MARKETPLACE WERE TO
GO TO AN AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT,
I THINK YOU SEE A MUCH HIGHER
PARTICIPATION RATE.
MANY MORE PEOPLE SAVING FOR
RETIREMENT AND CLOSING THAT GAP.
I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO
THE DIFFERENCE.
>> I DON'T THINK THESE THINGS
ARE IN CONFLICT, EITHER.
I THINK THE MARKETPLACE BEING
OUT THERE IS A GOOD OPTION FOR
SOME EMPLOYERS OR SOLE
PROPRIETORS TO ENGAGE IN THAT,
BUT IT WORKS WELL FOR PEOPLE
WHOSE EMPLOYERS DON'T TALK TO
-- OFFER IT WHERE THEY CAN BE
AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED IN A
SAVINGS PLAN.
>> ALSO REMEMBER, NEW JOBS FROM
AN EMPLOYER STANDPOINT, IT'S
EASIER TO TRANSFER THAT
RETIREMENT PROGRAM TO THE NEXT
JOB THAN IF WE HAVE SEPARATE
ONES WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH
AND TRYING TO MANAGE THAT
BEHIND-THE-SCENES.
>> DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER
QUESTION?
>> I DO.
SO ON THE WASHINGTON STATE
LEGISLATIVE EFFORT, WHO IS
RUNNING THOSE BILLS?
>> I AM NOT AWARE OF THE
SPONSOR OF THAT.
I'VE HEARD THAT IT'S CLOSE TO
BEING INTRODUCED NOW, BUT IT'S
NOT INTRODUCED YET.
>> YES.
I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DIG INTO THE WORK THAT THE
BOARD DID IN TERMS OF THE NITTY-
GRITTY, GRANULAR DETAILS OF THE
FEASIBILITY STUDY. BUT I'M
SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE
ARE PUNTING UNTIL THE STATE ACTS
, AND PART OF THAT IS
ADMITTEDLY BECAUSE I HAVEN'T
HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN THE
WEEDS LIKE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN,
AND LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT
FEASIBILITY STUDY SAYS, THAT
LED THE BOARD TO BELIEVE THAT
IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO WAIT
FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO
TAKE SOME ACTION HERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THAT IS THE
STRATEGY THAT IS GOING TO BE
PURSUED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
THEN I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE A
VERY HIGH PRIORITY ON OUR STATE
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AND WE NEED
TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE
SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE
BILL IN OLYMPIA, TO ENSURE THAT
THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE PLAN
SHOULD END NEEDS TO BE
STRUCTURED IN ORDER TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF SEATTLE WORKERS, IN
PARTICULAR.
WE ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITY
IN THE STATE AND ONE OF THE
MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES IN THE
COUNTRY. OUR WAGE WEALTH GAP
CONTINUES TO GROW, AND MIDDLE
INCOME CLASS FAMILIES JUST FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE LOSING GROUND IN
THE CITY, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE
THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
MAINTAIN WEALTH IN THE SAME WAY
AS INCREDIBLY RICH PEOPLE DO IN
OUR CITY, SO I THINK THIS IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT PLAN FOR US TO
CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PRESSURE
ON, TO KEEP THE SUPPORT VERY
VERY STRONG FOR SOMETHING LIKE
THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS
EXACTLY WHAT SO MANY THOUSANDS
AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS IN OUR CITY REALLY NEED
THIS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME
LEVEL OF FINANCIAL SECURITY
INTO THE FUTURE, SO I'M
INTERESTED IN JUST LEARNING A
LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT THE
LEGISLATURE INTENDS IN THIS
AREA, AND WHAT THIS BOARD
INTENDS TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE
SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT IN
OLYMPIA NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER
TO MAKE SURE THE NEEDS OF OUR
WORKERS ARE MET HERE.
>> GREAT.
>> I WOULD BE ALONG WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA THERE IN
FEBRUARY ON THE 12th SO WE WILL
BE TALKING ABOUT THAT MORE.
>> VERY GOOD.
ANYTHING ELSE?
ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD
LIKE TO ADD, GENTLEMEN?
>> OKAY ONLY BECAUSE I HARASSED
GEORGE WITH SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK MY GOAL IS JUST,
RETIREMENT FOR A LONG TIME FOR
MANY PEOPLE SEEMS UNATTAINABLE
AND UNAPPROACHABLE, AND I THINK
THIS HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
THAT EASY AND ACCESSIBLE AND
ANYWAY WE CAN PUSH IT, I THINK
WOULD BENEFIT SEATTLEITES
GREATLY.
>> THE OTHER THING IS WE TALK
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
RETIREMENT, LIKE DEFINED-
BENEFIT WHICH IS LARGELY JUST
IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR NOW AND
THERE'S DEFINED CONTRIBUTION,
BUT THERE'S A GROWING NUMBER OF
EMPLOYERS THAT DON'T OFFER
ANYTHING, SO -- AND DEFINED-
BENEFIT IS LARGELY GONE AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR. SO WHAT WE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT YOU ARE
GOING TO GET THIS WAVE OF
PEOPLE THAT ALL THEY HAVE IS
SOCIAL SECURITY AND THAT'S NOT
GOING TO BE ADEQUATE TO FUND
THEIR RETIREMENT YEARS, SO YES,
WE WANT TO SUPPORT ANY EFFORT
THAT PROVIDES THIS AS AN OPTION
FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T COVERED
RIGHT NOW.
>> YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS WHAT
YOUR ESTIMATED PAYMENT WOULD BE
ON THEIR WEBSITE, RIGHT?
>> YES, AND IT'S SHOCKINGLY
LOW, SO YOU TALK ABOUT 40%, NO
WAY ANYBODY CAN LIVE ON 40% IN
THE CITY, SO WE APPRECIATE THE
WORK YOU ARE DOING.
OKAY, THANK YOU, AND WE'LL HAVE
MORE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, I
THINK ONE OF THE POINTS WE
WANTED TO MAKE THIS YEAR IS
JUST MAKING THIS AVAILABLE,
THIS INFORMATION ABOUT
RETIREMENT AND VARIOUS PLANS
THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND
OTHERS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS
THE DEPARTMENT AND
NEIGHBORHOODS REPORT, AND I
WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ANDRES UP
AND I THINK SARAH MORNINGSTAR I
SAW COME IN AND ANY OTHERS THAT
WANT TO JOIN WITH THIS .
>> HI.
>> HELLO.
>> AS YOU GET SETTLED IN, I
DON'T THINK YOU WERE HERE,
ANDRES, WHEN I JUST MENTIONED
HOW MUCH I APPRECIATED THE
MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THAT
COMMISSION AND THE WORK THEY
ARE DOING, I THINK, IS ADDING
MORE DEPTH FROM THE DEPARTMENT
OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND REACHING
PEOPLE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO DO YOU WANT TO DO
INTRODUCTIONS?
>> ANDRES MANTILLA DEPARTMENT
DIRECTOR FOR DEPARTMENTS AND
-- NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> I'M WITH THE EXTERNAL
AFFAIRS, DIVISION DIRECTOR.
>> I'M SARAH MORNINGSTAR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE.
>> LET ME JUST ECHO THE THANKS
FOR YOUR PRESENCE,
COUNCILMEMBER.
YESTERDAY I KNEW THE COMMISSION
WAS VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOU TO
ATTEND AS WELL. THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU
HERE AND TALK ABOUT, NOW THAT I
GUESS IT'S BEEN ABOUT NINE OR
10 MONTHS SINCE I WAS FIRST
INTERIM AND THEN PERMANENT
DIRECTOR. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND
REALLY REFLECT ON THE 2018
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THEN
POSITION US FOR 2019, SO
THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION WHAT
I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TALK
ABOUT THE OVERVIEW OF HOW WE
ARE ORGANIZING AND CONTINUING
TO ORGANIZE NOW, IN PARTICULAR,
SOME OF OUR EXTERNAL --
INTERNAL RELATIONS STRUCTURE
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF WAING
WAING, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND TAKE YOU
THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE
ARE DOING, WHICH IS REALLY
EXCITING FOR ME, AROUND
STRATEGIC PLANNING.
I THINK IT WILL ALLOW US TO
KIND OF CONVENE UNDER A
NORTHSTAR, WHERE WE ARE ALL
WORKING TOWARD THE SAME GOAL
AND THEN TALKING ABOUT 2019
PRIORITIES AND PROJECT FOCUS.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
DID WHEN I FIRST CAME IN WAS
REALLY TRY TO ANALYZE, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE CORE FUNCTIONS WE
NEED TO CREATE IN ORDER TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN BOTH SUPPORTING
THE COMMUNITY ACCESS INTO
GOVERNMENT AND ALSO BEST
POSITIONING THE CITY AND ITS
IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS AND
PLANNING? ONE OF THE THINGS I REALIZED
VERY QUICKLY IS THAT OUTREACH
WAS FAIRLY SILOED EVEN WITHIN
DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS, SO IT
WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO
GET A HANDLE ON THE TYPES OF
NEEDS, HOW WE NEEDED TO
ORGANIZE OURSELVES INTERNALLY
IN ORDER TO BEST POSITION
OURSELVES FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO
BIG PICTURE, WE KIND OF HAVE
FOUR MAIN FUNCTIONS NOW UNDER
THE DEPARTMENT.
ONE IS INTERNAL OPERATIONS
WHICH HANDLES COMMUNITY
INVESTMENTS, GRANTS SUCH AS
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND, THE
RIVER OPPORTUNITY FUND,
COMMUNITY ASSETS, WHETHER IT BE
AND OUR REGULAR FUNCTION AND SO
ON.
AND THEN EXTERNAL RELATIONS, I
THINK, IS WHERE WE DID MOST OF
THE RESTRUCTURING AND CREATED A
NEW OFFICE CALLED STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES AND IT IS SET TO
REALLY SUPPORT LONGER-TERM
POLICY-RELATED INVESTMENTS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE
SUPPORTING OUR HOMELESSNESS AND
UN-HOUSED STRATEGY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT SUPPORTING OUR
SOUND TRANSIT THREE AND
STRATEGY -- INVESTMENT
STRATEGY, IT WORKS BETTER IF WE
HAVE A CONSISTENT PRESENCE
RATHER THAN ONE OFFS, SO IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO ME TO REALLY
STRENGTHEN THAT TEAM AND
THEREFORE I CREATED THE
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES TEAM SO
THE INTERNAL -- EXTERNAL
RELATIONS TEAM IS NOW WHERE
THOSE THINGS ARE HOUSED AND WE
WILL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT BUT WHAT'S CRUCIAL
HERE FOR US IS THAT AS WE
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE
DEPARTMENT, HOW DO WE GROW
CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
CAPITAL AND PLANNING
DEPARTMENTS SO THAT WE ARE NOT
WORKING CROSS PURPOSE FROM EACH
OTHER, BUT REALLY WORKING HAND
IN HAND IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING
THE CITY OBJECTIVES AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, BREAKING DOWN SOME
OF THOSE BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND
ELEVATING COMMUNITY VOICE.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO SARAH MORNINGSTAR WHO IS OUR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LEADS THE
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS DIVISION
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HER
SO THAT SHE CAN INTRODUCE THE
DIVISION A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO RECAP THE
PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS DIVISION.
AS ANDRES MENTIONED IT IS
COMMUNITY GRANTS, WHICH IS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND
AWARDING $2.4 MILLION IN 2018,
AND THAT SPARKS ARE LARGER
PROJECTS TOTALING 150 OF --
PROJECTS OUT THE DOOR.
IT'S ALSO THE RIVER OPPORTUNITY
FUND. A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF
THAT ARE $50,000 THAT WENT TO
THE SOUTH PARK INFORMATION
RESOURCE CENTER AND $40,000 TO
CONCORD AND THE NATIONAL PTA --
ADDITIONALLY THE FIND IT, FIX
IT PROGRAM THAT WE HELPED
CREATE LAST YEAR, WITH MONEY
GOING TO THE BEACH ASSOCIATION
FOR THEIR WORK AND A
SUSTAINABLE PROJECT THEY HAVE
THERE. OUR P-PATCH PROGRAM HAS 90
GARDENS.
IT'S A WAY THAT WE HAVE 3000 OF
OUR NEIGHBORS INVOLVED IN
GARDENING ACROSS THE CITY, AND
WE HAVE MAJOR INSTITUTIONS AND
HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND
AGAIN, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS,
EIGHT HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND 13
MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, PLUS A
SEPARATE PROGRAM FOR THE K-12
WORK WE'VE DONE WITH SEATTLE
SCHOOLS. >> ARE YOU GOING TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT EITHER NOW OR IN A
FEW MOMENTS ABOUT HOW YOU ARE
CHANGING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
MATCHING GRANTS FROM BEING
$100,000 MATT'S -- MAX TO
$25,000.04 TIMES A YEAR, HOW
THAT WORKS AND WHAT THE MAJOR
PROJECT COULD APPLY -- HOW DOES
THAT WORK?
>> SURE. ANDRES IS WILLING TO TAKE THAT.
>> IF IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE HERE
WE CAN COME BACK TO IT.
>> KNOW IT'S APPROPRIATE HERE.
I THINK AS WE WERE GOING
THROUGH THE REALITIES OF THE
PROGRAM, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS
AGAIN TO THE COUNCIL FOR THE
CARRYFORWARD LEGISLATION, WHICH
YOU PASSED IN THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS. IT'S US -- IT'S
A GAME CHANGER FOR US IN TERMS
OF HOW WE BUDGET AND IMPLEMENT
HE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHIN
WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL TOO
MUCH IT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS THE
CARRYOVER UNENCUMBERED OR
UNRELEASED FUNDS INTO THE NEXT
YEAR, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE
TO FUND THAT PROJECT WITH THE
SAME DOLLARS THROUGH
COMPLETION.
PRIOR TO THAT, WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO DO THAT. WE HAD TO FIND NEW
FUNDS, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE
COMPLETION OF EXISTING PROJECTS
IN THE PRIOR YEAR.
BUT WE ALSO HEARD FROM
DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITIES THAT
SPENDING $100,000 IN A FISCAL
YEAR, EVEN WITH SEVERAL
EXTENSIONS, IS DIFFICULT. SO
REALLY LOOKING AT AND I THINK
ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD
WITH YOU ALL AROUND THE NEED
FOR CAPACITY BUILDING, ONE OF
THE THINGS TO ME ABOUT
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND IS
THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PIECE
OF IT, MEANING STAFF WILL
REVIEW OUR DRAFTS OF GRANTS AND
APPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT
AND GIVE YOU FEEDBACK AS TO IF
YOU ARE HITTING THE MARK OR YOU
NEED TO ADJUST YOUR BUDGET
PROPOSAL. BY REDUCING THE
AMOUNTS, WE TRULY FEEL THAT A,
WE WILL FEEL QUICKER -- THE
QUICKER RESULT OF CASH GETTING
OUT THE DOOR AND DIFFERENT
TYPES OF COMMUNITIES THAT MAY
HAVE SEEN THAT 100,000 IS A
LITTLE TOO MUCH, AND SEEING
$25,000 IS MORE ACCESSIBLE. FOR
THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
BEEN RECEIVING $100,000 AND
ESSENTIALLY FOR A LOT OF
IMPROVEMENTS THAT I WILL CALL
CAPITAL OR PLAYGROUND
IMPROVEMENTS, THEY WILL STILL
BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE FUND, BUT
THEY WILL LIKELY HAVE TO ACCESS
IT IN PHASES.
AND ACTUALLY, WE THINK IT WILL
RESULT IN MORE PROJECTS OUT THE
DOOR AND THOSE PROJECTS THAT
ARE ACCESSING IN PHASES WILL
STILL BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL
BECAUSE THE LARGE AMOUNT OF
THEM WEREN'T REALLY EXPANDING
THE RESOURCES IN A GIVEN YEAR
ANYWAY.>> LET'S ASSUME THAT A
NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THEIR
COMMUNITY DESIRE, AND IT'S
CLEAR. CAN THEY APPLY UPFRONT FOR A
PHASE 1-2-3 SO LET'S SAY THE
PROJECT IS VALUED AT $100,000
OR DO THEY HAVE TO APPLY FOUR
TIMES? >> WE HAVE THREE CYCLES PER
YEAR, SO THEY WOULD APPLY
INDIVIDUALLY PER CYCLE.
THEY WORK WITH OUR STAFF TO
REALLY SHOW THE OVERALL PROJECT
INTENDS AND AS WE DO NOW, WE
SEE THE DIRECTION THEY ARE
MOVING ON ONE THING WE ARE ALSO
WORKING ON KIND OF SEPARATE
FROM NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING FUND
WITH OUR MORE CONSOLIDATED
GRANTING APPROACH, IS TO LOOK
AT WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE
AVAILABLE THAT MAYBE MAKE MORE
SENSE TO LEVERAGE AT GIVEN
TIMES. SO FOR EXAMPLE MAYBE IT IS
STREET FUND AND WE WILL TALK
ABOUT THAT LATER BUT WE WILL
BRING THAT IN MORE CLOSELY WITH
YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE BECAUSE
AT TIMES, THEY ARE FUNDING A
LOT OF THE SAME THINGS AND WHEN
THERE ARE GAPS BECAUSE OF LACK
OF COLLABORATION, THAT'S A LOT
OF TIMES WHERE NEIGHBORHOOD
MANAGEMENT COMES IN SO IF WE
CAN BETTER -- ALIGN THOSE THERE
COULD BE SOME EFFICIENCIES
THERE. >> I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT I
THINK YOU'VE MADE IT CLEARER TO
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS HOW THEY
APPLY, AND FOR WHAT ACCOUNTS
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, YOU HAD
SMALL SPARKS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANTS
AND THEN WE HAD YORE VOICE JUST
-- YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE AND
WAYS OF OFFERING MONEY FOR
DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND I THINK
PEOPLE WERE FRANKLY CONFUSED
ABOUT WHAT THEY COULD APPLY FOR
AND HOW MUCH MONEY AND WHETHER
OR NOT THERE WERE GAPS LEFT
OVER. >> AND CERTAINLY, WE ARE STILL
IN VERY OPEN CONVERSATIONS WITH
COMMUNITY GROUPS.
WE WANT TO SEE THIS AS A KIND
OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
CAPACITY FOR A LOT OF FOLKS AND
SO IN CONSTANT CONVERSATIONS
NOW WITH STAFF AND EVEN MYSELF
AROUND HOW TO BEST ACCESS THESE
FUNDS. >> THANK YOU.
SO NEXT IN OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE WAING
WAING WHO IS A RELATIVELY NEW
HIRE TO THE DEPARTMENT BUT HAS
A LOT OF EXPERTISE BOTH IN
RACIAL EQUALITY WORK AND
DEVELOPMENT CHANGE, WHICH WAS
ESSENTIAL FOR THIS FUNCTION OF
THE OFFICE, WHICH AS I
MENTIONED HAD A LOT OF EFFORTS
GOING ON, BUT THEY WEREN'T
NECESSARILY BEING COORDINATED
OR COLLABORATIVE IN THE WAY WE
NEEDED IT TO BE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL SO I WILL JUST
INTRODUCE WAING WAING.
>> AS ANDRE MENTIONED, I AM
RELATIVELY NEW.
>> WE CAN MOVE THIS AROUND IF
IT'S EASIER FOR YOU.
>> GREAT.
I THINK JUST TO SORT OF
ELABORATE ON WHAT HE MENTIONED
EARLIER AND BRINGING THE THREE
DIFFERENT TEAMS UNDER ONE
DIVISION FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
IS THAT, IN TRADITIONAL
OUTREACH, IT'S USUALLY ONE TIME
ENGAGEMENTS THAT HAPPEN, BUT WE
KNOW THAT IT TAKES TIME AND
MULTIPLE EFFORTS TO BUILD UP
TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
COMMUNITY SO JUST KIND OF
HAVING ONE PROJECT -- RATHER
THAN NOT DOING ANYTHING AND
WAITING FOR ANOTHER PROJECT TO
COME, IT DOESN'T WORK WELL SO
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT RINGING
THESE TEAMS TOGETHER IS REALLY
TO LOOK AT HOW WE SEE HOW THEY
ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED AND SEE
THE CONTINUUM OF ENGAGEMENT
THAT THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS TO
DO ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH AND
THAT WE ARE REALLY -- INSTEAD
OF ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL, WE ARE
RELEASING A THREE-PRONGED
APPROACH AND THOSE REALLY KIND
OF INCUR AROUND THESE AREAS.
WE'VE MENTIONED THE STRATEGIC
INITIATIVE OF SORT OF THE LONG-
TERM WORK THAT IT TAKES TO
REALLY BRING IN THE COMMUNITY
VOICES TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE AND
EFFECT ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT
AND POLICY. AND THEN WE HAVE OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT, WHICH HAS MORE OF A
LONG-STANDING LEGACY PROGRAM,
AND THIS IS REALLY LIKE HAVING
OUR FOLKS OUT IN THE GROUND,
TAKING A PULSE AND READ OF
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE
COMMUNITY.
JUST THIS MORNING I WAS PART OF
THE VIADUCT CLOSURE CALLS AND
WAS ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THE
THINGS WE ARE HEARING FROM THAT
AREA IN RELATION TO VIADUCT
CLOSURE, SO IT'S A WAY OF
KNOWING WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT
NOW IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE CAN
REACT AS PART OF THE CONTINUUM
AND THEN WE HAVE THE THIRD
PILLAR OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, SO WE
HAVE PROGRAMS IN THERE.
WE HAVE THE PEOPLE'S ACADEMY
FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ALSO
THE COMMISSIONS.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
COMMISSIONS.
REALLY LOOKING AT HOW THAT ACTS
AS A PIPELINE FOR FOLKS TO
BECOME CIVIC LEADERS IN OUR
NEXT GENERATION, AND BEING ABLE
TO REALLY SORT OF TAP INTO
THESE AREAS OF ENGAGEMENT.
>> NICE, SO WHEN YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONS AS AN
EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR NEW
COMMISSION, BUT ARE WE REACHING
OUT TO SOME OF THE OTHER
ESTABLISHED COMMISSIONS LIKE
YOUTH COMMISSION AS AN EXAMPLE,
ARE WE TAPPING INTO THOSE
RESOURCES AS WELL?
>> YES WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEATTLE
YOUTH COMMISSION UNDER PART OF
THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AREA,
AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON HOW
TO ESTABLISH MORE COLLABORATION
AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH OTHER
GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY AND
MAYBE JUST HAVE SOME MORE
CONSISTENCY IN HOW THE PROCESS
MIGHT WORK.
>> I THINK THAT'S REALLY
VALUABLE BECAUSE, WHAT DO WE
HAVE, 60 OR 70 COMMISSIONS?
I MEAN, IT'S A BIG NUMBER.
>> AND GROWING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> ALL GOOD THINGS, AND I'VE
TALKED WITH A COUPLE OF
COMMISSIONERS WHO SAID YOU
KNOW, WE REALLY FEEL WE COULD
BE USED MORE, THAT WE ARE
VOLUNTEERING TIME, AND WE MEET
MONTHLY USUALLY, BUT WE THINK
THERE'S MORE WE COULD DO, AND I
THOUGHT TODAY WHEN I MET AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO JUST SAID, HEY,
I REALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE
BUT I DON'T WANT TO JUST BE
SITTING AND GOING TO MEETINGS.
I WANT TO HAVE SOME RESULTS AT
THE END, SO I WOULD LOVE TO
HAVE THAT HERE IF NOT TODAY, IN
THE FUTURE, WHAT WE CAN DO TO
REALLY LEVERAGE THOSE
COMMISSIONS, BECAUSE I JUST HIM
SO RESPECTFUL OF THE AMOUNT OF
TIME PEOPLE DONATE AND WE WANT
TO REALLY MAKE THE BEST USE SO
THAT EVERYBODY FEELS THEIR TIME
IS BEING VALUED.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST A QUICK COUPLE SLIDES ON
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE
THINK MAYBE DON'T GET AS MUCH
LIMELIGHT, BUT WE THINK ARE
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS TO HOW WE
DO OUTREACH AND HOW WE ORGANIZE
INFORMATION FOR COMMUNITIES, IN
2018, WE WERE ABLE TO LAUNCH
KIND OF A COUPLE OF ONE-STOP
SHOP CITY RESOURCE TOOLS, THE
FIRST ONE BEING THE COMMUNITY
RESOURCE HUB THAT PROVIDES
TOOLS, TEMPLATES, SHEETS,
PROFILES, WEBSITES, AND THE
GOAL REALLY IS TO HELP THE
COMMUNITY GET INFORMED,
INVOLVED, ENGAGED, ALL WITH ONE
SITE AND NOT HAVING TO GO TO
FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT
WEBSITES. WE'VE FOUND A LOT OF
GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THAT, BOTH
FROM THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO
FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND SOME
ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE
USING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SNAPSHOTS
AS GOOD RESOURCES FOR THEIR
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT. THE
OTHER THING WE DID WAS THE
COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDEBOOK,
WHICH IS KIND OF MORE HANDHELD
INFORMATION ON HOW TO ENGAGE,
WHERE TO FIND RESOURCES AND
SOMETHING WE COULD PASSOUT MORE
EASILY AND FINALLY, ONE OF THE
THINGS WE HEARD CONSTANTLY FROM
COMMUNITIES WAS, WE HAVE THIS
INTEREST AND INTENT TO MEET,
BUT WE DON'T HAVE A SPACE TO
BE, SO WORKING WITH OUR
PARTNERS AT THE ARTS, WE
PARTNERED ONSET BASE FINDER --
ON SPACE FINDER WHICH HELPS
FIND SPACES FOR FREE OR AT COST
SO AT LEAST FOLKS HAVE
INFORMATION THEY CAN ACCESS
WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, SO IT'S
BEEN A REALLY USEFUL TOOL FOR
THAT ORGANIZATION -- THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT
WAS NEW TO THE DEPARTMENT WAS
OUR EARLY OUTREACH FOR DESIGN
REVIEW.
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A PRODUCT OF
THE INITIAL HALL
RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT
PARTNERS WITH THIS DCI AND THE
INTENT WAS REALLY TO CREATE A
SPACE. WHAT WE HEAR FROM THEM
IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO
GET IN TOUCH WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO HAVE A
MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AND
FRANKLY FROM THE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS A LOT OF THESE WERE
BEING BROUGHT WHERE THEY REALLY
SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFOREHAND
SO THE MEETINGS CAN REALLY BE
ABOUT DESIGN. SO WE FEEL THAT
IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING SOME
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH AND JUST
KIND OF REDO -- REVIEWING THE
PROCESS TO SEE WHERE
IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE BUT
JUST A FEW NUMBERS, NUMBER OF
CONTACTS TO START THE PROCESS,
140.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> IT MEANS THE NUMBER OF FOLKS
THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE
PROCESS SO APPLICANTS AND
DEVELOPERS OR INTERESTED IN THE
PROCESS ITSELF. AND THEN THEY
HAVE ADDITIONAL OUTREACH IN THE
PLAN WE APPROVE THAT PLAN BASED
ON THE INTENT TO ENGAGE WITH
COMMUNITY INEQUITY AREAS, WHICH
ARE LARGELY IN OUR CENTRAL KIND
OF DOWNTOWN AND SOUTH SEATTLE
SPACES THAT REQUIRE AN
ADDITIONAL TOUCH, SO NUMBER OF
EQUITY AREA PLANS APPROVED, 32.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN GOOD FEEDBACK
FROM DEVELOPERS ON THIS PROCESS
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE
IT.
>> IS THAT 60 DIFFERENT
PROJECTS OR BUILDINGS?
>> 60 DIFFERENT PLANS I BELIEVE.
>> IT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOU ARE
BRINGING THIS UP TODAY BECAUSE
I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION
EARLIER, AND IT CONTINUES AND I
WILL TELL YOU GOING BACK 10
YEARS TO THE FIRST -- I CAN'T
TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE SAID
DESIGN REVIEW WAS BROKEN.
I MUST'VE HEARD THAT 150 TIMES
AND I THINK BIG IMPROVEMENTS
WERE MADE AND I ALSO CONTINUE
TO HEAR FROM NEIGHBORS THAT,
WELL, BY THE TIME THAT EARLY
DESIGN GUIDANCE IS PASSED, THEY
ARE GOING TO THE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS AND AGAIN I HEAR PEOPLE
SAYING YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO
US AND I THINK THAT TRANSLATES
INTO I THINK YOU ARE NOT DOING
WHAT WE WANT, AND SO I'M
HOPEFUL THAT IN THIS PROJECT,
THAT WE CAN GET TO PEOPLE EARLY,
BECAUSE I KNOW AND HAVE HEARD
THAT IF PEOPLE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CAN ACTUALLY REACH
OUT TO THE DEVELOPER, THE
ARCHITECT PRIOR TO THE TIME --
THAT THEY ARE MAKING THESE
PLANS, THEY WILL BE MUCH MORE
INTERESTED -- WHAT IS IT ABOUT
ACCESS TO THESE PLACES THAT
PEOPLE CAN PULL OUT OR STEP IN,
SO JUST GETTING MORE LIGHT AND
AIR.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE DOING
THIS AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE
YOU KEEP US INFORMED OF HOW
IT'S GOING.
>> JUST A REMINDER THAT THE
PROGRAM CAME ONLINE IN JUNE.
>> I THINK THERE ARE ALSO
TRADITIONAL GROUPS THAT LOOKED
AT THIS DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS
TO BEGIN WITH AND IT WAS A
LARGE MOTIVATOR FOR PEOPLE
WANTING -- TO MOVE TO A MORE
TRADITIONAL OUTREACH MODEL. TO
MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION OF
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
COMMISSION THAT IS MUCH MORE
REFLECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE OF THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY.
I APPRECIATE THE ONGOING
ITERATIVE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THOSE OF --
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS THAT
ARE MOST IMPACTED BY OUR RAPID
GROWTH, THAT THOSE ARE THE
FOLKS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE
CENTERED IN THE CONVERSATION,
AS OPPOSED TO FOLKS IN OUR CITY
WHO HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN WHAT THE
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD DOES AND
WHEN THEY DO IT AND DON'T LIKE
THE OUTCOME, AND SO, ATTACKED
THE SYSTEM IN THE PROCESS
BECAUSE THERE'S VERY LITTLE
THAT WE CAN DO OTHER THAN
MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO THAT
WILL BE SATISFACTORY TO THEM
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
CONTINUING TO REACH INTO
NEIGHBORHOODS DEEPLY TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE NOT CONTINUING TO
GO TO THE SAME WELL EVERY
SINGLE TIME BECAUSE EVERY
SINGLE TIME WE DO THAT WE WILL
GET THE SAME QUALITY OF WATER
FROM THAT SAME WELL, EVERY
SINGLE TIME.
SO I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO
GRAPPLE WITH THE ISSUES AROUND
GROWTH AND DISPLACEMENT AND
GENTRIFICATION AND DELIBERATING
-- MANDATORY HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY LEGISLATION IN
COUNCILMEMBER JOHNSON PROVOST
COMMITTEE, FOR ME IT WILL BE
IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE READILY AND --
AVAILABLE INFORMATION AS
POLICYMAKERS ABOUT HOW INCLUSIVE
THE OUTREACH HAS BEEN IN THOSE
AREAS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN PUSH
BACK ON THIS A LITTLE BIT. WE
JUST DON'T WANT SEATTLE TO
CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.
>> WELL STATED.
>> SO JUST QUICKLY ON THE YOUR
VOICE, YOUR CHOICE PROGRAM,
TOO ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN MY
VIEW. REALLY GOING AWAY FROM
QALITY MANAGER TO INTERACTIONS
TO YOUR POINT COUNCILMEMBER
AROUND ELEVATING VOICES OF
THOSE MOST IMPACTED THROUGH A
PURCHASE PARITY --
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROGRAM.
WE PROVIDED A MAXIMUM OF 285
ALLOCATIONS AND THEN THE
REMAINING 1 MILLION WHICH WAS
ADDED IN 2018 ONLY DESIGNATED
FOR THE EQUITY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE FOCUS
AREAS AS WELL SOME ADDITIONAL
FUNDING INTO THOSE AREAS.
WE HAD OVER 1000 IDEAS THAT
WERE COMMUNITY GENERATED AND
THERE WERE 21 SELECTED IN
DEVELOP MENTAL EQUITY AREAS.
THIS WAS A NEW MODEL NOT
NECESSARILY TO THE CITY BUT
SORT OF AT THIS SCALE I THINK
THE FIRST TIME WE HAD DONE IT
THIS WAY AROUND PAID
PARTICIPATION FOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
SELECTION PROCESS, AND
ESSENTIALLY REALLY TURNING OVER
THE POWER OF THE SELECTION
PROCESS TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH
IS NEW FOR THEM AND IT HAS BEEN
SO SUCCESSFUL THAT OTHER
GRANTING INITIATIVES AND
PROGRAMS HAVE LOOKED TO TAKE
ITEMS FROM YOUR VOICE, YOUR
CHOICE TO IMPLEMENT INTO THESE
OTHER PROGRAMS AND WE ARE
CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THIS. THIS IS WHERE I WAS
TALKING ABOUT BETTER
INTERACTION WITH NEIGHBORHOOD
STREET FUND.
WE WILL BE LOOKING TO FUND WAYS
TO BETTER TRACK AND IN LINE
BOTH THE OUTREACH AND
STRATEGIES BUT ALSO YOUR VOICE,
YOUR CHOICE AS IT RELATES TO
THE FUND.
>> WHEN YOU SAID THIS WAS
UNUSUAL BECAUSE YOU HAD
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE
MAKING THE DECISIONS, I THINK
WE HAD COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PAST,
BUT THERE WAS A SENSE THAT IT
WAS STAGNANT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
CLARIFICATION.
>> SO NOW WHAT I AM REALLY
IMPRESSED WITH IS, WITH YOUR
VOICE, YOUR CHOICE, THERE ARE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER
PARTICIPATED BEFORE THAT ARE
SAYING , THIS IS MY
NEIGHBORHOOD AND I REALLY WANT
TO BE INVOLVED AND OF COURSE,
THEY GO AND MAKE THEIR
NEIGHBORS VOTE FOR IT AND I'M
FINDING THAT TO BE FRANKLY A
LOT OF FUN THAT IN DISTRICT 7 I
WAS SEEING A LOT OF COMPETITION
AMONG THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
GETTING PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.
>> JUST QUICKLY, OTHER
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE HAD OVER 50
GRADUATES. WE HAD HOSTED WHAT'S
CALLED POP UP WORKSHOPS WHICH
IS TAKING ME IDEAS INTO THE
OMMUNITY TO ORGANIZE AROUND,
PARTICULARLY A COMMUNITY THAT
MAYBE HASN'T HAD THAT ACCESS OR
UNDERSTANDING CAPACITY OF
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT
AND HOW DO WE BUILD THE SKILLS
AND START THAT CONVERSATION, SO
AS IT RELATES TO SOUND TRANSIT
THREE, WE DID A POP UP WORKSHOP
INTEL REACH AND MAYBE A LOT OF
CONVERSATION HAD HAPPENED BUT
THERE NEED TO BE ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS THAT TAKE PLACE
IN TERMS OF HOW YOU PARTICIPTE
IN THE PROCESS THAT IS
DESIGNATING THE ROUTE THROUGH
YOUR COMMUNITY ESSENTIALLY SO
THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THE PROGRAMS DEDICATED TO
TEACHING HANDS-ON EMPOWERMENT
SKILLS. IT CAME OUT FUNNY ENOUGH
IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
DISTRICT COORDINATORS THE
PROPOSED THAT AFTER HEARING FROM
THEM THEY NEEDED MORE TOOLS ON
HOW TO ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS,
SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
>> BUT PEOPLE IN THE POP-UPS
ARE NOT PART OF THE PACE
PROGRAM, OR THEY ARE?
>> THEY ARE SEPARATE.
>> AND THEN FINALLY THE SPACES
WHERE WE CONTINUE TO GROW IS
REALLY IN THIS PARTNERSHIP. WE
ARE AT OVER 80 LEASING --
LIAISONS WORKING ACROSS 15
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ON 40
DIFFERENT PROJECTS, NOT JUST IN
TERMS OF TRANSLATION WHICH I
THINK IS WHERE WITH -- IT
STARTED BUT NOT WHERE I HOPE IT
ENDS. I THINK FOR US, WE ARE BUILDING
MORE INVESTMENT BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY AND WE CONTRACT THOSE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTS WITH
THOSE VIDEOS BUT REALLY PAYING
THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND
BUILDING MORE LONG-LASTING
SKILLS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
>> SO YOU ARE PAYING THEM TO BE
DOING THIS, AND DO PEOPLE
VOLUNTEER OR DO THEY APPLY TO
BE PAID?
>> IT'S ESSENTIALLY AS WE HAVE
CONTRACTED WITH DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS, THEY SAY WE WANT
TO UTILIZE THIS TOOL AND IF
THERE'S A ROSTER FOR CAPACITY
NEED WE GO OUT TO ADDITIONAL
CONTRACTORS OR IS NOT WE CAN GO
FROM THE BASIC ROSTER.
JUST QUICKLY, WE TALKED ABOUT
THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS. WE HAD
468 REVIEWS -- AND NINE
APPLICATIONS FOR SPECIAL TAX
EVALUATION.
A BIG PIECE OF IT HERE AS YOU
KNOW IS THE WORK THAT WE'VE
BEEN WORKING TO TRACK THIS YEAR
AND THAT WHOLE PROCESS AND WE
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE ON THAT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I'M REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT FOR 2018 IS THIS
DISTRICT PLANNING.
AND I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE CONTOURS OF WHAT WE
ARE DOING HERE. THIS HAS BEEN
STAFF DRIVEN FROM THE BEGINNING
AND THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT IN
ORDER TO HAVE BUY-IN AND
OWNERSHIP OF THE RESULT.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS HAS BEEN REALLY FUN AND
IT'S BEEN AWAY FOR THE STAFF TO
DRIVE SORT OF OUR MISSION AND
VISION AND WHO WE ARE IN THIS
WORK AND HAVE A VOICE THE
ENTIRE WAY. IT STARTED IN JULY AND IT'S
INVOLVED MULTIPLE CONVENING SET
OF DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
SOME VOLUN-TOLD, AS YOU WELL,
AND IT JUST ALLOWS US TO BRING
TO THE SERVICE THAT -- SURFACE
THE THINGS THAT WE ON THE
FOURTH FLOOR ARE FEELING THE
STRONGEST ABOUT.
IT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE THREE
FINAL PRODUCTS IN THE END, A
STRATEGIC PLAN WITH A THREE-
YEAR TIMEFRAME TO OVERARCHING
GOALS THAT WILL THEN CASCADE
THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES AS A
FRAMEWORK FOR HOW WE WORK
TOGETHER TO GET TO THE WHAT AND
THEN THE OPERATIONAL GOALS AND
IT'S JUST BEEN A WONDERFUL WAY
TO HAVE THE ENTIRE FLOOR SPEAK
TO WHAT WE ARE AND WHAT WE ARE
ABOUT.
>> WHAT CHANGED IN ORDER TO GET
60 PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER TO DO
WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, HOW
ARE YOU ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT?>> WE ASKED THEM TO.
WE BELIEVED IN THEM.
I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF
ANDRES STEPPING IN AND LEADING
THE DEPARTMENT, AND THE REST OF
US LEADING RIGHT ALONGSIDE HIM.
HE BELIEVES IN SHARED GOVERNANCE
AND ELEVATING PEOPLE WHO ARE
THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
WE HAVE ALL THE SORT OF WILL
AND SKILL THAT WE NEED TO GET
THIS WORK DONE ALREADY THERE.
>> I WILL JUST SAY THAT IT WAS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO COME
TOGETHER INTERNALLY. OBVIOUSLY,
THERE'S A NEXT STEP WHICH IS,
HOW DO WE TAKE THIS OUT TO
COMMUNITY AND REALLY START
ENGAGING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION
AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WITH
THE IMPLEMENTATION AROUND IT
AND THAT'S THE NEXT EXCITING
STEP ONCE WE HAVE GOOD
PARTNERSHIP INTERNALLY, AND SO
I'VE BEEN VERY THANKFUL TO THE
STAFF WHO HAVE SEEN THIS AS
PART OF, TO PUT THEIR STAMP ON
HOW WE ARE DOING WORK FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES.
>> I WILL TELL YOU IN MY
EXPERIENCE WITH THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE IN OUR DEPARTMENT RIGHT
NOW, I SEE A SENSE OF FUN
RETURNING, AND THAT REACHING
OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY
INCLUSIVE WAY, PEOPLE SEEM TO
BE REALLY ENJOYING THEIR LOT --
THEIR WORK.
>> I HOPE YOU'VE SEEN THAT WE
ARE REALLY BUSY.
[ LAUGHTER ] WE HAVE A LOT OF
THINGS GOING ON THAT SORT OF
BALANCE THE NEW PIECES OF THE
DEPARTMENT AND THEN THOSE
THINGS CONSIDERED OLD SCHOOL.
WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE
TEAM AND LITERALLY USING THEIR
WORDS AND HOPES AND FEARS
VERBATIM AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH
THIS WORK AND IT'S BEEN PRETTY
TRANSPARENT AND AUTHENTIC ALONG
THE WAY.
>> YEARS AGO, I HEARD A PHRASE
WHICH IS POWER SHARED IS POWER
GAINED, AND I BELIEVE THAT.
WHAT I AM SEEING WITH YOUR
DEPARTMENT AND COMING AROUND
THE SENSE OF THE -- COLLEGIALITY
YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S LIKE A
LIVE.>> SPEAKING OF THE
IMPORTANT AND EXCITING WORK AND
BEING BUSY, WE ARE LAUNCHING
WITH ALL FORCE UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA AND IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE MAYOR AS WELL TO MAKE
SURE THIS IS PART OF HIS BODY
OF WORK.
DEAL WHEN WILL BE -- DON WILL
BE HIRING BY THE END OF THE
MONTH A HIRING AND ENGAGEMENT
LEAD THAT WILL ADVISE ON POLICY
STRATEGIES AND ACT AS A LIAISON
BETWEEN THE COUNTY, STATE, AND
SOME OF THE FEDERAL
STAKEHOLDERS, HELP SUPPORT THE
TASK FORCE ITSELF, AND WE'VE
ALSO ASKED ALL DEPARTMENTS
WITHIN THE CITY TO IDENTIFY
SORT OF A CENSUS LIAISON BECAUSE
IT'S NOT JUST ACCOUNTING
EXERCISE. IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY
BELIEVE IN FOR ALMOST EVERY
SINGLE DEPARTMENT AND SO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE THROUGH THE
DEPUTY MAYOR HAS ISSUED A
REQUEST TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS,
AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE
SEATTLE DEBT -- FOUNDATION IN
KING COUNTY FOR ESSENTIALLY A
POOLED FUND FOR COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO ACTIVATE IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH US THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
WE SEE THIS AS A CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT LEADERSHIP
OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, SO IT WILL
BE HOUSED THERE UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF AMY YOUNG.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HOPE TO
WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THIS
COUNCIL ON INTO 2019 AND 2020.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
ALREADY BUT THE YOUR VOICE,
YOUR CHOICE WILL CONTINUE .
THIS WILL BE THE IDEA
SUBMISSIONS PHASE FROM JANUARY
28 TO 322, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
MARCH TO APRIL AND VOTING
STARTING IN JULY.
>> SO IF SOMEONE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WON A GRANT LAST
YEAR, THE -- CAN THEY APPLY FOR
SOMETHING ELSE AS A
CONTINUATION?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AS PART OF THE YOUR VOICE, YOUR
CHOICE, I WILL GET MORE OF
LITIGATION ON THAT -- MORE
CLARIFICATION ON THAT BECAUSE
I'M NOT SURE BUT MY SENSE IS
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPLY
FOR A NEW PHASE OF THE
PROJECT.>> I MEAN THAT AS WELL.
I'M THINKING ABOUT ONE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD GOTTEN
SOME MONEY FOR A PEDESTRIAN
CROSSING, AND THEN THEY WOULD
LIKE TO CONTINUE IN ANOTHER
BLOCKER TO -- BLOCK OR TWO.
>> IT'S ALL WHAT COMES OUT OF
THE IDEATION OR IDEA COLLECTION
PHASE.
>> IDEATION.
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?
>> IDEATION.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T THINK THE
WORD. PEOPLE SMARTER THAN ME HAVE
USED IT SO THERE YOU GO.
[ LAUGHTER ] THE COMMUNITY
LIAISON WORK, PLANNING TO
BROADEN THEIR WORK AND REALLY
MOVE BEYOND TRANSLATION AND
INTERPRETATION, THIS FOR US IS
THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ARM
FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO SAY
IT AND TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WE
ARE CONSIDERING NEW CAUGHT --
NEW PROJECT DESIGN SO MAYBE
BEFORE, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE
ROSTER AND SEEING WHO'S
AVAILABLE BUT NOW WE ARE SAYING
OKAY THIS PERSON HAS AN
INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL WORK
AND LET'S JUST STREAMLINE ON
ENVIRONMENTAL WORK AND HELP
THEM BUILD UP THEIR SKILL SET
IN THAT AREA INSTEAD OF MOVING
THEM ALONG DEPENDING UPON WHERE
THE PROJECT IS.
AND THEN JUST QUICKLY AROUND THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF
THESE GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
BEFORE LAST YEAR.
WE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OCR HAVE
TAKEN A LOOK AT, HOW DO WE
EXPAND THE GOALS, UNDERSTANDING
THAT MAYBE PRIOR, THEY HADN'T
BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR A NUMBER OF
REASONS AND GOING BACK TO STAFF
FENCING WHAT ARE THE CORE
THINGS YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THAT ARE RELEVANT TO YOU AND
YOUR WORK?
AND SO WE CAME UP IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH OCR A RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE FRAMEWORK BASED
ON BUILDING A HEALTHY, WHOLE
THRIVING, LIVING SYSTEM.
WHEN YOU THINK OF, WE ASKED THE
STAFF, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF
WHEN YOU ARE IN A SAFE SPACE
WHERE YOU REALLY HAVE A FREE
FLOW OF IDEAS AND THERE WAS A
LOT OF FEEDBACK AROUND WORKING
WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DIVERSE OR
RESILIENT AND FULL OF ENERGY,
AND PEACE AND BALANCE AND SO ON
AND IT REALLY RESULTED IN FOUR
AREAS WHICH I'M REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT. ONE IS A BROWN PERSONAL GROWTH
WHICH WILL MANIFEST THROUGH
CAUCUSING.
WE WILL ALSO ESTABLISH A
LEARNING COMMUNITY FUNCTION AND
ESSENTIALLY, WHAT ARE CREATIVE
IDEAS FOR HOW TO PUSH THE
ENVELOPE ON RACIAL AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE AND EQUITY? HOW ARE WE
DOING HR AND RECRUITMENT AND
CAREER DEVELOPMENT?
HOW ARE WE PROMOTING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE INSIDE
OUR DEPARTMENT AND WHAT ARE
WAYS THAT WE ARE NETWORKING,
ELEVATING CULTURES, PEER
SUPPORT AND SPECIAL EVENTS,
STUFF LIKE THAT, SO WORKING
WITH STAFF TO PLUG THEM IN AND
I THINK YOU USED VOLUN-TOLD, SO
TO PLUG THEM INTO AT LEAST ONE
OF THESE SPACES BUT WEARILY --
REALLY WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF
GOOD FEEDBACK FROM STAFF
BECAUSE THEY ARE ABLE TO GUIDE
THEMSELVES AS TO WHERE THEY
WANT TO PARTICIPATE, WHICH IS
IMPORTANT.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE WORDS
AND THIS IS STAFF COMING
TOGETHER, I ASSUME, TO SAY THIS
IS THE ENVIRONMENT WE WANT TO
WORK IN.
IF YOU ARE FULL OF ENERGY,
PEACE, COMPASSION AND BALANCE
AND WHERE THERE'S MOVEMENT AND
GROWTH AND PEOPLE PEOPLE FEEL
LOVED, TRUSTED, GRATEFUL,
PROTECTED AND SAFE, YOU CAN'T
DO BETTER THAN THAT.
>> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT
PARTNERSHIP WITH JENNIFER ON
THIS AND OTHERS. EVEN THOUGH
EXECUTIVE TEAM WILL PARTICIPATE
IN EACH OF THESE, WE'VE BEEN
CLEAR THAT STAFF WILL HAVE LEAD
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
SHARING OR GIVING UP THAT POWER
IN THE ROOM.
>> POWER SHARED IS POWER
GAINED. >> AND QUICKLY AS WE CLOSE THIS
UP, WE ARE WORKING ON A LOT OF
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS.
A LOT OF THEM PROGRAMMATIC,
SOME WITHIN THE STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES TEAM AS I MENTIONED
AND SOME OF THEM ARE CONTINUED
IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
AS IT RELATES TO BOTH COMMUNITY
PLANNING BUT ALSO TO SOUND
TRANSIT WORK AT THE STATION,
WHICH IS REALLY -- HAS REALLY
BEEN AN EXCITING PROCESS, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH OPCD ON BOTH
OF THESE. WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING AT A
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT FOR THE
HISTORICAL RESERVATION --
PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND I
THINK THAT'S BEEN AN EXCITING
PIECE OF WORK LOOKING FORWARD
FOR ME AS WE LOOK AT KIND OF A
PROGRAM WIDE ANALYSIS TO STUDY
RACIAL EQUALITY AND COMES AS IT
RELATES TO PRESERVATION OF
BEING -- BUILDINGS, SO IN SOME
CASES, CULTURAL AND HISTORIC
PRESERVATION SO MORE TO COME ON
THAT, BUT THAT'S OUR WORK PLAN
FOR 2019, AND, YOU KNOW, WE
INVITE YOU TO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH US AND WE WILL HIGHLIGHT
WITH -- WORK WITH YOU AS YOU
HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT PRIORITIES
CITYWIDE AND WE ARE HAPPY TO
SUPPORT YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION I
WANT TO COME BACK TO A COUPLE
úTHINGS AND ONE IS THE WORK OF
ERIC PRINT -- PETTIGREW WHERE
WE'VE WORKED WITH MASONRY
FUNDING AND THERE'S
UNDERSTANDING AGAIN LEGISLATURE
THIS YEAR SOME OPPORTUNITY TO
DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT AND IT'S REALLY A
CONGLOMERATION OF FUNDING, BUT
THE IDEA IS THAT EITHER VERY
LOW INCOME LOANS OR SOMETIMES
GRANTS THAT SOME OF THESE
BUILDINGS AND I LOVE THAT
CORNER WHEN THAT YOU HAVE
THERE, THAT IF WE CAN GET THE
BUILDINGS WERE STORED --
RESTORED, SO MANY OF THEM HAVE
STUDIO APARTMENTS IN THEM AND
IT'S LIKE THE OLD DAYS OF YOUR
DORMITORY LIVING, BUT IF WE CAN
PRESERVE THESE, WE CAN ENLIVEN
THE DISTRICT-LIKE FINDER SQUARE
AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKING
MORE HOUSING AVAILABLE SO I
LOVE THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT.
>> APPRECIATE THE TIME.
>> ANYTHING ELSE?
>> NO. >> GREAT JOB, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH AND NICE TO MEET YOU.
I'M GLAD YOU ARE HERE SIR AND
THANKS FOR THE GREAT WORK,
ANDRES AND THANKS AGAIN LAST
NIGHT FOR THAT REALLY GOOD
COMMISSION MEETING.
ANYTHING ELSE?
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE ORDER?
THANK YOU, OKAY, WELL THE
MEETINGS ADJOURNED.