This morning Crosscut posted an article about gender pay equity that Councilmember Jean Godden and I wrote after digging deeper into the compensation data for City employees. You can read the article here. A link to the data charts we...
Month: September 2013
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Updates on 2014 revenue forecast, Viaduct replacement
Revenue Forecast: The Council recently received the final revenue forecast before the 2014 budget process begins. According to the City Budget Office update, an estimated $10.3 million in new General Fund revenues are forecast, an increase of roughly 1% over previous forecasts. The Mayor will announce the proposed 2014 budget on Monday, September 23. Viaduct […]
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Seattle Celebrates an Unusual Friendship
Reception for the 40th Anniversary of the Seattle-Tashkent relationship
Think back, if you can, or imagine, if you cannot, what the world was like 40 years ago. It was a chilling time. The United States was engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The United States’ war with Vietnam was winding-down. The world was different and scary place.
But in the midst of those difficult years, there was at least one bright and hopeful move. For, in 1972, during a dinner at the 10-year-old Space Needle, Seattle Mayor Wes Uhlman suggested a sister-city relationship to his counterpart, the mayor of Tashkent.
The next year, against all odds, that sister city relationship became a reality. This agreement incredibly … Continue Reading »
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Licata receives favorable response to first-ever use of web video conferencing presentation in Chambers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/12/2013
Councilmember Nick Licata
Licata receives favorable response to first-ever use of web video conferencing presentation in Chambers
Seattle - Councilmember Nick Licata issued the following statement regarding his use of WebEx technology, or web video conferencing, during Wednesday's meeting of the Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee:
"Yesterday in my committee, Dr. Robert Hockett of Cornell University Law School presented his foreclosure research findings to Councilmembers via WebEx webcam technology. This was a first-of-its-kind presentation for Council Chambers.
"I've heard nothing but positive feedback about this innovative and cost-effective way of connecting with an expert across the country. By having Dr. Hockett appear on the screen, rather than traveling thousands of miles to present at our meeting, an estimated 140,00lbs of carbon emissions was saved.
"I hope that my colleagues and I will continue bringing national experts to Council Chambers at significant taxpayer savings.
"A special thanks to our technology experts here at City Council, who managed to execute a low-tech, high-impact presentation on short notice."
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Customer Service in the City Retirement Office
As I wrote last month, the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System (SCERS) is undergoing a significant period of transformation. SCERS leadership has embarked on a number of improvements to the way the office conducts its business and serves its members....
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Councilmember Jean Godden introduces Comprehensive Commercial Recycling
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/12/2013
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Jean Godden introduces Comprehensive Commercial Recycling
Businesses to recycle aluminum, plastic and glass
Seattle - Councilmember Jean Godden introduced legislation today to require that Seattle businesses recycle glass, plastic, tin, and aluminum, effective July 2014. Six months of educational outreach to businesses would be conducted before the requirement takes effect, with one-and-a-half years before the use of civil infractions for enforcement. Councilmember Godden also directed SPU to streamline the process for business owners to convert to comprehensive recycling, allocating $150,000 for business engagement.
"This is clearly the next step in Seattle's recycling effort," said Councilmember Jean Godden, Chair of the Libraries, Utilities, and Center Committee. “Homeowners have been recycling bottles and cans since 2005, and it's time we reenergize the effort to preserve our dwindling natural resources."
Seattle businesses discard over 8,000 tons of recyclable bottles and cans in the landfill every year. Businesses are currently required to recycle only paper and cardboard. By 2019, this ban will reduce recyclables that go to the landfill by 6,000 tons, or over 200 shipping containers, per year.
Regardless the size or type of business, switching to a strong recycling program is expected to save the company money. Savings will range from $55 per month for a small restaurant to $1,522 for a large office building, according to Seattle Public Utilities.
"I doubled the funding for business recycling outreach to ensure this is a win for both business and the environment." said Godden. "What better year to do this than on the 25th anniversary of curbside recycling in Seattle?"
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VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Public Health –Seattle & King County has developed a new strategy for ensuring that our most vulnerable populations are protected and assisted in emergencies. The new strategy recognizes that there are many people who cannot be successfully reached by ‘conventional’ methods of communication. Not surprisingly, the strategy is built around creating relationships of trust with […]
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Hiring locally for City projects
City Council is nearing adoption on a resolution intended to help make sure that when we spend city dollars on public construction projects, we look to hire locally first. And not just hiring locally, but to hire those folks from our community who are out of work or face other barriers to getting work – […]
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Council Receives New Home Foreclosure Report; Proposes Permanent Solutions, Not Short Term Fixes
Washington's twin negative equity and foreclosure crises are steadily growing worse
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Council encourages participation in citywide food drive
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/10/2013
Council encourages participation in citywide food drive
Seattle - The City of Seattle will participate in a citywide food drive, which will occur from Wednesday, September 11 through Saturday, September 21. The food drive, known as the "Compassion Harvest," is part of the Compassion Games, which was inspired by the Dalai Lama's "Seeds of Compassion" event in 2011. Seattle is competing against 16 other cities to donate and distribute the most food to our local food banks.
Seattleites are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to their local food banks to help restock the pantries of local food organizations this fall. Information including a map of local food banks is available here. Food bins will also be located in the City Hall lobby at 600 4th Avenue, and in Seattle Municipal Tower lobby at 700 5th Avenue.
The "Compassion Harvest" Food Drive is done in partnership with Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, United Way of King County, Seattle Food Committee, Solid Ground/Lettuce Link, City Fruit, Beacon Food Forest, Nourishing Networks, Ballard Food Bank, Concern for Neighbors Food Bank, Queen Anne Food Bank, and Asian Counseling and Referral Service.
WHAT:
Citywide Food Drive
WHEN:
Wednesday, September 11 through Saturday, September 21
WHERE:
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104
Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave, Seattle 98104
Food Banks throughout Seattle
WHO:
The people of Seattle