Dear friends and neighbors, I am honored to be your District 6 Councilmember, representing the neighborhoods that shaped me and made me the person I am today. My top priority as your Councilmember is to steward our growth to be a sustainable, equitable, and affordable city that provides a high quality of life for everyone. I am excited to engage with you as community members and residents of D6. My team and I are prioritizing constituent and community services; whether it is filling a pothole, navigating city bureaucracy or making neighborhood improvements, we are excited to work for you! We will regularly send this newsletter outlining issues important to you, what is happening at City Council and City Hall, events in the community, and information you can use. Let us know if there is a topic area you would like us to include. I’ll also be providing regular updates on my social media channels, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please never hesitate to reach out to me and my office to let us know how we can best serve you. I look forward to serving you and all of D6 in City Hall!
Taking the Oath of Office
On Monday, alongside my Council Colleagues, I took the Oath of Office. I was honored to have Nestor Tamayao swear me into office. Nestor has dedicated his life to public service and sets the example of what service without the desire for reward truly means. He served as a King County Superior Court Deputy Clerk for 30 years and in the Army and Army Reserve for 32 years. Our swearing-in ceremony was 14 years (to the day and hour) after he retired from King County. Nestor has not stopped his public service and has held the roles of Commander at the Ballard-Eagleson VFW and as the Exalted Ruler of the Ballard Elks lodge. I am fortunate to have Nestor as a mentor and friend and we are all lucky to have him as our neighbor. I look forward to following in Nestor’s footsteps with a lifetime of service to our community.
You can watch my swearing in speech here:
District Office
My first action as Councilmember was opening our District Office, so you don’t have to go downtown to have your voice heard.
Our District Office is co-located with the Ballard Community Service Center which is in the same building as the Ballard Library. We will hold hours both during and outside of normal business hours, with availability on some (not all) weekends. This is in addition to us being present throughout the district at community meetings, coffee hours, and at your house. Please use this form to schedule a community or constituent meeting.Schedule an In-District Office Hours Meeting
Hitting the Ground Running
On our second day on the job just after opening our District Office, myself along with my staff hit the ground running by doing our first District 6 Walking Tour. We spent nearly four hours meeting with local business owners and community members in Ballard to talk about the issues that matter most to them. We were joined by Officer Sergio Garcia and Sergeant Stevens of the North Precinct who are exemplary members of our Police Department.
Officer Garcia sets the example of what policing in Seattle should look like by walking his beat, building relationships, and solving intense problems for our community. We stopped by ten small businesses, including Bop Street Records, Trove Vintage Boutique, and Hattie’s Hat.
We heard concerns about public safety, the ongoing construction work in Ballard, and interest in playground equipment for Ballard Commons Park as well as additional REACH outreach workers for our neighborhood.
We will regularly host walking tours in District 6 and if you would like me to stop by your business, please reach out to Noah An in my office at Noah.An@seattle.gov.
New Committee Assignment
The Council voted on Monday to reassign Council committees. For the next two years, I will be overseeing the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee. Much of my work in this committee will cover the basics of city planning, including zoning, design, community development, land use regulations, historic preservation, and quasi-judicial land use decisions. Additionally, my committee will also oversee the work of the Office of Planning and Community Development, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and the Department of Neighborhoods. One of the primary goals for my time at Council and serving as Chair of the Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee is to ensure the City is working hard to create adequate housing, transportation and other infrastructure. As I said at my swearing-in ceremony on Monday and was quoted in the Seattle Times, “Seattle today is not the city I grew up in … We are already a decade behind addressing the growth we are experiencing with commensurate infrastructure.” It is important our city’s regulations and zoning codes mirror our infrastructure needs so everyone can have a safe and healthy life. As our city changes, we need to work together to build a Seattle that is inclusive and reflective of our values to create a good quality of life for everyone. My committee will meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 9:30 a.m. The committee will first meet on January 22nd at 9:30 am. You can sign up to receive agendas for the committees here, and you can watch the committee meeting live from home or your mobile device at seattlechannel.org/watch-live. I will
also be serving as Vice-Chair on the Transportation & Utilities Committee, and as a member on the Governance & Education and Finance & Housing Committees.
Staff
I am proud to have an incredibly talented and dedicated staff who will support me and you. They are compassionate, with a wide range of experience, who will ensure District 6 is well represented and your voices are heard.
Peter Nguyen
Peter Nguyen is a proud Ballard resident and comes to Councilmember Strauss’ Office from the Seattle Department of Human Resources where he served as the Labor Negotiator primarily responsible for representing the City to labor organizations in the Seattle Police Department, Office of Civil Rights, Department of Housing, and Labor Standards Department. He has also served as a Technical Advisor to the Seattle Community Police Commission and is currently a member of the City’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Steering Committee. Peter came to this country, along with the rest of his mother’s family, as a political refugee from South Vietnam. As a long-time advocate for Civil Rights, immigrants, and socioeconomic equity, he has served on the board of directors of both the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and the California Tax Reform Association. Peter eared a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of California, Davis. You can reach Peter at: Peter.Nguyen@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8806
Alyson McLean
Alyson is a Puget Sound local, from Vashon Island and Ballard Resident. She previously worked as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, the Center for Children and Youth Justice, and several political campaigns including President Obama’s 2008 and Senator Patty Murray’s 2010 campaigns. She attended the University of Washington, first for her undergraduate degree majoring in International Studies and Human Rights and then returned to receive her Master’s Degree in Public Administration focusing on youth immigration and international development. After a small stint in DC working at the National Democratic Institute on international democracy access, Alyson decided to shift her focus to working on local human rights in the city she loves most; Seattle. Alyson is excited to serve the City of Seattle by working on issues related to Human Services, Public Health, Affordable Housing, Public Safety, Finance, and the City’s Budget. In her free time, Alyson enjoys traveling, music, camping, and spending time with her community. You can reach Alyson at: Alyson.McLean@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8806
Noah An
Noah An was raised in Woodinville, WA before moving to Seattle to study political science at the University of Washington. Noah has previously worked in the offices of Councilmembers Rob Johnson and Abel Pacheco. Prior to joining Council staff, he interned for Senator Patty Murray in Washington, D.C., was elected as a delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and held various leadership positions in Democratic Party organizations. Passionate about promoting progressive change, Noah is excited to support Councilmember Strauss’ work on land use, neighborhoods, and transportation, as well as coordinating his in-district presence. In his free time, Noah is a Seattle sports fan, avid re-watcher of The Office, and an explorer the Pacific Northwest. You can reach Noah at: Noah.An@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8806
Lean Tebeau
Lena Tebeau is passionate about serving the needs of District 6 and has had a long career in public service. In her current role for Councilmember Strauss, Lena controls the calendar and manages policy related to Parks, Libraries, and Education. She also assists with community and constituent services. Lena previously worked as a Legislative Aide for Councilmember Sally Bagshaw working on issues related to age friendly cities, parks and public assets, and youth justice issues. She has also worked for the City’s Legislative Department, provided administrative support to mayor Paul Shell, and Councilmember Richard McIver. Lena is passionate about mentoring at-risk youth and assisting her aged-neighbors. One of seven siblings, Lena grew up traveling around the country based on her dad’s Army assignments. She has called Seattle home for 10 years and is currently pursuing a degree in Public Policy at Evergreen State College. You can reach Lean at: Lena.Tebeau@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8806
It is an honor and privilege to represent and serve you as the District 6 councilmember. Thank to everyone who supported my campaign and for those who didn’t, I look forward to earning your support and trust. I am excited to kick off 2020 and my tenure serving you by hitting the ground running. Do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you would like me to attend a meeting, if you would like to come to our office, or if there is a concern I can assist you with or should know about. I hope to see you soon.
Best,
Councilmember Dan Strauss
Seattle City Council // District 6