Author: City Council News Releases (City Council News Releases)

Home » Archives for City Council News Releases » Page 95
Post
May 9, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Harrell, Councilmember Rasmussen, News Releases

Councilmembers Harrell and Rasmussen call community meeting on Street name change to honor Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney

by

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/9/2013

Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Councilmembers Harrell and Rasmussen call community meeting on
Street name change to honor Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney

SEATTLE - Councilmembers Bruce Harrell and Tom Rasmussen announced the first of two public meetings to hear public feedback on plans to name sections of 19th Avenue after Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney.

Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council's Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee stated, "I am very pleased to listen to members of the community who began the dialogue about honoring Rev. Dr. McKinney. For over 40 years, he has been a civil rights leader, as well as a minister who has positively influenced all of Seattle.  Rev. McKinney has been the conscience of our city and has made a lasting mark on race and social justice issues.  Rev. McKinney and his late wife, Louise, have made a lasting impact on 19th Avenue in Seattle and beyond."

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the Council's Transportation Committee, stated, "Seattle should honor Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney, and I support Councilmember Bruce Harrell's proposal for the honorary designation of ‘Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney Avenue' on 19th Avenue between E. Union and E. Republican Streets."  

Rasmussen continued, "Rev. Dr. McKinney has dedicated his life to his church and community. He is a man of many achievements, serving as one of the original members of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, lecturing and teaching at colleges around the nation and opening a church-run Credit Union which strived to assist community members who were unable to open bank accounts and conduct financial transactions in traditional banks. I hope to see his legacy live on through the years."

The first of two community meetings is scheduled for today at 3:00 p.m..

WHAT: Community Meeting on Honorary Street Name Change of 19th Avenue
WHEN: TODAY -- Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1634 19th Ave. Seattle, WA 98122
WHO:  Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
             Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

[View in Council Newsroom]

Post
May 8, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Harrell, News Releases

Councilmember Harrell seeks applications for the Seattle Women’s Commission

by

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/8/2013

Councilmember Bruce Harrell

Councilmember Harrell seeks applications for the Seattle Women's Commission

SEATTLE - Councilmember Bruce Harrell announced today that the City is seeking candidates for three vacant positions on the Seattle Women's Commission.

The Commission is a 20-member body that works together to research, analyze and make recommendations to the Mayor, City Council and City departments on issues facing women in Seattle. The Commission meets monthly and more frequently as committees to address economic opportunity for women, social justice, women's health, affordable and high-quality child-care, women's roles as care-givers, violence against women and challenges immigrant women face in our community.

Councilmember Harrell strongly encourages women with a background in policy work and research regarding gender pay gap inequality to apply. According to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the National Partnership for Women and Families, the most recent data shows that out of the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, Seattle has the largest wage gap for women. Women in the Seattle area are paid an average of 73 cents for every dollar paid to men in the area, amounting to a yearly gap of $16,346 between men and women who work full time. As a group, this results in a loss of $7,894,987,232 for women in the Seattle area each year, with national statistics showing even larger wage pay gaps for women of color.

"Closing and eradicating the wage gap between women and men in the Seattle metropolitan area is of utmost concern, and I am glad it is getting the attention it deserves. Having Commissioners with a background in policy work relating to gender pay gap inequality that are passionate about resolving this issue will help to build greater gender equity in Seattle," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology committee.

Appointment to the Commission is subject to confirmation by the City Council. Commissioners serve two-year terms, although may be appointed to fill the remainder of an existing term.

Interested candidates should deliver a resume and cover letter by May 31 to Councilmember Bruce Harrell by email (bruce.harrell@seattle.gov), by fax (206-684-8587; provide cover memo with Attn: Bruce Harrell) or by mail to:

Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Seattle City Council
P.O. Box 34025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025

[View in Council Newsroom]

Post
May 6, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw, Councilmember Burgess, Councilmember Godden, Councilmember Harrell, Councilmember Licata, Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember Rasmussen, News Releases

Seattle City Council passes South Lake Union rezone

by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/6/2013
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Mike O'...

Post
May 6, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw, Councilmember Burgess, Councilmember Godden, Councilmember Harrell, Councilmember Licata, Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember Rasmussen, News Releases

City Council Town Hall Meeting on Climate Action Tomorrow

by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/6/2013
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Li...

Post
May 1, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess, News Releases

Council Committee votes to fund new public health gun safety package

by

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/1/2013

 Councilmember Tim Burgess

Council Committee votes to fund new public health gun safety package
Seattle will be first city to fund gun safety research long blocked by gun lobby

Seattle - City Councilmembers demonstrated their leadership on gun safety today when the Government Performance and Finance Committee voted to fund a new public health gun safety package.

Partnering with the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center and public health agencies, the $370,500 proposal will spur long-stalled research on gun violence and enhance the City and County’s response to mental health crises resulting from tragedies.

"While our leaders in Olympia and Washington, D.C. failed to enact gun safety legislation this year, Seattle is demonstrating its leadership by taking positive action today," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "The people of Seattle overwhelmingly support doing everything we can to increase gun safety. This funding will jump-start research blocked by the National Rifle Association and build the same emergency response system used by the Red Cross."

According to previous news reports, the City of Seattle would be the first in the nation to provide direct funding for basic research into the causes and effects of gun violence.

"This research on gun violence will show us what impact it has on public health, and hopefully identify strategies for reducing injuries and deaths," said Councilmember Nick Licata.

"Gun violence is THE public health issue of our time," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "With appropriate research and commitment, we can reduce both murders and suicides in our community. We must."

"This is the way to guide us to safe, responsible gun ownership," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "It’s a step toward a sane, caring policy."

The public health gun safety package includes two additions to the Mayor’s 1st Quarter Supplemental budget detailed below.

Public Health Gun Safety Research ($153,000)

The proposed study will evaluate the interrelationships between substance abuse, mental health diagnoses, gun ownership, injury admissions and deaths.

"Sustained commitment to reducing the public health impact of gun violence is critically important to our city," said Dr. Beth Ebel, Director, Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, UW. "In my work as a pediatric trauma physician at Harborview Medical Center/UW, I regularly care for children and teens who were victims of gun violence. Nearly all of these devastating injuries are preventable. So this is a time to take action, work together, and find evidence-based approaches to reduce gun violence."

The results will provide researchers and medical professionals with the information they need to improve outreach and counseling to prevent injuries from firearms, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Enhanced Mental Health Emergency Management and Response ($217,500)

The initiative includes a state-of-the-art emergency management, response and triage system for mental health crises that has been used by public health teams in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, by the American Red Cross for natural disasters (the Joplin and Alabama tornadoes in 2011), by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during Superstorm Sandy and by Los Angeles County. The funding will enable Seattle-King County Public Health to administer the purchase and installation of this emergency management and response program.

The Committee will vote on the entire first quarter supplemental budget legislation as early as May 15. A vote by the Full Council would then take place the Monday following the committee vote.

[View in Council Newsroom]