Tag: Herbold

Home » Herbold » Page 17
Post

Councilmembers Inaugurated in First District-Based Representation System Since 1910, Harrell Elected Council President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/4/2016

Councilmembers Inaugurated in First District-Based Representation System Since 1910, Harrell Elected Council President

SEATTLE - All nine Seattle City Councilmembers took their oaths of office in the traditional inauguration ceremony in City Council Chambers today, following their successful victories in last November's election. Newly elected Councilmembers Lorena Gonzalez, Lisa Herbold, Rob Johnson and Debora Juarez joined returning re-elected Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess, Bruce Harrell, Mike O'Brien and Kshama Sawant in taking their seats at the Council dais.

Family, friends, colleagues and community members filled the Seattle City Council chambers to celebrate the new and returning local government leadership. Each elected official was sworn in by someone of their choice and gave brief remarks.

Following their oaths, Councilmembers elected Councilmember Bruce Harrell to the position of Council President. Harrell has served as Seattle City Councilmember since 2008 and most recently chaired the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee.  The Council President is the presiding officer of the Council, sets the Full Council agenda, assigns legislation to committees and is the primary point of contact for external agencies.  When the Mayor is absent from the City or incapacitated, the Council President assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Mayor.

Today's historic oath of office ceremony ushered in first district-based representation system since 1910. Seven of the Councilmembers will now each represent a geographical district, while two Councilmembers will each represent the entire city:

  • District 1 (West Seattle, South Park): Councilmember Lisa Herbold
  • District 2 (Southeast Seattle): Council President Bruce Harrell
  • District 3 (Central Area, Capitol Hill): Councilmember Kshama Sawant
  • District 4 (Ravenna, Wallingford): Councilmember Rob Johnson
  • District 5 (North Seattle): Councilmember Debora Juarez
  • District 6 (Fremont, Ballard): Councilmember Mike O'Brien
  • District 7 (Downtown, Magnolia): Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
  • At-Large (city-wide): Councilmember Tim Burgess
  • At-Large (city-wide): Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez

 

Click here for an interactive tool to help find which Council district you live in.

Today's inaugural ceremony also marked a series of notable firsts in Seattle local government history:

  • First Enrolled Native American Councilmember - Debora Juarez
  • First Latina Councilmembers - Lorena Gonzalez and Debora Juarez
  • First Japanese American/African American Council President and first African American Council President since Council President Sam Smith in 1986-1989 - Bruce Harrell
  • First Female Majority City Council since 1998 - Sally Bagshaw, Lorena Gonzalez Lisa Herbold, Debora Juarez and Kshama Sawant

 

Councilmembers also took their first votes in their 2016-2017 term and assigned committee chairs. Each Councilmember is responsible for heading a Council committee and managing legislation related to that committee's focus:

  • Council President Bruce Harrell, Chair: Education, Equity and Governance
  • Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair: Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance
  • Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, Chair: Human Services and Public Health
  • Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez, Chair: Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans
  • Councilmember Lisa Herbold: Chair: Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts
  • Councilmember Rob Johnson, Chair: Planning, Land Use and Zoning
  • Councilmember Debora Juarez, Chair: Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront
  • Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Chair: Sustainability and Transportation
  • Councilmember Kshama Sawant, Chair: Energy and Environment

 

For more information on the 2016-17 committee assignments click here. To sign up to receive forthcoming committee agendas via email, click here.

Today's inauguration ceremony served as an opportunity for the public to witness and participate in their local government. The ceremony was broadcast live on the Seattle Channel and can be viewed beginning tomorrow at http://www.seattlechannel.org/mayor-and-council/city-council/full-council.

# # #

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Post

Seattle City Council Announces 2016 Committee Assignments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/18/2015

Seattle City Council Announces 2016 Committee Assignments

Councilmembers to elect Council President and assign committees on January 4, 2016

SEATTLE - Seattle City Council announced its tentative plan for committee assignments today, in preparation for work in 2016. Each Councilmember is responsible for chairing a Council committee and managing legislation related to the committee's focus. Councilmembers also serve as a vice-chair on one committee and as a member on another. Councilmembers can also sponsor legislation on other committees under certain conditions. Committee assignments are made official at the first Full Council meeting of the year, on Monday January 4, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. Councilmembers will also elect their 2016-17 Council President at the meeting. Committee assignments last for two years.

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw will chair the Human Services and Public Health Committee. Councilmember Bagshaw will oversee Council's work on issues relating to services provided by the Human Services Department, including programs that meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in our community. The committee will also consider matters involving public health and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), which allows law enforcement officers to redirect low-level offenders engaged in drug or prostitution activity to community-based services.

Councilmember Tim Burgess will chair the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee. As chair of this committee, Councilmember Burgess will focus on issues relating to housing—investing and promoting the development and preservation of affordable housing, and building strong neighborhoods through outreach and engagement. Councilmember Burgess will also chair the Budget committee, overseeing the review of the Mayor's proposed budget.
Councilmember Lorena González will chair the Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans Committee. As chair, Councilmember González will consider policies to address gender equity and help improve the lives of Seattle's immigrant and refugee residents.  The committee will also focus on fostering safe communities, improving police accountability, crime prevention, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, and fire and medical services.

Councilmember Bruce Harrell will chair the Education, Equity and Governance Committee. As chair, Councilmember Harrell will focus on issues relating to public schools and improving student success rates, intergovernmental relations, technology, ethics and elections, prisoner reentry and equity issues for underserved communities.

Councilmember Lisa Herbold will chair the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. Councilmember Herbold's committee will manage issues relating to labor standards, civil rights, Seattle Public Utilities, and economic development. The committee will also manage issues relating to arts and culture in Seattle, which includes nightlife issues.

Councilmember Rob Johnson will chair the Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee. As chair of this committee, Councilmember Johnson will take up issues involving City zoning, planning, major institutions, quasi-judicial decisions, community development, and land use regulations.

Councilmember Debora Juarez will chair the Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee. As chair, Councilmember Juarez will focus on issues relating to City parks, community centers, and public grounds, including the Seattle Center.  Her committee will also manage legislation relating to the Seattle Public Library system.  Councilmember Juarez will also chair the Central Waterfront committee.

Councilmember Mike O'Brien will chair the Sustainability and Transportation Committee. Councilmember O'Brien's committee will handle matters pertaining to city-wide and regional transportation policy and planning. These issues range from pedestrian and bicycle programs, traffic control and parking policies, and overseeing the City's coordination with regional and state departments of transportation. The committee will also have a shared-focus on Seattle's Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon emissions.

Councilmember Kshama Sawant will chair the Energy and Environment Committee. Councilmember Sawant's committee will handle policies relating to Seattle's energy usage, as well as issues relating to alternative energy sources, air pollution regulation, energy utility rates, and Seattle City Light finances. In addition, Councilmember Sawant will take up matters that relate to climate and environmental protections, conservation programs, and green infrastructure.

 

Standing Committee

Committee Members

Committee Meeting Days and Times

Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods & Finance

Chair:  Tim Burgess
Vice-Chair:  Lisa Herbold
Member:  Rob Johnson
Alternate:  Mike O'Brien

1st and 3rd Wednesdays
9:30 a.m.

Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development & Arts

Chair:  Lisa Herbold
Vice-Chair:  Kshama Sawant
Member:  Mike O'Brien
Alternate:  Bruce Harrell

2nd and 4th Tuesdays
9:30 a.m.

Education, Equity & Governance

Chair:  Bruce A. Harrell
Vice-Chair:  Lorena González
Member:  Debora Juarez
Alternate:  Tim Burgess

1st and 3rd Wednesdays
2:00 p.m.

Energy & Environment

Chair:  Kshama Sawant
Vice-Chair:  Debora Juarez
Member:  Lorena González
Alternate:  Sally Bagshaw

2nd and 4th Tuesdays
2:00 p.m.

Gender Equity, Safe Communities & New Americans

Chair:  Lorena Gonzalez
Vice-Chair:  Tim Burgess
Member:  Sally Bagshaw
Alternate:  Debora Juarez

2nd and 4th Wednesdays
9:30 a.m.

Human Services & Public Health

Chair:  Sally Bagshaw
Vice-Chair:  Bruce Harrell
Member:  Tim Burgess
Alternate:  Rob Johnson

2nd and 4th Wednesdays
2:00 p.m.

Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries & Waterfront

Chair:  Debora Juarez
Vice-Chair:  Sally Bagshaw
Member:  Bruce Harrell
Alternate:  Kshama Sawant

1st and 3rd Thursdays
9:30 a.m.

Planning, Land Use & Zoning

Chair:  Rob Johnson
Vice-Chair:  Mike O'Brien
Member:  Lisa Herbold
Alternate:  Lorena González

1st and 3rd Tuesdays
9:30 a.m.

Sustainability & Transportation

Chair:  Mike O'Brien
Vice-Chair:  Rob Johnson
Member:  Kshama Sawant
Alternate:  Lisa Herbold

1st and 3rd Tuesdays 2:00 p.m.

                         
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

[View in Council Newsroom]