Despite the Monday federal holiday, there’s still a lot going on this week; much of it relates to housing.
In respect for the Memorial Day holiday, Monday’s usual meetings have been rescheduled for Tuesday. It’s somewhat convenient timing because May has five Tuesdays, and the usual committee schedule calls for some committees to meet on the first and third weekday of the month while others meet on the second and fourth. And since June starts on a Wednesday, expect the usual weekly schedule to be a bit jumbled around next month.
Tuesday morning’s Council Briefing will feature a presentation on Seafair 2016. Tuesday afternoon’s Full Council meeting will see the final approval of changes to the city’s utility discount program that were discussed in committees last week; it will also see the proposed resolution stating the city’s opposition to fossil fuel and nuclear power come up for a vote.
The Introduction and Referral Calendar has several new pieces of legislation:
- approval of an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with neighboring cities and counties to create a Regional Equitable Development Initiative Fund;
- a pair of ordinances implementing collective bargaining agreements with union-represented city workers;
- a resolution promoting individualized tenant assessments to avoid discrimination against people with criminal records;
- several appointments to the Seattle Women’s Commission, curiously directed to the CRUEDA committee rather than the Gender Equity, Safe Communities, and New Americans Committee;
- an ordinance updating the Ethics Code related to when City Councilmembers need to disclose financial interests in legislative matters and when they should recuse themselves, relaxing the rules in order that the new district-based election system doesn’t cause a citizen to lack representation because his or her Council member is disqualified from participation in a matter;
- an ordinance authorizing the Parks Department to acquire property at 88th and Fremont Avenue North, adjacent to Greenwood Park.
Wednesday morning, the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee meets, and will formally take up consideration of the ordinance delaying rent increases on properties that fail to meet maintenance standard. It will also consider the aforementioned ordinances implementing collective bargaining agreements with union-represented city workers, and hear two presentations: one on Department of Neighborhoods programs as they relate to the new City Council districts, and one on Yesler Terrace: its annual report.
Wednesday afternoon, the Education, Equity and Governance Committee meets. It will consider an ordinance related to Hearing Examiner fees for various cases. It will also consider the aforementioned ordinance updating the Ethics Code as it relates to financial disclosures and recusals.
Thursday morning the Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee meets, Thursday afternoon the Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee has a special meeting, and Friday morning the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee meets; agenda have not been published for these meetings yet.