It looks to be a busy week, as the Council simultaneously kicks off the 2017–2018 budget development process and wraps up work on everything else.
There are no presentations scheduled for Monday morning’s Council Briefing, though they will meet in executive session to discuss legal matters. It’s also safe to assume that Council member Tim Burgess, chair of the Budget Committee, will review the budget schedule and process with his colleagues.
Monday afternoon at 2:00pm the Full Council will host Mayor Ed Murray as he unveils his proposed 2017–2018 budget. The rest of the meeting agenda is long because of the additional items carried over from last week’s meeting that was cut short by a protest. Next week’s Full Council agenda will also be long, as the Council has already pushed some items out to it to save room for Murray’s budget speech this week.
Items of note on this week’s Full Council agenda:
- Confirmation of Mami Hara as Director of Seattle Public Utilities;
- The resolution approving the Mayor’s plan to finish clearing out the “Jungle” unsanctioned homeless encampment, which passed out of committee with a divided vote and will unless some miraculous shuttle diplomacy happened in the past two weeks will be contentious when it comes up for final vote;
- An ordinance lowering speed limits on residential and arterial streets in the city;
- A resolution supporting electrification of Seattle transportation system and the city-owned fleet of vehicles;
- Approval of the Freight Master Plan;
This week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar is pretty light, following the Counci’s rule that all but the most urgent legislative work is suspended while the budget development process is ongoing. As expected, Council member Sawant introduced a new version of her ordinance to cap move-in fees for tenants (the bill was amended substantially enough in committee that it needed to be re-titled, which requires re-introduction).
For the next eight weeks, most regularly-scheduled committee meetings will be cancelled except when there is urgent business to handle or to wrap up matters already in progress.
Tuesday afternoon, the Energy and Environment Committee meets and wil continue deliberation on the ordinance restricting move-in fees.
Also Tuesday afternoon, the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee meets. It will tackle a long list of appointments to the Seattle Youth Commission.
Wednesday morning, the Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans Committee meets. The agenda has not yet been announced for the meeting, though likely topics are police overtime and legislation related to police reform/accountability.
Wednesday afternoon the Human Services and Public Health Committee meets to continue its deliberations on an ordinance revising the city’s protocols for “sweeps” of unsanctioned homeless encampments.
Thursday morning the Budget Committee meets to hear the City Budget Office present an overview of the Mayor’s budget proposal.