Johnson takes his curtain call.
This afternoon, the Council passed a resolution expressing their support for the U District Station Area Mobility Plan, and the plan to redevelop the stretch of NE 43rd Street next to the light rail station as a pedestrian corridor.
This morning, Council member Juarez announced a bit more of her plan for advancing the Seattle Library Levy through the Council’s legislative process. Following last week’s overview presentation, next Monday the Select Committee on the Library Levy will meet to identify and discuss issues with the Mayor’s proposal. On April 11 at 5:30pm, there will be a public hearing on the levy. On April 17th, there will be another committee meeting, presumably to start considering amendments. Juarez did not specify when she expected to vote the legislation out of committee and send it to the full Council for final approval for the fall ballot.
Juarez’s regular committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon will be a short one: just two appointments to the Board of Park Commissioners.
Next Monday, April 8th, is Take Your Youngsters to Work Day in City Hall. Council member Gonzalez’s staff is organizing the event this year.
This afternoon was Council member Rob Johnson’s last full Council meeting as an elected member of the Council, as his resignation is effective at the end of the week. Several of his colleagues praised him for his knowledge on transportation and urban policy, his focus on coalition-building, and for his signature piece of legislation, the MHA ordinance passed last month. Johnson gave a short though tearful farewell speech, noting how hard the job is, and thanking his wife and their family and friends for stepping up to help so that he could do the job.
It’s unclear whether Johnson’s Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee will meet before the Council appoints someone to serve out the remainder of his term. The committee’s vice-chair, Mike O’Brien, can call a meeting if there are time-sensitive matters that come up related to land use.