Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities started planning a new billing and customer information system back in 2012. Like so many other software projects, this one went wrong. And the wrongs have been compounding ever since.
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Gonzalez releases schedule for paid family leave legislation
Council member Lorena Gonzalez has published a draft schedule for development of a paid family leave policy for city employees over the next several months.
Continue readingSPD distances itself from its own “Berkshire report” study
This morning in its briefing to the City Council, Seattle Police Department COO Brian Mazey did its best to discredit its own “Berkshire report” study of staffing requirements at SPD.
Continue readingA deeper look at the Berkshire report on police staffing
Last Friday afternoon the Seattle Police Department released the final version of the long-awaited “Berkshire report” on police staffing. It’s 136 pages, stuffed with tables of data — most of which is uninteresting. But with some digging there are nuggets of insight to be found.
Continue readingThis week in Council chambers: transportation, Larry Weis, secure scheduling, and FIRS
Lots of things happening this week in Council chambers, including a committee vote on Larry Weis’ confirmation, kickoff of lawmaking for secure scheduling, the Seattle Housing Levy, and a look at the FIRS Center.
Continue readingCouncil deeply divided on Pronto
As advertised, the Sustainability and Transportation Committee had a long discussion on whether to bail out the ailing Pronto bikeshare system, with a deep division emerging and in the end no consensus.
Continue readingPronto bikeshare: dueling amendments
The future of the Pronto bikeshare system will play out tomorrow in the Sustainability and Transportation Committee Meeting through a set of dueling amendments.
Continue reading$1M of State money for The Jungle: not (quite) what you heard
We all heard last week that the Washington State Legislature has allocated $1 million for building a razor wire fence around the unsanctioned encampment under three miles of I-5 known as “The Jungle.” This morning during the Council Briefing we learned more, and the details are a bit different.
Continue readingCouncil deliberates further on Pronto bikeshare program
This afternoon’s discussion of the ailing Pronto bikeshare system had a little bit of everything: split opinion in public comments, financial wonkiness, city staff being grilled, and one eyebrow-raising revelation.
Continue readingThis is 23rd Avenue: a photo essay
This afternoon I walked the length of the 23rd Avenue road construction project that was the subject of the lengthy Council briefing this morning (and has been in the news). My photos are below.
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