On a day when everyone in City Hall was supposed to be working on the budget, apparently no one was working on the budget. Instead, all attention was on competing efforts to craft an ordinance specifying when, where and how to clear unsanctioned homeless encampments around the city. When the dust cleared at the end of the day, there were two separately authored versions of the bill, plus a vague promise from the Mayor for his ideas on how to reform the current process. But equally important — and in the end probably more valuable — some people were finally willing to talk on …
Continue readingCategory: parks
Notes from this morning’s Council Briefing
The Council is back, and wasting no time getting busy on legislation. To no one’s surprise, homeless encampments were the big topic.
Continue readingParks Department goes under the microscope
When the Parks District Levy passed in the fall of 2014, the City Council committed to investing in a performance review and management of the Department of Parks and Recreation to ensure that levy funds would be spent well. They allocated $317,000 in the 2015 budget, and in the fall of 2015 Matrix Consulting was hired to perform a review. Last Thursday, Matrix delivered their draft report to the Council’s Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee. (presentation here)
Continue readingThis week: I hope you caught up on your sleep this weekend
For the past several weeks the Monday afternoon Full Council meetings have been pretty tame affairs, with not a lot of legislation of substance up for approval. That streak ends tomorrow. Oh, and the committee meetings this week are equally full of important legislation and presentations.
Continue readingNews roundup: Myers Way, district councils, secure scheduling and police reform
Happy Friday! Today’s news is mostly a continuation of yesterday’s.
Continue readingMayor decides to retain Myers Way properties
The Mayor announced yesterday that the city will retain the Myers Way parcels in Southwest Seattle that it had been looking to sell.
Continue readingThis week: long-term planning
Several long-term planning efforts get airtime this week in Council Chamber.
Continue readingNews roundup: Tenant protections and Mayoral texts
Yesterday’s vote on tenant protections tops the news this morning. Plus we found out that the Mayor should text when he’s jet-lagged.
Continue readingNotes from this morning’s Council Briefing: Seafair!
A handful of interesting notes from this morning’s Council Briefing, which featured a presentation on Seafair.
Continue readingThis week in Council Chamber: housing!
Despite the Monday federal holiday, there’s still a lot going on this week; much of it relates to housing.
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