Seattle council previews votes on shelter census and World Cup grants, flags public-safety and water-rate work

Seattle City Council members used a May 4 briefing to preview several committee actions and local priorities, including a shelter-census vote, a pending World Cup grants bill, ongoing public-safety efforts and a request to King County on wastewater rates.

Council President Hollingsworth opened the meeting and, after a roll call that found seven members present (Council members Juarez and Lynn were excused), said the council would cancel its May 11 briefing and the full council meeting set for May 26 because of the Memorial Day week schedule. He also announced a governance and utilities committee meeting on May 14 that will include reappointments and stormwater code updates.

"We are going to propose to have central staff come and do an affordability meeting to talk about all of the legislation that has passed," Hollingsworth said, citing cumulative effects on households from measures such as the library levy and other items. He said he and Council member Lynn are preparing a letter asking King County to lower a proposed wastewater rate increase from 12.75% to 10.75% for the year.

Council member Foster told colleagues the council will vote on the shelter-census legislation on Wednesday, noting that daylight amendments were shared and that she and Council member Juarez are coordinating language changes. "So we look forward to sharing more colleagues," Foster said as she urged members to circulate amendments ahead of the vote.

The finance/native communities committee will consider a bill to accept grants and enter a local agreement with the FIFA World Cup local organizing committee, the District 6 council member said, asking for a committee exception because of tight timelines. That bill contains a technical amendment to correct numeric grant amounts; if approved in committee, it would advance to full council next week.

Public-safety planning and gun-violence intervention were recurring themes. Council member Rivera described a mayoral press briefing on a recent incident that she said was "impacted by gun violence" but in which no one was injured. Rivera said public safety is a priority and that she is working with the mayor's office, the city attorney and the prosecuting attorney on intervention efforts. She noted ongoing conversations with David Kennedy and the National Network for Safe Communities about strategies and said the council must avoid siloed approaches.

Several members highlighted neighborhood safety walks and coordination with Seattle Police Department community officers. Council member Kettle previewed two public-safety committee meetings: a May 12 accountability session with the Office of the Inspector General and SPD to review protests and a Centennial Review debrief, followed by a panel of accountability partners; and a subsequent session focused on World Cup emergency preparedness and interdepartmental coordination.

Members also flagged local infrastructure and community issues: Kettle raised a major leak at the Queen Anne Pool that will require lengthy repairs, and Rivera described a proposal from Evergreen Goodwill for siting 1,000–2,000 units of affordable housing at a facility she plans to tour.

Appointments and committee items were scheduled as well. The District 6 member said the committee will begin a two-part confirmation process for Dwight Dively as director of the Office of City Finance, with an initial background-focused meeting followed by a question-and-answer session. Council member Rink said a resolution on the KCRAJ forensic evaluation (co-sponsored with Foster) is set for the Human Services, Labor and Economic Development Committee on May 15 and that Pedro Yarse's confirmation as director of the Office of Economic Development will be considered at the same meeting.

The briefing concluded when Hollingsworth called the council into executive session to discuss pending or potential litigation with city attorneys; he said the session was expected to end around 4 p.m. and that the briefing would adjourn automatically at its close.

Next steps: shelter-census legislation is scheduled for a council vote this week in committee and on the floor; the World Cup grants bill is slated for committee consideration tomorrow with a potential referral to full council; and members said central staff will prepare an affordability review of recent legislative and rate changes for a June 1 discussion.