AN ORDINANCE relating to procedures for filling Council vacancies; adding a new Chapter 3.93, consisting of Section 3.93.010, to the Seattle Municipal Code.
The report The full council agenda item one Constable 119 138 relating to procedures for filing council vacancies and excuse me filling council vacancies. Adding a new Chapter 3.83 consisting of Section 3.93 points. You attend to this gentleman's code. And before I relinquish the Florida Councilmember Harris tally, I just wanted to say, you see what we put up with? We actually ran for these jobs. Council member Harris tally, please introduce the legislation. You have the floor. Thank you. Council President Harrell So this is an addition to the current charter and specifically Section 3.93.010 to look at what it is to have a transparent process. So actually making clear the process that was actually utilized with the appointment process that came up when this position eight seat became available and having it be the process that we move forward with for any other open seats that should come forward for the city council in the future. We worked very closely with central staff, the clerk's office and legal for considerations of what worked well in the previous process. What it meant to have these additions added as an explanation of what it is to have an open process and to make sure that this gave adequate room for the City Council to have discretion. It does add three distinct pieces that were present in the last process. One is that it does have an open application process that would be managed through the clerk's office and representation of city council. That would allow, though, all those interested in the position to submit materials for review for the Council in the public at large. It also includes the opportunity of a public forum which would have an application process for community entities to apply and work beside the council to think through what sort of questions would be appropriate for those considering appointment and actually have a public forum that in the same way we make other content available to the public, whether they can attend in City Hall or not available through the Seattle Channel, all those impacted by the appointment would be able to view folks questions there. We thought that was important for the most salient issues and role they would have in that interim role to be brought forward. And we made sure to add community entities so that it could be even loose affiliations of elders, say, in a community who wanted to apply and come forward with inquiries about their community. And the third is that we also would have an open public forum where the council themselves could be addressed by those candidates and also have questions of the candidates with a public comment period of the public. It worked quite well. There were 16 applicants in the last round and several were quite qualified and it gave an opportunity for the public to have comment and hear from the applicants and for the council as a whole to have multiple opportunities of engagement in a very short timeline of about it was actually five business days from the time of the application to appointment with the last process. So with that I'll open it to discussion. Thank you. Council Member I believe you would like to amend the council bill by substituting versions of my notes. Are correct. Is that correct? That is correct. I mean, we can have that actually after the discussion of the base bill or now do you have a preference? Why don't we put the new one in place? So go ahead and move to amend and then I'm sure to get second and then we'll discuss about the legislation. So then when we're finished, we could actually pass it. Wonderful. I move to amend Council Bill 119138 by substituting version two for version one B and everyone has version two before them with notes and read of changes. The changes are for consistency and language of community entities and for some corrections on capitalization of reference to the City Council. Okay. Okay. It's been moved in second and to simply substitute the versions is not the vote on the legislation is just on the substitution. All those in favor say I, I oppose. The ayes have it. So now we have the version that we will consider for adoption councilmembers. Charlie, did you have any other comments or now would be the time to ask any questions or how would you like to proceed? I have no other comments at this time and open it up to my colleagues. If they have statements themselves. They my colleagues have any questions or concerns, I'll just make a comment if no one else does. And that is I want to thank you for memorializing a practice that we sort of with community input. And the input of my our colleagues sort of made it up to make sure this consistent with the charter, consistent with the council rules and obviously resulted in a in a process that people accepted. And so you took the time to memorialize this and make sure that transparency is the key. And I know in your research and looking at appointments, going back to the nineties, that certainly there were improvements, there were processes back there that could have been improved . And I think that this legislation that you've drafted captures what we're trying to do, which is to make sure that we are making great decisions for this, the city, that we are transparent and we're listening to our communities as we make our decisions. So I it's my favorite, my privilege to support it. Any other questions from any of my colleagues? Okay. So this is a bill, so please call the role on the passage customer rehearsal and have any closing remarks before we vote on it. I just wanted to, you know, thank those in this body for having that transparent process. I don't think anyone could have imagined so many would have applied for the position, and certainly I would not find myself here if you hadn't had a transparent process. So I have appreciated the opportunity that this this brought forward and I think the type of discourse that was created even before budget season or other things, as folks considered what it was for someone to fill this position. So thank you. Excellent. So I will move to pass counts bill 119138 as amended. Is there a second? Okay. Please call the rule on the passage of the bill. Whereas I O'BRIEN Make sure Harris tally Herbert Johnson President Harrow seven in favor none oppose. The bill passes as amended and the chair will sign it. Adoption of other resolutions. Please read that into the record.