Don't miss the Sunday, Jan. 31 Citizens Budget Conerence, noon to 5 p.m. at Seattle Center House.

Don't miss the Sunday, Jan. 31 Citizens Budget Conerence, noon to 5 p.m. at Seattle Center House. Only once every two years can you engage on budget issues with such a wide range of Seattle officials!

WHAT: THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S 2010 CITIZENS BUDGET CONFERENCE
WHEN: SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 12-5 P.M.
WHERE: SEATTLE CENTER HOUSE, MAIN FLOOR AND THIRD FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOMS

Sponsored by Seattle’s City Neighborhood Council and Seattle Center, in cooperation with the Mayor, City Council, City Budget Office, and Department of Neighborhoods

Be there for the kickoff of Seattle City government’s two-year budget process! Find out why budgeting matters and how to get involved in the decisions that affect you! Join the Mayor, his new Budget Director, City Councilmembers, and representatives of more than 20 City departments in dialogue about Seattle's revenue and spending priorities.

The Sunday, Jan. 31 Citizens Budget Conference begins with a budget fair (noon to 12:30, but some agency tables and exhibits will be ready by 11 a.m.) where you can talk one-on-one with agency representatives. At 12:30 there will be addresses by Mayor Mike McGinn, City Council Budget chair Jean Godden, and City Budget Director Beth Goldberg. At 2 and 3 p.m. there will be presentation/discussion groups where you can hear and quiz more than 20 City agencies large and small. The conference will end with a 4-5 p.m. panel discussion among City Councilmembers.

Agencies invited include the Seattle Department of Transportation, Department of Parks and Recreation, City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, Police Department, Fire Department, Municipal Court, Law Department, Department of Human Services, Office of Housing, Seattle Public Library, Department of Information Technology, Department of Planning and Development, Planning Commission, Design Commission, Seattle Center, Seattle Animal Shelter, Department of Neighborhoods, Office of Economic Development, Office for Civil Rights, Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, City Auditor, and Ethics and Elections Commission. There will also be a discussion group about Youth Issues in the Budget.

Only once every two years can you engage on budget issues with such a wide range of Seattle officials. The conference is open to the public, free of charge, with snacks and beverages. Seattle Channel 21 will record the conference for later video rebroadcast, and streaming video will also be available anytime on the City web site. Interpretive services are available upon request. Publicity in English, Mandarin, Korean, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese can be found at http://seattle.gov/neighborhoodcouncil.

Don't miss the Citizens Budget Conference--Sunday, January 31, noon to 5 p.m. at the Center House at Seattle Center! For further questions: (206) 322-5463, cleman@oo.net; or credmond@mac.com. The City Neighborhood Council is an official City of Seattle advisory body, composed of one representative from each of the thirteen district councils, which are also official advisory bodies.

January 2010 meeting has been cancelled.

Seattle Community Council Federation

January 2010 meeting has been cancelled.

Instead, please attend the service in honor of Federation Vice-President Glover Barnes at Eastshore Unitarian Church,

12700 SE 32nd Street, Bellevue, 98005

on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made with a donation to the charity of your choice in Glover's memory.

Sign Glover's on-line Guest Book at http://www.legacy.com/Link.asp?I=GB000138315456O

Dr. Glover W. Barnes died peacefully in his sleep at Virginia Mason Hospital on Dec. 20th, 2009

Dr. Glover W. Barnes

Glover died peacefully in his sleep at Virginia Mason Hospital on Dec. 20th, 2009 of complications from congestive heart failure. He was a strong but gentle, compassionate soul who was preceded in death by Miriam, his loving wife of 56 years and 2 younger brothers, Carson and Hershall. Born in poverty on Sept. 7th, 1923 in Birmingham, Alabama, he left the south to study Biology and Microbiology, earning a bachelor's degree in Biology at Akron University in Ohio in 1949. He then earned his Masters Degree in Biology and his PhD in Microbiology in 1956 and 1962, respectively at the State University of New York in Buffalo, N.Y. He has held several professional positions spanning over 5 decades beginning in 1955, including Assistant Cancer Research Scientist at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.; Consultant for the Urology Research Program at Millard Fillmore Hospital in Buffalo; Research Associate of Microbiology and Assistant Professor of Pathology at the State University of New York at Buffalo; and Associate Professor and Lecturer of Urology, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Washington. He became a tenured Professor at the University of Washington in 1976 and continued to serve in that capacity after Miriam's death on Feb. 6th, 2008. He also served on several committees; which included, during his 40 years at the University of Washington, the Committee for Encouragement and Recruitment of Minorities in Health Sciences (CERMIHS); Faculty Council on Community Services; Human Subjects Review and Policy; Vice-Chairman, Section A, Review Committee; Human Subjects Policy Board; and Black Faculty and Administrator's Organization (BFAO).

Recognized as a "Diversity Trailblazer," Dr. Barnes has served on many boards and commissions, focusing his activism on human and civil rights, health issues, public transit, neighborhood representation, and more. He was an officer of the Board of Directors of the Seattle Federation of Community Councils. He is survived by his two sons, Erik (Lisa) Barnes of Dallas, Texas; Noel (Nancy) Barnes of Renton, WA; grandchildren Ivan, Jalen and Zoey; sister Louise Wood Green and brother Ted of Akron, Ohio; brother Calvin of Decatur, Georgia and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be deeply missed by his family and by those whose lives were touched and inspired by his way of encouraging people to better themselves. A memorial service in his honor will be held at Eastshore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd Street, Bellevue, WA 98005 on January 23rd, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made with a donation to the charity of your choice in Glover's memory. You may rest in peace Dad; you're with Mother in eternity now.

Sign Glover's on-line Guest Book at www.Legacy.com

WASHINGTON STATE OPEN GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE IS THIS SATURDAY, JAN. 16,

Friends—

 

It has been a pleasure for the Washington Coalition for Open Government in working with its partners the Society of Professional Journalists and the UW Department of Communication in planning this Saturday’s Washington State Open Government Conference (Jan. 16, 8:20 a.m. to 2 p.m. in UW’s Kane and Parrington halls).  The WCOT staff has done an excellent job of designing the program agenda handout and it is now posted at http://www.washingtoncog.org/pdfs/WCOG_Conference_Handout.pdf.  

 

In that handout, the audience will have the one-paragraph descriptions of what each presentation/discussion group will address, as worked out with the group conveners in December for our successful application for Continuing Legal Education accreditation.  It wouldn’t hurt for the group participants to review those descriptions, to make sure that the topics mentioned receive at least glancing mention in your presentation/discussion group!  By the way, one and possibly both sessions of each group will be video recorded, and it is our hope to produce a video afterwards.  If you have any questions, or think we’ve forgotten anything in the conference preparations, just let me know.

 

Also, below is a brief announcement of the Jan. 16 conference and the Jan. 15 pre-conference reception in case you might want to remind friends a final time.  At this point, there are 116 signed up for the conference and 33 for the reception—healthy numbers, but there’s room for more in both.  The reception will be lovely, so please come, whether or not you make a donation.  And who’s to know how soon we will do another conference of this scope?  Let’s make sure others don’t miss the chance—and let’s determine to enjoy it ourselves, despite all the hard work.  Thanks for all you’ve done to make these the very successful and memorable events they will be!

 

Chris Leman (206) 322-5463

Coordinator of the conference and reception

 

 

WASHINGTON STATE OPEN GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE IS THIS SATURDAY, JAN. 16, 8:30-2 P.M. AT UW'S KANE AND PARRINGTON HALLS; THERE'S ALSO A DOWNTOWN PRE-CONFERENCE RECEPTION FRIDAY, JAN. 15, 5-7 P.M. AT THE WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY CLUB

 

Learn your rights to open government and get practical tips on exercising them at the federal, state, and local levels.  Hear the latest on court battles, issues expected at the 2010 legislative session, and the Obama administration's open government initiatives.  Network with other community leaders, and meet the most knowledgeable experts in the field--all at the Washington State Open Government Conference this Saturday, Jan. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UW's Kane and Parrington halls.  The conference is presented by the Washington Coalition for Open Government, Society of Professional Journalists, and University of Washington Department of Communication.  The program is now posted at http://www.washingtoncog.org/pdfs/WCOG_Conference_Handout.pdf.  Registration for the conference is $35, at the door or preferably online: http://www.washingtoncog.org/20100116_registration.html.   

 

Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna will give the opening address and British-American journalist Heather Brooke will give the closing address.  Brooke, a UW graduate with dual U.K. and U.S. citizenship who has worked as a journalist in both countries, recently used open government techniques first learned in Washington state to expose improper use of government funds by members of Parliament, triggering the largest scandal of its kind in British history.  The BBC is filming “Bringing Down the House,” a one-hour satirical drama starring Anna Maxwell Martin as Heather Brooke, and to air in early 2010.  

 

Conference attendees can choose among four presentation/discussion groups (held twice in succession) that each explain existing laws and practices of open government, how citizens can assert their rights, possible improvements in the laws, and proactive steps toward greater openness that governments can take beyond the minimum requirements of laws.  The group leaders are attorney William Crittenden (on state and local public records), attorney Michelle Earl-Hubbard (on state and local open public meetings),  Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eric Nalder (on federal, state, and local campaign finance and lobby disclosure), and attorney and environmental leader Gerry Pollet (on federal public records and open public meetings).  Other speakers include former Congresswoman Jolene Unsoeld, environmental leader Tom Carpenter, attorney Bruce Johnson, and journalists Steve Miletich and Daniel Lathrop.  Journalist Kirsten Grind will speak about her fight to force the Office of Thrift Supervision to release documents about its seizure of Washington Mutual.   

  
On the previous evening at the Women's University Club, 1105 Sixth Avenue in downtown Seattle, WCOG and SPJ are also presenting a reception (Friday, Jan. 15, 5-7 p.m.) to honor Heather Brooke.  Hosts of the reception include TV commentator Enrique Cerna, Bullitt Foundation director Denis Hayes, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, labor union leader Anna Jancewicz, State House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, musician Krist Novoselic, radio personality Dave Ross, State Auditor Brian Sonntag, and Alliance of People with disAbilities director Lucille Walls.  For information and to register on-line (with $25 the suggested minimum donation):   http://www.washingtoncog.org/20100115_reception.html.

 

City Council "Open Government" proposals would be a setback for open government, reform group says. It urges Mayor-elect to begin in office with open government initiatives.

The Seattle Community Council Federation is calling on the City Council to make major improvements in open government proposals it is considering at a Dec. 7 public hearing, Dec. 9 committee meeting, and Dec. 14 full Council meeting. Jeannie Hale, President of the Federation, said "It is strange that these proposals would have come out of the Council's 'Open Government Committee', because as a whole they are a setback for open government."

Hale did find some things to praise in the proposals. She thanked the Council for proposals that would: (1) Put on the web the materials to be considered by committees; (2) Begin audio recording of special meetings and special committees; (3) Have an attorney present during executive (closed) sessions to discourage Open Public Meetings Act violations; (4) And, from an interagency committee led by the City Clerk, rules and guidelines to ensure that Councilmember use of social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter don’t violate public records, open public meetings, and campaign practices laws.

Chris Leman, who also represents the Federation on open government issues, detailed what is lacking in the Council proposals: (1) On Monday afternoons the Councilmembers can still pass measures that emerged from a committee as recently as the previous Wednesday (they will rush these rules through that way next week). At least a ten-day interval should be required, except when the Council declares why it must act more quickly; (2) There’s no providing beforehand to the public of amendments that will be debated at the afternoon Council meeting, the morning briefings meeting, special committees, or committees of the whole (Councilmembers mutually insist on this right for themselves only); (3) And committees can still pass legislation at the same meeting in which a public hearing on it was held.

And worst, Leman said, are the setbacks in the Council proposals: (1) Council briefings and standing committees would no longer have to meet in City Hall--or even in Seattle. The Council chambers are easily accessible, televised live and can be heard on the “listen line” at 206-684-8566; without such guarantees, meetings elsewhere hamper access. (2) Councilmembers would no longer be required to attend their assigned committees or have an excuse when they don’t. (3) Committees would no longer need a quorum to pass legislation (and apparently could act with no Councilmember present). (4) And future Council rules revisions would no longer need to be considered by a committee.

The Seattle Community Council Federation also urges the City Council to get started in developing a “coordinated plan and policy on open and participatory government,” as the Council unanimously committed to do in passing Res. 31049 nineteen months ago. A draft “Public Engagement Plan” doesn’t (as resolution 31049 requires of such a plan) consolidate and review existing policies and make improvements in them, and it applies only to the Council, not also the executive and judicial branches. Hale said, "With an incoming administration pledging openness and participation as watchwords, there’s no better time for the Council and Mayor to work out this new plan in partnership with the public. Public pleas having failed, maybe Mayor-elect Mike McGinn can get the Council to set a timetable, solicit written and oral suggestions, adopt a scope, circulate a draft, and get comments on it at a hearing."

The Federation also urged the City Council to require itself and agencies to save e-mails and other electronic documents for at least six years, as Pierce County government does. In Seattle, e-mails are automatically deleted after only 45 days, unless archived by the employee who sent or received them. Few take the time, and all have a conflict of interest to destroy the illegal, unethical or politically embarrassing messages before ethics- and law-enforcement officials, the press or public learn they ever existed. Hale said, "If the Council won’t act, the new Mayor should by executive order, just as Barack Obama began his presidency by opening up government practices that the previous administration had used to evade public scrutiny."

Founded in 1946, the Seattle Community Council Federation represents neighborhood associations from throughout Seattle. Its advocacy for open government in City government is of longer standing than perhaps any other Seattle-based organization.

For further information: Chris Leman, cleman@oo.net (206) 322-5463; Jeannie Hale, jeannieh@serv.net (206) 525-5135

.

SEATTLE COMMUNITY COUNCIL FEDERATION

http://seattlefederation.blogspot.com/

Regular Meeting

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency), Pacific Marine Center on Lake Union

1801 Fairview Avenue East

Thursday, November 19, 2009

AGENDA

The Role of the City Attorney’s Office in Representing the Public Interest –

A Dialogue with City Attorney Elect Pete Holmes

Pete Holmes surprised many people (including himself) with a landslide victory in defeating incumbent City Attorney Tom Carr. Prior to his taking office in January, the Federation is pleased to host Pete for a preview of his four-year term. A key difference in the campaign was his stronger emphasis on the City Attorney as being a public interest advocate and guardian. That is, Pete Holmes sees his clients as being not just the Mayor and City Council, but also the public—a view espoused by many of the other elected city attorneys around the country. In a free-ranging presentation and question-and-answer session, Pete will discuss how he will approach his new position, including its potential as advocate for the public interest.

Highlights of Other Agenda items:

· An update from Chas Talbot, Operations Manager, Regional Commission on Airport Affairs—Why has there been an upsurge in aircraft noise? How has Sea-Tac and the Port addressed environmental concerns? Other issues.

· Is there hope for Open and Participatory Government in Seattle? The Council has issued no timetable for developing a “coordinated plan and policy on open and participatory government,” nor invited suggestions from the public for the plan, nor issued a draft for comment. A public hearing is scheduled on Monday, December 7 at 5:30 in the Council Chambers. Issues and possible solutions in a discussion led by Chris Leman. (http://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/open_gov_comm.htm)

· The future of the Pike Place Market—Joan Paulson, Urban Planner and Pike Place Constituency member, will provide a briefing about the legislation creating the Market Public Development Authority (PDA) which will sunset in 2014, after which the City Council and the Mayor's office will assume jurisdiction of the market zoning.

7:00 Call to Order and Introductions

Administration

1. Changes to the agenda

2. Treasurer’s report

3. President’s report

7:15 A Dialogue with City Attorney Elect Pete Holmes

8:05 An Update from the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs – Chas Talbot

8:25 Open and Participatory Government in Seattle – Promise or Reality? Chris Leman

8:40 The Future of the Pike Place Market – Joan Paulson

8:55 Round Robin (if time permits)

9:00 Adjourn

NOAA is a federal facility on high security alert, so attendees must enter by the security gate and may need to present photo ID. If you haven't attended a recent Federation meeting, please send your name, contact information, and address to rickbarrett@gmail.com to be added to the entry list. No e-mail? Call 206-365-1267. The building is ADA compliant, with ample parking in front.

ALERT - JUST SAY NO! DADU ("Backyard Cottage") vote Monday, November 2nd

Map showing how one DADU (Backyard Cottage") adversely affects five neighboring properties.

New DADU ("Backyard Cottage") at 1911 16th Ave South.


New DADU ("Backyard Cottage") at 7520 Military Road South.


New Dadu ("Backyard Cottage") in rear, 8630 Beacon Avenue S.


New DADU ("Backyard Cottage") at 6522 48th Avenue S.


New DADU ("Backyard Cottage) in rear at 3043 S Dawson Street.

PRESS RELEASE
By Marty Liebowitz [mailto:marty@madronacompany.com]

Regarding- Upcoming Seattle City Council Vote on Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs)

Note: The City has recently decided to call these structures “Backyard Cottages”.

"DADUs" is a crazy sounding abbreviation for “Detached Attached Dwelling Units”. Spelled out in its entirety, the acronym is long, un-sexy, and not very catchy. But next week, on Monday, November 2nd, when the full City Council is slated to vote on whether to allow them throughout the city, you will find that their klunky name has been changed to the more friendly sounding “Backyard Cottages”, and this will be judgment day for the fate of each and every single-family neighborhood throughout the City of Seattle.

The ordinance they are voting on is flawed - maybe 30% flawed. In that amount of written legalese, much of what we all love about our City could be destroyed. The decision will be largely invisible since it presumably affects only rear yards, so the damage may not be visible from the sidewalk. However the damage will be done- primarily to the backyard privacy that we and our trees, and our backyard animals now all enjoy.

As currently proposed, a 2 story 800 square foot home will be allowed to be built in the rear yard of any property with an existing single family home - in all the single family neighborhoods in Seattle. The new home which can be built will be allowed within 5 feet from rear and side property lines. It can be 15’ high at its eave and 22’ high at the ridge of a peaked roof. It can tower over the abutting 5 neighboring lots when built mid block. What is gained by 1 property owner in building one new Accessory Dwelling Unit is lost by each of the five abutting neighbors. This ratio 5 1 to 1, winner to loser, should not be acceptable in the City of Seattle or anywhere else.

While hyped as being “sustainable”, this is really not since we already have an attached Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance which allows the same thing if it is attached to an existing building and maintains regular setback requirements in side and rear yards. Hence, there will be no more units created by this ordinance. Also, they do not provide “affordable” housing since this is in general new construction at new construction costs.

The City planners are telling us that this is no different than similar ordinances on places like Mercer Island. However, on Mercer Island, the minimal lot sizes are 1/3 acre, while in Seattle, the minimum lot size proposed is 1/10 acre - hardly comparable.

One glaring problem with the proposed ordinance relates to a similar one passed a few years ago for SE Seattle, which was to be a test of the DADU concept in Seattle. SE Seattle was chosen since politically the concept was a hot potato for neighborhoods in the rest of the city and SE Seattle was politically under-represented and an easy test case for the City Planners. Hence, under the cover of darkness (not unlike today) the Council benignly passed the experimental ordinance under the guidance of City Planners. In the last 2 years, about 17 of these new residences have been built - the majority of which are eyesores. However, as mentioned in the top of this posting, they usually cannot be seen from the street, and hence are only a burden on their immediate neighbors who see these things out of their kitchen, bathroom and bedroom windows every day. So, we could say “out of sight out of mind” and just walk away from this issue. But if passed on November 2nd, none of our rear yard sanctuaries is safe. Our backyard privacy is a thing of the past. No longer can we and our backyard critters enjoy a moment or careless, peaceful, private piece of mind.

So folks - that’s what’s really coming down next Monday. Not many citizens are aware of this. There’s been little public disclosure on something so far-reaching. But noblesse oblige, “the Council knows what’s good for us”. Tell your Seattle City Council that this is a half-baked ordinance. Tell them that you believe in sustainability but that this is not the way to achieve it. Turn on the fans to their smoke screen, clear the air, and just tell them to vote NO on November 2 on the DADU Ordinance.