Seattle City Council ^[1]Member Nick Licata was voted Council President by the other members of the Council on January 23rd.

The president runs Council meetings, and oversees personnel issues for Central, Administrative and City Clerk staff. All legislation referred to the Council from the Mayoral and Executive Departments goes to the Council President for assignment to committee. When there is an issue that could be referred to more than one Committee, the President decides which Committee will receive it.

When you hear mention of the City Council Committees, ever wonder what they are? Who is on each committee and what do they do? Read on:

There are six standing committees for the Seattle City Council: Energy and Technology;
Finance and Budget; Economic Development and Neighborhoods; Housing, Human Services and Health; Parks, Education, Libraries and Labor; Public Safety, Governmental Relations, and Arts.

Standing Committee, Chair, Committee Members & Meeting Days and Times

Energy and Technology Chair: Jean Godden
Vice-Chair: David J. Della
Member: Nick Licata
Alternate: Tom Rasmussen
2nd and 4th Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.

Finance and Budget Chair: Richard McIver
Vice-Chair: Jean Godden
Member: David Della
Alternate: Jan Drago
1st and 3rd Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.

Economic Development and Neighborhoods Chair: Sally Clark
Vice-Chair: Richard McIver
Member: Jan Drago
Alternate: Peter Steinbrueck
1st and 3rd Thursdays 9:30 a.m.

Housing, Human Services and Health Chair: Tom Rasmussen
Vice-Chair: Sally Clark
Member: Richard McIver
Alternate: Nick Licata
1st and 3rd Tuesdays 9:00 a.m.

Parks, Education, Libraries and Labor Chair: David Della
Vice-Chair: Jan Drago
Member: Richard Conlin
Alternate: Sally Clark
1st and 3rd Wednesdays 2:00 p.m.

Public Safety, Governmental Relations and Arts Chair: Nick Licata
Vice-Chair: Jean Godden
Member: Peter Steinbrueck
Alternate: Richard McIver
1st and 3rd Tuesdays 2:00 p.m.

COUNCIL COMMITTEE ISSUE AREAS

Energy and Technology Committee: To deliberate and make
recommendations on legislative matters relating to Seattle City Light,
including but not limited to City Light finances, energy utility rates,
resource matters, regional matters, air pollution regulations,
environmental policies and initiatives, alternative energy sources and
waterway cleanup; and to City information technology planning,
implementation, and organization, cable telecommunications services and
planning, broadband telecommunications planning and implementation, the
Public Access Network (PAN) and citizen technology literacy and access.

Finance and Budget Committee: To deliberate and make recommendations
on legislative matters relating to the financial management and policies
of the City and its agents, including the biennial operating and capital
budgets, levies, taxes, revenue, audits, and judgments and claims
against the City; to the administration of the City, including but not
limited to personnel issues and other issues related to salary rates,
hours and conditions of employment; and to oversight of the City’s
public works construction projects except as otherwise specified.

Economic Development and Neighborhoods Committee: To deliberate and
make recommendations on legislative matters relating to City economic
development policies and programs; to neighborhoods, including
neighborhood plans implementation, outreach and citizen involvement, and
historic preservation; and to oversight of ethics and elections.

Housing, Human Services and Health Committee: To deliberate and make
recommendations on legislative matters relating to housing, human
services, homelessness, child care, aging, disability services and local
and regional public health.

Parks, Libraries, Labor and Education Committee: To deliberate and
make recommendations on legislative matters relating to parks, public
grounds, recreation, community centers, the Woodland Park Zoo, the
Seattle Aquarium and Seattle Center; to libraries; to City
labor-management relations and labor relations policies, including
collective bargaining; and to education activities within the City’s
purview, including workforce development and training, Council-School
Board relations, and oversight of the Families and Education Levy and
the City’s Education Action Agenda.

Public Safety, Governmental Relations and Arts Committee: To
deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to
law enforcement, fire prevention and suppression, emergency medical
services and criminal justice, including coordination with County, state
and federal law and justice agencies; to regional, state, federal and
other intergovernmental relations; to civil rights issues; and to arts
activities.

Transportation Committee: To deliberate and make recommendations on
legislative matters relating to city-wide and regional transportation
policies and planning, street maintenance and rehabilitation, traffic
control and parking policies; to neighborhood transportation planning;
to pedestrian and bicycle programs; to the coordination of
transportation issues and the representation of the Council’s
interests on transportation to King County, Sound Transit, the Puget
Sound Regional Council, the Washington State Department of
Transportation and neighborhoods within the City of Seattle; and to the
Civic Center construction project.

Urban Development and Planning Committee: To deliberate and make
recommendations on legislative matters relating to growth and the urban
environment, including comprehensive planning, zoning, design and land
use regulations; to the work priorities of the City’s Office of Policy
and Management; and to the Civic Center construction project.

Environment, Emergency Management and Utilities Committee: To
deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to
water, drainage, wastewater and solid waste services provided by Seattle
Public Utilities (SPU), including SPU environmental services and utility
rates, regional water resources and endangered species recovery plans;
to sustainability and the Office of Sustainability and Environment; to
the City’s energy and environmental policies, stewardship,
conservation programs and initiatives; and to emergency preparedness,
management and response.

Need more info?

COUNCIL MEMBER & MAYOR E-MAILS

Tom.Rasmussen@seattle.gov
David.Della@seattle.gov
Jean.Godden@seattle.gov
Richard.McIver@seattle.gov
Jan.Drago@seattle.gov
Sally.Clark@seattle.gov
Peter.Steinbrueck@seattle.gov
Richard.Conlin@seattle.gov
Nick.Licata@seattle.gov

The Mayor’s Office is no longer taking direct emails. Instead citizens
are directed to the following website to complete a form.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/mayor/citizen_response.htm ^[2]