Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell

Public Safety, Civil Rights, And Technology Committee Agenda for Wednesday, 5/15/2013, 2:00 PM
Click here to view the complete agenda:

1. Job Assistance Legislation Update
Presenters: Merf Ehman, Columbia Legal Services; George Allen, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce; Patricia Lee, Council Central Staff
Supporting Documents:
a. Job Assistance Ordinance
b. Central Staff Memo

2. C.F. 312998
Appointment and Oath of Office of Lewis Pierce Murphy as Director of the Office of Professional Accountability to a term ending three years from the date of confirmation.
Presenters: Doug Carey, Policy Director, Department of Finance and Administrative Services; Jaline Quinto and Carl Marquardt, Mayor’s Office; Pierce Murphy, Acting Director, Office of Professional Accountability
Supporting Documents:
a. Proposed Timeline for Confirmation Hearings
b. Confirmation Questions for Lewis Pierce Murphy

3. Res. 31450
Authorizing commencement of cable franchise contract renewal proceedings in accordance with the provisions of 47 U.S .C. section 546, and written request from Comcast.
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION (10 minutes)
Presenters: Tony Perez, Department of Information Technology; Martha Lester, Council Central Staff
Supporting Document:
a. Comcast Cable Franchise Renewal Presentation

News Release issued 5/09/13:

SEATTLE – Councilmembers Bruce Harrell and Tom Rasmussen announced the first of two public meetings to hear public feedback on plans to name sections of 19th Avenue after Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney.

Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee stated, “I am very pleased to listen to members of the community who began the dialogue about honoring Rev. Dr. McKinney. For over 40 years, he has been a civil rights leader, as well as a minister who has positively influenced all of Seattle. Rev. McKinney has been the conscience of our city and has made a lasting mark on race and social justice issues. Rev. McKinney and his late wife, Louise, have made a lasting impact on 19th Avenue in Seattle and beyond.”

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee, stated, “Seattle should honor Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney, and I support Councilmember Bruce Harrell’s proposal for the honorary designation of ‘Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney Avenue’ on 19th Avenue between E. Union and E. Republican Streets.”

Rasmussen continued, “Rev. Dr. McKinney has dedicated his life to his church and community. He is a man of many achievements, serving as one of the original members of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, lecturing and teaching at colleges around the nation and opening a church-run Credit Union which strived to assist community members who were unable to open bank accounts and conduct financial transactions in traditional banks. I hope to see his legacy live on through the years.”

The first of two community meetings is scheduled for today at 3:00 p.m..

WHAT: Community Meeting on Honorary Street Name Change of 19th Avenue
WHEN: TODAY — Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1634 19th Ave. Seattle, WA 98122
WHO: Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Link to Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney’s biography: http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=152
Email your support for renaming portions of 19th Avenue (East Union to East Republican Streets) to bruce.harrell@seattle.gov or tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov

News Release issued 5/08/13:

SEATTLE — Councilmember Bruce Harrell announced today that the City is seeking candidates for three vacant positions on the Seattle Women’s Commission.

The Commission is a 20-member body that works together to research, analyze and make recommendations to the Mayor, City Council and City departments on issues facing women in Seattle. The Commission meets monthly and more frequently as committees to address economic opportunity for women, social justice, women’s health, affordable and high-quality child-care, women’s roles as care-givers, violence against women and challenges immigrant women face in our community.

Councilmember Harrell strongly encourages women with a background in policy work and research regarding gender pay gap inequality to apply. According to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the National Partnership for Women and Families, the most recent data shows that out of the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, Seattle has the largest wage gap for women. Women in the Seattle area are paid an average of 73 cents for every dollar paid to men in the area, amounting to a yearly gap of $16,346 between men and women who work full time. As a group, this results in a loss of $7,894,987,232 for women in the Seattle area each year, with national statistics showing even larger wage pay gaps for women of color.

“Closing and eradicating the wage gap between women and men in the Seattle metropolitan area is of utmost concern, and I am glad it is getting the attention it deserves. Having Commissioners with a background in policy work relating to gender pay gap inequality that are passionate about resolving this issue will help to build greater gender equity in Seattle,” said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology committee.

Appointment to the Commission is subject to confirmation by the City Council. Commissioners serve two-year terms, although may be appointed to fill the remainder of an existing term.

Interested candidates should deliver a resume and cover letter by May 31 to Councilmember Bruce Harrell by email (bruce.harrell@seattle.gov), by fax (206-684-8587; provide cover memo with Attn: Bruce Harrell) or by mail to:

Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Seattle City Council
P.O. Box 34025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025

Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, will host Merrick Bobb and members of the Seattle Police Monitoring team at committee on Tuesday afternoon. Bobb is the court-appointed independent monitor for the Department of Justice (DOJ) Settlement Agreement and will present his first semi-annual report to the City Council.

The report was filed with the U.S. District Court on April 26, 2013.

Link to Monitor’s First Semiannual Report
Link to Seattle Police Department’s Compliance Coordinator website

WHAT: Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology Committee

WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Council Chambers, 2nd floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

Public Safety, Civil Rights, And Technology Committee Agenda for Wednesday, 5/01/2013, 2:00 PM
Click here to view the complete agenda:

1. Seattle Human Rights Commission Appointment
2. Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission Appointments
3. Seattle Women’s Commission Work Plan – SWC 2013 Work Plan
4. Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) Director Confirmation Process
5. Department of Information Technology 2013 Quarterly Report Regarding the Next Generation Data Center Initiative

Press Release issued on Tuesday, 4/30/13:

Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, will introduce the Council’s appointment process for Pierce Murphy, the new Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) Director nominee. The Mayor announced the nomination on Friday, April 26.

“Council will work with urgency to examine the OPA appointment, “said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. “With responsibility to investigate complaints about police misconduct, the OPA Director is one of the most critical positions in the City. The new director must have credibility with all groups, including diverse communities and must also communicate clearly and effectively with police accountability advocates and police officers.”

Harrell said, “The Committee has made it clear that confirmation of the Mayor’s nomination will not be taken lightly, the process will be thorough, and achievements, as well as deficiencies, will be analyzed.”

Significant outreach to community members, civil rights organizations, the Human Rights commission, Community Police Commission, law organizations and police organizations will be conducted to assist in the process of deciding whether Council will confirm Murphy’s nomination. The official public hearing on Murphy’s appointment will be scheduled at an upcoming Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee meeting.

Link to Pierce Murphy’s Biography