Get get that 3rd COVID Booster (the new ‘bivalent’ model.) Now. Deaths are slowly rising. Again, again, it takes about a month to achieve full efficacy. They’re doing walk-ins now pretty much everywhere. 🙂
This Week
Nothing! 😀 Please fill in the cold, empty days leading up to the joy of Christmas by giving me a call or having a chat. (206) 878-0578
OK… I do have this to keep me warm. 🙂
MESSI AND ARGENTINA LIFT THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY 🏆🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/ykYsPchLkX
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 18, 2022
Last Week
Monday: There have been three Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC) Workshops and the big complaint was that same ol’ same ol’ public outreach. The organiser was amazingly polite and patient and supportive, but he also made something clear to people who feel ‘blindsided’. They have not been blindsided.
The fact is that neither Thurston or Pierce County have been exactly ‘raising the alarm’. And neither has South King County on behalf of Enumclaw. Frankly, each City and County also has an obligation to inform/educate their public, rather than wait for a report to find out that they are in the running.
We have exactly the same obligations regarding the SAMP. Whether there is a second airport or not is irrelevant to Des Moines because the SAMP is coming here in 2027. And so far? We’ve done nothing.
On the other hand the people who might be affected by a second airport have 20-25 years to mount a legal defense.
My main complaint with the CACC is that it does nothing for Des Moines. There has been a lot of talk about making that new airport ‘greener’, ‘quieter’, ‘less polluting’, ‘friendlier to the community’.
All that sounds wonderful. So… we should insist that if everyone wants a second airport so much? They should also apply those same improvements to Sea-Tac Airport now. It would be immoral to make a ‘healthier’ second airport, even as Sea-Tac continues in exactly the opposite direction..
Tuesday: Port of Seattle Commission Meeting (Agenda) The SAMP keeps getting pushed down the road. Also, the International Arrivals Facility is now going to be subject to some penalties for not meeting various compliance deadlines. This will sound snarky, but this is often the case with Port construction projects that come in “on time and on budget!” You just have to wait a few months for the litigation. 😀 Of course, one has to sound optimistic, but if I could whisper one thing in every Port Commissioner’s ear it would, “humility.” The Port has a history of scandal because it is one of the last bastions of real ‘capitalism’.
Tuesday: MRSC Seminar on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) aka ‘mother-in-law apartments’. I’ve taken a good deal of continuing education classes for this gig and I have to say, this was the best training I’ve been to thus far. There are a lot of opportunities for improving our ADU Code. The big takeaway? An ADU is not a ‘small building’, it’s a small house. It much more expensive and difficult to permit than many people think going in because it requires all the services of a ‘real’ house! One great idea, I heard was Pre-approved Plans. For example, Leavenworth has four ready to go (and very nice) plans that you can purchase for $1,200. (That’s a steal over hiring an architect.) And when you do, you are guaranteed a fast-track permitting process that can take as little as two weeks. We have lots of homes with enough land for an ADU and we should make it as easy as possible for home owners to get more out of their property and provide more housing options.
Friday: South King County Housing and Homelessness Partnership (SKHHP) (Agenda) The group voted to fund their first two projects (in Burien.)
Saturday: 11AM-3PM Big Thank You to North Hill Espresso (and SANTA!) for sponsoring COVID Boosters through King County Community Health Access Program (CHAP.). They offer -free- Orca Lift cards, health insurance, and baby/child dental services. Go to KingCounty.gov/Outreach and look for CHAP.
2022 City Manager Performance Review: Comments/Scoring
And here is a table I whacked together showing those scores, with overall and by category averages.
| LEADERSHIP | BUDGET | COMMUNICATION | OVERALL | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning And Management | Supervision And Delegation | Forges Compromises | Hiring | Leadership | Ethical | Operational Efficiency | Completion Of Prior Objectives | Risk Management | Job Knowledge | (Avg) | Financial Management | Analytical | (Avg) | With Council | With Public | Credits Council | Accepts Direction | Sensitivity | Honest, Fair | (Avg) | (Avg) | |
| Mahoney | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3.9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Harris | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Buxton | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3.9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | |
| Achziger | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | |||||
| Pennington | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Nutting | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3.2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
| Steinmetz | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3.3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2.2 | 3.1 |
| (Avg) | 3 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3 | 2.4 | 2 | 3 | 2.4 | 2 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.9 |
The averages are a bit weird because more than one of us left various questions blank or N/A. Frankly, it’s impossible for us to honestly evaluate several of the categories due to the separation between the Council and the staff. It’s not like we have opportunities to see Mr. Matthias’ management on a daily basis. And for that reason (and more), I strongly urge the public to read the Council’s comments as I do not believe that these 18 numbers accurately represent how each of us feel things are going.
The Review Process
On our Council, the Mayor arbitrarily sets the agenda for these meetings and the format of this review. This is not specified in our Rules of Procedure. And in my opinion that is one of several ‘authorities’ the Mayor has taken on which should change. As with everything else, one can’t really hold the Mayor solely responsible for this since none of my colleagues seem to object.
In previous years, we would receive each other’s notes in advance. This year we did not. So much for discussion.
Cherry Picking…
I’ve never argued about Mr. Matthias’ employment contract based on salary. I’ve argued based on performance, which is another thing this system doesn’t take into account.
We don’t evaluate our situation objectively to performance metrics in comparable cities. And we don’t evaluate our situation objectively based on our own performance goals like any other corporation.
At the end of the day, we can all cherry pick. And we do.
But that is not meant as a slag against Mr. Matthias. I’d say the same thing with any City Manager.
My low score is based (mostly) on bad attitude and bad access to information. As as I said, a lot of the questions none of us can answer because we can have no idea of the internal workings of the corporation. (We were offered a single 15 minute meeting with staff next month. Fifteen minutes. Once a year.)
I can, however, do those comparisons with other cities–and with our own city and the past. It’s harder than it should be, but I can do that.
But when you hear me complain about anything, there will always be independent and objective research behind it.
The Future
But most CMs cannot do that much work. Most CMs have day jobs and families and won’t have the time or the background expertise. They’ll have to take what they see and hear at face value. And that is what I hope to change.
In closing the year, I want to remind readers of something that should be obvious. When you hear “the State of the Union” from the President, you’re getting their point of view. It’s not a lie, but it’s also not an objective assessment of how the Country is doing. A city is no different. Every message you will hear from the City (and city) comes with a POV. It’s true–and the accomplishments are real, but it’s also not the whole truth. It’s a press release.
Part of the City Council’s job is to promote the City. But part of it is also to question that message.
When people talk about “how the city is doing” I want to have objective ways for residents to decide one way or the other.
Again I’m frustrated!!
J C join us tomorrow at the Senior Center for the Holiday lunch !! Merry Christmas Nd thank you for you honest open approach . Kaylene