I’m in the not unusual position of being a white guy in a black family. So I’ve been an unwitting participant in a decades long sociology experiment. I’ve gotten to see how I get treated differently from my family members in all sorts of shared situations. Unfortunately, that also applies to dealings with the police.
... continue reading.Most Recent Articles...
Weekly Update: 06/01/2020
2 Comments on Weekly Update: 06/01/2020This Week It’s all very hush hush. Totally on the QT. Or is it on the down low? OK, maybe it’s just a slow week. So why not give me a call? (206) 878-0578. Last Week Tuesday: Port Of Seattle General Meeting. This is a biggee in that the Commission voted to proceed with their
... continue reading.How To Get What You Want From Elected Officials
2 Comments on How To Get What You Want From Elected OfficialsI get at least two letters every week from residents where they ask me to do something. I give them the honest answer about getting their request fulfilled and… usually never hear from them again. And I can just feel their unhappiness with my reply (which I’ll share with you in a sec). Darwinism As
... continue reading.Weekly Update: 05/25/2020
This Week Tuesday: Port Of Seattle General Meeting. This is a biggee in that the Commission will be voting to proceed with their long-term plan ‘Century Agenda’ which is their long term blueprint for growth. What I am asking them to consider is that they hold off since there is no reasonable way to plan
... continue reading.Weekly Update: 05/17/2020
This Week Tuesday 9AM: SCATbd Meeting. If you have concerns about anything transportation-related, check this out. Tuesday: Burien Airport Committee Meeting (note their calendaring system? 🙂 ) Wednesday: Reach Out Des Moines Zoom Meeting Wednesday: Puget Sound Regional Council CARES Act recovery webinar Thursday: 30th Legislative District COVID 19 phone call. Last Week Monday: Disassembling
... continue reading.Weekly Update: 05/11/2020
I get complaints from the public (and my colleagues) that I’m over-simplifying or trivializing some topic by being so short. And I try to say that these things are already too frickin’ long! If I don’t simplify, every post would be like Municipal War And Peace. (Boy I really want to read that. Not.) Also,
... continue reading.Bring Back City Manager Reports
2 Comments on Bring Back City Manager ReportsMy second motion at the 7 May City Council Meeting was to direct the City Manager to provide weekly reports. This actually was the practice for many years (and continues in many other cities our size and larger.) It was cut back to a Monthly Report in 2018 and then dispensed with entirely in February
... continue reading.Why Meeting Minutes Matter
2 Comments on Why Meeting Minutes MatterIt’s always great to begin with an alliteration, right? 😀 This article explains why I objected to the Consent Agenda at the 7 May City Council Meeting which caused something of a ‘consent agenda kerfuffle’ and then goes on to discuss the importance of ‘Minutes’. This Week’s Hate Mail I do get hate mail after
... continue reading.A Proposal For A National Holiday For First Responders
4 Comments on A Proposal For A National Holiday For First RespondersThis is the body of a letter I sent to Congressman Adam Smith and Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. It is the basis of the motion I made at the 7 May General City Council Meeting. The idea came to me about a month ago after a conversation I had with an old New
... continue reading.Weekly Update: 05/04/2020
1 Comment on Weekly Update: 05/04/2020This Week Monday: The City will unveil its EATS Restaurant Voucher Program to support restaurant owners. Very cool idea. I have a question about re-purposing the original grant funding from King County (which was intended for something slightly different), but I’m assuming we got permission so that’s fine. Just so long as it doesn’t short
... continue reading.