2026-10-20 - City Council Business Meeting

00:37[snorts] I'm calling this meeting to

00:38order. This is a regular meeting of the

00:40Redmond City Council held on Tuesday,

00:42October 20th, 2026, commencing at 7:00

00:45p.m. I will call roll starting with

00:47council president Stewart.

00:50>> I,

00:51>> Council Vice President Noea Kamina

00:52>> here.

00:53>> Council member Foresight.

00:55>> Council member Kitser

00:56>> here.

00:57>> Council member Parcy

00:58>> here. Council member Pria

01:00>> here.

01:00>> Council member Sony

01:01>> here. [laughter]

01:03>> Good timing.

01:06>> I have a few announcements at the start

01:08of this meeting. As we prepare for the

01:10November 3rd general election, ballot

01:12boxes at Redmond City Hall and the

01:13Redmond Community Center at Mary Village

01:15are open for the general election from

01:17now through 8:00 p.m. on November 3rd.

01:20Exactly 8:00 p.m. Just keep that in

01:22mind. Please be careful in these areas

01:24and watch for cars and pedestrians

01:26returning their ballots. Official ballot

01:28dropboxes are the best and fastest way

01:30to return your ballot. You can also

01:32return your ballot through the US Postal

01:33Service. No stamp needed. Make sure you

01:36mail your ballot early so that it is

01:38postmarked by November 3rd. The

01:40suggestion is to mail it in at least a

01:41week early. King County vote centers are

01:44available to voters who need assistance

01:46completing their ballot. Trained staff

01:48and specialized equipment are available

01:49to help voters with disability

01:51disabilities cast a private independent

01:53ballot. And we encourage you to

01:54participate in our country's democracy

01:56and make your vote count vote count this

01:58and every election day. The city of

02:01Redmond is introducing a new online form

02:03that allows community members to

02:05register to provide remote verbal

02:07comments or submit written comments

02:09directly through our website. This will

02:11replace community members emailing in to

02:14submit comments or register for remote

02:16comments and makes participating in city

02:18council business meetings more

02:19accessible and convenient for

02:21individuals who have difficulty

02:22attending meetings in person. Beginning

02:24on October 30th, forms will be available

02:27from 5:00 p.m. on the day the agenda is

02:29published until 2 p.m. on the day of the

02:31meeting. You'll be able to access the

02:32forms and learn more about participating

02:34in public meetings, including decorum

02:37and language expectations, time limits,

02:39and allowable topics by visiting

02:40redmond.gov/addressing

02:42counsel. Uh, today we have no special

02:45orders of the day. And do we have a

02:47motion to rearrange the agenda? Council

02:49President.

02:51>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I move to um

02:55elevate item three, the executive

02:57session to evaluate the qualifications

02:59of an applicant for public employment to

03:02the top of our agenda today. Is there a

03:05second?

03:12It's been moved and seconded. Um all

03:15those in favor say I. I.

03:20>> I.

03:21>> I. I can I

03:23>> wait can I ask why or

03:25>> Oh, um yeah, I'm sorry. I thought the it

03:27was information was given. We have a

03:29candidate for a director position that

03:31is waiting in uh for executive session

03:33to be interviewed by council and so we

03:36wanted to make sure that that was moved

03:37up to the beginning of the meeting.

03:38>> Okay. I

03:40>> thank you. Um any opposed? Motion

03:43carries. Thank you so much. We will um

03:46adjourn for 30 minutes from now. It will

03:49be uh 7:45

03:51uh for the executive session to evaluate

03:54the qualifications of an applicant for

03:56public employment RCW 4230 11101G for 30

03:59minutes. Uh and the executive session I

04:02said will adjourn at 7:45. No action is

04:05expected to be taken following the

04:06executive session. Per state law the

04:08executive session is closed to the

04:09public and executive session participate

04:12participants please move to the other

04:15room. Thank you.

04:17Heat.

04:27[music]

04:31Heat.

04:39Heat. Heat. Heat.

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04:55[music]

04:59[music]

05:02Heat. Heat. N.

05:12Hey, hey, hey. [music]

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05:43>> [music]

05:59>> I for

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06:33>> Hey, hey, hey.

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10:06>> Heat.

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10:23Heat.

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10:58>> Heat.

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11:15Heat.

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11:33Heat.

11:35Heat.

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11:46>> [music]

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12:09>> Heat. Heat.

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12:45>> [music]

12:58[music]

12:59>> Hey.

13:05>> [music]

13:21[music]

13:23>> down. Hey

13:29Heat. Heat. N.

13:54behind.

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17:13>> Heat. [music]

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17:34Heat.

17:38Heat. Heat.

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19:48>> Heat. Heat.

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20:52>> Heat.

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21:05Heat.

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21:17[music]

21:24>> Heat. Heat.

21:31Heat up

21:57here.

21:59Heat. [music]

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22:18Heat.

22:39Oh yeah.

22:58>> [music]

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23:31>> Wow.

23:38Heat.

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24:32>> Hey,

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24:40hey,

24:42hey.

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25:10>> Hey.

25:14[music]

25:16Hey.

25:19Hey. [music]

25:21I

25:24don't know.

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25:47>> [music]

25:53>> Hey. [music]

26:03Hey. Hey.

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30:00>> Heat. Heat.

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30:21Heat. Heat.

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30:56>> [music]

30:58>> Heat. Heat.

31:04[music]

31:05down.

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31:16[music]

31:19Heat.

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31:29>> [music]

31:45>> Heat. Heat.

31:50[music]

32:02Heat. Heat.

32:12>> [music]

32:52[music]

32:52>> What are you doing?

33:39Happy

33:43[music]

33:44birthday.

34:01>> [music]

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35:45[music]

35:49>> Heat. Heat.

36:15>> [music]

36:32[music]

37:06>> I am you.

38:09Thank you. The first the next item on

38:11the agenda is items from the audience. I

38:12have the sign-in sheet for members of

38:14the public to speak tonight. Um, and I

38:16do want to clarify there were multiple

38:18sign-in sheets. So, I'm hoping that

38:20everyone was able to find the correct

38:21sheet they wanted to sign up for. This

38:23is our regular items from the audience.

38:25We also have a budget hearing. So, if

38:28you wanted to speak on budget items,

38:30that's a different sign-in sheet. And

38:31then there are two new business items um

38:33at the end of the meeting that you could

38:35have also signed up for. So, if I call

38:37your name and you have signed up for the

38:40wrong thing, just let me know. Just

38:41raise your hand. If you do not get

38:44called when you expect to get called,

38:46please raise your hand when I say I'm at

38:48the end of the end of the sheet. So,

38:50hopefully everyone will be clear. Um

38:53each person will have three minutes to

38:54address the council. Council members

38:56generally will not respond to comments

38:58or questions directly at the meeting.

38:59Members of the public are welcome to

39:00email the council anytime at mayors

39:02counselredman.gov. The view stated by

39:04members of the public do not represent

39:06the opinion of the city of Redmond. And

39:08as a reminder, RCW29B45010

39:11prohibits any public comment during the

39:13council meeting in support or opposition

39:15of ballot propositions, measures, or

39:17candidates. All comments must pertain to

39:19the city of Redmond business as

39:20indicated on the sign-in sheet except on

39:22the subject of the public hearing. There

39:25are five people signed up to speak

39:28tonight and no one has signed up to

39:29speak remotely. Um, so we'll start with

39:31Aaron Hamilton, then Jessica Kravitz,

39:33then Scott Martin, then Joyce Sullivan

39:48going off script, so this should be fun.

39:51Um, so I believe that we have a

39:54fundamental problem of how the city is

39:57approaching affordable housing. Um, I've

40:00spoken on this before. You know, the

40:03approach of having a fractured

40:08spread of affordable housing of like one

40:10building has five units that this

40:12building has 10 units, this building has

40:14six units. You know, this isn't that's

40:18not going to solve the problem. you

40:20know, we need actual buildings full of

40:24affordable housing and you know, cuz

40:28we're not going with these table scraps,

40:29we're not going to be able to uh get to

40:33the level of what we need, you know, so

40:37when I first moved here, you know, with

40:39Arch, I was at 50% AMI and then, you

40:44know, a couple years later, I dropped

40:45down to 45%.

40:47My income never changed.

40:50It's

40:52the area medium income that changed and

40:55it kept dropping even though I never got

40:58anything. And now I'm in a situation

41:01where my finances have been

41:06exploded and now I've dropped down to

41:0930% amii and you know I was given

41:14resources with the city on you know

41:17options of what to do and I was told

41:21that I needed to move. I'm too poor to

41:25live in Redmond. This Redmond has been

41:27my home for over a decade.

41:32And now I'm being told that I'm not

41:36allowed to live here anymore cuz I don't

41:38make enough money.

41:41And right now, and this isn't just a

41:43Redmond thing, there's no 30% AMI

41:46apartments on the east side.

41:49So, I'm looking at either extreme north,

41:52extreme south, or on the other side of

41:54the the mountains.

41:56if that's even if that's even choice

41:58options.

42:00And we all know that those areas are not

42:02very transfriendly.

42:04So like I'm scrambling and I'm freaking

42:06out that come January

42:09I will be living outside living out of

42:12my car because there are no options for

42:17me.

42:19And

42:21I'm devastated because I love Redmond. I

42:23do a lot of work here in Redmond and if

42:26I leave

42:28like I don't know what I'm going to do.

42:30I have, you know, there's no resources.

42:32There's

42:35there's no options. So, I'm just like

42:37I'm actually really freaked out. And I

42:39just think that uh with affordable

42:42housing, we shouldn't be looking at the

42:43average income. We should be looking at

42:46the person's income to determine

42:49what their ratio is for um rent.

42:54>> Any in conclusion?

42:55>> Right. Thank you.

42:56>> Thank you.

42:58>> Next is Jessica Kravitz, then Scott

43:00Martin, then Joyce Sullivan, then David

43:02Martin.

43:14Thank you, Mayor Bernie, Council,

43:16members of the audience. As the One

43:18Redmond Foundation board president and

43:20on behalf of the committee that's been

43:22devoted to developing a proposal for an

43:24arts and science center, also known as

43:26MASK, Mary Arts and Science Center. I'm

43:29here to speak about what it might look

43:31like to have this center in Redmond and

43:33why it matters.

43:36We've been working on this project for

43:37the last four and a half years based on

43:39work that's been happening since 2011

43:42when I took a leadership position as an

43:44arts and culture commissioner for the

43:45city of Redmond. Mask matters because it

43:49will change lives for the better just

43:51like the arts have changed mine. More

43:54than any leadership role I play in

43:55Redmond, I'm a community member. I'm a

43:58mother of two young adults born and

43:59raised in this area. My kids have grown

44:01up enjoying the arts because of my

44:04involvement and their own and they've

44:06been exposed to science and technology

44:08through their father's endeavors. And I

44:09realize that that is a very privileged

44:12place to be. And I remember my own

44:14upbringing consisted of experiences that

44:17were only made possible through

44:19community opportunities and support for

44:22arts and sciences. I remember going to

44:24see Madam Butterfly at the opera in

44:26elementary school and various trips to

44:28the Museum of Art and field trips to

44:30science symposiums and computer labs. I

44:33am sure that my successes through the

44:35years, both academically and

44:37professionally, in large part stem from

44:39these opportunities I had growing up.

44:42I've heard many times over the years

44:44that venue space is simply hard to find

44:46and cost prohibitive for organizations.

44:49Taking advantage of an opportunity to

44:51bring to fruition a large indoor venue

44:54space dedicated to arts, culture,

44:58sciences offers a unique opportunity to

45:01seize on Redmond's identity. Redmond is

45:04a place where art, culture, science, and

45:06technology collide.

45:09Imagine

45:11driving on Redmond Fall City Road exit

45:13ramp and seeing the mass planetarium or

45:16visiting an art installation that

45:18illustrates in tandem the latest

45:21performance or science program at the

45:22mask.

45:24It has become evident to me that Redmond

45:28requires a space like mass to happen. An

45:30iconic place where our community

45:32members, local, regional, and beyond,

45:35can make memories that are

45:36life-changing. memories which become

45:39appreciation, critical thinking, skills,

45:42broader thinking, giving back to

45:44community, healing, just like

45:46opportunities afforded me. Mask will

45:49change lives for the better. A letter

45:51was sent to all of you identifying where

45:53the mask committee is in the development

45:54process of this project. We hope that

45:57you will seriously consider our efforts

45:59and actively engage with us to make this

46:01project a reality. Thank you.

46:06>> Next is Scott T. Martin, then Joyce

46:08Sullivan, then David Morton.

46:18>> Thank you everyone for uh letting me

46:20speak tonight. Uh just wanted to discuss

46:22a uh problem that I see growing and

46:25getting out of hand in the Redmond

46:27community and that is our unhoused uh

46:30and also mentally um

46:33uh uh unstable individuals that are now

46:38basically making this their their their

46:41hangout area. Uh there is a group of

46:44individuals which are uh

46:49at the Liry and uh Cleveland

46:51intersection. They hang out there all

46:52day, all night. Um they harass uh people

46:56who are walking by. They're always

46:57begging for money. They're always asking

46:59I had somebody just the other day as I

47:00was walking by ask me for ask me for

47:02drugs literally. Uh, and when I bring

47:05this up to uh to uh the police

47:07department, they say they can't do

47:08anything about it because uh we don't

47:11really have laws in in Redmond to uh or

47:14to uh handle the situation. There is no

47:17public intoxication law uh uh uh drunken

47:20public laws. We really don't have

47:23vagrancy laws. Vagrancy laws though are

47:25are very vague. So they've been struck

47:27down in some areas, but there other ways

47:29of doing it. both has what's known as a

47:31soda law, which is a stay out of drug

47:34area. Uh it's a not a law, it's a

47:37municipal code, which is a stay out of

47:39drug uh area code. Uh and if somebody's

47:42uh and if somebody is uh

47:45arrested for that or has been

47:49uh targeted for being a problem in that

47:52area, they uh they can't be in this

47:54certain area which has been specifically

47:56designed or specifically designated as a

48:00area that they're not allowed to hang

48:01out in. Uh downtown is becoming un it's

48:06becoming terrible because of these

48:07people. Also, the park behind uh Oldtown

48:10Lofts is also becoming terrible now

48:12because of these individuals. They camp

48:13out there. They they they're loud.

48:16They're they're horrible to people. Uh

48:20there's no more families going to the

48:21park anymore. Uh the the the park used

48:24to be joyous during the daytime, whether

48:27the weather was cold or not. The

48:29families brought their kids there. It

48:31was wonderful.

48:33You're not seeing that anymore because

48:34of these individuals who are who are

48:35there. Um, and just today I was at my

48:39apartment and I wanted to just actually

48:41just enter my building and they were

48:43hanging out uh in my area and I asked

48:45them to if they could move on so I could

48:48at least get to my door and I was

48:50basically accosted. Talked to an officer

48:52and uh they said they can't do anything

48:55uh about this because there aren't any

48:57laws about this. So there's no or

48:58there's no there's nothing we can do.

49:00Other cities have, as I, as I said, both

49:03has a uh has the uh the soda municip

49:06municipal code. Um other uh cities have

49:10definitely harder uh laws when it comes

49:12to um public intoxication, disturbing

49:16the peace and um and uh those those

49:20types of things. So, I'd like to see

49:22something done to where we can actually

49:24get some teeth into helping us.

49:26>> Your time is up. Thank you.

49:27>> Thank you very much. Appreciate you all.

49:29Next is Joyce Sullivan and David Morton.

49:41Good evening. Thank you for hearing me.

49:44I appreciate it. Um, my concerns also

49:47dovetail on Scots. I live in the Oldtown

49:52Lofts and I moved in this downtown area

49:55because it was very walkable. I like to

49:58walk. I love to walk. It's something

50:00I've done all my life and I enjoy it. I

50:03love Redmond. It is one of the most

50:04magical, beautiful places I've ever been

50:06to in my life. And

50:11it's becoming impossible to walk without

50:15fear of safety. And someone could say,

50:18well, cross the street. Well, I could

50:20cross the street, but the problem is

50:23still there. And I could cross the

50:25street and the problem is still there.

50:26and I can cross another street, but the

50:29issue is still there. And I could look

50:32away, but I can't look away because just

50:36walking a block from my home, there are

50:39individuals that obviously need help.

50:44They're drunk in pro public. They have

50:47nowhere to go except for the corner of

50:51Liry and Cleveland. They have nowhere to

50:54go. if they did, they would go there. So

50:59when they do go someplace else, they go

51:01behind to the connector park

51:04and they laugh and they they do whatever

51:08they do. Now, here's the thing, and I'm

51:11going to be very vulnerable here. I grew

51:13up in an alcoholic home. I saw this

51:17growing up, these behaviors, and my

51:20heart goes out to these people.

51:23They're hurting and we're doing nothing

51:25about it. So, this is where I come to

51:28you and say as a member of this

51:31community, I want to be able to walk

51:33down the street and not cross the street

51:35and look the other way.

51:37I want us as a community because these

51:41three or four individuals are just the

51:43start.

51:45We have to do something to help them.

51:48I don't know what that is, but the first

51:51step is bringing it to your attention.

51:54It's only going to get worse.

51:57And this is a beautiful community and it

51:59was built for people to walk and enjoy

52:01this area.

52:03We have to do something. Again, I don't

52:06know what it is except to bring it to

52:08attention to begin with. Thank you for

52:10hearing me.

52:14Next is David Morton.

52:23Good evening, council members and mayor.

52:25I'm David Morton. I'm here about consent

52:28item 6, resolution 1632, declaring the

52:32Pacer propane property at 18459

52:36Northeast 76th Street, declaring that

52:39property surplus. The city bought it in

52:42March of this year. The property lies

52:44within critical aquifer recharge area or

52:47CARA 1 and is 1,500 ft east of drinking

52:51water supply well 5 and 5,100 ft east of

52:55Anderson Park where supply wells one and

52:58two are. Contamination of the soil and

53:01groundwater at Pacer Propane can reach

53:04Redmond's drinking water wells in less

53:06than 5 years. Neither the agenda memo

53:09nor the resolution mention an

53:11environmental assessment at purchase or

53:14now. What the resolution does say is

53:16that the sale will be asis with an

53:20express uh de disclaimer of city

53:22warranties and liability and that no

53:25further appraisal is needed. Selling the

53:28former Pacer propane property located in

53:30a critical aquifer recharge area as is

53:34with the city disclaiming liability

53:37passes the question of what's in the

53:39ground to a buyer and to the aquifer

53:42without the public ever seeing the

53:44answer. I'm not claiming the property is

53:46contaminated. I am saying the record

53:49does not tell us either way and it

53:51should. I respectfully ask the council

53:54to do three specific things. First,

53:57remove item six from the consent agenda

54:00so that it receives real discussion

54:02rather than a single vote. Second,

54:05direct staff to publish any

54:07environmental due diligence from the

54:09March purchase, including whether a

54:11phase one environmental site assessment

54:14was done and whether PAS was tested.

54:17Third, before any sale, require an

54:20environmental assessment, share its

54:23findings openly with prospective buyers,

54:25and condition the sale on protections

54:28appropriate to car 1. The memo's goal is

54:31to sell without a net loss. And the

54:34resolution estimates no less than $3.6

54:37million.

54:39Those are reasonable goals, but a good

54:41price is not the same as a sound

54:44outcome. If a problem surfaces after the

54:47sale, the cost lands on neighbors,

54:50future owners, and the aquifer, not on a

54:53line in the real property fund. The memo

54:57lists no community outreach at all. The

55:00memo cites maintenance costs as the

55:02reason to hurry. Soil and groundwater

55:05testing would involve a short delay and

55:08a modest price to learn what the city is

55:11selling. Thank you.

55:15That's excuse [clears throat] me that's

55:16the end of my list for items from the

55:18audience. Is there anyone in the

55:19audience that wanted to speak to items

55:21of the audience not the budget and not

55:23the other things? Come on up

55:34and if you could share with us your name

55:37that would be great and then I'll give

55:38you three minutes.

55:39>> Um my name is Prati. Um, honorable

55:42member, honorable mayor, distinguished

55:44members of the Redmond City Council, and

55:46fellow community members. Good evening.

55:48My name is Brai and I'm a junior in high

55:50school. I'm honored to be here today on

55:53behalf of BAP Sarna and Mander in

55:55Redmond, Washington. I have been

55:57attending the BAP Mander in Redmond

55:59since 2014 and it has been a very

56:02meaningful part of my life. It's a

56:04wonderful community where people of all

56:05ages can come together, build

56:07connections, learn from one another and

56:09celebrate our shared values. Being a

56:11part of this community has shown me how

56:13important it is to create spaces where

56:15people feel welcomed, supported, and

56:18connected. Many members of our babies

56:20community live in Redmond in the

56:22surrounding areas. And we're grateful to

56:24be a part of such a vibrant and diverse

56:26community. It is my pleasure to invite

56:28the mayor, all members of the Redmond

56:30City Council, and the entire Redmond

56:32community to join us alongside your

56:34friends and family for our upcoming

56:36celebration on Sunday, November 1st from

56:3812:00 to 7:00 p.m. Theati is also known

56:41as a festival of lights, it symbolizes

56:43the victory of light over darkness, good

56:45over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

56:48Beyond its religious significance,

56:50Theati brings people together through

56:52the values of unity, gratitude, hope,

56:54and community. Our celebration will

56:57feature a variety of traditional Indian

56:59vegetarian foods along along with an ank

57:02a beautiful display of hundreds of

57:04lovingly prepared vegetarian dishes

57:06offered as a symbol of devotion and

57:08gratitude. We will also transform our

57:10community hall into a vibrant cultural

57:13exhibition showcasing Indian heritage,

57:15cultural tradition, family values and

57:17the spirit of service and unity that

57:19brings people together. As someone who's

57:22grown up attending this month, I've seen

57:24how a community like BPS can bring

57:26generations together and help people

57:28from different backgrounds form

57:30meaningful connections. We hope to share

57:32that same welcoming spirit with everyone

57:34who attends our celebration. We would

57:36truly be honored to welcome you and

57:37share this special celebration with you.

57:39Thank you very much for your time and we

57:41look forward to seeing you on November

57:421st.

57:46>> Is there anyone else who meant to sign

57:47up from items from the audience?

57:50All right, great. Um, items from the

57:52audience is now closed. Next on our

57:55agenda is the consent agenda. Is there a

57:57motion to approve the consent agenda?

58:01>> So moved.

58:02>> Is there a second?

58:03>> Moved and seconded. Are there any items

58:05to be pulled?

58:06>> Council President.

58:08>> Item six.

58:10>> Council member Parsy.

58:11>> Item number seven.

58:12>> Great. Thank you. Um, item number five,

58:15uh, I will read the resolution into the

58:17record. Resolution number 1631, a

58:19resolution of the city council of the

58:20city of Redmond, Washington, approving

58:22membership in the Washington city's

58:24insurance authority or WCIA and the

58:26bylaws and interlocal agreements of the

58:28WCIA. Um, and the other two I'll wait.

58:32Um, this is a voice vote. All those in

58:36favor say I.

58:37>> I.

58:38>> I.

58:39>> Any opposed? The motion carries. Next is

58:42there someone who would like to move

58:43item number six.

58:46>> So moved. Second.

58:47>> It's been moved and seconded. And I'll

58:49read the resolution into the record.

58:50Resolution number 1632, resolution of

58:52the city council of the city of Redmond,

58:54Washington, declaring certain real

58:55property, commonly known as Pacer

58:57Propane 18459 Northeast 76th Street to

59:01be surplus to the needs of the city and

59:03authorizing the mayor and her and or her

59:05design to facilitate the sale of such

59:07surplus property. Uh, council president,

59:10would you like to speak to this item?

59:11>> Yes, thank you so much and happy to hear

59:13that we had some public interest in this

59:14item. As indicated last week, I pulled

59:17this item so that we can offer a

59:20complete record of what this property is

59:22um before making this um action tonight.

59:26So, I do support uh this item and we'll

59:28vote to affirm it, but it is important

59:30that we have the complete record. So,

59:32item six gives staff the permission to

59:35prepare to sell a piece of land that we

59:38authorized purchase of just a few months

59:40ago. The city is preparing to rebuild

59:42the municipal operations center and in

59:45the validation phase of that project,

59:47two alternatives began to emerge, which

59:50the council studied at our March 24th,

59:522026 study session. The options for

59:55redevelopment that the city considered

59:57were whether to rebuild on the current

59:59site with dispersed operations through

1:00:02the development process or to seek a new

1:00:04site that could better accommodate the

1:00:06facility and eliminate the need for

1:00:08dispersed operations while the

1:00:09construction is happening. The property

1:00:12we're authorizing sale of today is a

1:00:14smaller parcel that would have supported

1:00:16a redevelopment on the same site option.

1:00:20However, after purchasing the site,

1:00:22another much larger site that better met

1:00:24the needs of the facility became

1:00:26available and we purchased the larger H

1:00:28Highleberg site in order to relocate and

1:00:31rebuild the municipal operations center.

1:00:33I do believe that is the correct course

1:00:35of action and therefore this smaller

1:00:37piece of land is no longer needed by the

1:00:40city and I do support the preparations

1:00:43to surplus this piece of property. Um,

1:00:46as for the environmental concerns that

1:00:48were brought forward tonight, yes,

1:00:50environmental assessment did take place,

1:00:52um, and we can work to maybe make that

1:00:55more publicly available or, uh,

1:00:57available through records requests or or

1:00:59the like. Staff um, did see send a brief

1:01:02note to to council um, on that today.

1:01:06There is a separate issue and um it is

1:01:08not gerine to the actual decision in

1:01:10front of us tonight but to complete the

1:01:12record um unfortunately council later

1:01:15learned that the H Highleberg property

1:01:16is not a complete solution and so we

1:01:19will keep part of the facility on the

1:01:22current site. We discussed that at the

1:01:24September 22nd study session. Um the MOC

1:01:28will not be fully relocated to the new

1:01:30property because the decant facility and

1:01:33some special other other specialized

1:01:35services need to remain on the current

1:01:37site. I mention that here because we

1:01:40have been made aware that there have

1:01:41been some technology issues and the

1:01:43public was not able to see that full

1:01:45conversation. So again, this is

1:01:46important but not gerine necessarily to

1:01:49the decision to surplus the Pacer

1:01:51property tonight. Thank you. Thank you.

1:01:54Are there any comments on item number

1:01:55six?

1:01:57Seeing none, this is a voice vote. All

1:01:59those in favor say I.

1:02:01>> I.

1:02:02>> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

1:02:06Next is consent item number seven,

1:02:08resolution number 1633, a resolution of

1:02:10the city council of the city of Redmond,

1:02:12Washington, approving updated rules of

1:02:14procedure for the planning commission

1:02:15and ordinance number 3270, an ordinance

1:02:18of the city of Redmond, Washington,

1:02:19amending chapter 4.43 43 of the Redmond

1:02:22Municipal Code to revise rules and

1:02:23procedures concerning absences for the

1:02:25planning commission providing for

1:02:26severability and establishing an

1:02:28effective date. Is there anyone who

1:02:30would like to move this item?

1:02:33>> So moved.

1:02:34>> Is there a second?

1:02:35>> Second.

1:02:35>> It's been moved and seconded. Council

1:02:37member Parsy, would you like to speak to

1:02:39this item?

1:02:40>> Yeah. So, I support the intent for the

1:02:42planning commission for making this

1:02:44change. Um I believe there's uh some

1:02:46areas that are um possible confusion

1:02:50points. So I believe that um let me just

1:02:54read you from my notes. Um

1:02:58so there's a couple of things. Um if a

1:03:00commissioner misses three consecutive

1:03:02meetings, either excused or not, the

1:03:04mayor can flag for council to vote uh to

1:03:07remove the commissioner. In this case,

1:03:09the trigger is the mayor, the decision

1:03:12maker is council majority. Uh the second

1:03:14part is if a commissioner misses four

1:03:16consecutive meetings or 25% of meetings

1:03:19in a calendar year the commission the

1:03:22majority commission can request removal

1:03:24and mayor decides to approve or not. So

1:03:26the first case the mayor is the trigger

1:03:29the council is the decision maker. The

1:03:31second case the trigger is majority of

1:03:35the commission and the decision maker

1:03:37the mayor. Um I also see in the text um

1:03:41of um uh one of the documents and from

1:03:44the notes from deputy director Allen um

1:03:48that um the um that it states the

1:03:52position will be considered vacant if

1:03:55the mayor finds the absences constitute

1:03:57inefficiency and more. So there is some

1:04:00confusion around when the mayor finds um

1:04:04when the mayor finds the problem, the

1:04:07text says that the position becomes

1:04:08vacant immediately, but then in other

1:04:11areas it says the uh council has to make

1:04:13that decision later. So there's some

1:04:15area for potential confusion that can be

1:04:17misinterpreted. Um I would really

1:04:19appreciate it if we can clarify the

1:04:21confusion areas and make the text a

1:04:22little bit cleaner to read, but I

1:04:24support the intent generally.

1:04:27>> Thank you, Dire. Uh,

1:04:30interim director Allan, would you like

1:04:31to speak to this item?

1:04:34>> Hang on.

1:04:36>> It's not on. There you go. Is that

1:04:38working now? All right. Uh, in interim

1:04:41director Sari Allen here. Um, so thank

1:04:44you for raising. I think as we discussed

1:04:45in the committee meeting, it is

1:04:47confusing the we had originally kind of

1:04:49a standard that was provided to the

1:04:51planning commission that we had received

1:04:52from the council clerk's office. They

1:04:54requested some specific changes. And so

1:04:57there's as as was stated there is kind

1:04:59of one situation where when there's a

1:05:02missed or three more consecutive

1:05:03meetings it would be considered a

1:05:05vacancy and then if the mayor finds that

1:05:07absence it um constitutes inefficiency,

1:05:10neglect or duty or malfeasants and so

1:05:12such a decision is referred to the

1:05:14council for a vote. And then the second

1:05:16situation is the 25% or more meetings

1:05:19missed uh is the decision to remove is

1:05:22left to the mayor to then refer to the

1:05:24council um for a cause by a vote. My

1:05:27recommendation was if we want to clarify

1:05:31um that would be that we would change

1:05:32the language um where it kind of has um

1:05:36in your in your packet um on the um

1:05:40council if you go to page nine of 20 and

1:05:43you have the redlinined edits. Right now

1:05:45it shows a reference to RMC 41030B.5

1:05:52and I'd recommend that we do not

1:05:54reference the um general documents. we

1:05:56would instead reference the um uh to

1:05:59keep it consistent reference the um

1:06:01planning commission's uh version which

1:06:04is the RMC 4.43.080.

1:06:08So if uh what I would recommend um

1:06:11council member is if you if you'd like

1:06:13to make that change uh that you could

1:06:15make a motion to approve with an edit

1:06:18the those two references.

1:06:21>> Could you say those two again, please?

1:06:23the reference

1:06:24>> two changes.

1:06:25>> Uh just the one change would be to

1:06:27change the um reference um in uh on page

1:06:329 where there where there's the red line

1:06:34from the four 410 for short uh to

1:06:38reference the 443. And the primary

1:06:41difference is there's the general rules

1:06:42and procedures which is 410 um which is

1:06:45for all planning commissions and then

1:06:47443 is the planning specifically the

1:06:50planning rules and commissions and uh uh

1:06:53rules and procedures and the planning as

1:06:55we kind of discussed last time the

1:06:57planning commission is allowed to have

1:06:58different rules. It supersedes the

1:07:01general rules um which is what they

1:07:02recommended to you. We have also uh

1:07:05wanted to do our best to try and have um

1:07:08there be as much parody between them as

1:07:10possible and of course planning

1:07:13commission or other commissions are

1:07:14allowed to um recommend their own um

1:07:17rules and procedures. So hence the

1:07:20confusion.

1:07:20>> Thank you. So this was put forward by

1:07:22the planning commission and it is up to

1:07:25the council to decide if they would like

1:07:26to pass as is or amend. Uh council

1:07:29member Parsy.

1:07:31Um, I was ready to make a motion, but I

1:07:33see others might have questions, so I'll

1:07:35let them.

1:07:36>> Thank you, Council Member Forsight.

1:07:38>> Thank you. I just want to clarify that

1:07:39the recommended potential change then

1:07:43puts the final decision-making power in

1:07:45the council's hands. Is that correct?

1:07:47>> Yes. Either route still is in the

1:07:48council's hands. It was um the the

1:07:51commission just wanted to have their

1:07:54they just changed some specifics. Uh is

1:07:57that but either way, the route would

1:07:58come through through to the council. So

1:08:00all paths lead to the council.

1:08:02>> All paths lead to the council on both

1:08:04instances.

1:08:05>> Correct.

1:08:05>> Okay.

1:08:08>> Any other questions for Miss Allen?

1:08:11>> Say council member Parsy.

1:08:14>> I just wanted to make a clarification

1:08:16that um without this change, it could

1:08:18make it more confusing and it could make

1:08:21it so that if the mayor finds that um a

1:08:25member is not performing their duties,

1:08:28the position can become vacant. So, this

1:08:29is a little bit of clarifying that so

1:08:31the decision comes to council for sure.

1:08:34All right, with that, um, I move to

1:08:35change the reference on page 9 from 410

1:08:38to 443.

1:08:40>> Thank you.

1:08:42>> Second.

1:08:43>> It's been moved and seconded. Is there

1:08:44any discussion on this, Council

1:08:46President?

1:08:48>> I'll be brave and I don't I will

1:08:50acknowledge that I don't know which page

1:08:51nine we're talking about, so I'm a

1:08:53little bit lost. Um, and if maybe we

1:08:56could have a reference shared on the

1:08:58screen for ourselves and the viewing

1:09:01public. Uh, thank you.

1:09:04>> Yes. Let me join the meeting.

1:09:07Thank you so much.

1:09:08>> Mhm.

1:09:11I'll

1:09:11>> say it's page 11 for me. Um, so, uh, in

1:09:16the attachment C sharing my screen,

1:09:20>> it's page nine on the document, but it

1:09:22says 11. So,

1:09:29>> okay. Trying to zoom in here

1:09:32>> so you can see. Um, sec. Oh, you're

1:09:34sharing. Oh, I thought that was me.

1:09:38Hold on.

1:09:42Please do not judge my mini tabs that

1:09:44are open on here as we are looking.

1:09:48Okay. Uh, yeah. So, um, uh, looking at

1:09:51number five here. And so under absences

1:09:54and so my recommendation is in um so

1:09:57where there's path A and path um B that

1:09:59you're still going to have if there's

1:10:01three consecutive misses and that's when

1:10:03there's consecutive meetings versus the

1:10:05um 25% but our reference um was not

1:10:09changed to go to the general rules and

1:10:11we're recommending that the same process

1:10:12be followed um as it as is for um uh A

1:10:16so in 443. So, um I did want to make a

1:10:20technical note if the motion could

1:10:21include the um 080 as well.

1:10:29Any further questions on

1:10:34>> would the maker of the motion like to

1:10:36clarify the exact motion? I'm I'm

1:10:39actually quite confused at this moment.

1:10:41>> It is. It is confusing. Um may I make a

1:10:44recommendation to just receive this doc?

1:10:47are we if this is not an urgent update

1:10:50because I I acknowledge I spent um way

1:10:52too much time on this document um to

1:10:56find the problem and uh kind of and I

1:10:59feel like it's actually very difficult

1:11:00to explain it um and digest it on air.

1:11:04So if it's not an urgent item for us to

1:11:07approve, I would actually appreciate it

1:11:08if we can have it written and sent again

1:11:11so the council can review it. If not, I

1:11:13can share the full motion.

1:11:18It is actually up to the council to

1:11:19decide what to do. So currently on the

1:11:22on the floor is an amendment to the

1:11:23motion and so the council can decide to

1:11:26accept the amendment or not at this

1:11:29moment

1:11:33comments. Council member Critzer

1:11:36[clears throat]

1:11:36just one question on the original 4.1030

1:11:41100030

1:11:44um that uh is referenced in there. Can

1:11:47uh uh Director Allen, could you just

1:11:50again um explain what is the nuance we

1:11:54would be losing if we switched from what

1:11:56is in there that the planning commission

1:11:57had originally um proposed to what uh we

1:12:02would be switching to.

1:12:06So, the um original um sorry, I guess

1:12:10I'll pull back up the red lines.

1:12:20So I believe the um clarity that's being

1:12:23requested is that the original was um

1:12:25that is in the standard is that without

1:12:27it being uh excused absence a vote from

1:12:30the planning commission would be

1:12:31required to have it then um go to the

1:12:34council for uh to be considered. And the

1:12:38um

1:12:40and the uh uh difference here is that

1:12:44they um said that they would prefer it

1:12:46to just go directly to the mayor to make

1:12:48that determination. And so we have

1:12:51>> [snorts]

1:12:51>> um let me go back to the and honestly

1:12:55I'll be real. This is also confusing for

1:12:57me and it's where we have the different

1:12:59uh standards and was trying to answer

1:13:00council member Parsy's questions um uh

1:13:04tonight. So, let me go back to my notes

1:13:06since they're I'm sharing my screen.

1:13:09>> Thank you. I think you actually

1:13:10clarified my question because what I I

1:13:13thought you had said earlier was the way

1:13:15that it's written, it just wasn't

1:13:16written down that it would also still

1:13:18need to go to the council for

1:13:19confirmation. But you're saying that the

1:13:21way it is written here would have the

1:13:23nuance that in this case the mayor

1:13:25actually could take the action without

1:13:27the council. Is that correct?

1:13:31Becky, do you want to

1:13:33>> So, so the change we're we're looking to

1:13:35make would would in fact get to what I

1:13:38believe council member Parsey's

1:13:40intention is, which is that it all paths

1:13:41would lead to mayor uh recommend council

1:13:45approve.

1:13:46>> Correct. Both council paths would go to

1:13:49council

1:13:50>> in the change.

1:13:51>> Yes, but I'm going to look over at Becky

1:13:53to confirm that. Correct. Thank you,

1:13:59>> Council Member Parsy.

1:14:00>> I'm sorry. There is a path that the

1:14:03council is not the decision maker. I

1:14:05just want to make sure that council

1:14:07doesn't misunderstand here. Um or if I'm

1:14:09not misunderstanding here either. So if

1:14:12the if a commissioner misses four

1:14:14consecutive meetings or 25 more than 25%

1:14:17of meetings in a calendar year then in

1:14:20that case the majority of the commission

1:14:22can make a recommendation to the mayor

1:14:26and in that case the mayor can make the

1:14:28decision for the vacancy to occur. So

1:14:31that's one condition and the second con

1:14:34second scenario is if a commissioner

1:14:37misses three consecutive meetings then

1:14:40the mayor can flag the issue and then

1:14:43the council can approve. So those are

1:14:45the two situations that we have. So not

1:14:47all paths actually lead to the council.

1:14:50>> Quick point that the planning commission

1:14:52did strike the language that says that

1:14:54they would request and it would go to

1:14:56the mayor which then would follow the

1:14:57process of going to the council.

1:15:02I will all roads lead to the council is

1:15:04uh the moral of the story on that end.

1:15:10>> Can I ask a um so the reason the

1:15:14planning my understanding is the reason

1:15:16the planning commission didn't just go

1:15:17with what was recommended to begin with

1:15:19is they wanted to have separate paths

1:15:22depending on if it was three consecutive

1:15:24meetings versus a percentage of meetings

1:15:28missed.

1:15:29>> Correct. And they didn't want to be, as

1:15:31you can see from the lead edits, the

1:15:33decision maker of determining whether a

1:15:35member should be removed or not, even if

1:15:38they met a number of um actions, which

1:15:40is why it gets referred to go to the

1:15:42mayor to then come to the council, they

1:15:44wanted to remove them.

1:15:45>> So instead of instead of them being the

1:15:46decision maker, I see. Okay,

1:15:51>> council president.

1:15:52>> Thank you. I'd like to confirm, I guess,

1:15:54point of order. I'd like to confirm. Is

1:15:56there an amendment on the floor or an

1:15:58amendment in theory being discussed?

1:15:59>> There's an amendment on the floor.

1:16:00>> There is an amendment on the floor.

1:16:02>> Yes.

1:16:02>> Um and one last time, my absolute

1:16:06apologies. Uh the a the

1:16:10all all roads lead to council scenario.

1:16:13Is the status quo in our packet or the

1:16:15amended version both on the floor?

1:16:20>> Thank you.

1:16:21>> One is just a different route of going

1:16:24there.

1:16:25>> Thank you. So, for my part, I will say

1:16:27um since this was studied and sent to

1:16:30the consent agenda, um my preference

1:16:33would be either to honor the much deeper

1:16:37deliberation that the planning

1:16:38commission had um in their multiple

1:16:40touches on this packet or to re uh

1:16:44postpone the decision tonight and refer

1:16:46it to committee where we might be able

1:16:48to interrogate it a bit more. So, I will

1:16:50not be supporting the amendment. Thank

1:16:51you.

1:16:51>> Thank you, Council Member Sony.

1:16:55Yeah, I agree with uh council president

1:16:57Stewart. This is exactly what is my

1:16:59dilemma too because there's too many uh

1:17:02you know I I could see like lot of

1:17:03confusion and the docu until unless

1:17:06these documentations are clear and every

1:17:09every person who has been involved

1:17:11including our planning commissioners to

1:17:12be on the same page. Uh I would not

1:17:15support approving this uh um today.

1:17:20>> Any other comments on the amendment?

1:17:24Seeing none, this is a roll call vote on

1:17:26the amendment starting with council

1:17:28president.

1:17:29>> No.

1:17:29>> No. Yes.

1:17:31>> Yes.

1:17:32>> Yes.

1:17:33>> No.

1:17:34>> No.

1:17:35>> And the amendment fails. Okay. We're

1:17:36back to the original. So, council

1:17:39president or c sorry, former council

1:17:40president, council member Kitser,

1:17:43>> I move to refer this to the next uh

1:17:46available uh uh committee of the whole

1:17:49um for further consideration.

1:17:51>> Thank you.

1:17:52>> Second. It's been moved and seconded. Is

1:17:54there any discussion on this?

1:17:57Seeing none, all those in favor say I.

1:18:00>> I.

1:18:01>> I.

1:18:02>> I.

1:18:03>> Any opposed?

1:18:05>> And we will refer back to committee.

1:18:06Thank you so much, Miss Allen. We'll get

1:18:08clarity on all of this.

1:18:09>> Thank you.

1:18:17>> Okay.

1:18:19Our next item of business is a public

1:18:22hearing on the preliminary 2027 20228

1:18:24bal budget and the business technology

1:18:27investment program or BTIP.

1:18:29There's my

1:18:33public hearing is now open. I have the

1:18:35signin sheet for members of the public

1:18:36to speak in person tonight. When I call

1:18:38your name, you will have come to the

1:18:39podium and have three minutes to address

1:18:41the council on the subject of the public

1:18:43hearing.

1:18:45There is there are nine people um signed

1:18:50up to speak on the budget. And once

1:18:52again, when we get to the end, if I

1:18:53haven't called your name, I'll make sure

1:18:55that anyone in the room who wanted to

1:18:57speak on the budget can. Um and I'll

1:19:01start with William William King, then

1:19:03Debbie Lacy, then uh Propy Patel, then

1:19:08Marissa Lauraniano.

1:19:14Okay. Uh, hi, my name is Bill King. I've

1:19:16been a resident of downtown Redmond for

1:19:18about 11 years now. There are two items

1:19:20in the budget that I'm particularly

1:19:21excited about that I want to talk about

1:19:22tonight. The first is the housing

1:19:24navigator position. This is an FDA

1:19:26position to help renters uh navigate

1:19:28their own rights in Redmond. I'm very

1:19:30excited about this as a renter. I hope

1:19:31this uh person will also be able to help

1:19:33the council pass additional renter

1:19:35protection legislation as the council

1:19:37has expressed interest in doing. The

1:19:39second item is the active transportation

1:19:41safety program. Uh I think this is

1:19:43great. I think this is going to build

1:19:45infrastructure that's very sorely needed

1:19:46in downtown Redmond. As someone who gets

1:19:48around without a car, um this kind of

1:19:52rapid build infrastructure that's

1:19:53enabled by this program will let the

1:19:55city build out safru safety

1:19:57infrastructure uh much faster. They'll

1:20:00also allow the public to the public and

1:20:02the city to evaluate the changes um more

1:20:05quickly before any concrete is actually

1:20:07poured. However, I do think there should

1:20:09be more budget allocated to this. Um,

1:20:11currently my understanding is that all

1:20:13the budget uh for this item is allocated

1:20:15to uh two projects, 161st and 85th

1:20:19Street. I think these are both very

1:20:20important projects, but there's also

1:20:22opportunity in the city for smaller

1:20:24point fixes in various areas. I'm

1:20:27thinking about uh 83rd Street downtown

1:20:30where there are wide turns that drivers

1:20:31take too quickly or uh 152nd in Overlike

1:20:35Village where I'm constantly constantly

1:20:37see drivers blocking the entrance to the

1:20:39bike lanes. I think additional funding

1:20:41would enable the city to make smaller

1:20:43fixes that also do a lot to enable

1:20:45safety. Um and I'm very excited about

1:20:48the possibilities that this kind of

1:20:50program would enable. So, thank you very

1:20:52much.

1:20:54>> Next is Debbie Lacy. then Propy J.

1:20:57Patel, then Marissa Lauraniano, then

1:21:00Marilyn Sabala.

1:21:03>> Good evening, Mayor Bernie, members of

1:21:05council. I'm Debbie Lacy and I'm here on

1:21:06behalf of the Friends of the Village

1:21:08Collective, the nonprofit coalition

1:21:10leading development efforts for the

1:21:11community facility called the Wayfinder

1:21:13Hub to be located at the Bellweather

1:21:15Housing Prisma's development. As you

1:21:17finalize considerations for next

1:21:19bianium's budget, we want to take a

1:21:21moment to thank you first and foremost

1:21:22for the support you've already provided

1:21:24to the housing development and to the

1:21:26early visioning and planning efforts

1:21:28that have helped make the Wayfinder Hub

1:21:29possible. Your partnership has played an

1:21:32important role in bringing this project

1:21:34from an idea to a real possibility and

1:21:36opportunity for the community. The

1:21:38Wayfinder Hub, for those who are less

1:21:40familiar, will be a unique

1:21:41community-owned space created by a

1:21:43coalition of local community- based

1:21:45organizations to support

1:21:47entrepreneurship, workforce development,

1:21:49and community connections. It's designed

1:21:51to help residents who face barriers to

1:21:53accessing resources, launching

1:21:55businesses, and building economic

1:21:57stability. The hub's large commercial

1:21:59kitchen was included in response to

1:22:01strong demand and a recognized gap in

1:22:04affordable licensed kitchen space for

1:22:05food-based entrepreneurs here. We know

1:22:08there are many worthy needs competing

1:22:10for limited resources during the budget

1:22:12process. We want to respectfully elevate

1:22:14the Wayfinder Hub as a project for

1:22:16capital funding. It advances many of the

1:22:19goals the city has identified over the

1:22:20years. Strengthening small businesses,

1:22:23expanding e economic opportunity,

1:22:26fostering belonging, and investing in a

1:22:28community where everyone has the

1:22:29opportunity to contribute and thrive.

1:22:32The Friends of the Village Collective is

1:22:34bringing together public and private

1:22:35partners to meet the remaining $5.3

1:22:38million in capital campaign funding. As

1:22:41we shared in our spring email, the

1:22:43current fundraising phase is critical,

1:22:45and we would be honored to include the

1:22:46city of Redmond among the hub's early

1:22:48investors. As we engage with local,

1:22:50regional, and state funding partners,

1:22:52we're hearing a common theme. Many

1:22:54prefer to invest once a project is

1:22:56further along and key commitments are in

1:22:59place. A strategic investment from the

1:23:01city at this point would demonstrate

1:23:03Redmond's confidence in the hub, help

1:23:05unlock additional funding, and sustain

1:23:08the momentum needed to open our doors in

1:23:102029. We're especially grateful to staff

1:23:12leadership for their enthusiasm and

1:23:14support. Thank you again for your

1:23:16support, and we welcome any questions

1:23:17you may have. Thank you.

1:23:21Next is Proty J. Patel, then Marita

1:23:23Lauraniano, then Marilyn Sabala, then

1:23:25Devon Kellogg.

1:23:31property was the earlier one. Okay.

1:23:34>> All right. Uh Marissa Lauraniano, then

1:23:37Marilyn Sabala, then Devon Kellogg.

1:23:39Thank you.

1:23:47Um All right. Good evening, Redmond

1:23:50Council members and Mayor. My name is

1:23:51Marita Lauraniano and I am here on

1:23:53behalf of Mood Redmond, Redmond's

1:23:55nonprofit um transportation management

1:23:57association. As advocates for better

1:23:59walking, biking, and transit in Redmond,

1:24:01I am here to testify in support of

1:24:03various transportation budget items that

1:24:04will help improve how people get around

1:24:06Redmond. We support the active

1:24:08transportation safety program. This

1:24:10program is a step forward towards the

1:24:12city's vision zero resolution. We should

1:24:14not wait for the death of a ser or a

1:24:16serious injury of someone who walks or

1:24:17bikes in Redmonds to create safer

1:24:19streets. This funding presents an

1:24:21opportunity to fund quick build projects

1:24:23that allows the city of Redmond to

1:24:25respond to emerging concerns or use data

1:24:27that has been collected to take action

1:24:29and avoid a tragedy in our streets.

1:24:31Funding and staffing these uh projects

1:24:33are critical to creating safe streets in

1:24:35Redmond. Additionally, we would like to

1:24:37see funding for transportation data to

1:24:38help us make informed decisions about

1:24:40where to make safe streets improvements.

1:24:42Currently, the funding for active

1:24:44transportation safety program funds uh

1:24:46safety improvements planned for 161st

1:24:48Street and Northeast 85th Street. At

1:24:49Move Edmond's downtown Redmond walk and

1:24:51talk, we discussed with community

1:24:52members how these projects will ensure

1:24:54safer outcomes for people who walk and

1:24:56bike in the area. We are pleased to see

1:24:57these projects funded along with other

1:24:59bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

1:25:01Secondly, Move Redmond fully supports

1:25:03additional funding for Red Link. As a

1:25:05community engagement manager, I've heard

1:25:07stories from various people on how

1:25:08Redlink has allowed them to get around

1:25:10downtown Redmond with ease. People rely

1:25:12on Redink to get them to work, light

1:25:14rail, and the places they need to get

1:25:16without the need of a personal vehicle.

1:25:18With additional funding into Red, we

1:25:20would like to see the program expand its

1:25:22service so that I can continue to serve

1:25:23more people in Redmond. Move Redum is

1:25:26happy to see the city of Redmond

1:25:27prioritizing new capital projects while

1:25:30also focusing on maintenance and

1:25:32stewardship of existing transportation

1:25:33infrastructure. These are all necessary

1:25:36investments to create safer streets uh

1:25:38and a low stress environment for

1:25:39everyone who lives, works, and goes to

1:25:41school in Redmond. Thank you.

1:25:45>> Next is Marilyn Sabala, then Devon

1:25:47Kellogg, then Afnan Dal.

1:25:54Good evening, mayor, council members,

1:25:56and clerk. My name is Marilyn Sabala,

1:26:00and I have lived in this beautiful city

1:26:01of Redmond for nearly 40 years. I'm here

1:26:04to comment on the proposed 2027 28

1:26:08budget. I've watched Redmond grow from a

1:26:11quiet suburban town into a bustling

1:26:13city. The city has done a great job

1:26:15keeping up with that growth, providing

1:26:18multiple forms of transportation and

1:26:20housing. The light rail was a supreme

1:26:23addition to our transportation choices.

1:26:25I love taking the light rail to UDub or

1:26:28into Seattle. Not only is it less

1:26:31polluting, but faster and much less

1:26:33stressful than driving. I'm a member of

1:26:36People for Climate Action and also serve

1:26:39on the Environmental Sustainability

1:26:41Advisory Committee. I'm particularly

1:26:43interested in the healthy and

1:26:45sustainable portion of the budget and

1:26:47fully support the 7.4 4 million you have

1:26:49allocated. I am also encouraged by the

1:26:522.4 million for the environmental

1:26:54sustainability action plan which

1:26:57includes funding for a program

1:26:59coordinator. I'm hopeful this position

1:27:01will advance the plan's goals and expand

1:27:04public outreach. Building

1:27:07electrification is central to lowering

1:27:09emissions. I'm pleased to see a 1.5

1:27:13million to keep Energy Smart East Side

1:27:15running through 2027-28.

1:27:18Since 2022, its heat pump program has

1:27:22helped more than a thousand households

1:27:24install heat pumps, cutting more than

1:27:2731,000 metric tons of carbon emissions

1:27:30while providing reliable heating and in

1:27:32winter and cooling in summer. Thank you

1:27:36for continuing to fund it. Retrofitting

1:27:40existing buildings is essential, but we

1:27:42can also address the problem by not

1:27:44constructing new buildings that will

1:27:46need retrofits later. I urge the council

1:27:49to find ways in in the coming years to

1:27:52promote all electric construction or at

1:27:54a minimum electric ready construction

1:27:57for all new buildings. Building it right

1:28:00the first time avoids costly retrofits

1:28:02and wasted materials.

1:28:05I strongly support protecting our trees

1:28:07and natural areas and applaud the tree

1:28:10giveaway program. I'm also pleased to

1:28:13see the addition of an urban forestry

1:28:15program administrator for 2027 and ask

1:28:19that the council specify that this hire

1:28:21be a certified arborist, thus making the

1:28:24role more robust.

1:28:26As you know, Redmond has a goal of

1:28:28carbon neutrality by 2050. The

1:28:31environmental sustainability action plan

1:28:33and its five big moves provide the

1:28:35framework for meeting that goal. The

1:28:38critical step is involving the entire

1:28:40community through outreach and education

1:28:43to really make it happen. I look forward

1:28:46to being part of that process.

1:28:49Thank you for your service and your time

1:28:51this evening.

1:28:54Next is Devin Kett Kellogg, then Afnon

1:28:57Dala Sha, then David Morton, then Chay

1:29:02Chayanika Das.

1:29:08Good evening, mayor, council members,

1:29:10and staff. My name is Devon Kellogg. I'm

1:29:13a longtime resident living near Hartman

1:29:15Park. I also a member of people for

1:29:18climate climate action here to testify

1:29:20in support of the healthy and

1:29:21sustainable offerings in the budget and

1:29:24to make a few requests. To begin, I'd

1:29:26like to say how incredibly grateful I am

1:29:28to live in a community in which our

1:29:30leaders recognize the importance of

1:29:32environmental sustainability and the

1:29:34tremendous benefits of moving to

1:29:36cleaner, healthier ways of living. For

1:29:38climate, health, and ease of use

1:29:40reasons, my family travels mainly by

1:29:43bike, bus, and light rail. So, we

1:29:45especially appreciate the investments

1:29:47that the city is making in m multimmodal

1:29:49commuting options and safety. My family

1:29:52has also been the recipient of the

1:29:53Energy Smart East Side program, which

1:29:56helps folks install energy efficient

1:29:57heating and cooling pumps in our homes.

1:30:00Before this, the increasingly frequent

1:30:02heat domes and smoke events were

1:30:04unbearable and on several occasions

1:30:06nearly deadly. The adult family home

1:30:08where my elderly mother used to live

1:30:10also participated in this program to the

1:30:12benefit of all the residents there.

1:30:15We are also grateful for these new

1:30:17systems which have been life-changing.

1:30:18So, thank you.

1:30:20By moving away from gas use, we are also

1:30:22much safer in the event of an earthquake

1:30:25or fire without these explosive machines

1:30:27in our homes and and for daily just

1:30:31breathing cleaner indoor air.

1:30:35Plus, it saves us money, too. And best

1:30:37of all, these systems that offer so much

1:30:39are also the key to keeping climate

1:30:41impacts from getting worse. As a

1:30:44reminder, the 2025 environmental

1:30:46sustainability action plan, big move

1:30:48one, states that to meet our critical

1:30:51climate goals, 80% of all HVAC

1:30:54replacements must be high efficiency

1:30:56heat pumps by 2030. That's a quote. This

1:30:59is because the direct use of fossil

1:31:01fuels in our homes and buildings

1:31:02generates nearly half of Redmond's

1:31:04climate pollution, making this rapid

1:31:06transition to cleaner options the most

1:31:08consequential goal to reach.

1:31:11We're unlikely to achieve this huge

1:31:13endeavor without programs like Energy

1:31:14Smart East Side. I'm happy to see this

1:31:17program continuing and would love to see

1:31:18it expanded to involve renters and

1:31:22businesses able to share in this these

1:31:23benefits, too. Big Move 2 states that in

1:31:27tandem with the 80% gas replacement goal

1:31:29for existing buildings, the number of

1:31:32electric appliances in new development

1:31:34must reach 100% over the next few years.

1:31:37Otherwise, we risk adding the costs and

1:31:40efforts needed to replace outdated,

1:31:41problematic systems onto future budgets.

1:31:45To avoid this, please be proactive when

1:31:48designing codes and incentives to

1:31:49promote all electric buildings. It is

1:31:52much more efficient to build and clean

1:31:54build them clean from the start. I'm

1:31:56glad to see the inclusion of

1:31:57sustainability team staff, pilots, and

1:31:59studies to support necessarily necessary

1:32:02investigative and collaborative work.

1:32:04Finally, I'd like to see increased focus

1:32:06on educating the public on both climate

1:32:08risks and solutions and inclusion

1:32:10>> so we can all do our part to prepare for

1:32:12and prevent future impacts. Thank you

1:32:14again for your commitment to our health

1:32:16and climate.

1:32:17>> Next is Afnan and I'm probably did not

1:32:21say your last name correctly. Dela Sha

1:32:24and then David Morton then Chayanika

1:32:27Das.

1:32:29>> Okay.

1:32:31Good evening, mayor, city council

1:32:33members, and the audience. Uh, my name

1:32:36is Afnand Lashe. That's the right

1:32:38pronunciation. Thank you for that. I

1:32:39know you tried your best. It was

1:32:42obvious. So, uh, I'm here as a Redmond

1:32:45resident. I'd like to encourage the

1:32:47council to approve, the mayor and the

1:32:49council to approve the expansion for the

1:32:51Red Link program to include more

1:32:53coverage area. Redmond has made a great

1:32:56uh progress in providing transportation

1:32:58options but there are still gaps in the

1:33:01service particularly in parts of the

1:33:03over lake neighborhood [snorts] that are

1:33:05not covered by metrlex. So metrlex works

1:33:08like the red link but it's more like

1:33:10King County metro program and it covers

1:33:13a certain area in Overlake but not all

1:33:15over Lake neighborhood. For many

1:33:18residents, employees, students and

1:33:20visitors in these areas getting to

1:33:22transit work or medical appointments or

1:33:25any daily destination actually remains

1:33:28um a challenge difficult without a car.

1:33:31My neighborhood which is the Meadows

1:33:33consists of

1:33:3530 300 houses. Uh we have to walk 25 to

1:33:4035 minutes to the nearest bus state

1:33:43stop. And if we want to walk to the

1:33:45train it's going to be 45 minutes to 55

1:33:48minutes according to where your house is

1:33:50in that neighborhood. Uh my kids refuse

1:33:53to do that by the way and they are all

1:33:56high schoolers and they don't want to

1:33:58come home. They need to be picked up

1:33:59because of that.

1:34:01Um, [snorts]

1:34:02expanding rent link coverage area to

1:34:05include these underserved areas would

1:34:08help close that mobility gap. It would

1:34:11provide a reliable first and last mile

1:34:13connection to merger transit services,

1:34:16support local businesses for by

1:34:19improving access for employees and

1:34:21customers, and it would give people a

1:34:23practical alternative to driving. As

1:34:26[snorts] Redmond continue to grow and

1:34:28invest in transit oriented development,

1:34:31our transportation network must reach

1:34:34all parts of the community, not just

1:34:36those already served by existing

1:34:38programs. This expansion is a strategic

1:34:41investment for a better connected

1:34:43vibrant community. Thank you.

1:34:48>> Next is David Morton, then Chryanica

1:34:51Doss.

1:34:53>> [clears throat]

1:34:56>> Good evening, council members and mayor.

1:34:58I'm David Morton. I'm speaking on the

1:35:01business technology investment program,

1:35:03$10 million through 2028 and $18 million

1:35:07through 2032.

1:35:09First process. The BTIP overview says

1:35:13the portfolio is built with staff and

1:35:15community members, but its project

1:35:18selection section names only department

1:35:20leaders. Please tell us how community

1:35:23input shaped this program. Second, the

1:35:26figures differ between documents. The

1:35:28October 13th presentation lists

1:35:31Microsoft license upgrades at $228,000.

1:35:35The BTIP document says $336,000.

1:35:40The fire timekeeping evaluation is

1:35:42$224,000

1:35:44in one and $246,000 in the other. Third,

1:35:49priorities. City building security

1:35:51updates is the largest new item, $1.95

1:35:55million plus $434,000

1:35:58in out ongoing costs and $211,000

1:36:02in contingency, while its proof of

1:36:05concept is not yet complete. Airspace

1:36:08management would spend $883,000

1:36:11to prepare for commercial drone delivery

1:36:14with $500,000 in ongoing costs. The only

1:36:18item tagged healthy and sustainable is a

1:36:21$64,000 storm water pipe tool. I also

1:36:25ask for a privacy review of the $300,000

1:36:29enhanced external data sources request,

1:36:32which relies on anonymized cell phone

1:36:34data. Residents should know who holds

1:36:37that data and how reidentification is

1:36:40prevented. The healthy and sustainable

1:36:43section of the full budget includes a

1:36:45$2.44 44 million environmental

1:36:48sustainability package with a program

1:36:50coordinator and an urban forestry

1:36:52program administrator. I thank staff and

1:36:56I urge council to keep it, but I found

1:36:58no specific line for soil and

1:37:01groundwater PAS testing at the Evans

1:37:03Creek relocation and allwood recycling

1:37:06sites or for an arborist to

1:37:08independently verify qualified tree

1:37:11professional reports. Each is small next

1:37:14to the business technology portfolio and

1:37:17each addresses risks technology cannot.

1:37:20The BTIP program makes sense and is

1:37:23necessary but clean groundwater in a

1:37:25healthy tree canopy or public

1:37:27infrastructure too. Tonight I

1:37:29respectfully ask the council to

1:37:31reconcile the BTIP figures before

1:37:34adoption. Retain the environmental

1:37:36sustainability package, fund PAS testing

1:37:39and an arborist, and rank new non-urgent

1:37:43technology starts below those needs.

1:37:46Please sponsor the PAS and arborist

1:37:48requests as new proposals on October

1:37:5122nd or 27th so that council can pull on

1:37:55them. Thank you.

1:37:58>> Uh, next is Chyenica Das.

1:38:06Good evening, Mayor Bernie, Council

1:38:08President Stewart, and Council members.

1:38:11My name is Chanika Das. I am a Redmond

1:38:14resident, a PTA parent volunteer, and a

1:38:17member of People for Climate Action. But

1:38:20tonight, I'm speaking only for myself.

1:38:22First of all, thank you. The 2.4 4

1:38:25million ESAP implementation package, the

1:38:28new sustainability program coordinator,

1:38:30energy smart east side, the clean

1:38:33building performance standard program,

1:38:35and the safe route to school action plan

1:38:37are real invest in investments in our

1:38:39kids' future. Please protect them during

1:38:42deliberation.

1:38:44I'd like to raise four ways the budget

1:38:45could go further. First, the resiliency

1:38:49needs more than 50,000.

1:38:51The resiliency pilot for big move 5 is

1:38:54ranked only medium. The schools are our

1:38:56natural resiliency hub. They are in

1:38:59every neighborhood. Families already

1:39:01trust them and they are where our kids

1:39:03on smoke and extreme heat days are. I

1:39:06ask that the pilot be fully funded and

1:39:09the school district and PTSAs be brought

1:39:11into the resiliency hub planning from

1:39:13the start. Second, help residents manage

1:39:17storm water at home. The budget has no

1:39:20residential incentives for green storm

1:39:22water retrofits like rain gardens or

1:39:25deep paving. I am planning a rain garden

1:39:27at my own house and the only financial

1:39:30help I could find comes from a nonprofit

1:39:33grant, not the city. Education programs

1:39:36like adopted rain, which I'm part of,

1:39:38are great, but a small residential rain

1:39:41garden and deep paving incentives would

1:39:44turn the awareness into action,

1:39:46especially in a city that depends on its

1:39:48acquifiers. Third, set numeric targets.

1:39:52The per capita natural gas target is

1:39:54simply decreased in the budget. Without

1:39:57interim numbers, the community can't

1:39:59tell whether we are on track. Please ask

1:40:02for measurable 2028 and 2030 milestones.

1:40:06The city operation emissions also shows

1:40:08no target at all. Fourth and the last

1:40:10one, turn studies into retrofits. The

1:40:14150,000 facilities decarb studies will

1:40:17build on the 2023 decarbonization

1:40:19analysis. I ask the result come back to

1:40:22the council with a timeline for getting

1:40:24retrofits into capital budget so the

1:40:27studies don't sit on the shelf. The new

1:40:29teen center at $34.5 million should have

1:40:33been an electric from day one. I also

1:40:36support other advocates request define

1:40:38the new urban forestry program

1:40:40administrator as a certified arborist

1:40:43and fund preconstruction PFAS testing

1:40:46near the events creek relocation and the

1:40:49former allwood recycling fire site

1:40:51before ground is distributed in 2027.

1:40:54Thank you for your time and your

1:40:56leadership on climate.

1:41:00Those are all the signups I have for the

1:41:02budget hearing. Is there anyone who

1:41:04intended to sign up to speak about the

1:41:05budget this evening?

1:41:08Fantastic. The budget hearing is now

1:41:10closed.

1:41:12Our next item of business is a staff

1:41:15report on the World Cup program annual

1:41:17report. Saraphy Allen, co-director of

1:41:19planning and community development, will

1:41:21introduce this item.

1:42:09Okay. Hello again. Um I am Sophie Allen,

1:42:12interim co-director of planning and

1:42:14community development and I am joined by

1:42:16Chris Rafess our World Cup uh planning

1:42:18program manager and it is with great

1:42:21pleasure that uh I uh get to introduce

1:42:24the staff report tonight. So, uh, first

1:42:29we are going to go over the agenda and

1:42:31so we'll have a program overview. Um,

1:42:34your, uh, we'll go over the program

1:42:36goals, the meet me at Marymore event,

1:42:39leveraging the city of Redmond's, uh,

1:42:41investment, and then, um, talking about

1:42:44how the World Cup program legacy will

1:42:45continue into the future.

1:42:50So, first uh I wanted to say that in

1:42:52your uh memo packet uh there is the

1:42:55World Cup annual report, the World Cup

1:42:58uh cup highlights handout and the

1:43:01Seattle WFC26 executive summary as well

1:43:04as other information. Um there is far

1:43:07too much that we have accomplished in

1:43:08the last two years for us to be able to

1:43:10represent it all. And so I hope that

1:43:11you've had an opportunity to read

1:43:13through uh the report or at least the

1:43:15highlights um because there's been a lot

1:43:17of fantastic work that's been done that

1:43:19we won't be able to say everything

1:43:20tonight. So uh the long and short of it

1:43:23is is that Redmond was ready for the

1:43:25world. We leveraged a once in a

1:43:27generational um global event to create

1:43:30lasting impact um for uh here in

1:43:33Redmond. Um it was in alignment with our

1:43:36economic development and tourism

1:43:37strategic plans along with Redmond 2050.

1:43:41Uh the World Cup program aimed to

1:43:43strengthen Redmond's position as a

1:43:44welcoming destination and a connected

1:43:47community through these program goals.

1:43:51And uh the World Cup also created an

1:43:53unprecedented opportunity for us to

1:43:55welcome regional visitors, support local

1:43:58businesses, strengthen internal

1:43:59collaboration, and elevate the city of

1:44:01Redmond's identity through coordinated

1:44:03program and these regional partnerships.

1:44:06Uh just a little bit of history, uh back

1:44:09two years ago, um in 2024, the city of

1:44:13Redmond approved the World Cup budget.

1:44:15Thank you. um as as during a similar

1:44:18budget process as we are now. Um and

1:44:21even before that, we had gathered staff

1:44:23um to create that kind of budget

1:44:24proposal um that we'll be looking at a

1:44:26little bit later. So, I want to say uh

1:44:30uh thank you again for helping us to

1:44:31anticipate the potential um needs that

1:44:35we might have. Um we weren't sure two

1:44:38years ago what we were going to be

1:44:40anticipating. And so the budget that we

1:44:42provided, we weren't sure if we'd end up

1:44:44being a fan zone. We weren't sure how

1:44:45many visitors were going to be here. We

1:44:47didn't know which teams were going to be

1:44:49here. And so, uh, just to go back to

1:44:51that, we had a lot of unknowns. Um, but

1:44:53we were able to have a vision and

1:44:55program goals. And then when we gathered

1:44:57more information meet each of those

1:44:59goals. So, every component of the World

1:45:01Cup program was built in collaboration

1:45:04with um, department and with community

1:45:06and ensuring that um, information and

1:45:08decision-m was informed by the mayor and

1:45:11the council along the way. So, with

1:45:13that, I'm going to pop into uh talking

1:45:16about um the first program goal, which

1:45:19was to have a safe, accessible, and

1:45:21welcoming community experience. Um

1:45:24police really and fire really led the

1:45:26way um on this one. And um just to

1:45:29highlight a couple of examples, they um

1:45:32uh had a fantastic coordinated um

1:45:35presence at the light rail stations.

1:45:37They led an anti-human trafficking

1:45:39training that um reached a lot of

1:45:41businesses and city staff and community.

1:45:44Um the fire department um had the fire

1:45:46marshals go out and meet with any of the

1:45:49business owners that we knew were going

1:45:50to be throwing a watch party so that

1:45:52they could be prepared for any occupancy

1:45:54issues. We had fire prevention and

1:45:57emergency preparedness videos and reels

1:45:59that went out. and um public works made

1:46:01sure to upgrade our sidewalks and

1:46:04crosswalks uh as quickly as possible and

1:46:06installed four new pedestrian scrambles

1:46:08before June of this year. Uh and then I

1:46:10want to of course highlight and we'll

1:46:11talk more about later, but the concrete

1:46:13crew and um the uh parks and arts and

1:46:16culture team creating the Redmond um

1:46:19letters in downtown park. I think we

1:46:21often talk about how public safety is

1:46:22both a physical presence, but it's also

1:46:24our infrastructure investment. And while

1:46:27we might think about those red big red

1:46:29letters as um you something that's more

1:46:31tourism or focused, it's also building

1:46:33that identity and infrastructure that's

1:46:35creating a safe and welcoming place in

1:46:37Redmond. So with that, we'll move on to

1:46:39the next um program goal. And um I'll

1:46:42introduce Chris again who joined the

1:46:44city in March of 2025. I can't believe

1:46:46it's been that long already. Um she hit

1:46:48the ground running uh to develop this

1:46:50program and I'm share um excited for her

1:46:52to share more information with you.

1:46:58Thank you so much and uh hello Mayor

1:47:02Bernie, hello council members, and hello

1:47:04to our community members who are here

1:47:06tonight or online. Uh what a year we

1:47:10have had. Um I'm honored and delighted

1:47:13to share the World Cup program report.

1:47:16Also, let's remember that although two

1:47:18of us are speaking about it tonight,

1:47:19there were over 80 city employees who

1:47:21were involved just in our subgroups and

1:47:23also on our core team along with many

1:47:26others on every department that were

1:47:28working behind the scenes.

1:47:30The cross department collaboration uh

1:47:32really was instrumental to the success

1:47:34of this program. I had access to subject

1:47:38matter experts all around the city

1:47:41throughout the whole program. Absolutely

1:47:43the best of the best. So thank you so

1:47:45much to my colleagues. Okay, on to the

1:47:48goal of regional and global visibility.

1:47:51So early planning in Redmond resulted in

1:47:54being a regional leader in programming.

1:47:56Our program was often referenced by the

1:47:58local organizing committee, the Seattle

1:48:00Sports Commission, the Port of Seattle,

1:48:03and other city economic development

1:48:05teams. We started our programming in

1:48:082025 before many others in the region.

1:48:11And let me just highlight a few of the

1:48:13initiatives that we started in 2025 that

1:48:16continued into 2026.

1:48:19The club World Cup watch party which we

1:48:21did at Redmond Town Center was really

1:48:23invaluable because we were able to take

1:48:25learnings from that uh and partnerships

1:48:28into 2026.

1:48:30Our football for all speaker series uh

1:48:33this series was supported with

1:48:34sponsorship dollars from Amazon and the

1:48:36Port of Seattle. and we hosted nine

1:48:39events that started in October of 2025

1:48:42and went through June of 2026.

1:48:46We also worked closely with the local

1:48:49organizing committee and when they

1:48:50launched their regional calendar, the

1:48:52Redmond events were at the top.

1:48:56We started our soccer ambassador

1:48:57program. So, we were able to have

1:48:59advisors from our Redmond community uh

1:49:02help inform our program.

1:49:05our beautiful Redmond is ready for the

1:49:07world branding. Uh this vibrant and

1:49:09welcoming and recognizable brand gave us

1:49:12early res visibility in the region and

1:49:14beyond. And then because we had started

1:49:17so early, we were able to have media

1:49:19coverage which again helped with that

1:49:21visibility.

1:49:23You can see and you're going to hear

1:49:24many times about the key partnerships

1:49:27and our collaborations. There's a few of

1:49:29the organizations listed there. But

1:49:32strategic partnerships really increased

1:49:34our visibility because we were able to

1:49:36access the networks of all of those

1:49:38organizations that you see on the screen

1:49:40plus others. And our approach to the

1:49:43partnerships was really thinking about

1:49:45how could we build during this time,

1:49:47this very unique time, new relationships

1:49:49or deepen existing relationships that

1:49:52would benefit all stakeholders.

1:49:59Okay, the next goal, how do we attract

1:50:01visitors?

1:50:02Well, Seattle did a pretty good job and

1:50:05because we are part of this region, we

1:50:07are part of those accolades.

1:50:11As you can see, we broke records across

1:50:12the nation and the region. And in

1:50:14Redmond, Redmond stations had nearly

1:50:1786,000 game day riders, making up 5.6%

1:50:21of game day boardings.

1:50:26With that light rail connection to

1:50:27Seattle, we were able to leverage this

1:50:29opportunity for regional exposure and

1:50:31highlighting all Redmond has to offer.

1:50:34Redmond provided high-quality watch

1:50:36parties, business activations, and

1:50:38promotional campaigns intended to

1:50:40attract visitors to local businesses and

1:50:42activate public and private spaces. We

1:50:45welcomed the world and we showcased our

1:50:48connected community, diverse culture,

1:50:50active lifestyle and unforgettable

1:50:52experiences.

1:50:54We also had a very successful

1:50:56advertising campaign with ads in a

1:50:58variety of publications which positions

1:51:01Redmond as a regional destination.

1:51:07This is the heart here of the World Cup

1:51:10campaign.

1:51:11The goal of community pride and

1:51:13togetherness. That was the number one

1:51:15response in our questionnaire from the

1:51:17community that they wanted to enjoy

1:51:19World Cup together with their community.

1:51:22So, this program was designed to meet

1:51:24people where they are, create welcoming

1:51:26points of contacts across the city, and

1:51:28offer multiple opportunities for

1:51:29meaningful participation.

1:51:32I want to highlight our football for all

1:51:34speaker series sponsored by Amazon in

1:51:36the Port of Seattle. The wide variety of

1:51:38topics

1:51:40uh like soccer 101, history of soccer in

1:51:43the Northwest, women in sports just to

1:51:45name a few attracted attendees from

1:51:47Redmond and from the region with over

1:51:50400 total participants. And many

1:51:52[snorts] of those participants had not

1:51:54previously interacted with city

1:51:56programming. The speaker series was

1:51:58strategically hosted at different

1:52:00locations around the city to introduce

1:52:02people to new businesses and to activate

1:52:04our districts.

1:52:06These sessions were so fun and

1:52:08informative. I know some of you were

1:52:10able to attend so many stories, but my

1:52:13favorite happened at the history of

1:52:15soccer. Uh, as we were cleaning up,

1:52:17people were leaving and a woman came up

1:52:19to share with us that she fell in love

1:52:21with soccer here in Redmond. and she had

1:52:23been part of the very first women's

1:52:25wreck league ever in Redmond. And the

1:52:28sad part for her was that because she's

1:52:3085, she felt like she might be the last

1:52:33person still left from that team. And so

1:52:36she was packing up to leave and a woman

1:52:38walked up to her and said, "Daddy, is

1:52:40that you?" And they had reconnected at

1:52:44our event. Two women from that first

1:52:46team in Redmond. And that is really the

1:52:49heart of this program was bringing

1:52:51people together for over a year to meet

1:52:54each other and to meet us here at the

1:52:56city. Uh the other ways that we brought

1:52:59folks together were the four information

1:53:01and strategy sessions for businesses.

1:53:04And you can see on there it's just a

1:53:06reminder that we again activated the

1:53:08districts and

1:53:11we were working in collaboration.

1:53:15A couple other key numbers, 1,200

1:53:17registrations and out of those 45% were

1:53:20from Redmond and 55 from across the

1:53:23region. And we were able to engage with

1:53:26200 Redmond businesses.

1:53:30Okay. Our community watch party grants.

1:53:34The grants program was a collaboration

1:53:36between parks and economic development

1:53:38teams. parks drove the grant process and

1:53:41we worked collaboratively to award the

1:53:43grants and to steward the grantees.

1:53:46We really wanted these watch parties to

1:53:48be hosted in and by the community and so

1:53:51each grantee was assigned a relationship

1:53:53manager from one of our departments and

1:53:55then we were available to assist by

1:53:57making introductions, helping them

1:53:59navigate the FIFA rules and explain city

1:54:02permitting. You can see a list of the

1:54:04grantees on our World Cup grants web

1:54:06page.

1:54:0927 organizations received over $122,000

1:54:14in city grants to support community

1:54:16building events centered on soccer and

1:54:19cultural celebrations.

1:54:21Grantees reported hosting $328

1:54:24events with over 27,000 attendees during

1:54:28the six weeks of the World Cup. Some

1:54:31additional outcomes from this grant

1:54:32program is that we were able to identify

1:54:34new event producers.

1:54:37We had new business and organization

1:54:39collaborations and we piloted a

1:54:41relationship manager role.

1:54:45Yes, we're saying it again. Strategic

1:54:47partnerships.

1:54:49I in 2025 when we were able to host that

1:54:51club World Cup watch party, we put a

1:54:54large screen at center court at Redmond

1:54:56Town Center and the public uh responded

1:54:59well to that. So, Amazon generously

1:55:02sponsored for the city the purchase of

1:55:05an outdoor LED screen and then we were

1:55:07able to partner and have an agreement

1:55:09with Redmond Town Center that they would

1:55:11host the watch parties in the center

1:55:14court and also do some additional

1:55:16programming with that screen for this

1:55:18year. And you can see that they had a

1:55:22great turnout at every watch party. I

1:55:24hope some of you were able to make it

1:55:25down there. It was pretty exciting. 500

1:55:28attendees uh and then a peak attendance

1:55:30of 2,000 attendees at the USA Belgium

1:55:33match. The six weeks of programming at

1:55:36Center Court significantly increased

1:55:38foot traffic, visibility, and customer

1:55:40engagement for the town center

1:55:42businesses.

1:55:43Businesses reported stronger customer

1:55:45relationships and positive impacts on

1:55:47summer sales.

1:55:50This p public private partnership

1:55:52demonstrates how coordinated investment

1:55:55and shared resources can transform

1:55:57spaces into vibrant high impact

1:56:00community hubs.

1:56:04Oh, meet me at Marymore. That was such a

1:56:06good day. Um, our Redmond is ready for

1:56:09the world culminating event with soccer

1:56:12themed activities, cultural

1:56:13performances, and the live World Cup

1:56:15final broadcast. 4,000 people decided to

1:56:19join us for that day. King County Parks

1:56:22and Cascade Music Group, who manages the

1:56:25Merrymore Live Space, joined the

1:56:27resources with ours to create a magical

1:56:29day for families and soccer fans. They

1:56:32embraced our vision of a regional

1:56:34celebration to wrap up World Cup and to

1:56:36showcase Redmond and Marymore Park. We

1:56:40had kids activities with Valla East

1:56:42Side, Friends of the Village Collective,

1:56:43and Worlds of Glow. And you can see some

1:56:46photos there with the kids. Uh wonderful

1:56:49performances from the rhythms of India

1:56:51and Redmond High School marching band.

1:56:54We had a fun photo booth for keepsakes

1:56:57of the day and uh move Redmond also

1:56:59organized a bike ride and bike valet

1:57:02with Cascade Bike Club which included 70

1:57:04bikers of all ages.

1:57:07attendees who included Redmond residents

1:57:09and visitors from across the region

1:57:11shared their appreciation for this

1:57:14accessible, welcoming community

1:57:16celebration.

1:57:19We had uh Seattle Sports Commission

1:57:21President and CEO Beth Knox there as a

1:57:23speaker. She's a wonderful speaker.

1:57:25There's a quote from her, but I love the

1:57:28end of her quote. Most importantly, you

1:57:31showed how our community can embrace

1:57:33once a generation opportunity in a way

1:57:36that is authentically Redmond. We

1:57:40embraced this opportunity together and

1:57:43met the moment. Before I turn this back

1:57:45over to Director Allen, I just want to

1:57:47say thank you again, Mayor Bernie. Thank

1:57:49you, council. Thank you to my colleagues

1:57:52who really gave their best to this

1:57:54program.

1:57:55>> [snorts]

1:57:55>> This is the only group project I have

1:57:57ever been part of where every person was

1:57:59committed to the A+

1:58:02and we uh we got the A+ and you are all

1:58:05exemplary. [snorts] All right. Thank you

1:58:08so much.

1:58:10Thank you Chris.

1:58:13Okay.

1:58:15Well, you'll still get to ask your

1:58:17questions at the end if you [laughter]

1:58:19um so I wanted to take an opportunity uh

1:58:21so thank you to finance for helping um

1:58:24to create these uh charts for us. Uh so

1:58:27as um you can see from the slides and as

1:58:29we talked about the city started

1:58:31planning over three years ago for the

1:58:33World Cup coming and this budget was

1:58:35organized across uh departments with the

1:58:37finance team kind of providing oversight

1:58:39and we did something unusual compared to

1:58:41other cities where we put it as we do

1:58:42budgeting by priorities. We saw this as

1:58:44an initiative that we put together in

1:58:46this budget. And so, um, you can see

1:58:48from this chart that we originally

1:58:50budgeted, uh, around $2 million, um, but

1:58:54at the, um, end we had, um, about 1,

1:58:58uh,,400,000

1:58:59in expenses. And the other thing I

1:59:01wanted to highlight from this is that

1:59:03we, um, I remember being here two years

1:59:06ago and saying we're going to do our

1:59:07best to go out and get sponsorships and

1:59:08additional dollars. And we did do that.

1:59:10we got over $400,000 between sponsorship

1:59:14um sponsorships and grant contributions.

1:59:16And so that's where you see the um total

1:59:18program funding was um made to

1:59:212,400,000.

1:59:23Um but we were able to get 100,000 from

1:59:25the state of Washington, 60,000 from the

1:59:27Port of Seattle, and two-year

1:59:29sponsorships from um Amazon. And then um

1:59:32something that's uh not accounted for on

1:59:35here but was an inind contribution from

1:59:38uh King County was uh they provided

1:59:4050,000 of inkind support um for their

1:59:42fees to do the meet me more meet me at

1:59:44Marymore event and then the Cascade

1:59:46Music Group also contributed 35,000 and

1:59:49so overall almost 500,000 uh dollars to

1:59:53help us continue to do our programming.

1:59:55So, um just want to say thank you to the

1:59:56team and quite proud of that and the

1:59:58takeaway saying that that um you gave us

2:00:01and want to say again thank you to the

2:00:03mayor and the council for the trust to

2:00:06say what we might need. We luckily did

2:00:08not need uh all the budget that had been

2:00:10allocated especially on the public

2:00:12safety side because we were lucky enough

2:00:13not to have any major events. Um but we

2:00:16had the capacity and ability to prepare

2:00:18and then really go out and be um

2:00:21proactive uh in in for this program. So

2:00:26looking ahead um how uh we we'll be able

2:00:29to take this uh opportunity and moving

2:00:31forward as Chris said we were able to

2:00:33strengthen our ability to activate

2:00:35public and private spaces. We built

2:00:37coordinations um with a connected city

2:00:39team. We developed um greater regional

2:00:42leadership that is going to give us lots

2:00:44of opportunities. I serve on the Seattle

2:00:47Sports Commission and already have had

2:00:48people come up to me at meetings and

2:00:50say, "We heard what you did in Redmond

2:00:51and we want to know how we can bring

2:00:53more sporting events to Redmond." And

2:00:55again, we don't own necessarily these

2:00:57spaces like Meet Me at M or uh King

2:01:00County Parks or um 60 acres, but we act

2:01:03as that collaborator. and by us serving

2:01:05as a leader, we're able to take

2:01:06advantage and help facilitate those um

2:01:09uh relationships. So, um we also have

2:01:13the uh strategic relationships that

2:01:15Chris mentioned. Um and then um we'll

2:01:19have of course the lasting legacy of the

2:01:21or the I had a the concrete legacy of

2:01:25the Redmond Downtown Park. Haha. Sorry,

2:01:27I had to get that in there. [laughter]

2:01:29Um we have uh that we uh when I first

2:01:32started, we had talked about having

2:01:33street banners. We have street banners

2:01:34now in a program and then we um have

2:01:37that kind of engaged uh community that

2:01:39is primed and ready for us to continue

2:01:41doing more of this work. So um in the

2:01:44end I just want to say by bringing

2:01:46forward businesses, nonprofits, property

2:01:48owners, regional partners, our city

2:01:50council, our mayor, um we were able to

2:01:53um meet uh almost all of our goals and

2:01:56really end up with a a wonderful

2:01:58program. And so there's too many staff

2:02:00to thank and other directors to thank,

2:02:02but um it's sad for me that this is the

2:02:04end, but of this part of it, but I just

2:02:07again want to say thank you and um we'll

2:02:10take questions and comments now.

2:02:12>> Great. Thank you. And you know, might

2:02:14not be over. There's women's World Cup

2:02:15next year. Not here, but you know, the

2:02:17girl could be a watch party or two. Um

2:02:19questions. I'm going to start at the end

2:02:21um with Council Member Sony.

2:02:26Uh first of all kudos to entire staff

2:02:30for putting this together because this

2:02:32really requires a lot of effort and not

2:02:35only like you know before on the day of

2:02:37the event I've seen each one of you just

2:02:39running around uh managing so many

2:02:42things and the biggest gift that we have

2:02:44received is our Redmond sign right at

2:02:46the downtown park which is going to

2:02:48remain as one of you know as a good

2:02:50reminder for us like you know what we

2:02:52activated what we brought it here. So

2:02:54there are there are so many good things

2:02:57uh to talk about but I I'll just try to

2:03:00restrict my uh couple of my comments and

2:03:02my questions. I saw the sponsorship

2:03:06uh is this just in cash that has been

2:03:08received or this was in also including

2:03:10some of the incind because I know like

2:03:12Amazon sponsored the screens and there

2:03:15must be lot of other sponsorships that

2:03:17has been received. So I don't know if

2:03:18that has been included here because if

2:03:20you sum up the sponsorship might be

2:03:22higher and uh my my second question to

2:03:26that was like you know and um what are

2:03:29we going to do with the remaining budget

2:03:31it's like you know what are the plans

2:03:32that staff has been thinking and most

2:03:35importantly like you know what programs

2:03:37that has been established like I know

2:03:39there was an ambassador program there

2:03:40are like lot of other programs that has

2:03:42been put together

2:03:44uh is something is going to like sunset

2:03:46or is like some programs will continue

2:03:48for us to keep strengthening our

2:03:51community engagement, our sports focus

2:03:53and how we are taking it all of these

2:03:56things forward so that uh we have

2:03:58learned lot of things from here and now

2:04:01we are ready for future world as well.

2:04:05>> Good questions. Those are those are

2:04:07great questions and yeah, I'll start.

2:04:08Let's see if I get the first one, which

2:04:10is the accounting of uh four 405,000 is

2:04:15what we received. And Kelly, tell me if

2:04:17I'm saying the correct financial terms

2:04:19here uh in into the city. Um so in terms

2:04:22of cash,

2:04:23>> uh and then the additional um 85,000 is

2:04:27not something we would account for

2:04:29because we didn't receive it, but it's

2:04:30something that was paid for by King

2:04:32County Parks and like they didn't charge

2:04:34us that. they chose to eat that cost

2:04:36instead um essentially. So it's not

2:04:38something that we received but it's

2:04:40something they still contributed to the

2:04:41project and we would have had to pay if

2:04:43they had not done that. Um and then the

2:04:45second uh question I think related to

2:04:48that is that any of those were one-time

2:04:50dollars that are allocated and so those

2:04:52have been returned back into the general

2:04:54overall general fund pot as part of the

2:04:56distribution that you'll be discussing

2:04:57um for this next budget.

2:05:01>> Continuing.

2:05:02>> Oh yeah. And then programs continuing uh

2:05:04for the last part. So sorry,

2:05:05>> development.

2:05:06>> Yep. So we've got um a number of I I

2:05:08don't want to prime too much the budget

2:05:10discussions that we'll be having next

2:05:11Tuesday night together. Um but there are

2:05:13a couple different budget items um such

2:05:15as continuing the Seattle sports uh

2:05:18membership um which was a one-time

2:05:20investment and we saw some great um

2:05:22results from that. And then the another

2:05:24one is the position that would be around

2:05:26district development um which would do a

2:05:28lot of the work that um Chris was able

2:05:30to do in coordinating and doing these

2:05:32events and those kinds of things. We're

2:05:34imagining rather than it being World Cup

2:05:36focused, it would be more um focused on

2:05:38our our districts that we're trying to

2:05:39develop. And Philly is going to be

2:05:41talking about in this next presentation

2:05:43a little bit more about the district

2:05:44branding. So I won't say much more about

2:05:46that, but um there are quite a few

2:05:49different items that we're bringing

2:05:50forward. And then banners are also one

2:05:53of those things that we'll be continuing

2:05:55and um we're going to be taking uh the

2:05:59World Cup specific uh uh what am I

2:06:03branding out and putting in um Redmond

2:06:05Lights uh uh focus and then having a

2:06:08shop small. So um working on that's

2:06:10something new that we'll need to develop

2:06:11kind of a cadence for. But that's

2:06:13something we're going to bring forward

2:06:14with us to continue.

2:06:17I'm going to go to council member Kitser

2:06:18then council member Parsy.

2:06:21Thank you. Um, and yeah, I just want to

2:06:24echo my colleagues and and our applause

2:06:27for you. Just really appreciate all the

2:06:29work that that you've done and that the

2:06:30whole team did this year. um was really

2:06:34it was really cool to see just the

2:06:36energy in our city by leaning into this

2:06:40and I was reflecting especially being at

2:06:42the meet me at Marymore event um and

2:06:44looking around at the thousands of

2:06:46people from our community that were

2:06:48gathered together that in particular I

2:06:50think it was very powerful for us to be

2:06:52able to um use this as as a driver for

2:06:56bringing community together given that

2:06:58we have such a global community we have

2:07:00so many people from all over the world

2:07:02and soccer is really um uh is really

2:07:05such a global sport and when we talk

2:07:08about what it looks like to create an

2:07:10inclusive community, one way to do it is

2:07:12is to recognize uh moments like this

2:07:14where we can kind of support people,

2:07:16bring them together around things that

2:07:18that bring joy. Uh we work on a lot of a

2:07:20lot of different things, a lot of hard

2:07:21things and sometimes we also need to

2:07:23create these moments for people to have

2:07:25joy and and come together. So just

2:07:26appreciate all the efforts on that. Um,

2:07:29one thing that we had prepared for with

2:07:31the World Cup, uh, was was around kind

2:07:34of the influx of people staying in

2:07:37Redmond, um, and I know we discussed

2:07:39this a little bit. Um,

2:07:41as well as obviously the economic

2:07:43impact. I saw we had the regional

2:07:44economic impact data here, and I assume

2:07:47we're going to be getting some more

2:07:48specifics. It' be great to to be able to

2:07:50see what kind of the ROI on our

2:07:52investment was in terms of the Redmond

2:07:54specific economic data. I'm curious if

2:07:57specifically around the um uh the any of

2:08:01the learnings that we had um that could

2:08:04inform the future as we think about um

2:08:07the hospitality side of things. Um uh

2:08:11you know what what came out of that? We

2:08:12were expecting for example a lot of of

2:08:15folks to do Airbnbs in addition to hotel

2:08:17stays and I'm just curious what we ended

2:08:19up seeing especially on that front and

2:08:21what we learned.

2:08:22>> Yeah, happy to happy to answer that. And

2:08:24again, back to your earlier point that

2:08:26that was something the council and the

2:08:28mayor also said is yes, we're going to

2:08:29be having visitors come in, but we also

2:08:31want this budget and this programming

2:08:33focused on how we're bringing our

2:08:34community that's already here together

2:08:36that is so international. And so that I

2:08:39feel like that was really the heart and

2:08:40soul of our programming was to ensure

2:08:43that we were, you know, we wanted

2:08:44visitors to come here, but we also were

2:08:46really planning for how we were bringing

2:08:48our community together. And so, um, to

2:08:50your point about the visitors, we did

2:08:52not end up, we back when we thought

2:08:53about that, we thought we had estimates

2:08:55of how many visitors we would end up

2:08:57having. That was before, um, a lot of

2:08:59different travel, uh, federal changes

2:09:02happened and those kinds of things. And,

2:09:05um, so we did not see the same amount of

2:09:07travel. And that was true nationally.

2:09:08There was a the estimates were much

2:09:10lower um, based on factors that were

2:09:13kind of outside of individual cities

2:09:14controls or ability. Um that said, we

2:09:18did, as we heard, we have um some kind

2:09:21of information from businesses from what

2:09:23they saw. We um will have uh local data.

2:09:26We do have it through um July, but a lot

2:09:29of the major events like Derby days or

2:09:32others like moved their dates to not be

2:09:34in conflict with um the World Cup dates.

2:09:37And so I think when we are able to look

2:09:39at the um August and September and into

2:09:43later in this year, we'll have a more

2:09:44full picture of what the impact was

2:09:46exactly in Redmond for overall.

2:09:49>> And just a quick followup in terms of

2:09:51short-term rentals, did we see an

2:09:52increase in short-term rentals during

2:09:54the time period or do we not track that

2:09:56yet? I know we started to register more

2:09:58of them in advance.

2:10:00>> Yeah, I did I did ask him uh to look

2:10:02into that. We didn't see I I think a

2:10:04huge influx, maybe a couple, but not the

2:10:06influx that we were maybe expecting if

2:10:09there had been um a large number of

2:10:11travelers. Um and hotel years did also

2:10:14uh note that they did not get the same

2:10:16amount of visitors that they expected,

2:10:17but they still did fairly well um and

2:10:20overall came out on on top for what they

2:10:22expected.

2:10:24>> Council member Parsy,

2:10:27thank you. I would also be very

2:10:29interested in receiving the information

2:10:31about our learnings and um the impact of

2:10:34our investments. Um I think following on

2:10:36to that, I'm really interested in

2:10:38learning, as you said, Mayor Bernie, um

2:10:41with the next event that we that comes

2:10:43our way. [laughter] How do our learnings

2:10:46from this event help us invest and make

2:10:49decisions? What do we want to continue

2:10:51doing? What did we do that we didn't see

2:10:54the return on investment that we hoped

2:10:56for? and how would we strategize

2:10:58differently the budget um slide that you

2:11:00had. How would that budget slide look

2:11:02like for the next event that we expect?

2:11:04>> Yeah, talk about RTC for next year.

2:11:07>> Sure. Go ahead.

2:11:08>> Yeah. Um great questions. I think we all

2:11:11want to go back to Marymore. I know I

2:11:13do. Um so some of the things we're going

2:11:16to continue is exploring those

2:11:17partnerships. So Redmond Town Center,

2:11:19we're in discussion right now for them

2:11:20to have another agreement to host a lot

2:11:23of activities at center court next year

2:11:25like the women's world cup uh and other

2:11:28programming like movies, ways to bring

2:11:30people together. And so we would be

2:11:32looking at how we can continue to

2:11:33support that. Um

2:11:37what else? Yeah, go ahead.

2:11:38>> I'll add some others. Um I think one of

2:11:40the special things that's different like

2:11:42I think yes we're going to continue some

2:11:44of those things and then you know I know

2:11:46the council's also been talking about

2:11:48kind of event funds and um we also are

2:11:51hopefully going to have additional

2:11:52tourism dollars if we get more hotel

2:11:54stays that will be its kind of ongoing

2:11:55benefit. Um, but I did want to say that

2:11:58the um the benefit of this year was

2:12:01because it was that one-time investment

2:12:03and um looking next year and I know

2:12:05we've talked about the women's World Cup

2:12:07uh but it did take a lot of work and

2:12:10energy and focus for that period of time

2:12:12and so um you know we could we could

2:12:14look into that but a a lesson learned

2:12:16I'll actually say from from that is that

2:12:18before so we did get some great

2:12:20sponsorship dollars but one of the

2:12:22lessons I now have and something we'd

2:12:24like to pursue is that we Um, we really

2:12:26learned a lot about FIFA and how FIFA

2:12:28works and that they um the way that

2:12:31they're they how their um when they

2:12:34partner with a company that that that

2:12:36does their um marketing they only you

2:12:40only can use that company. And so we

2:12:42actually couldn't we had I had

2:12:44commitment I won't say from who but to

2:12:47um sp we would have had more sponsorship

2:12:49dollars from a large employer in our

2:12:52area um who would have sponsored uh the

2:12:54full cost for the meet at mymore and

2:12:57they couldn't because they didn't have

2:12:58like they would have they wouldn't we

2:13:00wouldn't have been able to identify them

2:13:02as sponsoring because you couldn't have

2:13:03any marketing materials related unless

2:13:05it was a FIFA sponsor. And so for the

2:13:08the lesson learned was we um would like

2:13:11to in future once FIFA announces who

2:13:14their sponsors are, we would go and ask

2:13:17if that sponsor would we be willing to

2:13:19host something because then they can

2:13:20still have their brand and name

2:13:22recognition, but it wouldn't be out of

2:13:24accordance with FIFA's um requirements

2:13:26that only that company can be

2:13:28represented. So that was one of those

2:13:30lessons learned.

2:13:32thinking of the women's World Cup or

2:13:33others, we might ask a company um to

2:13:36help see if they'd be interested um to

2:13:39sponsoring a package to do something

2:13:41similar. But um that's just kind of a to

2:13:44give you a off-the- cuff lesson learned.

2:13:47>> Any other uh Council Member Forsight?

2:13:50Thank you and thank you everyone who

2:13:53worked on this because this was a huge

2:13:55lift and um you all pulled it off

2:13:58beautifully. Um, when we first started

2:14:01talking about World Cup coming here, one

2:14:04of my major concerns was I've seen

2:14:07around the world when major events like

2:14:08this happen that they come in, they suck

2:14:11up all the resources in a city and leave

2:14:13the city more depressed than when they

2:14:16first got there. And that did not happen

2:14:18here.

2:14:18>> And I truly have to commend you all

2:14:20because the results were incredible. The

2:14:23things I heard on the ground. I recently

2:14:26met with some of our small nonprofits

2:14:27who were just glowing and beaming that

2:14:30they were able to host parties with

2:14:32their communities and have the city

2:14:34supporting them and how that just builds

2:14:37trust and builds um energy and

2:14:40excitement for being in Redmond. Some of

2:14:42these folks are even talking about now

2:14:43wanting to move to Redmond because they

2:14:45actually feel a part of something bigger

2:14:47and a part of our community. So, this

2:14:50had really big impact and I wanted to

2:14:52make sure to share that with you all. I

2:14:54also um want to just call out the the

2:14:56concrete letters. Good play on words

2:14:58there. Um and I actually had uh a friend

2:15:01of mine who is now working in a city in

2:15:03Arizona reach out and like how did you

2:15:05guys do that? And I said well we did it

2:15:06mostly in house and so when trying to

2:15:09explain to them how much that cost they

2:15:12were their mind was just blown that we

2:15:14had that talent here in our city. So

2:15:16just kudos all around and thank you.

2:15:19>> Thank you. And we can thank the mayor

2:15:20for the big block ideas for where we

2:15:22ended up landing. Um, and I did want to

2:15:25say too, um, I want to give a shout out

2:15:27to Seattle, uh, the city of Seattle and

2:15:29Sound Transit and how prepared they were

2:15:32and, um, having gone to watch parties

2:15:35and things there as well. They really

2:15:36helped to show like yes we are part of

2:15:39that but they really showed our like our

2:15:41region and we're voted number one and

2:15:43that is going their success is also our

2:15:45success and our success is their success

2:15:48and that are you know they are going to

2:15:50be putting in a bid for the 20 um 31 uh

2:15:54women's world cup and um other things

2:15:57like that. And so when those comes,

2:15:58we're going to now be more prepared and

2:16:00have those relationships too with them

2:16:02so that we can say, "Hey, take the light

2:16:03rail and come to Redmond or, hey, go

2:16:05from Redmond in." And so we've now there

2:16:07will be you know in five more years

2:16:11another other other large event

2:16:12opportunities but even small I mean we

2:16:14have like I said there's other sporting

2:16:15events that have said that they also

2:16:17might [clears throat] want to um use

2:16:20some facilities in our in our area and

2:16:22that um you know that that showed

2:16:24through through your through the point

2:16:26you just said.

2:16:30>> Council President, thank you so much. my

2:16:32colleagues have asked all of the

2:16:33questions and I appreciate their

2:16:35brilliance tonight. Thank you again. Um

2:16:37Chris, you were in particular a

2:16:39wonderful team captain as we went

2:16:40through this experience. So, uh thank

2:16:42you so much. I also just fundraiser to

2:16:45fundraiser recognized that you assigned

2:16:46relationship managers

2:16:49uh throughout the city. And so just

2:16:50wanted to say great move, super savvy.

2:16:52Um

2:16:54uh and finally, I wanted to recognize

2:16:56our public safety teams. Um we know that

2:16:58this the team standing in front of us

2:17:00was the face of this campaign and and

2:17:02this set of programming. Um but lots and

2:17:05lots of folks all throughout the city

2:17:06did not take summer vacations with their

2:17:08families uh while we were experiencing

2:17:10this once in a lifetime event. So uh my

2:17:12gratitude also to the public safety

2:17:14teams who um kept us safe and uh

2:17:17everything went really really well. So u

2:17:19much learned and much appreciated. Thank

2:17:21you.

2:17:23>> Uh council vice president.

2:17:25>> Thank you. I'm going to keep this keep

2:17:26this very short since um as council

2:17:28president mentioned um we have brilliant

2:17:31colleagues that have asked really great

2:17:32questions. Uh I had two they were

2:17:36already asked. So that's wonderful. Um

2:17:37but I wasn't going to allow the

2:17:39opportunity to go by to just simply say

2:17:42thank you. walking around downtown

2:17:44throughout the summer and hearing the

2:17:46community being excited the year leading

2:17:48up to it uh for just the the um

2:17:52community conversations that that were

2:17:53able to be had and different events

2:17:55leading up and the how inclusive they

2:17:57were was wonderful to be a part of. Um

2:18:00even you know as as we were all coming

2:18:02together during that summer council was

2:18:04getting ready to go out on recess for

2:18:06the month of August but we had this

2:18:08final push and getting everything ready

2:18:10to it. it did have a all hands- on deck

2:18:13feeling about it as we all experienced

2:18:15it. So, thank you very much for all of

2:18:18the hard work that she did. And also,

2:18:22as exciting as this report was, um I did

2:18:25notice actually council president had

2:18:27noticed it and we had briefly discussed

2:18:30it. Um in the agenda, it is listed as an

2:18:32annual report.

2:18:34>> You know, I brought that up to the team.

2:18:36I said annual makes it sound like we're

2:18:37going to have it again. They're like,

2:18:38"But it's the year." And I was like, but

2:18:40it makes it sound like it's going to

2:18:41happen again. So, yes.

2:18:44[laughter]

2:18:45>> Thank you.

2:18:46>> Right. Thank you. Thank you, council.

2:18:48Thank you, team. Um, yeah, kudos. It was

2:18:50amazing and, um, I'm really grateful

2:18:52that we have so much to continue on

2:18:54with. So, thank you. Our next item of

2:18:57business is a staff report on the

2:18:58economic development division annual

2:19:00progress report. Saraphy Allen,

2:19:01co-director of planning and community

2:19:03development, will introduce this item.

2:19:06>> Thank you. So, you still get to spend

2:19:07some time with us. Uh you will now hear

2:19:09a presentation on the economic

2:19:11development annual report and it will

2:19:13continue to stay annual. Um as a

2:19:16reminder, Redmond's first economic

2:19:18development plan was adopted in July of

2:19:202024 and we are now in year two of our

2:19:235-year um plan. Phy Marsh, our interim

2:19:26um deputy planning director, and Kim

2:19:28Deetsz, our interim economic development

2:19:30manager, will share on our recent

2:19:32successes.

2:19:34Oh, sorry.

2:19:37Well, hello and good evening. Um, as was

2:19:39mentioned, I'm Philly Marsh, interim

2:19:40deputy director, and I'm joined tonight

2:19:42by Kim Deetsz, who we are very fortunate

2:19:45to have filling in as interim economic

2:19:47development manager. We're a bit of um

2:19:50revolving chairs here uh in our

2:19:53department. Um, but over the past year,

2:19:56while World Cup took center stage

2:19:58beautifully elevating our work, many

2:20:00other activities were waiting in the

2:20:02wings that we are excited to spotlight

2:20:04tonight.

2:20:07Uh we updated you on our tourism

2:20:09strategic plan progress on October 6th.

2:20:13Um and attachment A in your packet has

2:20:17much more details on information on the

2:20:19programs we're going to touch on

2:20:21tonight. [snorts] Uh economic

2:20:23development is more of an art than a

2:20:25science and it represented by a spectrum

2:20:28of activities that are all linked

2:20:29together. This photo was recently at our

2:20:32draw event and I love it. Um, and

2:20:35tonight we're going to provide a bit of

2:20:36background on our strategic plan. Then

2:20:38we will dive into successes with the six

2:20:41focus areas in that plan and lastly

2:20:43preview some upcoming projects.

2:20:47Our economic development strategic plan

2:20:50represents a holistic approach to our

2:20:52work. This is important uh and it's

2:20:54important to look comprehensively

2:20:56um at the needs across all sectors and

2:20:58approaches rather than just the

2:21:00traditional view of economic development

2:21:02which focuses on business attraction and

2:21:04business retention. I also want to note

2:21:07the foundational strategies included in

2:21:09the plan which is in your packet.

2:21:11[snorts] Foundational strategies are

2:21:13long-standing ongoing efforts and

2:21:15initiatives implemented throughout the

2:21:17city and align to our dedicated work.

2:21:21Economic development can look very

2:21:23different depending on where you are and

2:21:25the unique situation of a city. But here

2:21:28in Redmond, our vision is uh includes a

2:21:32diverse, resilient, and growing economy

2:21:35based on a foundation of innovation,

2:21:37inclusion, collaboration, and

2:21:38sustainability. The city has a welcoming

2:21:41and positive business climate with a

2:21:43highly educated, skilled, and

2:21:45international workforce. Redmond is a

2:21:48desirable destination with an

2:21:49exceptional quality of life and vibrant

2:21:52amenities including recreation, culture,

2:21:54retail and dining. [snorts] And through

2:21:57the work we will share tonight,

2:21:58hopefully you will see how we are trying

2:22:00to achieve this vision. [clears throat]

2:22:04Now before we dig into our focus area

2:22:06successes, the one foundational strategy

2:22:09I want to touch on is regional

2:22:10collaboration and partnership.

2:22:13Especially when right now there's a lot

2:22:15happening in our region. You may have

2:22:17seen and it is exciting that economic

2:22:19development is getting more attention

2:22:21now in our region. Our region has been

2:22:23fortunate to benefit from the flywheel

2:22:26effect in economic development. But it's

2:22:28important to not take our successes for

2:22:30granted. This is just some of the

2:22:32regional action that is taking place

2:22:34right now. And because economic

2:22:36development is a team sport, it's

2:22:38important to be aware and aligned with

2:22:40these players in the ecosystem and at

2:22:42different levels of government.

2:22:45On the city level, we are closest to the

2:22:47challenges and can provide insights to

2:22:50broader partners, but many of the

2:22:52solutions are best delivered at scale.

2:22:54So, it's important to be in lock step

2:22:56with those regional partners. I want to

2:22:58appreciate the Port of Seattle for our

2:23:00annual economic development grant and

2:23:02the regional convenings they facilitate

2:23:05which really bring a lot of the players

2:23:06and ecosystem to the table to

2:23:08collaborate on um the work we do. Um,

2:23:12I'm now going to turn it over to Kim who

2:23:14will talk about our first two focus

2:23:16areas. Um, Kim De.

2:23:20>> Thank you, Philly, and good evening,

2:23:21council members.

2:23:23The focus area number one is business

2:23:26retention and expansion. We frequently

2:23:29engage with Redmond businesses through

2:23:32emails, questionnaires, workshops,

2:23:34community events, business walks, and

2:23:36in-person meetings. We now have a

2:23:38business contact management system or

2:23:41CRM that allows us to manage business

2:23:44contacts and engagement information and

2:23:46produce reports throughout the year.

2:23:49Through this, we implemented a business

2:23:51license welcome letter that shares

2:23:54business resources and invites

2:23:55businesses to connect with us in ways

2:23:57that are effective and meaningful for

2:23:59each of them. With World Cup, we

2:24:02successfully implemented a quarterly

2:24:04business meeting series and we are

2:24:07continuing this effort. The next

2:24:09business meeting is on Wednesday,

2:24:10October 28th. It will focus on district

2:24:13discovery activities, the annual Love

2:24:15Local, Shop Small program, and how to

2:24:18promote winter tourism. Um it will

2:24:22promote winter preparedness and alert

2:24:25revmen to help businesses prepare such

2:24:27as for storm events and um a panel of

2:24:31peer businesses to discuss seasonal

2:24:33ideas for promotions and activations.

2:24:36While developing the economic

2:24:38development strategic plan, we realized

2:24:40our business license database might not

2:24:43be as accurately accounting for all

2:24:45businesses in Redmond. Uh you heard a

2:24:47bit about this in the September 22nd

2:24:50financial update. Um but through more

2:24:52in-depth study, we were able to estimate

2:24:56the compliance gap and uh with finance

2:24:59and development services, we are

2:25:02recommending process improvements for

2:25:04better compliance and the approval and

2:25:07renewal process. Displacement is one of

2:25:11the biggest challenges for Redmond

2:25:12businesses. Often this is related to our

2:25:15fast pace of redevelopment.

2:25:17Businesses also struggle then to find a

2:25:20suitable new location within the city.

2:25:22In response, um the city has engaged in

2:25:25a small consultant contract to study

2:25:28existing conditions of retail and

2:25:30creative spaces in Redmond, our policies

2:25:33and regulations, and previously reported

2:25:36recommendations regarding spaces for

2:25:38cultural, creative, and small

2:25:41businesses.

2:25:42a little more. [laughter]

2:25:45[gasps] Um, and then by the end of this

2:25:47year, the consultant will deliver

2:25:48recommendations to strengthen creative

2:25:50and retail spaces opportunities in

2:25:52Redmond. We are also partnering

2:25:54regionally on this topic um to ensure

2:25:57that small businesses are provided the

2:25:59support they need to mitigate the impact

2:26:01of redevelopment displacement.

2:26:04Focus area number two is regarding

2:26:07equitable small business and

2:26:09entrepreneurship support. So, first we

2:26:12want to thank the city council for

2:26:13approving a budget in the last bianium

2:26:16to add a small business assistance

2:26:18program manager. Dominique Meeks first

2:26:20held this new position and he is now

2:26:22leading economic development for the

2:26:25King County Executive. His departure

2:26:28allowed us to welcome into the role

2:26:30Justine Muhalland, formerly of one

2:26:32Redmond and who is here tonight. Justine

2:26:35will continue many of the programs

2:26:37launched by Dominique and will continue

2:26:39the strategies to support our spectrum

2:26:42of small businesses throughout Redmond.

2:26:45The homebased business study, there are

2:26:471,555

2:26:50licensed home businesses in Redmond

2:26:52generating approximately 115.7

2:26:56million in gross income with

2:26:59professional, scientific, and technical

2:27:01services accounting for 30% of those

2:27:03licenses. We are currently conducting a

2:27:06home business study and it is looking at

2:27:10ways to support these businesses and

2:27:12promote complete neighborhoods which is

2:27:14something you discussed during Redmond

2:27:162050. The study also explores

2:27:18opportunities for displaced small

2:27:20businesses including possible policy and

2:27:23code updates. In focus groups, home

2:27:25business owners described a need for

2:27:27spaces to expand um for business growth

2:27:31and guidance for affordability tools and

2:27:34spaces for business operations.

2:27:36The home business questionnaire as part

2:27:38of this study will remain open through

2:27:41mid December and will be implemented

2:27:43again at regular intervals for the city

2:27:46to stay in touch and informed on this

2:27:48sector of our economy.

2:27:51Startup 425. Startup 425 is operated

2:27:54through an interlocal agreement

2:27:56originally adopted in 2014 to promote

2:27:59economic development in five east side

2:28:01cities. Startup 425 provides monthly

2:28:04co-working at city hall for

2:28:05entrepreneurs and other businesses to

2:28:08learn from expert business adviserss and

2:28:10to network and learn from one another.

2:28:13In 2025, Startup 425 partnered with the

2:28:16Founders Institute to develop a Startup

2:28:18425 accelerator that is currently

2:28:21running cohort number six and has been

2:28:24successful in providing education needed

2:28:26for founders to succeed.

2:28:29The Wayfinders Hub. In early 2023,

2:28:32Bellweather Housing was selected to

2:28:34develop transit oriented mixeduse

2:28:36affordable housing. Approximately 10,000

2:28:39square feet of ground floor space is

2:28:41dedicated to a coalition of partners

2:28:44serving businesses in East King County

2:28:45and beyond. At the groundbreaking of

2:28:48Prisma this year, Friends of the Village

2:28:51Collective was announced as the upcoming

2:28:53operator for the Wayfinder hub. City

2:28:56staff routinely have meetings with the

2:28:57Friends of the Village Collective to

2:28:59support their future operations.

2:29:02And the next focus area by Philly.

2:29:06So, we're very fortunate to have a

2:29:08strong information technology sector

2:29:10here in Redmond, but but diversification

2:29:13of our clusters is important for

2:29:15economic stability. These are just some

2:29:17of the projects and initiatives we have

2:29:19been working on to understand and

2:29:20support cluster diversification.

2:29:23In July, we presented the findings of

2:29:25the Southeast Redmond markets study and

2:29:27we are proud to share that based on that

2:29:29study, Redmond received the designation

2:29:31of an industrial center by PSRC, which

2:29:34helps support economic and

2:29:35infrastructure investments in Redmond.

2:29:39In terms of space industry support, a

2:29:41recent study commissioned by Space

2:29:42Northwest estimates Washington's space

2:29:45economy generates eight over 8 billion

2:29:48in direct annual income. This has

2:29:50doubled every four years since 2018.

2:29:53Redmond has a prominent position being

2:29:55the world's leading satellite

2:29:57manufacturing hub, but the industry is

2:30:00growing at light speed and we want to

2:30:02remain a shining star in that ecosystem.

2:30:05Earlier this month at Space Week,

2:30:08Governor Ferguson signed an executive

2:30:10order creating the governor's space

2:30:11council. The council will advise the

2:30:13governor on keeping Washington

2:30:15competitive in the space economy,

2:30:17including evaluating workforce,

2:30:18infrastructure, and supply chain needs.

2:30:20Mayor Bernie is one of only two mayors

2:30:23appointed to the council along with

2:30:25multiple Redmond companies, giving

2:30:27Redmond a direct voice in state space

2:30:29policy. This council kicks off next

2:30:32month. Another important cluster we are

2:30:34excited to start diving into and

2:30:36learning more about is Redmond's life

2:30:38science business cluster. Redmond's life

2:30:40science businesses are comprised of

2:30:43about 20 to 30 midsize medtec companies

2:30:46with staff ranging from 20 to 60 people.

2:30:50The creative economy compre comprises of

2:30:5318% of Redmond's businesses and last

2:30:55November we facilitated a creative

2:30:57economy forum. This event helped us

2:31:00learn about the needs and ideas from

2:31:02this business sector and support uh

2:31:04needed for the creative economy. You

2:31:06heard about our tourism industry on

2:31:08October 6th, but that's also embedded in

2:31:10our economic development strategic plan

2:31:12as important industry sector.

2:31:18Our I think I skipped a goal. Yeah. Um

2:31:21the attractiveness of a city is reliant

2:31:23on the image of the region. So it's

2:31:25essential essential for Redmond to

2:31:27partner in regional efforts to attract

2:31:29business and investment to the region.

2:31:32Redmond participates in regional

2:31:34conversations to improve the region's

2:31:36image and business competitiveness um by

2:31:38participating in Greater Seattle

2:31:40Partners. The mayor sits on the board of

2:31:43GSP. And this week on Thursday, uh staff

2:31:47from GSP will be in Redmond filming

2:31:50three economic development stories

2:31:52showcasing Redmond's economic

2:31:53advantages, infrastructure, talent, and

2:31:56quality of life. We'll be sure to share

2:31:58those stories with you once they are

2:32:00published. We participate in the

2:32:02innovation triangle partnership with the

2:32:04cities of Belleview and Kirkland. This

2:32:07partnership further advances the east

2:32:09side's position as a competitive

2:32:11innovation hub to attract new companies

2:32:13and talent. Um, and this includes a

2:32:16website and other activities. We

2:32:18aggregate the data of our um, companies

2:32:20and um, talent pool for prospective

2:32:23businesses.

2:32:25And then of course we collaborate

2:32:26internally to continue to enhance permit

2:32:29predictability and streamlining for our

2:32:31business community.

2:32:36One of our aspirational goals in the

2:32:38strategic plan was attracting a

2:32:40institute of higher education to

2:32:42Redmond. So I'm very excited to share

2:32:45that we now have a presence of Udub um

2:32:48in Redmond with the opening of the

2:32:49global innovation exchange. uh GIX for

2:32:53short operates in partnership with

2:32:55UDub's College of Engineering and Foster

2:32:57School of Business and they just started

2:33:00the semester in the city of Redmond on

2:33:02the Microsoft campus. This new facility

2:33:05at GIX will support education, lifelong

2:33:08professional development and signature

2:33:10thought leadership events and

2:33:12activities. GIX has joined uh joins

2:33:16DigiPen as Redmond's institutions and we

2:33:19also work closely with Lake Washington

2:33:20Institute of Technology, Cascadia

2:33:22College and Belleview College on the

2:33:24east side. Through our BRE visits, we

2:33:28ask businesses what they are looking for

2:33:29in terms of workforce and connect them

2:33:31with pipeline opportunities.

2:33:35And last but not least, um with adoption

2:33:38of Redmond 2050, uh we designated

2:33:41districts and we also had the opening of

2:33:44four light rail stations connecting

2:33:46Redmond to the region. Um and so we are

2:33:49thrilled to be diving into district

2:33:51development. We're primed for that and

2:33:53of course World Cup activities help pave

2:33:56the way. [snorts]

2:33:57Um, Redmond 2050 identifies and

2:34:00establishes the Mary Moore Village as a

2:34:02creative and cultural district and

2:34:04Overlake as an intercultural district.

2:34:07But now we have to do the work to bring

2:34:08those names to life.

2:34:11Um, you heard about how we paved the way

2:34:13through World Cup. Um, and we are

2:34:16working with a consultant uncommon

2:34:18bridges to explore approaches to

2:34:20strengthen business district

2:34:21coordination and place management in our

2:34:24centers. The project includes internal

2:34:26research, public involvement, and

2:34:28feasibility analysis. We had focus group

2:34:31meetings uh just last week, and uh the

2:34:35community members that attended

2:34:36represented restaurants, real estate

2:34:38developers, real estate agents,

2:34:40community members, and nonprofits. There

2:34:43was a strong desire to create stronger

2:34:46networks in each neighborhood, including

2:34:48formal organizations or partnerships

2:34:50that represent district businesses and

2:34:52help coordinate shared priorities,

2:34:54district level coordinated marketing,

2:34:56events, and destination development.

2:34:59We're excited to continue our banner

2:35:01banner program with winter shop small

2:35:03promotions, but do hope one day we can

2:35:06have district-led placemaking um

2:35:08organizations uh take the lead on those

2:35:11in each district.

2:35:15All right, so what's next? Um we're

2:35:18these are just some of the projects

2:35:19we're going to be focusing on in the

2:35:21upcoming months and year. Um but what we

2:35:24stated in our strategy and that's really

2:35:26important is that we stay nimble in

2:35:27economic development and that's so we

2:35:30can respond to the needs or take

2:35:31advantage of aligned opportunities. Like

2:35:34we opened with there are a lot of moving

2:35:35parts right now in the regional

2:35:37landscape and we want to stay informed

2:35:39and involved so we can shape strategies

2:35:41and programs to benefit businesses in

2:35:43Redmond. We're really excited to build

2:35:45on the momentum of our first public

2:35:47meeting regarding district convenings

2:35:49and organizing. And um part of that work

2:35:52we've already merged with the retail and

2:35:54creative space needed to create and m

2:35:57maintain vibrant districts.

2:36:00Like we shared on 106, part of our

2:36:02tourism strategic plan is to create a

2:36:04destination management and marketing

2:36:06organization to take our tourism efforts

2:36:08and return to the next level. And we'll

2:36:11also be looking to recalibrate our

2:36:13contract with one Redmond to be focused

2:36:14on both their organizational priorities

2:36:16and our strategic initiatives. The small

2:36:20business and workforce assistance

2:36:21landscape has and is continuing to shift

2:36:24after COVID. So, we will be conducting

2:36:26questionnaires to understand how as a

2:36:28city we can best invest and meet the

2:36:30needs of our community through

2:36:32partnerships. [snorts]

2:36:34Now that we are obtaining better

2:36:35business data, we are going to dive into

2:36:37cluster support and understanding um

2:36:40what businesses we have here, what their

2:36:42needs are, and how best to support their

2:36:44further growth in Redmond.

2:36:48Thank you so much.

2:36:51>> Thank you so much. Uh are there any

2:36:53questions this evening? I know that

2:36:55there's a report in here as well.

2:36:57Council member Council Vice President

2:36:58Nova Pina.

2:36:59>> Thank you, Mayor. Thank you for that

2:37:01great report. Um very very interesting

2:37:04on on many. I just want to limit um the

2:37:07questions that I have and I'm happy to

2:37:08email some more to you. Um, one of them

2:37:11was on the focus area too, um, around I

2:37:15believe it was affordability in and a

2:37:17number of things, but have we started

2:37:19having conversations about affordable

2:37:21commercial spaces yet? And I know, you

2:37:23know, Wayfinder Hub is going to be a

2:37:25wonderful addition, especially with that

2:37:26community kitchen. Um, but often what

2:37:29I'll hear when I'm talking with

2:37:31community members is in Seattle few

2:37:34years ago they were able to launch it.

2:37:35Uh, I believe it was 2020. Um, after a

2:37:38lot of stakeholder meetings um, and it

2:37:42took a bit to to get that right. Right.

2:37:43Like and they're still refining it as

2:37:46they go. Um, but and questions on what

2:37:48is equitable and what does that actually

2:37:50mean walked out. So I was seeing like

2:37:52where are we in our conversations around

2:37:54affordable commercial spaces?

2:37:57Great question and thank you for asking

2:37:58that. Um we have we actually have some

2:38:02of our incentives development incentives

2:38:04do address affordable commercial but we

2:38:07are also working across um the region

2:38:10with partners. That's one of the things

2:38:12that we believe might be best

2:38:14implemented at scale say at a county or

2:38:17state level. um uh [snorts] programs

2:38:20such as um a public development

2:38:22authority that can um rent space and

2:38:25then um work with a developer on the the

2:38:28the design of that space and then be

2:38:30able to subleasase it out to smaller um

2:38:33businesses or create um pop-up

2:38:36marketings. One of the photos we had was

2:38:38actually staff in Ballard um at the

2:38:41small market, which is a um a space

2:38:45that's run by the Ballard Improvement

2:38:47District um where homebased businesses

2:38:50are able to come in and have this joint

2:38:53shared space pop-up programming to

2:38:55create more affordability around it. So,

2:38:58um, one of our small consultants that we

2:39:01have is with the author of, um, um, a

2:39:05report called, uh, soul of a building,

2:39:08um, that was presented to the state of

2:39:09Washington. And so we are advocating to

2:39:12actually dust off that report um, at the

2:39:15state level and re-evaluate if some of

2:39:18those recommendations uh, can be

2:39:20evaluated to address affordable

2:39:22commercial space.

2:39:23>> Great. and and I know it it varies so

2:39:25much from region to region, city to

2:39:27city. So, I'm glad that we're starting

2:39:29the conversation. Thank you.

2:39:30>> Thank you. Other questions for a team,

2:39:33council president?

2:39:36>> Thank you so much for this super helpful

2:39:38update. Um I love hearing about all of

2:39:40the progress since we adopted uh what is

2:39:43the first economic development strategic

2:39:45plan um that we have in our city. I um

2:39:48was reflecting as I listened to all the

2:39:50progress tonight on the conditions in

2:39:53which the plan was being built. The

2:39:54economy is uh much the same but also

2:39:57come a long way and I would say um I'm

2:40:00I'm going to misquote uh the author of

2:40:03this um definition but like the the vibe

2:40:06of the economy the the vibe economy you

2:40:09all get it right it has shifted a bit.

2:40:11So, as we um think about the year ahead

2:40:15and where we're going, Philly Kim, I

2:40:17would be really curious to hear from

2:40:18you. What are some of the the greatest

2:40:21risk factors? We are no longer talking

2:40:23about uh you know, social distancing

2:40:25being an economic factor. Um but what

2:40:28are a couple of the headwinds or uh

2:40:30risks that you see in the strategy and

2:40:32maybe some of the questions that you're

2:40:34asking as you go on in your work?

2:40:38Yeah, I will say uh one and uh one thing

2:40:40that I think we've been really fortunate

2:40:43to experience not only in Redmond but

2:40:45also the region is that again that

2:40:48flywheel effect of um business

2:40:50attraction. We have a high uh talent

2:40:53pool. We have a place where businesses

2:40:56want to be but that may be shifting a

2:41:00little bit. So it's something we need to

2:41:02play pay closer attention to. And I

2:41:05think here in Redmond, we can just

2:41:07continue to be a welcoming um place for

2:41:10businesses and continue to try to

2:41:12diversify our economy as well. Um so

2:41:16that's something I think when we wrote

2:41:18this plan um 2 years ago. Um we maybe

2:41:23weren't as focused on that business

2:41:25structure. You always need to be

2:41:26selling. You always need to be marketing

2:41:28your destination. Um, but I I am

2:41:31watching a little bit closer to that um

2:41:34aspect of it and seeing how we can best

2:41:36position ourselves to be a place people

2:41:38businesses want to do business.

2:41:40>> I appreciate that. And Greater Seattle

2:41:43Partners, I think, is a strategy um or a

2:41:46piece of the strategy in that, but I

2:41:48don't know that we've articulated it.

2:41:50and I saw that it's um positioned in the

2:41:52budget as a service enhancement again to

2:41:55uh repurchase our membership in that

2:41:58organization. Could you maybe tie the

2:42:00two together? What's what's the value of

2:42:02the greater Seattle partnership for the

2:42:03city of Redmond?

2:42:04>> Yeah, that's one of those economies at

2:42:05scale. It would be really hard for us as

2:42:07Redmond to go out to trade shows and to

2:42:10other countries and try to attract that

2:42:12investment to Redmond um independently.

2:42:15But when we kind of pull our um

2:42:18resources and our capacity um and our

2:42:21brand to to Seattle and the greater

2:42:24Seattle region, um it really has that uh

2:42:28economies of scale and return on

2:42:30investment. Um we're also as a region

2:42:33we're very collaborative. Um and that's

2:42:35something we're fortunate to have. Um

2:42:38economic development here in the Pacific

2:42:40Northwest is very different than say the

2:42:43East Coast or the South. Um we get to be

2:42:46a little bit more um

2:42:50nuanced and picky. And so um we also

2:42:53don't have the opportunities that other

2:42:56places do. So if we're working with a

2:42:59company and we don't have space for them

2:43:01in Redmond or Red it's not the right fit

2:43:03for them in Redmond, we want to make

2:43:05sure that they still feel welcomed in

2:43:07the region and find a place to land. Um

2:43:10many of the companies here they have

2:43:12multiple locations. So they might have

2:43:15their engineering outpost in Redmond um

2:43:18or somewhere on the greater east side

2:43:20but then they have their manufacturing

2:43:21hub where there's more space um and more

2:43:24industrial land. So, um it's really

2:43:27important to work in collaboration and

2:43:29lock step with our regional partners and

2:43:31neighbors.

2:43:35>> I have uh council member foresight and

2:43:37then council member Sony.

2:43:39>> Okay.

2:43:39>> Are we good? Okay. Council member Sony.

2:43:44>> Thank you so much. Um you know we had a

2:43:47meeting and wanted to discuss over uh

2:43:49these things but um uh thank you for

2:43:52this presentation. This was very

2:43:53detailed. I have specific question on uh

2:43:58the homebased businesses. I know we are

2:44:00putting up some strategies to help these

2:44:02homebased businesses to grow and

2:44:04transitions into the storefronts. My

2:44:07based on my experience dealing and

2:44:10working with them. The biggest challenge

2:44:11is they are so small sometimes that they

2:44:15don't understand what is happening

2:44:17around and that there are support

2:44:18systems that's available. So I believe

2:44:21like there has to be uh more aggressive

2:44:25outreach to help these small uh micro

2:44:28businesses running from home or their

2:44:30garage or their kitchens to graduate so

2:44:33that they are capable of bringing they

2:44:35are capable of bringing their businesses

2:44:37out to the storefront. So definitely my

2:44:39question on the outreach spe uh for

2:44:41this.

2:44:43>> Yes, thank you for that question and

2:44:45that is a very very valid concern. um

2:44:50even with the amount of outreach that we

2:44:52are doing using the variety of

2:44:54techniques, um we're concerned that

2:44:57we're not reaching all of the home

2:44:58businesses as well. So, we're hoping

2:45:00that this message does get out to them.

2:45:02Um we want everybody to participate in

2:45:04um our questionnaire in our study. And

2:45:07to help bridge those connections, we're

2:45:10working with our CBOS, community- based

2:45:12organizations, which has been a

2:45:15successful approach. Um, in addition to

2:45:17using all of our outreach channels that

2:45:20we have here at the city, um, we have

2:45:22found that that personal touch sometimes

2:45:25is a better approach, um, to reach this

2:45:28specific sector, um, to build that trust

2:45:31because we're already having a

2:45:33relationship with a trusted partner. Um,

2:45:36we have worked with MAPS, with the

2:45:38Indian-American Community Services, with

2:45:40um, Central Del Cultural uh, Mexico, and

2:45:44um, with the King County Library System.

2:45:47If there are other organizations that

2:45:48wish to partner with us, we welcome them

2:45:50as well.

2:45:52>> Thank you,

2:45:55Council Member Parkria.

2:45:58>> Thank you for your work on this. I just

2:45:59had a quick question about the the

2:46:01business license compliance study. Um I

2:46:04know it's still in the works and we're

2:46:06probably going to get a um uh like a

2:46:08full report. Um but uh just the the fact

2:46:12that 30% um of our business license or

2:46:15licenses are uncompliant is what the um

2:46:19like the early findings show. I was just

2:46:20wondering what does this mean exactly

2:46:23for a business license to be

2:46:24uncompliant? Have they just not renewed

2:46:26it? Um is it a business that doesn't

2:46:30have a license? because this speaks to

2:46:32business licenses itself. I was just

2:46:34wondering if you could

2:46:35>> Yes, it's an interesting number. Um, it

2:46:38can be many things. Um, it could be that

2:46:40a business has multiple locations and

2:46:42did not license each of those locations.

2:46:45It could be that a business had a

2:46:48license but didn't recognize or they

2:46:51weren't aware of their renewal

2:46:53requirement, whether it came by email.

2:46:56And as we know emails they they become a

2:47:00mountain very quickly. Um it could also

2:47:03be that a business has ceased to exist.

2:47:06So one of the important things that we

2:47:09have recognized is with that amount of

2:47:12um non-compliance simply reported by

2:47:15comparing data to data data that we

2:47:18could acquire from the state or data

2:47:20that we have. um we need staff people to

2:47:24look at that information and verify

2:47:27whether that is um accurate information

2:47:29or potentially a false positive.

2:47:37So I also want to jump in on that uh

2:47:39because you'll see in the budget and um

2:47:41finance isn't here but they'll be able

2:47:43to speak more to the role that the staff

2:47:45would play also in helping get further

2:47:47compliance. And so that could look like

2:47:49further follow-up emails. And we have

2:47:51only one staff individual currently who

2:47:53both takes in all the new registrations

2:47:55and then has been trying to do the other

2:47:57ones. And so that's partly why you see

2:47:58this budget request and um around for

2:48:01some additional staffing that finance

2:48:02will go more into. But um just wanted to

2:48:05prime that as well.

2:48:07>> Well, thank you so much for this report.

2:48:09It's really exciting. Looking forward to

2:48:10hearing more as well. But thanks so

2:48:12much. Thank you council for your

2:48:13questions as well. Um, we have a few

2:48:16items left this evening. I just want to

2:48:18remind people of the time. Um, we also

2:48:20have some committee members that have

2:48:21been waiting to testify on our last two

2:48:23items. Um, so just just a reminder. Um,

2:48:26we next have OM on report. We have

2:48:28September with council member Sony and

2:48:30then October with council member Nova

2:48:32Kamina. Council member Sony,

2:48:36>> I do not have any uh report to submit

2:48:39today for September. I have couple of

2:48:42other uh reports that maybe I can just

2:48:45quickly go over. Um I attended teen

2:48:48center community vision meeting at

2:48:49Redmond senior community center was

2:48:51there for ribbon cutting for origin

2:48:53salon and spa along with state rep uh

2:48:55Osman Saladin. We had couple of meetings

2:48:58discussing uh with the constituents

2:48:59related to mental health budget and also

2:49:02related to the tenant protection.

2:49:04>> Thank you council member new kamina

2:49:06council vice president.

2:49:09>> Thank you. I'll get through these as

2:49:10quickly as possible. Uh reporting out

2:49:13for uh onbuds for the month of October.

2:49:17Uh community member reached out from

2:49:19Puget Sound Micological Society

2:49:22requesting um further understanding of

2:49:24fee structures. Uh concern over e-

2:49:28scooters and ebikes downtown when

2:49:29walking on sidewalks and trails. uh

2:49:32community members

2:49:34emailing council uh for both support and

2:49:37opposition on initiatives 368 and

2:49:40initiative 001 which we'll be learning

2:49:42more about momentarily. Uh community

2:49:45member inquiring about hiring influence

2:49:47and oversight um purview of city council

2:49:50and mayor of firefighters. Another

2:49:53community member reached out about how

2:49:55to adopt a trail system um beyond just

2:49:58litter but also general maintenance.

2:50:01Another community member emailed council

2:50:04this last week on the blackberries along

2:50:07Willows Road um starting to creep up and

2:50:09as we all know once they start gaining

2:50:11roots then they are treacherous to cut

2:50:14back. Um community members also

2:50:17requesting uh flaggers on the project

2:50:20going on along Aenddale Road. Their

2:50:23concern is that signs and codants are

2:50:24not sufficient to stop merging a merging

2:50:28accident from happening. Um community

2:50:31member reached out with having recology

2:50:34issues issues with the business account

2:50:37with the recology um waste management.

2:50:41Um, we received an invitation to the

2:50:44King County Behavioral Health

2:50:46Legislative Forum, uh, which is going to

2:50:49be held on Tuesday, November 10th.

2:50:53uh concern of parking. Um folks parking

2:50:56incorrectly in handicapped spaces and

2:50:59even though that they're in a regular

2:51:02space, a non- handicap space, that they

2:51:04are encroaching onto the lines and

2:51:06therefore making it um difficult if not

2:51:08impossible for uh handicapped drivers to

2:51:12utilize that space. Um, for myself

2:51:15personally, I met with several community

2:51:17members over the last couple of weeks

2:51:19regarding the news, the new proposed

2:51:21department, um, the budget as well since

2:51:23that's on everybody's mind right now, as

2:51:25well as the initiatives that we're going

2:51:26to discuss in just a little bit.

2:51:30Space race is definitely exciting right

2:51:32now. Um, and I was able to attend on

2:51:35behalf of the city the Belleview Chamber

2:51:37of Commerce lunchon that was last week.

2:51:39um and it was on the space race and

2:51:42having a meta view of of just how large

2:51:46um that is for the region, not just

2:51:47Redmond but also for the region. And

2:51:50then many of us also attended uh the

2:51:53hope link dinner last Thursday. That's

2:51:56the end of my report.

2:51:57>> Thank you. Any other ombbuds items?

2:51:59Council member foresight.

2:52:01>> Thank you. quickly had conversations

2:52:03around bike safety, immigrant support

2:52:05that is culturally inclusive, uh,

2:52:07including for mental health services and

2:52:10community resources and, uh,

2:52:13conversations around autobond society.

2:52:15Seems like we're all just running

2:52:16through our committee reports, too. So,

2:52:20if the chair,

2:52:20>> I'm still on ons.

2:52:21>> Okay, I will hold those.

2:52:23>> All right. Thank you. Uh, council

2:52:24president,

2:52:25>> I'll keep it to just one. I was able to

2:52:29represent the city at the MAPS uh ribbon

2:52:32cutting for their new senior center um

2:52:34at the c new campus on 148th. Um so

2:52:38congratulations to MAPS on opening their

2:52:40new senior center which of course is

2:52:41open to all members of the public. So

2:52:44really great to see that space and see

2:52:46it activated and be yet another place

2:52:48that folks have to find connection and

2:52:50community. Additionally, I know many of

2:52:53us have already visited uh the youth

2:52:54spaces and whatnot on that campus. Um,

2:52:57but I was particularly struck by the

2:52:58economic development work taking place.

2:53:01Uh, they're currently hosting startups

2:53:02and have an incubator program. They have

2:53:05event and meeting space available to the

2:53:07public and nonprofit organizations. Um,

2:53:10and they have hot desks for rent, too.

2:53:13Um, this is all really commendable and a

2:53:15great use of the space on a on a campus

2:53:17that once actually hosted hundreds of

2:53:19jobs and is uh potentially helping to

2:53:21create new ones. So many congratulations

2:53:23to maps and our gratitude my gratitude

2:53:25for um all that they are contributing

2:53:27right now. Thank you.

2:53:28>> That's pretty cool. Any others? Uh

2:53:31committee reports. No we committee or

2:53:34ombbuds?

2:53:35>> I'll just do an onbuds.

2:53:36>> Okay. Do an odds. Well, I'll say a lot

2:53:39of the topics that people chatting with

2:53:41me about were already raised, but I'll

2:53:43just note I've been having a lot of

2:53:44conversations with people about budget

2:53:46and in particular interest in our CIP um

2:53:50sustainability investments as well as um

2:53:52in uh some of the investments around uh

2:53:54safer streets. Thank you. All right.

2:53:57Committee reports. Council member

2:53:58Foresight.

2:54:00>> Thank you, Council Member. Council Vice

2:54:02President Niva Kamina and I attended our

2:54:03disability board meeting. I also

2:54:06attended the Belleview Chamber space

2:54:08race lunchon as well learning about uh

2:54:10space development and the important role

2:54:12that our region plays. I also attended

2:54:15an immigration policy webinar um through

2:54:18those emails that we get about uh the

2:54:20manat policy things. It was very

2:54:22informative and it was especially on the

2:54:24heels of the recent actions taken by the

2:54:28federal government against several large

2:54:30employers in our community including

2:54:32Microsoft and Adobe. Um so if I get more

2:54:35information from that I will share out

2:54:37that document and I attended my last um

2:54:42planning meeting for East Trail as the

2:54:43co-chair as I will be making way for new

2:54:46leadership on that uh committee and the

2:54:48last meeting that I will be chairing is

2:54:52uh next Friday I believe.

2:54:54>> Thank you. Committee reports. Council

2:54:56member Sony,

2:54:59>> I attended east side transportation

2:55:01partner meeting and there were

2:55:02discussions and like you know now that

2:55:04it is fall so what is the one

2:55:06transportation

2:55:08um project that every city is looking

2:55:10apart from that there were some

2:55:11important discussions it's like you know

2:55:13like uh uh PSRC no they proposed that

2:55:17there is a 2030 census changes that

2:55:19could threaten data accuracy and federal

2:55:21funding allocations for certain local

2:55:23areas making uh regional coordination

2:55:26very critical. There was also discussion

2:55:29about the transportation like you know

2:55:32they reported that the transportation

2:55:33revenues are down across 2031 outlook

2:55:36and highway use fees may be proposed for

2:55:39upcoming legislative sessions and ETP

2:55:41leadership they really raised the

2:55:43concerns that such fee must be carefully

2:55:45structured so doesn't in doesn't

2:55:47incentivize our electric vehicle

2:55:49adoption and during that meeting the

2:55:52there is um a subcommittee form for

2:55:54finalizing the legislative agenda

2:55:56priorities for the ET PP and uh I will

2:55:59be joining to represent Redmond as a

2:56:01part of that committee.

2:56:02>> Thank you. Other committee reports,

2:56:06council member Parker.

2:56:08>> Uh just very quickly, I chaired the

2:56:10public safety and human services

2:56:11committee of the whole uh meeting

2:56:13earlier today and we sent four items to

2:56:15consent.

2:56:17>> Thank you. Any other committee reports?

2:56:19Council President,

2:56:21>> thank you. Um, over the weekend I

2:56:23distributed some materials from the

2:56:25Sound Cities Association's public issues

2:56:27committee to the council, following up

2:56:29on a robust discussion regarding the

2:56:31state and county legislative agendas.

2:56:33And most specifically, what I wanted to

2:56:35call attention to for the council were

2:56:37the new slides related to the work going

2:56:40on at the breaking the cycle revenue

2:56:41workg group. Reminder, Mayor Bernie um

2:56:44is a representative for for us and the

2:56:46Sound Cities Association um and they

2:56:48have a meeting coming up later this

2:56:49week. But in particular, that slide deck

2:56:52um begins to illustrate what levels of

2:56:55revenue could generate what uh

2:56:58investments and at what levels of

2:57:00affordability throughout the county. So,

2:57:03um I think that there's there's been a

2:57:05lot of interest in in seeing some of

2:57:07that math. I also will say for my part I

2:57:10heard a little bit of uh optimism around

2:57:14how our subregional partners such as a

2:57:17regional coalition for housing may be

2:57:19included in in the future. So um I will

2:57:22actually just like leave that topic for

2:57:23Mayor Bernie but to say that there's

2:57:25great really informational

2:57:27slides um that I shared with the

2:57:28council. I also attended the regional

2:57:30water quality committee. Um and this

2:57:33month uh we gave feedback to the water

2:57:37wastewater treatment division. We gave

2:57:39feedback on resource recovery questions

2:57:41that are coming up in the regional

2:57:43wastewater system plan. This includes

2:57:45things like bioolids, heat to energy,

2:57:47and of course reclaimed water. Redmond

2:57:50and the Sound Cities Association caucus

2:57:51weighed in on all of these topics to

2:57:53make sure that we have the right policy

2:57:54choices in front of us next year. We

2:57:57have particular concerns about the rate

2:57:58at which King County Wastewater

2:58:00Treatment Division is racing toward and

2:58:03encouraging expanded use of reclaimed

2:58:05water without accurately accounting for

2:58:08the contamination in it both with PAFS

2:58:10and contamination of uh contaminants of

2:58:13emerging concern. So, a really important

2:58:16conversation um was had this month and

2:58:18we'll continue forward. Thank you.

2:58:19>> Thank you. And I'm I'll happily report

2:58:21back about the um housing meeting uh

2:58:23after next week, our next meeting. So,

2:58:25thank you. Any other committee reports?

2:58:28Okay. Um, the next item is new business.

2:58:31Item A is AM number 26-158.

2:58:35This new business item is for the

2:58:36purpose of considering passage of a

2:58:38resolution opposing initiative number

2:58:40638, the ballot title of which is

2:58:43follows. Initiative measure number 638

2:58:46concerns particip participation in

2:58:48athletics at K12 schools. This measure

2:58:50would prohibit students it defines as

2:58:52biologically male from competing in

2:58:54certain school athletic activities

2:58:56intended for female students only. It

2:58:58would require verification of biological

2:59:00sex by students healthcare providers.

2:59:02Should this measure be enacted into law?

2:59:05Yes or no. Um, and we have resolution

2:59:08number 1634, resolution of the city

2:59:11council of the city of Redmond,

2:59:12Washington, opposing initiative number

2:59:15638 relating to participation in

2:59:18athletics at K12 schools. I have the

2:59:20sign-in sheet for members of the public

2:59:22to speak in person tonight. When I call

2:59:24your name, you'll come up to the podium

2:59:26and have three minutes to address the

2:59:27council. As a reminder, speaking in

2:59:30support of this resolution is speaking

2:59:33in opposition to initiative 638.

2:59:36Speaking in opposition to the resolution

2:59:39is speaking in support of initiative

2:59:42638. Got it. All right. So, uh we have

2:59:47uh

2:59:49we have six people signed up to speak in

2:59:51person tonight and no one has signed up

2:59:53to speak remotely. Um when I call your

2:59:55name, just come up and you'll have three

2:59:57minutes. So we have Anne Bo, Josie

2:59:59Heiser, Jennifer Gumas, Aaron Hamilton,

3:00:03and Charlotte Figueroa, then Devon

3:00:06Kellogg.

3:00:13Hello, I'm Anne Bo. I'm here tonight

3:00:16representing Indivisible East Side, a

3:00:19grassroots organization formed in 2017

3:00:22comprised of hundreds of community

3:00:24members, students, parents, and allies

3:00:28who are committed to supporting,

3:00:29protecting the lives of marginalized

3:00:31communities such as the 2SLGBTQIA

3:00:35plus community. This November, two very

3:00:38harmful anti-2SLGBTQIA

3:00:41initiatives will be on the Washington

3:00:44State ballot that directly threaten the

3:00:46very safety of the community we support,

3:00:49protect, advocate for, and celebrate.

3:00:53If these two initiatives pass, they

3:00:56would reverse hard one protective laws

3:00:58that exist for current and future L

3:01:002SLGPDQIA

3:01:02public school students. Here's why we

3:01:05urge the city council to adopt the

3:01:08resolution to oppose this initiative

3:01:11638.

3:01:15Initiative 638 is the most invasive

3:01:18anti-trans anti-girl initiative in the

3:01:20country. Requiring girls, not boys, who

3:01:25want to play school sports to prove

3:01:27their reproduct reproductive an anatomy

3:01:31goes well beyond what is currently

3:01:33required to play sports. Not only the

3:01:36process, but the added cost will create

3:01:39unnecessary hurdles for girls to go

3:01:41through. The long-term impact will

3:01:44threaten girls participation and

3:01:46competitiveness in girls school sports.

3:01:50All children, all students who want to

3:01:52participate in sports of their choosing

3:01:54should be allowed to do so. Go to the No

3:01:57Hate in Washington State campaign to

3:01:59learn more about what's at stake and see

3:02:02the long list of over 300 organizations,

3:02:05medical professionals,

3:02:07elected federal, state, local, city

3:02:10leaders and businesses who also oppose

3:02:12the initiatives. joined the city

3:02:15councils of Tacoma, Shoreline, Kenmore,

3:02:19Seattle, and Mont Lake Terrace who have

3:02:21adopted resolutions to oppose 638.

3:02:26More city councils are expected to do

3:02:28the same. Recently, the Seattle Times

3:02:31editorial board also urged voters to

3:02:34vote no on this initiative.

3:02:37We know from your website that Redmond

3:02:41Redmond City Council values diversity

3:02:44and res is respectful, fair, and

3:02:48inclusive.

3:02:50We hope you will walk the talk and adopt

3:02:52this resolution to oppose 638.

3:02:55Thank you.

3:02:57Next is Josie Heiser, then Jennifer

3:03:00Gumas, then Erin Hamilton, then

3:03:03Charlotte Figureroa, then Deon Kellogg.

3:03:09Okay. Uh, hello. My name is Josie. I am

3:03:12a transwoman living here in Redmond,

3:03:14though I have loved ones, friends, and

3:03:16community members across East Side in

3:03:19Seattle. I'm speaking in support of

3:03:21resolution number 1634 in opposition of

3:03:23I638.

3:03:25I638 and the other initiatives

3:03:27bankrolled by millionaire Brian Haywood

3:03:29are deeply troubling to see in my home

3:03:30state. A state that has become a beacon

3:03:33to many in the trans community fleeing

3:03:35similar laws passed elsewhere. So know

3:03:37that while I feel an incredible

3:03:39responsibility and honor to stand here

3:03:41and speak, it breaks my heart to do so.

3:03:44Here in the tail end of my 30s, I have

3:03:47only recently come to understand how

3:03:49powerful sports with my peers can be as

3:03:51a way to inspire confidence, resilience,

3:03:54and a sense of belonging and deep love

3:03:56for not just the people around me, but

3:03:58for myself. I've learned what it means

3:04:01to be celebrated by my peers for my

3:04:03successes, encouraged when I fall short,

3:04:05and inspired to be brave and to work

3:04:07harder every time I show up. I 638 isn't

3:04:11drafted to protect that feeling for

3:04:12young girls. I found that at 37, a

3:04:1613-year-old trans girl living in rimen

3:04:18today could find it now. I 638 is

3:04:21written to make sure that she never

3:04:22will. It's designed to push a

3:04:2413-year-old transirl into isolation, to

3:04:27out her, to make a spectacle of her, to

3:04:29force her into the closet or otherwise

3:04:31vanish from public view entirely. The

3:04:33day she's pulled off her team, everyone

3:04:35knows that she's trans. She won't get to

3:04:38decide who to tell her story to or how

3:04:39to tell it, or even if she wants to. it

3:04:42will be told for her. I 638 is designed

3:04:45to make her and girls like her feel

3:04:47small, to feel afraid. It's designed to

3:04:50shut out every young girl from

3:04:51participating in school sports unless

3:04:53she should she would submit to sex

3:04:55verification, expensive, medically

3:04:57unnecessary, and humiliating testing

3:04:59that she cannot refuse. It's designed to

3:05:02normalize unrestricted access to girls

3:05:04bodies to teach girls that their bodies

3:05:06aren't their own. I 638 harms every

3:05:09girl, but it was written to harm one

3:05:11girl first, the trans girl it wants to

3:05:13destroy. Please pass resolution number

3:05:161634. Thank you.

3:05:19>> Next is Jennifer Gumas, then Aaron

3:05:21Hamilton, then Charlotte Figueroa, then

3:05:24Devon Kellogg.

3:05:29Thank you for hearing our public

3:05:31comments tonight and thank you

3:05:32Representative Forsythe for putting this

3:05:34resolution um forward. I want to support

3:05:38this resolution um against I638 and um

3:05:43this resol uh this initiative would

3:05:46require recurring testing to ensure that

3:05:49girls are girls by genetic testing,

3:05:52testosterone measurements or exams of

3:05:54anatomy as expressed by the initiative.

3:05:57Genetic testing and testosterone testing

3:06:00are ambiguous and would also be

3:06:02expensive and not covered by most

3:06:04insuranceances, which would mean that

3:06:06girls would be subject to um pelvic

3:06:09exams to demonstrate that they are

3:06:11allowed to play sports. This is

3:06:13discriminatory that this is a burden

3:06:15that's being placed on girls and not on

3:06:17boys. And what's really unfortunate is

3:06:20that I think that a lot of community

3:06:22members are being tricked by this

3:06:24initiative. I first became aware of it

3:06:26when I was going grocery shopping and I

3:06:28found somebody gathering signatures for

3:06:31a petition outside of the grocery store.

3:06:34He was telling people that they should

3:06:35sign his petition to keep girls safe and

3:06:38keep girls sports fair. And upon reading

3:06:41his petition, I was shocked to find out

3:06:43that's not actually what this initiative

3:06:46does at all. it actually endangers girls

3:06:49and also trans students and school is

3:06:52hard enough for them as it is.

3:06:55So I also think that uh it should be

3:06:57pointed out that there are only about 10

3:07:00known trans athletes on um playing K

3:07:04through2 sports uh statewide which is

3:07:07approximately 1 in 20,000 students

3:07:10playing sports. There is no conspiracy

3:07:12for um transgender students to invade

3:07:15girls sports and um you know unfairly uh

3:07:20dominate over their peers. There is no

3:07:22conspiracy for trans transgender

3:07:24students to invade locker rooms like

3:07:26some people are being led to believe um

3:07:30by right-wing propaganda. Uh I am a

3:07:33former teacher. I taught grades 8

3:07:35through 12 for 12 years in the Seattle

3:07:38school district and then in the Lake

3:07:39Washington school district. And my

3:07:41students who were LGBTQIA

3:07:44students were really just trying to

3:07:45survive and get through their day

3:07:47without being bullied. Um this this

3:07:51initiative just makes them a lot less

3:07:53safe. And I think that if students are

3:07:56subjected to having to have pelvic exams

3:07:58to be able to play sports that a lot of

3:08:01girls will just opt out of sports

3:08:03entirely.

3:08:04I noticed that there is a proclamation

3:08:08that the council is looking at passing

3:08:10um for a United against hate week and it

3:08:14mentions values such as safety,

3:08:16inclusion, diversity and belonging. And

3:08:19I hope that this council in the spirit

3:08:22of those values will pass this

3:08:24resolution to speak out against

3:08:27initiative 638. Thank you very much for

3:08:29your time.

3:08:31Next is Aaron Hamilton, then Charlotte

3:08:34Figureroa, then Deon Kellogg.

3:08:50>> [clears throat]

3:08:51>> Uh to start off, this is an this

3:08:53initiative isn't an attack on the LGBTQ

3:08:56plus community. It's an attack on

3:08:59cisgendered girls and transgender girls.

3:09:03Just want to make that clarified. Don't

3:09:04be afraid to say the word trans.

3:09:08>> [clears throat]

3:09:09>> Many of you know my story, but I am a

3:09:12female I am an actual

3:09:14uh professional female trans athlete.

3:09:17I've dedic dedicated my athletic career

3:09:19advocating for trans kids participation

3:09:21in sports, working with trans kids on

3:09:25[snorts] healthy benefits of fitness can

3:09:27bring and encouraging them to

3:09:29participate in in athletics. I raced in

3:09:33anti-trans states were who are directly

3:09:36attacking attacking trans kids.

3:09:39Now

3:09:41[clears throat] our state has turned

3:09:42into one of the most important

3:09:44battlegrounds for protecting trans

3:09:46rights. This is the conservatives true

3:09:49test of how far they can go with

3:09:51dehumanizing us. And 638 is designed to

3:09:55do just that. The result of this

3:09:57initiative will determine if it will

3:10:00spread across the country. Because if

3:10:02these bigots can win in Washington, they

3:10:05can win in every blue state. I know

3:10:08firsthand the impact 638 can have if

3:10:11passed. I know this because I've already

3:10:14been banned and I've directly

3:10:19uh deal with the impact of that loss. It

3:10:23it was my career.

3:10:26I know that because I've had spectators

3:10:29and compet and competitors demand race

3:10:33directors prove that I'm a woman by

3:10:35pulling down my pants.

3:10:38I can't imagine any child having to be

3:10:41subjected to that.

3:10:46[snorts]

3:10:47And I'll be damned if I'll let that

3:10:49happen to any child in the state of

3:10:53Washington, trans or not. This

3:10:56initiative has done

3:10:59[clears throat] sorry [snorts] this

3:11:01initiative has nothing to do with

3:11:03protecting girls. It has everything to

3:11:05do with humiliating and dehumanizing all

3:11:09girls. [snorts]

3:11:11This is why visibility is important

3:11:15because without it, people aren't going

3:11:18to know the atrocities that are

3:11:20happening.

3:11:22I truly hope that this is finally the

3:11:25wakeup call to the community

3:11:28that we can no longer sit on our hands

3:11:31and say it will never happen here

3:11:34because guess what? It's happening here

3:11:37and it's happening now.

3:11:39>> [snorts]

3:11:40>> I've been up here multiple Well, I've

3:11:43been up here a lot challenging all of

3:11:46you to say the word trans, to not be

3:11:49afraid

3:11:51to say the word, and I've challenged you

3:11:54to do something about it publicly.

3:11:56>> In conclusion, this is your opportunity

3:12:00to do it. So, do it.

3:12:04>> Next is Charlotte Figureroa, then Devon

3:12:06Kellogg.

3:12:20Hi everyone. I'm Charlotte and I'm here

3:12:23tonight to support the resolution

3:12:26um 1634 opposing in initiative 638.

3:12:31I believe every child deserves to feel

3:12:33safe, included, and valued in their

3:12:35community. That includes trans children

3:12:38who deserve the same opportunities as

3:12:40their peers to learn, build friendships,

3:12:43and participate in the activities that

3:12:44make childhood meaningful.

3:12:47As we've heard tonight already, school

3:12:50sports are about more than competition.

3:12:52They're about teamwork, confidence,

3:12:54friendship, and belonging. We should be

3:12:57finding ways to make those experiences

3:12:59accessible to more children, not

3:13:01creating new barriers for young people

3:13:03who are already vulnerable to

3:13:05discrimination.

3:13:07Initiative 638 would require students to

3:13:09verify their biological sex through

3:13:12healthc care providers.

3:13:14We need to think seriously about what

3:13:15that means for children and their

3:13:17families. It introduces invasive

3:13:20scrutiny into young people's lives and

3:13:22sends a troubling message to trans

3:13:25students that their participation is

3:13:27inherently suspect, that their bodies

3:13:30are open to public scrutiny, and that

3:13:32their place within their own schools and

3:13:35within their teams is suspect and

3:13:38conditional.

3:13:40At a time in our country when trans

3:13:42people are facing increasing hostility

3:13:45and political attacks, the decisions we

3:13:47make locally matter. We can have

3:13:50thoughtful conversations about fairness

3:13:52in athletics without singling out

3:13:54children for invasive verification

3:13:56requirements or turning their identities

3:13:59into political battlegrounds.

3:14:01Protecting children means protecting all

3:14:04children. And that means recognizing not

3:14:07just the policies we support, but also

3:14:09the people who bear the consequences of

3:14:12those policies.

3:14:14I believe solidarity is especially

3:14:16important when a community is being

3:14:18targeted. We cannot wait until

3:14:20discrimination affects us personally

3:14:22before deciding it is worth opposing. We

3:14:25have a responsibility to stand up for

3:14:27one another, particularly when doing so

3:14:29is politically difficult.

3:14:31Redmond has the opportunity to make

3:14:34clear that trans young people belong

3:14:36here, that their well-being matters, and

3:14:38that they deserve to participate in

3:14:39their community without being treated as

3:14:42a problem to solve. I urge the council

3:14:46to pass this resolution, and formally

3:14:48oppose this initiative. In doing so, we

3:14:51choose compassion over exclusion,

3:14:54dignity over suspicion, and a community

3:14:57where every child has the opportunity to

3:14:59belong.

3:15:01Thank you.

3:15:03And next is Devon Kellogg.

3:15:11Hi, good evening. My name is Devon

3:15:12Kellogg and I um I also urge you to

3:15:18support a no

3:15:21statement publicly. I I have a daughter

3:15:24who plays sports and who frequently gets

3:15:27mistaken for uh trans youth. Um and uh

3:15:32she's harassed constantly. And so when I

3:15:34first heard this, oh, this is a great

3:15:36way to prove that, you know, she belongs

3:15:38on the team. Um but when I ran into it,

3:15:41wow, it's really really not that not

3:15:43good. And I also um on the PTSA,

3:15:47Washington State PTA advocacy committee

3:15:50and they've um put out a public

3:15:52statement for and I'd like to read that

3:15:55tonight. Um you can find it onepta.org.

3:15:59Um, Washington State PTA encourages a no

3:16:02vote on I 638 because it places in law

3:16:07discriminatory practice against students

3:16:09based on sex, which is against

3:16:11Washington State PTA's platform. It

3:16:14creates an unfair invasive

3:16:16mandate where girls must get doctor

3:16:18notes verifying their auton anatomy,

3:16:22genetics or hormone just to play

3:16:24interchool scholastic sports while boys

3:16:27face no such hurdle. Our children join

3:16:31sports to learn teamwork and stay

3:16:33active. We should be encouraging all

3:16:35kids to participate not creating costly

3:16:38invasive medical barriers that harm

3:16:40students. Um they f further state that

3:16:44our focus is on welcoming safe school

3:16:46for all kids. Washington state PTA

3:16:49mission is to make every child's

3:16:52potential a real reality. Public school

3:16:54sports should build confidence,

3:16:57teamworks, and healthy habits, not

3:16:59create barriers that exclude students or

3:17:01single them out for what for unfair

3:17:03scrutiny. Vote no preserves established

3:17:06sports practices. Washington

3:17:07Interchoolactic Activities Association

3:17:10and local school districts already have

3:17:12balanced functional guidelines for

3:17:15athletic eligibility. I638 replaces

3:17:19objective and agreed upon participation

3:17:21requirements with a state mandate that

3:17:23harm student well-being. I hope you all

3:17:25will support um a no vote and make it

3:17:28public. We need to protect our our

3:17:30youth. Thank you.

3:17:33That's everyone who has signed up uh to

3:17:35speak in person on this tonight. There's

3:17:37no one to signed up to speak remotely.

3:17:39Is there a motion to approve AM number

3:17:4121158 resolution number 1634?

3:17:45>> So moved.

3:17:46>> Second.

3:17:46>> It's been moved and seconded. And I'm

3:17:48going to pause here just for a moment.

3:17:50We have three minutes left technically

3:17:51of our evening. I would like um

3:17:55to make sure that we can complete this

3:17:58business and go on to new business

3:17:59without extending the meeting now.

3:18:03>> You say that again.

3:18:04>> Do we need to extend the meeting now to

3:18:06make sure we can get to the second thing

3:18:07since we're going to run out of time?

3:18:18>> Okay. So, we've I'm going to reverse

3:18:21order. I'm going to do this first and

3:18:23second in a moment, but I want to make

3:18:25sure we extend the time first. Is there

3:18:27a motion to extend the meeting to 11

3:18:29o'clock?

3:18:30>> So, moved.

3:18:31>> Is there a second?

3:18:32>> Second.

3:18:33>> Been moved and seconded. Is there any

3:18:34discussion?

3:18:36Seeing none, all those in favor say I.

3:18:38>> I.

3:18:39>> All those opposed. Thank you so much. We

3:18:42have now extended the meeting till 11.

3:18:43Let's go back again. Who would like to

3:18:44make the motion?

3:18:46>> So moved.

3:18:46>> Is there a second?

3:18:48>> Second. It's been moved and seconded. Is

3:18:50there any discussion? Council member

3:18:52Foresight.

3:18:53>> Um, I think the community really said it

3:18:56best, so I will keep my comments short,

3:18:58but the biggest thing for me is the

3:19:00amount of

3:19:03community members that have shown up

3:19:04tonight is inspiring. Um, knowing that

3:19:09this will be looked at across the nation

3:19:12as how to move forward if this passes is

3:19:15absolutely terrifying to me. And that is

3:19:18why I put this forward. Um I believe

3:19:21that we have a duty to get this passed

3:19:25to inform our community that we are a

3:19:27welcoming community and inform our

3:19:29community of the harms that are within

3:19:31this. So I look to my colleagues to um

3:19:35support this resolution and I do have a

3:19:39tiny amendment when we get to it. Okay.

3:19:42Thank you. Any other comments on the

3:19:45motion? Uh, council member, council vice

3:19:47president.

3:19:48>> Thank you. Um, thank you, mayor, and

3:19:50thank you deeply to the community that,

3:19:52um, have had conversations with us

3:19:54outside of chambers um that came here

3:19:56today. Um, my my comments are as a

3:20:01parent of a trans, a member of the queer

3:20:04community myself, prior military service

3:20:06during Don't Ask Don't Tell, um, and an

3:20:09environment that continues to have

3:20:11gender issues arise. Um,

3:20:15if this initiative is intended to

3:20:18establish participation based on

3:20:20biological sex, the question that kept

3:20:22coming up for me was then why is it

3:20:23enforcable?

3:20:25Why does its enforceable restriction

3:20:27apply specifically to girls competitions

3:20:30rather than establishing equivalent

3:20:32requirements for boys competitions? We

3:20:35know that girls already face significant

3:20:36barriers to participating in athletics,

3:20:39particularly as they enter adolescence.

3:20:40And research from Women's Sports

3:20:42Foundation showed that girls leave

3:20:44organized sports at rates two to three

3:20:46times higher than boys between 8th and

3:20:4812th grades. And we also know that

3:20:50puberty, body image, breast development,

3:20:52and social stigma can influence whether

3:20:54girls feel comfortable participating.

3:20:57Here in Seattle area, we've got a

3:20:59nonprofit that specifically is getting

3:21:02sports bras to girls and knowing that

3:21:03that's a barrier. So, at a time where we

3:21:06should be working to remove those

3:21:07barriers and encourage more girls to

3:21:09stay in sports, I'm concerned about

3:21:12introducing additional requirements that

3:21:14would create further scrutiny,

3:21:16discomfort, and leading up to exclusion.

3:21:19And I believe that we can value fairness

3:21:21in athletics while also protecting the

3:21:23dignity, privacy, and sense of belonging

3:21:25of every student. And our goal should be

3:21:28to keep more children participating in

3:21:30sports and not giving them another

3:21:31reason to walk away. So, I will be in

3:21:33support of the resolution.

3:21:35Council President,

3:21:39thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate

3:21:41the speakers tonight and everyone's

3:21:42patience. I realize it has been a long

3:21:44night. I will vote in favor of the

3:21:46resolution. And additionally, I'd like

3:21:48to direct some remarks away from the

3:21:51content of the resolution in front of us

3:21:54to be able to remark on the process that

3:21:56got us here. So, at the end of last

3:21:58week's study session, the idea of this

3:22:01resolution was introduced without a

3:22:03draft and with a disclaimer that it was

3:22:05being done um outside of the current

3:22:08council norms. That was a discussion

3:22:10that we had um at the table. Council

3:22:13ultimately gave direction to council

3:22:15leadership to add the resolution to the

3:22:16agenda in order to be able to take a

3:22:18position tonight and council leadership

3:22:21did deliver on that and I want to

3:22:23acknowledge um the incredible support

3:22:25that it took to make that happen with

3:22:26our deputy clerk and our deputy COO and

3:22:30our city attorneys and the others. It

3:22:32was a um pretty frenetic day and to

3:22:35those staff I am grateful for your

3:22:36agility.

3:22:38Um, so for the for the benefit of my

3:22:41colleagues, I'd like to take a moment to

3:22:42walk through some of the missing pieces

3:22:44in the process and why they matter

3:22:46moving forward. I do think initiatives

3:22:48like the ones that we are discussing

3:22:50here tonight are going to continue to be

3:22:52common and continue to be problematic

3:22:54and we'll run into this again. So, in

3:22:56putting the resolution on the agenda

3:22:58tonight, council gave up a few things

3:22:59that are important to us um and we

3:23:02should think about for next time. So

3:23:04council agreed to publish a piece of

3:23:06legislation it hadn't seen and hadn't

3:23:08undergone legal review. We may see

3:23:11amendments tonight. We may also see

3:23:13legal advice happened tonight on the DAS

3:23:15because we just didn't get a chance to

3:23:16take care of that before. Council

3:23:18generally has a deliberative process of

3:23:20a three-touch rule in order to make sure

3:23:22that legislation that makes it to our

3:23:25business meeting is fully representative

3:23:27of our intent and we have the chance to

3:23:29collect public feedback. Several council

3:23:32members also learned that the tool we're

3:23:34using tonight to hold open session and

3:23:37pass a resolution and state a position

3:23:40is actually a tool that local

3:23:41governments can use. But we cut short

3:23:43the conversation on when it we should

3:23:46use this best. And for instance, in the

3:23:48past, we have uh taken precautions and

3:23:52and weighed the decision of whether or

3:23:53not to weigh in based on whether our

3:23:56microphone in our council chambers will

3:23:58be um left open to hate or

3:23:59misinformation.

3:24:01We didn't discuss that this time.

3:24:03Council also agreed to put the

3:24:05legislation on the agenda once the

3:24:06voting period had already begun,

3:24:08something we've tried to avoid in the

3:24:10past and we should have a a framework

3:24:12for moving forward. We lost out on the

3:24:14opportunity to have coordinated support

3:24:16from the communications team to publish

3:24:18and promote tonight's forum, which

3:24:21generally meant we had less complete

3:24:22engagement.

3:24:24And um we just didn't get to do this

3:24:28because it wasn't done uh through our

3:24:31council norms. And I actually think that

3:24:32our council norms, including the council

3:24:35policy hopper process, um which were

3:24:38authored in large part by the sponsor of

3:24:40tonight's legislation, are a piece of

3:24:43lasting legacy of their service on the

3:24:45council. And I'm deeply grateful that we

3:24:46have that um that guidance because it

3:24:49allows us an opportunity to uh respond

3:24:51to emerging needs in our community. So

3:24:54to my colleagues for an example on um

3:24:56how we can how we can do this next time

3:24:58or maybe how we did it last time um

3:25:00according to our current norms we took

3:25:03action on Tuesday October 15th 2024 and

3:25:07um there are preceding study sessions

3:25:09where we deliberated on those pieces

3:25:11that are worth taking a peek at. So

3:25:13again October 15, 2024. Um, again, I

3:25:17believe that these ballot initiatives

3:25:18are harmful and that community members

3:25:22most impacted by their possible passing

3:25:24also deserve to have consistent and

3:25:26deliberative local government. At the

3:25:28moment, the federal government can't be

3:25:30trusted to deliver on that, but we still

3:25:32can. So, I I'll recommend and um it is a

3:25:36late night, so we can continue to

3:25:37discuss this in the weeks ahead, but

3:25:39I'll recommend that council actually

3:25:41have um a discussion about whether we're

3:25:44interested in a 2027 briefing on how

3:25:46this tool works and make some decisions

3:25:48about how we want to use it in the

3:25:49future and then just go ahead and have

3:25:52um a pres-scheduled conversation on

3:25:54potential 2027 ballot initiatives as

3:25:57they're filed. Like I said, I I expect

3:25:59that these will continue to be filed.

3:26:01Um, so I look forward to the opportunity

3:26:03to have that conversation if the council

3:26:05is interested. Thank you.

3:26:06>> Thank you. I think council member

3:26:08Kitser.

3:26:11>> Thank you and appreciate the comments on

3:26:13process from our council president. Um I

3:26:17I do want to uh ensure that that we

3:26:19clarify for the public that um we are

3:26:22within our rights to have uh this

3:26:24resolution on the agenda. Um despite the

3:26:26fact that we optimally we would have

3:26:29gone through a different uh process via

3:26:32our council norms. Um and I do and I as

3:26:35as someone who's been deeply invested as

3:26:36well in uh the creation of our hopper

3:26:39process and being able to do really

3:26:40deliberative government really

3:26:42appreciate those those comments. Um,

3:26:44this also is the forum in which we would

3:26:46be able to put something like this on

3:26:47the agenda and be able to talk about an

3:26:50initiative. I think it and and and I

3:26:53think it's it's worth having this

3:26:55discussion tonight. I um will be voting

3:26:58uh yes on this resolution to oppose this

3:27:01initiative. Um I don't need to rehash

3:27:05all the talking points that everyone on

3:27:07this dis said and I certainly could not

3:27:10have said it better than many of our

3:27:11community members and I just want to

3:27:13thank especially our transgender

3:27:15community members who came here tonight

3:27:17to share your perspectives and your

3:27:19stories and all the community members

3:27:21that came in solidarity. Um and uh and I

3:27:25I believe in particular our council has

3:27:28passed multiple resolutions um

3:27:30committing to being an inclusive

3:27:32community, to being a hate-free zone.

3:27:34And specifically just in the in the last

3:27:37about a year ago um we passed a

3:27:39resolution that committed to supporting

3:27:42our transgender community at this

3:27:44moment. And this is one thing we can do

3:27:47as as one of the speakers very

3:27:49eloquently said. And so I believe this

3:27:51is following up on a commitment our

3:27:53council made um to be able to make sure

3:27:55that those in our city know where we

3:27:58stand on this um initiative. I also will

3:28:02be taking this vote um to support this

3:28:04resolution tonight uh as a mom of a

3:28:07seven-year-old girl who wants to play

3:28:10sports and who I don't want to have

3:28:11invasive genital checks just to do that.

3:28:14and also for all the girls, cisgender

3:28:17girls, transgender girls who just want

3:28:19to play sports and who we should let do

3:28:22that and be able to be themselves when

3:28:25doing so. Thank you, Council Member

3:28:28Parcy.

3:28:30>> Thank you. I also support this

3:28:32initiative. Um, I had conversations with

3:28:34our trans community and something that I

3:28:37want to echo is um um a comment that

3:28:41really um stuck with me which is

3:28:43everyone including our trans community

3:28:45should have the right to participate in

3:28:47the public and public activities. And um

3:28:51I also received comments about if this

3:28:54is an appropriate um issue for city of

3:28:56Redmond to take um on and I just wanted

3:28:59to connect that for the for for folks

3:29:01who asked me that question that the

3:29:03mission of our city is to create an

3:29:05inclusive community and therefore I

3:29:08believe that this is in line with the

3:29:10mission and goals of our um our city. Um

3:29:14and finally I also echo um council

3:29:16president's comments about u process.

3:29:19our processes are there for a reason and

3:29:22they help us um they help us have better

3:29:25processes for making legislations. Um

3:29:28but I also really appreciate staff's u

3:29:31agility and supporting us because

3:29:33sometimes we also don't get all the time

3:29:35that we need and sometimes we need to

3:29:37move fast as well. So while I appreciate

3:29:40having processes, I also appreciate

3:29:42having a fasttrack process uh to help us

3:29:44um do things that otherwise we would

3:29:46have missed an opportunity to do. So,

3:29:48thank you all.

3:29:49>> Council member Parkria,

3:29:53>> thank you. And I will try to keep this

3:29:55very brief, which is that number one,

3:29:57um, echo the comments, uh, thanking

3:29:59staff for their agility. Uh, number two,

3:30:01I would definitely be interested in, um,

3:30:04having having that briefing in the

3:30:06future. Uh but number three um you know

3:30:09I'm very proud to um to live in a city

3:30:13uh that has established itself as an

3:30:14inclusive city particularly for um our

3:30:17transgender community. Um, I just want

3:30:19to say I think it speaks to the strength

3:30:21of how much this community cares that

3:30:24um, folks sat through three hours of a

3:30:26council meeting um, some of which where

3:30:29we were arguing about page numbers on

3:30:32um, uh, like marked up text um, to be

3:30:36able to testify. Um, so really grateful

3:30:39for you coming out here,

3:30:42>> Council Member Sony.

3:30:46First of all, thank you to all um you

3:30:49know everybody who came forward to

3:30:50express their con express their concerns

3:30:53and provide the support for this. I was

3:30:56just before this business meeting. I was

3:30:57at the soccer field for Edmond High

3:30:59School. A mom of a high schooler athlete

3:31:02who wants to pursue career even in a

3:31:04soccer. And I was also talking to lot of

3:31:08other schoolmates and you know other

3:31:11students

3:31:13when you're talking about sports at this

3:31:15level at these high schools at these

3:31:17schools levels these are not just about

3:31:20winning or losing. This is more

3:31:22important for them to understand how to

3:31:24be inclusive, how to build the team

3:31:27spirits, how to understand like you know

3:31:29how the sports can can be an example. So

3:31:34not giving the right uh justice or an

3:31:38equity or to have an inclusive sports

3:31:41for all that would be something very bad

3:31:44for not only for our community

3:31:46specifically for our children. So I

3:31:49definitely want to be more inclusive and

3:31:51support this resolution and it's like

3:31:53you know spoken to lot of lot of girls

3:31:57about this thing and everybody is in

3:31:59favor. So you know just sharing those

3:32:01sentiments and wanted to bring to this t

3:32:03today.

3:32:05>> Council member for

3:32:08you.

3:32:09>> Sorry my microphone was on. Um thank

3:32:11you. Um, not going to repeat anything or

3:32:14defend myself on anything, but I do need

3:32:16to add an amendment to reference to the

3:32:20fourth whereas to reference

3:32:22resolution605,

3:32:24which is the resolution we passed in

3:32:26support of our trans community. So, I

3:32:28apologize that I missed that in my

3:32:31drafting of this, but just want to add

3:32:33um amendment to add in the fourth

3:32:36whereas a reference to resolution605

3:32:44Is there a second?

3:32:50>> Second.

3:32:51>> It's been moved and seconded. Is there

3:32:53any discussion?

3:32:57>> Council member Critzer,

3:32:59>> could could you just repeat where

3:33:01exactly that is?

3:33:02>> I'm adding to the fourth whereas where

3:33:05all the other welcoming resolutions are.

3:33:09>> Got it. a reference to our trans

3:33:12resolution.

3:33:13>> Great. Thank you.

3:33:16>> Any other comment on this amendment?

3:33:20Seeing none. Um

3:33:23all those in favor of the amendment say

3:33:25I. I.

3:33:26>> I. I.

3:33:27>> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Great.

3:33:30So now we have the resolution as

3:33:33amended. Any more comments?

3:33:37Seeing none, this is a roll call vote

3:33:39starting with council president Stewart.

3:33:41>> I

3:33:42>> I

3:33:42>> I

3:33:43>> I

3:33:44>> I

3:33:44>> I

3:33:45>> I.

3:33:45>> And that passes 70. Thank you very much

3:33:47for the conversation. I do really want

3:33:49to thank the community for sticking with

3:33:51us this late and for coming out and

3:33:53sharing your stories and your thoughts

3:33:56on a very terrible initiative. I don't

3:34:00get to vote as a council member, so I

3:34:02just get to listen. But I do really

3:34:04appreciate all of you coming out and

3:34:05sharing that. Uh next, let me get to the

3:34:09right place. We have one more

3:34:10initiative, uh one more resolution.

3:34:16This next item is new business item B AM

3:34:19number 26159. This new business item is

3:34:21for the purpose of considering passage

3:34:22of a resolution opposing initiative 001,

3:34:25the ballot title of which is as follows.

3:34:27Initiative measure number 001 concerns

3:34:30parental rights relating to their

3:34:31children in public schools. This measure

3:34:33would repeal amendments to a statute

3:34:35listing certain type certain rights of

3:34:37parents and guardians of public school

3:34:39children and reenact the law as it was

3:34:42originally enacted by initiative to the

3:34:43legislature 2 2081. Should this measure

3:34:47be enacted into law? Yes or no? A

3:34:49resolution number 1635, a resolution of

3:34:51the city council of the city of Redmond,

3:34:52Washington opposing initiative number

3:34:55001 concerning parental rights relating

3:34:57to their children in public school. I

3:35:00have the sign-in sheet for members of

3:35:01the public to speak in person tonight.

3:35:03When I call your name, you'll come up to

3:35:04the podium and I have and have three

3:35:06minutes to address the council. As a

3:35:08reminder, speaking in support of the

3:35:09resolution is speaking in opposition to

3:35:11initiative 001. And speaking in

3:35:14opposition to the resolution is speaking

3:35:16in support of initiative 001. And there

3:35:19are four people to speak tonight. And I

3:35:21will welcome up an Boie, then Jennifer

3:35:24Gumas, then Charlotte Figueroa, then

3:35:26Devon Kellogg.

3:35:32Hello again.

3:35:34As I mentioned earlier, my name is Anne

3:35:36Bo and I'm representing uh Indivisible

3:35:39East Side. Um here is why we urge the

3:35:43city council to adopt resolution uh the

3:35:46resolution 01. I'm sorry, the

3:35:49resolution. You know what I'm saying?

3:35:51[laughter]

3:35:52Uh per the National Network for Youth,

3:35:54LGBTQ uh plus youth are over 120 120%

3:35:59more likely to experience homelessness

3:36:01than their non-LGBTQ plus peers. In the

3:36:04Trevor Project 2025 US National Survey

3:36:07of the mental health of LGBTQ plus young

3:36:10people, 36% of LGBTQ plus youth shared

3:36:14that they seriously considered

3:36:16attempting suicide in the past year.

3:36:19With data like this, it's no wonder that

3:36:21teachers, counselors, school

3:36:23administrators, and the Washington

3:36:24Education Association prioritize a

3:36:27student's privacy first and denounce

3:36:30this initiative. Having a child build

3:36:32the trust of a trained school educator

3:36:35versus a possible abusive home may not

3:36:38only protect their mental well-being,

3:36:40but save their lives.

3:36:44We as as I mentioned earlier, we know

3:36:46from your website that Redmond City

3:36:48Council values diversity and is

3:36:51respectful, fair, and inclusive.

3:36:54We hope that you will walk the talk.

3:36:56Yes, you will. [laughter] Like you did

3:36:58last time, I hope, and adopt resolution

3:37:01to oppose um initiative.

3:37:04Thank you from the Indivisible East Side

3:37:07Steering Committee.

3:37:11Next is Jennifer Gumas. then Charlotte

3:37:13Figueroa, then Devon Kellogg.

3:37:22Hello. I come forward as a former

3:37:24teacher again of grades 8 through 12

3:37:26students. So, I'm very familiar with how

3:37:29information is shared with parents. And

3:37:32I can say that as a teacher, we were

3:37:34always trying to find ways to share

3:37:36information with parents as much as

3:37:38possible about student progress,

3:37:40concerns, uh, strengths, and so on. And

3:37:43what's interesting about initiative 001

3:37:46is it's framed as uh if you read the

3:37:49language it's framed as a bill of rights

3:37:51for parents saying things like oh this

3:37:54bill will or this initiative will give

3:37:56you the right to have a conference with

3:37:59the principal or uh review curriculum.

3:38:02These are actually rights that are

3:38:03already afforded to parents. And what's

3:38:06confusing about this initiative for

3:38:07folks is it doesn't let people know that

3:38:10it actually removes protection for

3:38:12students by allowing parents to review

3:38:15medical and mental health records even

3:38:17if that home is abusive for students.

3:38:20So, I am encouraging the council to pass

3:38:24resolution 26159

3:38:27um in opposition of I00001

3:38:30because it's going to further endanger

3:38:32students, particularly at risk students.

3:38:35Approximately 40% of homeless youth in

3:38:38our state identify as LGBTQIA

3:38:41students and approximately 26% of those

3:38:44students are or homeless youth are ones

3:38:47who have been kicked out of their home.

3:38:49Um, of course we hope that we wish that

3:38:52all students could have a um supportive

3:38:55home, but unfortunately that's not the

3:38:57reality. When I was a teacher of high

3:39:00need students in the Seattle school

3:39:01district, I saw that for some kids,

3:39:03school was the only place where they

3:39:05could reliably access medical care with

3:39:07the nurse. It was the only place they

3:39:09could talk to a trusted adult with a

3:39:12counselor or a teacher. And for some

3:39:14students, that was the only place where

3:39:16they could be themselves and feel safe.

3:39:18Unfortunately, if I 001 were to pass, um

3:39:23it would be tantamount to forced outing

3:39:25for many students who are LGBTQIA and

3:39:28maybe it's not safe for them to share

3:39:30that at home or it may share other

3:39:33information that makes it unsafe for

3:39:35them to go home to their parents.

3:39:38I know that safety, inclusivity, and

3:39:40belonging are important values for those

3:39:42of us in Redmond, and we want to keep um

3:39:45all of our children safe. So passing

3:39:48this resolution opposing initiative I

3:39:51001 is one step that the council can

3:39:54take to help keep our children in our

3:39:56community safe. Thank you very much for

3:39:58listening.

3:40:00Next is Charlotte Figureroa and then

3:40:02Devon Kellogg.

3:40:12>> Hi again. Um I'm Charlotte. Um, and I'm

3:40:16here to uh speak in support of the

3:40:19resolution opposing initiative 001.

3:40:22Um, as I said before, I believe it's our

3:40:25responsibility to protect children. Um,

3:40:28and that includes the children who are

3:40:30most vulnerable.

3:40:32Parental involvement in a child's

3:40:34education matters. We also have to

3:40:36consider children's own safety, dignity,

3:40:39and need for a supportive school

3:40:40environment.

3:40:42Every student deserves to learn and grow

3:40:44in a place where they feel safe asking

3:40:46for help. This is especially important

3:40:49for LGBTQIA

3:40:51students, particularly trans and gender

3:40:53diverse young people

3:40:56across the country. Right now, we're

3:40:58seeing escalating efforts to restrict

3:41:00their rights, limit supportive

3:41:02resources, and turn their identities

3:41:05into political battlegrounds.

3:41:07These children are bearing the

3:41:09consequences of decisions that can

3:41:11profoundly affect their well-being and

3:41:13sense of belonging.

3:41:15For some queer students, school is one

3:41:17of the few places where they can feel

3:41:19accepted.

3:41:21Students who feel who fear rejection or

3:41:23being involuntarily outed to their

3:41:25families may already be facing

3:41:28incredibly difficult circumstances.

3:41:30And this doesn't even have to be

3:41:32abusive. It can just be the alienation

3:41:34of having to hide that part of yourself

3:41:36from someone um like your family who's

3:41:39really close to you. We shouldn't be

3:41:41creating additional barriers that make

3:41:43it harder for them to seek support from

3:41:45trusted adults.

3:41:47This is a moment when solidarity has to

3:41:49mean more than words. It means standing

3:41:51up for marginalized communities even

3:41:53when their rights are under attack and

3:41:56even when it is politically difficult to

3:41:58do so. We can't claim to care about

3:42:01children while ignoring the particular

3:42:02risks faced by those most vulnerable to

3:42:05discrimination.

3:42:07Opposing this initiative doesn't mean

3:42:10dismissing parents. It means recognizing

3:42:13that parental involvement must be

3:42:15balanced with children's safety and

3:42:18well-being. No student should have to

3:42:21choose between seeking support and

3:42:23protecting themselves.

3:42:25Redmond has an opportunity to make clear

3:42:28that LGBTQIA

3:42:30plus students belong here, that their

3:42:32lives matter, and that their our

3:42:35community stands with them. I urge you

3:42:38to pass this resolution and uh oppose

3:42:42initiative 001. Thank you.

3:42:46And last is Devin Kellogg.

3:42:52>> [snorts]

3:42:53>> Hi there, I'm Devon Kellogg. Um, just

3:42:56really powerful speakers. I'm sure

3:42:59you're all moved like I am. Um, I um had

3:43:04the privilege to work on some of these

3:43:08statements from the Washington State PTA

3:43:10in collaboration with our advocacy team.

3:43:13Um, Washington State PTA is the largest

3:43:15child advocacy organization in the state

3:43:17and they look at these policy statements

3:43:19very closely and give a balanced and I

3:43:22believe fair assessment. I am speaking

3:43:25on my own behalf reading their statement

3:43:27from their website which is PTA.org.

3:43:35Washington State PTA supports what this

3:43:38measure says it's for. We oppose what it

3:43:41text the text actually does. [snorts]

3:43:44Much of what it promises parents is

3:43:46already in Washington law and it strips

3:43:49out protections for students whose homes

3:43:51aren't safe.

3:43:54What a no vote does

3:43:56leaves Washington's current parental

3:43:59rights law in place, including the

3:44:01rights the legislature consolidated into

3:44:03a single state

3:44:06uh statute in 2025

3:44:09and the safety protections for students

3:44:11at risk at home.

3:44:13[snorts]

3:44:15The bottom line, the Washington State

3:44:17PTA supports strong parental engagement,

3:44:20but believes

3:44:23initiative one is the wrong approach

3:44:27because it would reduce student safety

3:44:29and access to care, create conflicts in

3:44:33the law, and pull school resources away

3:44:35from classrooms.

3:44:37We urge you to support a no vote. Thank

3:44:40you.

3:44:44Uh public comment is now closed and any

3:44:47written comment has been distributed to

3:44:49the council. Is there a motion to

3:44:51approve AM number 26159 resolution

3:44:53number 1635?

3:44:55>> So moved.

3:44:56>> Is there a second?

3:44:57>> Second.

3:44:58>> It's been moved and seconded. Is there

3:45:00any discussion?

3:45:04>> Council member Kitser.

3:45:07>> Thank you. Um, first I want to reiterate

3:45:09a gratitude to council leadership and

3:45:11staff for um working to to get this on

3:45:14the agenda and really want to thank all

3:45:16the community members that came to um

3:45:18share your perspectives on this with us.

3:45:21I will be um voting in support of this

3:45:23resolution opposing I001.

3:45:27Um, one particular issue I want to call

3:45:31out in addition to many of the the great

3:45:33points that that we just heard um is uh

3:45:36earlier today at our public safety um

3:45:39and human services uh committee of the

3:45:40whole we were reviewing our police um

3:45:44reports and some of the the data that

3:45:46we've been seeing in our community

3:45:47around um around what's going on in our

3:45:50community. And and one statistic that

3:45:52has jumped out to me not only at this

3:45:54meeting but in the past is that um of of

3:45:57all the assaults that we've been seeing

3:45:59in Redmond about half um are domestic

3:46:03violence. Um so we know that in our

3:46:06community that domestic violence is is a

3:46:08significant issue and that includes

3:46:10child abuse. It includes uh homes that

3:46:13are not always safe uh for every child.

3:46:16While we all hope that every child could

3:46:18have a home where they would feel safe,

3:46:20um some children do need do need to be

3:46:22able to have safe places and counselors

3:46:24to be able to talk to um and to be able

3:46:26to have those protections. So, um that's

3:46:29just one one reason why I will be

3:46:31supporting this motion um is to make

3:46:33sure that that we maintain that um

3:46:36ability for our our kids that that need

3:46:38it. Thanks,

3:46:40>> Council Member Foresight.

3:46:41>> Thank you. And I don't think I can say

3:46:43it any better than the community already

3:46:45did. So I will leave my comments there.

3:46:47Though I do need to make the same

3:46:49amendment uh to add the reference 16005

3:46:52to the fifth whereas where we call out

3:46:54all the other welcoming resolutions that

3:46:57we have put forward. Is there a second?

3:47:01>> Second. It's been moved and seconded. Is

3:47:03there any discussion on the amendment?

3:47:06Seeing none, all those in favor say I.

3:47:08>> I.

3:47:09>> Any opposed? Motion carries. We're back

3:47:11to the amended

3:47:13resolution. Any more comments on that,

3:47:16Council Vice President?

3:47:17>> Thank you. Um,

3:47:20thank you to the community members that

3:47:22have shared your thoughts and

3:47:24experiences with this and and um um the

3:47:28direction that you are seeking counsel

3:47:30to go.

3:47:31>> Um the for me the perspective was a

3:47:34little bit different having a a son

3:47:36where as he was navigating things it

3:47:39wasn't that uh he didn't he didn't trust

3:47:42me as a parent. it was that he didn't

3:47:44want to risk even the the possibility of

3:47:48a risk of me being disappointed in some

3:47:50way. Him being able to to know that

3:47:52there was confidentiality in the school

3:47:54system gave him the space to to have

3:47:57that exploration without fear of me

3:48:00finding out in some way. So while um

3:48:03absolutely and and and having my own

3:48:06experiences with um with a very violent

3:48:09home life,

3:48:11it's in addition to that sometimes it

3:48:13doesn't have to it can be slightly

3:48:15different and I was grateful that those

3:48:17protections were there for him. So I

3:48:19will be in support of the resolution

3:48:22opposing I001.

3:48:25Thank you. Any other comments? Seeing

3:48:27none, this is a roll call vote starting

3:48:30with council president Stewart. I

3:48:31>> I

3:48:32>> I

3:48:33>> I

3:48:33>> I

3:48:35>> I

3:48:35>> and that passes 70. Thank you so much

3:48:38once again. Thank you to the community

3:48:39for staying with us this evening. Thank

3:48:41you for your testimony. Uh former

3:48:43teacher as well. I know the risk that

3:48:46initiatives like this put students in

3:48:48who are the most vulnerable amongst us.

3:48:50So I'm grateful for you coming out and

3:48:52standing up for them as well. And with

3:48:54that, we are adjourned.