>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING. THE FEBRUARY 18, 2025 MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9:34 A.M. I AM ROB SAKA, CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE >> HERE >> COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK >> PRESENT >> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS >> PRESENT >> VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH >> CHAIR SAKA >> HERE. >> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS PRESENT. >> THANK YOU AND I NOTICED THAT VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH IS EXCUSED UNTIL SHE ARRIVES. COLLEAGUES, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS, THE AGENDA IS HEREBY ADOPTED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, GUESTS, FOR JOINING US TODAY ON TWO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TOPICS BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE THIS MORNING. OUR VERY FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON REGIONAL TRANSIT SECURITY . IN A MOMENT, WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR GUESTS FROM KING COUNTY SOUND TRANSIT, THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS WELL AS ATU LOCAL 587 IN THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION REGARDING TRANSIT SECURITY. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO JOIN US TODAY TO ATTEND THIS CRUCIAL ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION. WHILE WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE EVEN MORE STAKEHOLDERS JOIN US AT TODAY'S DISCUSSION TABLE WE ARE OF COURSE VERY LIMITED IN TIME AND SPACE HOWEVER, TODAY'S GUESTS ARE CRITICAL STAKEHOLDERS AS WE LOOK TO STRENGTHEN OUR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO PROACTIVELY MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY AND REGION TO BETTER ADDRESS OUR TRANSIT SECURITY NEEDS. SINCE TAKING OFFICE LAST YEAR, TRANSIT SECURITY HAS BEEN A MAJOR PRIORITY FOR ME, PERSONALLY, AND I KNOW MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, AS WELL. AND I HAVE BEEN ADAMANT THAT WE NEED TO DO WANT TO MAKE BOTH RIDERS AND DRIVERS FEEL SAFE . AS A REGULAR TRANSIT RIDER MYSELF, I TOOK THE BUS TO CITY HALL THIS MORNING. TAKING IT HOME LATER TODAY. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE TRANSIT. IT IS A GREAT SYSTEM. DOES NOT MEAN WE CAN'T DO BETTER BUT AS A REGULAR TRANSIT WRITER MYSELF, I HAVE SEEN UNSAFE -- PERSONALLY WITNESSED UNSAFE AND UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR WHILE WRITING OUR REGION'S TRANSIT SYSTEM INCLUDING WITNESSING PEOPLE FREELY AND OPENLY SMOKING SENTINEL -- FENTANYL AND BRAZENLY STRIPPING COPPER WIRE WHICH IS STOLEN. THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR DOES NOT ENGENDER THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN THE AVERAGE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE NEED TO BETTER ENSURE THERE TRANSIT SYSTEM NOT ONLY IS SAFE, BUT FEEL SAFE, AS WELL. TRANSIT OPERATORS THEMSELVES WILL HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE STORIES TO SHARE . THIS BEHAVIOR HAS GOTTEN TOTALLY OUT OF HAND, AND IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE . SADLY, IN THE EARLY HOURS OF DECEMBER 18, OUR TRANSIT INSECURITY CAME TO A HEAD WHEN KING COUNTY METRO BUS DRIVER SEAN YOUNG WAS MURDERED IN THE COURSE OF DOING HIS JOB IN THE UNION DISTRICT HERE IN SEATTLE. OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO MOURN THE LOSS OF MR. YOON, OPERATOR 21882. THIS IS FOR SEAN. IN THE AFTERMATH OF SEAN'S KILLING, I ATTENDED THE PRESS CONFERENCE AUTHORIZED BY HIS UNION ATU 587. I ALSO ATTENDED A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL IN SEAN'S HONOR ALONG WITH THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC JOIN TO MOURN HIS TRAGIC LOSS. AS PART OF THIS I WAS ABLE TO WITNESS AND OBSERVE FIRST-HAND THE ANGUISH, THE PAIN , TRAUMA AND SENSE OF LOSS FELT LIGHT SHONE'S FELLOW UNION MEMBERS 587 ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO WRITE OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM ALL OF WHOM ARE COUNTING ON US, ALL OF US TO COME TOGETHER AND STEP UP OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS AS A REGION TO IMPROVE TRANSIT SECURITY AND SAFETY FOR ALL. EVERY DRIVER, EVERY PASSENGER DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM AND BE SAFE AS WELL . I BELIEVE THAT A KEY PART OF THE SOLUTION IS TO ALIGN ON A REGIONAL APPROACH TO TRANSIT SECURITY, ONE THAT ALLOWS US IN THE VERY NEAR TERM TO COLLECTIVELY RESET ON EXPECTATIONS FOR ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND APPROPRIATE CONDUCT ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM. THIS INCLUDES AN IMMEDIATE SURGE IN CARE AND PRESENCE BY TRAINED PERSONNEL . WE NEED TO RESET EXPECTATIONS, RESTORE ORDER AND DECENCY . HERE IN SEATTLE, I THINK EFFORTS TO DO THINGS LIKE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT OUR OWN DOWNTOWN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, SUPPORT WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS AS THEY NAVIGATE NEW RETURN TO OFFICE MANDATES AND ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL, SAFE AND VIBRANT WORLD CUP, ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS AND MORE HINGE ON OUR ABILITY TO BOOST TRANSIT SECURITY . IN MY VIEW, THESE THINGS ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED AM TIED TOGETHER. THAT SAID, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW IN THIS MOMENT TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS A CITY AND A REGION , TO LEVEL SET THE STATE OF TRANSIT SECURITY IN OUR REGION AND REALLY DISCUSS HOW WE CAN BEST WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE SECURITY FOR ALL. NOW, MAKE NO MISTAKE. THIS IS A HIGHLY COMPLEX MULTIFACETED AND CROSS JURISDICTIONAL PROBLEM. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER TO MEANINGFULLY ADDRESS IT. AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE , IN MY VIEW, IT IS VERY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO POINT FINGERS AND ATTEMPT TO ASSIGN OR ASCRIBE BLAME TO A SINGLE TRANSIT AGENCY OR A SINGLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE UNDERLYING CHALLENGES ACROSS TRANSIT AGENCIES AND JURISDICTIONAL BORDERS. AS A COUNSEL WE HAVE TAKEN CRUCIAL EARLY STEPS AND THEY WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE AND COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS FOR THE PARTNERSHIP ON MANY OF THESE ITEMS. IN THE LEVY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR WE ALLOCATED OVER $9 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF EIGHT YEARS TO HELP INCREASE TRANSIT SAFETY INCLUDING INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL . IN OUR MOST RECENTLY ADOPTED BUDGET LAST FALL LED BY BUDGET CHAIR STRAUSS , WE INVESTED $1 MILLION IN 2024 AND ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS IN 2025 TO IS WORKING COUNTY'S AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND THE COUNTY'S NEW INNOVATIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION SPECIFICALLY FOR MORE TRANSIT SECURITY PERSONNEL AND POLICE PRESENCE ON KEY BUS ROUTES AND AT KEY HOTSPOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. ALSO AS PART OF THE BUDGET, WE HAD A COUNSEL-LED STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT FOR SDOT TO PRODUCE A REPORT TO PUT INTO PLACE TRANSIT SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS. THIS SLI ALSO CALLS FOR TRANSIT SECURITY ON TRANSIT SAFETY INCIDENTS WHICH WILL SHED THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY WITH THE ANGLE TO ILLUMINATE THE BRIGHT SCOPE OF OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE BEFORE US, SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR GUEST AND TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR DEEP ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP ON THIS TOPIC. IT IS SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK OF OUR COMMITTEE AND OF OUR COUNSEL. OUR SECOND AGENDA ITEM TODAY IS SDOT'S PROPOSED LEVY DELIVERY PLAN, ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC. FIRST I WANT TO EXTEND A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO INTERIM DIRECTOR EMERY. I'VE REALLY ENJOYED WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP AS YOU STEP INTO THIS NEW ROLE. IT IS A GREAT STORY. AS I UNDERSTAND IT YOU WERE A FORMER INTERN AT SDOT AND ROSE TO ULTIMATELY LEAD I THINK THE TRANSIT OPERATION CENTER BEFORE TAKING A ROLE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND NOW YOU ARE AT THE HELM OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST MOST STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT DEPARTMENTS IN OUR GOVERNMENT. IT IS A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR YOU AND THE CITY , LET INTERNS ACROSS THE CITY REALIZE THEY CAN GO ON TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS. SO NOW WE GOT SOME BUSINESS TO DO, LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT SOME OF YOUR PLANS RELATING TO BOTH THESE TOPICS BUT ON THE SECOND TOPIC WHEN VOTERS PASSED THE LEVY IN NOVEMBER THEY APPROVED NOT ONLY THE LARGEST BUT MOST ACCOUNTABLE LEVY IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. PART OF THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS ENSURING THAT SDOT PROVIDES YEARLY SPENDING PLANS, PROPOSALS TO BRING BEFORE THE COUNCIL. THIS DETAILED SPENDING PLAN IS A DEPARTURE FROM PAST PRACTICES WHICH IN MY VIEW SHOWS A DEDICATION TO DETAIL, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND THOUGHTFUL COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT. I WANT TO THANK SDOT FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONSIVENESS NOT JUST ON THE DELIVERY PLAN, BUT DURING THE LEVY PROCESS. YOU HAVE BEEN TERRIFIC PARTNERS. THIS IS A NEW ERA FOR THE CITY AND OUR DISTRICT-BASED SYSTEM. AS COUNCILMEMBERS WE ARE MORE CONNECTED THAN EVER TO OUR OWN DISTRICTS. WITH THAT COMES CLOSER DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING CRITICAL ONES LIKE SDOT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, SDOT, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO WORKING WITH OUR COUNSEL NOW AND ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS. LET'S DO THIS WORK TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S IT FOR REMARKS. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO ITEM'S ON TODAY'S AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE. >> CURRENTLY WE HAVE 10 IN PERSON SPEAKERS AND THREE REMOTE. >> OKAY. WE HAVE A VERY PACKED 10 IN PERSON, THREE REMOTE. WE HAVE A VERY PACKED AGENDA TODAY, A NUMBER OF THINGS HAPPENING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS COMMITTEE. EVERY SPEAKER WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS AND WE WILL GO THROUGH ONE 20-MINUTE SESSION, WHICH I THINK WE SHOULD GET ALL OF THOSE IN THAT PERIOD AND WE WON'T EXTEND THAT, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME , TODAY. BUT, LET US MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. AGAIN, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY 90 SECONDS. A MINUTE AND A HALF. WE WILL START WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. CLARK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS ? >> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO 20 MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL ALTER BETWEEN SETS OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS ENDED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THEIR TIME. MICROPHONES WILL BE MUTED IF YOU DO NOT INJURE COMMENTS IN THE ALLOTTED TIME. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN AND WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST. AND, THAT IS JANICE STAMM. FOLLOWED BY RYAN DAVIS AND JANET EASTMAN. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JANICE STAMM AND I AM LEGALLY BLIND. I AM CO-CHAIR OF THE MISSING LINK TASK FORCE. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE NEXT SEATTLE TIMES HEADLINE THAT SAYS THAT AN 83-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER HAS BEEN'S -- BEEN HIT IN FRONT OF HER HOME. I KNOW SAFETY IS A PRIMARY ISSUE FOR YOU AND THE MAYOR AND THE 20-YEAR SEATTLE PLAN, SO IF SAFETY IS YOUR MAIN ISSUE THEN I URGE YOU TO LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE BIKE TRAIL ON LEARY AVENUE. >> THIS IS A PICTURE OF OUR RESIDENT'S BOARDING THE BUS. IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN THEY WOULD BE STANDING IN THE BIKE TRAIL. THIS IS A PICTURE OF CONGESTION AS IT IS NOW. THERE ARE TWO AMBULANCES AND A FIRE TRUCK HERE. THAT HAS CAUSED TRAFFIC AND THIS CAR TO CROSS OVER AND BE DRIVING IN THE LANE TOWARD ONGOING TRAFFIC. THIS KIND OF CONGESTION JUST CAN'T HAPPEN, AND THIS IS BEFORE THE BIKE TRAIL WAS EVEN PUT IN, SO I URGE YOU TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TRAIL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> NEXT UP IS RYAN DAVIS FOLLOWED BY JANET EASTMAN AND MEGAN DEUTSCH. >> GOOD MORNING. I AM RYAN DAVIS AND I AM A RESIDENT OF BALLARD >>. RECENTLY I STEPPED OUT OUR FRONT DOOR . SUDDENLY, SOMEONE ON A SCOOTER APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE, SPED BY ME AND DISAPPEARED INTO THE DARK. I STEPPED BACKWARD AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BUT IT WAS FRIGHTENING. IT REMINDED ME HOW IMPORTANT SAFETY IS, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS. OUR AVERAGE RESIDENT IS 83 AND DOES NOT DRIVE. MANY ARE FRAIL OR DISABLED AND VULNERABLE TO INJURY. OUR BUILDING HAS ONE FRONT ENTRANCE AND 150 SOME RESIDENTS. LEARY IS CHANGING FROM FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC TO TWO. ADDING A MULTI-USE BIKE TRAIL WOULD NOT MAKE SAFETY FIRST ON LEARY BUT IT WOULD ADD MORE CONGESTION. I DON'T SEE WHERE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC AND TYPES OF VEHICLES ON LEARY IS EITHER SAFE OR WISE. WE PREFER THE [ INAUDIBLE ] OPTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS JANET EASTMAN FOLLOWED BY MEGAN DEUTSCH AND MAXINE SCHIFFMAN. >> HI. MY NAME IS JANET EASTMAN AND I LIVE AT BALLARD LANDMARK. AS ELECTED OFFICIALS , YOU TRY TO USE TAXPAYER'S MONEY WISELY. I AM ASKING TO CONSIDER COMPLETING THE BURKE GILMAN BIKE TRAIL ON SHE'LL SHOW AVENUE. IT'S WIDE. THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL SIDEWALKS TO DO. LEARY AVENUE HAS BEAUTIFUL MATURE TREES AND SIDEWALKS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND THEN REPLACED. RECENTLY, A BUS LINE WAS ADDED NARROWING THE SPACE FOR CARS AND THE BIKE TRAIL. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT BALLARD ON THE SUNDAY WHEN THE FARMERS MARKET IS OPEN. LOOK AT SHILSHOLE AVENUE AND LEARY AVENUE, COMPARE THEM. WHICH STREET WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE BIKE TRAIL AND COST THE CITY OF SEATTLE MUCH LESS MONEY ? >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT UP IS MEGAN, FOLLOWED BY MAXINE SCHIFFMAN AND Mary JEAN JONES. >> HI, MY NAME IS MEGAN DEUTSCH AND I AM PART OF THE CO-OWNERSHIP OF BALLARD LANDMARK AND WE ALSO HAVE OTHER BUSINESSES IN BALLARD. THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. THE MISSING LINK ON MARKET AND LEARY THREATENS BALLARD BUSINESSES INCLUDING BALLARD LANDMARK AND OTHER SMALL RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL SHOPS BY DISRUPTING OUR PARKING, ACCESSIBILITY AND OPERATIONS AS WELL AS DAMAGING THE PARK -LIKE APPEAL OF BALLARD BY DESTROYING OUR VITAL CANOPY OF MATURE TREES. THIS INCLUDES 192 TREES DESTROYED OVER 1.4 MILES. BUSINESSES WILL SUFFER FROM DESTRUCTION DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND CONGESTION AND HAVE HIGHER INSURANCE COSTS DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES IMPOSED BY THE BIKE LANE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS BEING HIT. BUSINESSES WITH HIGH TRAFFIC LIKE CARTER SUBARU, AND FREQUENT DELIVERIES LIKE BALLARD CONSIGNMENT, WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY OPERATING BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SO MANY BIKES CROSSING THEIR EXITS. MARKET STREET AND LEARY ARE ALREADY EXTREMELY CONGESTED [ INAUDIBLE ] AND AGGREGATING -- AGGRAVATING BALLARD RESIDENTS. INTRODUCING BIKE LANES AND REDUCING LINES FROM FOUR TO TWO WILL INCREASE CONGESTION. PARKING IS ESSENTIAL FOR BUSINESSES. PARKING WILL BE REDUCED FROM TWO TO ONLY ONE LINE. >> THANK YOU, MEGAN. AND JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER, WHEN YOU HEAR THE CHIME YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS. >> NEXT UP WE HAVE MAXINE SCHIFFMAN FOLLOWED BY Mary JEAN JONES. >> MA'AM, CAN YOU PULL THE MIC DOWN AND SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO IT? THANK YOU. >> MICROPHONES ARE TURNED OFF. >> COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BURKE GILMAN TRAIL ON SHILSHOLE. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. IN JULY OF 2024 CITY COUNCIL VOTED $20 MILLION FROM TRANSPORTATION LEVY TO STREET REPAIRS TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MISSING LINK OF LARRY AND MARKET. CYCLISTS HAVE USED SHILSHOLE FOR 30+ YEARS BECAUSE THEY NOTICE SHORT , FLAT, SAFE ROUTE. IT'S TIME TO RESOLVE ALL OUTSTANDING BLOCKS, BUILD THE MISSING LINK WHERE IT BELONGS AND MAKE THE BEST USE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> OKAY, NEXT IS Mary JEAN JONES, STEVE GILBERT, AND CLARA CANTOR. >> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS Mary JEAN JONES AND I LIVE AT THE BALLARD LANDMARK RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. I GREW UP NEAR GREEN LAKE AND WOODLAND PARK. I HAVE KNOWN THE BEAUTY OF SEATTLE FOR MANY YEARS, ENJOYING THE TREES, LAKES, AND PARKS. I ALSO ENJOY THE LIGHTED TREES DOWN THE STREETS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THE PROPOSED BURKE GILMAN TRAIL ALONG MARKET AND LEARY WILL TAKE OUT APPROXIMATELY 192 MATURE TREES BUT THE PREFERRED ROUTE ALONG SHILSHOLE HAS ONLY ABOUT 17 TREES TO BE REMOVED. THESE MATURE TREES ABSORB LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON DIOXIDE . MATURE TREES PLAY A SUBSTANTIAL ROLE IN IMPROVING AIR QUALITY , MANAGING STORM RUNOFF AND PROVIDING HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE. PLEASE DON'T DO THE BURKE-GILMAN TRAIL ALONG LEARY. >> NEXT UP, STEVE GUILD, CLARA CANTOR AND TYLER RESKOSE. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M STEPHEN CHILD, CO-CHAIR OF THE MISSING LINK TASK FORCE, A BALLARD LANDMARK, AND RESIDENT OF BALLARD LANDMARK. I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE 160 RESIDENTS ABOUT THE MISSING LINK OF THE BURKE-GILMAN TRAIL ON LEARY AVENUE. MISSING, IT IS, FOR SURE. MISSING ANY CONSIDERATION ON THE SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS. MISSING ANY THOUGHT OF THE DANGER DESCRIBED BY RYAN DAVIS WHEN SHE WAS ALMOST STRUCK BY A PASSING SCOOTER, MISSING CONSTRUCTION COST, MISSING ANY CONSIDERATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ONE AMATEUR CANOPY OF TREES IS REMOVED. I URGENTLY REQUEST THAT YOU, ELECTED OFFICIALS, STOP THIS UNSAFE, COSTLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING PROJECT AND FOCUS TIME, EFFORT, AND FUNDS ON OTHER ALTERNATIVES. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> OUR LAST SET OF IN PERSON SPEAKERS CLARA CANTOR, TYLER VASQUEZ, AND GORDON PETTIFORD. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CLARA COMFORT AND I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 2 IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZER OF SEATTLE GREENWAYS. IN 2015, OUR CITY COMMITTED TO VISION ZERO, WHICH IS THE GOAL OF HAVING ZERO TRAFFIC DEATHS OR SERIOUS INJURIES BY 2030. WE ARE NOW FIVE YEARS FROM THAT GOAL AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED ON OUR STREETS IS AS HIGH AS EVER. WE AVERAGE ABOUT 25 TO 35 PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR AND BETWEEN 150 AND 250 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERIOUS OR LIFE ALTERING INJURIES EVERY YEAR. THOSE INJURIES AND DEATHS OVERWHELMINGLY HAPPEN ON HIGH-SPEED ARTERIALS IN SEATTLE FOR THE MOST CRASHES AND FATALITIES OCCUR THERE, OUTDATED AND DESIGNED FOR SPEED RATHER THAN SAFETY. I AM THRILLED TO SEE IN THIS SDOT PLAN KEY SAFETY UPGRADES PLANNED FOR SEATTLE'S MOST DANGEROUS STREETS INCLUDING AURORA AVENUE, RAINIER AVENUE SOUTH AND NRK. THOSE PROJECTS, IF THEY ARE DONE WELL AND THEN TO REDUCE SPEEDING ON THE STREETS, WILL SAVE LIVES AND VICTIMS FROM TRAFFIC VIOLENCE ARE OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING AND BIKING . THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS. EACH OF THOSE DEATHS OR INJURIES HAVE RIPPLING EFFECT IN OUR COMMUNITIES . I LIVE IN THE SOUTH END. ACROSS BOTH OF THOSE STREETS EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH MY KID ON THE BACK OF MY BIKE AND SO THIS MATTERS FOR ME PERSONALLY AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALLY. PLEASE SUPPORT SDOT. >> THANKS. TYLER VASQUEZ FOLLOWED BY GORDON PADDLED FOR. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS TYLER VASQUEZ AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF SEATTLE BICYCLE CLUB TO URGE THE CITY TO START BUILDING THE ICICLES SAFETY PROGRAM. WE APPRECIATE SDOT'S TRANSPARENCY IN THE 2025 PROJECTS LIST BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO SHIFT FROM TALKING TO PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUDGET PROVIDES ARE -- PROVISO DOES NOT HOLD THIS UP. EVERY DELAY MEANS MORE PEOPLE BIKING ON AND SAFE STREETS. ONE PROJECT THAT DID NOT MAKE THE PROJECT LIST WAS THE STEVE PAULSON BIKE LANE IN WEST SEATTLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO START THE CONVERSATION AND DISCOVER WHAT THIS TYPE OF PROTECTED BICYCLE LANE LOOKS LIKE. BUILDING ON THE BIKE LANE, WE ALSO NEED TO ACCELERATE VISION ZERO INVESTMENTS BECAUSE PEOPLE BIKING AND WALKING ARE STILL BEING KILLED ON SEATTLE STREETS. SEATTLE CHICKS BICYCLE NETWORK DEPENDS ON SAFE SITE WALKS TO MAKE MULTI-MODAL TRIPS POSSIBLE . WE SUPPORT THE PLAN TO DOUBLE THE RATE OF SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION BY 2029. WITH THIS GOAL, THERE MUST BE -- WE MUST NEED TO START BUILDING NOW. PEOPLE WHO RELY ON WALKING AND BIKING ALSO RELY ON SIDEWALKS . A CONNECTED BICYCLE NETWORK MAKES SEATTLE A SAFER AND HEALTHIER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE CITY. WE URGE COUNSEL AND SDOT TO TAKE ACTION AND GET THESE PROJECTS BUILT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, TYLER. >> LAST IN PERSON SPEAKER, GORDON PADDLEFORD. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EXECUTIVE GREENWAYS AND AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT SIDEWALKS. FOR SMALL I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THIS COUNSEL FOR YOUR HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS. IT IS TRULY GOING TO SET US UP FOR SUCCESS. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. WE ARE GOING TO SEE A TON OF SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION OUT THERE. A WORD OF CAUTION, SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WONDER IS WE ARE SEATTLE'S WALKING AND BIKING ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION. WHY ARE WE SEEING A LIST OF SIDEWALKS AND GREENWAYS. IT IS REALLY INTENTIONAL. WE DON'T PROPOSE SPECIFIC SIDEWALKS BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT SDOT HAS A GOOD EQUITY, SAFETY , YOU KNOW, MOBILITY FILTERS. THEY LOOK AT WHERE SCHOOLS ARE, PARKS ARE, THEY LOOK AT WHERE TRANSIT IS SO WHILE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WE BELIEVE SDOT HAS GOOD ANALYSIS ABOUT WHERE THE SIDEWALKS NEED TO GO SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE NOT COMING TO YOU WITH SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BE CAREFUL TO LET SDOT IMPLEMENT THE SIDEWALK EXPANSION WITHOUT TYING THEM UP TOO MUCH . LASTLY, I THINK THERE IS A REALLY BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SIDEWALK FUNDING TASK FORCE. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT IDEA AND PUTTING IT IN THE LEVY. THAT'S GOING TO GET US TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON SETTING THAT TASK FORCE UP AND FINDING NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE TO DEAL WITH THE MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR BACKLOG. THANK YOU. >> WE WILL NOW PIVOT TO REMOTE SPEAKERS. FIRST UP WILL BE JOE . WHEN I ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK, REMEMBER TO HIT STAR SIX. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA AND COMMITTEE. GOOD SPEECH THIS MORNING. I WRITE TRANSIT TO GET AROUND AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CARE AND CONCERN FOR TRANSIT RIDERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO SHAWN YIM WAS INEXCUSABLE AND SHOWS HOW BEING SOFT ON CRIME RESULTS IN DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO RESTORE SOME LAW AND ORDER THROUGHOUT SEATTLE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT IS DRIVERS SPEEDING OR RECKLESS DRIVING , WE HAVE A LOT MORE FATALITIES FROM DRIVING THAN TRANSIT. EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT. WE NEED TO CLEAN OUT THE HOMELESS DRUG TRADE SUBSET AND ALL AND YOU KNOW, LOCKUP GUYS WHERE THEY DEAL OR ALEX ZIMMERMAN BECAUSE HIS BEHAVIOR CREATES A THREATENING ENVIRONMENT AT PUBLIC MEETINGS. MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD THAT FROM ME BEFORE AND ARE TRANSIT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN LUCKY IN BANNING THE NAZI, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU TODAY FOR MAKING SURE THE RULES ARE ENFORCED. THANK YOU. >> OKAY, DAVID HAYNES, REMEMBER TO HIT STAR SIX WHEN YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TALK. >> THANK YOU. DAVID HAYNES. I THINK IT'S FREE TO SAY WE NEED A MORE CONCERTED EFFORT BETWEEN THE METRO POLICE AND THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP ARGUING THAT THE OTHER AGENCY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IN AND AROUND THE BUS STOPS. WE NEED A LAW THAT THE CITY POLICE AND METRO POLICE START -- STOP ARGUING ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICING INSIDE THE BUS STOP AND LAWS THAT SAY COPS HAVE TO PRESS PASS THESE JUNKIE FEES AND FORCE THEM TO BE -- I MEAN JUST PUT THEM IN THE JAILHOUSE OR THE POLICE STATION FOR A MINUTE AND HAVE THEM BE QUESTION. FIND OUT WHERE THEY KEEP GETTING THEIR DRUGS AND HAVE SOME SORT OF COURT ORDER THAT SAYS OKAY, YOU HAVE TO GO TO BEHAVIORAL CRISIS OR MENTAL CRISIS OR A COMBINATION THEREOF BUT WE STILL HAVE NOT IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POLICE BEING TRAINED PROPERLY BECAUSE I HATE TO SAY IT BUT DEMOCRATS HAVE SABOTAGEITY OF POFORE MINUTES NOT ONLY ABOUT BUS DRIVERS BEING SAFE BEHIND THE PLASTIC PARTITION WHO [ INAUDIBLE ] UP AND DOWN THE BUS I'LL . WE NEED A LEGITIMATE EFFORT FOR SAFETY NOT TO PERSECUTE THE POOR PEOPLE . I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT $1 MILLION FROM THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY FROM PUBLIC SAFETY IS LIKE PENNIES AND ALSO JUST BALLARD AVENUE IS THE BEST BIKE ROUTE. IF YOU TAKE SHILSHOLE THE CONCRETE DUST BOWL FROM THE CONCRETE FACTORY . >> THANK YOU, DAVID. THAT WAS TIME. LAST SPEAKER , JOHN DETROIT. JOHN, CURRENTLY YOU'RE NOT PRESENT. I WILL GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS. GOING ONCE -- GOING TWICE. THAT IS THE END OF OUR -- >> THANK YOU. CHAIR, VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH HAS JOINED US REMOTELY. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD. >> AGENDA ITEM ONE REGIONAL TRANSIT SECURITY ROUNDTABLE. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. BIG GROUP TODAY. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH CHAIRS. WELCOME, EVERYONE. WILL OUR PRESENTERS PLEASE JOIN US AT THE TABLE AND SHARE YOUR PRESENTATIONS. ONCE READY, FIRST OFF PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND THEN MAKE A FEW REMARKS AND WE WILL GET STARTED. >> >> Adam: SDOT >> MICHELLE ALLISON, KING COUNTY NETWORK. >> MOISES GUTIERREZ, DEPUTY AGENT FOR OVERSIGHT. >> TODD MORRELL CHIEF OF METRO TRANSIT POLICE. >> ANDERSON CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR MAYOR HAROLD. >> CAN PRICE, 587 VICE PRESIDENT. >> JEFF STAMBAUGH, ATU 587 VICE PRESIDENT. >> NEIL CROSIER, KING COUNTY METRO. >> JON SCHOLES, DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION. >> AWESOME. WELCOME. REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU TO JOIN US TODAY AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. A LOT ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC. A LOT HAS HAPPENED . AS WE KNOW OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN PARTICULAR THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF ACTION AND CONSTRUCTIVE MOMENTUM IN MY VIEW AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT AND CAPTURE THAT MOMENTUM AND REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF IT. AND SO, WHICH IS IN PART WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY SO COLLEAGUES, THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION. I HAVE ASKED THAT THE THREE GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE, KING COUNTY , WE HAVE CEO ALLISON FROM KING COUNTY METRO, ALSO THE KING COUNTY METRO POLICE CHIEF SO BUT THEY ARE COLLECTIVELY REPRESENTING KING COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S PERSPECTIVE. WE ALSO HAVE SOUND TRANSIT. WELCOME. AND THEN, THE CITY OF SEATTLE, AS WELL. I HAVE ASKED THREE GOVERNMENTS TO GIVE VERY SHORT , YOU KNOW, FIVE TO EIGHT MINUTE PRESENTATIONS, OVERVIEWS ON THE STATE OF TRANSIT SECURITY, CURRENT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION AND IMPLEMENT SOME NEW REFORMS AND INVESTMENTS AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS , ATU AND THE DSA HERE. WELCOME, FOR ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVE SO I WOULD LIKE THE THREE TO GO FIRST, THE THREE GOVERNMENTS TO GO FIRST STARTING WITH KING COUNTY METRO THAN SOUND TRANSIT IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE. WITH RESPECT TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE, CALVIN IS REPRESENTING CENTRAL STAFF PERSPECTIVE. WHEN IT IS OUR TURN IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST GOING FIRST FOR THE CITY, TEEING UP, I THINK YOU HAVE THE SHORTEST PERSON ANYWAY BUT TEEING UP FOR CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER NATALIE WALTON-ANDERSON AND ALL THESE TITLES. INTERIM DIRECTOR EMERY FROM SDOT CAN KICK IT OFF FROM THERE BUT BEFORE WE GET THERE I THINK THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE CURRTHE MOST DIRECTLY THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM ARE THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND MEMBERS OF ATU LOCAL 587 SO REALLY WOULD LOVE TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A FEW OPENING REMARKS AND JUST SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND THEN WE WILL ALLOW KING COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO GO AHEAD. COLLEAGUES, THIS IS GOING TO BE A THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION, HOPEFULLY, AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS, THE VOLUME OF MATERIAL THAT IS HERE TO GO OVER, I WOULD ASK THAT WE HOLD QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS UNTIL AFTER THE LAST SPEAKER HAS BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. IN THIS CASE IT WILL BE JOHN FROM DSA, SO THAT SAID , COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NO? I WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. NOT A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE BUT A CHAMPION AND ADVOCATE OF IMPROVING TRANSIT SECURITY FOR ALL, SO WELCOME. WE WILL LET ATU LOCAL 587 GIVE SOME OPENING REMARKS. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND COUNCILMEMBER SOCCER -- SAKA . I APPRECIATE YOUR RESTORING ORDER ON TRANSIT AND YOUR APPRECIATION THAT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER ON THAT IN THE FUNDING THE COUNSEL IS PROVIDED FOR TRANSIT SAFETY. YESTERDAY AS WE ALL KNOW, TWO MORE PASSENGERS WERE SHOT ON THE F-LINE INCLUDING A 15-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS SHOT THREE TIMES LEAVING THAT 15-YEAR-OLD IN CRITICAL CONDITION. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THOSE VICTIMS AND OPERATOR AND OTHER TRANSIT EMPLOYEES AND POLICE WHO HAD TO ASSIST IN THIS TRAGEDY. PUBLIC TRANSIT IS AT A TIPPING POINT AND AT A CROSSROADS . THE CITY AND COUNTY NEED PUBLIC TRANSIT. IT IS VITAL FOR OUR ECONOMY AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY INVESTED BILLIONS TO GET OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM TO THIS POINT AND WE HAVE SPENT BILLIONS. WE WILL SPEND BILLIONS MORE IN THE NEXT DECADES EXPANDING IT. ALL THAT INVESTMENT IS PLACED IN JEOPARDY OF PASSENGERS DON'T FEEL SAFE USING PUBLIC TRANSIT OR EMPLOYEES DON'T FEEL SAFE OPERATING AND MAINTAINING IT. WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO MAKE WHATEVER CHANGES AND INVESTMENTS ARE NEEDED TO RESTORE ORDER AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON AND AROUND PUBLIC TRANSIT. EVERY MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMEMBER, POLICE CHIEF, PROSECUTOR, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL POLITICIAN SHOULD COMMIT TO HELPING MAKE TRANSIT SAFER FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO USE AND OPERATE. WE NEED TO END THE FINGER-POINTING AND START WORKING TOGETHER. UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO IF YOU CREATED A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT , TRANSIT EMPLOYEE COULD STOP, CALL, AND THE POLICE WOULD SHOW UP AND REMOVE YOU AND POSSIBLY TAKE YOU TO JAIL. SAME IF YOU ARE CREATING A PUBLIC ISSUE AT A BUS OWNER TRANSIT CENTER. SOMEHOW WE STARTED TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO ANYTHING ON AND AROUND TRANSIT WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES OR ACCOUNTABILITY. PEOPLE LEARNED THAT THEY COULD ACT OUT, USE DRUGS, AND THREATEN OPERATORS, TRANSIT WORKERS AND PASSENGERS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. THAT PENDULUM TOWARD TOTAL LENIENCY IS NOW STARTING TO SWING BACK THE OTHER WAY, THANKFULLY, BUT WE NEED EVERY CITY TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CITIZEN S ' RIGHT TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT. IF IT IS UNSAFE FOR A SENIOR CITIZEN TO USE THE BUS STOP NEAR THE HOME, THE PRESENT -- PROBLEM SHOULD NOT FALL ON POLICE OFFICERS TO SOLVE. IF SOMEONE IS THREATENING PUBLIC TRANSIT OR VIOLENT -- VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT THERE SHOULDN'T BE A 15 MINUTE OR LONGER WAIT TO RECEIVE HELP. WE SHOULD ALL WORK RESTORE ORDER, SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT AND IN TRANSIT JONES. ALL POLICE JURISDICTIONAL AGREEMENTS, DISPUTES AND LAWS WHETHER IT IS IN A BUS ZONE OR AWAY FROM IT , SHOULD NOT ABSOLVE ANYONE DEALING WITH A SAFETY ISSUE. WE SHOULD ALL WORK TOGETHER ON TOUGHER LAWS AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLENCE COMMITTED AGAINST TRANSIT EMPLOYEES AND TRANSIT PASSENGERS. WE SHOULD ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE AND FIGHT FOR MORE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR TRANSIT SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL. THESE SOCIETAL ISSUES ARE NOT EASILY SOLVABLE BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT MAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT SAFER. BILLIONS OF TRANSIT DOLLARS INVESTED , AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE ARE LITERALLY AT STAKE. WHAT WE HAVE DONE UP UNTIL NOW IS NOT WORKING, AND IN ACTION IS NOT AN OPTION. ATU LOCAL 587 AND ITS THOUSANDS OF UNION MEMBERS OFTEN FEEL LIKE WE ARE THE ONLY ONES ADVOCATING FOR THE SAFETY OF CITIZENS WHO NEED AND USE PUBLIC TRANSIT. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ASK THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY TO HELP PROVIDE A SAFER TRANSIT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CITIZENS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS. OUR UNION WILL ASK THE SAME OF EVERY CITY AND KING COUNTY NEXT MONTH AT A COUNTY-WIDE TASK FORCE ON TRANSIT SAFETY THAT ARE UNION DEMANDED AND HAS HELPED ORGANIZE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ORGANIZING THIS ROUNDTABLE AND ALLOWING OUR UNION TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU , TRANSIT COMMITTEE FOR HAVING AND HOSTING THIS ROUNDTABLE AND BRINGING THIS GROUP OF LEADERS TOGETHER TO BEGIN THAT DISCUSSION TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS. PRESIDENT WOODFILL IS CORRECT. IT'S OUR COMMUNITY. ELDERLY COMMUTERS NEED TO FEEL SAFE. THEY HAVE PAID THE MOST INTO THE SYSTEM. WE NEED OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO RIDE THE BUSES. I RODE THE BUSES IN 1971 TO SCHOOL . IT WAS SCARY THEN AND IT'S A LOT SCARIER NOW. THESE SAFETY ISSUES ARE CAUSING US NOT TO HAVE SERVICE . IT IS CAUSING US NOT TO HAVE RIDERSHIP . IT USED TO BE WE WOULD GO BY SENIOR CENTERS AND PICK THEM UP. THEY KNEW THE BUS WAS RIGHT THERE. NOW, IT IS NOT THE SAFEST TO GO DOWN THE STREET AND INTO THE ZONE BUT I BELIEVE AND I THANK EVERYONE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS, TO REALLY REACH OUT TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES -- DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, THE CITY OF KENT. EVERYONE HAS TO PROTECT THEIR TAXPAYERS THAT LIVE IN THEIR CITY , GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO GET ON THE BUS AND USE THIS GREAT TRANSIT SYSTEM WE GOT. WE HAVE THE WORLD CUP COMING HERE. THIS IS JUST THE PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE TO HIT THAT GOAL . TO OUR TRANSIT AMBASSADORS I WANT TO THANK CITY OF SEATTLE. KING COUNTY METRO [ INAUDIBLE ] SO THANK YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE CONVERSATIONS. >> THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. GREG WOODFILL AND KEN PRICE ALREADY TOUCHED ON ALMOST ALL OF THIS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE THE FACT THIS IS NOT JUST A TRANSIT OPERATOR OR TRANSIT RIDER PROBLEM. THIS IS A SOCIETAL PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO WORK ON TOGETHER. THIS AFFECTS TRANSIT OPERATORS, WRITERS, MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES AND FACILITY MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES. OUR FACILITY MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES ARE TRYING TO CLEAN THE ZONES, TRYING TO MAKE TRANSIT SAFER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE AND THEY ARE CONFRONTED WITH FOLKS WITH GUNS AND KNIVES TELLING THEM THAT THIS IS THEIR HOME AND THIS IS THEIR PLACE AND THEY DON'T BELONG HERE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS A REGIONAL ISSUE, AS A SOCIETAL ISSUE, NOT AS A TRANSIT PROBLEM. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, ATU. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE HERE AND I NOTE THAT VICE PRESIDENT KEN PRICE IS THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF ATU BEFORE PRESIDENT GREG WOODFILL TOOK OVER SO THANK YOU, ATU. KING COUNTY , WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVE. FEEL FREE TO GO AHEAD AND START SHARING YOUR PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AGAIN, I AM MICHELLE ALLISON, GENERAL MANAGER OF KING COUNTY METRO AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO JOIN ME IN THIS PRESENTATION SO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT WE ARE DOING TO HELP INVEST IN A SAFE, CLEAN AND RELIABLE SYSTEM, WHICH IS CERTAINLY AN INVESTMENT THE CITY HAS BEEN PART OF, AS WELL. AS YOU NOTED, COUNCILMEMBER , WE DID TRAGICALLY LOSE OPERATOR SHAWN YIM AT THE END OF DECEMBER IN THAT ACT OF VIOLENCE . IT WAS INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AND FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE REGION THAT WE SERVE AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE AND RECOGNIZE OPERATOR SHAWN YIM AND APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE AND ALSO WE WILL CONTINUE TO REMEMBER HIM IN YEARS TO COME AND WE WILL USE THIS MOMENT TO CERTAINLY MAKE CHANGE. TODAY I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT METRO IS DOING WHEN IT COMES TO OUR MODEL OF CARE AND PRESENCE. METRO HAS HISTORICALLY HAD A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY MODEL THAT PRIMARILY RELIED ON METRO TRANSIT POLICE OR TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS ON FIRST-LINE SUPERVISORS AND ALTHOUGH THOSE COMPONENTS REMAIN IMPORTANT FOR US WE NEED TO ENHANCE THE WAY WE ARE DOING BUSINESS TO PROVIDE MORE WAYS TO HAVE PRESENCE AND CARE. ALTHOUGH WE ARE GOING TO ALWAYS HAVE TRANSIT SECURITY OR METRO TRANSIT POLICE AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION IN 2020, WE LAUNCHED SAFETY, SECURITY AND FAIR ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVE. THIS REFORM INITIATIVE CENTERED BIPOC VOICES AND THOSE THAT INTERSECT WITH MARGINALIZED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE GOAL IS TO EXPAND THE PRESENCE AND SECURITY FUNCTIONS ON METRO SO YOU WILL SEE HERE WE ADDED SOME IMPORTANT COMPONENTS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT TEAMS AND SAFE AMBASSADORS AND WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THESE FUNCTIONS TIME TOGETHER ON THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEES AND WRITERS. FOLLOWING THE SAFE REFORM INITIATIVE METRO EXPANDED BEYOND THE PUBLIC SAFETY MODEL WHICH WE NOW CALL OUR CARE AND PRESENCE MODEL. IN ADDITION, METRO STOOD UP THESE TWO PROGRAMS THAT I NOTICED WHICH ARE NEW FOR US SO WE HAVE LOTS OF LEARNINGS AND ADJUSTMENTS WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A LONG WAY BUT THEY ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF HOW WE SHOW UP TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR FOLKS. WE KNOW AS METRO TRANSIT CONTINUES, WE NEED ALL THE TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR US TO MATCH THE MOMENT AND SOMETIMES THE MOMENT IS PROVIDING A PAIR OF SOCKS OR GRANOLA BAR OR INVITING SOMEONE TO GO SEEK SHELTER SOMEWHERE ALSO WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS EXPAND THE TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR US. NEXT SLIDE. A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ON WHERE WE ARE TODAY AS WE NOTED, METRO IS [ INAUDIBLE ] SAFETY INCIDENTS AND THEY HAPPEN ON A SYSTEM BUT THEY ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WHEN INCIDENTS OCCUR EMPLOYEES CALL OUR TRANSIT CENTER AND THIS CREATES A COORDINATOR SERVICE RECORD. THESE CSR S MIGHT NOT AFFECT EVERY INCIDENT THAT OCCURS ON THE SINCE SYSTEM BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO HELP US SHOW TREND LINES AND WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST RESOURCES. ON THIS GRAPH YOU CAN SEE CSR'S ARE PERMANENTLY IN BOARDINGS. THERE MEASURED INTO BENCH INCIDENT TRENDS BASED ON RIDERSHIP LEVELS. METRO USES THIS DATA TO REALLY LOCATE THE TIMES OF DAY, THE REGIONS AROUND OUR JURISDICTION TO DEPLOY OUR RESOURCES, BOTH SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCORDINGLY. WITH THIS APPROACH WE HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS FROM 243 FOR 1 MILLION BOARDING DURING THE PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE RATIO OF BOARDINGS TO WRITERS WAS VERY DIFFERENT TO 71 IN DECEMBER OF 2024 WHILE THIS TREND LINE IS STABILIZING TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS DUE TO EFFORTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, OUR GOAL IS ZERO INCIDENTS, AND THAT WILL REMAIN OUR GOAL. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW TRENDS AND ADJUST DEPLOYMENT TO RIGHT SIZE OUR RESOURCE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS INCLUDING YOU AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE ON THIS EFFORT. AS YOU RIGHTLY NOTED, COUNCILMEMBER, ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF OUR SYSTEM IS WE NEED TO ELEVATE AND REQUEST BETTER BEHAVIOR, AND ENFORCE BEHAVIOR THAT IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR TRANSIT CODE OF CONDUCT AND BE CLEAR TO OUR RIDERS ABOUT WHAT WE WILL TOLERATE THEM BUT WE WILL NOT HONOR SYSTEM IN ONE OF THE WAYS WE ARE DOING THIS IS RESETTING RIDER EXPECTATIONS. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON STRENGTHENING SHARED UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT IS AND IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ON TRANSIT. WHILE OUR STANDARDS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH COMMUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO BETTER COMMUNICATE OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. BEFORE, IT WAS VERY WORDY. IT WAS HARD TO UNDERSTAND AND NOT NECESSARILY PRESENTED PROMINENTLY ON OUR SYSTEM SO THE CHANGES WE MADE SIMPLIFY OUR MESSAGE AND ENSURE THAT OUR CODE OF CONDUCT AND PRIORITIES ARE CLEAR. PAY THE RIGHT FAIR, BE RESPECTFUL, DON'T HARASS THE DRIVER OR THE RIDERS AND DON'T SMOKE ANYTHING OF ANY KIND. DO NOT DO DRUGS AND DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. WE WILL ALL BE SEEING THIS REVAMPED RIGHT RIGHT CAMPAIGN OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND WE WILL BE RELAUNCHING FAIR ENFORCEMENT. WE ARE GOING TO START FARE ENFORCEMENT WITH INSPECTIONS AND AT THE END OF MAY WE WILL MOVE TO FULL ENFORCEMENT. WHAT IS METRO DOING FOR OUR OPERATORS? WE EXPECT THE RIGHT RIGHT CAMPAIGN WILL HELP IMPROVE CONVERSATION AND EXPECTATIONS OF OUR WRITERS BUT WE KNOW THAT IS ONLY ONE PART OF OUR SOLUTION. WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR BUS OPERATORS AND LABOR PARTNERS HERE TODAY ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR SAFETY AND WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE NEEDS. WE HAVE HEARD THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRANSIT SECURITY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE INVESTED IN TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS, INCREASING THE NUMBER FROM 70 IN 2022 TO 170 IN 2025 AND WE ARE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF METRO TRANSIT POLICE DEPUTIES FROM 79 TO 89 IN 2025. WE ARE FINALIZING NEGOTIATIONS WITH SDOT TO EXPAND THE ONE MILLION-DOLLAR LEVY ENHANCEMENT FOR TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS AS WAS NOTED AND ONCE THAT AGREEMENT IS FINALIZED WE CAN DEPLOY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES OF DAY WHEN WE NEEDED THE MOST, WHICH IS OFTEN AT NIGHT, WHEN THERE ARE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE PERSPECTIVE. WE HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT OPERATORS WANT MORE SECURE BARRIERS. WE ARE EXPEDITING A PARTNERSHIP WIING NEW SaFE PART THAT WILL BE LARGER AND STRONGER, WITH BETTER MATERIALS TO HELP ENSURE OUR DRIVER SAFETY. WE'VE ALSO HEARD THAT OPERATORS WANT ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO BETTER EQUIP THE DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE WORKING AND SO WE HAVE REVAMPED OUR EXISTING TRAINING PROGRAM AND WE ARE ADDING TWO MORE MODULES TO HELP ENSURE THAT OUR OPERATORS AND OUR FRONT-LINE WORKFORCE HAVE THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE SERVICE THAT THEY ARE DELIVERING. WE ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE EFFORTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR OPERATORS AND LABOR PARTNERS AND WE KNOW THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK UNDERWAY SO WE ARE ALSO GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS QUESTION. ARE OUR INVESTMENTS MAKING A DIFFERENCE? WHAT CAN WE GIVE IT TO ENSURE A STRONGER, MORE SUSTAINABLE MOVEMENT FOR OUR SaFE, CLEAN AND RELIABLE SYSTEM. TO THAT END I'M GOING TO INVITE MAJOR TODD MORRELL TO DESCRIBE MORE ABOUT OUR IMPROVEMENTS AND HOW THAT WORKS ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM. >> THANKS, MICHELLE. AGAIN, TODD MORRELL, CHIEF OF METRO TRANSIT POLICE. I HAVE BEEN CHIEF OF METRO TRANSIT POLICE SINCE 2023 COMING UP ON TWO YEARS NOW AND IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME ON MY WAY TO THIS MEETING THAT I AM THE FIRST CHIEF TO HAVE OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE. I SERVED AS A BIKE SURGEON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH METRO TRANSIT POLICE. I THINK IT GIVES ME A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN BOTH SIDES SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT BUT BEFORE WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT WE NEED TO GO BACK IN THE TIME MACHINE. WE NEED TO GO BACK TO 2020. WHY DO WE NEED OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT? SO, WE LOOK BACK AND WE HAD A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. WE HAD THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. WHAT THAT DID FOR YOUR DEPUTIES AT THE METRO TRANSIT POLICE IS ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATED BOOKING AS AN OPTION FOR ALL MISDEMEANORS AND THAT HAS ENCOMPASSED THE UNLAWFUL TRANSIT CONDUCT. BASICALLY EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS FELONIES WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BOOKING. CHAIR SAKA BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WHILE WRITING TRANSIT AND I THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE. PRIOR TO SaFE TRANSIT AS ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER I WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD AN OPTION FOR THAT PERSON. OBVIOUSLY AS THE CHIEF THAT IS CREATING A LOT OF FRUSTRATION. IT'S CREATING FRUSTRATION FOR OUR COLLEAGUES, FRUSTRATION FOR OUR RIDERSHIP, FRUSTRATION FOR DEPUTIES BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS AND HIRED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THROUGH A MYRIAD OF WAYS. OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT STARTED AND WE LOOK THROUGH PAST DOES THAT THROUGH A LAW ENFORCEMENT END -- LENS IF WE COME UP AND SAY FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT LENS THAT DOESN'T RESONATE. IT'S PRETTY MYOPIC SO IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT THIS WAS AN AGENCY-LED INITIATIVE MEANING THAT SOUND TRANSIT AND METRO NEEDED TO BE THE ONES TO CHAMPION THIS AS OPPOSED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICES SO WITH THE GENESIS OF OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT BROUGHT TOGETHER KING COUNTY METRO, SOUND TRANSIT OBVIOUSLY THE METRO TRANSIT POLICE FALLS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE SHERIFF, THE DEPARTMENT OF ADULT AND JUVENILE DETENTION, KING COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND IT BROUGHT US ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND TO BREAK IT DOWN WAS WE UNDERSTAND. WE UNDERSTAND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE COUNTY. WE UNDERSTAND METRO'S DRIVING PHILOSOPHY. WHEN EVERYTHING HAS FAILED, WHEN ATTEMPTS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOR, TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE PROVIDERS, TO OFFER RESOURCES, WHEN ALL THAT HAS FAILED THERE HAS TO BE A CRIMINAL JUSTICE BACKSTOP. AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE A CULTURE OF ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE BACKSTOP , WHAT WAS MANIFESTING '21 THROUGH '23 WAS WE WALKED AWAY. WE HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS. WE HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THE RESOURCES. I HAVE NO ABILITY TO TAKE YOU ANYWHERE SO WITH THAT WE ALL GOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE AGENCIES LISTED ABOVE THERE AND ON MAY 1st WE LAUNCHED IT. THIS WAS INTENDED TO BE A BETA TEST FROM MAY 1 TO SEPTEMBER 1 WE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THIS WAS A PROGRAM WORTH ADOPTING. IT TOOK EXACTLY 30 DAYS BEFORE IT WAS ADOPTED IN FULL. AN IMPORTANT NOTE IS THAT OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT WAS INITIALLY DESIGNED JUST FOR THIRD AVENUE FOR THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. WITH THAT FULL ADOPTION IN JUNE OF 2024, IT EXPANDED SYSTEM-WIDE. THE INTENT OF OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT IS TO REINSTATE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE BACKSTOP. I'M NOT HERE TO ADVOCATE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL FOR EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. WHAT I DO ADVOCATE FOR US WHEN WE ARE UNABLE TO CHANGE THAT BEHAVIOR AND EVERY OTHER OPTION HAS FAILED , YOUR DEPUTIES NEED THAT OPTION. THEY NEED THE TOOL TO REMOVE THAT BEHAVIOR FROM OUR SYSTEM. WE WILL ALWAYS SEEK THE LOWEST LEVEL OF POLICE INTERVENTION TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION. WE ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AT MOVING POPULATIONS. WE ARE WELL-VERSED IN EDUCATION. WE WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE ARE FIRST IN THOSE DISCIPLINES. WHEN ALL ELSE HAS FAILED WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THAT CONVENTIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE METRIC. AGAIN WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH A CULTURE OF ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR ON OUR SYSTEM. WHAT OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT IS NOT IS ARRESTING OUR WAY OUT OF THE PROBLEM. WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO TAKE EVERYONE TO JAIL FOR EVERYTHING ALL OF THE TIME. THIS IS ABOUT ADDRESSING THE MOST EGREGIOUS BEHAVIOR WHEN WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE BEHAVIOR WILL CEASE OR MODIFY. WE ARE NOT CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS. WE ARE NOT CRIMINALIZING POVERTY. MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING HELP AND WANT TO BE CONNECTED WITH HELP YOUR COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE PROVIDERS 100%. WE ARE THERE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THIS. SINCE IMPLEMENTED, WE HAVE JUST CROSSED THE THRESHOLD TODAY. 475 ARRESTS FOR CRIMES ON OUR SYSTEM. 475 ARRESTS SOUNDS LIKE A LOT WHEN YOU BALANCE AGAINST THE QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE WE WERE -- MOVE PER DAY IT BOUNCES OUT TO 1.4 PER DAY. WHAT IS PROACTIVE ACTIVITY? THAT IS YOUR DEPUTIES BE EMPOWERED TO DO THEIR JOB AND KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE A MYRIAD OF OPTIONS BUT WHEN EVERYTHING HAS FAILED, THEY CAN STILL USE THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE BACKSTOP. A 400% INCREASE IN TRANSIT RESOURCE OFFICER UNIT, THOSE ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS FOR DIVERSION, FOR ALTERNATIVE RESOLUTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH OUR COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE PROVIDERS. >> CHIEF MAURO, -- MOREL , THIS IS EXCELLENT INFORMATION. I'M GOING TO ASK TO MOVE THIS ALONG. WE HAVE ONE MORE SLIDE AND A LOT OF SPEAKERS, LIMITED TIME. BUT, YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS WELCOME AND VALUED. IT IS WHITE YOUR HERE BUT PLEASE MOVE THIS ALONG ON THE KING COUNTY SIDE. >> SURE. TOO CLOSE, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THIS IS A REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH PARTNERS THAT EXTEND BEYOND METRO AND BEYOND ATU SO WE ARE ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTERS OF THE TASK FORCE THAT WILL BE MEETING LATER NEXT MONTH AND ALSO AN OPEN INVITATION TO ANY AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WAYS WE CAN COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND HELP SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR REGION. THANK YOU. >> AWESOME, THANK YOU. SOUND TRANSIT. GO AHEAD. PLEASE REINTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SHARE YOUR PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING AGAIN , COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS MOISES GUTIERREZ AND I SERVE AS DEPUTY CEO AND AGENCY OVERSIGHT OPERATOR AT SOUND TRANSIT. I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO BE PART OF THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TODAY. I WOULD BEGIN BY NOTING THAT THOUGH WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY ONGOING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON BOARD OUR TRAINS AND BUSES, WE KNOW THERE IS STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO DO . THANK EIGHT'S KILLING SO PAINFULLY REMINDS US AS WELL AS THE INCIDENTS FROM YESTERDAY. WHILE I AM HERE PRIMARILY TO SHARE OUR PROGRESS I'M ALSO VERY COGNIZANT OF THIS DISCUSSION OCCURRING IN THE WAKE OF ONGOING CHALLENGES AND I WANT TO STATE AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR PASSENGERS, OPERATORS AND BROADER COMMUNITY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AT SOUND TRANSIT. AND, WE ARE APPROACHING THESE ISSUES ON TWO PARALLEL TRACKS THAT BALANCE FAST AND EFFECTIVE INCIDENT RESPONSE ON THE ONE HAND AND PREVENTION AND EDUCATION ON THE OTHER. IN TERMS OF INCIDENT RESPONSE, WE ARE SEEING STRONG RESULTS FROM THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF SECURITY OFFICERS W ONGOING CONCERNS ON BOARD THE SYSTEM. FOR THOSE WATCHING, THE NUMBER TO TEXT OR CALL IS 206 398-5268 . AGAIN, 206-398-5268. AND, WE HAVE SET AN AMBITIOUS GOAL THAT IF A PASSENGER MESSAGES US LEAVING ONE TRAIN STATION, A SECURITY GUARD WILL BE ABLE TO BOARD AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE BY THE TIME THIS TRAIN REACHES THE FOLLOWING STATION. WE ARE WORKING TO BUILD ON THE SUCCESS IN THE COMING YEAR BY ROLLING OUT AN EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR PASSENGERS TO UTILIZE THE TOOL AND WE HAVE ALSO SEEN GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN SECURITY INCIDENTS, THOUGH SOME OF THIS COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO RIDERSHIP GROWTH ITSELF, IMPROVING SECURITY OUTCOMES, IS HAVING MORE EYES ON BOARD HAS ITS OWN WELL-KNOWN DETERRENT EFFECT. LASTLY WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON STATION ACTIVATION WHICH INCLUDES INCREASED LIGHTING AND CLEANLINESS, DE-ESCALATION TRAINING, AS WELL AS COMPREHENSIVE COORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNERS. I DO ALSO WANT TO CREDIT SOME OF THIS IMPROVEMENT TO OUR SUCCESSFUL IN GROWING AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WHICH BALANCES COMPLIANCE WITH PASSENGER EDUCATION AND FOCUSES FIRST AND FOREMOST ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DE-ESCALATION. WE ARE ALSO PILOTING MOVING MANY OF THESE AMBASSADORS FROM ONBOARD THE TRAINS TO THE STATION PLATFORMS AND THE ENTRANCE POINTS OF THE STATIONS, COORDINATING WITH OUR SECURITY OFFICERS AND PARTNERS AT KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS POTENTIAL ISSUES BEFORE THEY ENTER THE SYSTEM. I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE ARE INVESTING STRONGLY IN DATA-INFORMED RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TARGET RESOURCES AND MITIGATION TO SPECIFIC ISSUES AND CONCERNS AT SPECIFIC FACILITIES OR ROUTES. FINALLY, BEFORE GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IF WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE SYSTEM SO TOO WILL THE NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH WHOM WE WILL COORDINATE . PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR ADDRESSING AND IMPROVING THE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT OF TRANSIT SYSTEMS. BUILDING FURTHER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS, AND I WILL TRY TO BE BRIEF, AS AN ORIGINAL AGENCY WE DO WORK ACROSS MANY JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES , SAFETY AND BORDER SYSTEM WILL REFLECT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, AS WAS NOTED. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AS WE ARE HERE AT THE TABLE. IN COLLABORATION WE CONTINUE TO BE CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS. I WILL HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. AS YOU WILL KNOW , AS MANY KNOW, SOUND TRANSIT CONTRACTS WITH KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR FACILITIES. OUR STAFF ALSO COORDINATE WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND KING COUNTY TO REMOVE GRAFFITI. YOU CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE IN THE PRESENTATION. THE PICTURES TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT ARE OF THE STATION AREA NEAR THE PIONEER SQUARE STATION AND RELATIVE TO STATION ACTIVATION IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SOUND TRANSIT HAS UPDATED ITS POLICY TO INCLUDE THE DOWNTOWN TRANSIT SEATTLE TUNNEL. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL PILOT LAUNCHED WITH SEATTLE PARKS IN 2023, THE SOUND TRANSIT BOARD ADDED FUNDING TO HAVE BUSKERS THIS YEAR AT VARIOUS DOWNTOWN STATIONS. THIS YEAR I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE CITY OF SEATTLE PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL $500,000 FOR ADDITIONAL STATION ACTIVATION PARTNERSHIP. THE FOURTH ITEM, SOUND TRANSIT IS PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY METRO TO ACTIVATE THIRD AVENUE AS PART OF THE MAYOR'S DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN AND WE ARE ALSO PARTNERING WITH KING COUNTY CHICKS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A PILOT THIS STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOCUSED ON PASSENGERS EXPERIENCING MENTAL DISTRESS. BASED ON 2024 DATA, WE ARE SEEING PROGRESS BEING MADE AS A PROGRAM HAD OVER 8000 CONTACTS AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS. I WILL FINISH BY STATING THAT PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION ARE CENTRAL TO OUR COLLECTIVE SUCCESS. WE UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY IS A COMMUNITY ENDEAVOR AND SOUND TRANSIT IS COMMITTED TO BEING A POSITIVE, THOUGHTFUL AND COLLABORATIVE MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE LIVE, WORK, AND SERVE . I WILL CLOSE BY RESTATING WHAT I SAID AT THE START, THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR PASSENGERS, OPERATORS AND BROADER COMMUNITY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION. >> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, SOUND TRANSIT PARTNERS. NEXT UP IS THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND I SHOULD ALSO NOTE, VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH HAS JOINED US IN PERSON. WELL, VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH. CITY OF SEATTLE, LET'S START OFF WITH CENTRAL STAFF . THERE WAS AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS COLLEAGUES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THERE IS AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS PRESENTATION THAT WAS EMAILED TO YOU, COLLEAGUES, THIS MORNING, THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE UP TO DATE, MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE AGENDA A FEW DAYS AGO, SO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS VERSION AND AGAIN, YOU ALL COLLEAGUES SHOULD HAVE COPIES OF THIS THAT WERE CIRCULATED TO YOU EARLIER VIA EMAIL. CAL , GO AHEAD. >> CALVIN CHOW, CENTRAL STAFF. CHAIR, THANK YOU REQUESTED IT HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE RECENT SEATTLE LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS RELATED TO TRANSIT SAFETY SECURITY THE FIRST IS IN PART OF THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY VOTERS APPROVED LAST YEAR. YOU INCLUDED $9 MILLION OVER EIGHT YEARS OF THE LEVY TO SUPPORT TRANSIT AND PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL SERVICES FOR RIDER SAFETY AND SECURITY . AS PART OF THE 2025 BUDGET YOU INCLUDED $1 MILLION TO SUPPORT KING COUNTY TRANSIT CENTER AMBASSADORS PROGRAM AND KING COUNTY CHICKS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM DEPLOYED ON TRANSIT POLICE . >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR CONVEYING US TO SPEAK ABOUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC OF TRANSIT OPERATOR SAFETY. WE REGULARLY WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT METRO AND SOUND TRANSIT TO PROVIDE SaFE AND RELIABLE EXPERIENCE ON TRANSIT. SDOT LEADS WITH SAFETY IN ALL OUR WORK. WE INVEST IN TRANSIT PASSENGER SAFETY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR VISION THAT SEATTLE IS AN EQUITABLE, VIBRANT AND DIVERSE CITY WHERE MOVING AROUND IS SaFE, FAIR, AND SUSTAINABLE. AS A BASELINE, THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY WAYS SDOT SUPPORTS PASSENGER SAFETY. HER PRIMARY AREA OF SERVICES MAKING PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. WE BUILD SIDEWALKS, SaFE CROSSINGS NEAR TRANSIT STOPS AND IMPROVE BUS STOP SO PEOPLE WALKING OR ROLLING CAN SAFELY CONNECT TO TRANSIT. WE CONTRIBUTE TO PASSENGER SAFETY THROUGH OUR SERVICE THROUGH SADDLE TRANSIT MEASURE. SEM FUNDS IMPROVEMENTS FOR EMERGING NEEDS. A PORTION OF AMOUNTS PAID GOES TOWARD METRO TRANSIT SECURITY COSTS. STM ALSO FUNDS SEATTLE'S STREETCAR AND SECURITY EFFORTS . IN ADDITION TO THIS EXPENSIVE BASELINE INVESTMENT LEVELS, SDOT IS INCREASING INVESTMENT LEVELS THROUGH THE RECENT PASSING OF THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY WHICH INCLUDES ANOTHER 9 MILLION FOR TRANSIT PASSENGER SAFETY WITH 1 MILLION SET ASIDE TO IMPROVE TRANSIT SECURITY AT HOTSPOTS. ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IS ALSO COMING FROM STM TO EXPAND METRO'S TRANSIT PROGRAM IN SEATTLE. THIS INVESTMENT BEGAN IN 2024 AND WILL CONTINUE WITH A 1 MILLION INVESTMENT THIS YEAR. NEXT SLIDE. STM PURCHASES ADDITIONAL TRANSIT SERVICE FROM KING COUNTY METRO. THAT MEANS PAYING FOR SECURITY AND SAFETY COST ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE INVESTMENTS INCLUDING THE PORTION ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO METRO TRANSIT SAFETY AND SECURITY PROGRAM COSTS. THROUGH STM SDOT ALSO INVESTED TRANSIT AMBASSADORS TO PROVIDE CARE AND PRESENCE ON METRO COACHES AND NEAR BUS STOPS. IN 2024 SDOT INVESTED OVER 200,000 TO SERVE LOCATIONS IN CENTRAL DISTRICT, RAINIER AVENUE AND SEATTLE CENTER DOWNTOWN. FOR 2025 SDOT IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH TWO TO THREE TRANSIT AMBASSADOR LOCATIONS BY QUARTER TWO OF THIS YEAR IN ADDITION TO THE THREE AREAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2024. AS NOTED PREVIOUSLY, THE 2024 TRANSPORTATION LEVY DEDICATED 9 MILLION TO PASSENGER SAFETY. THE 2025 BUDGET SETS ASIDE 1 MILLION IN LEVY FUNDS DEDICATED TO TRANSIT SECURITY INVESTMENTS BUT PRIORITIZING, EXECUTING AN AGREEMENT WITH METRO TO IMPLEMENT THIS MILLION, WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS. INVESTMENTS BEING CONSIDERED WOULD EXPAND SECURITY OFFICER PRESENCE IN PLACES LIKE THIRD AVENUE JACKSON STREET CORRIDORS. THIS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED SIX WEEKS AFTER A CONTRACT HAS BEEN SIGNED WHICH WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING. THE CITY OF SEATTLE OWNS THE SEATTLE STREETCAR, WHICH CONSISTS OF TWO LINES, FIRST HILL AND SOUTH LAKE UNION. METRO OPERATES AND MAINTAINS THE SEATTLE STREETCAR PER CONTRACT WITH SDOT. SINCE 2021, SDOT HAS WORKED WITH METRO TO FUND AND TO PLAY PRIVATELY CONTRACTED TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS ON STREETCAR SERVICES 24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ACROSS BOTH LINES. THE TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS AND STREETCAR SUPERVISORS ENHANCAND SAFETY BY SUPPORTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE STREETCAR'S CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS THE SAME AS METRO'S. OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, SDOT ELECTRICIANS HAVE BEEN INSTALLING ENHANCED LIGHTING TO STREETCAR SHELTERS SYSTEMWIDE TO SUPPORT PASSENGER SAFETY AND COMFORT. WE ANTICIPATE TO FINALIZE THE EIGHT STREETCAR SHELTERS WITH ENHANCEMENT THIS YEAR. THE PRIMARY WAY SDOT INVEST IN PASSENGER SAFETY IS BY MAKING CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THAT CREATE SAFER PASSENGER CROSSING, WAITING AREAS AND STREETS NEAR TRANSIT STOPS, MAKING IT SAFER AND EASIER TO ACCESS TRANSIT. WHILE THIS TYPE OF CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ARE IMPLEMENTED FROM A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, ONE PROGRAM THAT IS SPECIFICALLY AIMED TO MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS IS THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY FUNDED TRANSIT SPOT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THE LEVY INCLUDES 27 MILLION FOR THIS PROGRAM WHICH ALSO MAKES ROADWAY CHANGES TO MAKE TRANSIT TRIPS SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE. TRANSIT SPOT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS INCLUDE PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING , BUSES ON EXPANSION , BUS BENCHES, CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS. THIS MAKES PASSENGER STOPS MORE VIABLE AND PROMOTES A FEELING OF SAFETY FOR RIDERS. THE NEXT SLIDE I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER , NATALIE WALTON-ANDERSON, TO SPEAK ABOUT THE EFFORT THAT IS UNDERWAY. >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING AGAIN, NATALIE WALTON-ANDERSON, CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS AND CHAIR SAKA FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT YOU TODAY. AGAIN THE PRIORITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY, SaFE STREETS AND SaFE CITY FOR ALL. THIS INCLUDES OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT RUNS THROUGH THE CORE OF OUR CITY AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION WITH KING COUNTY METRO SOUND TRANSIT TO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS FOR NOT ONLY TRANSIT EMPLOYEES AND OPERATORS BUT ALL OF OUR RIDERS THAT THEY HAVE SaFE ACCESS TO THE CITY TO WORK, VISIT AND ENJOY ARTS AND CULTURE. UNDER MAYOR HAROLD THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN TO REVITALIZE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AN ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY , HOLISTIC, COORDINATED APPROACH AND ALSO A PLACE-BASED APPROACH. THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM IS WHOLLY INVESTED IN COORDINATING ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSES TO SUPPORT INVESTMENTS THAT SDOT HAS MADE TO INCREASE PRESENCE ON TRANSIT WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS DIRECTOR AND WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT IN TERMS OF HIRING TRANSIT AMBASSADORS AND METRO TRANSIT SECURITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT SAFETY INITIATIVES THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS PUT FORWARD AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEM IN THE TIME WE HAVE LEFT. I THINK FIRST OF ALL , IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESPONSES AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THIS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ISSUE WE ARE FACING IN NOT ONLY OUR CITY BUT OUR COUNTY AND OUR REGION. WE HAVE EXPANDED THE HIRING OF OUR CARE CRISIS RESPONDER TEAM . THAT EXPANSION REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I KNOW A LOT OF OUR OPERATORS AND DRIVERS SEE, INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND THE CARE EXPANSION REALLY DOES HELP TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES BEFORE THEY REACH TRANSIT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON HIRING WITH OUR NUMBERS CURRENTLY. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE MORE THAT INCREASES. IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ARE ALSO HYPER FOCUSED ON RETENTION OF OUR OFFICERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE. SOME OTHER CITY SAFETY INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT AGAIN THE INVESTMENTS SDOT HAS MADE IN TERMS OF TRANSIT SECURITY AS OUR DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM. THIS IS A PILOT WITHOUT AN END DATE BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM IS DOING IN TERMS OF SAFETY RESPONSES. FIRST OF ALL IT IS A COMBINATION OF AT LEAST 15 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. MAYOR HARRELL HAS SAID EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. IT IS ALL OF OUR JOBS TO ENSURE THAT SO WE ARE STARTING WITH A COORDINATED APPROACH BETWEEN OR DEPARTMENTS AND THAT INCLUDES AN ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY. CHIEF TODD MORRELL MENTIONED EARLIER OPERATION SaFE TRANSIT. IN ADDITION TO THAT SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY IN TRANSIT CORRIDORS TO ADDRESS DRUG TRAFFICKING AND OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO CRIME. OUR DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION TEAM , SPU IS ONE OF OUR LEAD AGENCIES ALONG WITH SDOT TO HELP US ADDRESS SOME OF THE VISUAL DISORDER THAT CAUSES THE PERCEPTION THAT WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING CRIME AND DISORDER IN OUR CITY. THAT TEAM HAS STARTED OUT IN THE THIRD PIKE PINE AREA WITH A PILOT THERE TO ADDRESS THAT. AS WE ALL KNOW THIRD AVENUE IS ONE OF OUR MAIN TRANSIT CORRIDORS WITHIN THE CITY. WE ACTIVATED IN THE LITTLE SAIGON NEVER HEARD OF THE CID NOVEMBER 1st WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY AND SECURITY AREA NOT ONLY FOR OPERATORS, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS BUT FOR MANY OF THE RESIDENTS WERE THERE. WE ACTIVATED THE SAME APPROACH IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE VISUAL DISORDER BUT WE KNOW THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. SIMILAR TO WHAT MISS ALLISON WAS SAYING EARLIER WE NEED A COORDINATED AND HOLISTIC RESPONSE. THE MAYOR'S'S OFFICE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM IS BEEN WORKING WITH CITY CONTRACT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS SUCH AS LEED, WE DELIVER CARE, REACH FOR A COORDINATED RESPONSE TO DELIVER MORE OUTREACH IN AND AROUND THIRD AVENUE , THE LITTLE SAIGON AREA AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHO IS IN THAT AREA AND WHAT ARE THE NEEDS THAT ARE THERE. WE HAVE NOW DEDICATED PUBLIC SAFETY TREATMENT BEDS IN VALLEY CITY AND ONE OF OUR OTHER LEAD AGENCIES, SEATTLE FIRE, HAS BEEN HELPING US ADDRESS SOME OF THE WAYS WE CAN GET INDIVIDUALS INTO SERVICE. WE HAVE SEEN DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN THE SHORT TIME WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED IN TERMS OF PRIORITY ONE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND WE HOPE THAT WILL IMPROVE BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING AT WHAT THE ISSUE IS BECAUSE IT IS NOT SOLVED AND CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT MORE WE CAN DO. WE KNOW ONE OF THE KEY IS TO ACTIVATE OUR HEALTHY AND VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS MEANING THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE HOLD OF THAT SPACE, RESET THE NORMS IN ORDER TO BRING IN MORE RESOURCES SUCH AS BUSINESSES, ARTS, CULTURE TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT. OUR GOAL IS A PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMIC RECOVERY WHICH IS ALSO KEY AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAR THAT THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR'S PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM ARE MAKING EFFORTS EVERY DAY AND ARE COGNIZANT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES THAT FACE OUR CITY, COUNTY AND STATE. IT IS A PRIORITY FOR THE MAYOR AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE FOR SaFE STREETS AND RIDERSHIP FOR ALL. I WANT TO SAY ONE THING I WANT TO THANK THE ATU LOCAL 587 . I HAVE TAKEN TRANSIT AS HAS MY FAMILY AND MY THREE BOYS FOR YEARS. I SEE YOUR DRIVERS AND YOUR OPERATORS EVERY DAY EXHIBITING TREMENDOUS ACT TO OF KINDNESS AND SERVICE AND SHARE FOR OUR RIDERSHIP. THEY FORM CONNECTIONS AND THAT EXTENDS TO OUR AGING POPULATION AND OUR YOUTH SO IT IS AN INVALUABLE AND IMPACTFUL PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR HAROLD, WHO COMMITS TO PARTNERING WITH YOU, OUR CITY , COUNTIES, PARTNER REGIONS. >> THANK YOU. TO BE HONEST, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JON SCHOLES FROM THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION. TO BE HONEST, BUT FOR THE ADVOCACY OF ATU, WE HAVE HAD THESE VARIOUS FOCUSED AND SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE TRANSIT SECURITY AND SAFETY FOR ALL INCLUDING AT THE CITY LEVEL. WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THOSE ARE. THERE ARE EFFORTS ON GOING TO IMPLEMENT THOSE, BUT FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY OF ATU I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE COLLECTIVELY ORGANIZED AND EVEN BE IN THIS POSITION WHERE EVERYONE IS AT THE TABLE TODAY SO I APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP AND ADVOCACY OF ATU. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US AND WE NEED TO ALL COME TOGETHER SO , WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE, SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TSA. LAST BUT NOT LEAST. >> THANK YOU. AGAIN, JON SCHOLES WITH THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION. APPRECIATE THE GREAT LEADERSHIP AT THIS TABLE CLEARLY MAKING PROGRESS TO ENSURE WE HAVE A SAFER, MORE WELCOMING TRANSIT SYSTEM ACROSS OUR CITY AND REGION AND WE HAVE HAD IN RECENT YEARS. GREAT CITIES RELY ON GREAT TRANSIT SYSTEMS, CERTAINLY DOWNTOWNS DO. AND TRANSIT SYSTEMS, GREAT ONES ARE ONES WHERE THE OPERATORS AND THE RIDERS FEEL SaFE TO BOARD AND OPERATE THOSE VEHICLES. WE REPRESENT ABOUT 200, 2000, EXCUSE ME, PROPERTY OWNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR GREATER DOWNTOWN THAT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM WE WANT TO OFFER CONDOLENCES TO SHAWN YIM, HIS FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS AND TO HIS COLLEAGUES. HE WAS JUST DOING HIS JOB AND WE RELY ON HIM DOING HIS JOB. WE EMPLOY ABOUT 200 FOLKS THAT ARE SHOWING UP HERE 362 DAYS A YEAR TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN PUBLIC AREAS INCLUDING AROUND TRANSIT STATIONS . 90+ PERCENT OF THEM ARE GETTING TO WORK EVERY DAY ON THE BUS OR THE TRAIN. MY KIDS ARE DAILY RIDERS. I WAS JUST TRACKING MY SON. HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO JEFFERSON TO GO HIT BALLS AT THE BILL RIGHT COMPLEX . SO MY KIDS ARE RIDERS. I AM A RIDER AND GREAT CITIES RELY ON GREAT TRANSIT AND DOWNTOWNS DON'T WORK IF WE DON'T HAVE GREAT TRANSIT SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ALL DONE AND THANKS TO THIS COUNSEL, THE ACTIONS YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN OVER THE PAST YEAR TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY . WE GOT OFF COURSE THERE MANY YEARS AGO AND I THINK WE FOUND OURSELVES UNABLE AS A COMMUNITY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE THAT WERE HURTING AND NEED HELP, FROM THOSE THAT ARE OUT HURTING OTHER PEOPLE AND NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND WE IN MANY CASES CHOSE NOT TO INTERVENE IN EITHER CASE THEN WE SAW THE RESULTS OF THAT. MORE PEOPLE SUFFERING, MORE PEOPLE GETTING HURT AND MORE INCIDENTS ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM AND WE ARE ON A MUCH BETTER PATH NOW WHAT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANKS TO THE FOLKS AT THIS TABLE FOR THEIR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. >> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCILMEMBER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. RIGHT NOW GIVING VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, JUST WANT TO NOTE TWO QUICK POINTS. ONE, PRESIDENT GREG WOODFILL APTLY NOTED IN HIS OPENING REMARKS THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER UNFORTUNATE TRAGIC INCIDENT ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM YESTERDAY, SHOOTING IN ONE OF OUR SOUTH COUNTY CITIES ON BOARD A BUS AND YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP. ON THE EVE OF THIS IMPORTANT REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE, TWO PEOPLE WERE SHOT INCLUDING IT SOUNDS LIKE A 15-YEAR-OLD KID . TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, TOTALLY OUT OF HAND AND THAT IS WHY IT IS INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US TO COME TOGETHER TO DO THIS WORK TOGETHER. GOVERNMENTS PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE AND THE OTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE AS GOVERNMENTS PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE SOLUTION. KING COUNTY, THE CITY, SOUND TRANSIT, OTHER JURISDICTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY , WE PLAY A LEADING ROLE BUT WE DON'T PLAY THE ONLY ROLE, EITHER. WE ALSO NEED COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO STEP UP. YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. IT IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE TO BRING A GUN AND FEEL LIKE YOU CAN OPENLY SHOOT AT SOMEONE ON A BUS. IT IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE TO STRIP STOLEN COPPER WIRE ON A BUS. WE ARE GOING TO RESET. LET IT BE KNOWN. LET IT BE KNOWN. THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND REGIONAL PARTNERS HERE TODAY ARE NOT TOLERATING THAT ANYMORE. THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS NOT A SaFE SPACE TO COME DO YOUR DIRT WHETHER IT IS ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUSES AND TRAINS OR ON THE STREETS. THERE USED TO BE SHAME IN THE GAME. NOT ANYMORE. WE ARE TIRED OF IT AND WE ARE FED UP AND WE ARE GOING TO DO BETTER. AS ATU NOTED , PRE-COVID, AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME VALID REASONS WHY WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION . NOW WE NEED A COURSE CORRECT, BUT PRE-COVID , APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS WERE IN PLACE THAT YES, INCLUDED LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTIONS. NOT THE ONLY THING, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE SOLUTION. WE NEED A FULL SPECTRUM OF RESPONSE AND TO MEET THE NEED, WHATEVER THE NEED IS, WHETHER IT IS A PAIR OF SOCKS AS CEO ALSO NOTED YES, WE WILL GIVE PEOPLE PAIRS OF SOCKS, WHATEVER IT IS. AND AS A LAST RESORT IF NEEDED , A PAIR OF SHINY HANDCUFFS AND ESCORT TO JAIL FACILITY IF THAT IS THE BEST SOLUTION. BUT, IT IS NOT A SaFE SPACE ANYMORE TO COME DO YOUR DIRT. IN ANY EVENT, COMMUNITIES, INDIVIDUALS ALSO NEED TO STEP UP. VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH. >> THANK YOU. I WILL BE SUPER BRIEF. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT THE CITY, THE COUNTY, OR DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION, CITY TRANSIT, ARE RIDERS ASSOCIATION AND OUR EXECUTIVE COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SaFE RIDING TRANSIT. I RIDE THE G LINE MOST OF THE WEEK AND THOSE RIDERS ARE PHENOMENAL SAYING HI TO US, TALKING TO US THERE IS A VIDEO BEING RECORDED ON THE BUS THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SaFE . I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT CHIEF MORAL, HIS POINT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HEY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES BUT WE ALSO NEED THE ABILITY TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND TO ARREST PEOPLE, BUT PEOPLE THEN HOPEFULLY OUR JUDGES DO THEIR JOB AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT JOHN, YOU SAID ABOUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP THAT ARE HURTING BUT VERSUS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY HURTING OTHERS AS WELL AND DRAWING THAT LINE UP THAT DIFFERENCE AND I THINK THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AS WE ARE TRANSITIONING, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC AND RESETTING WHAT OUR SOCIETY LOOKS LIKE AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IS HUGE. MY MOM, I NEVER WANTED TO GET A SPANKING AND I KNEW THAT WAS AT THE END IF I DID SOMETHING THAT I WAS GOING TO GET A NICE LITTLE FLIPPING AND SO JUST HAVING THAT ACCOUNTABLE -- ACCOUNTABILITY PIECES INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND WE NEED TO DO A RESET ON OUR SOCIETY SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING FOR OUR CITY, SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH. YEAH, WE DON'T WANT SMOKE FROM MAMA OR MY FATHER. WAS AFRAID OF THOSE BUT IT IS A CONSEQUENCE, WHATEVER THE CONSEQUENCES. WE DON'T WANT THAT. I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT AND AS A MEMBER OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE BUT ALSO AS CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE I WANT TO TAKE KING COUNTY FOR BEING HERE, SOUND TRANSIT AND THE EXECUTIVE FROM CITY OF SEATTLE PLUS OUR LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. I WANT TO EXTEND THE THANKS FOR JON SCHOLES JOINING US WITH HIS PERSPECTIVE BUT ESPECIALLY ON THE SIDE IN TERMS OF THE ATU LOCAL 587 I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MR. WOODFILL BEFORE AND THIS IS OUR TIME TO STEP UP AND APPRECIATE THE WORK AND DEDICATION AND THOSE WHO WORK FOR ATU LOCAL 587. THREE QUICK POINTS. ONE, TRANSIT SAFETY AS PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE TRANSIT SAFETY POSTURE RELIES ON THE BROADER PUBLIC SAFETY POSTURE AND WE ALL HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES HERE, TO INCLUDE US HERE ON THIS DAIS. IT IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EVOLUTION AND WE DO NEED TO HAVE THAT. ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO STATE QUITE CLEARLY IS THAT ON THE QUESTION OF ARTICULABLE HARM, MR. CHOW KNOWS WHAT THIS TERM IS FROM OUR PUBLIC USE AND POSSESSION BILL OF 2023 . IN THAT BILL IT TALKS ABOUT THREAT OF HARM TO OTHERS . IN MY MIND, OTHERS CAN BE DEFINED AS OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS AND FOR OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT EXPERIENCES, HARM ON A REGULAR BASIS, ON A DAILY BASIS AND WAS TRAGICALLY WITH THE DEATH OF MR. SHAWN YIM SO IT IS CLEAR THAT THREAT OF HARM EXISTS . WHICH TRANSITS TO , NO PUN INTENDED, TO THE POINTS THAT CHIEF MORAL FROM KING COUNTY METRO POLICE CHIEF NOTED . WE NEED TO LEAD AS I OFTEN SAY IN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, LEAD WITH COMPASSION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED, FOR THOSE IN CRISIS BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE WISDOM AS I OFTEN SAY TO LOOK OUT FOR COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT INCLUDES OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT COMMUNITIES AND SO THE POINT YOU MADE ABOUT BUCKING RESTRICTIONS IS 110% TRUE AND AS THE CHAIR NOTED YES, THERE MAY BE SOME REASONS INITIALLY BUT IT TOOK WAY TOO LONG FOR THE CHANGE IN BOOKINGS I STILL IMPACTED FOR REASONS I WON'T GO INTO HERE BUT MAYBE IN A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WHEN CHIEF, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THAT AS WELL SO MAYBE LOOKING AT IT FROM OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY POSTURE BECAUSE IT HAS THIS IMPACT AND WE NEED TO, AS YOU SAID, HAVE THAT BACKSTOP AND THE WAY YOU SAID IT IS SIMILAR TO ME. BACKSTOP. LEAD WITH COMPASSION. LEAD WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN CRISIS AND LOOK TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS BUT AS MR. SCHOLES NOTED THE IMPACTS ARE HUGE IN OUR DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE AND NOT JUST DOWNTOWN . IT IS ACROSS OUR CITY. I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME IN DISTRICT 4 IN TERMS OF THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE. I SAW IT YESTERDAY IN BALLARD AS I WAS IN BALLARD YESTERDAY IN DISTRICT SIX AND OF COURSE IN THE OTHER DISTRICTS, THREE AND BASICALLY ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN SO LET'S BE CLEAR. IT IS A CITY-WIDE CHALLENGE SO I JUST THANKED CHAIR FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE , YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE COMING TOGETHER AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP AS MR. SCHOLES NOTED. A LOT IS HAPPENING IN TREND -- 2024 AND WILL CONTINUE IN 2025. >> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE, I WAS IN QUEEN ANNE YESTERDAY. WE SHOULD SIGN EACH OTHER'S PASSPORTS. A LITTLE JOE BEFORE WE GET A LITTLE SERIOUS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE, ESPECIALLY DEPUTY CEO MOISES GUTIERREZ FOR BEING HERE FOR SOUND TRANSIT UPDATES. I START WITH SOUND TRANSIT BECAUSE AS THE SOUND TRANSIT BOARD MEMBER I HAVE ASKED FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR SECURITY FOR SOUND TRANSIT RIDERS. THEY OFTEN [ INAUDIBLE ] CHECK-IN ON AND INCREASE SAFETY FOR OUR RIDERS. I REGULARLY DISCUSS THIS TOPIC WITH THE CEO AND HAVE MADE THIS POINT ALREADY IN INTERVIEWS FOR THE NEXT CEO THAT RIDER EXPERIENCE IS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS BECAUSE A RIDER TAKES A LONG TIME TO USE -- LEARN TO USE TRANSIT AND QUICKLY FALLS OFF THE BUS. SAFETY AND SECURITY IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO SOUND TRANSIT BOARD MEMBERS. IT IS REGULARLY BROUGHT UP AND WE RECEIVE QUARTERLY UPDATES ABOUT THE MEASURES THAT MEASURE THE AGENCY'S PROGRESS. I WILL BE SHARING THAT UPDATE THIS MONTH OR NEXT AS I RECEIVE IT AND I DON'T TAKE A SOUND TRANSIT STAFF WORD FOR GRANTED. I AM A SECRET SHOPPER. I USE TRANSIT AND SOUND TRANSIT ALL THE TIME AND NOT JUST LIGHT RAILS. I USE THE BUSES, AS WELL. SAME WITH METRO. I AM A LIFELONG METRO RIDER. I CAN LIKELY TELL YOU EVERY SINGLE ROUTE IN MY DISTRICT OFF OF MEMORY . WE ARE NOT GOING TO TEST THAT HERE BECAUSE WE ARE TOO SHORT ON TIME BUT I WILL ALSO ECHO PRESIDENT WOODFILL'S NOTES AND MESSAGES. YOU SAID WE ARE AT A TIPPING POINT. I WOULD SAY WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. IT DOES FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THAT ATU ARE THE ONLY ONES ADVOCATING FOR THE SAFETY OF RIDERS. THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE BOTH AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE GOVERNMENT AND AS A TRANSIT RIDER. TRANSIT MUST BE SAFE FOR THE ELDERLY AND FOR KIDS, TOO. THAT IS WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SAFE COMMUNITY WHEN BOTH THE OLD AND THE YOUNG FEEL SAFE AND THIS WILL BE MY ONLY QUESTION FOR THE DAY. I RECALL YOU REQUESTING A PROTECTIVE BARRIER SINCE BEFORE 2019. IS THAT CORRECT? I AM SEEING A YES HAD NOT AND I REMEMBER THIS BECAUSE IN 2019 I THOUGHT IT NEEDED TO BE DONE. BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING OUR OPERATORS TO ATTEND TO THE PERSON PLAYING THE MUSIC LOUDLY, TO GRAB THAT BOTTLE THAT IS BEEN ROLLING AROUND IN THE BACK OF THE BUS FOR THE LAST TWO MILES, TO GET SOMEONE TO STOP USING DRUGS, TO GIVE DIRECTIONS OR CONFIRM WHERE THE BUSES GOING OR WHICH NUMBER, WHICH ROUTE THAT BUSES RUNNING, TO STOPPING HARASSING BEHAVIOR AND TO BEING THAT SAFE PERSON ON THE BUS FOR THE YOUNG AND THE OLD AND FRANKLY FOR EVERYDAY ADULTS TO KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS ALL THE WHILE KEEPING THE BUS ON THE ROAD, KEEPING THE BUS ON TIME, OPERATING THE BUS SAFELY AND TOO OFTEN , ALL THE WHILE BEING HARASSED THEMSELVES. I THINK WHAT WAS REALLY POIGNANT AND SHONE'S MEMORIAL SERVICES ONE ALL OF THE OPERATORS WHO HAVE BEEN HARASSED RAISED THEIR HANDS AND I FORGOT IT WAS EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THAT ROOM. WE NEED TRANSIT SECURITY THAT YOU HAVE DISCUSSED. WE NEED ONE OF THE AMBASSADORS THAT WE FUNDED IN 2023 I WAS SURPRISED IT WAS THROUGH, BUT THERE IS A SCALABILITY ISSUE HERE. THIS 500,000 DOLLARS TWO YEARS AGO WAS INITIALLY SUPPOSED TO BE THE TEST OF SCOPE AND PROOF OF CONCEPT AND SCALE OUT. I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF SPACE AND THE LIMITS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE RECEIVING A BRIEFING AND IT DOESN'T MEET MY EXPECTATIONS SO THAT'S NOT FARE FOR ANYONE. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. I'M HERE TO NEED SUPPORT FROM YOU. WE ARE ALL IN THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER BUT WHAT IS HARD FOR ME IS 15 MONTHS AFTER AN INITIAL ACTION, WE GET THE FIRST UPDATE AND IT IS NOT QUITE MEETING EXPECTATIONS. THAT MEANS I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR YOU. YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR ME. I HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE ON THAT, TOO, RIGHT? AND THE FRUSTRATION YOU ARE HEARING FROM ME IS REGARDING THE URGENCY . SAFETY WAS A PROBLEM IN 2019 AND IT GOT WORSE, AS CHIEF MORAL SPOKE ABOUT, AND SOLUTIONS WERE DISCUSSED LIKE WE JUST WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT I'M MISSING TODAY'S THE URGENCY. THE URGENCY TO MOVE QUICKLY TO IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR OPERATORS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR PASSENGERS AND AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE YOU MENTIONED THAT TRANSIT SECURITY IS ONLY AS SAFE AS THE COMMUNITY PASTOR. I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU ABSOLUTELY AND ADD FOR CONTEXT, THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS TAKEN GREAT STRIDES TO INCREASE SAFETY IN THE PUBLIC REALM. PRE-PANDEMIC, I WILL TAKE YOU BACK INTO A DREAMWORLD BEFORE THERE WAS A PANDEMIC IT WAS JANUARY 2020 AND THERE WAS A HIGH-PROFILE SHOOTING ON THIRD AND PIKE WHERE MULTIPLE CIVILIAN RANDOM PEOPLE GOT SHOT . THAT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND TODAY, THIRD AVENUE IS IN THE BEST STATE I'VE SEEN IN OVER A DECADE. I SHARE THIS STORY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. LIKE, WE KNOW WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. I'M CONFIDENT WE ARE GOING TO GET ON IT BUT WHAT HAS BEEN HARD IS THAT WE ARE TAKING GREAT STRIDES ON THE SIDEWALKS AND IN THE STREETS BUT IT FEELS LIKE OR SOMEONE HAS TO DO IS JUMP ON A BUS FOR THEM TO FIND A PLACE TO HIDE THAT NO ONE WILL CHECK THEIR BEHAVIOR NOT ENFORCE THOSE COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT BACKUP THE OPERATORS WHEN THEY ARE CALLING FOR HELP , AND I SAY THIS AS A SECRET SHOPPER. I SAY THIS AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND AS THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS THE CITY, WE ALSO NEED AND ARE PARTNERING TO HELP KING COUNTY METRO DO THEIR PART IN THEIR JURISDICTION BECAUSE YOUR JURISDICTION IS THE MOST UNIQUE JURISDICTION. USUALLY IT IS A BUILDING THAT IS NOT MOVING. THAT IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JURISDICTIONAL DIFFERENCES. THAT IS USUALLY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND YOU HAVE GOT THE HARDEST JURISDICTION BECAUSE IT IS ON WHEELS AND MOVING THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. I WILL CLOSE, CHAIR, WITH ANECDOTALLY, SINCE SHAWN YIM'S PREVENTABLE MURDER I WAS ON A BUS WHEN A MAN CAME DOWN AND PRESENTED REALLY PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIORS IN AN AISLE WHERE , EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT LEAVE UNTIL SECURITY ARRIVED. MYSELF, IN MY JOB I WAS GOING FROM HERE TO CITY HALL TO GO TALK TO THE CUB SCOUTS. DID MY BEST TO TALK THEM INTO A BETTER PLACE. DID NOT WORK. SECURITY CAME THROUGH AND DID THEIR JOB AND -- BUT, WE HAD TO GET OFF THE BUS AND FIND A NEW BUS. AND LUCKILY, THERE WAS ANOTHER BUS THAT DID NOT GO ON THE SAME ROUTE WILL CLOSE ENOUGH BECAUSE OF GOT THEM ALL MEMORIZED AND SO WE JUMPED ON THE BUS. THE POINT IS HERE WE ARE 30 MINUTES LATE AND WHILE CUB SCOUTS ARE SAD I WAS LAID IT WASN'T THE END OF THE WORLD BUT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO RELY ON TRANSIT TO GET TO WORK FOR OTHER APPOINTMENTS, THEY COULD LOSE THEIR JOB FOR BEING 30 MINUTES LATE WHICH WOULD HAVE CASCADING CONSEQUENCES ALL BECAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD COME ONTO A BUS AND HAVE PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR. I WILL END THERE, CHAIR, AND JUST WITH A THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE ON THIS TEAM WORKING TOGETHER TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY . AGAIN, MY LARGEST FRUSTRATION TODAY DOES THE URGENCY OF IMPLEMENTATION AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY WHAT OPERATORS HAVE BEEN CONVEYING FOR YEARS , IN PART BECAUSE ESPECIALLY AFTER I SAW ALL THOSE HANDS RISE. I KNOW THAT THEY KNOW MORE THAN MOST BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE THE MOST HARASSMENT OF US ALL. AND IT IS NOT OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TOGETHER FOR THIS PRESENTATION. IT IS REALLY HEARTENING TO SEE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES WAS -- SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT THE TIME TO COME SPEAK WITH US. SHAWN YIM'S DEATH IS A TRAGEDY AND HAS. SO MANY IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SAFETY ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS. I HAVE BEEN CAR-FREE FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS NOW AND LIKE SO MANY SEATTLEITES, I QUITE LITERALLY RELY ON OUR BUSES AND THE WORKERS WHO SUPPORT OUR BUSES TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO GO AND I REALLY FEEL SO LUCKY THAT IN MY FIVE YEARS OF BEING CAR-FREE I HAVE ONLY WITNESSED TWO FIGHTS ON TRANSIT , TWO ARGUMENTS, LUCKILY NOTHING VIOLENT AND THEY FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, ON A REGULAR BASIS I CONTINUE TO SEE FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ON OUR BUSES . IN SO MANY WAYS WE MAY CALL THESE ARE NON-DESTINATION ALL RIDERS BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THEY DON'T HAVE A DESTINATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO AND IN SO MANY CASES, OUR BUSES ARE THE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO WHERE IT IS WARM AND WE ALL KNOW IT IS VERY COLD OUTSIDE AND PAIRED WITH THAT, I HAVE CHECKED ON SO MANY FOLKS OVER THE YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE BREATHING. AND THEN HAVING THOSE FOLKS MAYBE COME TO AND BE UNABLE TO DIRECT THEM TO A RESOURCE TO SUPPORT THEM AND I BRING THESE THINGS UP TO SAY , THAT IS NOT ON OUR DRIVERS TO RESOLVE. THIS IS ON ELECTED LEADERS TO BE WORKING ON ADDRESSING OUR HOUSING CRISIS AND WORKING WITH OUR COUNTY AND STATE PARTNERS TO BE BUILDING A ROBUST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM TO GET FOLKS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. TO THAT END, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS TODAY FOR OUR PRESENTERS. THE FIRST BEING, SINCE WE ARE MAKING THESE INVESTMENTS IN MORE TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS, HOW ARE YOU ALL DETERMINING THE DEPLOYMENT AND LOCATION OF TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS? WHAT FACTORS ARE DRIVING SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS? >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. WE RECEIVE DATA FROM OUR OPERATORS, OUR TRANSIT SECURITY FOLKS OUT IN THE FIELD, AND UNDERWRITERS AND TRANSIT SECURITY POLICE. EVERY DAY WE LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION AND OVERLAID ON OUR SYSTEM IN THE AREAS THAT CONTINUE TO SHOW UP IN THAT DATA ARE THE AREAS WE DEPLOY RESOURCES TOO, SO THERE ARE SOME TRADITIONAL SPOTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT WE KNOW STRUGGLE A LITTLE MORE SO WE TRY TO RAISE DEPLOYMENT TO THOSE SPACES. WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO CREATE SOME REAL-TIME ROVING RESOURCES BOTH FROM A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AND THE CLEANLINESS WANT TO GET TO THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD TODAY . SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS ARE CLOSE COUSINS SO BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY THOSE RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO ADDRESS AN EMERGENT NEED QUICKLY IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING BOTH THROUGH OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PILOT. WE THANK THE CITY FOR THE SUPPORT AND THAT AS WELL AS A NEW PILOT FOR 24/7 CLEANING SO GREAT TEAMS THAT CAN GO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM OUT IN THE FIELD AND GO WORK ON THAT SO THERE IS LONG-TERM DEPLOYMENT THEN THERE IS THE IMMEDIATE WAY WE TRY TO GET IN FRONT OF AN ISSUE AS SOON AS WE HEAR ABOUT IT. >> I WILL GO AHEAD AND CHIME IN, AS WELL, SIMILAR TO KING COUNTY. WE ARE DOING THE SAME AT SOUND TRANSIT. I SPOKE ON THAT VERY BRIEFLY, AND THIS IS BY LOOKING AT FEDERAL DATA WHEN IT COMES TO HOTSPOTS BUT ALSO BASED ON LOCAL FEEDBACK SO WE CAN BE MUCH MORE THOUGHTFUL AND STRATEGIC IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES TO DIFFERENT TRAIN STATIONS BUT ALSO OTHER ROUTES, AND WE ARE VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY SO WE WILL BE BUILDING DASHBOARDS FOR VISIBILITY AND ALSO TO GAIN INSIGHTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT IN MY SECOND QUESTION JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAY BE LISTENING IN AS WELL AS FOR US, COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH FROM A DRIVER OR RIDER PERSPECTIVE, WHAT YOU MAY DO OR CAN EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE IF YOU ARE CALLING TO AN EMERGENCY RESPONDER TRYING TO REPORT AN ASSAULT THAT MAY BE HAPPENING ON A VEHICLE, WHO CAN YOU EXPECT TO ANSWER THAT: WHAT KIND OF RESPONDER CAN YOU EXPECT TO COME BY? >> I WILL SPEAK AS A FORMER TRANSIT OPERATOR AND ONE WHO IS IN THE TRANSIT CONTROL SOME OF THE LAST EIGHT YEARS DISPATCHING THESE CALLS AND , YOU NEVER KNOW. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS GOING TO COME OR IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO COME IN SO IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING ON OUR END , AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR TEAMWORK, MAYBE LOOK AT JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES , ADDRESS IT MORE AS A TEAM RATHER THAN A FOOTBALL, WHO'S GOING TO GO AND WHAT RESPONSIBILITY IS. ARE YOU IN THE BUSES OWN OR ARE YOU EIGHT FEET OUT OF THE BUS ZONE . IT IS METRO TRANSIT POLICE CLOSE ENOUGH OR DOES ANOTHER CITY HAVE TO RESPOND? IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING FOR OPERATORS, AND THEY FEEL OFTEN THAT THEY ARE OUT, THEY ARE ALONE ON AN ISLAND AND HONESTLY THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO TELL THEM, THAT OFTEN THEY ARE. >> CHAIR, IF I COULD RESPOND TO THAT QUICKLY, THAT KIND OF INCONSISTENCY IS TROUBLING TO ME AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME CLEAR JURISDICTIONAL LINES AROUND WHO IS THE RIGHT RESPONDER. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ME THAT IF AN INCIDENT IS HAPPENING ON A KING COUNTY METRO BUS, KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS A RESPONDER. THERE ARE A LOT OF DELICATE FACTORS THAT GO INTO THIS BY CREATING MORE CONSISTENCY IN TERMS OF HER RESPONDER SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE ASPIRING TO FOR THE SAKE OF DRIVERS AND RIDERS. >> THANK YOU. IS THAT IT? >> THOSE WERE MY QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU. OUR OFFICE IS HERE FOR YOU FOR ANYTHING YOU NEED. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. >> THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ASK QUESTIONS. I DON'T SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE BUT YOU AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR RIDERS AND FOR BUS DRIVERS AND FOR CONTEXT, I, AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY, MY KIDS, MY SPOUSE AND I WILL TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT WHETHER IT IS METRO BUSES OR LIGHT RAIL . I AM A LIFELONG PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDER . I DID NOT EVEN HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE UNTIL I WAS 30 YEARS OLD AND SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, BOTH FOR TRANSIT RIDERS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, TOO , THANK YOU INTERIM DIRECTOR EMERY, AND BUS DRIVERS AND SOUND TRANSIT DRIVERS, AS WELL. I WANT TO THANK ATU FOR BEING HERE, KING COUNTY , KING COUNTY METRO, SOUND TRANSIT, SDOT, MAYOR'S OFFICE AND DSA FOR ALL BEING HERE AND BEING PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I WILL SAY THAT THE THING THAT IS CLEAR TO ME IS THAT THE SENSE OF URGENCY I'M HEARING THE MOST IS FROM ME TO YOU, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PRESSING ON THIS ISSUE AND HOLDING EVERYBODY ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS WE HAVE THIS SENSE OF URGENCY AND I'M GOING TO SAY ALSO THAT WHILE I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE PARTNERS COMING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT IS THE BUREAUCRACY. I WORKED IN GOVERNMENT FOR A LONG TIME AND I KNOW THE BUREAUCRACY IS REALLY HARD TO PUSH THROUGH, BUT I'M NOT HEARING THE SENSE OF URGENCY ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT YOU JUST ADDRESSED TODAY, BY WAY OF SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM AND SO I AM GOING TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS. ONE IS, INSTALLING OPERATOR SAFETY PARTITIONS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE ALREADY DONE , YOU KNOW, SHAWN YIM SADLY WAS KILLED IN THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT. I WENT TO THE MEMORIAL SERVICE AND YOU, MICHELLE, TALK THEN ABOUT THESE PARTITIONS. IT IS BASICALLY MID TO THE END OF FEBRUARY AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THESE PARTITIONS GOING UP. WHEN CAN DRIVERS EXPECT THESE PARTITIONS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET INSTALLED ON THE BUSES? HOW MANY? >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO GO BACK A LITTLE IN HISTORY TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT TO THE CONVERSATION. METRO HAD INTRODUCED OPERATOR PARTITIONS TO ATU ROUGHLY A DECADE AGO IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD WANTED TO DO ON OUR SYSTEM. THIS WAS STARTING TO ME, AN EMERGING TREND IN THE INDUSTRY. IT WAS NOT RECEIVED WELL. THERE WAS DEFINITELY A 50-50 SPLIT IN THE WORKFORCE SAYING THAT WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE WHAT I DO AND I DON'T WANT TO WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT. MY JOB IS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I ENJOY THAT ENGAGEMENT SO WE PAUSED. METRO PAUSED THAT CONVERSATION SO THAT MEMBERSHIP COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION AMONGST THEMSELVES ABOUT HOW THEY WANTED TO PROCEED. WE THEN DID START THE CONVERSATION BACK UP IN 2019 WITH ATU IN AN INCREDIBLY PHASED APPROACH. WHILE THIS IS A CONVERSATION IN THE INDUSTRY, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF OPTIONS. EVERY ORGANIZATION IS DIFFERENT WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THEIR FLEET WHICH REQUIRES A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION WITH THE MANUFACTURER OF THOSE OPERATOR PARTITIONS SO WE HAD A DISCUSSION, A VERY PHASED APPROACH TO OPERATOR BARRIERS BECAUSE WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO WORK WITH OUR OPERATORS TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS, INVITE THEM TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH IT, THAN COVID HAPPEN AND EVERYTHING CHANGED AND WE PUT UP TEMPORARY -- THEY ARE NOT OPERATOR PARTITIONS. THEY WERE SERVING A DIFFERENT PURPOSE WITH DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND WE WERE STILL HAVING THE DISCUSSION WITH MANUFACTURERS ABOUT THE RIGHT TYPE OF MATERIAL. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF GLARE. YOU HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF REPETITION FOR OPERATORS. STILL, THERE WAS SOME DISAGREEMENT WITHIN OPERATOR RANKS BUT WE WERE MOVING THROUGH THIS PROCESS THEN WITH THE OPERATOR LOSS OF LIFE WE RECOGNIZED WE NEED TO TURN IT UP AND MOVE THOSE PHASES FASTER. WE MUTUALLY AGREED ON A DECISION OF MARCH IS OUR TIMELINE. METRO HAS AN OUTSTANDING ORDER FOR NEW COACHES THAT ARE BEING MANUFACTURED RIGHT NOW. GETTING IN THE DESIGN SPEC FOR MARCH WILL ALLOW US TIME TO HAVE THAT PARTITION INSTALLED WITH THOSE NEW COACHES. WHAT WE THEN NEED TO DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ATU'S WORK ON A RETROFIT PLAN SO WE CAN DESIGN. WE HAVE 52 UNIQUE COACHES THAT ALL REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT ENGINEERING COMPONENT TO GET IO DIFFERENT THT RIGHT NOW THAT OPERATORS ARE PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON. THIS IS PART OF THE TIMELINE YOU BRING UP, COUNCILMEMBER, SINCE WE DISCUSSED IT TILL NOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ATU, AVAILABLE MANUFACTURERS AND OPERATORS TO SEE WHAT WOULD WORK BEST IN AN IMPERFECT MARKET SO WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME CHOICES. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THEM IN TIME TO GET THOSE NEW COACHES THEN RETROFIT AND WORK WITH VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FOLKS AND OPERATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A TRANSPARENT PLAN AND HAS THEIR FEEDBACK BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS URGENCY TO THESE AND WE ARE -- WE WILL BE IN 1900 COACH AGENCY. IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND THE ONLY AGENCY THAT IS 100% THERE RIGHT NOW IS L.A. METRO. ALL OTHERS ARE IN VERSIONS OF THE SAME CONVERSATION. SOME MAY BE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF US AND WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH ATU INTERNATIONAL IN TORONTO THAT IS BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION FOR A WHILE. THIS IS A REALLY BIG DISCUSSION FOR OUR WORKFORCE. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PAST TOO MUCH. THE PROBLEM IS BEEN TRYING TO FIND OF BARRIER YOU CAN SCALE UP TO GET THIS MANY AND ONE THAT OPERATORS APPROVE OF. IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE . AFTER SHAWN YIM'S MURDER WE ALL CAME TO AGREEMENT THAT THEY THAT WE ARE GOING TO RETROFIT THE WHOLE FLEET. WE HAVE METRO, THE COUNTY COUNSEL AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE. WE ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO TAKE THAT BARRIER OUT. WE ARE DOING IT AS QUICK AS WE CAN, AS SOON AS WE GET THAT BARRIER, THE COUNTY AND METRO IS COMMITTED TO PURCHASE THEM AND S POSSIBLE. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A PERFECT SOLUTION AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SPINNING OUR WHEELS WITH. ATU INTERNATIONAL IS REALLY FIGHTING FOR MORE OF THE CONCEPT IN THE FUTURE FOR YOU WALL OFF THE WHOLE COCKPIT. METRO IS CURRENTLY BUYING A FEW COACHES AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FORCE THE MANUFACTURERS TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE. IT IS HARD, TO GLASS UP THE OPERATORS HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH TO SEE THEIR MIRRORS AND DEAL WITH THE GLARE BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE NOW. WE ARE GOING TO ORDER BARRIERS AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLED. >> THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION BECAUSE WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE BARRIERS AND WITHOUT THE CONTEXT AND KNOWING THAT YOU ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE GIVEN ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS. WE JUST SIT HERE THINKING, WHY HAS THIS NOT HAPPENED? WHY HASN'T IT GOTTEN DONE AND SO ALL THAT TO SAY THAT WHEN CAN YOU EXPECT THIS WILL HAPPEN AFTER THIS ENGAGEMENT, DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE FOR WHEN YOU CAN EXPECT THIS WILL BE COMPLETED OR ARE YOU NOT AT THAT STAGE YET? >> WE ARE GOING TO PROBABLY SEE THE MOST PRODUCTION ON OUR RETROFIT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ENTIRE COACH TO GET BUILT WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED FOR THE FIRST 89 ORDERED SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT PLAN RIGHT NOW. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A DATE THAT I'M HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO LATER THAT IS NOT DONE IN COORDINATION WITH ATU SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SPOTTY UPDATES ON THE RETROFIT CAN BE INCREDIBLY STRATEGIC. WE CAN SAY WE WANT THESE ROUTES BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE ARE COLLECTING. WE WANT TO DO THIS COACH LINE 1st. WE WANT TO DO RAPID RIDES. WANT TO DO THIS GEOGRAPHIC REGION, WE WANT TO DO THIS SPACE. WE CAN HAVE THOSE STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS SO THIS EXPERIENCE OF THE OPERATOR CAN BE IMMEDIATELY IMPROVED BASED ON THESE CHOICES AND WE WILL DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE TEAM AS WELL AS OUR OPERATORS, WHO WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED AS WE MOVE THROUGH. I WOULD AGAIN SAY YOU WILL SEE IT FIRST FROM A RETROFIT PERSPECTIVE, AS IT TAKES A WHILE LONGER TO GET BRAND-NEW COACHES OFF THE LINE. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THEN TO THE AMBASSADORS ON THE BUSES THAT CAN REALLY ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PASSENGERS AND THE DRIVER SIMULTANEOUSLY , WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A TIMELINE. YOU KNOW YOU SAID IN 2025 YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 10 ADDITIONAL -- >> WE ARE STARTING HIRING NOW SO THAT IS SOMETHING BEING SCALED AT THE MOMENT. THIS IS A BRAND-NEW PROGRAM FOR US. WE DID NOT HAVE THE CLASSIFICATION. WE DID NOT HAVE THE SPECS OR THE PROGRAMMATIC UNDERSTANDING. WE LAUNCHED IT AND FOUND OURSELVES IN A CONVERSATION WITH ATU ABOUT WHAT IT SHOULD BE, WHAT IT WAS, HOW WE NEEDED TO THINK ABOUT IT MOVING FORWARD SO WE DID GET SLOWED DOWN AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT DELAY IN THE FRUSTRATION IT CAUSED BUT WE NEEDED TO PLAN WITH ATU ABOUT WHAT THIS WAS, WHO IS DOING THAT WORK, HOW IT FIT IN WITH THE OTHER WORK OF ATU MEMBERS SO IT TOOK US A MINUTE TO GET TO MOAA. WE ALSO NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROGRAM NEEDS THE FLEXIBILITY AND STABILITY SO HIRING SOME PERMANENT PEOPLE AND ALLOWING IT TO STILL BE IN OPERATOR-SUPPORTE D SERVICE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW OR SYSTEM VERY BEST AND ARE VERY GOOD AT THIS PROGRAM AND NOW WE ARE READY TO SCALE. >> THANK YOU, MICHELLE, AND IF IT IS OKAY, I WANT TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION TO SOUND TRANSIT. I REALLY APPRECIATE CHIEF MORRELL. -- MOISES GUTIERREZ. I HAVE UTILIZE THE TEXT, YOU CAN EXPERIENCE FROM ONE STATION TO THE NEXT, SOMEONE COMING ON THE TRAIN TO ONE OFFICE SUPPORT TO SOMEONE HOW HAS NEEDED IT ON THE TRAIN SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT SERVICE. I WILL SAY THAT UNFORTUNATELY WHAT I HAVE SEEN EVEN AS RECENTLY AS THE NIGHT AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH HAD HERE, I TOOK LIGHT RAIL HOME AND THERE WERE PEOPLE SMOKING SENTINEL ON THE TRAIN, WHICH WAS AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH SO I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR MORE AMBASSADORS ON THE TRAINS BECAUSE WHILE IT IS GREAT TO HAVE AMBASSADORS AT THE PLATFORMS TO THERE IS ALSO A PIECE ON THE TRAIN WHERE EVEN THOUGH I CAN CALL IN OR TEXT IN VERY QUICKLY AT A CERTAIN TIME OF NIGHT YOU HAVE LESS FOLKS. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF FOLKS SLEEPING ON THE TRAINS ET CETERA SO WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR ADDRESSING AMBASSADORS THAT CAN BE ON THE TRAIN AND TOWARD THAT -- NOT TOWARD THAT BUT A SECOND PIECE IS, THE FARE. YOU ARE SAYING SOMETIME IN MARCH OR MAY YOU ARE GOING TO START WITH FARE ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN -- THIS IS ON -- SOUND TRANSIT HAS A FARE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE AS WELL BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT PAID THEIR FARES AND THESE ARE FOLKS WHO APPEAR TO -- AND MAYBE THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR FARE I DON'T KNOW BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FOLKS JUST RIDING, NOT PAYING THEIR FARES AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY HURTING US BECAUSE IF WE DON'T COLLECT THE FARE, WE CAN'T BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL THESE ISSUES SO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THAT . >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. I WILL TAKE THAT IS FEEDBACK WHICH WE APPRECIATE. A COUPLE OF POINTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE FARE AMBASSADORS RIGHT NOW WE ARE ACTUALLY BUDGETED FOR UP TO 80 AND WE ARE EXCITED THAT BY 2026 WE SEE THAT GOING UP TO ABOUT 140 SO OF COURSE YOU KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VACANCIES. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THESE HUMANS ARE TRAINED IN THOSE ROLES AND OTHER THAN THAT OF COURSE WE HAVE CONTRACTED SECURITY AND TO YOUR POINT, IT IS ABOUT THEM LOCATED AT THE STATIONS BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM AND WE ARE LOOKING TO ENHANCE THAT OVER THE COMING YEAR SO OUR RIDERS CAN EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF THESE PERSONNEL AS THEY RIDE THE SYSTEM. WHEN IT COMES TO FARE ENGAGEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON, AS WELL. IT IS I THINK PART OF THE CONVERSATION. IT HAS BEEN THAT SHIFT YOU KNOW , FROM THE PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC AND WE ARE VERY KEEN AND HOUSING THAT, AS WELL. >> THANK YOU AND I'M JUST GOING TO ASK BECAUSE A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS HAVE ASKED ME, WHY DOESN'T SOUND TRANSIT HAVE A SIMILAR SYSTEM FOR PAYING YOUR FARE AS THERE ARE IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THERE IS A BARRIER AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO TALK TO GET IN. OUR SYSTEM, ANYONE CAN JUST WALK ON AND IF THERE IS NOT A FARE AMBASSADOR THERE CHECKING , YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST RIDE FREELY SO ARE THERE PLANS TO LOOK AT HOW THE SOUND TRANSIT SYSTEM CURRENTLY STANDS? >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT IS ACTUALLY A VERY COMPLEX QUESTION. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SYSTEMS, AS YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE THE BAY AREA SOUND TRANSIT SYSTEM IS MORE OF A CLOSED SYSTEM. SOUND TRANSIT IS BASICALLY AN HONOR CODE BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE SURE THE ENTRANCE POINTS AT THE STATIONS ARE MUCH MORE VISIBLE AND ALSO WAS NOTED FOR AMBASSADORS TO BE LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE POINTS TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS WHEN IT COMES TO HOW THEY SHOULD PAY FOR SECURE THEIR PAST AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCEMENT, SO AS WE BUILD UP OUR PERSONAL WE WILL BE DOING THAT, AS WELL. WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT TYPE OF SYSTEM THE AGENCY HAS, AND I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS WITH ME BUT HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, THERE ARE STUDIES THROUGH OUR SERVICE DELIVERY THE DEPARTMENT LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT THE SYSTEM COULD LOOK LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO GAINS. I DON'T HAVE THAT WITH ME BUT HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT DETAIL. >> MORE PLACES TO TAP BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO SEEN PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAY BUT IF YOU GET ON THE TRAIN YOU CAN'T TAP. THERE ARE MANY OTHER SYSTEMS THAT I'VE TAKEN LIGHT RAIL ACROSS THE WORLD ACTUALLY AND YOU CAN JUST TAP ON THE TRAIN OR ON THE BUS SO BEING ABLE TO OR ATTACHING IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A METRO BUS TO YOUR CREDIT CARD WHERE YOU CAN JUST TAP . THE POINT IS MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO PAY I THINK IS IMPORTANT. >> ABSOLUTELY AND THAT IS PART OF THE PILOT THAT I NOTED WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR RIDERS, ALL OF US BECAUSE THIS OF HAPPENED TO ME, AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE MORE OPTIONS TO PAY THE FARE ALSO IS IMPORTANT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA AND MOISES. I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR A RESPONSE. IT'S HARD BEEN UP HERE. IT'S HARD BEING AT THE TABLE UP HERE IN FRONT OF US BUT I REALLY LOVED YOUR RESPONSE. YOU SAID I TAKE THAT IS FEEDBACK, THEN YOU PROVIDED APPROPRIATE EXPLANATORY CONTEXT AND SHARED YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND SAID I WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP. THAT IS AN A+ ANSWER. EXCELLENT. WELL DONE. SO, EVERYONE, I'M GOING TO CALL AN AUDIBLE HERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH AND DO THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA . WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO PUNT THAT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. IT IS AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR OUR CITY, AND THIS DISCUSSION IS A CENTRAL PART OF THAT BUT WE ARE GOING TO PUNT THE SECOND ITEM, THE PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION LEVY SPENDING PLAN TO THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH WILL BE TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY, TUESDAY, MARCH 4th BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS I WANT TO ASK. HOPEFULLY THIS FIRST ONE IS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD. THIS ONE IS FOR THE TRANSIT AGENCIES SO KING COUNTY METRO AND SOUND TRANSIT. IF SOMEONE RIDING TRANSIT IS ABLE TO SEIZE OR OBSERVE THE WITNESSES UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR, HOW CAN THEY SPECIFICALLY REPORTED THROUGH EACH OF YOUR TRANSIT AGENCIES, AND I HEARD MOISES GUTIERREZ EARLIER SAY THERE IS A GENERAL REPORTING LINE. IS THAT FOR YOU, CAN YOU JUST WALK THROUGH THE METHODS FOR UNDER WHICH RIDERS CAN REPORT THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR? >> I WILL BEGIN THEN SEE IF MICHELLE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD. WHEN IT COMES TO THE SOUND TRANSIT SYSTEM , AS HE RIGHTFULLY NOTED, WE DO HAVE A PHONE NUMBER SO FOLKS COULD ACTUALLY TEST -- TEXT IF THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE CALLING OF COURSE DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT. THEY COULD ALSO CALL 911. THIS IS A LINE THAT GOES TO THE CENTRAL COMMAND, IF YOU WILL, WITHIN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL REACH OUT TO THE SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION . THERE IS SOME DETAIL ON THE BACK END AND I WILL NOTE WE HAVE RECEIVED GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THAT RESPONSE SO WE ARE LOOKING TO ENHANCE THAT, AS WELL. >> A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR KING COUNTY METRO IS WE DON'T HAVE THE FIXED NATURE OF OUR SYSTEM BUT WE ARE LEARNING A LOT FROM THEIR PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY YOU CAN CALL OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE A 911 AND ALSO ENGAGE THE OPERATOR. THOSE ARE UNSATISFYING IS A SUITE OF SERVICES SO WE DO WANT TO COME WITH A RESOURCE SIMILAR TO WHAT SOUND TRANSIT HAS BEEN TRYING ON THEIR SYSTEM. THE CHALLENGES WE NEED A RESPONSE MECHANISM BEHIND IT. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SURE HOW YOU'RE GOING TO TRIAGE THOSE PHONE CALLS AND THAT INFORMATION, WITH THE OPEN NATURE OF OUR SYSTEM THAT WOULD ALSO BE VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THE RIDER. THEY HAVE AN ASSUMPTION THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME RESPOND TO THAT TEXT WITH THAT PHONE CALL SO WE ARE EXPLORING THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WITH WHAT WE HAVE BUT WE HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER ON OUR COACH AND ALSO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, IF YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, YOU SHOULD CALL 911. >> THANK YOU BOTH. IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND AFTER THIS MEETING JUST FOLLOWING UP. I THINK ALL OF US, ALL OF OUR OFFICES CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS LIKE GESTURING OUT WHATEVER THE RESOURCES ARE FOR RIDERS TO REPORT THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY AND BEHAVIOR. I WILL PERSONALLY LOVE TO SHARE THAT OUT IN MY NEWSLETTER YOU WILL HAVE NEWSLETTERS AND WE CAN CHOOSE IF IT IS A GOOD USE OF OUR NEWSLETTER TIME BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION SO THANK YOU THERE. MY NEXT QUESTION IS , ON THE CITY SIDE FOR MY CITY COLLEAGUES ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE IT LOOKS LIKE, SO WE HAVE CURRENTLY WE HAVE DIRECTOR EMERY HERE , SO AS WE KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT -- YOU TALKED ABOUT MR. CHOW FROM COUNSEL CENTRAL STAFF TALKED ABOUT I TALKED ABOUT COUNSEL APPROPRIATE APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION LAST YEAR FOR SAFETY SERVICES AND PERSONNEL AS PART OF THE 2025 ADOPTED BUDGET FROM OUR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS LAST FALSE A 1 MILLION FOR TRANSIT SECURITY AND POLICE AND THEN 1 MILLION FOR AMBASSADORS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS RECOGNIZING THAT IT IS STILL FAIRLY EARLY IN THE NEW BUDGET YEAR, TWO MONTHS AND ALMOST, MONTH AND A HALF. AGAIN, RECOGNIZING IT IS STILL FAIRLY EARLY IN THE NEW BUDGET YOUR CAN YOU SHARE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE AT WITH SPENDING THESE FUNDS? >> CONTRACT NEGOTIATION IS UNDERWAY. WE ANTICIPATE APRIL ACTIVATION IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ON THIS IS REALLY A STRONG COLLABORATION WITH KING COUNTY. IT IS PRIMARILY LED BY KING COUNTY DATA AND EVERYTHING, ASSESSMENT, SO. I THINK BUILDING THE STRUCTURE LAST YEAR HAS HELPED US IN EXPEDITING NEXT INVESTMENTS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE, SO WE ANTICIPATE EARLY EXPENDITURE, EARLY PARTNERSHIP AND EARLY INVESTMENT ON THE GROUND LEVEL. >> THANK YOU. AND, IS THAT FOR TRANSIT SECURITY AND TRANSIT POLICE? >> THE SECURITY PIECE OF IT, YEAH. >> OKAY, SO THAT IS FOR THE $1 MILLION FOR AMBASSADORS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. OKAY, THEN IS IT THE SAME, DO YOU ALSO PLAN TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL -- AND AGAIN FOR CLARITY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS ADDITIVE TO EXISTING SECURITY PERSONNEL . IT IS NOT TO SUPPLEMENT OR REPLACE WHAT IN THIS CASE KING COUNTY METRO IS ALREADY DOING PERSONAL WISE TO MAINTAIN AND APPROPRIATE SECURITY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EXTRA INVESTMENTS ON TOP OF -- NOT LETTING ANYONE OFF THE HOOK, OURSELVES INCLUDED G ON TOP OF , DIRECTOR EMERY , IS THE SAME SITUATION TRUE FOR TRANSIT SECURITY AND TRANSIT POLICE? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> GREAT. THANK YOU AND COLLEAGUES, I HOPE IT IS CLEAR TODAY WE REALLY JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC . WE COULD NOT AT ALL DO A DEEP DIVE ON ANY ONE OF THESE . WE COULD HAVE PEELED THE LAYERS BACK OF THE ONION AND BEEN HERE ALL DAY, WEEKS, POTENTIALLY AS COUNCILMEMBERS RINCK AND RIVERA NOTED WE NEED TO BUILD UP CAPABILITY WHICH IS WHY WE FUNDED EXTRA MONEY OF EXISTING T REPRESENTS REALLY THE FULL SPECTRUM OF AVAILABLE RESPONSES BUT TRUTH BE TOLD, AND WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE NEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM, IT IS A PILOT RIGHT NOW AND SO THERE IS A HANDFUL OF SOCIAL WORKERS THAT ARE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK TODAY . NO DIFFERENT THAN OUR OWN CRISIS CARE DEPARTMENT TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING HARD TO BUILD UP AND SCALED BACK THEIR CAPABILITY TO DO MORE TAKES YEARS TO DO THAT SO OUR ABILITY TO SPEND EXTRA MONEY ON TOP FOR THAT IS SOMEWHAT FAIRLY LIMITED. OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS A LITTLE MORE BUILT-UP THAN THAT BUT STILL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL HAVE THE FULL ABILITY. MAYBE WE WOULD, MAYBE WE WOULDN'T. I DON'T KNOW BUT AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AMBASSADORS, KIND OF CONFUSING NOMENCLATURES. AMBASSADORS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS DEPENDING ON THE AGENCIES. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT BUT WHAT IS I THINK THE MOST SCALABLE OPTION AND PROBABLY THE ONE THAT IS MOST NEEDED BECAUSE THE CAPABILITY ALREADY EXISTS AND YOU CAN LITERALLY TURN IT UP WITH THE DIAL IS HIGHER OR CONTRACTED SECURITY PERSONNEL. THE CAPABILITY ALREADY EXISTS TODAY AND THEN KING COUNTY METRO POLICE. A MATTER OF EXTRA OVERTIME OR WHATEVER IT IS, SUPPLEMENTED BY SEATTLE POLICE FOR EXTRA EMPHASIS PATROLS. THAT IS SOMETHING WE COULD -- IT IS A CAPABILITY THAT ALREADY EXISTS. WE COULD USE THAT MONEY TO SCALE UP. SOME OF THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS WORTHWHILE WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACT WITH URGENCY TO BUILD AND SCALE THOSE BUT WE ARE LESS-WELL-POSITIONED TO START SPENDING SOME OF THAT MONEY, SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TODAY. IN ANY EVENT I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT AGAIN WE SCRATCHED THE SURFACE TODAY. BE HERE ALL MONTH TALKING ABOUT ALL THE NUANCE AND ALL THE COMPLEXITY BUT ALSO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SUBJECT MATTER COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN DISCUSSED IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE , CHAIRED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE AND IN FACT THERE MIGHT BE FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE ALLUDED TO ONE WITH RESPECT TO THE JAIL CAPACITY ISSUE, WHICH IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE BROADER CHALLENGE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FUTURE, AND I WOULD SUPPORT AS HIS VICE CHAIR ON PUBLIC SAFETY, I WOULD SUPPORT FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ON THIS TOPIC AT A HIGH LEVEL OR WITH MORE SPECIFIC FOCUS, BEING IN THAT COMMITTEE BUT THERE IS SO MUCH CROSS-POLLINATION, SO MUCH OVERLAP. IN ANY EVENT I WILL SHUT UP. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES AND CALENDARS. YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO BE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TODAY BUT YOU'RE HERE WITH US AND I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT SERIOUSLY THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND IT IS HARD AND YOU ALL HAVE HANDLED YOURSELVES TODAY WITH DIGNITY AND IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT YOU ARE ALL TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE AND IT IS NOT JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL, ONE GOVERNMENT, WITHIN COMMUNITIES AS WELL, SO IN ANY EVENT. COLLEAGUES, ANY FINAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SHUT UP, ROB, GET OUT OF HERE. COOL, ALL RIGHT. WELL, ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT SAID , WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA. OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON MARCH 4th AT 9:30 A.M. FINAL CALL FOR ANY FINAL BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE MEETING BEFORE WE ADJOURN. HEARING NONE, SEEING NONE, AND WE KNOW WHAT THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA WILL BE, THE LEVY DELIVERY PLAN. HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE WE ARE ADJOURNED . IT IS 11:50 A.M.