Tag Archives: Sally Bagshaw

Civics

Seattle City Council $6 Billion Budget Reflects Incremental Change

by Carolyn Bick

With the exception of Councilmember Kshama Sawant, the Seattle City Council almost unanimously passed its $5.9 billion 2019-20 budget.

The nine-member council voted 8-to-1 in favor of passing a budget that included increases in funding for police and the city’s homelessness outreach program, as well as funding for a new program aimed at low-acuity mental health response. The budget largely reflected what Mayor Jenny Durkan originally proposed, with minor changes.

Continue reading Seattle City Council $6 Billion Budget Reflects Incremental Change →

Community

From Pilot Projects to Systemic Change: Seattle City Council Mulls Solutions to Homelessness in Biennial Budget

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by Aaron Burkhalter

Councilmember Mike O’Brien took a stroll through a new solution to homelessness and the city’s lack of affordable housing.

It was a short walk — the length of a long trailer. At just a couple hundred square feet, the tiny cottage has enough room for a small table for two — maybe three — people, a downstairs queen-sized bed and an upstairs loft where children could sleep. It has a kitchen, indoor plumbing, and electricity, but it sits on a trailer hook up that is secured to the ground in the backyard of a home in Kent.

Continue reading From Pilot Projects to Systemic Change: Seattle City Council Mulls Solutions to Homelessness in Biennial Budget →

Voices

OPINION: Passionate Testimony Brightens a Bleak Seattle Budget

by Geov Parrish

Sept. 23, hundreds packed Seattle City Council chambers and an overflow room for their first chance to offer public testimony on Mayor Jenny Durkan’s proposed 2019-20  budget, and potential council amendments to it. Some 140 people and groups signed up to offer testimony in what turned out to be a frequently emotional four-hour marathon that hopefully left council members — at least those who weren’t looking at their phones all evening — a lot to think about. To her credit, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw chaired the hearing with a notably fairer and more restrained hand than council President Bruce Harrell employs in contentious council meetings.

Continue reading OPINION: Passionate Testimony Brightens a Bleak Seattle Budget →

Voices

Seattle and King County Join Forces on Homelessness, but is It Just More of the Same?

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by Kelsey Hamlin

Sitting in the two hour-long joint meeting of the King County and Seattle City Councils, listening to them discuss housing and human services for the homeless was, well, nothing new. And perhaps my lack of motivation to write this piece is a testament to that. Nothing substantial was discussed. Nothing was surprising. No changes were made.

In May, King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw took a trip to San Francisco to visit the city’s Navigation Center. The experimental homeless shelter, contains dorm-like sleeping quarters, showers and bathrooms, laundry facilities, counseling offices, and a 24-hour dining room. It also allows pets and provides them with designated dwelling spaces and food. Continue reading Seattle and King County Join Forces on Homelessness, but is It Just More of the Same? →

News

Rainier Valley Recieves Funding for Neighborhood Projects

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw announced new funding for three Rainier Valley neighborhood projects today: The Columbia City Gateway, the Ethiopian Community Center Kitchen renovation and the Orca K-8 School Playground renovation.  $100,000 will go to each of the projects via the City of Seattle’s Neighborhood Matching Large Projects Fund.

“I’m delighted to see these projects receive funding, all of which were initiated and implemented by community members,” said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, chair of the City Council’s Neighborhoods Committee.  “This is a shining example of true neighborhood empowerment, where community volunteer hours and community fundraising are leveraged into additional support.”

Details of the three projects are as follows:

Columbia City Gateway

Mobilize the community in transforming the unsightly and neglected Northeast corner of the Columbia School property into a signature streetscape and mini-park as a welcoming “gateway” to the neighborhood.

Ethiopian Community of Seattle Community Kitchen Project

Renovate and update approximately 900 sq. ft. commercial kitchen and bring it fully up to code. The project aims to create a vibrant hub of community building, healthy eating, learning, celebration and sharing.

Orca K-8 School Playground Renovation

Improve site entry, acquire new playground equipment, expand all-weather surface area, a natural outdoor classroom “Council Ring,” running track, renovated play field, pole and ramp course (for all but especially highly disabled individuals), ADA accessible textile nature path, expanded seating and garden beds and safety improvements.

Recipients of the Neighborhood Matching Fund match their awards through a combination of locally raised money, donated materials and expertise and volunteer labor.  A Citywide Review Team consisting of community volunteers reviewed applications and selected these Rainier Valley projects, amongst others, for funding.  Council approved their recommendation on Monday, August 11th.