CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION relating to committee structure, membership, meeting times, and duties of the standing committees of the Seattle City Council for 2025; and superseding Resolution 32124.
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WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 4 of the City Charter grants the Council authority to “create and use committees of its members to facilitate its legislative functions; Provided, that no committee of the Council and no members shall have or exercise executive or administrative power, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Charter”; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. Effective immediately, and until further notice, the Seattle City Council’s standing committees, membership, and meeting times are as shown below, superseding Resolution 32124.
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Standing Committee |
Committee Members |
Committee Meeting Days and Times1,2 |
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Finance, Native Communities & Tribal Governments |
Chair |
Strauss |
1st and 3rd Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Rivera |
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Member |
Kettle |
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Member |
Saka |
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Member |
Nelson |
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Governance, Accountability & Economic Development |
Chair |
Nelson |
2nd and 4th Thursdays 2:00 p.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Kettle |
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Member |
Hollingsworth |
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Member |
Rivera |
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Member |
Solomon |
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Standing Committee |
Committee Members |
Committee Meeting Days and Times1,2 |
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Housing & Human Services |
Chair |
Moore |
2nd and 4th Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Solomon |
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Member |
Nelson |
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Member |
Saka |
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Member |
Rinck |
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Land Use |
Chair |
Solomon |
1st and 3rd Wednesdays 2:00 p.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Strauss |
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Member |
Moore |
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Member |
Rivera |
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Member |
Rinck |
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Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods |
Chair |
Rivera |
2nd and 4th Thursdays 9:30 a.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Rinck |
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Member |
Hollingsworth |
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Member |
Moore |
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Member |
Solomon |
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Parks, Public Utilities & Technology |
Chair |
Hollingsworth |
2nd and 4th Wednesdays 2:00 p.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Nelson |
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Member |
Kettle |
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Member |
Rivera |
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Member |
Strauss |
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Public Safety |
Chair |
Kettle |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Saka |
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Member |
Hollingsworth |
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Member |
Moore |
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Member |
Nelson |
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Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture |
Chair |
Rinck |
1st and 3rd Fridays 9:30 a.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Moore |
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Member |
Solomon |
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Member |
Saka |
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Member |
Strauss |
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Transportation |
Chair |
Saka |
1st and 3rd Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. |
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Vice-Chair |
Hollingsworth |
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Member |
Kettle |
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Member |
Strauss |
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Member |
Rinck |
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1 Rule VI.C.3 of the General Rules and Procedures of the Seattle City Council requires that a regularly scheduled standing committee meeting will be moved to the following Friday if: a. The regular schedule places that meeting on a legal holiday; or b. A legal holiday moves a City Council meeting to a day on which that meeting is regularly scheduled. 2 Rule VII.H.4 of the General Rules and Procedures of the Seattle City Council requires that regularly scheduled standing committee meetings are suspended (canceled) from the time the Council’s Select Budget Committee receives the Mayor’s proposed budget (typically the end of September) to the time the Council adopts a budget (typically the third week of November). Special standing committee meetings may be called: • If a legislative action is required within a set time (e.g., quasi-judicial actions with 90-day deadlines for Council review); or • Upon the approval of the President and the Chair of the Select Budget Committee, after consultation with the Central Staff Director. |
Section 2. The duties of the standing committees are as described in this section. Attachment 1 to this resolution lists the oversight responsibilities, organized by department, for each committee.
Finance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the financial management and policies of the City and its agents, including the operating and capital budgets, levies, taxes, revenue, audits, and judgments and claims against the City (the Finance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments is the Finance Committee required by the Seattle City Charter);
- the City Budget Office; the City Employees’ Retirement System; and the Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts;
- the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, including the Office of City Finance, the Seattle Animal Shelter, the City’s fleets and facilities, the Customer Service Bureau, and other administrative functions;
- facilitating government to government relations with Tribes and coordinating public planning with Tribal governments on issues such as economic development, environmental stewardship, and sustaining and protecting indigenous culture, language and history; and
- coordinating and managing the Council’s work related to increasing communication between tribes and urban indigenous populations, including hearing recommendations from the Indigenous Advisory Council.
Governance, Accountability & Economic Development: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the Office of Economic Development; including policies and programs focused on small business development and support, Business Improvement Areas, Downtown recovery, workforce development, wealth generation in communities of color, key industry sector support, creative economy growth, and the Future of Seattle Economy investment agenda;
- enhancing oversight, accountability and transparency in City of Seattle government, including improving the efficiency, cost effectiveness and performance of City funded programs and services;
- general government oversight, including the Office of City Auditor, Office of Hearing Examiner; the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, including regional, state, federal, and other governmental matters, Charter review, code improvement, and rules of the City Council; and
- the Seattle Department of Human Resources, the Office of Labor Standards, Civil Service Commissions, the Office of the Employee Ombud and generally City personnel issues, including labor-management relations, collective bargaining agreements, and other issues related to salary rates, hours, and other conditions of employment.
Housing & Human Services: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the Office of Housing, including housing policies and programs, investing and promoting the development and preservation of affordable housing for workers, families, and retirees;
- rental regulation policies and practices, including regulations and enforcement activities administered by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and the Office for Civil Rights;
- the Human Services Department, including but not limited to: youth and family services, child care, local and regional public health, addressing homelessness, safe communities, and aging and disability services;
- coordinating and managing the Council’s work related to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, including appointments to the implementation Board members, and review of proposed policies, plans, and annual budgets for the regional authority; and
- the Office for Civil Rights.
Land Use: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- planning and land use, including comprehensive planning, community development, zoning, design, and land use regulations, including the Office of Planning and Community Development, and the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, except for issues related to landlord tenant regulations;
- Major Institution Master Plans and quasi-judicial land use decisions; and
- the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) and its projects.
Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the Seattle Public Library system;
- the Department of Education and Early Learning, including the City’s Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy;
- the Department of Neighborhoods, including neighborhood planning, engagement and outreach, funding opportunities, and historic preservation; and
- the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
Parks, Public Utilities & Technology: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, including parks, community centers, and public grounds (e.g., Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Aquarium);
- the Seattle Center, including Memorial Stadium and Climate Pledge Arena, and the Office of the Waterfront; and
- the Department of Information Technology, including City information technology planning, implementation, and organization; cable telecommunications services and planning; broadband telecommunications planning and implementation; technology grants; Seattle Channel; seattle.gov; and citizen technology literacy and access.
Public Safety: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- criminal justice and law enforcement, including the Seattle Police Department, the City Attorney’s Office, and the Seattle Municipal Court;
- the Community Assisted Response and Engagement Department, including the City’s 911 Center and development and implementation of programs related to alternatives to police response;
- police accountability, including the Office of Police Accountability, Office of Inspector General, and the Community Police Commission;
- the Seattle Fire Department, including fire prevention and suppression, and emergency medical services; and
- the Office of Emergency Management, including emergency preparedness, management, and response.
Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the Office of Sustainability and Environment, including strategies to achieve the City’s environmental goals;
- Seattle City Light, including City Light finances, energy utility rates, resource matters, energy policy, regional matters, air pollution regulations, and alternative energy sources; and
- the Office of Arts and Culture.
Transportation: To provide policy direction and oversight and to deliberate and make recommendations on legislative matters relating to:
- the Seattle Department of Transportation, including transportation issues and projects affecting Seattle including transit service, policies, planning, and the City’s Move Seattle Levy;
- and dedicated funding; pedestrian and bicycle programs and planning; transportation system maintenance and repair; traffic control; use of the City right-of-way including permits and vacations; parking policies; neighborhood transportation planning; and freight mobility planning; and
- coordination of transportation issues and representation of the City’s interests on transportation with the federal government, the State of Washington, King County, Sound Transit, and the Puget Sound Regional Council.
Section 3. Each City public development authority (PDA) is assigned to a City Council standing committee, as listed below, for general oversight and review. A committee chair may request that representatives of a PDA periodically appear before the assigned committee to update City Councilmembers on the PDA’s activities and share items of mutual interest. The City Council President or a committee chair may also request periodic briefings by Executive staff on PDA issues.
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Public Development Authority |
City Council Standing Committee |
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Burke-Gilman Place Public Development Authority |
Housing & Human Services |
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Capitol Hill Housing Improvement Program |
Housing & Human Services |
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Cultural Space Agency Public Development Authority |
Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture |
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Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority |
Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods |
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Museum Development Authority of Seattle |
Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture |
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Pacific Hospital Preservation and Development Authority |
Housing & Human Services |
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Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority |
Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods |
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Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority |
Housing & Human Services |
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Seattle Indian Services Commission |
Finance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments |
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Seattle Social Housing Public Development Authority |
Housing & Human Services |
Section 4. Report of the action of a standing committee taken before adoption of this resolution may be made to the City Council at any time consistent with Council Rules and Procedures by any of the following: (a) the Councilmember who chaired or chairs that committee; (b) any Councilmember who was on that committee or who attended that committee’s meeting at the time of the action; or (c) any sponsor of the legislative item on which the action was taken.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Department Oversight by City Council Standing Committees 2025