Here’s the latest from Renee:

Thank you to everyone who sent feedback.  Here is the one page summary I sent to Mike’s transition office this morning.  It was difficult to summarize so many thoughtful and specific comments, therefore the detailed feedback was also sent as well.

To: McGinn Transition Team
From: Renee Staton
Date: November 23, 2009
Re: Transition outreach feedback

As you requested, I reached out to communities throughout Seattle and asked for feedback on the three questions below. Outreach was done through e-mail, a Google form, blog postings to community blogs, phone calls and in person meetings. Comments below are synthesized from feedback heard from over 120 people.

1. How do we build the strongest possible team to achieve the policy objectives and values set forth in Mike’s campaign?
Keep existing staff that are successful in their roles (there were also a number of comments to fire all or certain current directors); listen to existing staff that are successful – don’t reinvent the wheel; hire the best and most qualified people with independent thinking and leadership skills, not simply political supporters; be sure that some staff have government experience; include people from economically, culturally, ethnically, geographically (within Seattle) and politically diverse communities; be collaborative; hire people who will disagree with you and who have different views; work effectively with Council; do what you say you will do; encourage better coordination between city departments; include part-time workers, students and youth; keep Ideas for Seattle going; help those who were motivated by the campaign to stay involved; do not allow the city to be run by the same small group of people who have been in control.

2. How do we build public trust in the new administration?
Be transparent (strong theme); do what you say you will do (strong theme); do what is best for the community, not just what looks good; listen; make decisions after listening; admit mistakes; do not bully; do not speak poorly of the prior administration; do not ask for public opinion and then not act on it (use for political cover); keep holding community forums/town halls/on-line forums/participate in radio shows to listen to people; assess who is considered a community representative (especially in communities of color) as not all who claim the role of community representative are representative of the community; build relationships with other elected officials (governor, legislature, county, school board, city council); improve the city website to make it easier to find information, keep the site updated and post meeting minutes as soon as possible after meetings, remove the “marketing”; hold meetings throughout Seattle and at times that real people can attend (not just during the day and downtown), hold meetings in unexpected forums and consider moving offices to another part of the city for a week at a time; stop the tunnel/support the tunnel; end the gun ban.

3. What do you view as the incoming administration and the city’s greatest challenge – what should we do first out of the gate?
All of these were strong themes: youth crime; economic recovery and jobs; find efficiencies in the budget; transportation (light rail on the west side, bus rapid transit, bike and pedestrian master plans implemented); public safety; schools; housing.

[Pinehurst Seattle]

Thank you Renee – see you at McGinn’s North Seattle town hall!

© for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2009.

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Post tags: local politics, pinehurst

Local Politics:

Wallingford: The North End Candidate Debate, held at Lincoln High School on October 13, is now available online.

Wallingford: Wallyhood has created a handy Voter Guide Round-Up.

Queen Anne: Susan Hutchison, candidate for King County Executive, speaks about Boeing’s exit from Seattle.

Nearby events:

Wallingford: Ivar’s Fall Cider Celebration is on November 12th.

Greenwood: The “Aurora Elephant” will be raised at Aurora Rents around 8:30 or 9 on Monday morning.

Greenwood: The Greenwood Wing Dome will be donating a portion of their sales today, until 9 p.m., to the Greenwood Fire Relief Fund.

Lake City: The Seattle Mennonite Church is holding an international gift sale on November 13th and 14th to support Ten Thousand Villages.

Pinehurst: Everyone is welcome at Victory Creek on Sunday, November 8th.  Neighbors will be removing invasive plants, mulching, planting native species, and cleaning up the litter in the park.

Maple Leaf: Attend a presentation on Thornton Creek Watershed history on November 12th.

New and expanded businesses:

Wallingford: Izilla Toys, the well-known Capitol Hill toy shop, will be opening a “Holiday Annex” in Wallingford Center starting November 2nd.

Greenwood: Couth Buzzard Books is reopening at a new location: 8310 Greenwood Ave.

Greenwood: Discussion continues in the community about Fred Meyer’s plans to rebuild.

Northgate: New Japanese restaurant Setsuna has opened.

Closed business:

Queen Anne: Opal Bistro closed yesterday.

Bargain alerts:

Queen Anne: Free basketball referee clinics are being offered by Seattle Parks & Recreation the week of November 2 and December 7.  Trained students and adults can earn $20 per game, accrue high school community service hours and support youth basketball at Queen Anne Community Center.

Wedgewood: Visit Wedgwood Elementary this week for it’s annual used book sale.

Crime watch:

Wallingford: A bunch of oxycotin was stolen from Bartell Drugs by a guy in wrap-around sunglasses.

Wallingford: A dude in a bathrobe has been seen peering (that’s peering, not peeing) into houses.

Greenwood: The Seattle Fire Department has determined that the fire that took out four businesses on N 85th St was arson.

Maple Leaf: Three kids rob a man at gunpoint.

Kinda crazy:

Eastlake: A pizza shop owner apologizes to the Eastlake community for his role in importing Canadian marijuana into the U.S.

© for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2009.

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Post tags: greenwood, lake city, maple leaf, northgate, pinehurst, queen anne, wallingford, wedgwood

The proposed new Seattle Public Schools attendance boundaries have got everybody talking: Wallingford, Phinneywood, Fremont, Eastlake, Laurelhurst, Pinehurst, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Ballard …

Candidates for Mayor, City Attorney, and City Council are doing the rounds: see them Tuesday in Wallingford. They’ve already made stops in Ballard, Eastlake, and Northgate, where Mallahan was a no-show.

New and expanded businesses: Avila Restaurant in Wallingford, Sasquatch Studios, Tara Books (a South Indian publishing co-op) and Ken’s Market on Phinney Ridge, The Washington Federal Savings and Loan in Ballard, Whole Foods in Magnolia.

Closing: The Fridge in Ballard.

Bargain alert: Free chicken wings (if you slap a Wing Dome temporary tattoo on your face…) at Greenwood’s Wing Dome, a free public performance of ”Super School” at the Greenwood Library, a free workshop to help parents support children in math at the Lake City Library, and Seattle Public Utilities is lending out free neighborhood drain cleaning supplies.

Crime watch: An employee is stabbed at The Matador Restaurant and Tequila Bar and a man threatens his neighbors with a gun in Ballard, a cat is killed in a hit-and-run accident in Phinney, a pit-bull owner allegedly stands by while his dogs attack other dogs at Magnuson Park, and a kid with gun shoots at cars in Lake City.

Of special interest to Green Lake: Green Lake “option school” AS #1′s P.E. Teacher wins an award and Northeast library patrons have headed back to their own branch.

Kinda crazy: An inert hand grenade is found in Wallingford and a car snaps off a fire hydrant in Greenwood.

© for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2009.

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Post tags: animals, ballard, bargain alert, crime, fremont, going out of business, laurelhurst, library, local businesses, local politics, magnolia, northgate, phinney, pinehurst, queen anne, restaurants, schools, theater, wallingford