See which committee your new Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold will lead

It’s not final until after the first of the year, but the Seattle City Council has just announced the tentative plan for which councilmember will head which committee next year. That includes the choice of District 1 City Councilmember-elect Lisa Herbold as chair of the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. Here’s the full announcement, which includes some committee-name changes (note Sustainability and Transportation, for example – it’s currently just Transportation):

Seattle City Council announced its tentative plan for committee assignments today, in preparation for work in 2016. Each Councilmember is responsible for chairing a Council committee and managing legislation related to the committee’s focus. Councilmembers also serve as a vice-chair on one committee and as a member on another. Councilmembers can also sponsor legislation on other committees under certain conditions. Committee assignments are made official at the first Full Council meeting of the year, on Monday January 4, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. Councilmembers will also elect their 2016-17 Council President at the meeting. Committee assignments last for two years.

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw will chair the Human Services and Public Health Committee. Councilmember Bagshaw will oversee Council’s work on issues relating to services provided by the Human Services Department, including programs that meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in our community. The committee will also consider matters involving public health and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), which allows law enforcement officers to redirect low-level offenders engaged in drug or prostitution activity to community-based services.

Councilmember Tim Burgess will chair the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee. As chair of this committee, Councilmember Burgess will focus on issues relating to housing—investing and promoting the development and preservation of affordable housing, and building strong neighborhoods through outreach and engagement. Councilmember Burgess will also chair the Budget committee, overseeing the review of the Mayor’s proposed budget.

Councilmember Lorena González will chair the Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans Committee. As chair, Councilmember González will consider policies to address gender equity and help improve the lives of Seattle’s immigrant and refugee residents. The committee will also focus on fostering safe communities, improving police accountability, crime prevention, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, and fire and medical services.

Councilmember Bruce Harrell will chair the Education, Equity and Governance Committee. As chair, Councilmember Harrell will focus on issues relating to public schools and improving student success rates, intergovernmental relations, technology, ethics and elections, prisoner reentry and equity issues for underserved communities.

Councilmember Lisa Herbold will chair the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. Councilmember Herbold’s committee will manage issues relating to labor standards, civil rights, Seattle Public Utilities, and economic development. The committee will also manage issues relating to arts and culture in Seattle, which includes nightlife issues.

Councilmember Rob Johnson will chair the Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee. As chair of this committee, Councilmember Johnson will take up issues involving City zoning, planning, major institutions, quasi-judicial decisions, community development, and land use regulations.

Councilmember Debora Juarez will chair the Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee. As chair, Councilmember Juarez will focus on issues relating to City parks, community centers, and public grounds, including the Seattle Center. Her committee will also manage legislation relating to the Seattle Public Library system. Councilmember Juarez will also chair the Central Waterfront committee.

Councilmember Mike O’Brien will chair the Sustainability and Transportation Committee. Councilmember O’Brien’s committee will handle matters pertaining to city-wide and regional transportation policy and planning. These issues range from pedestrian and bicycle programs, traffic control and parking policies, and overseeing the City’s coordination with regional and state departments of transportation. The committee will also have a shared-focus on Seattle’s Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon emissions.

Councilmember Kshama Sawant will chair the Energy and Environment Committee. Councilmember Sawant’s committee will handle policies relating to Seattle’s energy usage, as well as issues relating to alternative energy sources, air pollution regulation, energy utility rates, and Seattle City Light finances. In addition, Councilmember Sawant will take up matters that relate to climate and environmental protections, conservation programs, and green infrastructure.

During the campaign, Herbold had said she was interested in chairing the Land Use Committee.

See the full list of committee memberships here.

4 Replies to "See which committee your new Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold will lead"

  • Diane December 18, 2015 (2:08 pm)

    thanks for posting this very important story as soon as available, and including link to city page with more details
    ~
    huge victory for Lisa Herbold to get Vice-Chair of affordable housing; congrats to Lisa and to the 50%+ of Seattle citizens who are renters and desperately need REAL affordable housing and tenant rights
    ~
    big victory for Lisa Herbold to get Chair of the committee to manage labor standards, civil rights, and economic development, along with Kshama Sawant, Vice-Chair; yay!!!
    ~
    also big victory for Lisa Herbold to get “Member” of Planning, Land Use & Zoning
    ~
    Lisa has more expertise on labor standards AND on affordable housing (which is highly impacted by land use/zoning) than anyone on city council
    ~
    I would say all of these committee assignments are HUGE for a 1st term CM; Lisa was explaining to us at the MDC party on Sunday, how all the CM’s vote on these assignments; to me, this shows that other CM’s have a deep amount of respect and trust in Lisa’s experience and knowledge, to hit the ground running with some of our most complex and critical issues
    ~
    Tim Burgess (funded $600k+ by mostly developers) to get Chair of affordable housing? scary
    ~
    based on political media at end of campaign between CM Harrell and I-wish-Tammy-Morales-had-won-she-came-so-close, and recent rumors, Bruce is the expected new prez of CC
    ~
    Lisa will be sworn in at the first City Council meeting on Jan 4; I plan to be there by noon to get a seat and cheer on my WS/SP hero; go Lisa!!!
    ~
    expecting very good things for Seattle in 2016

  • Ben Weagraff December 18, 2015 (3:29 pm)

    How is “Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee” a committee? Those are all completely different.

  • head being scratched December 18, 2015 (4:30 pm)

    I concur Ben.

    Two points for whoever breaks down the thematic logic of these committee clusters.

  • AIDM January 7, 2016 (10:34 am)

    A West Seattle representative who doesn’t make every possibly effort to sit on and chair the Transportation committee is not really representing West Seattle.

Sorry, comment time is over.