VIDEO: Briefing on city services during ‘historic challenge’ from record-setting snow

1:19 PM: Again today, Mayor Durkan gathered city department heads at the Emergency Operations Center for updates on how their teams are dealing with the “historic challenge” – as Seattle Public Utilities general manager Mami Hara described it – of providing service after record-setting snowfall. Above is Seattle Channel video of the briefing.

Hara’s department is of particular interest since West Seattleites with Monday solid-waste pickups are now eight days overdue. She reiterated what was announced online this morning – no residential pickups today, but once they resume, Monday customers are a priority. Today some crews are making some multifamily/commercial pickups where “accessible,” but the conditions on most residential streets aren’t safe yet. She also said there will be a free dropoff period at transfer stations for the most-overdue customers – that info is now updated here. Others who spoke included the heads of SDOT, City Light, Parks, Human Services, and the Fire Department, whose Chief Harold Scoggins urged everyone to maintain “situational awareness” to stay safe until this all clears out. Many words of thanks for residents’ patience and help, too. (You can also see a city multidepartment update here.)

2:51 PM: Waste Management – the city’s contractor – is now saying it expects to pick up Monday AND Tuesday customers tomorrow.

WS resident February 12, 2019 (1:57 pm)

What do we think this means for Seattle schools tomorrow?

WiseWoman February 12, 2019 (2:09 pm)

If temps drop, ice forms, schools close

WiseWoman February 12, 2019 (2:08 pm)

Again stupidity amongst ranks, #DumbfoundedByDurkinGarbage should resume the day they can safely access on the normal day so people aren’t so confused. If it resumes Wednesday pick up Wednesday. And add yrucks on Monday for those w/ longest pick up time. And start tagging/ ticketing folks who don’t compost. Because their garbage wouldn’t be full, strewn about by crows if the food part is composted. And if people are composting and recycling as per law, there isn’t that much garbage!! How about cracking down on businesses and huge no parking spaces under 3% unaffordable complexes, condos, housing that aren’t composting. And nag businesses that sort out in business but throw all in trash.. Big downtown buildings and businesses. How about street sweeping on every street every week where cars cant park there for 2-3 hours too.

Jon Wright February 12, 2019 (2:44 pm)

It’s not too late for you to toss your hat in the ring for the upcoming City Council election.
- WiseWoman February 12, 2019 (9:51 pm)
  
  Thanks Jon. I’m thinking about Mayor. That way I can fix the broken compounding stuff.
carole February 12, 2019 (3:00 pm)

Our condo composts and recycles. So do the other apts/townhouses within blocks around us. Why would you think multi unit buildings don’t?
wscommuter February 12, 2019 (3:09 pm)

@wisewoman … where did you get the idea that “big downtown buildings and businesses” don’t recycle and compost? I work in one of those buildings that is fully green in this regard. I’m frequently in other “big downtown buildings and businesses” and see those as pretty much fully green as well – well organized receptacles for all three (trash, compost and recyclables). Can’t speak for all and I’m sure there are places that don’t. But my (admittedly anecdotal) experience is directly opposite of your claim.
NotEveryoneIsYou February 12, 2019 (4:31 pm)

And if people are composting and recycling as per law, there isn’t that much garbage!!

Speak for yourself. I am meticulous with recycling and food waste, but my garbage hasn’t been picked up since January 28 and there are 3 people in my household, one of whom is elderly, disabled and completely incontinent (many adult diapers each day). So yeah, I’ve got plenty of garbage to pick up. I’m fortunate to have a garage where I can store the bags that won’t fit into the container until the morning they come to pick it up, so it won’t be strewn about.
ZD February 12, 2019 (5:06 pm)

Concise is good too.
Wseattleite February 12, 2019 (6:01 pm)

Wise Woman. What? You realize that recycling and compost are not being picked up either. Nearly everything that goes away from a home or business falls in one of these categories. As I read your rant, I couldn’t help but imagine a child with folded arms and a pouty face stomping their foot on the ground. “Do what I want!”
- WiseWoman February 12, 2019 (10:12 pm)
  
  Seriously… do you think I make this up? Walk around go thru alleys and see how many recycables and food waste are in garbages if you don’t believe… Walk around DT loading docks. While a majority of people do try their best (probably not good enough for my standards tho) there are still so many who don’t know what is recyclable even. And why SPU doesn’t accept the same items that are recyclable at recycle centers is beyond me.

Q February 12, 2019 (2:30 pm)

Allowing privately owned motor vehicles to be parked in the public right of way, preventing plowing of bike lanes, is completely unacceptable. Most modern cities require its citizens to move their cars off the street in order to facilitate plowing.

KM February 12, 2019 (2:59 pm)

If cars are parked in bike lanes, call the SPD non emergency line at 206.625.5011, it is unacceptable. Same goes for cars blocking driveways, or other similar issues.
CAM February 12, 2019 (3:10 pm)

I know Chicago gets way more snow making this more necessary but there are whole streets declared as “snow routes” on which it is illegal to park if there is more than a specific number of inches of snow. And they tow speedily too. The city has a contract with a towing company and when the snow starts to fall that company is out hooking cars up as fast as they can because they make more money that way. On the other hand, there was just a big investigation into that company for towing when they shouldn’t have been resulting in people’s cars being impounded for no reason and people unable to get them back because they don’t have the impound fees. I’m sure there’s a happy middle in there somewhere.

WS REZ February 12, 2019 (2:56 pm)

Free drop off at transfer stations? Not seeing that on https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2019/02/06/solid-waste-collection-resumes-feb-6/

WSB February 12, 2019 (3:08 pm)

Mami Hara announced it at the briefing. You can also see it in the multidepartment update:
https://durkan.seattle.gov/2019/02/city-of-seattle-snow-ice-response-february-8-11/

Offthepeninsula February 12, 2019 (3:08 pm)

I’ve been out and about during snowmaggeddon because of work. I’ve seen amazing work by bus drivers, plow drivers, utility crews, medics, parks staff and SPD (and many more). I’ve seen police kindly and compassionately trying to convince some homeless folks dwelling in a doorway to accept shelter. Thanks to everyone who has been out there making a difference.

KS February 12, 2019 (3:10 pm)

No words to express the lack of leadership within that group.Thank you to the USPS we got our mail.

Raised in WS February 12, 2019 (3:57 pm)

Try to have a little patience, everyone’s been doing the best they can. Your mail isn’t the biggest priority.

Lura Ercolano February 12, 2019 (3:54 pm)

I am very impressed with the leadership and coordination shown by the leaders in today’s and yesterday’s briefings.

sam-c February 12, 2019 (4:28 pm)

I appreciate hearing from them, and think they are doing a great job during this snow emergency. I really appreciated hearing the detail from them on what specific steps they were taking to help the homeless. Hopefully the City (and volunteers) can continue these efforts to help those most in need. There were other stories in there that showed how the city can come together when it needs to. Lastly, I know they aren’t city employees, but really appreciate the bus drivers’ efforts and Metro through all this.

Fed up with garbage February 12, 2019 (5:10 pm)

Hey Unwisewoman,If you let me know where you live, I’ll be happy to dump my garbage, now 3 weeks old, in your yard, and then WM can pick it up on your scheduled day. Or perhaps you want to buy WM an extra fleet of trucks so they can do that ‘extra’ pick up?It’s really not that hard to remember an extra two days – they do it at Christmas too. You must not be very wise if you can’t figure it out.

Sorry, comment time is over.