Talk with your city councilmember: District 1’s Rob Saka launching ‘office hours’

(WSB photo, City Council chambers, last month)

When we talked with District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka the day he was sworn in, he promised to open a district office. No word of the location for that yet, but he’s launching “office hours” next week – regular times where constituents can make appointments to talk with him in the district, rather than having to go downtown. According to Saka’s weekly newsletter, his first office-hours dates are February 23 and March 6, at the Southwest Customer Service Center (same building as the pool and Teen Life Center, 2801 SW Thistle). According to the signup form for the first date, hours will be 11 am-1 pm, at least for starters, and he’s booking 20-minute windows, either in person or via videoconferencing. He’s also planning South Park office hours, starting March 23 at the Duwamish River Community Hub.

Seattlite February 17, 2024 (9:30 pm)

I would like Saka to “launch” his to do list of promises. I want to see action and results like increasing police officer staffing; crimes with consequences; a safe downtown; safe neighborhoods/communities.

Anne February 17, 2024 (10:20 pm)

Why don’t you make an appointment & ask him in person?
- Seattlite February 18, 2024 (8:29 am)
  
  Saka already campaigned on what he is going to do. Now he needs to do it. There is no reason to discuss Saka’s promises especially his promise for robust policing. When I make a promise, I follow through without further discussion. I expect the same of elected politicians who are elected to work for you not for themselves.
  - bill February 18, 2024 (8:26 pm)
    
    How should Saka “do it”? Unfilled police positions are funded. The tone of your boast implies you would somehow coerce people into becoming police officers.
    - Seattlite February 19, 2024 (12:15 pm)
      
      It is all about city policies, Bill. “Coerce” means to use force which is not in anyone’s best interests and probably illegal in a lot of situations. Accusing me of boasting is small, especially when I am stating a fact not a boast.
  - OV February 19, 2024 (2:38 pm)
    
    Well said 👍💯

CAM February 17, 2024 (10:47 pm)

Just to prove a point to every single hateful comment about Lisa Herbold from the last 8 years. I sent Rob Saka an email this week and have yet to receive a reply.

Al King February 18, 2024 (6:53 am)

Cam. Care to share the question you had for him?
Canton February 18, 2024 (9:52 am)

Good news! You don’t have to wait for a email, you can give your thoughts IN person now…
- OV February 19, 2024 (2:45 pm)
  
  I don’t recall LH doing anything like this, to the contrary! Word
  - WSB February 19, 2024 (9:57 pm)
    
    Yes, she did, monthly, even online/by phone during the pandemic – we have more than 70 references in our archives, and they were a fixture in our Event Calendar.

WS Bystander February 18, 2024 (7:30 am)

lol, sent an email three weeks ago. So far: crickets. Whatever.

Scarlett February 18, 2024 (11:05 am)

Why don’t some of you reach into your wallets, build a moat around your house and hire a private security “rent a cop” for your neighborhood? While you’re at it, consider a body guard to accompany you every time you step out of the door. Take responsiblity for your own lives instead your perpetual whining to elected officials for more law enforcement. Don’t expect me to subsidize your fairytale vision of West Seattle which, by the way, never ever existed except in your fertile imaginations.

dont traumatize me February 18, 2024 (7:01 pm)

You need to be careful if you’re going to build a moat, or fence, or wall, or any kind or size of barricade to keep undesirables off your property, at least if you don’t want to trigger our brave councilman. High curbs that protect cyclists and prevent him from making an illegal turn into his kids’ private school during municipal construction projects traumatize him and his cohort. We should probably just keep hiring police officers and empower them to harass innocent people until every young non-white person in West Seattle is in prison. That’s what we want, right? That’s not traumatizing at all.
Seattlite February 18, 2024 (8:38 pm)

Is there anything wrong with wanting less crime: car jackings, robberies, assaults, stolen vehicles, shoplifting, home break-ins, porch thefts, reckless/negligent drivers, etc? Unless you have lived in WS for as long as I have (73 years and born in Seattle), you have no idea how great WS or downtown Seattle used to be back in the day.
- Amy February 18, 2024 (9:30 pm)
  
  Please get outta here with that old timey talk about back in my day it was like x. If some had been here 5 yrs, 10 yrs, or 1 yr, their ideas/feelings/visions aren’t less valuable than yours.
  - Seattlite February 19, 2024 (12:18 pm)
    
    Thanks for letting me know that I am not allowed to share WS history on the WSB. My comment in no way mentions “their ideas/feelings/visions aren’t less valuable” than my factual statement.
- OV February 19, 2024 (2:49 pm)
  
  Thanks🤔
OV February 19, 2024 (2:43 pm)

Defender Sawant essentially asked for this at taxpayer expense contrary to her public stance. ?

Sorry, comment time is over.