Where is Police Excessive Force Bill?

Above: The Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia on Friday. As daffodils begin to burst forth in the warm late January sunshine, organizers with the Black Alliance of Thurston County are wondering why their proposed legislation to clarify deadly force by law enforcement officers has not yet been introduced.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

What’s taking so long? Draft legislation that proposes to change the law governing the use of deadly force by law enforcement in Washington State has not yet been introduced.

Little Hollywood first wrote about this story on Monday, January 18, http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/01/changes-to-police-excessive-force-law.html

Washington State Representative Cindy Ryu (pronounced Ree-oo), (D-32) was expected to be the prime sponsor and introduce the bill last week. 

On Friday, Little Hollywood was informed by Ryu's assistant that Representative Ryu decided earlier in the week not to prime sponsor the bill, and that Representative Luis Moscoso (D-1) was going to sponsor it. Attempts by Little Hollywood to meet or speak with Representative Moscoso on Friday were unsuccessful.

Black Alliance of Thurston County organizers are calling upon Speaker of the House Frank Chopp to allow the legislation to be sponsored and referred to a committee. 

The organization spearheaded the effort to clean up language in the current law under RCW 9A.16.040 and provide clarity when the use of deadly force is justifiable. They say that the main goal is to make sure the use of deadly force is used in the context where the risk to the officer or public is imminent and the use of deadly force is necessary.

 

The new language says, “The use of deadly force by a public officer, peace officer, or person aiding is justifiable when the officer reasonably believes that there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or to a third party and that the deadly force is necessary to prevent it….”

Several phrases are stricken from the law that may cause an officer to be unclear in such a situation. 

The phrase that an officer “shall not be held criminally liable for using deadly force without malice and with a good faith belief that such act is justifiable” is also deleted. That phrase is used in Washington State as a defense against prosecution of an officer when the police officer uses deadly force. The phrase is replaced by "reasonably believes" which is a phrase found in the statutes of other states.

“Such clear guidance will benefit both law enforcement officers and the communities they protect, and will result in a law that upholds the role of law enforcement to maintain public safety and foster accountability and public trust,” says the proposed legislation.

February 5 is the cutoff deadline for bills to be heard in their house of origin.

Olympia Youth Speak Up at Ad Hoc Police Forum

Above: Sign at Olympia High School, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The Ad Hoc Committee on Police and Community Relations held its fourth community forum at Olympia High School on Thursday afternoon.

The forum focused primarily on the experiences and ideas of youth and was open to all community members to also share their thoughts about how the Olympia police department can best serve the public.

Several students and staff of Olympia High School were in attendance, including principal Matt Grant. Several uniformed police officers were also in attendance, which prompted one adult to say that their armed presence was difficult for him. 

Several students shared stories of their interactions with local police. 

One young man, who is African American, said he was with a group of friends and one of them had a BB gun. Someone called it into police, and one officer arrived, who ordered them to the ground. They complied. One responding officer soon turned into three others because a neighbor started arguing with the officer.

“I was scared. I didn’t want to become a statistic,” he said. Asked to elaborate on his feelings about the incident, he said, “Well, the officer didn’t pull his gun out and I didn’t get shot, so the situation turned out A+….”

Another African American student said he felt the Olympia police are better than most.

“They’ve shown me respect,” he said. He said he came from Tennessee, and said that “things are really bad down there….”Asked what he would like to see by the Olympia Police Department, he said more forums and more dialog.

Maddie Hendrickson, 18, shared that she was in a car accident about a year ago in which a school bus rear-ended her car. She was uninjured, but said she didn’t feel like she was being heard by the officer, and he seemed rushed. 

“It was a stressful situation and the police could be calmer,” said Hendrickson. She offered many suggestions for how the police could approach teens with more compassion.

A mother described how her son has been victimized at Washington Middle School and Olympia High School due to his African American race.

“There hasn’t been a single year that he hasn’t had a racial incident here in Olympia,” said Karen Arnold. The Arnold’s have lived in Olympia for 15 years and came from Tacoma. In the most recent incident last year at Olympia High School, he was jumped on by another student on the basketball court and called the “n” word. She says the student was given a half day suspension.

“….That is not enough,” said Karen Arnold. “….It gives the message that the behavior is ok….”

Her son, Kardel Arnold, 15, was present and freely shared his stories and thoughts. Arnold said that when he was in the sixth and seventh grade, he was harassed all the time. He described a situation in which he was sitting on the bus and was punched by another student. There was no disciplinary action to the bully.

“I could be wrong, but I’m 99 percent sure that if it had been me who had done the punching, I would have been suspended or expelled,” he said. His mother called the police to see about what could be done, but they said nothing could be done because the other student did not threaten Arnold. Conversely, the school said that they couldn’t do anything because as soon as the police are called, it becomes a police issue, and not a school issue.

In general, Kardel Arnold says he has nothing against police officers, but he makes sure he doesn’t move too quickly or make any wrong moves when he sees police around.

Hired last spring, Olympia High School paraeducator Antonio McClinon, who is African American, said that he would like to see more people of color on the police force. He also said that there are only three African American males who work at the school.

McClinon said he spoke with the school district superintendent a couple of years ago about diversity and what he thought would be a ten minute conversation turned into an hour. He was pleased about that, but in terms of recruiting for teaching positions, the process is difficult, plus, African American teachers who live in the South Sound area tend to take jobs in Tacoma or Seattle, an environment where they feel more comfortable.

“….I could easily get a job there, but I want to be here…. I’m a role model here. It starts with one or two….I am not afraid, I am concerned….There's so much politics and roadblocks….” he said. The African American students surrounding McClinon agreed that he was someone that they felt they could go to if they needed to.

Mr. Grant said that race is frequently an issue at Olympia High School and acknowledged that it is a challenge for students of color to come to the school.

“If I could have a request, it would be that we be constantly in training, for the police and administrators, on how to interact with students of color, learn the issues there, and strategies for creating dialog. I think we learn a lot from each other and I can’t say enough about how much we want to engage in dialog, and we can do a lot more. We have a core group of students willing to engage in dialog but setting those things up are really difficult….”

He said that in his experience, the school has had several positive experiences with the police. Grant said they used to have lunchtime sessions with students of color, but not this year.

“We can always do more,” he said.

The Olympia City Council tasked a group of citizens last year with engaging the community on how the Olympia police can better serve the public, especially people who do not often have the chance to be heard. The group has held several forums. For more information about the group and future meeting dates, go to www.olympiawa.gov.

Editor’s Note: All individuals in this article consented to being identified. 

Little Hollywood has written many articles about the Ad Hoc group, police issues, racial justice, the Olympia Police Department, and excessive use of force by law enforcement at Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com. Use the search engine to type in key words.

Above: “Throw kindness around like Confetti”sign at Olympia High School.

Changes to Police Excessive Force Law Proposed by Black Alliance of Thurston County

Above: As Governor Jay Inslee waits to speak, Dr. Karen Johnson, chair of the Black Alliance of Thurston County, speaks at Monday's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in Olympia. Nat Jackson, far left, a member of the Black Alliance of Thurston County, was the master of ceremonies. The Black Alliance of Thurston County has spearheaded the writing of state legislation that would change the law governing excessive use of deadly force by law enforcement in Washington State. 

Just before Dr. Karen Johnson was to speak in the Rotunda, the voice of Governor Inslee came over the public address system. Inslee was apparently giving a speech elsewhere in the building and the mechanical systems became crossed. After at least 15 minutes of interruption to the celebration and unsuccessful attempts to mute Inslee and restore the microphone in the Rotunda, the crowd started chanting, “Black Lives Matter! Black Lives Matter!” 

In an extraordinary turn of events, Reverend Vera Diggins, who had earlier lead the group in the Black National Anthem, lead the crowd in singing several verses of “We Shall Overcome!” The emotional tenor of the crowd changed and the public address system was somehow fixed, allowing Johnson to speak. Then, Governor Inslee, who arrived and was scheduled to speak, began his speech by saying, “The mission of equality cannot be drowned out!” to cheers from the crowd.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Proposed legislation written and spearheaded by members of the Black Alliance of Thurston County that would change excessive use of deadly force by law enforcement in Washington State has garnered a prime sponsor.

Washington State Representative Cindy Ryu, D-32, has agreed to sponsor the legislation. The bill, which does not have a number yet and is in the process of some last minute refining, would amend RCW 9A.16.040.

The South Sound area was jammed packed with celebrations and service events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday. Dr. Karen Johnson, chair of the Black Alliance of Thurston County, announced the proposed legislation at a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration held at the Washington State Capitol Building.

“We should all feel proud that we are one step closer to having a use of deadly force law that attacks our egregious state law, not the noble law enforcement officers who maintain the public safety of all Washingtonians,” said Johnson.

“There’s widespread recognition that our justifiable homicide statute is broken because it sets a higher bar than any other state in prosecuting officers who use deadly force without justification. Amnesty International calls Washington State’s law regarding use of deadly force as the “most egregious” in the nation. 

“The Black Alliance of Thurston County, in coalition and partnership with others…want to start the conversation around this issue….It is the right thing to do at the right time….We can pass a bill that is good for the people, the police, and the prosecutors of Washington State who seek public safety and accountability for all,” said Johnson.

Only Washington State law provides a defense against prosecution when a police officer acts “without malice and with a good faith belief that such act is justifiable.” Malice is defined in law as “evil intent.”

The proposed bill removes a subsection which contains the phrase “without malice and with a good faith belief,” an aspect which makes Washington's statute so unique.

To put Washington State law in line with the recommendations of a June 2015 Amnesty International report, “Deadly Force: Police Use of Lethal Force in the United States,”  the bill also clarifies language regarding use of deadly force against fleeing felons so it is clear that the risk to the officer has to be imminent.

The legislation is expected to be introduced on Tuesday or early this week. 

The bill's sponsor, Senator Cindy Ryu, represents Northwest Seattle, Shoreline, South Edmonds, Woodway, west Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood. While serving as a Shoreline City Councilmember, Ryu was elected mayor in 2008, becoming the first female Korean-American mayor in the United States. Serving her third House term in the Washington State Legislature, Ryu is a Deputy Whip and co-chairs the Members of Color Caucus.

The Black Alliance of Thurston County hopes to have the bill passed and signed by Governor Jay Inslee during this short legislative session.

Above: Andre Thompson, middle, wearing hat, and his brother Bryson Chaplin, who was not in attendance at Monday's celebration, and their family was acknowledged and prayed for by Bishop Charlotte Petty of Risen Faith Fellowship. Thompson and Chaplin were shot by an Olympia police officer in May 2015. The officer who shot the brothers was not charged by the Thurston County prosecutor, who used the “without malice and with a good faith belief.....” defense for the officer, indicating that the shooting was justifiable.

Amnesty's Deadly Force Report

The Amnesty International report is primarily based on a state-by-state legislative survey of use of lethal force statutes within the United States.

According to Amnesty International, the United States has failed to track how many people are killed by law enforcement officers. No one knows exactly how many people are killed each year but estimates range from 400 to over 1,000.

Among its other findings:  

African Americans are disproportionately impacted by police killings, according to the limited data available.

The United States has failed to respect and protect the right to life by failing to ensure that domestic legislation meets international human rights law and standards on the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers.

All 50 states and Washington, D.C. fail to comply with international law and standards on the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers.

None of the state statutes require that the use of lethal force may only be used as a last resort with non-violent and less harmful means to be tried first.

No state limits the use of lethal force to only those situations where there is an imminent threat to life or serious injury to the officer or to others.

Nine states, including Washington, allow for the use of lethal force to be used to suppress a riot.

Twenty two states, including Washington, allow for law enforcement officers to kill someone trying to escape from a prison or jail.

Only eight states, including Washington, require that a warning be given, when feasible, before lethal force is used.

Twenty states, including Washington, allow for private citizens to use lethal force if they carry out law enforcement activities.

For more information about the Black Alliance of Thurston County, Karen Johnson, the City of Olympia’s Ad Hoc Committee on Police and Community Relations, Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin, and local groups working for racial justice, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

For more information about Amnesty International’s report “Deadly Force: Police Use of Lethal Force in the United States,” go to: www.amnestyusa.org/deadlyforce

Above: Names of Black loved ones lost to police violence are written in chalk outside the Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia. 

Capitol Lake Estuary Bill Introduced

Above: Washington State Representative Brian Blake’s legislative office overlooks Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia. Blake just introduced legislation, HB 2568, that calls for Capitol Lake to transition back to an estuary. The bill has been referred to the State Government Committee.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Washington State Representative Brian Blake, D-19, has introduced a bill, HB 2568, that calls for the transition, management, protection, preservation, and coordination of Capitol Lake to an estuarine environment.

The bill states that Capitol Lake and its transition to an estuary must be co-managed with the tribes with histories or traditions or customary uses relating to the Deschutes River watershed.

The bill has been referred to the House State Government Committee chaired by Representative Sam Hunt, D-22.

Blake represents Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, parts of Cowlitz, Lewis, and Grays Harbor and is chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. His Olympia office in the Legislative Building overlooks Capitol Lake.

In an interview Friday morning with Little Hollywood, Blake said he was excited about the legislation.

“This is a discussion I’ve been following for years and I’m frustrated by the lack of decision-making. Looking at the analyses and barriers to salmon recovery in Puget Sound, I see this as a real opportunity to restore some habitat. Now is the time to introduce a bill and discuss this,” said Blake.

Asked about those who think opening up the dam will create an excessive amount of silt to pour into Budd Inlet, Blake said that the lake is currently periodically drained.

“Just opening up the dam will go a long ways to allow a channel to form. I don’t think much silt will travel out of the lake at all. The majority of silt will remain in place, stabilize salt marshes and soils, and the healing process will begin,” said Blake.

Estuary advocates are thrilled with the legislation. Sue Patnude of the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team, an Olympia-based nonprofit, has worked for several years to raise awareness of the benefits of restoring the lake to an estuary.

“HB 2568 is long overdue and a major milestone in our estuary restoration efforts. The attempt to maintain a river that flows beside the State Capitol as a lake is a failed project. Water quality is getting worse as circulation in Budd Inlet is diminished.  Capitol Lake, due to the mud snail infestation, has been a "do not use" place for too long. Salmon using these waters are on the decline. The community wants to enjoy these estuarine waters, as recreation, as a place for the web of life to flourish. This cannot happen as long as it is a dammed estuary. Removing the dam will make Washington State and Olympia a model place in our Puget Sound clean-up efforts. Thanks to Representative Blake and the others for introducing this bill,” said Patnude.

Representative Sam Hunt, D-22, who has an office next door to Blake's, showed more optimism Friday morning for the Seahawks than the legislation. Wearing full Seahawks regalia, Hunt was asked what the chances were for HB 2568 to get a hearing before the State Government Committee.

“We’ll see what kind of time we have. People are waiting to the last minute to drop their bills,” said Hunt, who also noted the bill’s uncertain fiscal impacts.

The Deschutes River in Thurston County runs 57 miles from its headwaters in Lewis County, past Rainier and through Tumwater, until it reaches Budd Inlet in South Puget Sound. Historically, the mouth of the lower Deschutes River flowed to the Puget Sound. The lake was created as a reflecting pool for the State Capitol Building and the estuary was dammed in 1951 at what is now 5^th Avenue in downtown Olympia.

The 2016 Washington State Legislative Session started on Monday. Its website is www.leg.wa.gov and provides extensive, easy to use information on House and Senate membership, committee information, agendas, and specific legislation. To comment on a bill or ask questions, the Legislative Hotline is 1-800-562-6000. 

Above: Washington State Representative Brian Blake, D-19, points to Capitol Lake from his legislative office balcony in Olympia. Blake was a logger with the Weyerhaeuser Company for ten years before he became an environmental specialist for the state Department of Corrections.  A graduate of The Evergreen State College, Blake is a resident of Aberdeen and has served in the House since 2002.

Rhenda Strub Announces Candidacy for State Representative

Above: Rhenda Iris Strub at the Washington State Capitol Building on Sunday. Strub, a former Olympia city councilmember, has announced her candidacy for Washington State Representative, 22nd District, Position #1.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

In the strange and complicated web of local politics, former Olympia city councilmember Rhenda Iris Strub is on a journey and has announced her candidacy for Washington State Representative, 22nd District, Position #1. 

The position is being vacated by current State Representative Chris Reykdal, who is pursuing the position of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Strub served on the Olympia City Council from 2008-2011.

Strub arrived in Olympia from South Dakota in 2002, and is married to LOTT Clean Water Alliance executive director Mike Strub. She has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and worked for many years as an engineering consultant specializing in environmental permitting and compliance. She has four children and lives in the southeast Olympia neighborhood.

She is proud of her accomplishments as a councilmember, and in her interview with Little Hollywood on Tuesday, she specifically mentioned her part in the building of a much needed fourth fire station, city hall, the Hands On Children’s Museum, finding a permanent site for the homeless now called Quixote Village, and the creation of a dog park.

Strub ran for a second term against Nathaniel Jones, but lost. The politics at the time were vicious, and for folks who were involved around that time, Strub’s lack of civility toward community members in written and verbal form, often from her position on the dais, was well known.

Strub explained that her behavior was caused, in part, by her grief in the fact that her youngest son was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 2008. He is now a student at South Puget Sound Community College.

“I am who I am. I speak my mind and people either love that about me or hate that about me. It’s probably my most prominent characteristic, that I’m plainspoken. It’s my strength and it’s my weakness. It took me time to learn that, when I did that from behind the microphone, the impact was quadrupled. I did not understand that….” said Strub.

Indeed, during our interview, instead of offering a sound bite or two, or a prepared elevator speech about her candidacy, it first took her 20 minutes to explain her role and unpopular vote involving a proposed height rezone of the isthmus area in downtown Olympia in 2008-09. 

Then, Strub struggled to define why she is running for state representative, but said she wants to use her training in science to help inform decisions about the environment and other issues.

As state representative, Strub said her number one priority is to fix the state budget.

“We need to raise taxes, we need an income tax, and I think the wealthy people in this state need to pay more to support the infrastructure and the public employees in this state because nobody got wealthy or stayed wealthy by themselves,” said Strub.

Asked how she will specifically represent the citizens of Thurston County, Strub said that public employees are her largest constituency.

“….Public employees have been mistreated. For eight years, Governor Gregoire balanced the budget on their backs. They took furloughs, they lost pay raises, they paid more for health insurance, and they had to work harder and harder and harder. I think we owe them,” she said.

As a city councilmember, Strub strongly supported keeping Capitol Lake a lake, and supported bills to require the state to manage it as a lake, and not convert it to an estuary. Asked about how she feels about the issue now, Strub said she is reevaluating her position.

“Now I’m intrigued by the idea of an estuary. I’d say my strongest position is, I want the state to do something but they haven’t done a thing.” Strub says she looks forward to the state Department of Enterprise Service’s analysis and recommendation based on science so a final decision can be made.

Regarding the isthmus and the nine story Capitol Center Building, also known as the Mistake on the Lake, Strub said she was in favor as a councilmember for the city to buy and destroy the nine story building, and still holds that opinion.

Strub lamented that the Legislature has taken money from the Public Works Trust Fund, loan money critical to local governments, and the effect of Tim Eyman initiatives.

“The Legislature has an obligation to get out of the way of local governments so local governments can determine their own destiny – it’s the least the state can do after taking away so many revenue streams….”

Strub said she was supportive of a statewide minimum wage increase.

“I’ll carry petitions with me when I doorbell to get that on the ballot.”

Laurie Dolan, former policy director to Governor Christine Gregoire, announced her candidacy for the same position in September 2015, and has garnered a long list of endorsers, including Gregoire. She currently has over $22,000 in the bank, according to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC).

Strub acknowledged that she is concerned about Dolan’s head start.

“It’s daunting. She has an impressive list of advisors. I have broad grassroots experience and connected to this community in a hands-on way. I was on the (Thurston County) Planning Commission, doorbelled the city twice, and have constituents at every level. I understand this community in a way only someone who has served in local government can….”

When asked, Strub mentioned several community members who are supporting her campaign, such as Lacey city councilmember Jeff Gadman, former state representative Brendan Williams, Thurston County Democratic state chairwoman Debby Pattin, and Mike Simmons, President of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 468.

Isthmus Issues Not Too Long Ago

The area of the isthmus in downtown Olympia is still an issue now, but a particular land use case fraught with emotion about eight years ago arose when an Urban Waterfront Rezone and Height amendment to the Comprehensive Plan was under consideration and would be approved by the Olympia city council.

If approved, height increases in that area would increase from 35 feet, and allow buildings on the isthmus of up to 90 feet.

Tri Vo, and his development company, Triway Enterprises, needed the rezone, and declared his intention to build five and seven story buildings, which would include shops and 141 condominiums that, at that time, were proposed to sell for $800,000 to $1 million.

The proposed rezone also included the area occupied by Traditions Fair Trade and other local businesses. The Capitol Center Building, which stands at 108 feet, was not part of Tri Vo’s desires. 

The issue inspired candidates to run for city council, dominated campaign themes and conversations, and strained community relations and personal relationships.

The city’s planning commission held hearings on the proposed rezone amendment. Organizations like Friends of the Waterfront organized community opposition. The Olympia Capitol Park Foundation was formed. The South Puget Environmental Education Clearinghouse (SPEECH) held a timely, popular public forum about the issue.

Despite massive community opposition, in December 2008, five of the seven councilmembers voted for the rezone, including Strub. At different times in the process, Councilmember Strub also voted against it, but the damage was done. Strub lost her election in 2010 to Nathaniel Jones.

The final outcome? At their first meeting on January 5, 2010, in a democratically choreographed coup of sorts, newly elected councilmembers Stephen Buxbaum, Karen Rogers, and Jeannine Roe led the effort to begin reversing the efforts of the previous council.

With three stunning motions, which all passed, the newly reconstituted council accomplished more for many citizen activists in one meeting than in a whole year of trying to work with the previous council on isthmus-related issues and Triway Enterprises eventually went away.

“It’s democracy at its best, isn’t it? This should give everyone hope that the impossible is possible,” said Bonnie Jacobs of Friends of the Waterfront, after the January 5, 2010 meeting.

Strub Makes Amends and Looks Forward

Strub’s campaign is being managed by a local agency, the Percival Consulting Group, which includes Joe Hyer and Danielle Westbrook.

Hyer was on the council at the same time as Strub, and was part of the effort to oust her from the council. Later, Hyer had his own issues to deal with, and resigned in early 2010. He was replaced by Steve Langer.

Although Strub did not leave the council as friends with Hyer, the two have worked on personal reconciliation issues, and Hyer recently accepted Strub as a client because he considers her to be a viable candidate.

 

The position of Washington State Representative for the 22nd District, Position #2 is being sought by candidates Beth Doglio and Dylan Carlson, who both announced their intentions in October 2015. Strub said she picked state representative position #1 because she likes Doglio and Carlson very much.

“They have both been involved in community organizing a very long time and for causes I support.” When asked, Strub said she has endorsed Carlson because he was her campaign manager the first time she ran for city council.

Westbrook serves as treasurer for Doglio’s campaign, while Hyer is Carlson’s campaign treasurer.

Doglio has amassed a long list of endorsers and nearly $37,000 in the bank. Carlson has not yet listed endorsers on his website, and has nearly $18,000, according to the PDC. The position is being vacated by Representative Sam Hunt, who is pursuing the Senate position currently held by Senator Karen Fraser, who is pursuing the position of Lieutenant Governor.

At the close of our interview, Strub acknowledged, “I am well aware of my history. Clearly there’s been tension. My ability to move through that is an important part of whether or not I will make a good public servant.”

The issues about the isthmus, Triway Enterprises, and the proposed rezone is well documented by Little Hollywood, starting in 2009. To read more about the history of the isthmus area, the proposed height rezone, Triway Enterprises, and some of Strub’s involvement, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and use the search button to type in key words.

Editor's Note: Corrections to position numbers were made shortly after posting this article.

Work, Laughs, and Tears: 2016 Olympia City Council Retreat in Review

Above, left to right: Olympia city councilmembers Jeannine Roe, Nathaniel Jones, Jessica Bateman and Jim Cooper work in small groups at their council retreat this past weekend.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Seven Olympia councilmembers have chosen to take on the challenge of establishing policies for just over 51,000 residents of Washington State’s capital city.

With a 2016 annual operating budget of about $129 million, and a 2016 – 2021 Capital Facilities Plan that features about $133 million in projects, Olympia councilmembers juggle a hefty workload. 

Their collective responsibilities include attendance at weekly council meetings, bi-weekly study sessions, and service on 16 intergovernmental committees, 10 city advisory committees, three council committees, and other committees and meetings as needed. The city calls it a part-time job that takes 15-20 hours a week, but in reality, it takes much, much more to do it right.

A retreat is an opportunity to get to know each other better, but there is a delicate balance: if councilmembers develop a “groupthink” mentality, don't question staff or consultant assumptions, understand the issues, or work well together for the common good, the results can be stressful and unproductive for them and the public.

Worse, such a dynamic can lead to the creation of policies, ordinances and actions that can be downright harmful to residents, the environment, or local economic success.

So, with two new councilmembers, Jessica Bateman, who was elected, and Clark Gilman, who was appointed last Monday, and Councilmember Cheryl Selby in her new role as mayor, the council spent time solidifying their responsibilities at their annual retreat this weekend in a Port of Olympia meeting room near the Olympia Farmer's Market. 

No blood or sweat, but there were plenty of laughs and yes, there were tears.  

In terms of longevity on the council, Councilmember Jeannine Roe, first elected in 2009, has participated in 15 retreats, including mid-year retreats, while Councilmember Jim Cooper, as the second runner up, has participated in a total of nine retreats. Both strongly agree that there was cohesiveness in the group that has never before been seen during their tenure.

Longtime city manager Steve Hall agreed, saying that in the 45-50 council retreats he has attended, he has never seen a more collaborative, open attitude among councilmembers.

The group explored their core values, discussed 2016 council goals, divided up council committee and intergovernmental assignments, and dreamed big. It was serious work that involved some new ways of thinking.

Above: City of Olympia staff members Rich Hoey, director of public works, Mark Barber, city attorney, and Susan Grisham, executive secretary to the council, work on their Three Big Wishes for the City of Olympia.

Looking Forward to 2016

Councilmembers discussed several city challenges in 2015: the officer involved shooting of two African American men, finding new ways to engage the community and better ways to use city advisory board member’s time, city staffing changes, and issues around homelessness.

For accomplishments, councilmembers mentioned the hiring of an economic development director, passage of the Metropolitan Parks District initiative, movement on strategies for downtown revitalization, the election of new mayor, budget completion and work toward sustainability, creation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Police and Community Relations, and the transformation of the old Sears/state office building on the corner of Franklin Street and Legion Way into businesses and housing.

Besides ongoing projects, councilmembers will adopt the 2016 Parks, Arts, and Recreation Plan and implement the Metropolitan Parks District initiative while tackling a whole host of community priorities that fall under the categories of downtown, the economy, the environment, neighborhoods, and community, safety and health.

Leonard Bauer, city deputy director for community planning and development, provided a brief report on those priorities and programs and how they directly relate to the Comprehensive Plan, its action plans, and major planning projects in progress.

Using new user friendly informational graphics and data on the city's website, Bauer showed councilmembers how Olympia residents will soon be able to better track their area of interest, such as urban forestry, police body cameras, sea-level rise, public restrooms, parking and downtown strategies, West Bay habitat efforts, neighborhood pathway projects, and more.

To better communicate with the community, the council also discussed the creation of a city annual report that the city would insert into utility bills.

Creating a ‘Gracious Space’

For its retreat, the Olympia city council used the facilitation services of The Center for Ethical Leadership, a Seattle based nonprofit organization. The Center provides philosophies and tools for helping communities and specific groups such as cities, businesses, schools and individuals work through difficult issues.

With the help of materials from the Center, trained facilitator Diane Altman-Dautoff helped councilmembers move forward to create what the Center calls a “gracious space,” for working together. This concept was embodied in the phrase, “A spirit and setting where we invite the stranger and learn in public.” 

Wrapping their heads around this new way of thinking, councilmembers discussed the phrase, and how it feels for them, for example, during council meetings at public comment time, to hear emotional pleas and requests, and not being able to respond or have a conversation with the speaker. They also discussed what it must feel like to be the speaker making those requests, or expressing those concerns.

That unsatisfactory dynamic set up the groundwork for discussing how the city can set up meetings to be more welcoming.

Asked by the facilitator to name a meeting they have attended where they felt welcomed, councilmembers mentioned the Ad Hoc Committee on Police and Community Relations forum at Risen Faith Fellowship, at their homeowner’s association meetings, at board meetings of Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB), and at a recent wedding.

One noted common thread was the presence of food, which led to the free-thinking suggestion of the possibility of coffee and cookies at council meetings and having councilmembers greet the public as they come into the council chambers.

Still focusing on the phrase, “A spirit and setting where we invite the stranger and learn in public,” councilmembers, staff, and others present held moving, small group discussions about implicit bias after watching a brief, powerful Tedx talk by Verna Myers, filmed in November 2014. 

Questions such as, “What happened when you first experienced a difference between you and others, related to your racial or ethnic background?” brought up a wide range of experiences, thoughts, and emotions of being discriminated against, based on a whole host of reasons.

Finally, during a ‘Three Wishes’ dream-big exercise, councilmembers, staff and others present were invited to individually write down three things they would wish for, for the success and well-being of the city.

Those thoughts were then shared with another person, merging the six wishes into three. Then, with another pair of participants, the six wishes were merged into three. After all the wishes of 19 individuals were reported and posted, the group chose two, relatively quickly, about which they felt most strongly:

One: “Everyone has a home that is safe and affordable,” and two, “A thriving downtown economy with no empty buildings, ample parking, sea level rise solved, dirty soils cleaned, seismic risk gone, and transportation solved.”

Sometimes, great ideas emerge out of “crazy” dreams.

For more information about The Center for Ethical Leadership, go to www.ethicalleadership.org

To see the November 2014 Tedx talk about implicit bias by Verna Myers, go to: https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases

For more information about the City of Olympia, go to www.olympiawa.gov

 Above: Renee Sunde, City of Olympia economic development director, and Olympia councilmember Clark Gilman collaborate at this past weekend's council retreat.

Editor's Note: An original version of this article stated that Councilmember Jeannine Roe was first elected in 2006. She was first elected in 2009.