The Greenwood Community Council meets from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.
On the agenda is a discussion of how the city’s new council districts will affect neighborhoods and community councils.
Last year voters approved a new method of selecting city council candidates, with seven members elected by district and two city-wide. District council elections will change Seattle politics dramatically. Three current city council incumbents have announced they will not run again, and everyone is wondering whether neighborhoods will have a stronger voice in budgeting, planning or policy, and (conversely) whether city-wide priorities will be neglected. Greenwood is bisected by the 5th and 6th city council districts, and over the next several months we will be meeting candidates hoping to represent us.
For community councils, city council districts raise all sorts of questions:
- How should we be involved in vetting the candidates?
- How should we work with other community councils and other neighborhood groups?
- Does is make sense to realign the city’s district councils with city council districts?
- Should we focus equal attention on the at-large council member races?
- What key Greenwood issues do we want candidates to focus attention on?
We will have a general discussion about how the community council needs to change and react to the new district council context. We will also hear from a group interested in promoting campaign finance reform in the city, and get an update on activities taking place on our committees and around the neighborhood.