Digital recordings of the meeting proceedings and meeting materials are available online – www.portseattle.org.
APPROVED MINUTES
COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING APRIL 1, 2020
The Port of Seattle Commission met in a special meeting Tuesday, April 1, 2020. The meeting was
held remotely in accordance with the governor’s ‘Stay at Home’ order and Proclamation 20-28.
Commissioners Bowman, Calkins, Cho, Felleman, and Steinbrueck were present.
1. CALL to ORDER
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 8, of the commission bylaws, the meeting convened at 10:04 a.m. to
conduct an executive session.
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION pursuant to RCW 42.30.110
The notice posted during the executive session included two matter(s) related to litigation and legal
risk. Following the executive session, which lasted approximately 80 minutes, the public meeting
reconvened at 12:00 p.m. Commissioner Steinbrueck led the flag salute.
3. APPROVAL of the AGENDA
Without objection, the preliminary agenda was approved without revisions.
4. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Executive Director Steve Metruck previewed items on the day’s agenda and made announcements.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment was received from the following individual(s):
• Stefan Moritz, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers.
• LeeAnn Subelbia, BF Foods, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport tenants.
• Lucia Flugencio-Perez, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport
workers.
• Sheila Foster, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers.
• Cyndee Beyers, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport
workers.
• Darla Falls, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers.
• Brenda Canady Valbush, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on
airport workers.
• Stacy Mills, Unite Here Labor Union, regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers.
• Rich Brown, Port Community Action Team, in support of Motion 2020-06 and continued
work with the Duwamish Valley community.
P.O. Box 1209
Seattle, Washington 98111
www.portseattle.org
206.787.3000
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• In lieu of spoken comment, Nick Poorbaugh, Flight Services and Systems, submitted
written materials regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport tenants, which are attached
as minutes Exhibit A.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Jan Bolerjack submitted written materials regarding impacts
of COVID-19 on airport tenants, which are attached as minutes Exhibit B.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Diakonda Gurning submitted written materials regarding
impacts of COVID-19 on airport tenants, which are attached as minutes Exhibit C.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Edwin Hernandez submitted written materials regarding
continuation of work with the Duwamish Valley Community, which are attached as minutes
Exhibit D.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Ralph Ibarra, Diverse America Network, submitted written
materials regarding impacts of COVID-19, which are attached as minutes Exhibit E.
• In lieu of spoken comment, JList submitted written materials regarding impacts of COVID-
19, which are attached as minutes Exhibit F.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Tom Kay, Kami Tech Inc. submitted written materials
regarding impacts of COVID-19 on maritime tenants, which are attached as minutes
Exhibit G.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Joseph Lachman, Asian Counseling and Referral Service,
submitted written materials regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers, which are
attached as minutes Exhibit H.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Amy Leong, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, submitted
written materials regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers, which are attached
as minutes Exhibit I.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Paulina Lopez, Duwamish Valley Resident, submitted written
materials in support of Motion 2020-06, which are attached as minutes Exhibit J.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Garry Owens, SEIU Local 8, submitted written materials
regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers, which are attached as minutes Exhibit
K.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Elena Perez, Puget Sound Sage, submitted written materials
regarding impacts of COVID-19 on airport workers, which are attached as minutes Exhibit
L.
• In lieu of spoken comment, Sue Schneider, submitted written materials regarding impacts
of COVID-19 on airport workers, which are attached as minutes Exhibit M.
6. UNANIMOUS CONSENT CALENDAR – None.
7. SPECIAL ORDERS of BUSINESS
7a. Motion 2020-07, a motion of the Port of Seattle Commission to provide immediate relief
and support to Port employees and Port tenants and concessionaires.
Document(s) included a draft motion. The adopted version of the motion, as amended, is available.
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Presenter(s): Eric Schinfeld, Interim Commission Chief of Staff and Aaron Pritchard, Commission
Policy Manager.
Ensuring continuity of operations benefits the Port, the state’s economy, and individual businesses.
This motion directs that resource be prioritized towards the health, safety, and economic well-being
of employees, concessionaires, and concessionaire employees.
The motion has four key sections:
• Employees: workplace policies allowing Port employees to care for themselves and their
families while continuing work essential to Port operations will be enacted, with priority given
to maintaining employment and benefits to the greatest extent possible.
• Tenants and concessionaires: immediate financial relief to Port tenants and
concessionaires, in a manner legally consistent with advancing the Port’s financial interests.
• Tenants and residents: tenants and residents at Port facilities will not be evicted for inability
to pay rent, through June 30, 2020.
• Assistance in finding relief from other entities: an outreach program will be developed to
facilitate access to local, state, and federal resources.
AMENDMENT
The following amendment was offered by Commissioner Felleman:
Insert at line 76: “Assistance in finding relief from other entities: The Port will develop an outreach
program for its tenants, their employees, and port employees, to facilitate their ability to access local,
state and federal relief resources. This program will be established as soon as possible, following
additional clarity provided by the agencies as to the eligibility and application of relief programs.
The amendment was adopted by the following vote: The vote was:
In favor: Bowman, Cho, Calkins, Felleman, Steinbrueck (5)
The amended Motion 2020-07 now reads as follows:
The Commission directs the Executive Director to take steps to implement economic relief
during the COVID-19 crisis using the following guidance:
Port Employees
The health, safety and well-being of employees is the Port’s highest priority. The Commission
hereby provides the following direction for the Executive Director’s actions to review and
enact workplace policies that enhance the ability of employees to care for themselves and
their families while continuing to provide the work essential to Port operations. Priority shall
be given to maintaining employment and benefits to the greatest extent possible.
To further the Executive Director’s efforts to support employees, the Commission hereby
expands the Executive Director’s authority through June 30, 2020 to expend up to $1,000,000
without Commission approval, as needed, to advance these efforts.
Port Tenants and Concessionaires
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The Commission hereby supports the Executive Director’s ongoing efforts to evaluate the
impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on the Port, and authorizes the Executive Director to
implement immediate financial relief to Port tenants and concessionaires in a manner that is
legally consistent with advancing the Port’s financial interests and thereby creating ongoing
benefit to the resident of King County.
The Port depends on these tenants and concessionaires to provide services to Port
customers and generate revenue for Port operations. Maintaining its base of tenants and
concessionaires is critical to the Ports financial strategy to recover from the impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic, and also to the tens of thousands of workers whose livelihood are
dependent on Port operations.
Just as important to supporting the tenants themselves is supporting their employees. The
economic success of the airport and its concessionaires post-COVID-19 is inexorably tied to
the ability of these businesses to bring back their employees once customer demand returns.
To ensure that these employees are available, healthy and open to returning, the best way to
support them during the immediate crisis is providing continuing payments and/or benefits.
The Commission is grateful to the large majority of its concessionaires who are already doing
so, and urges these efforts to continue; the provision of economic relief is a key way for the
Port to facilitate the provision of that support.
Port-initiated short-term economic relief shall complement the evolving state and federal
assistance programs and prioritize Port tenants and concessionaires that:
• Are directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that have been
implemented to address it;
• Can reasonably commit to continued operations within current public health
directives or can reasonably commit to resuming full operations as demand recovers;
or
•Provide services essential to the Port operations.
Protection of Tenants and Residents:
The Commission hereby directs the Executive Director that tenants and residents at Port of
Seattle facilities shall not be evicted for inability to pay rent through June 30, 2020, including
live-aboard residents and other moorage customers, and authorizes the Executive Director
to provide financial relief to these residents and customers consistent with this motion.
Assistance in finding relief from other entities:
The Port will develop an outreach program for its tenants, their employees, and port
employees, to facilitate their ability to access local, state and federal relief resources. This
program will be established as soon as possible, following additional clarity provided by the
agencies as to the eligibility and application of relief programs.
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The motion for approval of agenda item 7a, as amended, carried by the following vote:
In favor: Bowman, Cho, Calkins, Felleman, Steinbrueck (5)
7b. Authorization for the Executive Director to take such immediate, short-term actions as
necessary to implement airport relief measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Presentation/Request document(s) included an agenda memorandum.
Presenter(s): Steve Metruck, Executive Director, Dan Thomas, Chief Financial Officer, and Lance
Lyttle, Managing Director, Aviation.
The goal of this action is to provide cashflow relief to airlines. This will allow a month to complete the
analysis, although staff intends to have a good understanding sooner.
Commissioners remarked on the urgent nature of relief actions and the lack of time to prepare and
collect data and expressed concern for airport tenants and their employees. It was noted that the
Port’s options for providing relief are limited by its status as a special purpose (as opposed to general
purpose government, and Federal Aviation Administration guidelines. This authorization sets the
stage for further action in the future.
The motion for approval of agenda item 7b carried by the following vote:
In favor: Bowman, Calkins, Cho, Felleman, Steinbrueck (5)
7c. Motion 2020-06, a motion of the Port of Seattle Commission to provide guidance for Port
leadership in prioritizing Port investments to assist local, regional, and statewide
economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Document(s) included a draft motion. The adopted version of the motion is available.
Presenter(s): Eric Schinfeld, Interim Commission Chief of Staff and Aaron Pritchard, Commission
Policy Manager.
The Port is uniquely situated to play an essential role in the recovery of the local economy. This
motion is about principals, prioritization, and criteria. It is not intended to delve into specifics, because
not enough is known at this time. Reshaping the local economy after this crisis will provide an
opportunity to direct more focus towards equity, small business support, and the environment.
An early action plan will be delivered on April 28. An update will be provided by the end of 2020, with
further updates throughout 2021.
The motion for approval of agenda item 7c carried by the following vote:
In favor: Bowman, Calkins, Cho, Felleman, Steinbrueck (5)
8. AUTHORIZATIONS and FINAL ACTIONS – None.
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9. PRESENTATIONS, REPORTS, and STAFF BRIEFINGS – None.
10. QUESTIONS on REFERRAL to COMMITTEE – None.
11. ADJOURNMENT
There was no further business, and the meeting adjourned at 1:50 p.m.
Prepared: Attest:
Amy Dressler, Interim Commission Clerk Sam H. Cho, Commission Secretary
Minutes approved: May 12, 2020.
