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City of Seattle
Mike McGinn, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Mayor Nickels and Councilmember Wills Propose City Light Advisory Board
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
12/5/2002 10:10:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of the Mayor (206) 684-4000
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Mayor Nickels and Councilmember Wills
Propose City Light Advisory Board
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels transmitted a resolution to the City Council today that would establish an independent advisory board to help oversee Seattle City Light and advise the mayor, the council and the utility on strategy and policy.
The legislation responds to a recommendation of the Mayor’s City Light Review Committee. Nickels appointed the review committee last May to suggest ways for the mayor and City Council to provide future oversight of the utility. The committee released its report Oct. 10.
"This resolution is a major step toward helping our public utility deal with a changing industry and substantial new challenges," Nickels said. "It would create an advisory board with expertise in relevant areas, including finance, the environment and utility operations. Such a board would bring an important level of knowledge and attention to City Light issues."
The board would consist of six members - three appointed by the City Council and three by the mayor. The mayor would name one of his appointments as chair. Members would serve three-year terms and be paid a stipend of $500 per meeting, not to exceed $1,500 per month.
Councilmember Heidi Wills, chair of the Council’s Energy and Environmental Policy Committee, will sponsor the legislation.
"This form of additional citizen oversight of our public utility would be helpful to the Mayor, Council and City Light," said Wills. "This jointly appointed advisory board would further protect our utility ratepayers by bringing independent industry expertise to the table."
The resolution specifies that board members have demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: business, finances, energy conservation, environmental protection, energy law, utility operations and power/risk management.
"We like the idea of additional sets of eyes on the many challenges we confront daily in this changing industry. We would be better for the new expertise the committee would bring and our customers would see the benefit as well," said Gary Zarker, City Light superintendent.
The resolution requires the board to develop its scope of work with the mayor, council and City Light superintendent and submit annual written reports summarizing its activities, recommendations and expenses for the year.
As recommended by the City Light Review Committee, the mayor and council would assess the effectiveness of the board after three years and decide whether it should continue.
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Mayor's Office
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