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City of Seattle
Seattle City Council
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: City Council To Hold "Public Conversation" with City Light Superintendent Nominee
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
1/8/2004 10:41:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tom Van Bronkhorst (206) 684-8807
Nancy Roberts (206) 684-8146
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CITY COUNCIL TO HOLD "PUBLIC CONVERSATION" WITH CITY LIGHT SUPERINTENDENT NOMINEE
Jan. 20 event will allow public comment, questions about Mayor's nominee
SEATTLE - The Seattle City Council will hold a public Town Hall-style "Conversation" with City Light Superintendent Nominee Jorge Carrasco on Tuesday, January 20, at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, as part of its confirmation process. Mayor Greg Nickels submitted Carrasco's name to the Council last month as his choice to lead the City's public power utility. The Council has authority to confirm or deny the nomination.
Today, a Council Committee of the Whole met with Carrasco and gave him a list of 20 questions regarding his management experience and style. Carrasco has until January 15 to respond in writing. Both the questions, and the response when it is received, will be posted on the City Council's Web site at www.cityofseattle.net/council.
Members of the public are invited to submit their own questions for Carrasco, by sending them to Council.Web@Seattle.Gov or by calling (206) 684-8888. At the public meeting on January 20, the Council will ask Carrasco several questions submitted by members of the public. The Council will then devote one hour for those people in attendance to comment on the confirmation process or ask their own questions of Carrasco.
On January 22, the Council Committee of the Whole will meet to ask further questions of the nominee, focusing more on issues directly related to Seattle City Light.
"This will be a very public confirmation process and we will welcome citizen comments and questions at the public meeting. People are also encouraged to write or e-mail me and other Council members," said Councilmember Jean Godden, who is chairing the committee considering the nomination. "This process will not be complete until the Council feels comfortable the public's concerns have been addressed."
Carrasco was selected by Mayor Nickels to head the City's largest department following an extensive seven-month nationwide search. Carrasco served as president of New Jersey-based American Water Services, and was previously general manager of East Bay Municipal Utility District, a water and wastewater utility serving more than one million customers in the eastern San Francisco Bay area. He also served as city manager of Scottsdale, Arizona and Austin, Texas. As city manager of Austin he had oversight of an electric utility comparable in size to City Light.
"As the Council begins its work in 2004 the first order of business is consideration of the Mayor's nominee for superintendent of City Light," said Council President Jan Drago. "We will conduct our own due diligence and proceed with the confirmation process in a timely, but thorough manner."
The public meeting, and all Council meetings to consider the nomination of Carrasco, will be cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21/28 and Webcast live at www.cityofseattle.net/council.
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City Council
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